Nightmare: Nation Rising

by Elu

First published 30th of April, 2017

Finally, Andromalius became the Lord of the Demons. With much power at his hooves, what will he do? And what will the world do to him?

Before even reading the description, you must look at the main story via the link above.

ATTENTION! The story is in hiatus because I'm rewriting the original one. Once it's done, I will resume writing this one, and this message will disappear.

Andromalius, who thought of himself as a human named Mike, has recently discovered who he truly is and what destiny lies within him. According to the prophecy that was never intended to be fulfilled, he became the liberator and subsequently a ruler of demons. Five thousand years after their banishment, they were able to see the light once again.

The tension in the world grows bigger and bigger, and will soon escalate into something far worse than whispers and cold looks. What will Andromalius do to evade it? What will he do if the war still begins?

He has the help of a powerful necromancer from the other world, the two alicorn rulers, and a whole nation. But are they enough?

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Cover art done by the amazing Shadow of Doubt.

Tags will be added as the story progresses.
Sex scenes are marked with *** at the beginning and the end, making them easily skippable if one doesn't want to read them.

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Prologue: Coronatio

Author's Notes:

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, the sequel has arrived! Enjoy.

Also, clop from now on will be marked with *** at the beginning and the end.

It was a new day in the kingdom of demons. It was different from all other days that the demons spent in their prison, as the prison was no more. The stone ceiling of huge caverns that were their home was destroyed, and the morning sun shone brightly onto the ground for the first time in thousands of years, its rays piercing the morning air.

The stink from the previous day was gone, replaced by scents of a fresh after-rain air and, surprisingly, flowers. One of them have already grown in the window of Inanna's house. It was a simple red rose, and it was blooming, basking in the sunlight. The magic that kept this place a prison was released in the most wonderful way. As any energy, magic can't disappear into nothing. Influenced by feelings of hope and happiness, it went into creating the flora around previously barren lands.

Grass, flowers, bushes, and even trees appeared overnight, replacing the grayness of stone that reigned there for five thousand years. Lively conversations were heard as demons spent their time outside, discovering the world they were deprived of for a very long time. They lied in the sun, enjoying their time under the blue skies, wondering just how good everything turned out to be. Many artist were inspired by what they saw, and new songs, new paintings, new fiction were created, all in the name of nature.

As for the pair of a demon lord and a succubus, they were waking up from their relaxing slumber. Greeting each other after the sleep, the two sat up on their bed they shared for the night.

"There will be an official crowning ceremony held today, Andro." Inanna spoke, lifting Andromalius' helmet off of his head. "You needn't wear this thing." she looked at the middle-lengthy fiery mane that the stallion grew on his head and upper part of the back of his neck. "My, you look good without it." she levitated a brush and used it for his mane. "A little bit of care and this mess on your head will actually look pretty good. I'm surprised it grew so fast, and it looks really good on you."

The two sat in silence as Inanna brushed his red mane, straightening it out and making it look much better and more royal, fit for someone like him. He, for all intentions and purposes, became a ruler.

"I can feel your nervousness." the succubus chuckled. "Yeah, that's a big deal. You need to prepare a speech, too."

"Was the one I spoke yesterday not enough?" Andromalius asked.

"It certainly lacked professionalism." Inanna replied. "You know, it wasn't that good. You can do much better if you actually prepare it."

"You talk like you're some kind of a secretary to me." the hell stallion furrowed his brows.

"Well, I kinda am." Inanna laughed softly. "I mean, they did assign me to you. Why'd I contact you in the first place? I didn't really know much about you back then. I certainly do now, and I'm glad they brought us together in this wonderful way.

"So, the coronation is very important." she added. "You must look good for this. Looks aren't everything, of course, but you have to start with something, ya know?"

"I think I understand." Andromalius nodded. "I need to look and act my best. Not only today, but all the time. There is much to be done in this world to make it better, and I'm going to start here. I already have a plan of how to rebuild this city. It's layout is... chaotic, to say the least. I understand right that it is the capital?"

"Well, it is the biggest city here, and thus you can make it one." Inanna nodded her head in responce. "Besides, it has the best castle. Um, at least it's the least damaged one."

"This is a good start, then." the hell stallion replied positively, a smile appearing on his black lips. "Tell me, how much time is it before the ceremony begins?"

"About three hours, why?" Inanna asked, the corners of her lips turning up as she felt some of his thoughts that involved her rushing in his head. She liked the images they brought.

"We could use this time to get some of our tension relieved." he turned his head and nuzzled his lover. "If you are up for it..." he playfully added.

"Oh my, I have been waiting so long for these exact words!" Inanna giggled, placing a kiss on Andromalius' cheek. "Do you expect me to say 'No'? If so, you're so wrong..."

Andromalius and Inanna lied on the bed. The recently-brushed mane of the stallion became a mess as he passionately made out with his lover, not holding himself back. He kissed her on her cheeks, lips, both her horns, and neck. Inanna did the same to him, moaning along the way as she felt his tender lips on herself, brushing against her fur, his cool breath washing over her. She was thoroughly enjoying the time with Andromalius, not missing any of it. She basked in the pleasure, surrendering to it completely, feeding off of lust and love that Andromalius gave off towards the lusty succubus.

Giving her two long licks on her horns, Andromalius elicited loud moans from his lover, and proceeded to cut them off by deeply kissing her on the lips. He prodded her mouth with his forked tongue, and Inanna let him in without hesitation, completely surrendering to her lord. Their tongue wrestled for dominance, exploring both their mouthes. They passed over the sharp teeth of the hell stallion to the duller teeth of the succubus. Andromalius quickly overpowered her with his tongue, and then parted.

"Look who's... eager." Inanna giggled girlishly.

"You have seen none of it!" Andromalius proclaimed, starting to go down her body with a series of sloppy kisses. First, he planted a kiss on each her cheeks, then jawline, and then travelled down her neck, leaving his saliva on it, and then came to her chest. He nuzzled it passionately, and inhaled her scent. He buried his muzzle in her pale-gray fur, and sniffed again, making Inanna shudder at the sensation.

He continued his way down, past her belly, and to two small teats. He kissed both nipples, and proceeded suckle on them.

"Mmhhhh..." Inanna moaned, placing a hoof on his head, slightly pressing him to her crotch. "Oooh my... H-hah..."

He looked up at her with the fiery eyes of his, not stopping. He gently scraped her nipple with his teeth.

"Oh, fuck!" Inanna exclaimed, letting her head fall back. "Mhhh, that's so~ good!" she encouraged him to continue.

He smiled, and then proceeded to bite her other nipple. She shuddered hard, almost jumping in place as intense pleasure overpowered her, sending jolts of electricity through her body, making her legs buck slightly. He stopped, and raised his face. Inanna looked at him with plea in her eyes, when he suddenly grabbed her hips and pulled them up, resulting in her lower half hanging in the air as his muscular forelegs held her tightly. Then, the hell stallion moved his muzzle closer to her small opening just a little bit past her teats. Her vagina was winking, her love juices dripping down. He took a whiff, and the intoxicating smell of a very horny succubus filled his nose, making him shiver in the sensation. Without hesitation, Andromalius thrusted his long tongue inside her and started doing his job.

Inanna squirmed in pleasure, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as her lover used his forked tongue to do what no one else ever could. He licked everywhere he could, not passing the chance to hit her precious sweet spot once in a while, making her scream in bliss. He didn't care if those on the outside could hear the two.

Her vagina pulsated and winked against his tongue, and that drove him mad with desire. He used his magic to spread her love canal wider, and his tongue resumed it's hard work. Soon, Inanna was on the edge, constantly moaning. She bit her lower lip, and looked at Andromalius with lust-filled, half-lidded eyes. A rather cute and no less sexy sight he decided to memorize.

Suddenly, she exploded, her juices going into and over Andromalius' muzzle as she screamed in intense pleasure. He licked everything clean, making sure no drop of mare cum was wasted. Inanna's lower half quivered and shuddered as her orgasm died down. She panted with her mouth open, not taking her eyes off of Andromalius as her legs shook from the recent orgasm she experienced.

"Yesss..." Inanna whispered, stunned by the amazing work the hell stallion has just done with her body. "I suppose... I suppose I should return the favor, shouldn't I? Oooh..."

Not saying a word, Andromalius nodded, his stiff erection twitching in anticipation of things to come.

The succubus took position on the bed, letting her head rest at its edge as the rest of her body remained completely on the bed.

"Use me, my lord." Inanna pleaded. "Use me." she opened her mouth wide, showing her yet clean maw.

Andromalius obliged, getting onto the floor. He turned, and put his front hooves on the bed near her hind legs, letting his dick sway before Inanna's hungry, lascivious muzzle, expressing her overt desire to be fucked, and fucked hard. He moved forward, the broad tip of his rod pressed against her tongue. Not letting the chance pass, the succubus started licking the head, eliciting grunts of pleasure from her lover.

The hell stallion groaned, and pushed, and Inanna found her throat being filled by his thick shaft. Soon, two-thirds of his dick disappeared in her mouth and throat, forming a noticeable bulge on her neck. Inanna moaned around his dick, the vibrations making him feel even better as he grunted in pleasure.

With a loud groan of lust, he pushed forward, going balls-deep into her, his big orbs slapping against her muzzle as he hilted. Then, he began to establish the rhythm as he pulled out and went back in. Using her throat as a cock-sleeve, he didn't hesitate to hold his meat inside for quite some time, enjoying the wet warmth and tightness of her throat as it tried to milk him of all he had to spend. The sensation sent shivers down his spine, making him buckle his hips, trying to get even deeper than he already was.

Soon, he found a steady rhythm to go with. He pulled out and pushed back in, a part of his shaft always inside her. He watched as the bulge on her throat became bigger, smaller, and then returned to big as he thrusted back and forth. This sight drove him crazy with lust.

"Aaanggh!" he groaned as he felt the end growing closer and closer with each thrust, the tightness becoming more and more unbearable with each second. His pace increased, he fucked her harder and harder, enjoining the noises that she made while being throat-fucked.

He shuddered, and hilted, his dick pulsating as semen rushed into Inanna's throat, filling it. There was so much cum it went back to her mouth and leaked around her lover's cock, dripping onto the bed. After a few long moments of orgasm, the stallion pulled out his dick, which had been by then covered in her spit and some of his cum. He took a few steps back, and looked at Inanna. Her mouth was full with his sticky white semen. She closed her mouth and swallowed, cum traveling down her throat. Licking her mouth, she looked at Andromalius.

"Mmhh..." she moaned. "You had a lot..." she grinned at him, rolling onto her belly. "Now, finish what you started." she giggled, letting her hind legs fall off the bed. She lifted her long leathery tail for Andromalius to see her pussy dripping her love juices, ready to be fucked.

Andromalius put his forelegs back on the bed, and aligned his yet stiff dick with her opening.

"My, I'm always surprised you can go twice in a row without any sort of a rest..." Inanna said. "And I love it." she slapped his flank with her tail. "Do it, my love~."

"I will do you." Andromalius said, and then pushed, his dick going inside her nethers. Without holding back, he started thrusting in and out in a steady rhythm, letting all of his length travel back and forth as he fucked her.

Inanna moaned under him, looking back at him. To contain her screams of pleasure, she bit her lower lip almost hard enough to draw blood. But the slight pain turned her on even more. She gave into her nature, and enjoyed every second of being fucked hard by her lover, Andromalius.

"Oh! I love— Unf! you so— Ah! much!" she said through the veil of pleasure that engulfed her.

"Mhh... I love you, nggh, too." Andromalius replied, leaning forward to bite her ear. He gently nibbled on it, earning a gasp from his lover. Using that additional stimulation, he started thrusting more frequently, his second orgasm growing closer.

His thrust grew erratic as he felt another release building up inside him. When the sensation became unbearable, he clenched his teeth and yet continued to hammer her steadily. He wanted to be sure Inanna came before him. The sensation quickly became slightly painful, and yet the hell stallion didn't stop.

Inanna suddenly came, expressing her intense pleasure in a wild scream, raising her muzzle in the air. Her love canal squeezed Andromalius' shaft tightly, milking it of cum. With one final grunt, he pushed forward, and came deep inside her, painting her inner walls white. He pushed so hard he made Inanna bury her face in the bedsheets, her ass raised above the bed. She moaned, feeling as their combined love juices leaked and streamed down the inner sides of her hind legs.

The two collapsed on the bed without a word spoken, and lied there for some time, just looking into each-other's eyes, content with what they've just done, enjoying the afterglow.

"So, what is this ceremony exactly?" Andromalius asked as the two walked through the streets of the city to the castle, which was located near the center of the city. Its tallest tower could be seen from his position.

"Well, it lasts up until the evening. You will be given a crown, some royal clothes, and then you will review the Book of Laws. The Pit Lords managed to put everything in there, although it's still a mess. Though, the book's not too big, as far as I know." Inanna replied.

They were walking through the streets of the city. Its citizens bowed to Andromalius as he passed, stopping whatever they were doing in favor of greeting their new lord. In truth, it made him quite uncomfortable. Even if he knew royalty is to be treated as such, he was first and foremost a common man, or so he thought of himself.

"Dear citizens," he addressed them. "You don't need to bow to me. I understand you express respect to me, and I'm grateful for it. However, just a courteous and polite nod of acknowledgement is enough. You have much more important things to do than greeting me."

The demons looked a bit surprised, but complied, returning to whatever they were doing before seeing their lord. So, the city returned to its usual life, diverting its attention towards more important matters.

Unlike yesterday, the city was filled with green life: trees, bushes, grass, and flowers filled the city. Its denizens have changed as well: they were just as colorful as ponies of Equestria. They were discussing their recent change.

"...I think it's much better now. That... What's it called? Rain? Yeah, that made eveything better. Just look at my fur! I'm so tired of gray, and now I discover that my fur is actually blue!" a succubus said to another excitedly. "My, what a sexy color!"

"...Damn, why am I pink?" a minotaur was sitting on a bench, a sad look on his face. "Pink... That's not what I want! Everyone will laugh at me..."

"I absolutely love these flowers!" an incubus said, placing one in his own mane.

"Colors, colors... I never knew so many colors exist!" another succubus said in fascination of vast variety of colorful flora spread across the land.

On a side note, Andromalius also noticed that almost everyone bore at least one weapon. A sword, a dagger, a small or big crossbow, just a bow, an axe, or some other kind of weaponry. He took a note of it, proceeding to look around some more.

He took notice of just how happy the demons looked, smiles were everywhere he glanced at. The change did good to them.

"...So," Andromalius spoke to Inanna. "This means there's a lot of work for me, right?" he asked, and received a nod. "Well, it's time I focus on rebuilding this country. I hope I won't be alone here."

"No, some hippogriffs and minotaurs volunteered to help you with that."

"Hippogriffs and minotaurs?" the hell stallion raised a brow.

"Pit Lord is a title, not the name of the species. They're still a mix between griffons and ponies... technically. Minotaurs are still minotaurs. The word 'devil' is used to intimidate the enemies, and isn't official." Inanna explained. "Sorry, should've explained it before you became a ruler. I suppose I forgot..." she blushed in embarrassment.

"I understand." Andromalius nodded.

The two passed a marketplace on their way. Various goods were being traded there: weapons and armor, food, clothes, household items — pretty much everything that could be made. Even early in the morning, there was already a crowd at the stalls, observing, buying, selling, and most importantly — advertising their goods.

"Come here and witness the mastery of Achilles! He sells the best armor a warrior could ever desire!" a young-looking minotaur spoke by the stall of an old-looking minotaur. Various pieces of armor lied in an organized pattern on the stall. Most of it was gambesons and arketons, some of them additionally protected by steel plates at most vital points. There was also a highly-priced set of full plate armor. The sunlight reflected off of its polished surface, making it look much more appealing.

"Fresh imp meat! Fried, stewed, bloody! Bones and various items made of them! Finest quality!" a hippogriff called from another stall, and true to her words, cooked and raw meet hanged from the hooks behind her, various souvenirs of bone,lied on the showcase.

"The best things for everyday use, here! Buy them, and they will serve you long! Even your grandchildren will be able to use those! Here, you will find only quality!" an incubus called from his stall, on which a lot of different tableware and utensils lied in an erratic pattern, most of them made of bone while only a few were made of actual metal and none were made of wood. There were also instruments, even some small furniture.

"If I didn't know this city was isolated from the outside world for millennia, I'd think it's just like any other city." Andromalius spoke his mind. "Things don't seem to be so bad, actually."

"Life never stops, Andro." Inanna said. "There are trade routes all throughout the kingdom. Demons produce stuff, sell stuff they have a lot of, buy stuff they can't make. We can maybe trade with other countries one day."

"Never knew you know economics." Andromalius remarked.

"Nah, I'm not an economist nor politician nor whatever." Inanna shook her head dismissively. "Coping with that stuff on everyday basis... Nope, not gonna happen." she stated firmly. "But I'm not that stupid to ignore the obvious."

"So... What should I do with you, then? Will I be just a Lord or do I get a... Lordess?" the stallion asked.

"The correct word you're searching for is 'the Lady'. With the prefix." Inanna laughed softly. "My, you still have a lot to learn... To answer your question, I don't want to be a public person. I let you handle things for me, big guy." she winked, and then brought her mouth to his ear, and whispered, "That is why I'm submissive, dear."

"Alright, then." Andromalius smirked. "I need to learn. I hope you'll be my teacher. If I don't like how you teach, I will be able to punish you for it..."

"Oh ho ho, you're into roleplay. I like that~." Inanna sultry grinned at her lover. "But let's wait until the ceremony is over or I'll probably ruin your mane again. It's so unruly..." she winked.

***

The two reached the middle of the city. There, a big lake of lava was situated with an island in its center. The island hosted a great castle, to which a stone bridge led.

"Well, here we separate." Inanna said to Andromalius. "I'll go get myself prepared for the coronation."

"Can't you come with me?" the demon lord asked.

"I don't think so. First of all, it's your day and your day only." Inanna smiled. "Second, I am no noble to be present in the castle. But if you get me a room there, I'll certainly move in."

"I suppose so." Andromalius smiled back. "Well, see you soon, then."

After the two parted, Andromalius went his way across the bridge. He came to an extended drawbridge, and two fully-armored minotaur guards that stood on its other end saluted and gestured for him to enter. The hell stallion nodded, and entered the gatehouse. The gatehouse was a big building, flanked by two round twin towers, and had a pair of hard and heavy wooden doors at each end. Demon lord's gaze shifted towards the ceiling and he noticed a few holes in it, obviously made artificially and purposefully.

After passing the second pair of heavy doors, Andromalius came to a small and empty yard, surrounded by walls. He could see arrow loops in the twin towers and the side walls. At the other end of the yard, another gatehouse stood. Unlike the first one, it didn't have towers flanking it but was still the same purpose and design-wise.

Finally, after coming through the second gatehouse, the hell stallion found himself in the lower ward. It was rather big and hosted barracks, training ground, a couple of storage houses, each had defenses atop of them. The walls surrounding the ward had inwards facing battlements, and guards could be seen on the walls, patrolling it and looking out for any danger. There was also a patrol in the ward as well. Each patrol had four units, and all of them were incubi. Minotaur guards stood at all entrances and exits. They wore full plate armor and bore halberds as their main weapon and arming sword as secondary, having it sheathed on their belts.

The lower ward was separated from the rest of the castle by yet another gatehouse. The guards directed Andromalius to it, and he continued his little trip to the castle keep. He admired the security of the castle, noting various great decisions that were made in order to provide the capability of not only repelling an attack from the outside but from the inside as well. The castle was by all mean impregnable and highly secure.

Coming through the last gatehouse, Andromalius came to the higher ward. It was even smaller, having only the blacksmith and a few storage houses in it. Finally, there was an elevated stairway into the keep, where the demon lord intended on going. He went up a flight of stairs and then passed a small drawbridge, finally coming to sturdy wooden doors. The guards at the doors opened them for him, letting him enter the keep.

He entered a great hall. It was rather dimly lit with chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and candles on the walls, and no windows whatsoever. Unlike the outside of the castle, the hall was richly decorated with gothic elements, including masterfully-done stonework that adorned every arch and column, beautiful patterns carved into them. Walls of the hall weren't gray as many would've expected, they were decorated with colorful patterns and paintings, depicting landscapes and events of castle's history. The demon lord was so fascinated by the decorations that he didn't notice a figure coming to him from the side.

Andromalius was greeted by an incubus. He had white fur and slicked back black mane, and his eyes were red with the sclera being black. He was dressed in a classical butler suit of dark-red coloration.

"Welcome to the Royal Keep, my lord." he bowed before Andromalius. "My name is Nebet, and I will be your guide. Please, follow me."

***

"This is the throne room, my lord." Nebet said as the two reached the second floor. "This is the initial place of your coronation and the place from which you will dictate your word and law."

The throne room wasn't too big but was rather high. Near the back wall, in front of the exit, a big throne stood, and behind it a wide window was situated, letting the light in. The light cast peculiar shadows from the throne and the supporting pillars. In front of each pillar, facing the exit, heavily-armored minotaurs stood in the shadows, each having a halberd. The guards were almost unnoticeable, especially by an untrained eye. They were standing like statues, guarding the throne room and their ruler with unquestioning loyalty, ready to die to protect their lord.

"The Pit Lords arrive in about fifteen minutes, my lord." Nebet said. "What would you like to have or do? Or, perhaps you have some questions first?"

"Why is this room so poorly decorated in comparison to the hall?" he asked.

"It is an ancient tradition of this castle, my lord." the butler said. "The new owner of the keep must decorate the throne room themselves and to his or her own liking. We could begin shortly, if you please."

"No, I suppose it could wait for later." Andromalius replied. "And what is on the other floors?

"On the very top, your personal bedchambers are situated, as well as your personal study, office, and bathroom. Between the throne room and your bedchambers, guest rooms, storage rooms, and current commander's office takes place. In the left wing of the castle you may find the staff. In the right wing of the castle you may find the dining hall and the kitchen. Down in the basement, there is a dungeon. Currently, it's empty. There is also a back door. However, it is covered in debris. It will be cleared soon."

"Interesting layout..." Andromalius noted.

"Anything else you'd like for me to do?"

For a few moments, the demon lord was silent in thought.

"I don't think I have anything at the moment, thank you." Andromalius replied. "Though, I'd like to see the premises in detail if it's not a problem. Also, you should tell me more about the coronation process."

"Not a problem at all, my lord." the butler shook his head slightly. "Please, follow me. And let me note that we planned on making you a suitable outfit." he glanced at Andromalius. "But, considering how your body is structured, it's impossible to make something that will fit you."

"It's not a big problem." Andromalius replied. "I guess my look is royal enough as it is."

"I can't disagree, my lord."

***

Some time later, the five Pit Lords arrived, including Beledal. Andromalius sat on his throne as they entered the throne room, quick to bow to their true lord. Two of them were red, one was black, another one ash-white, and the two others stone-gray. None but Beledal was scarred, though.

"Greetings, sir Andromalius." Beledal stepped forward, his armor clanking slightly. It was polished to perfection and no longer featured any skulls. "You have finally arrived. And now, it is time you take what is rightfully yours to bear."

A spiky crown was handed to Beledal by others, along with a book. The crown had five spikes, the front one being larger and wider than the other and had a hexagonal ruby in its base. The book was plain black with a few words on the cover: Book of Laws

"Today, you are officially becoming the ruler of the Demons." he spoke, walking closer to the hell stallion. "Now, stand up to claim your power."

Andromalius complied, standing up from his throne. Beledal walked even closer, and the hell stallion lowered his head. The crown was placed atop it.

"With this crown and this book, you are given the absolute power over us. You have proven yourself worthy by completing the impossible, and now you have the full right to be our leader." Beledal said. "We, the Advisors Council, now serve you and only you." he stood on his knee and bowed, and the other pit lords followed. "We lay down our titles as Pit Lords, as there is no true Lord but you. We are now the Advisors, and we shall be able to help you make this country greater than it ever was." he stood up. "Follow me to see your subjects. They are impatient to see you in all your glory. Present them your new flag and the name of the country. Remember to put your personal symbol on the flag, as per our tradition."

Andromalius nodded, and followed the demon hippogriff. The ruby in the crown and the alicorn amulet were glowing red in unison, expressing his great power.

***

Andromalius came to a small door on the highest floor.

"This is your time, my lord." Beledal said. "Go."

The hell stallion nodded, and opened the door. He stepped onto the balcony that was turned to the city. He looked down and saw thousands upon thousands of demons, looking at him silently with anticipation. Andromalius surveyed the crowd before he began to speak. The speech he prepared inside his head was being spoken.

"Dear citizens!" his amplified voice boomed across the valley. "Hear me, Andromalius! I am now your ruler, and I will make this country greater than ever before! Educational, and recreational establishments will be built, great factories will be raised, trade routes will be established, and our country will return to the world in its fullest! We shall push the progress forward, we shall move this world forward!

"We all thrive towards achieving our happiness. And we are the ones that can make it come true! We shall build a country that will have all the opportunities in the world to achieve whatever we desire, to build strong, unbreakable unions, to create a new, peaceful world for all of us to enjoy! No more warfare, no more pain and suffering.

"A lot of work must be done in order to achieve these goals. We shall be the architects of our own happiness, of our own fate! I, with your help, will change the world for the better!

"Today, a new country is formed. We are the Union, and this is our flag!" Andromalius proclaimed, and an image of the flag formed above him, big enough for all to see. It was a rectangular flag of purple color and white edges with a red unicursal hexagram in its center. "Right here, right now, our future begins!"

The nation erupted with applause and cheers for their new ruler. Suddenly, everything stopped completely. Even the air stood still.

"My son," Lucifer's voice reverberated through the stillness. "Congratulations on your coronation! I give you something that was once taken from me. It is now yours to bear."

A pair of large, shimmering, golden translucent feathery wings appeared on Andromalius. They glowed a faint golden light. He looked at them in surprise, and his wings twitched in the anticipation of flight.

"I promised it, and now I give you this gift." Lucifer added. "Go on, son, I believe in you!"

And with that, everything returned to motion. Andromalius unfolded his new wings for everyone to see, and everything went silent as the crowd stared in shock at their ruler, surprised by the fact that mere moments ago he had no wings. He crouched, and then took off, beginning his flight across his lands. The nation erupted in thunderous cheers as he flew over them on his golden wings, carried by the free winds he brought upon the land.

He knew it was the beginning of something new, something better.

Unbeknownst to him, shadows lurked at the horizon, threatening the peaceful life of the world.

Chapter 1: Regimine Novum

After his majestic and regal flight over his lands, Andromalius returned to his new castle and gracefully landed onto the balcony. Entering the castle, he encountered Beledal. The advisor greeted him, congratulating him on the well-gone coronation and on the overwhelming acceptance from the population.

"May I inquire what our new flag means, my lord?" Beledal asked while accompanying Andromalius to the throne room.

"There is a reason it is purple in color." the hell stallion replied. "In the world I've spent most of my adolescent years, there are two opposites in politics, known for many years. Left wing and right wing, communists and capitalists, for example.

"We were at the edge during most of the previous century. There were two major countries with strikingly opposite ideologies. Those were communists and capitalists. There was a great rivalry that almost ended the world.

"There is a historical fact. During a revolution in a country, there was a meeting held. That country had a king. So, it was requested that followers of one ideology sit to his left and the others sit to his right. Thus, left and right wings, complete opposites.

"It is, of course, a simplified version. But the meaning is — there are opposites. Blue and red. Purple is a mix of those colors. The right is no better than the left and visa versa. They are different in handling different matters. But if we take the best out of each of them and change some of the ideas to come to a sort of... agreement. Thus, I decided that purple color will define that we don't choose a path, we create it, and yet we take the best out of other ways." Andromalius explained. "As for the white edge, it can mean many things. In many cultures, white is a "good" color. But in others it signifies death and is a "bad" color. It is open for interpretations. It can either be good or bad. It depends on how you see it."

"It is indeed a wise choice for a flag, my lord." Beledal nodded respectfully. "I fully understand your reasoning. So, what will be our first step towards making our own path?"

The two entered the throne room. Andromalius walked to his throne and sat on it.

"In order for other countries to recognize us, we must first introduce ourselves." he said. "And the best way would be to hold a meeting with the most well-known and respected country. Equestria."

Not only it would be a much easier path to choose, it will also be very beneficial. Andromalius had a couple of plans in his mind for his future alliance with Equestria and perhaps many other countries. But he had to start somewhere first.

"As you wish, my lord. We have a convenient method of delivering letters via enchanted flames." Beledal nodded. "Should I start on writing the formal letter to the princesses?"

"Yes, indeed." Andromalius replied. "Bring it to me once it's finished. I would like to have a look at it. For now, I will read the book you provided and see if the laws that lie within are in need of change or removal."

***

After about half an hour of reading, Andromalius was more frustrated than ever. How could anyone navigate through the book without breaking their eyes? Its contents were an incoherent mess of words hastily put together to resemble some sort of a structure. It seemed like different laws were put together just to make it seem right.

The demon lord huffed, and then closed the book. While it was still readable, to some extent at least, Andromalius highly doubted the ability of commons to read such a brick.

He decided to summon Nebet to the throne room. He ordered the guards to call for the butler.

A couple of minutes later, the loyal servant entered the throne room and gracefully bowed to his lord.

"Is something the matter, my lord?" he asked, rising.

"How do you feel about the laws?" Andromalius inquired, levitating the book to the butler. "And what is your opinion on the Book of Laws?"

"Well," Nebet grasped the book in his magic and opened it. He went through a couple of pages, and then said: "It could certainly use some reformation and organization, in my opinion. Why, you have some ideas, my lord?" he closed the book and returned it to the lord.

"I do." Andromalius nodded. "I suppose I should move to my new office. I need some paper to write." he stood up.

"Alright, my lord. Follow me, please." Nebet bowed again, and then led Andromalius to his personal quarters. "You will be doing changes to our laws, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't." the hell stallion nodded. "Yes, the law system needs to be redone from scratch. As of now, it's a mess. I will start from basics, and then have some experts add details and explanations. However, everything will be written in a simpler language, for laws must be understood by all people.

"For starters, I will base all laws on a few main principles that can't be broken. It will be kept rather simple and logical. I believe that people should be able to understand the laws and where they came from, not to simply obey said laws without a second thought. Besides, all nonsense laws that can otherwise be easily avoided or don't serve any purpose will be removed.

"In my home country, there are many laws that restrict people without any logical reason. While it does have some logic, but it's usually false. They usually don't see the cause, the root of reason, and instead focus on something else. In our country, there will be no such thing."

The two reached a huge spiral staircase and ascended it. As the rest of the castle, it was richly decorated with different gothic elements and ornaments. They were masterful works of art, definitely suitable for not just a king but an emperor.

"Sounds very reasonable, my lord." Nebet nodded. "Your promises hold truth. But, will you keep said promises?"

"I have no reason not to." Andromalius replied. "I am working for the betterment of the country, not for my own gain. I need no gold or luxuries. I can say I already have everything I'd ever need. I have great power... I can use it to make the world better. There is no objective reason for me not to do it. While I can just lie in one place and rest, not caring for anything, it would become boring too fast. I want to be productive, if it's the right word.

"Truth be spoken, I've seen and heard about many horrible things that happened and I have no doubt continue happening in another world. Now, I have the power to change the world, and maybe bring those changes to that other one. I know how silly it may sound, but I simply want everything to be better."

The two finally reached the uppermost floor where Andromalius' new personal chambers were situated. They were behind the big wooden door, which was guarded by a pair of minotaurs. Both of them had surcoat over full plate armor, and the surcoat was purple with white edges, unicursal hexagram sewn into the center. Both guards had halberds as their main weapons and arming swords as their sidearms. They nodded in respect as Andromalius and Nebet approached.

"I believe you will become a great ruler, one who will leave pages upon pages of history." Nebet said. "I wish you luck, my lord."

"Thank you." Andromalius nodded. "Now, please leave me. I'm going to write."

"Of course, my lord." Nebet bowed respectfully and turned around to leave. "If you wish to see me, call my name thrice, and I shall appear."

A couple of hours later.

In the dining hall of the Canterlot Castle, the princess of the sun and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony were seated, enjoying the lunch. However, Twilight Sparkle couldn't stop herself from telling about the adventures she and her friends have gone through with Andromalius. She was especially excited about the return of demons.

"...and then, he teleported us back home." Twilight finished her story, her tea already cold. She hasn't even touched it.

"Ah yes, it explains the reddening on the horizon the previous evening." Celestia nodded. "Have you learned anything from your adventure, my little ponies?"

"For me, I learned that there are a lot of things you are unprepared for." Twilight said first. "It is also fine to let somepony else take the lead from time to time. I'm not sure if we could defeat Discord on our own."

"I learned that sometimes, rushing in and start kicking butts isn't that awesome." Rainbow Dash said. "Andromalius just wiper the floor with Discord! Just those smart nerdy tactic-strategies-whatever that stallion has are really good!"

"Ah s'pose Ah can say the same thing about mahself." Applejack nodded. "That fella is certainly smart and has leadership skills Ah sure don't have. Also, he's quite honest, and Ah admire it in just anyone, pony or not."

"I learned that even a battle can be elegant." Rarity said. "Though, Discord gave me not so elegant special ability. Summoning a rock?" everypony had a small laugh at that.

"I learned that shooting my party cannon not at parties can be just as fun!" Pinkie Pie said cheerfully, and Celestia shook her head slightly in amusement. "Also, I kept that giant chocolate bar in my party-first-aid!"

"I learned that, um, while some... ponies may look scary, they are kind and not evil on the inside." Fluttershy smiled. "And, um, while you may fear them at the beginning, they might prove to be friendly and, uh, harmless." she blushed, finding her words a bit embarrassing to herself.

"It's good to know that each of you learned a valuable lesson." Celestia smiled at the ponies, content with what they've just told her. "Now, let us finish our lunch and have some rest."

Suddenly, the doors at the end of the hall opened. Princess Luna and Lord Lucifer entered the dining hall, smiles on their faces. The guards at the doors looked slightly puzzled at the appearance of the devil. Nevertheless, they remained stoic.

The bearers were surprised to see Lucifer in the castle, but were more or less welcoming. However, Celestia raised a brow, looking at the strange stallion.

"Good afternoon, everypony." Luna beamed. "Allow me to introduce you my husband — Lucifer!"

He gracefully bowed as the ponies looked at them. All of them were surprised by the fact that he and Luna were married.

"Glad to see you again, bearers of the Elements." he said. "Pleased to meet you, your majesty."

"Likewise." Celestia nodded, her voice calm. "Please, take a seat. We've not finished yet, and we'd be happy to have a conversation with you."

"Thank you." Lucifer nodded, and then followed Luna to her place. She took a seat, and then summoned a chair for her husband.

"Um, doesn't it all mean Lucifer a prince?" Rainbow Dash asked with confusion.

"Technically, yes." Luna nodded. "Though, it is complicated by the fact that our marriage wasn't official. He is also, well..."

"I already have my responsibilities, actually. And they're connected to another world." Lucifer explained. "Let's drop it for now. Though, I suppose all of you have questions to me, don't you?"

"I always knew you two were a thing!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's really simple. Like, Andromalius — big, tall, black, has fangs, has a helmet." she gestured wildly. "Luna, in her Nightmare form — big, tall, black, has fangs, has a helmet. Also, I can see through the fourth wall!"

Everyone looked at her with confusion.

"Well... I had some suspicions." Twilight chimed in. "Mostly based on what Pinkie has just said, actually. But... if you are from another world, why are you a pony?"

"I suppose it makes me stand out less." Lucifer tapped his chin. "On the contrary... maybe it wasn't such a good decision. However, I like my new look." he ruffled his wings. "Besides, it is a much nicer form than the one I had to adopt before..."

"So, um..." Fluttershy spoke up. "How did you get together?" she blushed slightly.

"Oh, it is quite a story." Luna said. "Let us tell you about how we first met..."

***

Andromalius had finished some sketches by the time Beledal returned with the letter.

"I hope I'm not interrupting you, my lord." he said, entering Andromalius' personal chambers.

"No, it's quite alright." the hell stallion said, standing up from a comfortable sofa he had been lying on while writing. "Is the letter ready?"

"Yes. Here it is." Beledal handed the letter to Andromalius. "You just need to draw your mark at the bottom to sign it, and it'll be ready to be sent."

The demon lord read through the letter twice. The structure and overall grammar was perfect, letters were carefully and masterfully written, each of them having the exact same hight. Overall, the quality of the writing was superb. The content itself was good as well, perfectly describing the situation and the matter at hand. Andromalius spend another few minutes checking the letter, just to be sure it was indeed perfect. Once he finished, he returned it to the advisor.

"It's just what I need." the hell stallion nodded. "You may send it to the princesses. As soon as the reply comes, bring it to me."

"Will be done, my lord." Beledal bowed, and then left his lord's personal quarters.

Andromalius decided to take a break from writing. He looked and walked around his new quarters, taking in its rich decorations and contents. The quarters were divided into four rooms: the dining room was the first one, right at the entrance. It was large enough to host a small number of people for celebrations with friends and family. There was also an old fireplace that hasn't been lit in a very long time.

The dark oak table was situated in the center of the room, having seven chairs: three at each side and one at the end of the table right in front of the entrance. The room was pretty high, allowing for an ornate silver chandelier to hang from the ceiling. On the left wall, there was a large window comprised of smaller ones, all connecting with a series of arches until they become one large arch. Such a window allowed a lot of sunlight in, and also provided excellent view of the city lying down below.

To the right of the entrance lied the door that led into a staircase. There was a simple mechanical lift that allowed the food to be served right from the kitchen, arriving hot and ready for the meal.

Behind the main seating, a larger door was placed that led inside the actual personal chambers. Behind the door, an office was situated. It consisted of a library with a variety of books on ruler-related duties, a large less decorated table with a comfortable sofa near it where the ruler could either sit or lie while doing their work, and a rather big set of drawers. They had pens and paper, as well as some miscellaneous items needed for ordinary paperwork.

Behind the table and the sofa, another wooden door was situated that led into the royal bedchambers. Most of the room was taken by a king-sized bed. By its side, there was a small table with drawers, having some personal items, mainly brushes, small mirrors, some handkerchiefs, even simple silverware for meals served in bed.

There was also a large full-height mirror standing near the wall. Its frame was wooden, patterns and ornaments carved into it. The surface was completely clean, not a speck of dust on it.

The bed itself was soft and comfortable, having the covers made of red silk. The pillows were large, and they were in abundance. Overall, the bed was fit for both relaxing and fun activities.

There was a simple and small archway that led to the royal bathroom. It was very large, mostly made of finest marble and decorated with quartz. The big pool-like bath had enough place for at least five people the size of its new owner. There were various bottles with different liquids inside them, as well as balls of bath salt, ready to be used.

Andromalius loved his new quarters. He even enjoyed the luxury of the place. However, he would feel lonely if he were to live there alone, having too much space only for himself.

"Inanna?" he called. Actually, he hasn't heard from her ever since they parted ways before the coronation.

"Yes? Sorry, I've been very busy." his lover replied.

"I really think you should move in to the castle." Andromalius told her. "It's too big for me alone."

"Oh, I knew you would say that." the succubus thought smugly. "Well, what would you do without me? Masturbate? Oh, please, you don't have to stoop so low!" she laughed.

"Among other reasons." Andromalius replied playfully. "All work and no sex make John a frustrated boy."

"I'm pretty sure the saying doesn't go exactly like you said." Inanna chuckled. "But I like your version more. Meet me at the entrance to the castle in... twenty minutes. I'll be there."

"Alright, I'll be there in time." Andromalius nodded, and then decided to work on his project for some time.

Being a ruler has its perks and downsides, but he wouldn't call royal duties a downside. It was a price for power, one he was completely willing to pay. After taking his new duties, he already had a neck-deep pile of work to do. Somehow, it satisfied and relaxed him knowing that his mind will be put to work. Actually, he didn't mind the work at all. It made him think, and think a lot of steps ahead. And he always liked the feeling of being able to achieve victory in any given situation, and he was pretty sure that the time spent to gain it will be worth it.

Overall, he began to like his new status.

Author's Notes:

Andromalius had taken the duties and have already begun to work. What will be the results? What will he do to renovate and improve the country he took the charge of?

You'll soon see.

Chapter 2: Mannis Et Daemones

Some time later, Andromalius and Inanna met in the lower ward of the castle.

"Wow..." Inanna commented, looking around. "I've never been here before, and all of it looks... well, while it's pretty simple, it's still beautiful. Besides, visiting a castle is a big honor to anyone."

"If you want, you may move in." Andromalius reminded her.

"I just... thank you." she replied. "Y'know, it didn't seem like that big of a thing, but... I'm speechless. I could never imagine myself living in anything even remotely close to a castle."

"I will make sure that living conditions of all citizens improve." the hell stallion assured her. "A good home shouldn't be a luxury."

"I completely agree with you." Inanna nodded. "All those wars we fought didn't leave us time to actually live..."

"Alright, let me show you the castle keep." Andromalius said. "You'll be amazed, trust me."

***

"..." Inanna stood at the entrance to the keep, her mouth agape. "I... Andro... It's beautiful." she turned to him and kissed him. "I just..." she couldn't even express her feelings in words. She's been living in her poor house for a while, and being gifted a place in the castle was a step too high for her.

"I suppose it is a gift from me to you as a sort of 'thank-you' for all your support." Andromalius said, smiling. "Now, pick up your jaw, let me show you around. While I've been here only once and don't know it that good, I still can show you places."

"Alright, let's go." Inanna nodded. "I like it! I've never seen such richly-decorated palace. It certainly suits you."

Andromalius heard steps behind him. He turned around and faced Beledal, who had a scroll in his hand.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, my lord, but the response have just arrived." the advisor said. "In my opinion, you should look at it as soon as possible." he handed it to the hell stallion.

"What's going on?" Inanna asked. "Andro, working already?"

"Yes." he nodded, unrolling the scroll. "I'm afraid I have to cut our meeting short." he ran through the letter. "I promise that as soon as I'm back, I'll spend some proper time with you, my love." he teleported the scroll to his personal quarters. Then, he called: "Nebet, Nebet, Nebet."

"You wish to see me, my lord?" the butler appeared around the closest corner.

"Yes, indeed." Andromalius replied, and then gestured at the succubus. "This is Inanna, my love. Please, show her my quarters. From now on, they are hers as well. Make sure she's comfortable."

"As you wish, my lord." Nebet bowed. "Lady Inanna, please follow me."

"Alright..." the succubus said a bit nervously. "See you soon, Andro."

***

Meanwhile at the Hornguard Castle, everything was calm. The castle defenses were successfully repaired after the grand battle that happened there, and nothing even slightly close to that danger appeared during the recent days. No trace of Sombra and definitely no one else's. The territory was quiet save for the occasional cold winds.

Arantir decided to use the time to study deeper into Equestria in all aspects, including politics, cultural traditions, history, and most importantly, magic. He gobbled up books after books, rarely stopping or even pausing in his thirst for knowledge.

During his studies, he learned of the large stash of weapons and armor in the castle and surrounding lands. He sent out a portion of his army to collect anything even remotely useful and bring it to the castle. A lot of high-quality armor, from simple gambesons to elaborate full plate armor was discovered, as well as excellent weaponry: mostly spears and other poled weapons, swords, axes, ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows, and less anti-armor sabres, even rapiers of noble ponies. Most of those findings were in pristine condition thanks to the preservation magic of the unicorn tribe.

Under the tutelage of Arantir, Luna studied the art of necromancy, increasing her efficiency of commanding the undead at her disposal. The necromancer gifted most of the armor and weaponry to Luna, telling her that fully encasing her troops in armor would serve as an excellent way to hide the fact that they were undead. She carried it out perfectly, fitting her troops with full armor. Lack of flesh or life in general couldn't be seen under it, and the clanking noise the armor made hid the rattle of bones well. Not to mention that it gave the army much better look and higher efficiency. With new weapons instead of dull rusty old blades and with pristine high-quality armor instead of bent and dent partially-covering one, the new army was ready for any kind of battle.

On that particular day, while Arantir was studying, he received an invitation to the Canterlot Castle, to the official meeting no less. He was very surprised, too. However, he believed it is very important. Thus, he didn't hesitate to agree.

Making sure his attire was neat and clean, he summoned the portal to the said castle, and walked through it. On the other side of the portal, Luna and Lucifer were waiting. The necromancer glanced at the hellish alicorn, no emotion evident on his face.

"Good day, Arantir." the lunar alicorn greeted her master. "I'd like you to meet Lucifer, my husband."

"Greetings, High Lord Arantir." Luna's husband greeted the necromancer politely, bowing slightly. "Luna has told me about you. And, to my surprise, I actually see you before myself."

"Greetings to you, Prince Lucifer." Arantir respectfully bowed in return.

"There's no need to call me a prince." Lucifer slightly shook his head. "We're not officially married. Though, I do bear a title. Not from this world, but still a title — the King of Hell."

"My title is otherwordly in nature as well." Arantir nodded. "High Lord of Heresh, at your service. You mentioned you are surprised to see me. Why is it so?"

"In my native world, your character is nothing but fiction." Lucifer explained. "I mean no offence, though." he quickly added. In a couple of times when he played his son's favorite game, he wasn't quite sure what to think of this powerful necromancer.

"Ah, I see..." Arantir frowned slightly. "So... It means I am well-known around there as well?"

"Not in the big scale of things, no." the devil shook his head. "But certainly so in the small group of dedicated fans."

"Fans?" necromancer's brow raised. "Forgive me, but it is slightly... confusing." while Arantir has dealt with many a thing before, such news and their nature greatly confused him. However, he was sure Asha would guide him through.

"I will explain it on our way to the throne room." Lucifer said. "Princess Celestia and Lord Andromalius are expecting us." he turned to the throne room.

"So, he did become a ruler? How interesting..." Arantir murmured to himself.

His goddess Asha was right after all. What other things was she right about?

Arantir's frown deepened as he followed Lucifer and Luna to the meeting place.

***

As the four leaders and the devil assembled, the meeting was commenced. Everyone was seated at a large round table in the middle of the throne room. Increased number of guards stood at all entrances and windows, making sure no one tries to pass into the throne room undetected.

"So," Celestia spoke first, her voice was easily carried across the whole room. "Andromalius, you are a ruler now, and you've sent an official letter to us informing us that you would like to form an alliance with our country.

"Without a doubt, we will agree." she stated firmly. "My sister and I see that your country is in need of qualified teachers, as well as some important resources, as you mentioned in the letter. Our union will surely help our nations connect and assimilate. Simply said, get to know each-other. Though, there is still one problem — we must present you to the public. This agreement of ours can't be held secret."

"We'll work on it." Andromalius nodded. "I know that the ponies aren't exactly... acceptive towards the, so to say, 'evil-looking' beings. Though, I now have those." he shook his shimmering golden wings slightly. "Maybe it'll prove to them that I'm not planning to do anything even remotely bad to Equestria?"

"This would indeed require a lot of work." Celestia agreed. "Though, from your description, your nation isn't too different from us ponies. Also, you have minotaurs and hippogriffs. It will play a big part in presenting yourself to other countries,mas well as give you some positive light."

"It should also be mentioned that a lot of ponies have acquainted many of the incubi and succubi in their dreams. It would help ponies connect with your nation on personal and physical levels." Luna added.

"Now, I suppose we should talk about the war. It seems it's inevitable now." Celestia sighed sadly. "Our ambassador has been brutally murdered recently. He, however, managed to sent us a letter before his demise." she laid out a slightly bloody piece of paper on the table.

Dear princesses,

I regret to inform you that the Griffin Empire is planning to attack Equestria very soon. There was a rise of nationalism throughout the empire. My personal investigation shows that they are searching for a reason to declare war upon us. The full investigation report is attached to the letter and cannot be opened by anyone but you.

I'm afraid they will soon come for me. They are getting very suspicious of my activities. I suspect they will try to assassinate me and then cover it up.

T *ink spot*

THEY ARE HERE

*hastily written sign, drops of blood*

"I still can't believe it." Luna said, frowning. "Just what do these griffons want?"

"They always thought of themselves as superior to us ponies." Celestia replied. "Unfortunately, it is in their nature. It has been like that since our inception. They are hunters, we are prey. Also, it is possible that they want revenge for that war I was forced to fight nearly a thousand years ago. They suffered a defeat, and their pride wouldn't allow them to let it be."

"I still wish I was with you to fight them." the lunar alicorn said. "Maybe a lot more death could be evaded and prevented."

"Luna, it's not your fault it happened like this." Celestia assured her sister. "Now, let's focus on present.

"I chose all of you for the meeting because you all hold a lot of power we could use. Provided that you agree to help us."

"If war hits such a peaceful country as yours," Arantir said. "It would be disastrous. It doesn't look like ponies, at least most of them, like violence. Though, they would certainly volunteer to protect the country. And I will provide any assistance you may need."

"I regret to inform you that I will have to leave soon." Lucifer said. "There is something pretty nasty happening in my own world. I need to see what it is and what I can do to fix it. Though, there are some schematics of old war machines I can send you. They would be pretty effective."

"I won't stand aside as well." Andromalius joined. "I have a lot of experienced troops. You can count on me. Besides, I have a couple of useful spells that unicorns could use on the battlefield."

"This is a relief..." Celestia visibly relaxed. "So... Andromalius, you say you have a lot of experienced troops, yes? We could definitely work everything out. You need teachers for your educational establishments, we need professional military instructors. We can exchange."

"I agree." the hell stallion nodded. "Though, there is still an issue about releasing information about our alliance to public."

"Well, I suppose we should start working on our speeches, then." the solar alicorn said. "Luna, High Lord Arantir, I suppose you two should delve deeper into the forbidden art that is necromancy." she sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this... Though, I cannot deny we would need a lot of troops for the new army. And I would very much like to keep our living soldiers as they are. It would be much safer for us to use the undead."

"We have already upgraded our armies." Arantir nodded. "Best weapons and armor we could find are at our disposal now. The troops are fully ready for combat. The army shall be divided into five parts, each commanded by a general. Luna and I shall command the generals."

"Where did you get those commanders?" Celestia asked, raising a brow.

"They are the best of the best in my Night Guard." Luna explained. "Proficient in battle and efficient in command and tactics, they have a great potential to become future generals."

***

Some time later.

Lucifer had returned to his world by then. As for the other rulers, Arantir returned to Hornguard to make sure everything is prepared; Celestia, Luna, and Andromalius worked on the speech to present the hell stallion to the public.

They have already sent out ponies to spread the news about the upcoming public announcement. Soon, the square in front of the castle began to fill up with curious ponies. A camera was establish with a perfect view on the balcony from which the announcement will be spoken. Guards were closely watching over the assembling crowd as per princesses' orders.

Behind the doors of the balconies, Luna, her sister, and her son stood, preparing themselves.

"I shall speak first." Luna said. "Andromalius, you are my son, and it is my duty to present you to the public. But remember, no matter how they react, I won't abandon you. They will learn to accept you."

"We shouldn't make them do it." Andromalius replied. "We should show them that I wish them no evil. If we try to force them, it will solidify that I am indeed evil."

"I understand it." the lunar princess nodded. "And I trust you have a plan."

"I do." he replied. "But we'll talk about it later. Let's get this over with."

Luna nodded, and then opened the door to the balcony. She exited the room alone, facing the assembled crowd.

"Dear citizens of Equestria!" she spoke, her voice amplified by magic. The crowd looked at her in respect as all talk was silenced. "I have something very important I should tell you right here, right now."

TV cameras aimed at her, taking a perfect shot. In the large and modern cities of Equestria, ponies looked at the princess through their screens. In smaller towns and villages, she was listened to through radios.

"As you all know, I had been imprisoned on the moon for one thousand years." Luna began. "It was the great time of loneliness... The price I had to pay for my crimes I committed. I was completely alone, disconnected from Equestria, with only rocks to enter my gaze.

"But everything changed once someone visited me." she paused. "He was a great person. He comforted me in my worst times... He was there for me when no one else could be. He has shown me a brighter side of the world, one I didn't know. And we fell in love."

Ponies looked at their princess with smiles on their faces. They were supportive towards Luna. Even a princess needs love.

"We spend much time together. Oh, he was special..." Luna closed her eyes and smiled. "He was the only warmth I had. He was the one who could understand how I felt.

"But a terrible curse was upon him. One that wouldn't allow him to stay for long. One that would turn him into a horrendous beast. But I didn't abandon him, we didn't fall apart." Luna unfolded her wings. "We made love. And later, I gave birth to a colt.

"Where is he, you might ask. Where was he when I returned? Unfortunately, we had to be separated. He had to grow stronger, and I couldn't give him all he needed."

Every pony listened, not daring to interrupt.

"And once he returned to me, he didn't know who I was nor did I know who he was. It had to be like that for his and my safety. But the truth unfolded... We embraced each-other.

"There were obstacles in our paths. His destiny was much more different than becoming a prince and ruling as my sister and I do. No, his destiny wasn't to rule over Equestria." Luna continued. She surveyed the crowd. So far, everything went smoothly. "You might have heard about demons."

Murmurs went through the crowd.

"In truth, demons aren't connected to Tartarus in any way, though they did find themselves in underground prison." Luna said, murmurs dying down. "From one of the first languages, 'demos' means 'people'. Ponies, griffins, minotaurs, all of them together. While some of you may think they are evil, it is not true. They were just very, very unfortunate."

Then, Luna proceeded to tell her subjects about the tragedy that befell the demons five thousand years ago. The same thing Andromalius learned from Inanna.

"...And now, they are back. They need our help to integrate into the modern world and society." Luna continued. "Some of them may look dangerous or even evil. Don't let your eyes fool you — do not judge them by how they look. They are just like us, albeit changed and twisted by magic. Many years ago, they were living among us. And now, it's time we rejoin. We can live together in harmony.

"I present you Lord Andromalius, the ruler of demons!" Luna finished her speech. Andromalius took his clue and appeared on the balcony. Royally spreading his wings, he showed himself to the crowd of ponies.

For a moment, all was silent. And then, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheerful applause. The hell stallion visibly relaxed and sighed silently. He expected it to go worse.

Celestia stood behind her sister, smiling. It was the first time Luna made a speech like this one. And it went perfectly.

Ponies accepted the demons. Though, it will still take time for those two nations to rejoin after so many years of separation.

Chapter 3: Constituendum Pace

"Everything went far better than I expected, especially taking into account how I was perceived just a few months ago." Andromalius commented, surveying the crowd of ponies with a content look on his face. He was relieved to know ponies would accept him and other demons much easier than he expected.. "I'm glad everything turned out this way."

"Luna and I have been teaching our ponies about appearances and how they are connected to a person." Celestia said. "It seems they understood that what's on the outside doesn't necessarily show what is on the inside." she sighed in relief. "I feared it would go worse, too.

"Now, I suppose we should build a two-way portal between Union and Equestria as our first step towards unity. We should get ponies meet demons on regular basis. Besides, a railroad through the Frozen North would be too expensive."

"I agree." Andromalius nodded. "I could perhaps send an architect or two here. We can build this together and show the world that we can work side by side peacefully."

"We should begin now." Celestia nodded.

In the evening, Andromalius finally returned to his castle. He was teleporting back and forth between his own country and Equestria, taking builders and architects that would help build the portal. It was planned as a massive structure about fifteen meters high and ten meters wide. It was divided into two sections: one would allow to enter, and another would allow to exit. It would support hundreds of ponies and demons going through it daily without cluttering the portal. By dusk, the construction had already begun.

After the demon lord returned to his castle, he spent most of his time studying the law of demons and creating his own, more refined version of it. Inanna, meanwhile, was walking around the castle, exploring it, as well as waiting for her lover to finish with his royal duties. She was going to live with him, after all.

As Andromalius finished writing, he called his butler.

"Good evening, my lord. Do you require my assistance?" Nebet said, entering Andromalius' study.

"I need you to answer a few questions, Nebet." the demon lord said. "First and foremost, how many demons know how to write and read?"

"I would say..." Nebet tapped his chin. "About thirty percent can write while almost sixty can read."

Andromalius frowned. The level of language knowledge wasn't too good, he would certainly need to do something to fix that.

"How many schools are there?" he asked.

"About ten overall. All of them require a fee to study at. Unfortunately, most can't afford it and have to rely on their parents to teach them."

"It must be fixed right away." Andromalius stated firmly. "Does anyone own those schools?"

"No, they're by themselves, completely independent."

"I suppose I will visit them tomorrow morning and see what I can do." the hell stallion nodded. "Education shouldn't be a luxury. Now, I would require the best remaining architects to meet me in the throne room. I have a very important task for them."

"I will send them letters right away." Nebet nodded. "Do you require anything else, my lord?"

"I suppose not. Inform me when the replies arrive." Andromalius said. "Dismissed."

Nebet bowed and then exited the personal quarters of his lord. The hell stallion sighed, relaxing slightly. The day has been pretty tiring to him. However, he will have to adjust to it eventually. He never expected lordship to be easy, after all. A lot of work needs to be done in order for the country he's in charge to become great.

As he rested, Inanna entered the study. She looked at the hell stallion and noticed how tired he was.

"Oh my, Andro, you look tired." she said with slight worry, sitting nearby. "I suppose being a lord is harder than you expected?"

"No, but it is tiring." he replied. "Though, I'm certain I will get used to it eventually. Besides, it has something... entertaining. As a game of sorts. Well, I used to play a lot of games where I had to manage resources and build relationships with different countries. I was pretty good at them, in my opinion.

"Everything is just a game, albeit harder and consequences for both victory and defeat can be far greater and more complicated. I have to watch the same things I did in games, and then try to predict how my actions will be perceived and what reactions I might get. It is very interesting and challenging."

"But you still need some rest." Inanna said. "Say, how about a, I dunno, a blowjob?" she suggested casually, smirking suggestively and teasingly. "I can help you relax, you know."

"I'm not against it." Andromalius chuckled. "Ah, it's still bugs me sometimes just how casual you are about it. Though, what else would I expect from a succubus?" he smirked. "Just don't make a mess. I'll be meeting some people soon."

"Nah, don't worry. You know, I always swallow." Inanna laughed. "Now, relax and let me do all the work..."

***

After Andromalius and Inanna had some relaxation, the demon lord went to the throne room to meet the architects and the builders. He had a plan in mind, the one that would make not only the capital better but the whole country as well.

He entered the throne room, walked to his throne, and sat on it. He went through his thoughts, organizing them in a comfortable and useful pattern. He needed to state everything clearly.

Soon, Nebet entered the throne room.

"The architects have arrived, my lord." he bowed. "May I let them in?"

"Of course." Andromalius nodded.

Soon, a few demons entered the throne room and bowed before their lord. They were two, and both were minotaurs.

"Rise." the demon lord said. "Now, I have a very important task for you that will greatly benefit our country. Did you notice how lively it became around here with all the plants and trees?"

The two nodded.

"We should keep it that way." Andromalius continued. "I summoned you to make a plan for the sewer systems throughout the kingdom. All waste should be disposed not by dumping it onto the streets but by throwing it into the underground systems."

"Actually, my lord, the capital city has one, albeit it is in a very poor state." one of the architects said. "I suppose we can fix it. We didn't have time to do it because of the war, my lord."

"Excellent." the demon lord said. "I need you to make a plan of the current sewer systems and bring it to me. Also, make plans for sewer systems for other cities and villages. Then, we will discuss the details. Dismissed."

"Will be done, my lord." the same architect bowed.

After the two left, Andromalius summoned Beledal into the throne room.

"What can I help you with, my lord?" the advisor asked.

"I need you to find those who will spread my word across the country." Andromalius said. "I've been working on the new governmental system, and I already have a basis for it. Everyone should know it as soon as possible."

"May I inquire what the new system is?" Beledal asked.

"The new system will be aimed towards developing new technologies that will benefit us all and raise the quality of life. Not only that, but all systems in our country will be changed to achieve that goal.

"A long time ago, I became very interested in one peculiar project." Andromalius explained. "That project was aimed at creating a new global sustainable and peaceful society. Eradication of any suffering is our main goal, and everything must work towards this. In the end, everyone should stop worrying about any necessities and instead focus their mind on obtaining new knowledge that will further raise the quality of life and open new horizons. We will start with reforming the law system, for it is one of the most important systems that is in need for a change.

"First of all, we need to form a new general law-defining document. It will be called "The Mandate". It will contain the basis of our future system, including rights and obligations, as well as necessary statements, so called axioms. For once, the government is a body that serves the people, for it cannot exist without them. The government doesn't have its own money or resources — it uses them to the benefit of the people in the most efficient way possible. Everyone must learn it. People sacrifice some of their freedom to the government, and the government must provide food, shelter, and protection. It's as simple as that.

"Now, I suppose I could use your help with reforming the law system. It's not yet finished, and I require your assistance on some matters, advisor." Andromalius finished. "Follow me to the study and I will show you some notes. I could use a hand, I suppose."

"As you wish, my lord."

Meanwhile in Canterlot.

Princess Celestia was observing the beginning of the construction that would soon become a portal between Union and Equestria. The portal will be placed just outside the walls in the castle, in the previously empty area.

Ponies and demons were working side by side. Architects were discussing the last details, builders were already laying out the base for the structure, and royal guards of both countries were overseeing the project, making sure no one gets in accidentally or on purpose. Imposing minotaur guards of the demons looked much more threatening to the possible disruptors of peace and security, no pony dared to as much as get close to the construction site. It was clear that it won't be opened until completion.

"Um, good day, princess." a voice spoke behind Celestia. She turned around and saw Natura Stella. The unicorn was observing the construction with interest. "I heard something... Is it true Andromalius came out to the public?"

"Indeed." Celestia nodded. "And the public is pretty acceptive towards him. We're already doing a project together with the demons to solidify our friendship and alliance. Pretty soon, we will stand united like pony tribes once stood. Divided by time, we meet again and see each-other, and we are ready to put our past behind and spread harmony. It is how it should have been."

"I'm happy to hear it." Natura nodded. "Demons in my world aren't exactly... cooperative. Here, however, everything is pretty nice. And... well, I was thinking about going around the city for once. Is it okay?"

"Of course, Natura." the princess replied with a smile. "If you find any trouble, just call nearby guards and they will help you."

"Thanks. Well, I'll be on my way." Natura smiled back and went off to discover the city.

She finally decided to come out and explore the world. She couldn't stay at the Canterlot Castle doing nothing, after all. Maybe she'll make a couple of friends and acquaintances here and there. Besides, she wanted to learn more about the new world. What's a better way than seeing it herself?

As she exited the castle grounds, she found herself in a city unlike others she has ever seen. While there were plants and even trees, artificial structures and buildings prevailed, most of them having light coloration compared to more dark colors of elven cities.

Natura stopped and looked around, stunned by the beauty of the city. It was true she liked forests and glades, but this city was nice in its own, unique way.

She continued her walk through the city, and soon found ponies glancing at her. She blushed slightly, not used to such attention. She smiled shyly at the passing ponies, being as friendly as possible.

"Excuse me, miss." she heard a mare saying to her. "You look marvelous!"

"Um, thank you..." Natura blushed deeper, nodding to the mare. "That's very, um, kind of you to, um, say that."

Natura's smile widened as she found more confidence in herself. If ponies were acceptive towards her, she would maybe find a place for herself in the new world.

Author's Notes:

I'm sorry for the lack of updates and for the length of this chapter. I'm currently doing research on political and economical systems that Andromalius will possibly use during his rule. As soon as I figure out everything necessary for the story to evolve logically, the updates will become more frequent.

Chapter 4: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

Natura Stella strode through the city of Canterlot at a slow pace, taking in the scenery of the majestic and regal city that the capital of Equestria was.

Soon, she came to a big park area. It was filled with different trees and flowers, almost beckoning for her to enter. The smell reminded her of far away home, and she had little doubts about going into the park.

As she entered, she saw different animals roaming the area. They curiously glanced at the unicorn as she walked. It was peaceful: few ponies that were around didn't disturb the animals and were rather quiet, most of them on the benches, some just listened to the wildlife, others busied themselves with books, and a few were happy couples, enjoying their time together.

Natura inhaled deeply and smiled. It indeed reminded her of her peaceful forest she used to live in. So, she went deeper into the park and lied down on the grass. Artificial benches, while comfortable, couldn't provide her with a sense of belonging or nature. She found it much more enjoyable to lie in the grass, feeling its blades against her fur and skin, sensing its refreshing touch, feeling how energy of life swirled around, making the place feel lively.

Animals warily approached her: various birds, rodents, and even wild cats. Of course, they weren't completely wild, but they were as close to it as possible in the city like Canterlot.

Natura began to hum a tune she had heard from the elves of her world. It was simple and radiated with happiness and joy. She felt better around trees, bushes, flowers, and fauna that inhabited the surroundings. There was no feeling like this one, there simply couldn't be anything better for the unicorn.

"How are you, little ones?" Natura asked.

The animals responded in their own languages that couldn't be understand by most. However, this particular unicorn knew how to communicate with different animals.

"Me too, thanks." she replied. "So, how is it around here?"

The birds chirped something to her.

"It's good." her smile widened. "I always liked forests more than cities or towns. Everything is so calm, my dear friends... I wish I could stay here forever."

She relaxed, letting her head fall and rest on her hooves as her eyelids grew heavy. She wouldn't go anywhere for some time.

Meanwhile at the Canterlot Castle, princess Celestia observed the training of the new army. It was almost as hard as the Royal Guard training, but still bearable. Thanks for the new commanders Andromalius provided, the training became far more productive. It wasn't only about fighting, but tactics and strategy. Many guards volunteered to undergo additional training in handing different weapons efficiently, including artillery and old siege equipment. Many old weapons were brought back to light, old tactics reformed and implemented in the new training. Not to mention battle magic was restored — many unicorn soldiers were already learning it and practicing offensive, defensive, and healing spells, and even high tier spells such as resurrection, which took much energy even from the best casters. It would be a lot of time before any of them learned it to perfection. So far, they were able to bring back to life only small creatures, and talking about anyone pony-sized would be pushing too far at the moment.

"General Pride Fight, how well is the training going?" Celestia asked her trusted general. He was a rather old stallion, his blue mane was graying, and yet his eyes displayed fiery devotion to Equestria.

"Excellent, your majesty." he replied. "The troops are determined to become the best of the best, maybe even better than the royal guards. The progress goes pretty fast thanks to the new trainers, and the training will be completed on schedule, maybe even faster."

"Good." the princess nodded. "Now, how are the repairs of siege equipment going?"

"Most of it is just dusty and will be ready soon." the general reported. "However, some of those machines have rotten slightly, but it won't hinder our progress much. Everything, once again, will be ready according to schedule."

"Very well." Celestia said. "Proceed as planned, then."

"Will be done, your majesty." Pride Fight bowed, and then returned to observing the training process.

The solar princess sighed. She didn't want any wars to start, but the tension in the world was high and the chances of a new violent conflict were just as high. Better be prepared and not need preparations than be unprepared and suffer the consequences. Celestia knew it all to well.

Off to the side, Andromalius was watching the whole process. After all, he was the one who sent the majority of generals and commanders to Equestria, and he needed to make sure everything went according to plan.

"I hope we won't need these preparations." Celestia said, sighing. "I don't want the peace to end..."

"Neither do I." Andromalius agreed. "But we should prepare. We need to be ready for anything, including large scale warfare."

"I understand." the solar alicorn nodded. "Tell me... In your world, were here large wars?"

"Two of them." the hell stallion said, his heavy gaze on the training. "Two world wars... Some say, they could be evaded. Some say, they were inevitable. But one thing is certain — they were the bloodiest wars humanity has ever known. We were at the edge at least fifty years — a third one was expected. As far as I know, it hasn't happened yet. However, I fear it might..."

"We have never had anything even close to what you say." Celestia said. "I don't want even the first one to occur. I will do anything to defend my ponies."

"Some people during the second world war thought just like you." Andromalius said, remembering the course of history. "They were brave people. In fact, they almost single-handedly managed to defeat the attackers, at least one of them. Towns, villages, cities were destroyed, razed to the ground, and people fought for themselves, their families and friends. Many lives were lost, but peace reestablished again. However, it came at a great price... More than twenty million lives were lost in that violent conflict." he turned to Celestia. "I want to prevent anything like that. I don't want to experience it, I don't want anyone to go through. Did you teach your mages how to resurrect?"

"We're working on it." Celestia nodded. "Hopefully, by the start of the war, they will be ready. We need to save as many lives as we possibly and impossibly can."

Meanwhile at the Hornguard Castle.

Arantir and Luna were preparing their own troops. Legions of undead were standing in formations, armed and armored, ready to be commanded. Fearless warriors,,they wouldn't stop until the victory was achieved. Both necromancers knew it, and lack of fear was the greatest asset the undead army had.

The new generals Luna appointed to the legion would be even more beneficial for the army as well. They were smart, cunning, and swift-minded — they would certainly prove to be worthy opponents in the battles.

Overall, the army was ready for combat, awaiting command.

"Princess, I need to show you one very important thing." Arantir said, leading Luna through the cold walls of the castle. "A blessing had come from Asha, and it is her will that I show you her gift."

"What is it?" Luna asked with interest.

"Oh, it will greatly help us." the High Lord said. "You must see for yourself, my apprentice."

Luna nodded. She was sure that whatever Arantir was going to show her was very important.

Soon, the two reached what once was the ball hall. Most of its decorations were gone, revealing gray stone underneath. The hall was empty, cleared of all debris that had accumulated there through the ages. Nothing but an ornate well stood inside the hall.

"Here." Arantir gestured at the well, beckoning Luna closer. Both soon stood near the well. The water inside it was dark and murky, and somewhat green in color, emitting barely seen smoke of the same color. A small dot was glowing in the center.

"What is it?" Luna asked with curiosity. However, she didn't touch anything.

"It is the Well of Future." the High Lord said. "It shows, as the name suggests, future. Distant or close, depends on how well you ask it. This well might be able to show us what we need. But remember! It shows only what you ask it to show, not what you need to see. Use your words carefully."

"Have you ever used this well?" Luna asked with uncertainty.

"On a few occasions, yes." Arantir nodded. "Though, the vision were blurry and confusing... Maybe you will have a better chance."

Luna looked into the water. It beckoned for her to say her words.

"Show me near future of one Equestrian year. Show me any physically and mentally violent war between nations that will happen during that time. Show myself, my sister, my son, show what we will do."

The glow from the well intensified, reflecting from Luna's eyes.

Suddenly, she was swallowed by the green abyss, and visions opened to her. Vile, violent visions of war and plunder. Ponies, griffins, demons died on the battlefield. Some were resurrected, some stayed dead. Panic captured ponies as their enemy advanced into the land, crushing the resistance with iron claw.

The attention shifted. Luna's sister stood on the hill, observing the battle, commanding the army. She was clad in armor, a sword by her side.

Luna appeared. She was tall and black, her eyes were glowing aqua. She commanded her own army — the army of the dead.

Andromalius appeared. He was in the heart of the battle, crushing his foes, and helping his troops with spells. A bloodied burning greatsword was in his magical grasp as he unleashed inferno onto his enemies, his golden wings shimmering in the flicks of fire.

Luna gasped as the vision ended. She took a few steps away from the well, shaking from adrenaline in her bloodstream.

"I... I saw the war." she said, her voice shaky and fearful. "It is happening within this year. I, I must warn my sister!"

"Indeed." Arantir nodded. "Go. We must prepare."

Luna teleported herself back to Canterlot. The High Lord glanced at the well, and then went to prepare the army. There were still some adjustments to be made.

"Sister!" Luna called as she entered Celestia's personal chambers. "I have urgent news!"

Celestia nodded, directing her attention towards her sister. She knew she mustn't ignore this.

"Tia... The war is happening within the year." Luna said hastily. "We must prepare!"

"Calm down, sister." Celestia stood up, worry in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately, yes!" the nightly alicorn said. "Arantir showed me a well that can show the future. And it showed me the war... The war with the griffins."

Celestia sighed sadly. It seemed her suspicions were proven true, unfortunately. Everything led to this, and there wasn't a thing she could do to stop it.

She reminded herself that the court is happening within an hour. It would help her lay her mind off of the war.

Little did the two know that it had already begun.

Evil lurks in the world, unseen by many. Sometimes, it is well-hidden in the dark, asleep in waiting for its time to come. Evil awakens from its slumber, corrupting even the kind-hearted, deceiving them into believing they do the right thing when in truth they do not.

Without evil, there is no good, and none are ever absolute. Evil people think they do good for either themselves or the people they care about. What is good and evil but shades of gray? Some are darker, some are lighter, and yet never truly black or white.

Mistakes were made in the past, and many of them come back to bite you when you least expect it. Those who are skilled in speech and have no lack of willpower may try to nudge the things in the direction they want. Sometimes, that direction is a violent conflict, one that cannot be solved by words, but by steel and fire. Those conflicts bring terror, pain, death, and yet they continue to return again and again, more and more violent and hateful than before. After the time of peace, unrest, war comes, wrapping the world in the darkness only the brightest light can dispell. And yet, there is no light if there isn't a shadow.

Deep, old grudges may violently return, even the smallest conflicts may escalate into war, misunderstandings may lead to nations falling apart, biting at each-other, bringing both sides down in a futile struggle to do what is right until they understand that what they do is wrong. But by then, it is already too late.

Many shall bear witness to warfare, the one the peaceful world of many nations hasn't seen in a very long time. The time of pain, the time of bloodshed, the time of horror. One that no one hopes to never experience. Only the inhuman beasts long blood, long the battle to fight. And yet, there isn't peace if there isn't conflict.

Fear, it rules the world. Fear of loss, fear of the alien, fear of the different. There are many fears, and many of them are justified in one way or another. And yet, fears can also be irrational, illogical, influenced by false stereotypes or by people who long for wealth and power that they want to get by any means possible.

Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate erupts into mindless violence, and violence leads to suffering. Most physical injuries will heal in time, of course, but what is in the mind will remain for months, years, decades, even generations, embedded into history forever. It is what will be the hardest to cure. It is not easy to forgive your enemies, even if the war happened a long time ago.

One day, that chain of said events completed, leading to what will be known as the most violent conflict in the history of that world. And it began slowly, unnoticed by many, ignored by those who could prevent it from happening or simply because confusion clouded their minds. Decisions had been made, and the consequences were soon to come.

It happened with the griffons, the nation well-known for their warrior, predatory, and prideful spirit that remained unbroken even through the years of relative peace. That spirit is helpful in many situations, but if left unattended or let it be used...

The consequences might be devastating.

It was an autumn evening in the newly-reformed Griffin Empire, the land of proud griffons. An evening, the end of the day like many others, or so it seemed. Nothing signaled what was tragically coming upon them and the whole world. Only a few expected and prepared for it, but would it be enough?

A large crowd was gathered in the main square of the capital city, Griffinstone. On a wide wooden podium, griffons in royal armor stood, two of them holding the shackles that restricted a frightened pegasus. Bruises covered his body, one of his wings was oddly angled, his muzzle was covered in his own blood, and his eyes expressed pure horror, darting from a griffon to griffon in a futile effort to find a look of sympathy. All he found was anger and hate.

A griffon stood out from the guards on the podium, wearing red robes adorned with golden patterns instead of any armor. He stood proudly, preparing to speak.

"Introducing her majesty, Empress Ironfeather!" he spoke loudly, and a griffon gracefully came onto a podium from behind, accompanied by fanfares that quickly ceased as she stopped in the center of the podium. Her perfectly trimmed golden fur and her well-oiled ivory feathers with silver tips shone in the light of the sun, reflecting her regality and the highest status.

"Greetings, dear citizens!" she addressed her subjects, her voice booming across the square, immediately gaining all attention. "Today, we are gathered here for the most terrible cause." her dark-golden eyes surveyed the crowd. "We have caught a foreign spy. Unfortunately, that is true, and we have all the evidence that proves him guilty." she turned to the pony. "Windflaw of Equestria, you are accused of trespassing on governmental property and spying on the state secrets, including getting illegal access to military information, and murder. Here is the proof for all the griffons to see!"

A large image appeared above the empress. It showed a corridor, guarded by three griffons. A cloaked figure made its way through the corridor, and once the guards tried to stop it, they were murdered in cold blood, holding onto their bleeding necks as the figure continued its way. Then, another image appeared. This time, it depicted the same cloaked figure standing at the table, packing some papers in its bags.

"No, I didn't do that!" the pony shouted as the showcase ended. "That is a lie!"

"Execute him." the empress ordered. "We will not tolerate anyone who wants to undermine the safety of our citizens!"

Forcing him on his knees, one of the griffins held his head to the block as another lifted an executioner sword.

"No, please!" Wingflaw begged, tears rolling down his cheeks as his scared eyes looked for some sort of support. He struggled against the inevitable death.

And then, swiftly, the sword came upon his neck, decapitating him in a blink of an eye. His head fell into a wooden basket that stood in front of the block, blood spurting from the neck stump, covering the wood in red. The lifeless body agonized, and soon came to a complete stop, falling like a doll.

"Unfortunately, this is not the worst. It is obvious that Equestria set this all up, dear citizens." Ironfeather spoke. "After we reunited, many strange and outright disturbing events started to happen, including murders of our citizens near the borders between our country and Equestria. It is apparent that Equestria doesn't want us back, doesn't want us to stand together as we once did.

"So many years ago, they fought against our country and brought it down upon its knees, rendering it completely defenseless in the humiliating act of defeat. Until that defeat, we prospered, we were the most influential and powerful country in the world. Equestrians don't want us to be back! They don't want us to stand up! They will try to stop us from ever gaining any sort of recognition! Apparently, they don't want competition... For years and years, our divided kingdoms were considered the weakest in the world!

"But now, with the reformation of our great Empire, we shall proudly stand against our enemies! They shall pay for their crimes in blood! That is the only way we can ensure that we won't be brought down ever again! We shall fight for our independence. It matters not if those ponies control the sun and the moon, we are still free! We shall not tolerate those who want to control us!"

The crowd cheered, clapping thunderously for their ruler.

"Today, Equestria will pay. Before they strike, we shall strike first! We won't leave them a chance to make the first move!"

***

On the border between the Griffin Empire and Equestria, everything seemed rather calm at the first glance. However, tension was in the air, poisoning everyone around it with fear.

The two outposts across the river were divided between griffons and ponies. Both watched the other, expecting them to make the first wrong move. The news of murders shook both of them, making them suspicious of each-other. Weapons were at the ready, and yet none expressed anything outside of normal. However, everyone knew that the spring of tension could go no further.

"What do ya think 'bout that?" a pony guard asked another as they sat on their positions on top of a defensive tower. "Y'know, about the whole murder thing?"

"I'm unsure." the second pony frowned. "There hasn't been a murder anywhere nearby in hundreds of years. Ever since the defeat of the previous Griffin Empire, actually. I'm not talking about what happens in their own borders. Some crazy shit... Griffons sure like to spill their own blood."

"Ours, too." the first one replied with a sigh. "Y'know that another village was raided, right? No one survived again... Ponies and griffons alike have moved out of any nearby villages after that. Do you think... a war is coming? Just... who else would do those things but the griffons? This is all... strange. We haven't had any problem with them until recently."

"I don't think they're that stupid to— wait, the heck is that?" the second guard sprung from his position, darting closer to the wall, squinting his eyes. "What the fuck is that?"

He looked in the direction of the griffon outpost. High in the sky, hundred of quickly closing distance griffins could be seen. Suddenly, a crossbow bolt struck him in the middle of the head, killing him instantly, his body falling to the floor lifelessly. A surprised look froze on his face forever.

The first guard gasped in surprise, and then rushed to another side of the tower, filling his lungs with air, adrenaline hitting him hard.

"Alert, code black! We are under attack! Enact plan 'Solaris'!" he shouted. Soon, the outpost erupted in clanking of armor and weapons as ponies took defensive positions. The ponies knew it was their last stand, and they were going to make the most of it. Earth ponies worn additional pieces of armor, pegasi prepared sharp blades, unicorns started conjuring a shield.

The first griffon to come received a hailstorm of crossbow bolts that killed him mid-air. Other griffons were more lucky, diving from above to crash into the guards before the magical shield was fully up. A violent fight ensued, blood was shed, ground soon soaking in red. Griffons outmatched ponies in agility, killing them faster than the latter could retaliate. Steel armor was being torn apart, limbs were being broken and severed, and all was followed by horrendous, terrifying cries of pain and suffering. It wasn't a fight — it was butchering.

"There are too many of them!" a pony shouted, his voice only to be drowned by the sounds of fight and death.

Ponies were greatly outnumbered, being crushed by the sheer force of the griffon attack, falling dead one after another by the sharp blades and claws. Soon, the outpost was taken over by the griffons, leaving no single pony alive.

Celestia and Luna were in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle, holding a daily court. They knew that the war would come soon, but it didn't stop them from listening to their subjects. However, both were nervous after finding out that the war would indeed come soon. To the surprise of all and frowns of the sisters, a royal guard rushed into the room.

"Your majesties, you must come with me!" he said, bowing hastily. "There is an urgent matter!"

The princesses nodded, hastily standing up from their thrones and following the guard. The crowd of ponies murmured to each-other with fear in their voices. The tension in the air grew by each passing second. Having princesses rush off was unheard of. No pony could find a reason for them to be in such a hurry. However, no one voiced their concerns about the war, no one knew it started yet.

The two sisters were led to a room with a strange device that resembled a monitor. The guard pressed a button, and an image appeared on the screen, depicting a unicorn guard.

"Your majesties!" the armored pony spoke from the screen. Yells and shouts could be heard in the background. "This is outpost G-3 reporting! We are under attack by griffon forces! The Griffin Empire has attacked us without the declaration of war! There are approximately a thousand griffins at our borders, and they are armored and weaponed heavily! By the time you receive this, nopony will be alive! You need to s—"

Suddenly, the pony's head was struck, and the point of a spear appeared between his eyes with a sickening crack of steel and bone. The image stopped.

"What we feared has begun..." Celestia sighed sadly, averting her eyes from the horrible image. "Now, we must act swiftly." she collected herself. It was not the time to weep and cry. It would come later "Sister, move to intercept the griffon forces. You have the first and the second defensive battalions at your command. I... I will make a public announcement. Hiding it is neither possible not acceptable. We need to prepare. I don't think we have a chance against experienced griffon troops, but we have to at least hold them off for some time until the closest cities to the Griffin Empire evacuate.

"Private," she turned to the guard. "Tell your commander to execute order 2-G."

"Right away, your majesty!" the guard saluted, and then rushed off, his hooves clinking against the polished marble floor of the castle, growing distant with each passing moment.

Celestia looked at the screen, and then sighed again.

"I think I should inform Andromalius, too." she said, and began to make her own way.

There was nothing else she could've done to prevent such a things as war from happening. She did all in her power, and yet it was proven futile.

The war had begun. It was upon her and her allies to make things right or at least try to.

She stared through the window at the setting sun as her magic worked with it. With the end of the day, the long-lasting peace ended.

Will a peaceful sun shine again?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH07I_irO-w

Author's Notes:

Not only Andromalius will have to build his own country, he will also have to partake in a war. This is very unfortunate, especially for a such young ruler as him.

However, he knows a lot about tactics and strategy. He can possibly become one of the greatest commanders. However, will he be a good ruler to his people in the times of war?

We'll see.

I must say I'm very sorry for not updating this story for almost an entire month. This is horrible of me. However, I found many interesting things about warfare, politics, and economics that will work nicely with this story.

Chapter 5: Primo Proelio

Author's Notes:

Once again, it's been almost a month, and I'm terribly sorry for this. I want everything to make sense, to be logical, and to make everything work is something I strive towards.

I was also working at finishing my other story and developing my newest one. Once again, I apologize for not updating the current one. However, I would advise to check my other stories. Maybe you'll find some of them good.

I will try to make the updates more regular. As I once said, the only thing that would stop me from writing would be my death. Probably going blind too, but I hope I will be able to find a way around if it happens.

With that being said, I hope you will like this new chapter!

Luna prepared to stop the griffons before they could go too far into Equestrian lands. She was ready for battle, dressed in the full steel plate armor reminiscent of what she wore as Nightmare Moon but having actual protection.

Instead of two battalions Celestia gave her to command, the lunar princess chose her own undead troops. They were far more expendable than any life could be, and Luna expected the battle to be bloody. Ponies weren't prepared for the war in the slightest, meaning that even the trained soldiers were at a huge disadvantage before the griffons. After all, griffins were warriors and predators, it was their nature to fight and be good at it. Luna understood it clearly and wanted to make sure her subjects would be safe from the griffins.

One of her generals, a lunar pegasus mare by the name of Midnight Hour would accompany Luna to the battle and command the troops. A telepathic link allowed Luna to give commands to Midnight, and the general would then distribute said commands among the army's units. Of course, Luna could control the troops directly, but she wanted to raise a general of her own that would learn and become better with time and experience.

"Now, here is our plan." Luna said as she and the general looked at the detailed map of Equestria. The country consisted of a large continent and a few isles. "Coastal cities on the east are under imminent danger, especially Trottingham. According to our intelligence, the griffons are routing by the main railroad that connects our kingdom and their empire." she pointed at the small island between Equestria and the Griffin Empire. Two bridges were build to connect to both mainlands. "Trottingham is in their way, and the city barely has any defenses at all since it was built not so long ago. Their police forces wouldn't be enough to hold off the griffons for any meaningful amount of time.

"As far as we know, the griffons have crossed the Guto river right there." she pointed at a river that separated the coastal area of the Griffin Empire by two. From the third side, the land was divided by high mountains that even the griffons found hard to cross. They had to cross the river in one particular spot because there was the only large enough bridge to transport provision and weapons. "They will take approximately five hours to reach the city and launch an attack. We must intercept them at the bridge between the Grittish Isles and the Griffin Empire mainland. If we are lucky, we will be fighting on their territory before they arrive at the isles. We need to destroy the bridge — we can't allow them to bring in siege equipment and artillery. It will be easier for us if they have to use flight — we would have more chances to bring them down before the damage is done.

"We are deep in the Frozen North, no danger is imminent to us, and thus we can use a portion of our army while the rest of it is evenly distributed across the cities we need to protect. The Sun Armies will presumably arrive shortly after our actions, allowing us to unite our own army and march into the Griffin Empire, luckily taking back the outpost by the river in a few months at most. Understood, general?"

"Crystal clear, sir." Midnight Hour saluted. "We may begin to deploy our troops."

"Excellent. I will teleport them the closest to Trottingham." Luna nodded.

The nightly princess stepped onto the tower's balcony that overlooked the troops. She deemed three battalions enough for that mission, and thus prepared her spell.

Celestia made the public announcement. It was rather short since she had to do great many a thing that was more important than speeches. Her subjects were left in the state of shock and disbelief — there had been peace for almost a thousand years, but now it was gone? It was a shattering revelation which, however, managed to bring many volunteers into the army. Ponies were ready to fight for their country, their families, friends, and loved ones. Celestia was against conscription, but even without it enforced a lot of ponies expressed their desire to join the army during Equestria's hardest and darkest time.

"So, it began." Andromalius said quietly as he and his aunt observed the last rays of sun disappearing behind the horizon. "Celestia, I will make everything possible to help. My own kingdom is far away from any possible attacks. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes, indeed you can." Celestia nodded. "We are evacuating the majority of coastal cities' populations, and they need a place to live and even work. From my experience, providing them with means of continuing their peaceful lives would work best."

"I could indeed use some help in my own lands." the hell stallion nodded. "However, I don't think that we have enough empty houses to host all the refugees. We need to build more. Other than that, we can also build temporary tents."

"I hope the war won't last too long." the solar alicorn sighed. "We need to increase the pace of portal's constructions as well, I suppose. There will be thousands of ponies in need of a new home, and I am certain they would want to stay away from the frontier as far as possible."

"I will see to it." Andromalius nodded. "I will also command my armies to join Equestrian forces. We will stand our ground, aunt."

Celestia nodded, and then let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Her peaceful ponies were going to fight and even die, which saddened her greatly. She did all she could to ensure the long-lasting peace, but all failed. She was so focused on suppressing the advancement of technologies that she forgot the real problem. It wasn't what ponies made, it wasn't technology. It was the minds. She failed to notice the growing tension outside her kingdom, she failed to prevent the worst from happening.

And now, everything came to bite her back.

It was close to midnight as princess Luna, general Midnight Hour and their undead army marched through the railroad bridge that connected the mainland of Equestria with Grittish Isles. Train transportation went one way only — out of Trottingham. As the city was being evacuated, the trains were almost overfilled with passengers, and many of them stared at the incoming army. Since the armor hid its units completely, the ponies didn't know it consisted of only the undead. The ponies quietly talked to each other, trying to guess where such an army came from. The design of the armor was unlike that of the famous Royal Guard, which left a question — where did such a large army come from? It couldn't have appeared out of thin air, after all. Were they even ponies? Were they robots or animated suits of armor?

No one knew the truth besides the selected few. The nightly princess intended for the mystery to last as long as possible.

Soon, the army came through the main train station, scaring and unnerving the rest of the population that was gathered nearby.

"War..." someone whispered, but even that quiet word carried across the crowd. There was a sense of imminent danger. Fear was high in the air, getting under the skin, chilling to the bone. Had their peaceful lives ended? Would those ponies ever find a way back home? If so, would it be the home they remembered?

Those were the questions no one could answer.

Suddenly, the princess of the night saw many dots in the sky, flying from the distant Griffin Empire mainland. Luna feared as much, and soon ponies started to notice it. The panic grew as more ponies tried to fit into the trains. They didn't want to die at the claws of the invaders.

The alicorn of the night cast a spell that enclosed the whole city with a powerful shield. Lives couldn't be lost.

"Princess Luna!" a slightly overweight stallion came hurriedly to the nightly ruler. "Are they here?" he asked with fear.

"Not yet, but they will soon be." Luna frowned. "How is the evacuation going?"

"There are still ponies left. We would require at least an hour to transport everypony safely. Do we have this much time?"

"We will try to stall them." the alicorn replied. "I would recommend that additional shield be conjured above the train station in case mine fails or griffons find a way in through any other means. Understood?"

"Yes, your majesty!" the stallion bowed, and then hurried to the police.

Luna ordered the army to quicken their pace. They should be near the second bridge soon enough, and the alicorn planned to engage the griffons there. The bridge needed to be destroyed, and any attacking force repelled.

In about fifteen minutes at most, the army came to the second bridge. Luna immediately blew up the bridge in an explosion of magic. The debris flew around, but most of the bridge safely collapsed and landed into the water below. It would require a lot of time to build such a long bridge anew since the current one was ensured to not be repairable.

The army readied their weapons and magic, waiting for griffons to arrive. They were close, but there would be at least five more minutes before they arrived.

Luna nervously shifted in place. It would be the first time in centuries since she last commanded an army. It was not all — she couldn't afford to lose. There were many innocent ponies yet to be rescued and safely transported deeper into Equestria.

The griffon army was within sight as it quickly closed in. Luna could tell it was but a portion of it, but they were trained well and probably were worth a few ponies each. The princess was glad no one would have to give their life in the fight that would ensue any moment.

Midnight Hour ordered to release the strings as the archers and crossbow-wielding ponies let their projectiles loose, as well as unicorns firing off their spells. The wall of arrows, steel, and magic pierced the air with whistles mixed with an electric buzz, successfully taking out quite a lot of griffon troops. They didn't stop, however, and proceeded to fly towards the undead army, ready to strike from above.

Without panic or fear, the shooters reloaded their weapons and loosened another wall of projectiles that left a row of griffons dead. Magical spells soon followed, destroying a portion as well.

Griffons were close. While their tactics were clunky, Luna suspected they didn't expect such precision from ponies. Her general readied the ground close-combat troops. They extended their spears, halberds, and glaives upward, meeting the griffins as an unfortunate few came crashing down.

Luna used her own weapon — a recurved bow of her own design, the string being her own hair. She shot quickly and precisely, ending quite a few lives. Griffins wore some armor, but it wasn't sufficient enough. Luna stood in far back, safe behind the rows of undead. The general was nearby, sending orders to the troops.

Griffons were scared of it. The troops they were fighting against were fearless and silent, not expressing any emotions as opposed to what the griffons expected to see: fear and panic.

It was only a matter of few minutes before most griffons were ended while a few managed to escape. Some, however, were captured, much to Luna's relief. She still needed information, and dead griffons would give her none.

"It is certainly not their main force..." Luna mused. "More like scouts. They would overrun the current city's defenses but not an army. They didn't expect us to react so quickly."

The alicorn looked around the field of battle. It was littered with griffon corpses, some of them in the process of dying. The more living examples of the griffon kind were successfully captured and restrained.

As for the undead army, there were no losses at all. Surely, armor was torn and dent, but no single soldier had fallen. They were truly more durable than any living being could ever be.

Overall, Luna was satisfied with the outcome of the battle. She was sure she would gain useful information from the griffons she captured as well.

She couldn't wait to see if any of them knew the cause of the war.

Andromalius was observing the construction of the portal. Decorations that were planned for the archway had to be ditched in favor of speed. All in all, the portal would be ready by the arrival of first refugees.

The hell stallion already ensured that there would be tents ready for them in his own kingdom. There was plenty of space he had no plans to use, and thus he decided to use it for the refugees. It might even prove beneficial for the union of his nation with ponies.

While demons were more violent than ponies, they were still friendly, especially to the peaceful race that inhabited the land of Equestria. It was fortunate, truly. Andromalius expected less from his subjects, truth be told. However, he found out something very important.

Demons were familiar with honor. Once the war ended, they understood that it wouldn't be honorable to start it again, especially after a powerful being united them all in search for peace. It would also be disrespectful towards the new monarch, as he was almost a deity to the population.

The cult of honor was indeed widespread. The prisoners of war were treated with respect and care. They were returned as soon as their families paid for their freedom. Not to mention that war crimes had severe consequences.

Andromalius discovered that the most of the population followed 'female body cult'. A female body was sacred to many, and trying to desecrate it by rape or abuse was unheard of. In a rare case that happened, the rapist was punished very hard. Since there were succubi and incubi, those that couldn't find pleasure with a willing lust-drinker were considered unworthy. And thus, rape was prohibited as well — if one needed to rape to have pleasure, they were considered unworthy to live and were executed. Andromalius completely agreed with it for quite an obvious reason.

In conclusion, the hell stallion expected something much worse, but his fears were proven untrue. It allowed him to focus on other aspects of demons' life without fear of violence rising throughout the Union.

Even when the war came, there were still ways to improve and build his country. Andromalius sent help to Equestria, but he had a kingdom of his own to rule, and it required his immediate attention.

War... He had never been so close to it before. He had heard of it from TV, read about it in history books, but he had never seen one with his own eyes. It was a bizarre experience.

He was still very young. Will he be able to do what is right for both his nation and the world?

Chapter 6: Indicium

Author's Notes:

While this chapter is slightly shorter than the previous one, it is still very important. I hope I didn't disappoint. I also hope I will be able to update this story more. I have some very interesting ideas.

Away from the field of war, beyond the Frozen North, escaped ponies were being settled into their new, hopefully temporary, home. Andromalius ensured that the needed amount of tents could be built in time for the first ponies to come out of the newly constructed portal between Equestria and the Union. The ponies carried little with themselves, and most had to start from scratch. Such was a prize for the war.

Ponies were scared and uncertain, wary and cautious of the new place. In one moment, they had to leave everything behind, everything that they had been working on for their whole life. Some ponies could barely hide their tears — the loss struck them unlike anyone else.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room for every pony. The demons were friendly enough to allow a lot of them to stay in the actual houses, though. They welcomed the newcomers without prejudice or suspicion. After all, demons had experienced wars and knew how it felt when homes were destroyed.

All in all, many ponies were settling down among the nation of demons. They were slightly afraid of what they saw, but some things were still familiar. Celestia was overseeing everything as well, and her presence eased the ponies. She declared that those who wished to work could apply for a job in the city. Surprisingly, a good amount of ponies volunteered for work. There were musicians among them, and they were given instruments to play something for others, to help them feel at home. Everyone calmed down slightly, instead focused on helping to build new tents and making sure new ponies had somewhere to stay.

Andromalius sighed wearily. He knew everything was going to be hard and he needed to make sure everyone felt safe and secure among his nation. He needed to make sure there was enough food and drink for everyone, enough hygienic utilities, and most importantly — work. He knew that anyone can become bored quickly if there's nothing to do. He needed to ensure that there was payment for their work as well. It would stretch the budget of the country, especially with such an inflow of ponies, but it would manage fine. Celestia promised to help his country financially. Overall, everything wasn't too bad.

Foals were invited to explore the new playgrounds, for there was plenty of them. They weren't the best, but the new constructions would begin soon, enhancing the city and the whole country.

However, there was still a war to fight. Many demons volunteered to protect their new friendsofo and thus were willing to fight in the war. Most of them were ordered to guard the cities that were closer to the griffons. The coastal cities were further reinforced by both Equestrian and the Union's armed forces. Lines of defense were built, outposts erected, watchtowers constructed. The coastal line of Equestria was quickly being reinforced.

Andromalius knew how to help from his own side An interesting idea appeared inside his head and demanded action.

"Celestia, can you tell me about the cannons?" he asked his aunt.

"Why are you asking?" the alicorn turned to him with a surprised expression on her face.

"I have a mean to help you defend the coastal cities from ships and other big objects that might try to get to them by either air or sea." Andromalius explained. "In another world, there are cannons, but they are more developed than what you have. They have more firepower, farther reach, superior armor-piercing capabilities and the rate of fire."

"Well... I suppose we must use everything we can get our hooves on." Celestia sighed. "The development of weaponry... New ways to kill... It is what I so feared, Andromalius. I hoped it wouldn't come to this."

"Weapons don't kill, people do." the hell stallion replied. "We make it for self-defense. If you feel bad about it, we will destroy the schematics and the weapons after the war ends."

"I suppose it's fair." the alicorn nodded. "I will bring in the weapon engineers. Lay out your ideas to them, and I'm sure they'll construct the new cannons in a month at most. Are you sure your idea will work?"

"Absolutely. Let's begin."

Andromalius tried to explain the modern artillery to Equestrian weapon engineers. He didn't know much about it, but the engineers were able to understand his idea.

Basically, the cannons in the use of Equestrian Armed Forces at that time were outdated by modern Earthen standards muzzle-loaders. Their rate of fire was low, their accuracy wasn't that great either because of the smooth barrel, and the firing rounds didn't travel far because of its spherical shape, which was easy to make but could use some refinement.

Andromalius proposed an idea of making a shell-firing artillery that would be fed with shelled rounds through another system — breech-loading. He knew a few things about modern firearms, including them having rifled barrels and what ammunition they used. Conical-shaped bullets traveled a long distance, certainly farther than a round one would.

So, Equestrian weapon engineers started experimenting with the rounds and the cannons themselves soon after the demon lord had left. Andromalius hoped that the new artillery would keep the griffons at bay. Their own bay, that is. The distance between the Griffin Empire shores and Equestria wasn't very large and could be covered in a few days at most by ships. There was a chance that some cannons would be able to fire that far beyond the sea. It would help to keep the enemy away from the coastal cities as well as gain superiority on the sea itself.

However, placing such cannons wasn't an option on the Grittish Isles — the bigger island was too rocky for such cannons to be effective with the current level of aiming, and the griffons would most likely be able to sneak in and either disable the cannons or steal them, which would be disastrous. Besides, the city of Trottingham was the smallest among the coastal ones and the most recently built as well. It would be hard to build any sort of fortification around it.

The smaller islands were too rough, keeping them stocked with ammunition and provision would be difficult. The islands were placed in very bad positions as well, and some skyscrapers present in the city could be damaged from the inaccurate fire.

Andromalius had anticipated the loss of at least one city, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon. It wasn't lost to the enemy, but defending it would prove to be a fruitless task. However, he deployed a garrison to keep an eye out for griffons. By the moment he ordered the new cannons, the troops should've been around Trottingham.

Luna and her army prepared to assault the mainland of the Griffin Empire. She was in her tent, in a fortified area the undead army had set up near the coast. The alicorn and her general Midnight Hour were discussing the recent battle, as well as the next course of action.

"Your majesty, my strategy consisted of two steps: lessening the enemy troops before they were close, and then finishing them off with armored units." the general explained. "It is hard to dodge a wall of projectiles, and I noticed that griffons lacked any ranged weaponry. Thus, I was able to take many of them down before they could land a single hit. After they came close to our troops, I used the 'row' formation, spreading out the troops. I saw griffons aiming for the center, and thus I was able to surround them while they were distracted."

"Good, general Midnight Hour. You are showing promise." Luna smiled slightly. "No wonder you are the best of Night Guard. Now, what would be our course of action?"

"First of all, we will send pegasi to scout the shore." the general started explaining. "Unlike what griffons did, our scouts will fly low and close to water. Their armor will be painted blue beforehoof, allowing them to blend in with the water better. They will also use debris from the bridge as cover."

"Your strategy is excellent. Please, continue."

"There isn't much more, your majesty. After the situation is known, we will decide on what to do next." Midnight Hour finished.

"You might become a great leader indeed, Midnight Hour." Luna nodded once again, pleased with her general's strategy. "For now, rest. After this night of bloodshed, you need to have some sleep. It is an order."

"Will be done, your majesty." the general saluted, and then left the tent.

Luna's smile faded as she remembered what she needed to do next. He ordered a couple of soldiers to bring in one of the captured griffon troops.

Soon, a griffon soldier was sitting on a chair across her, restrained. Two unicorns were standing behind him, ready to do whatever Luna ordered. They were undead, they knew nothing of disobedience.

"I will tell nothing!" the griffon said angrily, snapping his beak at the alicorn. She was unfazed by the show, sitting calmly and collected.

"Incorrect." she said, looking him in the eyes. She knew how to act with griffons. They were a proud nation. They showed fear rarely, instead relying on their intimidation as a tool. It was no use beating them up — they would spit their own blood at their enemies. Instead, psychological means needed to be used. "You certainly will. It might take some time, but you will. My first question — why did you declare war on us?"

"Are you acting surprised we retaliated after we caught your spy looking where he shouldn't have?"

Luna frowned. There were a few ponies that answered directly to the princesses and were to watch over the growing empire, but none of them were spies. They were more of news reporters — none of them were ordered to steal anything or look into unofficial matters that included internal politics or military intel.

"I'm afraid I'm not aware of whom you speak." the nightly princess said. "Quite a lot of ponies used to live in your lands, it is true. However, none had any malicious intent."

"You're lying!" the griffon retaliated.

"To your knowledge, I might be." Luna replied, partly agreeing with his statement, confusing him. "Well, I suppose the mess that was made can't be sorted out, it has already blown out of proportion." she sighed. "In the light of these events, I'm afraid we'll have to use force to defend ourselves."

"You ponies are weak. That's why you want to put us down, because we're stronger than you." the griffon replied, snorting.

"Believe it or not, we didn't want your newly-built empire down, no." Luna shook her head slightly. "The union between your divided kingdoms was a great achievement for all of you. You did what we once did a long time ago — put the differences aside and united. It is admirable."

"You want to get me with your fancy words?" the captive said sarcastically.

"No, I have more effective tools at my disposal." Luna replied calmly. "However, I do prefer talking. It can solve issues before they become problems. It seems that it won't work now, I'm afraid. You have attacked us, and unless you surrender — we will retaliate."

"We're not afraid of your kind."

"It is not the matter of fear." the alicorn explained. "We will not tolerate those who murder our citizens. Your empire has committed a crime against our nation, and you won't be left unpunished." she leaned slightly closer. "You have disturbed peace that reigned for almost a thousand years. I hope you understand what consequences it brings."

In the end, Luna hadn't found out anything useful from the captive. She decided to let him be and locked him in a cell. Other griffons didn't know anything useful either. They were just scouts sent on a mission to see how well Trottingham was protected.

However, Luna found out one very important thing. Equestria was wrongly accused of treachery. Why was it done? It was the question the nightly princess intended to find an answer for.

There certainly was a cause for this war. Who was behind it?

Chapter 7: Sui Ipsius Defensione

Natura Stella was sitting on the grass in one of Canterlot's parks, her mood saddened by the recent events she had found out. A war started, and wars meant bloodshed. The red would paint the grass, soak into the dirt, spread onto the leaves. Bodies would rot in the rivers and lakes, poisoning the water. Trees would be cut down by the war machine and turned into weapons.

To that unicorn, it was horrible. She lived deep in the lands of elves, Irolland. She didn't know war until a necromancer came to them, searching for something. All she had known before it was peace and tranquility. The order of life happened as it should've been. Of course, animals were killed even in the wild, trees died and fell, but it was all a natural circle of life.

However, wars brought more killing than the nature could ever handle. The order was disrupted, chaos came. The nature always survived, but at what cost?

And so, Natura Stella was greatly saddened by the news. The nation of ponies seemed so peaceful, so close to nature, but there were still forces that wanted to destroy them. Why? Why was there a need for something so awful, so unnatural?

She could hear the nature screaming. It was being violated. Many graves would be dug out, many bodies would be buried. Cities, forests would be razed to the ground, leaving nothing but dead ash.

Natura understood that something needed to be done to stop it. But what?

Meanwhile, the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony were summoned to the Canterlot Castle by princess Celestia herself. They were all clueless as to why would she summon them, but what the princess told them was shocking and saddening at the same time.

"Your majesty, do you really think it is necessary?" Twilight asked with uncertainty. "I don't know if all of us can leave behind our homes and friends."

"I'm afraid it needs to be done." the solar alicorn said, frowning deeply. She truly didn't want it to happen, but the circumstances stated otherwise. "I understand how much Ponyville means to you all, but your safety is the top priority. We can't let griffons capture any of you."

"But I want to fight them! They'll taste Equestrian steel hooves and back off!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed proudly while hovering in the air. "I don't want to hide like a coward while others fight to save my backside!" she huffed.

"I completely understand, Rainbow Dash." Celestia replied. "I know how it feels, I truly do. But the elements, they are much more important than either of us. I'm afraid nothing can be done.

"I hope you will find new friends among the demons. From what I've heard, they are welcoming towards ponies." she smiled slightly. "And I believe that you will make many new friends among them indeed. They also need our help. As you all know, they have reappeared in our world after a five thousand years banishment, and they need some help adjust to how the things are going right now."

Celestia paused, surveying the ponies. She could tell all of them were sad in their own ways, but there was nothing any of them including the princesses could do. So, the solar alicorn decided to start with encouraging words: "Rainbow Dash, you are a very good weather pony. The demons barely have any control over the weather — they need pegasi like you. You are a great warrior, too — maybe they have something to learn from you."

Rainbow Dash smiled proudly, protruding her chest forward.

"Twilight Sparkle, you are a smart pony, and I believe you will be able to become a great teacher. So far, you've surpassed all of my previous students. While there is still much for you to learn, you are ready to help others in need." Celestia continued. "The demons need schools and universities, they need knowledge, and I believe you can provide them with it."

Twilight blushed, mumbling something along the lines of not being that good. But inside, she was happy to hear that she would be able to teach someone.

"Applejack, you are a very good farmer. You will have a good chance to spread your family's fame for making the best apples in Equestria."

"That's why we're called Apples!" Applejack replied, smiling wide. It could indeed be beneficial for her family to be represented in the Union.

"Rarity, I believe your talent will shine among the demons. Besides, they are indeed in a need of a good fashionista."

Rarity bowed in respect. She couldn't wait to see what kind of new outfits she would be able to make. What kind of fashion did demons have? The unicorn was eager to find out, although she didn't show it out of modesty.

"Fluttershy, you are good with animals. There are many creatures that you will get to know. Maybe you can help different kinds of animals get together, especially after their world is opened to ours."

The yellow mare nodded, blushing behind her mane. Indeed, there could be a possibility that she would befriend new creatures she didn't know about. Leaving her home would be sad, but she knew the animals she grew to love would be able to live on their own.

"Pinkie Pie... Quite frankly, your parties were always the best. I think you can show them a good time."

"Union celebration party? Sounds good to me!" Pinkie Pie grinned in reply. She was all for parties, and couldn't wait to find out what kind of them the demons had. Were they fun? Were they large?

A consensus were made, and the six ponies would join others in their union with a new nation. It wouldn't be easy, but there was hope they would return sooner rather than later. Maybe it would turn out just a short trip.

Celestia was happy about it, too. They would be safe while still having a good time together. The princess also ensured their families would have additional protection — she expected anything to happen. Better be safe than sorry, after all.

Though, she still felt heavy at heart. She was separating them from their families, and home sickness would certainly show up if the war lasted for a long time. While Celestia hoped it wouldn't, she feared that the worst would happen, forcing the fight to continue for months, maybe even years, and the worst — perhaps even decades would pass before it would end.

Celestia didn't want the griffons to hurt her precious little ponies. They were so fragile, so easy to break. If she could, Celestia would take them all under her wing and make sure they were safe.

Alas, she couldn't. However, it didn't mean she wouldn't do anything possible to save them. At the very least she would ensure that no unnecessary death would happen. She couldn't be everywhere watching everything, but she had the power to defend her ponies. She loved them as a mother would, and she was going to protect them from harm.

She needed to make something important to ensure it. As much as she didn't want to do it, she had to. She must take all precautions, anything possible and within her power.

She prepared for a public announcement. In the light of the events, some laws needed to be changed.

Natura Stella was walking through the Canterlot Castle, searching for the princesses. She needed to do something important, but she had to find at least one of the diarchs first. Unfortunately, she couldn't move out of the city without help, and she intended to find it.

Fortunately, she came upon Celestia in one of the hallways.

"Your majesty!" Natura called, hurrying to the princess. "I... I want to ask for something."

"Hello, Natura Stella." the solar alicorn greeted her with a smile. While Natura wasn't exactly her little pony, Celestia still cared about her wellbeing. "If you need help, feel free to ask."

"I hate to ask, but... I need money to get on that thing... I think it's called a train." the unicorn replied. She was nervous, fearing that the princess would refuse. Celestia already had many things to deal with, after all.

"Why?" came the obvious question.

"Well... I feel the nature. I feel how much the war hurts it already." Natura explained to the best of her ability. "I need to be closer to it. Maybe I will find something, something that would help to stop the war before anything too... awful happens."

"I admire your goals, and I will help you." Celestia nodded. "However... Are you sure you will be safe? Canterlot is the safest place there is, and leaving it might be dangerous."

"I know what to do, your majesty. Trust me." the unicorn stated, nodding. "If there is something I can do, I will. I once had a war coming to the lands of the country I lived in, and it was a... terrible experience. I just hope no one would have to go through it."

"Alright, Natura. I will help you, but under one condition — there must be a companion I will provide."

"I think it's fair." Natura nodded. "Though... I plan to stay in the wild for a while."

"It won't be an issue." Celestia assured her. "I believe the candidate I have in mind will be very helpful to your cause. Now, go to the train station — he will meet you there."

As Natura exited the castle, she heard Celestia speaking. She stopped and turned around to see her. The princess was standing on a balcony, her powerful and magically amplified voice carried across the city with ease.

"Citizens of Equestria!" Celestia began her speech, immediately gaining attention. There was already TV and radio broadcast going, helping to transport the message to other cities and villages. "In the light of recent events that occurred between our country and the Griffin Empire, I must make a serious and important announcement.

"I'm afraid that griffons might be anywhere. A lot of our territory isn't inhabited, and not every meter of our borders guarded. As the citizens of Equestria, you may defend yourself, your family, your friends, your beloved ones. And thus, to help you exert your right, all weapon bans currently in effect are now lifted.

"Arm yourself, make sure you know how to handle a weapon. Most importantly, there will be trainers dispatched throughout the country, and they will help you learn how to defend yourself and those you care about. Remember — safety first. Do not go out in search for griffons. They are more skilled and efficient that you. Leave it to professionals — Equestrian Armed Forces. Stay safe, stay secure, and remember — you may use force to protect yourselves. That is the law."

Natura Stella shuddered. While she understood why it was done, she still didn't like any sort of violence. True, she had to defend herself against a few daring predators, but she couldn't figure out why sapient beings couldn't just sort things out through dialogue. As far as she knew, their minds were much more complex than hers. However, she also became one of them, and still couldn't see why violence was needed when everything could be talked over. Maybe it was something she had yet to understand.

She sighed, and then headed to the train station. She remembered she had a mission to complete. Maybe it would be easy, maybe it would be hard, but for the sake of others she must stop the war.

However, she was just one person. Still confused, still scared of the new world she was thrown into. She would need much time to understand it and how it worked.

As she went through the city, she saw that many ponies were already being trained, even the most of the main square was used for training grounds. Ponies were buying weapons so quickly their producers quickly ran out of stock. After all, most of them were small blacksmiths whose contracts mostly consisted of supplying the Royal Guard, a few fencing clubs, and nobles. They didn't expect the flood of ponies that came their way out of nowhere.

Swords, spears, daggers, crossbows, all sorts of available weaponry was being sold. Natura could hear the hammers of the blacksmiths pounding throughout the city — they had much job to do. With the lift of bans, those who made the weaponry not for the Guard were finally able to make sharp and heavy weaponry, including bows and crossbows with increased power. Truly, it was a thriving age for the blacksmiths around Equestria.

Meanwhile, Celestia observed the city from the balcony. At first, she was hesitant to lift the bans, but Andromalius told her about how much it would help reduce the casualty ratio. It was logical to allow weapons to be carried by civilians. Griffons had swords, spears, all sorts of weaponry designed to kill. If ponies were defenseless, why even give them a right to defend themselves? Such a right needed certain instruments to function anywhere outside of paper.

Indeed, the daylight princess could see the reason. She feared the weapons, but was it right? A weapon would never get up from its place and kill anyone — only people killed. If she didn't allow her citizens to bear actual weapons, how would they fare against the invaders? No weapons would be like a large sign telling others that it was a kill zone waiting to happen, a massacre in wait for execution.

Celestia understood that her phobia had no logical reason go be there. She must allow her subjects to defend themselves, otherwise they would die. As much as she didn't want it, she had to admit she was wrong.

Her country hadn't seen murders for centuries, but was it because of weapons ban? She realized it wasn't. Ponies learned from the past, they understood why fighting in general was bad. After all, it was what united their tribes in the first place.

Celestia was late to realize it, but once she did, everything became so simple. She had her eyes closed the entire time and refused to open them until the terrible happened. Maybe the ponies near the border would've survived if they had anything to protect themselves with.

At least, the realization came, and the ignorance was gone. Celestia wouldn't allow herself to make the same mistake again.

Chapter 8: Incogito

Andromalius was in his personal study at the Royal Keep. With the recent influx of refugees, laws needed to be written to define their status as well as their rights. Such laws hadn't existed prior to demons' return and thus needed to be written and enacted to bring everything under control. The hell stallion was given information about crime rates in Trottingham prior to the war. He was pleased to find that it was rather low even for a city of that size. It mostly consisted of vandalism and petty thievery, both of which connected to the fact that a part of the population was poor. The city was far away from the capital of Equestria and the watchful eyes of the royal sisters, and so corruption was present as well.

Andromalius frowned slightly. He would have to deal with it pretty soon. He must be cautious about appointing previous city administration on the same positions. Not all of them might be fit for the work and he needed to find out.

He also needed to do a lot of work for the governmental system, including making laws. They were still a mess even after he spent a big chunk of his time working on them to bring them into order. Everything must be clear and in no way vague to be misinterpreted and avoided by using loopholes.

But first of all, he needed to make the main document, a constitution which can't ever be broken. Corruption back on Earth made it possible to pass laws that violated the constitution of whatever country had it, but Andromalius could make sure nothing like that could be done in his own country. He had complete control over everything that happened in it, his words were law quite literally. He knew how it was to be subjected to unfair laws and regulations, and he didn't want others to suffer from it.

"A blade can't be longer than six hooves..." Andromalius read in one of the documents, his voice quiet and trailed off at the end of the sentence. He tapped his chin. "Hmm... Polearms are legal, and therefore this law makes no sense..." he removed it. "Also, I need to implement a decimal measurement system. Makes more sense than these... hooves."

He huffed in annoyance, not understanding why such a mess was made in the first place. Fear? Ignorance? What emotion drove those laws forward? They couldn't be created by logic or reason.

"Maybe I should invent guns?" he mused, biting on the pen slightly. After a few moments of thinking, he said: "No, the budget isn't made out of rubber. Unless I find a new source of income... Well, it might change as soon as all the nonsensical laws are removed and everything brought into order..." he trailed off. "Yes, this would work nicely," he concluded and then returned to writing. "Need to make sure..."

To create the new constitution, Andromalius talker with various demons throughout the country and saw what they valued most. First and foremost, bearing weapons. Because of nearly constant wars, all demons who were able to carry weapons did so regularly. Taking away their right to defend themselves would be catastrophic for Andromalius' rule and might result in a large-scale civil war. He wasn't planning to do it since he understood that the best way to prevent crimes was to give people the right to protect themselves and not be dependent on law enforcement. While having a monopoly on violence can be good in many cases, it still had its flaws.

"No wonder our governments took so long to do anything," he muttered to himself, scratching the bridge of his muzzle with the pen. "So many useless things... Bureaucracy at its worst."

Police or any other similar structure can never be omnipresent, and thus taking away the ability to defend oneself would endanger citizens more than help them. However, the absence of violence monopoly mustn't endanger fair citizens. They must be educated when violence may be used and when it's prohibited.

But the law can't rely on all citizens, and thus needed enforcement and those who would do it for a substantial and material reward. Andromalius formed the first police-like structure in the Union: Civil Protection. Many demons volunteered to become a part of law enforcement in the name of their ruler once he announced the creation of the structure. Many units of the Civil Protection were dispatched across the Union and Equestria alike, securing cities, towns, and villages. Special uniforms, as well as weapons, were designed and made from new materials of Equestrian origins.

"Should be reasonably effective," Andromalius told himself as he ran through the new document again. "If not... Things aren't stiff, they can be changed. Development, progress is what we need..."

"You should really stop talking to yourself." a familiar voice sounded from the doorway. "I don't mind you working, but it's already evening. Why not come and sleep together?"

"There's a lot of work to do, Inanna." the hell stallion said, turning to her. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait a bit. I know you want sex, but there's a great load of work for me to do before I can allow myself to relax."

"Well, you better be pumping a great load into me after that, then." Inanna winked and flicked her tail. "I'll be waiting."

A trade agreement was established between Union and Equestria. The former was to produce weapons, armor and different war machines while the latter was to send good materials suitable for building and creating different equipment. A lot of Trottingham's factory machinery was transported to the Union as well, allowing to create modern quality products from materials previously unavailable to the demons.

The Civil Protection armor was made to be light and yet durable, featuring both composite materials and fabric, as well as steel plates to protect vital organs from damage. The members of the CP weren't professional soldiers but they were trained well enough for their purpose — enforcing the law. They were given weapons that included semi-automatic crossbows and electric stun batons as well as simple swords. They became versatile units that could engage enemies at short to middle ranges, making them perfect for patrolling cities and their outskirts alike. Most units were either succubi or incubi to make ponies more accustomed to demon presence by introducing more equine members of demon society first.

Andromalius sighed wearily as he put down the pen, finally. He stood up from the chair he was sitting on and went to the bedroom, wanting nothing more but to rest for a bit. While he didn't need sleep, he realized he wanted it more than anything at that moment. Such long writing sessions reminded him of school, and the habit of sleeping after such session didn't leave him completely. Also, his head was aching slightly, different words flashing before his eyes as if they were stamped into them.

He hadn't gotten much rest since he was declared a ruler, the Lord of Demons. He knew that ruling would require much effort but he had never expected everything to be a total mess. The war made thing even worse — he had to quickly figure out how to protect citizens of both Union and Equestria until it was too late. Gladly, he had support from yet unrevealed necromancer Arantir, who agreed to send his troops to fight griffons. Undead troops were expendable and allowed lives to be saved and directed into a safer and more productive route.

The hell stallion glanced out the window as he entered his bedroom. The sun was rising, signaling him that he was working for the whole night, not. He didn't even have much time to dedicate to Inanna, his lover. The succubus was sleeping on the bed she shared with Andromalius while he worked on the laws.

He walked to the bed and lay on it, closing his eyes. He realized he needed a good rest if he wanted to be efficient. Besides, he would have to apologize to Inanna later for neglecting her.

Natura Stella was walking through Canterlot to the train station, a pair of saddlebags on her sides. They were mostly filled with food and water. Frankly, the unicorn didn't need anything else — she lived in the wild for as long as she could remember, getting food and water, and even getting shelter wasn't hard for her in the slightest. Sometimes, animals helped her when she was in need. All unicorns had a connection with nature, allowing them to coexist with many of animals peacefully. Most predators didn't dare to attack them, and so they lived in balance and harmony with nature.

She remembered a pony was waiting for her at the train station. She didn't know who they were yet. She was slightly nervous about meeting him or her since she didn't know if that pony would be suitable for what she had in mind. A city dweller might not do well out in the wild and could hurt themselves while trying to survive. Natura would give as much help as she could but she was uncertain if it would enough. She hadn't spent much of her life by herself, unfortunately.

Sometime later, she reached the train station. She looked around, trying to find that pony who was assigned to her. The sooner she found them the better. She needed to work on how to end the war as soon as possible and even seconds mustn't be wasted. She felt how nature reacted to it, and it brought a frown on her face. Nature can adapt but something as sudden, as ravenous and hateful as wars left deep scars that healed very slowly.

Natura noticed a pony walking towards her. It was a pegasus stallion of light-blue fur and much darker blue mane. His orange eyes were focused on the unicorn, and a mark on his flank depicted a musical note. A pair of big saddlebags were on his sides and a repeating crossbow slung on his back.

"Good day, ma'am," he said as he approached her. "I am Nota. I was tasked to assist you in your endeavors."

"Um, hello." Natura nodded as she looked at the stallion. He was well-toned and seemed fit for survival in the wild, and it was what the unicorn needed. "You know what you're going into, right?"

"Yes, I do." Nota nodded. "I have all skills I might need to survive in the wild. So, what are you planning to do?"

"Well... I need to gather information first, I suppose." the unicorn replied. "I... don't really have much of a plan... But, um, getting to know different things will certainly help me."

"That's reasonable." the stallion agreed. "Where do we go first?"

Natura thought for some time. Nature was everywhere: the earth, the sky, the water, everything was nature. Even cities were nature in one way or another — they took from it and used it. While it was artificial, nature was always the source of anything in the world.

The two could travel anywhere but it would be more reasonable to be close to the frontline.

"I think we need to get close to where the war's going," Natura concluded. "I... don't really have a map or anything..."

"It's not a problem," Nota assured her. "I have it. Follow me, I'll get the tickets we need."

High Lord Arantir was walking through the Frozen North, a big chunk of his army following him. Bones were creaking, armor clanking, ghostly moans mixing with the sound of the wind. A banner of a black background and a teal-colored spider was carried by a Death Knight. Behind the army, Hornguard stood, looking completely abandoned. However, a menacing green glow could be seen in its depths, different kinds of undead patrolling the city.

An old map was levitating in front of Arantir as he inspected it thoroughly, handling the relic of the past carefully. It was something he had found inside the Hornguard Castle, and it was something actually very useful to him. He couldn't pass the chance to have something like that.

"There are more towns throughout this forgotten land." he mused as his eyes went over the settlements marked on the map. "Chances are, there are more dead, just waiting for someone to come and collect them. I can greatly enhance my armies and bring this war to an end sooner if I have more troops..."

Arantir stopped and gazed forward. Everything was covered by a white blanket of snow, harsh winds were blowing, raising clouds of snowflakes and obstructing the view. Necromancer's cold eyes glistened in the light of the rising sun as he observed the surroundings. He breathed deeply, his mind working.

He could feel it, he could hear it. There was no doubt he would find what he needed.

The dead were calling.

Author's Notes:

Finally, a new release. I'm very sorry for not updating this story in almost two months. I've been having problems with motivation and other things in my life, including personal issues.

I hope you're liking this story since there is even more to tell.

Chapter 9: Educatio

A plain of ice and snow, devoid of life or any signs of civilization. Empty and white, it was no place for a living being. The sun was shining bright, its light reflected off of the snow, making it sparkle with a variety of vibrant colors. The sky was devoid of clouds, the wind was soft, raising the snowflakes and throwing them around without any clear pattern.

Snow crunched under the armored and skeletal hooves of hundreds and hundreds of undead warriors as they marched through the Frozen North, High Lord Arantir leading them on their quest to raise more dead. Armor clanked as the army moved like an unstoppable and unyielding force, ready to take down anything in their path, be it living or not. The weapons were ready, armor secured, and a banner was floating above them: a teal spider on black fabric.

The army stopped. The necromancer levitated a map to himself and looked at it closely, his face turning into a frown. He looked at the snowy plain and then back at the map. His frown deepened as he rolled up the map and packed it.

He closed his eyes. He could feel the energy, the living energy encased in darkness. A powerful spell had been cast a long time ago, imprisoning living beings in blackness. It was familiar for Arantir, for he had already fought it.

"This is mine." a deep voice rolled across the snowy plain, reverberating, amplifying in power and leaving a fading trail. "Thou shalt go away from what is rightfully mine."

Arantir looked around. A smoke of black began to surround his army, and he knew what it meant. A pair of red eyes glared at him from the smoke, but the necromancer was unfazed by them as he stared into them fearlessly. He had known darkness for a long time. He was encased in it, flowing through it freely, and it coursed through him like blood through living beings.

"This land belongs to neither one of us." Arantir spoke. "You don't support this land. It was filled with darkness long before you were born. The Crystal Empire must be standing there but it's not. If you were its emperor, why did you fail to protect your subjects?"

"They had it coming to them." Sombra replied. "They deserved it, andnthey are mine now."

"Ah, I understand now. You are no king." the necromancer said. "You are but a vengeful, bodiless spirit. They wronged you, and you wronged them in turn."

"Thou knowest nothing!" the fallen king snarled. "If thou only knewest what they did to me, how much I suffered because of them... Thou wouldst understand."

"Perhaps it would be so indeed." Arantir agreed. "As I see it, you are a threat to this world's balance. You hold too much power, dark power. It corrupted you. You were too weak to embrace it."

A growl came like thunder, a harsh wind blew into necromancer's face, but he stood still.

"However, I will leave you... for now." the High Lord said. "This empire doesn't have what I need, and I sense that its time will come again soon."

"What maketh thou think that I shall let thee go after hearing what thou hast said?" Sombra asked, threatening notes in his voice.

"You may try." Arantir replied simply, and waited.

Moments passed, the smoke keeping its distance from necromancer's army. Everything was still and silent. A quarter of a minute passed. Then a half. Then three quarters.

The smoke began to disappear, leaving not a trace behind.

Arantir rerouted his army and went the opposite direction. Glancing at where the empire once stood, he went away from it, knowing that he should get a bigger army before engaging in battle with someone like Sombra. Heavy losses or even medium losses couldn't be afforded at that moment.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were exploring the capital of the Union, looking around.

"Everyone seems nice." Fluttershy commented, seeing how friendly the demons were towards the newcomers. "I... didn't expect the demons to be like that." she blushed in embarrassment.

"They're decent, hardworking folk." Applejack added, looking at the new construction site the six were passing by. "From what Ah can see, at least."

"Can't wait to see what kind of parties they have!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing along the street as she usually did. "Are they like ours? Are they completely different? Do they involve a lot of salt or sweets?"

"I think we need to find a place to stay first." Twilight chimed in. "Princess Celestia said there'll be a carriage for us... I guess everyone's too busy for us six."

"I wouldn't mind some rest indeed." Rarity said. "This streets are quite dusty."

"Ah, here you all are!" they heard a familiar voice from behind as a creaking of wood and clop of hooves reached them.

"Seran?" Rainbow Dash said after turning around.

"Yeah, that's me!" he smiled at her. "I guess your princess knew whom to pick. Anyway, hop in! I'm going to deliver you straight to the Royal Keep!"

"We're going to live in a castle? Oh my!" Rarity said, giggling.

"Well, everything else is full and Lord Andromalius decided that the castle would be a suitable place for the Elements of Harmony, right?"

Soon, everyone got inside a carriage, and it slowly began to drive towards the mentioned castle.

"Say, why are you pulling by yourself?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking at how Seran's toned muscles shifted under his skin. "It's not like you can't pull it, but it's usually at least two."

"We have a shortage of staff for pretty much everything." he explained. "You ponies came in and, well, we're having some problems right now. It's not that I mind, you are welcome. Not to mention that it's good to see new faces around here. Also, your mares — they're much more gorgeous in person!"

"What do you mean by saying 'in person'?" the pegasus asked.

"Well..." Seran trailed off for a second as he made a turn. "You see... Succubi and incubi can enter the dreamscape. That is, see your dreams." he paused for a second. "So, we basically feed on your wet dreams." he said bluntly, making everyone blush. "Sometimes, we participate in those dreams. We feed on lust, we get stronger by consuming it. Maybe I've already visited your dreams, I don't really know or remember everyone I, uh, entered." he winked.

An awkward silence fell on the whole seven. Seran cleared his throat and returned to pulling the carriage towards its intended destination.

"Um... Can you eat normal food?" Twilight was the first to break the silence.

"Yeah." the incubus nodded. "Though, it doesn't give us as much as lust does. Besides, lust is much more tasty, in my opinion." he fought the urge to lick his lips as he remembered some of his experiences. "I guess it's strange by your standards. By ours, not so much." he shrugged. "If anyone of you is interested in culture and traditions, feel free to use the Royal Library. I know you're all quite literate, but as for me... I don't know much."

"Wait... You didn't have education?" Twilight asked.

"I can do some basics, but reading and writing is kind of weak." Seran explained. "Yeah, I know my level isn't really good compared to what you ponies have."

"We'll try to help demons get education. It's the most important thing there is!" the unicorn stated firmly. "Schools, colleges, universities... You really need our help with those, don't you?"

"I think Lord Andromalius will give a better answer." the incubus replied. "I'm just a simple blacksmith. I don't know much about how schools and such work, I was taught by my father. That's how most demons get by."

Twilight huffed, displeased with the state of educational system in the Union. She made a mental note to remember to speak with Andromalius about it. What the unicorn couldn't stand was lack of knowledge, and she wanted to make sure everyone could experience the joy of studying.

Andromalius was working with papers yet again, trying to simplify the most important things and put them together.

"Could've used a constitution or two for reference..." he muttered, blaming himself for his lack of knowledge. He sighed tiredly but continued doing what he needed to do. Laws can't write themselves, and nothing could ever be done without outside influence. He couldn't just sit and wait for everything to be delivered on a silver plate to him.

He scratched his chin with the pen, trying to figure out how to put every important bit together in a comprehensive, easily understood way. Even the least educated person must be able to understand the basis of law, even though Andromalius planned to make the education better and much more affordable for everyone.

His ears swiveled, catching a sound coming from the door to his study.

"Enter." he responded, turning his head towards the entrance.

"Good day, Sir." Nebet said, entering the room. "The Elements have arrived and are being introduced to their new quarters. One of them is very interested in meeting you. Her name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh? Well..." Andromalius paused for a few moments. "Let her in. We've met before, but I suppose she has something important to say to me." he glanced at the paper stacks on his table. "Frankly, I could use some help with this. Maybe she knows something that'll help me."

"Very well, she'll be here in a few moments." Nebet bowed and left, not forgetting to close the door behind him.

The Demon Lord sighed deeply, feeling tiredness. Not a physical one, however. He knew he must work to make his country better but he didn't expect it to be that much. He began to understand why having a council or democracy could be beneficial. Lifts a lot of responsibilities off of a lone ruler's shoulders.

Andromalius knew he mustn't be lazy, and he accepted his destiny. His childhood he didn't remember much, his adolescence, all the easy parts were long gone, and only a hard reality remained.

In a few seconds, a soft knocking sounded.

"Please, enter." the hell stallion said, turning his attention towards the entrance.

"Um, good day, Lord Andromalius." Twilight Sparkle bowed, entering.

"You don't need to call me a lord." Andromalius waved his hoof. "I am one, but it's not some formal meeting. I prefer simpler talk, really."

"A-alright." the unicorn replied nervously, her eyes shifting from the hell stallion's eyes to his golden, translucent wings, back to his head where his crown was, and then at the table he was working at. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

"This interruption is welcome." the hell stallion replied, glancing at the papers and then returning back to his guest. "Ruling a country is harder than it may look at the first glance."

"There are a lot of responsibilities, I know." Twilight nodded, looking around awkwardly.

"Have a seat, Twilight." Andromalius suggested, moving an armchair to her.

"Thank you." the unicorn replied and took her place. "So, um... I was talking with a demon, and he has said that education is a problem. I think I can help with that."

"Are you sure?" the Demon Lord asked. "This is no easy task. I knew a lot of teachers, and rarely anyone was satisfied with their job." he shifted on his own armchair, getting into a more comfortable position. "I intend to change the whole educational system, actually. In my own country, that is where I studied, education isn't that great. It mostly gives useless knowledge and in no way prepares children for the real life and its challenges." he paused, gathering his thoughts. "Usually, people say that school is important. I disagree — education is important. School gives mostly social interactions, and it teaches how to fear authority." he leaned forward a bit. "I believe it is wrong. Many times in my life I didn't want to study because it was very poorly presented to me. The educational system in my country hasn't changed since... Well, I don't remember, but it's a lot of time.

"Education must keep up with the modern day. Most systems aren't that flexible or easy to change." he explained. "If you have good ideas about how to implement education that the students will enjoy, I will listen to you. By the way, where did you receive your education?"

"In Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns." Twilght proudly replied, puffing her chest slightly.

"The best of the best, then..." Andromalius tapped his chin. "Under the tutelage of Celestia, then... Well, I believe you're the best candidate I have." he looked her in the eyes. "But the question is — are you ready to take the responsibility for the future of entire generations?"

Twilight opened her mouth to reply but the hell stallion raised a hoof, stopping her.

"Don't act impulsively." he said. "Spend a day or two thinking about it. Weigh different options. Find what works with you." he relaxed in his armchair again. "And then answer me. I don't know if you are ready to accept such a big responsibility, and so you must know if you are."

"I'll definitely give it a thought." Twilight nodded, standing up. "Well... I'll return as soon as I'm ready."

"Good luck." Andromalius replied. "It's no easy task. But you must take it easy." he turned back to the table. "As for me, I must work. I'll see you soon, Twilight Sparkle."

Chapter 10: Schola

Princess Luna and her army were staying at the city of Trottingham. The Grittish Isles were secure and no more griffons tried to attack it ever since the scouting mission was busted, a victory achieved without losses on Equestrian side. Thanks to the undead, no life was spent, necessarily or not. Bodies were buried, weapons and armor collected and on their way to be reforged or to immediate use. While Equestria wasn't experiencing shortage of materials at the moment, Luna knew things could turn fast, leaving them struggling to survive if luck turned its back on them. Salvaging anything that could be used for fighting was a top priority, even if it was morally conflicting.

Fortunately, the undead don't have morals.

The highest buildings were retrofitted into watchtowers, and some living pegasi were clearing the clouds for greater view. Thankfully, griffons weren't seen, and so a short time of peace and quiet reigned above the city and its surroundings.

The alicorn stared off into the distance, the gears in her mind turning as she calculated different possibilities she or the griffons could use to gain advantage for their respective side. The city had practically no defenses suitable for modern warfare. In fact, it played more against the defenders than for them. Complicated underground systems, mazes of buildings, seemingly chaotic layout of the whole city, all of it could greatly help the enemy to sneak in and catch Luna off guard easily. She ordered for regular patrols to be conducted, searching throughout the whole city, covering every centimeter, every corner, every place there was constructed in the city. Since all of the patrols were connected to her and her general, it would be easy to discover if a griffon breached the perimeter.

The sun was high above the land, making it nearly impossible to make a sneak attack from either side of the conflict. Most of Luna's army was searching for unused materials suitable for upgrading the weaponry and armor. Most, however, was sent to Equestria, to lives that needed the materials. The mainland was still in great danger, and it needed as much protection as possible.

The princess sighed deeply, wishing for rest. But there was none and she knew it. She had to stay strong for Equestria and its citizens, help them the best she could and prove them that she was a worthy ruler.

Something she couldn't do a thousand years ago.

Andromalius was walking through his castle, a look of determination on his face. His mane was neatly combed back, a crown sitting atop his head. He walked proudly, his posture straight, his powerful steps clicking against the marble floor.

"May I inquire something, my lord?" a voice came from the side.

"I'm heading to a school, Nebet." Andromalius explained as he glanced at the incubus. "A surprise visit to see what is truly happening with our future generations."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Nebet agreed, nodding as he followed the Demon Lord. "I was taught what I know by my family, and I've never visited a public education establishment."

"I've been to one when I was younger." the hell stallion said. "I saw it all from the inside, and there were a lot of problems with that system. Not enough focus on life, so to say. Most of what I know came outside the school." he looked at Nebet. "People spend over twelve years studying, and for what? In the end, what they need to know they find by themselves, thus negating the purpose of education." he snorted. "Twelve years..." he paused thoughtfully. "And then the government is surprised why my country had millions of inmates in prison. Some just can't find their purpose, and so they resort to worse things. But spending years upon years only to gain nothing, and sometimes even fall into debt because of it... It is much worse." he sighed, pausing his ranting.

He continued walking for another few minutes, Nebet at his side.

"Stress is what schools give to most." Andromalius continued. "While I agree that people must grow strong, there are limits to the pressure. And..." he paused again, his frown deepening. "It's time to change, Nebet. I won't see young people killing themselves because of that accumulated stress. If I do, I will then become a failure of a ruler, undeserving to bear the crown. I will change things, and I will make sure they will become better."

"I understand, my lord." Nebet nodded. "We've gone through many hardships over the years, and... Frankly, I feel sorry for those who can't find their purpose. You see, we don't have special marks like ponies do. For us, it's difficult to find that purpose, that will to continue living."

"I have no mark either." Andromalius nodded. "I can't say that I had a purpose either... But now, I make one myself. I hope to teach others how to do it as well. I am a being of great power, and most don't have a half of what I do or even a quarter of what I can do. I can't ignore the suffering, for I've witnessed my own friends suffering from m-many different things." sadness flashed in his eyes as his voice cracked slightly. He stopped and sighed, calming down. "That is why I must make changes. There's a saying — one in the field is no warrior. I hope that I won't stand alone.

"I know that people want change, demons want change. But speaking up for it is the hardest part. Have you ever heard of a crab bucket?"

"I'm afraid I haven't, my lord." Nebet shook his head.

"One crab can easily get out of the bucket." the hell stallion explained. "But if there's more than one, those will try to make him stay. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, my lord." the incubus nodded after some consideration.

"Good. That is why I must act, even though no one asked me to do certain things." Andromalius said. "People are afraid to voice their opinions while they're among others. I will give them an opportunity today. The school I'm going to is the largest one in the Union, as far as I'm aware. I will see what students truly think about how they're taught. These young demons are our future, and I want this future to be educated and happy. And I have a plan..."

"Lord Andromalius!" he heard a familiar voice behind him. "I've overheard your talk a little, and... may I go as well?"

Andromalius turned around and saw Twilight Sparkle. A pair of saddlebags on her, a pen behind the ear, and a notebook floating in her magical grasp.

"Well..." the ruler chuckled. "I suppose it won't hurt."

It was a break in one of the schools in the Union. Different kids were running around, playing games and just enjoying themselves. The weather on the outside was nice, and the kids were playing in the front yard of the school, finding amusement in different things, including playing different sports.

Andromalius was just outside the yard, right behind the gates. Twilight Sparkle stood at his side, scribbling in her notebook.

"It looks pretty normal." she commented after she put the pen back behind her ear. "I honestly don't know what I expected." her eyes went from some succubi and incubi foals playing together to some minotaurs. "It doesn't look different from what we have."

"Well, it's just the first glance." the hell stallion replied. "Let's get inside and see it closer."

The gate to the yard opened, and the two walked in. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at their ruler as he walked through the yard with confidence and determination. The students noticed the unicorn beside him as well, and her presence brought them confusion and uncertainty.

"Please, don't mind my presence. You have your break, enjoy it." he said loudly. "But I'd like to ask you to come to the concert hall when the bell rings. I have some very important things to say."

Reluctantly, the kids returned to their activities. Playing with a ball, playing tag or hide-n-seek, or doing other, more intimate things like kissing in the shadows, having their first romantic interests. The life was blooming.

"Still looks the same." Twilight commented again, looking around.

Andromalius immediately noted some lonely kids that tried to stay away, hiding in the corners and pretending to not exist. They shuddered as his gaze passed them, and a frown began to form on his face as he realized that the system might have the same or bigger problems comparing to what he had already expected.

"How c-can I help you, my lord?" one of the teachers addressed the hell stallion. It was a middle-aged succubus who wore a simple sweater and a pair of glasses.

"I've heard that the concert hall can fit every single student. Is it true?" Andromalius inquired. Twilight was watching the teacher with curiosity but kept silent.

"Well, yes, it is." the teacher nodded. "In truth, there are not enough students at the moment... The school is about three-quarters full."

"I'd like to address all the students once the bell rings." the Demon Lord said. "As well as all the teachers, and please, separate them from the students. Announce it and make sure everyone hears it clearly. That is, if someone still hasn't noticed me coming yet." he chuckled lightly.

"Y-yes, my lord, right away." the teacher bowed and hurried into the school.

Then, Andromalius turned to Twilight Sparkle. He tilted his head slightly, some of her thoughts slipping into his own mind.

"Twilight Sparkle... Maybe you can help us right now." he said rather quietly. "Tell me... what is your true talent? What hides behind your special mark? Surely magic is not all..."

"I..." Twilight muttered, her eyes having a dreamy and yet somewhat confused look. "What?"

"The mark is your talent, but no one has just one. Surely there is something else, isn't it?" the hell stallion inquired, leaning a bit closer.

"Well... I love organizing. Lists, schedules, all of them bring me a sense of... Satisfaction." the unicorn explained. "All of them make sense, too."

"I believe you'll be of great help organizing everything. I need you to find that teacher and cooperate with her." Andromalius explained the task.

"Alright, I'll do it." Twilight blinked a few times in confusion, and then went straight to the main school building.

The hell stallion blinked as well, coming to a realization of what had just happened. He frowned slightly. However, he needed more things to get done than just his inner thoughts.

Andromalius looked around once more and noticed kids looking at him with interest and... fear? The hell stallion became better at reading and sensing emotions of others but he was uncertain if what he saw was fear or simply respect. If it was the former, then he needed to fix the situation.

He noticed a couple of kids that were away from others. They tried their hardest to stay unnoticed. However, the Demon Lord saw them clearly and could see their fear. He had never been good with kids but he decided to try.

Slowly, he approached one of them, a scrawny-looking incubus. He had a long, black unkempt mane, and a gray coat of fur. His body looked clean, and so Andromalius assumed that those dark colors were natural to the colt.

"Hello." he greeted the incubus, making him shudder. "Would you please show me the concert hall?"

With a pause of hesitation, the colt nodded and stood up, his hair obstructing his eyes. He kept his head down as he walked up to the Demon Lord.

"Um, yes, my lord. This way." he said quietly and then headed towards the school building.

For a few moments, the two walked silently as Andromalius observed the colt. He looked dead ahead, his steps were careful, his head was low, and his long tail seemed more like a lifeless rope, brushing the ground.

"Can you tell me your name?" the hell stallion carefully asked.

"Uh, I'm Nikt, sir." the colt replied rather quietly, not looking at the Demon Lord.

"You don't need to call me 'sir', Nikt." Andromalius replied. "It is not a formal visit. So... can you tell me about the school? What is it like studying here?"

"It's... nice." Nikt replied, but the pause in his answer made the hell stallion frown.

"Is it true?" he inquired.

"Um, yes."

"Please, you don't need to lie to me." Andromalius replied softly. "Truth isn't punished."

"Well, uh..." Nikt stuttered. "I... Er... I don't like it here."

"Why?"

"I... I don't want to talk about it..." the colt trailed off, still looking dead ahead. His eyes were darting around in fear, his ears drooped.

"If you have a problem, you should talk about it. Undiscovered problems only stay and hurt more later." Andromalius replied in a soothing tone. He already knew what type Nikt was, and he already suspected that some bad things happened to him in the school. "Problems must be solved, not hidden."

The two stayed quiet for a few seconds as Andromalius let the words sink in. He waited patiently, noticing how Nikt's ears and tail twitched ever so slightly.

"B-but if I say, that'd m-mean that I'm a coward." the incubus said, his voice cracking as he tried to hide his tears.

"Well, Nikt..." Andromalius let out a long sigh, stopping. "I think I understand your problem. You are bullied, aren't you?"

Nikt nodded, not saying a word.

"And your bullies tell you that you will be a coward if you talk to anyone about it?"

Another nod.

"A-and it's also not... good..." Nikt quickly added. "We must stand up for ourselves. If, if we can't, then, uh, we're bad."

"I wouldn't agree with that." Andromalius' frown deepened. "We can't always be strong. We have emotions. Dreams, hopes, fears, desires. We are all different from each-other, and while one can be strong, the other could be weak. There's nothing shameful about it."

"But... How can I protect the Union if, if I can't protect myself?" the incubus asked.

"Not everyone can be a warrior. Besides, you can protect those you care about in a different way." Andromalius explained. "Now, what is it that you can do? Anything special, something like... a talent?"

"We, uh..." Nikt scratched the back of his head with his wing, a blush appearing on his face. "I... I know how to, um... How to play the piano."

"Oh, that's very good!" the hell stallion smiled.

"Y-yeah... I come to concert hall from time to time to play it." the incubus said, straightening up slightly.

"Good. Would you mind playing during my stay here?" Andromalius asked, his smile spreading positivity to the colt. "And besides, our country needs a hymn. Maybe you can come up with something."

"I, uh... I'll try." Nikt said with great uncertainty. "But I'm not really sure. Uh, a hymn? I... I'm not that good, but, uh, I'll try not to disappoint."

"I believe you won't disappoint me." the hell stallion encouraged him. "Come, we have much to do."

Andromalius was standing on a stage, all the students and teachers of the school before him. Everything was silent completely silent as the Demon Lord observed the crowd.

"Well, students and teachers," he began his speech, his voice amplified by magic. In the background, a quiet piano song started playing. "You are wondering why I gathered you all here." he stated matter-of-factly. "I came here to discuss something very important with all of you. Now, tell me... Students." he turned to the crowd of kids. "Those who don't enjoy studying, please stand up. Be honest as well, please."

At first, there was no one. Reluctantly, the first few stood up. Soon after, more than a half of students stood up.

"I see..." Andromalius frowned. "Now, those who don't want knowledge, sit down."

A moment passed. Two. A few seconds. Five. No one sat down. The piano changed the tone, bringing forward sadness.

"You see, this the problem, my dear subjects." the hell stallion said. "All of us are naturally curious. This curiosity is what drives us forward, makes us want knowledge. Studying is, in fact, getting knowledge. However... it is not done right, not in this school. It's a shame for us all.

"Now, teachers. Those who dislike teaching, please stand up."

Again, no one did. The music was quiet but suspenseful.

"See? This is a problem." Andromalius said. "We want to learn and we want to teach. Now, we need to make a connection between the two. And thus, everyone will be given a piece of paper. Write down how you envision school. Write down all the negative and positive sides that you see now. Don't sign the papers, they're anonymous. I will look into them right here before your eyes.

"It is time to bring the change you all want. We will find a compromise, and it will allow us to move forward, make our country and ourselves greater and stronger. For he who owns knowledge, owns power. He who knows, holds the most valuable thing there is.

"It is time to make sure that its value is not lost."

Author's Notes:

I'm so sorry for the delay. I started writing this chapter as soon as I released the previous one but the circumstances of my life prevented me from finishing it. I'll try to make the next chapter come sooner. I'm sorry for making you wait so long.

Chapter 11: Immutatio

Natura Stella and her new assistant and helper Nota disembarked the train just before the bridge to Grittish Isles. The bridge was closed down, royal guards patrolling around it. A hastily built train depot was being upgraded into the proper one. Wood replaced with concrete, roofs being covered with a hydrophobic coating, and everything was done with proper measurement tools to ensure the long-standing of the new depot. A small village that was nearby before the war was being fortified, its inhabitants helping the soldiers with whatever they could. Stallions were working alongside the guards and official workers, mares made sure there was enough food to snack on in between work shifts, and foals were watching carefully, learning and yet not hindering the progress by interfering.

Towers were built, watchers looking out for possible dangers that could come from the horizon and beyond. Equipped with binoculars, the guards would be able to notice enemies approaching the village and the depot way before it's too late for a warning. Some of the towers had ballistae mounted on their tops, providing necessary defense against anything even remotely large.

Natura Stella breathed deeply and shakily, her legs wobbling slightly after the train ride, her face bearing a grayish tint. She focused on her breath, trying to contain her last meal where it should remain.

"Is everything alright?" Nota asked with worry, standing by her side, ready to provide support.

"I just... need fresh air." Natura replied, panting. Soon, her legs stopped shaking and her face returned to normal. "These... trains... Uh..." she huffed for a bit before straightening up, her ears swiveling around. The tone of her voice changed when she said: "Wait, I think I can hear something."

Beyond the grinding of metal and sawing of wood, beyond the knocking of hammers, beyond the lively voices, there were sounds of nature. The wind rustled the leaves and grass, the wood creaked ever so slightly. Different animals were moving in the grass and on the trees. The birds were singing, but the song was not relaxing as it usually was. Instead, it resembled a warning. It emitted sticky fear slipped into everything it could touch.

Natura frowned, her ears flicked. She looked deeper into the forest, her horn started glowing slightly in an aura of pale blue. Through the leaves and grass, behind the trees and rocks, she could see numerous animals. They were hiding, trying to stay invisible and unnoticeable. They emitted an aura of fear, their bodies shaking, their ears swiveling around, their eyes darting to and fro, looking out for danger.

The unicorn shook her head, bringing herself back, her vision returning to normal and her horn stopping glowing. She sighed deeply and shakily, the fear letting go of her but still leaving some of itself deep inside her.

"Nota, do you feel anything?" Natura asked quietly, turning to her companion.

"I..." for a moment, the stallion wanted to say that he didn't. However, he found a strange feeling deep inside, barely consciously recognizable. He ruffled his wings slightly before speaking. "Yes, there is something. A sense of..." his tail and ears twitched. "Something... something like..." he looked at the forest. His wings fluttered slightly. "I don't know..."

"A nagging feeling, yes?" the unicorn inquired, grasping the tiny string and hoping to pull out something bigger, a better explanation. "Something seems off, doesn't it?"

"Yes!" Nota replied a bit louder, confirming Natura's words. "Something is wrong but I can't understand what. It's just so... elusive, and..." he tapped his chin. "Ominous? Something like this."

"You're right." Natura Stella nodded. "Something is very wrong... We need to find what it is."

With those words being said, the two went into the forest. More than anything, they needed to know what was happening, and what better place to search than nature, the very foundation of life?

https://youtu.be/BwpvK-wWC2E

Andromalius was examining all the notes that the students and the teachers gave him, picking the best of the best. His wings and tail were twitching in anticipation as he went through different notes. Students wrote many things, ranging from simple wishes to have less homework to more elaborate requests of better studying equipment and optimization of the learning process, as well as upgrading it in many different ways they could think of. Many demons wrote that they wold like to study with ponies, too. A lot of them were very interested in seeing ponies in person, study with them, befriend them, and maybe even love them. That was what Andromalius assumed, at least.

In turn, the teachers asked for less paperwork so that they could devote more time to actual teaching. Of course, all of them desired a better payment for what they were doing, and Andromalius understood that having one teacher per tens of students could be very stressful for everyone. The Demon Lord knew it from his own school experience.

"What do you think, Twilight Sparkle?" he asked, giving the unicorn some of the notes.

"Well, they do have many points." the unicorn replied, going over the notes. "But fewer books and more activities?" a frown appeared on her face. "It doesn't make sense! How can they study if they don't read books?"

"Not everyone is like you, Twilight." Andromalius replied, looking at her. "All of us are individuals. Some learn better by reading, others — by listening. We are all different, and standardization of education is not my goal. Everyone needs to realize their potential in their own ways.

"You ponies have your special marks. They tell you of your destiny and talent, what you do the best." he explained. "You have a direction. All of them, all the demons, they don't. There is no one and nothing telling them what part of the bigger world they will play." he paused, collecting his thoughts. "You might never understand it because ponies and demons are very different. However, I believe you understand that we can help them find what they like to do. Isn't it the concept behind the marks? Doing what you like to do and be good at it."

"I think so, yes." Twilight nodded, her frown diminishing. She turned to the demons and looked at them. "It's strange to see someone who doesn't have a destiny."

"It must be for you." Andromalius agreed, his eyes turning to the audience as well. "But understanding differences is what is important. It is not a lesson taught in books."

Twilight blushed, her ears folding in embarrassment as the realization came to her.

"Yes, I guess you're right..." she muttered, accepting being wrong.

The hell stallion went through the notes again before clearing his throat, a speech forming in his mind.

"So, I've gotten all your concerns." he spoke. "All of you — students and teachers alike — want to do what you like. Some of you like art more than mathematics while others are the other way around. However, you are taught under a standardized program that is aimed at creating soldiers. I see why many of you don't like it." he paused, surveying the crowd. "The current educational system is aimed at creating clones. It doesn't take into account our differences, our personal dreams, hopes, and fears. And let it be known that such system is unacceptable."

Everyone started cheering, not allowing their ruler to say a word. He closed his mouth and stood silently, a smile on his face. Seeing all those demons cheering for a change made his heart warm. It wasn't too late to make things right. In fact, it was clear that it was just the right time to bring new things and change what was before.

"Therefore, a change must be made. Many changes, in fact." Andromalius spoke after everyone became quiet again. The song in the background became triumphant and victorious, uplifting even. "Higher payment for teachers? It will be done." he turned his attention to the teachers. "You are directly responsible for our future, for the future of the whole country. You deserve to have much more than you do now, for you do the hardest of jobs that very few are willing to take.

"As for you, students..." he turned to the crowd of young demons. "I understand that you want to learn. The flame of curiosity, it is inside us all. It is what drives us forward. Me, you, anyone and everyone has that great curiosity, desire to explore our world... And beyond." he looked up, knowing that neither Earth nor other two worlds he knew were all of the cosmos. There were greater things to be discovered, knowledge to gain. "However, we are curious about different things, and some of you feel that your time here is wasted. I hear you — you are interested in things others are not. And so, you will learn what you want to learn. Along with the basics of other things... Maybe you discover something else someday? Something that might fuel that flame of curiosity even more, turning it into a great fire, thriving for knowledge and discovery.

"The change is coming, and I'm thankful for your actions to make it come. We must not be silent when we want change, we must speak up and see that change come. However, nothing appears out of nothing. We all must put effort into it, including myself. I hereby promise that I will not disappoint you."

The whole crowd exploded in cheering and applause for their ruler, standing up and clapping thunderously. Andromalius was proud of his nation — they were willing to strive for knowledge, to learn and understand the unknown, and to become better. There was room for change, and he wasn't going to let it go to waste.

***

"Here you are!" Inanna said when she saw Andromalius walking out of the concert hall. A few students turned to the succubus and then shifted their eyes towards their ruler. She had no armor or any clothes, her dark-pink mane slightly grown out, standing out against her almost purely white fur. "Well, your speech was certainly inspiring. It makes me remember my own school days." her tail flicked as she bit her lower lip suggestively. "Especially all the fun I had in closets..." a dreamy and lustful look appeared on her face, her eyes focusing on her lover. "You know... Maybe we can do something similar? You've not fed me in a while, after all."

"But we might get caught, and... Is it even appropriate?" Andromalius asked warily. He still barely had an idea of how sex was treated by demons. Inanna was pretty open on the subject but the hell stallion wasn't sure if others were. In the end, he hoped not to create a scene.

"Of course it is!" the succubus rolled her eyes. "You humans suppress your sexuality way too often, did you know that? And besides, it's not like you'll be caught with someone underage." before the Demon Lord could say anything, Inanna swiftly added, her tail flicking once again: "Not to mention that if we are caught, it will only show that you're just one of us, not afraid to express our nature. And the last point... You need some relief." she slapped his flank with her long tail. "Now, c'mon. You know what both of us need right now."

"With pleasure." Andromalius grinned and followed his lover, his doubts and hesitation gone. He found his own tail twitching slightly as he thought of all the things he could do. After all, he had a hard day of work, some relaxation would be helpful to clear his head and let the tension go.

They searched for an appropriate place to have fun. Classes began to fill again, but luckily for the two, they noticed a closet. Inanna swiftly opened it, only to encounter a startled pair of a minotaur and succubus.

"Oh, hello there~" Inanna murmured and then winked. "Don't mind us, we're just searching for a place for our own fun."

"M-my lord!" the minotaur said as he noticed Andromalius.

"No need. Have fun." the hell stallion replied, closing the door. "Well, this was..." he glanced at the succubus, and then sighed, seeing her grin. "Something."

The two continued to walk until they found something better than a closet — a whole empty class for them and them alone.

"Perfect." Inanna giggled as she and Andromalius entered the classroom, closing the door and locking it. "Well, what do you—" she found herself being swiftly flipped upside-down and placed on one of the desks, exposing all that she had to offer. "You playful little devil..."

Andromalius stuck his muzzle right into Inanna's vagina, inhaling her scent, making her moan and shiver. He opened his maw and started licking her folds, lapping at her love juices, enjoying the taste and letting his partner enjoy being licked.

"Y-you're imp-patient now, aren't y-you?" the succubus said playfully, her tail wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer. "Yes, yes-s, I've been w-waiting for it, oh... All t-that work... Nghh... Finally, you r-rela-AH!"

Andromalius grinned, his wings twitching and his penis peeking out of its sheath. He doubled his efforts, not stopping for a second, burying his muzzle in her vagina, his long snake-like tongue exploring her depths with great pleasure. Ravishing, lusting for her juices, he pushed into her, making the desk under her creak and groan as it moved slightly, grazing the wooden floor beneath.

Giving her no chance to say any more words, the hell stallion used his magic to add more stimulation, making her constantly and loudly moan. Confidentially, he continued to lick her, giving her his best.

Suddenly, he stopped, leaving Inanna quivering and shivering in pleasure, small gasps escaping her. He freed himself from her tail, and then placed his front hooves on the desk. His erect dick pressed against her opening, parting her folds slightly.

With a groan and a kiss on Inanna's lips, Andromalius entered her in one swift motion, going all the way, balls-deep into the lustful succubus. He started pounding her, rocking back and forth, making the desk creak louder under both their weight and under the power of his deep and hard thrusts.

"F-u-ck, y-you a-are e-agger!" Inanna said, finding it hard to speak while being relentlessly plowed by her lover. She let out small gasps as he pulled out and thrust back in without a care in the world, fucking her as hard as he could.

The succubus felt a special kind of pressure building up inside her, and soon she cried out in pleasure, achieving her orgasm, her vagina clenching on Andromalius' dick, making him cum as well. The last few seconds of their combined orgasm seemed like an eternity, and then they both let out gasps as it suddenly ended.

"I feel... full..." Inanna muttered as Andromalius pulled out of her, some semen dripping onto the desk and floor.

After their quick and yet satisfying session of carnal fun, Andromalius and Inanna sat near the window, looking through it at other classes. The sun was setting, its rays casting long and yet soft shadows, orange light softly caressing the ground below.

"I'm glad things are beginning to change." the hell stallion said after a long and meaningful silence. "I see their smiles, I see what they want. They want a fair and just education for all. They want to do the things they like. I see them becoming artists, musicians, scientists... Many of them would still want to be warriors, but now they will have more choice." he paused, a frown crossing his face. "Once the war ends, all these soldiers and warriors would need to find peace. They would need to be re-accepted into the society. And I believe..." a smile appeared on his face. "I believe that they will be welcome to live among many lovely people."

"We just have to bring the change and help make this world a better place." Inanna nodded in understanding and then sighed. "My life was simple... I don't remember my childhood much but it didn't matter. I was raised as another warrior, always ready to fight." a spark of flame ran between her horns. "As a succubus, I must feed on lust. Nothing too... grand." she chuckled, and then looked at her lover. "But with you here, things will surely change. Maybe I will discover something for myself, too."

"You certainly will, Inanna." the hell stallion nuzzled her lovingly. "You certainly will..."

Author's Notes:

Some music and a bit of clop for relaxation. What do you think about the music, by the way? I've done it all by myself, including the picture for the video. Backgrounds are pretty time-consuming to draw, and shading... Don't let me start on that.

Chapter 12: Subito Captis

The snow was falling down upon the forgotten lands of the Frozen North, spinning and spiraling, carried by the wind far and wide, covering the tracks of the mighty undead army under command of High Lord Arantir. The necromancer was flying high in the skies, a map in his magical grasp as he scanned the surroundings. The said map was nearly useless and most likely inaccurate, the only things from it were mountains, and even those seemed off. Unfortunately, most of the land was covered by many layers of snow, a lot of which hardened under its own weight into ice. Frustrated, the necromancer folded the map and put it in a saddlebag, realizing that it wouldn't help him find what he needed. However, there was something interesting among the emptiness that was the Frozen North.

Arantir noticed a pole in the middle of a snowy field. An artificial pole made of metal, something that stood out among the gentle curves of snow. The necromancer flew down to the pole and looked at it closer. No rust, no corrosion, the metal pole shone in the light as if it was made just a moment ago. Cocking an eyebrow, Arantir touched it with his hoof.

He felt something resonating through his body, a sort of energy he couldn't quite understand. It was familiar but at the same time, it was not. Such a feeling left him mildly confused as one of his ears twitched, sensing something in the air and underneath the snow and ice.

The High Lord retracted his hoof and tapped his chin, thinking. The pole would require much, much more scrutiny. For all he knew, a city could be underneath him, and he intended to find out the truth. And thus, he ordered his troops to start digging.

Two armored pegasi were flying across the sea to the Griffin Empire. The sun was rising from behind the Grittish Isles, the sky was clear, and a mist covered the water. The pegasi kept low, their hooves almost touching the surface of the sea. The pegasi glided silently, piercing the mist, keeping close to the remains of the railroad bridge. Everything was silent, the sea was calm, only the rare flaps of the wings could be heard as the scouts moved forward, knowing their task well.

Suddenly, they saw two dots quickly zooming in. The pegasi hid behind one of the bridge's support bases, covering themselves in shadows and mist. About a minute later, two flying figures passed them by, heading towards the Grittish Isles. The pegasi followed them, keeping distance as not to attract attention. They recognized the figures as griffons, and so they knew they needed to follow them to see what they were up to.

For a few minutes, the flight continued without any event. The tension was in the air as griffons made their way closer and closer to the Isles, flying along the ruins of the bridge, not even caring about hiding themselves. The pegasi glanced at each other, unsure of griffons' intentions. They were too careless, unthoughtful of their surroundings and possible advantages using them would bring.

Suddenly, the griffons stopped and turned around. The pegasi scattered, hiding behind one of the bridge supports.

"We surrender!" the griffons yelled, hovering in place. Thinking that it was a trap, a simple trick, the pegasi split. One of them readied a crossbow and took a position on top of the ruins while the other revealed himself to the griffons.

"Drop your weapons." he ordered loudly.

Without hesitation, the two unbuckled their weapons and threw them into the sea below. Cautiously, the pegasus flew closer to the griffons while the other aimed at them with a crossbow, ready to send a bolt into them at the first sign of trouble. The menacing tip of the bolt was directed at the chest of one of the griffons, the string was tense, and yet the pegasus held the weapon steadily, his hoof close to the lever but not on it.

"Fly straight along the bridge." the first pegasus ordered loud and clear. "Don't look back. Don't turn. Don't speak."

The griffons nodded and turned to their original destination. The pegasi joined them, following them from behind at a reasonable distance, keeping weapons at the ready. They changed flying patterns from time to time, looking around to see if there was any danger. Surprisingly for them, there was nothing.

The tension was in the air as the wings flapped and the group flew closer and closer to the Isles. The griffons looked straight ahead, flying silently, just as ordered. They felt the urge to turn around and look at the pegasi but they fought it well, not allowing themselves to disobey the orders. One of the said griffons was especially nervous: his eyes darted from left to right, he flexed his claws from time to time to alleviate the stress. The second griffon was calm and collected, a neutral expression on his face as he flew in a seemingly relaxed manner.

"Fly lower." one of the pegasi commanded as the group reached the Isles. "Land on the shore."

The griffons followed the orders without question. Once on the shore, the group moved forward, eventually coming to the large camp of Luna's army. The griffons were unnerved by the unusual silence of the place: no casual chatting, no clanking of the armor of soldiers in training, no hearty talks after a tiring night, nothing but silence. It was complete, absolute, it was dead silence.
Was the army of Equestria so well-disciplined? All soldiers were in full armor, too. Despite the griffons having just arrived, there was nothing. No whispers, no stares, not even glances at them. No one paid any attention to those that were the enemies of Equestria at the moment. The eyeholes of the helmets looked empty, lifeless, and completely black as if there was nothing living inside them.

They heard the sound of clopping hooves coming towards them. They turned their heads and saw Luna. The Princess of the Night stood before them in full plate armor, a sword in its sheath buckled securely to it. Her aqua eyes pierced their souls, looking deep inside, searching for something she knew they had, unnerving them to the core.

"Why did you come here?" the alicorn asked, her tone demanding. Her wings were unfolded, making her seem even bigger than she already was, standing more than a head taller than the griffons.

"Your Highness, we surrender ourselves to you." one of the griffons spoke. "We wish no harm, we merely want to find out what is going on. The war..." he paused, his thoughts going elsewhere for just a moment. "We want to understand it. How it started, why... We have many questions, and we can't get them on our side."

"...Very well." Luna said after a few moments of thinking. "Follow me, then. We shall discuss it all."

Without a question, the griffons obeyed, following the princess to one of the tents. In truth, the reigning silence scared them even more than the powerful alicorn in front of them. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come, maybe it was a trap of sorts. The griffons looked around, expecting to see something that would ease their fears or at least tell them what danger was waiting for them,. Instead, there was nothing out of ordinary, nothing that would raise any red flags aside from the silence. However, the unknown scared them, and Luna's intentions were the unknown.

Many rumors surrounded the Princess of the Night. Tales of her great power were widespread even among the griffons. She moved the moon, she almost overthrew Celestia. She was an unstoppable force not at all unlike her sister, she would move even a mountain if it was in the way of achieving her goals, no matter what those goals could be. The tales of ancient battles in which she took place were the talk among many griffon soldiers. However, it was hard to separate truth from myths.

The two griffons remembered when few remaining scouts returned after their unsuccessful mission. What was expected to be an easy takeover of a major city turned out to be a complete failure with many griffons ending up dead. The plan failed, the city was left standing, and now it was apparent why. A relatively large force was assembled and the griffons had no idea where it came from and how it arrived at the battlefield so quickly.

"Take a seat, please." Luna gestured as the group entered a tent. Reluctantly, the griffons obeyed, still quite nervous. "Now," she looked at the two as everyone took their places at a table. The princess took off her helmet, revealing her majestic starlit mane. "I would like you to introduce yourselves."

"My name is Erich of Blackbeak, knight of the Griffon Empire." one of the griffons introduced himself more or less confidently. "My friend Mark is my page." the griffon by his side nodded politely.

"Pleasure to meet you both, Erich and Mark." the princess nodded, her expression neutral. "Now, to the matter at hoof. I understand what you said, but would it not be hard for you to arrive here knowing that those you knew died?" she looked at the griffons, interest, and caution in her eyes. "The first battle between our nations turned out to be unsuccessful for your side, after all."

"We abandoned our post, that is correct." Erich nodded. "However, we did not betray our nation. We merely want to find the truth. Despite what our empress said, I do not believe that you would start a war." he looked Luna in the eyes. "Just to make it all clear, I will be not helping you win but I will not fight. However, I ask you to remain on the defensive, princess." he sighed deeply. "Enough griffon blood had already been spilt... Both before the war began and after."

"I cannot know whether you are a spy or not, sir Erich." Luna replied. "Besides, what do you hope to find here?"

"Knowledge and understanding." the knight explained. "Your Highness, knowledge is the ultimate power. Without it, we are deaf and blind, flailing our limbs helplessly. No decision is reasonable unless the knowledge leading to it is obtained."

"That is true." the princess nodded. "Your intentions, if not noble from the point of view of your nation, are reasonable for someone of your status. Knights are supposed to be knowledgeable, after all." she paused for a second. "However, I have a few favors to ask of you as well as terms you must follow if you want our cooperation on the matter."

"I am listening, Your Highness."

"First of all, terms of your movement across the country." Luna said. "First and foremost, you are to be accompanied by at least two members of the Royal Guard at all times."

"That is reasonable." Erich nodded.

"Second, you may not possess any weapon as long as you are in Equestria." the princess continued. "And third, you may not leave Equestria without notifying me directly, in person. And, of course, you must follow our laws."

"I accept the terms, Your Highness." the knight agreed. "So, what are the favors?"

"Since you are here now, we need to provide an exchange." Luna replied. "We also need to understand what started the war and therefore we need to know what happens on the other side."

"I understand." Erich nodded once again. "I have a net of trustworthy griffons around the country, they will be able to help you. However, it will be immensely harder to send a pony there."

"Would you not be stripped of your status because of your seemingly treacherous intentions?" Luna asked him, looking him in the eyes.

"I will be marked only as missing in action. I made sure of it." the griffon explained. "I will let you keep my armor and crest, Princess Luna. You may let them be until I am a knight of Griffon Empire or you may destroy them. The choice is yours to make, but from now on, I am but a griffon traveler, searching for answers to my questions." a smirk touched his beak. "Vague past and no connections to the Empire."

"Your possessions will be safe with me, sir Erich." the princess nodded. "You will have to spend a day and a night here as I arrange everything, and I might ask you to answer more questions. For now, rest. Let us see what future brings."

Andromalius was walking through his castle, a slight bouncing in his step, a smile on his face. The things were turning for the better and he was helping it all become true. Despite having a war on the horizon, many things could become better and the hell stallion believed that it wouldn't be long before the war ends.

Suddenly, he felt something clank against his body and then fly away, soon rattling on the floor. He swiftly turned around and there in the shadows he saw someone holding a crossbow. Reacting quickly and almost purely on instinct, Andromalius grabbed the crossbow and pulled it from the assassin's grasp. The attacker tried to run away but the hell stallion reached them with two mighty jumps and pinned them against the floor.

It was a griffon, his eyes were rolling to the back of his head as foam appeared in its beak. His body shuddered for a few moments before coming to a complete stop, a final sigh escaping it. Confused, Andromalius stood there, looking at the lifeless body of the assassin for a few long seconds.

A second crossbow bolt bounced off him, landing nearby. Having no time to lose, the hell stallion turned his head to the second assassin, casting a spell to freeze them in place.

Looking around for good measure, Andromalius sighed shakily, adrenaline pumping through his veins. The beating of the heart deafened him for many moments until he came to his senses. Finally, reasonable and thoughtful decisions could be made.

"Guards!" he yelled, and two minotaurs clad in armor appeared around the corner soon after, and they immediately noticed the two bodies. "Screen the whole castle and the city. Notify nearby settlements but don't raise panic. Reinforce the security around the portal to Equestria and notify Equestrian Royal Guard as well."

"Right away, my lord." one of the minotaurs nodded and the two hurried away, leaving Andromalius alone with the two griffons.

His horn started to glow and soon the first griffon was coughing, coming back to life. Before he could understand anything, Andromalius stunned him. With a long sigh, he picked up the two unconscious bodies.

It would be a very long day for the hell stallion, and especially long for the two assassins.

Author's Notes:

I'm very sorry for not updating for three months. Things have been hectic, to say the least. But I'm coming back on track.

For now, have these two images.
Inanna, drawn by Skunkdinner.

Seran, drawn by me.

Chapter 13: Inpedimenta

Andromalius was sitting on the bed in his room, shaking slightly as he drank some herbal tea. Inanna was by his side, hugging him closely, nuzzling him. The tip of his tail was twitching, his ears drooped, his eyes staring at the cup he was holding.

"It's alright," Inanna told him, patting him on the back with her tail. "Drink the tea, it'll make you feel better.

"Thanks." the hell stallion replied, accepting her comfort and taking a sip. A few moments later, he sighed deeply, his posture slightly relaxing.

"Better?" the succubus asked.

"Mh-hm," Andromalius replied, taking another sip. "Honestly, it was quite... scary."

"I can imagine." Inanna chuckled lightly. "Well, now you're definitely a worthy ruler. Only those who had real power and influence were assassinated."

"That's a weird way of saying "I'm glad you're alive," Inanna." the hell stallion commented with a chuckle of his own. "Well... now I need to be extra careful. They didn't manage to kill me this time but..." he paused. "You never know."

"If those crossbow bolts couldn't break through that —" she knocked on the natural exoskeleton of Andromalius "—then nothing can. You don't have a single scratch. Not even a scratch, Andro." she knocked a few more times, letting out a giggle. "Knock-knock!"

"I am the one who knocks!" Andromalius' tone shifted to seemingly serious. "I am the danger."

"You certainly are." Inanna nodded, agreeing, the reference going past her.

"However... All of us need to be extra careful." the hell stallion said, his tone becoming more serious, and then took yet another sip of the herbal tea. "While I can bring people back to life, it might not work someday. I cannot risk the lives of others." he looked into Inanna's eyes. "You will have to be cautious. We—"

He went silent as one of his ears turned to the door. He could hear the rising noise of clanking of armor and clop of hooves against the marble floor. Andromalius put the cup down and stood up from the bed, his eyes looking at the door. He tilted his head, pointing his horn in the same direction his eyes were looking.

"My lord!" knocking came from the door. "We have a situation!"

Andromalius turned to Inanna and whispered something to her. She nodded, soon disappearing into the flash of orange. The hell stallion trotted to the door and opened it, revealing four minotaur guards standing at the ready, their faces covered in sweat.

"What is it?" he asked, noticing the tension among the guards.

"We found a griffon, chased him, but he holds a pony captive." one of them said quickly. "He requested your presence, my lord."

"Lead me." Andromalius nodded without hesitation, and the group soon left the castle.

"Stand right there!" the griffon yelled. He was standing in the middle of the street, holding an earth pony tightly, a knife in his claws, pressed against the pony's neck. "Move closer, I kill her! Ignite your horn, I kill her!"

Many guards were on either side of the street, crossbow and bow-wielding ones were on the rooftops, all ready and prepared for action. The tension was in the air as some guards nervously tapped their weapons, awaiting the command of their ruler, their eyes fixated on the griffon.

Andromalius tried to control his rising anger. He knew he couldn't afford death of an innocent. Many, many things could go wrong and he knew it. However, such knowledge didn't help him much in containing his anger. He felt a blazing hellfire fire rising from inside him, and it begged to be released.

"What are your demands, griffon?" he asked, his voice cold, his burning eyes looking at the griffon, and if looks could kill, there would be nothing but ashes left in place of the griffon.

"Safe passage to Griffon Empire!" he replied, glaring at the Demon Lord. "The fastest non-magical way of travel!"

"If we give you what we want, will you let her go?" Andromalius asked with slight caution.

"She might have a chance to live her life." the griffon said, and then used a claw to point at something. "At the very least, those foals will not be left without a mother."

The hell stallion looked in that direction. There, two foals were hiding under a bench, tears in their eyes. Their bodies were shaking, and there was a bloody claw mark on the side of one of the foals.

Andromalius slowly turned back to the griffon. The searing fire, an inferno of anger, rage was boiling inside the hell stallion, begging to be released, to bring pain and death upon the vile criminal. He knew how easily young minds can be damaged, he knew the toll a trauma could take on an impressionable and fragile mind of a young one.
The griffon came to his lands to kill him. He demanded safe passage or else he would kill someone else. He came for violence, he came to take lives. If he were let go, he would return to finish what was started, and there was no guarantee he wouldn't kill anyone else. To protect the subjects of the Union, as well as the guests and refugees, Andromalius needed to act swiftly and yet thoughtfully. He had two choices, and he knew which one he had to make.

The hellfire, it burned within the hell stallion, and he directed its flow into the knife of the griffon, quickly heating it up. The griffon screamed in pain, throwing the knife away, and immediately the mare kicked him off, galloping behind the guards for safety. Swiftly, they rushed in and captured the griffon, easily preventing his desperate escape attempts, breaking one of his wings in the process.

"Throw him into the dungeon," Andromalius ordered through gritted teeth as he continued to glare at the griffon, fighting the urge to maul him to death there and then. Many ponies and demons alike were watching from behind the line of guards. The hell stallion made a few deep breaths, calming down, taking control of his mind completely, his body relaxing slightly. In a more relaxed and warm tone, he made another order: "Lead the mare and the foals to the hospital, treat them well. Report their state to me personally."

The mare looked at the Demon Lord, gratitude in her eyes. Her foals rushed to her, and she hugged them all before the three followed the guards. Andromalius watched them as they disappeared around the corner before he turned to the rest of the guards.

"Search every corner of the city," he ordered. "Do it thoroughly. We must make sure there are no more griffons. If there are any, capture them and bring them to the rest. If any accidents happen, notify me immediately."

"Will be done, my lord." the guards bowed and left.

Andromalius stood in the middle of the street for a few more moments. Griffon assassins were already in his country, his citizens were in danger, the refugees he took in under his wing were in danger, and he couldn't be sure something like this wouldn't happen again. However, he managed to prevent the worse from happening on that day. Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Being a ruler was becoming harder and harder with each day.

Former Griffon Empire knight Erich and his loyal page and a good friend Mark were in their tent when two soldiers of Lunar Army barged in, weapons unsheathed and ready for action. They ordered the griffons to follow them, and the latter had no choice but to obey. They were escorted to Princess Luna, who bore a deep frown on her face.

"It came to my attention that my son was almost assassinated today," she said without any formalities as the two griffons took seats before her. "By griffons, no less." she looked in the eyes of Erich. "I want to know... are there any griffon spies amidst us?"

"Very possibly, although such information is only for Empress' ears." Erich nodded. "I don't have any information on their whereabouts and the like, I'm afraid."

"...Very well, then." the alicorn nodded after a short pause, forcing a breath out of her nostrils. "However, it still complicates many things. I'm afraid that the terms of your travels must change in the light of the recent events." she paused, letting her words sink in. "From now, an additional member of Royal Guard will accompany you anywhere you go, sir Erich."

From the shadows of the tent, came out a unicorn mare. Her fur was dark-gold, her long mane dark-red, tied behind her head, and her eyes a piercing crimson. A necklace was locked around her neck, a round teal gem in the center of it. Her mark was obscured by the flowing clothes she was wearing.

"This is Lady Ornella." Luna introduced her. "Knight of the Pale Moon. She will accompany you, protect you, as well as control you in the necessary ways."

Silently, Ornella extended her hoof. According to the traditions of the griffon knights, Erich bowed slightly, took her hoof and pressed his beak against it for a moment before letting go and standing up, reassuming his position.

There was something in the eyes of the mare, something very foreign. Erich couldn't shake it off but he felt she wasn't just any pony. There was something else when he touched her but once again, he couldn't place what it really was. His interest was piqued, however, and he looked forward to what would happen next.

Arantir was standing high above the pit his troops were digging, observing them with caution. He was scribbling notes in his notebook, the quill floating in a green aura of magic as he wrote down his findings and thoughts.

Suddenly, he heard a loud thud echoing across the snowy plains. He closed the notebook and placed it aside, his eyes looking down at the excavation. There was a dark hole in the ice, his troops were standing, waiting for his command.
The High Lord glided down to the hole and looked inside. On the other side, he saw ponies. They were all unicorns, looking at him with fear, holding their weapons tightly. Their forms were malnourished, their furs pale and almost devoid of color, their eyes bleak and near-lifeless, their faces tired and dark.

The necromancer, tall and slim, entered the cave slowly, his eyes easily adjusting to the surrounding darkness. He could see simple houses, some dim lights scattered around, and narrows pathways. It would be a nightmare to capture with an army if it ever came to that. However, his goal wasn't to besiege the settlement or harm it in any way. This surprising development prompts the intervention of Equestria.

The ponies continued to stare at him in fear as he surveyed them.

"Do you understand me?" he finally spoke, making some of the ponies shudder from the power of his voice. And yet, nothing returned but confused whispers. Arantir, understanding what was happening, used magic to draw words in the air, and those words were of an old language he learned in Hornguard during his stay.

Surprised gasps were heard and ponies started saying something to him. In response, another message appeared and they went silent. Arantir drew yet another message, and hesitantly, they lowered the weapons. A few of them ran off into the depths of the cave.

The necromancer was waiting patiently, continuing to look at the ponies, studying them. They had thicker fur that almost covered and hid their thin, skinny bodies. Their ears were slightly smaller than those of common Equestrian ponies, but other features were practically identical.

After a few minutes of waiting, a pony with a crown atop her head came to the necromancer, her form as malnourished as of those around her. She stumbled and almost fell if not for the help of other ponies. She thanked them and continued walking until she was face to face with Arantir. Her horn glowed and a message appeared in the air. The necromancer nodded, and then he felt a presence in his mind.

"Who are you?" the ruler of those ponies asked, her message duplicated and spoken in another language.

"My name is Arantir." the High Lord introduced himself, omitting the title. "I come in peace." he paused and then noted: "I see that your ponies require assistance."

"That we do, Arantir." the unicorn nodded. "I am Queen Hashaleet, pleased to meet you. Now, why did you come here?"

"I was in search of something and this place caught my interest. I wasn't aware that there are living ponies here." the necromancer explained. "However, it is now apparent that I will not find what I am searching for here. But instead, perhaps I can help your kind survive."

"I am... thankful for your offer, truly!" Hashaleet's face brightened. "But... can you tell me something first?" Arantir nodded. "You come from the above... Still frozen, still ice and snow." she frowned. "You lead an army, and I can see they're not of living. Is it... so bad?"

"On the contrary, fortunately," Arantir assured her. "While there is a war happening, things are much better for you ponies. Your kind survived and made a home for themselves in the plentiful land now called Equestria. I believe they would provide you with everything necessary to live and thrive."

"Is there anything I can do in return?" the Queen asked warily.

"As of now, no." the necromancer shook his head. "However, in the future... there may be," he answered vaguely, looking her in the eyes. "For now, let me help you and you will remember what I did for you when the time comes to return the favor, Queen Hashaleet." he bowed. "I bid you farewell. Expect the help to arrive shortly, certainly within a few days."

"I'm grateful indeed, Arantir." the Queen bowed slightly as well. "May your journey be safe and successful."

Author's Notes:

The wheel of fate is spinning.

Chapter 14: Interrogatio

In the dungeons of the Royal Keep, three griffons were kept chained to a wall behind sturdy steel bars. Each and every their moment was observed by the guards stationed near the cell. The griffons were silent, exchanging glances and sometimes fidgeting, trying to see if there was a way to escape. Unfortunately for them, their shackles were locked well, not allowing their limbs to move much without restricting the flow of blood through their limbs. However, the position was still rather uncomfortable, not allowing the griffons to rest for a moment.

They didn't know how much time they spent in the dungeon, but one thing was certain — it would come to an end sooner or later, and the end might not leave them alive.

A thud resonated through the dungeon, making the griffons look at the guards. From the far end of the hallway, a slow clop of hooves could be heard coming towards them. Anxiously, the griffons awaited whoever was coming for them, and soon a long shadow appeared on the floor. Soon after, its owner appeared — The Demon Lord Andromalius. He approached the steel bars, his posture calm but his eyes blazing with fury. He stopped near the door and took a long look at the griffons while they looked back.

It was the first time they could see him this well and clear. He was equine and yet there were very apparent differences that set him apart from ponies and the like. He was tall and reasonably bulky, sturdy exoskeleton covering most of his body, including his thick tail, which was tapered towards the end. A pair of ethereal golden wings were on his sides, a stark contrast to his dark shades of red and black. His eyes were the color of fire, no pupils could be seen. His crooked, sharp horn, unlike what unicorns had, was atop his muzzle and not his forehead. His mane was just as red as his eyes, brushed back neatly in a royal fashion. Atop his head, a spiky crown stood, a crimson ruby in its center, marking Andromalius as the ruler of the demons, the king of the realm.

It was clear that the Demon Lord was about to enter the cell for what griffons presumed would be questioning, interrogation, and torture. They expected nothing less from someone with the looks of a demon. The amount of pain he could inflict with just his own body would be excruciating, no doubt. The horn he had could allow for many magical spells to inflict both bodily and mental harm, breaking the griffons one by one.

The hell stallion unlocked the door to the cell and walked inside, locking the said door behind him. His eyes chose one of the captives as he snorted in discontent. The griffon who tried to escape was freed of his shackles, making him fall to the floor.

"I will not talk, no matter what you try," he said, getting up and straightening, looking the Demon Lord straight in the eyes.

Andromalius sensed barely any fear from the griffon. However, the thread was there, and he could pull on it. It was his first time interrogating anyone; he was unsure how it would go or if he would even be able to do what must be done to ensure the safety of his citizens. However, he must not let the griffons see his weakness. He must act like a strong ruler, a strong person, someone who could always get things done for the sake of others.

"It's not the matter of if you will talk," he spoke confidently, hiding his uncertainty. "The matter is... when you will talk and how willingly," he forced the cold into his voice, furrowing his brows. He knew it had to be done but there was inner hesitation he had to go through. And yet, he didn't allow himself to show the said hesitation. It was not the time and place for it.

Meanwhile, the griffon remained completely silent, looking at Andromalius with the same expression as before, expecting him to make the first move. Other griffons watched without any noise, unable to intervene in any way.

Just as silently, the Demon Lord started walking to him. The griffon didn't blink or move a muscle. Soon, the hell stallion was close. Too close, in fact.

Suddenly, the griffon leaped, trying to tackle the Demon Lord. However, he froze in mid-air as magic grabbed him.

"No," Andromalius said with force in his voice, keeping the griffon in his grasp. "Talk, not fight," he slapped the griffon, making a hoof mark appear on a side of his head, ruffling up some of the feathers. It wasn't a strong punch, it was far from it, but it was extremely humiliating, making the griffon puff his chest and glare at the hell stallion. Then, the demon repeated, "Talk."

It was obvious that Andromalius was not just a pony not just by the appearance but also by the actions. While a part of him looked like one, he wasn't soft or easily scared. He wasn't going to use formalities, hours of gentle questioning. He was down to business, nothing less and nothing more. Just like one would expect from a demon.

"I will not talk," the griffon replied with more anger than he intended.

Andromalius paused for just a small moment, realizing what the anger was. It was hiding fear. He could already feel it rising within the griffon. It just needed a push in the right direction to trigger the instinct of self-preservation. As much as it sickened him, no matter how wrong it was to do, he needed to remind himself that he was sacrificing his own morals so that others wouldn't have to. He needed to protect his nation, to end this raging destructive conflict, and bring peace to the world. Before this war could unfold into something terrible, something akin to the World Wars of human history, Andromalius needed to do something. It would require much more than him alone, he knew it, of course. However, smaller parts form something bigger than themselves, and so even his deeds mattered in the great scheme of things.

Remembering his useful ability of Fright Aura, he let it loose, sending waves of fear towards the griffon he was holding. At first, there was no change. Then, the face of the griffon twitched, sagged, tensed as his pupils shrank in fear, his whole body began to tremble. Soon, he was nothing but a cowering mess, raising his claws in front of his head as a defense.

"I will! I will tell you everything, just make it s-stop!" he cried out in despair and internal rising agony. Andromalius lowered the intensity of the Aura but didn't disable it completely, letting the fear sink in slowly and painfully.

"Good," he said and then put the other two griffons to sleep by a spell. "Now... how did you get here?" he inquired, letting the griffon fall on the floor, making a thud.

"W-we were here for y-years," the griffon began but was quick to correct himself. "Not here, but in Equestria! We... watched, observed. And then y-you appeared, out of nowhere no less! We w-were tasked with eliminating you once the w-war started. Your kind was sealed for a reason!" he almost barked at the end.

"Are there more of you?" Andromalius continued, ignoring the remark about demons. He couldn't sense any dishonesty yet. And if there were a lie, the griffon had to believe in it wholeheartedly.

"There are... some. Cells of agents in major cities," the griffon explained, his voice becoming less shaky. "Baltimare, Manehattan... Ours was from Canterlot."

Andromalius swiftly turned to the guards stationed outside the cell and ordered: "Heard him? Inform Princess Celestia at once!"

The guards saluted and rushed away, the clanking of their armor soon fading as the door at the entrance to the dungeon slammed again.

"I see..." the hell stallion said mostly to himself, turning back to the griffon. Andromalius almost jumped at what he saw: the claw of the griffon was covered in blood and the same liquid was streaming from his neck as he gurgled. "Not again..." the Demon Lord cursed and then used Regeneration spell on the griffon, freezing him in place again. The wound on the neck quickly closed and soon the griffon was gasping and coughing out blood, his eyes open wide in disbelief.

"W-what... What is this?" he said in a hushed and shaking voice, looking at Andromalius with trembling eyes. The hell stallion was quick to use the mood of the griffon to his advantage.

"I control your life," he said, his voice loud, imperative, and absolutely clear. "You will tell me everything... or else you will die and die again, only to come back to life time after time," he paused, ashamed of himself. And yet, he continued, knowing well that bigger price would be paid if he didn't do what he was doing. "Your... choice."

Celestia was in the throne room, her personal advisor scribbling notes quickly as the princess talked with Hashaleet, the Queen of Unicorns. Her fur and mane were entirely white, her eyes a pale shade of blue, and yet they were sparkling with life, energetic despite her malnourished form. A pair of unicorn guards were standing by her side, darkened visors in front of their eyes, protecting them from the bright rays of the sun. The queen herself was standing straight and with pride, a small smile on her face as the sun washed over her fur, filling her with warmth, a contrast to what she and her subjects had to go through in their lifetime.

"I am... truly grateful for everything, Princess Celestia," Hashaleet bowed in respect for the diarch, her voice graceful and full of certain warmth. "With your help, we will recover... albeit it will take time. Not to mention the sun, it... well, we are not accustomed to its light. But the sky..." a dreamy look appeared on her face as she turned to one of the windows. "It's so... so..." her voice faded for a second. "It's like a colored ceiling but something else... It's so high up there, I would never be able to reach it..." she paused and soon returned to Celestia. "Forgive me, your majesty, I just..." she said in embarrassment. "I've never seen anything quite like it before."

"And now you can live under the sky," the princess smiled. "While we do have some problems with housing you and your subject, I'm fairly certain we will overcome these obstacles. You certainly need time and effort to recover after decades under the ice and snow."

"Thank you, thank you!" Hashaleet bowed once again, almost tripping over. "How..." she looked up. "How in the world can I repay for such kindness?"

"You don't need to, Hashaleet," Celestia shook her head lightly. "The reward of seeing ponies smile is enough for me," she let out a soft laugh. "We only have one problem remaining, however... Trust me, it's nothing major, but the sooner we take care of it, the better," she paused for a moment. "It concerns your recognition as royalty."

"Frankly... we are too few to be in a need of a queen," the unicorn admitted. "I'm more of a mayor of old times than a queen. It's nothing more than a tradition, something to keep us feel... alive, for the lack of a better word," she bowed again, and this time she didn't raise her head back up. "Princess Celestia, I hereby lay my crown and give it to you and all the powers that come with it," she moved the crown from the top of her head and to the alicorn. "It would be an honor to be ruled by someone like you..." for a moment, her magic flickered, letting the crown fall and hit the floor with an audible clink.

"You should rest, Hashaleet," Celestia said worriedly, almost jumping from her throne. "My guards will lead you to the guest chambers. I'm sure I can make arrangements for different meals."

"My subjects come first," the unicorn said rather weakly, rising. "We were in one pot together, we shall remain one."

"I will make it so all of you are fed well," the alicorn assured. "For now, rest is in order. There is no rush, we can fill all the needed paperwork once you are ready."

A few hours later, Andromalius finally came out of the dungeon. Once the door closed behind him, his posture sagged, and he released a long and weary sigh, followed a slight shake of the head. Inanna was waiting for him and was quick to embrace him in a compassionate hug without saying a word. The two stood there in silence, sharing warmth as the hell stallion came back to his senses. The goals were achieved, but at what cost? Perhaps, the cost wasn't so great in comparison to what would've happened if Andromalius didn't do what he did, but it was still taxing on him mentally. It was not a game, it was not fiction, all of it was real, and he was in the center of it, doing things he had never thought he would do in his entire life. And yet, there he was, just done with interrogating prisoners and gaining valuable information that would help prevent future assassinations or even acts of terrorism.

However, it was far from over. Much more was needed to be done to end the war, to figure out what caused it, and to prevent anything like it from happening again. Andromalius knew quite a bit about the wars humanity waged over the course of its existence, especially the most destructive wars: the first and the second World Wars. Happening one after another, they took millions of lives, influencing even more millions of people still left alive, and then more generations to come. It made everyone learn the horrors of war in the worst way there could be.

This war was not a simple game, not a round of a strategy on a computer. There, the consequences were real, the lives were not expendable, and each thing mattered in more ways than a simple fantasy game could portray. Andromalius found himself in the middle of an unknown conflict, and it was for him to resolve. However, he was not a chosen one, no matter what an ancient prophecy said, no matter what anyone else said. He was just one person. A powerful one, an influential one, it was true, but he was one among many. He had to act carefully to make sure that his influence wouldn't call a disaster.

The biggest question is... What caused the war? Conflicts don't spring out of nowhere, all of them have at least one cause and one precondition. The First World War didn't start just because a ruler was killed, and the Second World War didn't start just because of Nazism. Andromalius understood it clearly, and he realized that he needed to find the roots of the war.

Perhaps, it was something even he didn't expect.

Author's Notes:

It's surely been a long time. Unfortunately, I lacked the inspiration to write this story. However, I don't want it to die, so I ask you, dear readers... What do you think will happen next? What would you want to happen next? I would greatly appreciate the ideas because they will make the story live longer, and it will definitely help me with writing it.

In case you have an elaborate idea, contact me on Discord, I'm sure I can listen to it and discuss it with you. Add Elu#4215 and we'll chat.

Chapter 15: Novos Arma

Author's Notes:

It hasn't been even a month, yay! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

The army of the undead. No morals, no fears, no hesitation, no mercy, no emotions. One would say that such an army is perfect. Obedient, it would never go against you, it would never run away from battles. Expendable, such an army could be lost entirely without damage to the country it's fighting for. Not to mention that refilling it did not require propaganda or forced conscription. All you need is a graveyard or two and you would have plenty of units. Dead bones are brittle but if they could use armor and weapons, they would be unstoppable, striking fear into the bravest warriors, for the undead knew no fear. They marched on like an unstoppable and immortal force, striking down enemies in their path.

Many would say that using the dead was immoral. And it was, for the dead are dear to many people who are still alive. Long dead, they still lived in the beating hearts and minds of the living, just a memory of someone who once walked the earth along with them. But now, they are just a pile of bones, rotting flesh eaten by worms, and nothing remains inside them that would make them who they were before death. One must also remember that unearthing the graves is universally forbidden and the punishment for it may be severe. It is desecration, and the living care very much about their symbols and memories, no matter what.

Perhaps, a wiser choice would be to use the undead despite the questionable morals of doing so. Countless lives could be spared from the horrors of war and battle, assuring the safety by being the first line of defense. Not to mention that such an army doesn't require much logistics. They do not need to sleep, drink, or eat. They do not need entertainment to keep the spirits up. They would not grow bored and do anything stupid. Using the army of the undead is much more practical and cost-efficient, not to mention that it is, surprisingly, a good thing from the moral perspective. No one needs to die for the cause they might not even believe in. They would continue with their lives, raising children, prospering, never knowing what the war is, never knowing death, for the death is on their side.

Such thoughts troubled Luna's mind ever since she became Arantir's student. The forbidden art of necromancy was frowned upon and relentlessly erased from history and existence. Her sister Celestia was adamant about it, but now both of them had to face the reality — they need to use the undead. After centuries of peace, ponies forgot what it is to fight to the death. Of course, they were now taught how to fight, but how many ponies would be able to raise their swords in the time of danger? Out of fight or flight, would they choose the former... or the latter? Both princesses were inclined to believe that it would be the latter. They couldn't blame ponies for it — they were softened by the age of peace, war would be the last thing any of them would think about.

However, the danger loomed over the horizon. The griffons were out there, waging a war against ponies. They could be anywhere, and both princesses had already gotten the news from Andromalius — there were spy cells in all major Equestrian cities. What would they do? Assassinations, terrorism? Those were just two things they could be planning or already doing, and it left a dark feeling in the minds of the Royal Sisters. Would they be quick enough to prevent the horrors from happening or would ponies feel the strike first? Perhaps, even if some ponies were killed, they would be revived, brought back to life, but it was unknown how such a thing would influence them. After all, death was never something to be shrugged off.

Princess Luna stood on one of the highest buildings in Trottingham, the wind blowing her mane and rustling her fur. The sky and the horizon were clear, and yet certain tension was in the air, she could feel it. Perhaps, the griffons were planning an attack. So far, the spies hadn't reported anything out of ordinary from the other side of the strait dividing Equestria and the Griffon Empire. The griffons were waiting, perhaps, but nothing could be said for certain. To infiltrate their ranks, one would need to be a griffon, and finding one loyal to Equestria was a challenge on its own.

Erich was one of the griffons who was not hostile towards ponies, at least on the surface. However, he didn't want to go against his own countrymen. Luna could see how much it pained him to leave his friends, possibly his family in search for answers and truth. It was understandable that he would not wish to harm them, even if it was indirect. After all, he didn't know what the Equestrian Army planned for his country.

"Your majesty?" a voice from behind called Luna.

"Yes, what is it?" she turned around, facing her general Midnight Hour. "Any news?"

"Nothing yet, your majesty," the mare shook her head. "I came here to ask... Are you alright, princess?"

"Well..." Luna let out a soft sigh. "I do not think any of us would be alright until the war ends," she admitted honestly. "Lives were not lost yet, but I fear that my own efforts would not be enough to prevent blood of ponies from being spilled."

"I believe we can do that, your majesty," Midnight Hour assured her. "We must be strong for our country and we will prevail."

"I am glad you have such confidence, general," the alicorn made a small smile. "You have great will inside you, do not let anyone take it away."

"I will not, your majesty," the mare bowed, assuring Luna. "Confidence is the half of success. Actions are the second half."

"Very true," Luna nodded. "Carry on, general," she looked at the sky again, "I need to have some time to think."

Called from the Union by Celestia, Andromalius had to travel to Canterlot. However, it was done in complete secrecy, away from the prying eyes of curious ponies or cunning spies. Once he arrived at the castle, he was led by members of the Secret Service to the halls of the castle he had not seen before. They lacked decor or windows and were deep underground, going into the mountain on which Canterlot stood. They had to pass many checkpoints, at one point, Royal Guards were replaced by more members of the Secret Service. To his great surprise, Andromalius found a working lift, which was easily the size of a modern tank or two. Of course, Equestria didn't have tanks, so why would they need such a lift?

Nearby, Celestia stood, her expression serious and her thoughts focused on something. Once she noticed Andromalius, she nodded to the guards, who proceeded to unlock the lift and allow both rulers to enter.

"As you have already guessed, this is a secret facility, Andromalius," the princess explained as the two entered the lift and began their descent. "I decided to move the development of the new cannons here for the sake of preserving them. We must not allow them to be captured or else we will have to face them in battle," she almost shuddered. "The reports I've seen... The working prototypes are doing well. Very well, in fact."

"A working prototype in such short notice? That's impressive," Andromalius raised a brow. "I expected that it would take a month at the very least."

"Fortunately, you described the new system rather well, and so it didn't take long for our best engineers to come up with something that would work," Celestia replied. "I was surprised, too. Especially considering that those cannons are a huge step forward," she summoned two pieces of paper. "Look at this. This is the spread at one kilometer. The old cannons, as you can see, are not very precise at that distance," she pointed at one of the pictures and then shifted to the second. "But this, however... This is impressive. Especially with... rifling, I believe?" she asked, and Andromalius nodded. "So, today, you will take a look and say if anything can be improved."

"I'm not a gun expert, but I'll see what I can do," the hell stallion nodded.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence as the lift went down for what seemed like a small eternity. Once it was all the way on the bottom, the doors opened, allowing the two to exit. They walked through a long hall, their steps echoing, and it was the only sound present aside from their breath. Andromalius knew that they were deep beneath Canterlot, and the whole mountain was on top of them. He could almost feel the pressure of the stone, and there was definitely a certain mental pressure he couldn't quite understand. Everything was too... empty. Soon, the two came to large metallic doors with two members of the Secret Service standing guard. Their armor was just like the hall, plain and entirely practical with nothing decorative.

"Password?" one of them asked, his voice seemingly devoid of emotions.

"Pe'r qen'tek ar'ker fuab'or," Celestia said with her horn glowing. The guards nodded and the door began to slide to the side, opening almost completely silently. The grinding of the steel against the polished floor could barely be heard, and yet it was the loudest noise present in the hall.

"I didn't understand any of it," Andromalius admitted. "I don't think I can even remember it... Per... kent..." he shook his head. "No, I can't repeat it."

"That is exactly the point," the princess said, nodding. "You need something more than knowing these words, too. However, I will not reveal it to you. The fewer people know the password, the better."

"I understand," the hell stallion nodded, his mind still wondering about the meaning of the password, provided it had one in the first place.

Soon, the door fully opened, allowing Celestia and Andromalius to enter a chamber with another door of the same size in front of them. The Demon Lord glanced at the first door, noticing its impressive thickness, as well as some glowing runes that were obscured when the door was closed. Once the two were inside the chamber, the first door closed and locked. Andromalis was not claustrophobic but even he felt something about being in a relatively small chamber with no way out. He looked at Celestia and noticed that she was calm. Even if she felt what he did, she didn't show it. Soon, the second door finally opened. It revealed a vast artificial cavern, which seemed to be made entirely of concrete or something similar. Bright lamps were on the ceiling, successfully lighting the space around them, allowing no shadows.

"This site was made long ago, and each ruler reinforced it with something of their own," Celestia said. "No one really knows when it was built, but even if we knew it, we would never know how to destroy it. It seems the first rulers of Equestria thought everything out, and even during times of peace, this facility would still be present, waiting for the time when it is needed."

"Welcome, your majesty!" a pony suddenly appeared in the view. It was a regular-looking stallion, wearing a worker's suit and a pair of goggles. "We were expecting your arrival. The demonstration is ready."

"Very well, let's proceed, then," the princess nodded, and the two followed the stallion to a cannon.

"Load it up!" the stallion commanded, and two other ponies began to work. The breech was unlocked, a huge cartridge was placed inside the chamber, and then the breech was returned to its place and securely locked with a turn of a lever in the back of the cannon. "In three! Two! One!" a small pause ensued. "Fire!"

Violently booming, the cannon shot, launching the projective deep into the cavern. In the moment of firing, a magical shield made itself visible, suppressing most of the sound. The cavern shook slightly, dust falling from the ceiling. After a long moment, the sound of the impact reached the ponies, rumbling through the ground.

"Here, your majesty," the same stallion approached the princess, this time having a pair of binoculars. Celestia took them and looked at the place of impact. Her eyes widened as she blinked. Without a word, she passed the binoculars to Andromalius.

Far away, a small structure stood, resembling a fort. Not a fort anymore but ruins, barely visible under clouds of dust raised by the impact.

"That is... impressive," Andromalius said. "I'm no expert on cannons, but I believe this cannon will be very useful in battle," he turned to the cannon, only to see it hidden behind a huge cloud of smoke. "Alright, I see that there is at least one problem..."

"Visibility after the shot is a problem, yes," the stallion said, nodding. "And the fouling sometimes makes it hard to open the breech. Right now, we're hoping to come up with a solution, but I think it's due to the relative complexity of the cannon. Cleaning it is pretty difficult, that much I can say."

"I believe I know the solution," the hell stallion said. "You're using what I know as 'black powder'. It's not very efficient and creates many problems. However, I do know that better gunpowder can be made. Almost completely smokeless, and it won't wear down on the barrel as much. It would also generate higher pressure, allowing smaller projectiles to be launched with greater efficiency. At least that's what I remember."

"Do you happen to know the formula of the said gunpowder?" the stallion asked with interest.

"I don't think I do, but..." Andromalius tapped his chin. "I think it involves nitro... nitro something. I think it might be nitroglycerine or nitro... nitro..." he tapped his forehead this time. "Mhhh... Nitro... nitrocellulose!" he raised his hoof. "Right, that should be one of the components. Either of the two, probably. There are more, most likely, but that's what I know," he let out a sigh. His father would be very helpful at the moment. But perhaps ponies would figure out the formula by themselves, considering that humans managed to do it in their own time.

"Alright, got it," the stallion nodded. "We'll get right to it and report the results as soon as there are any."

Celestia looked at Andromalius with something in her eyes that told him that she, while understanding the need for such a development, was against it. He remembered quite well how she disliked weapons, fearing that they would cause way more harm to her beloved ponies. She might be right, but the war is war, and it allowed no peace until its end.

Andromalius sighed silently. This war could spark the development of arms not seen before, just like the World Wars of humanity did. He remembered what came out of them: chemical weapons, nuclear weapons, and other efficient methods of killing a large number of humans, no matter if they were civilians or soldiers. The consequences were felt to this day and would continue to haunt the humanity possibly to the end of times. After all, peace was ensured by the fact that major countries had nuclear weapons, which could erase most if not all of humanity in a matter of hours.

Hoping for the better, Andromalius feared the worst. If the war continued for too long, the consequences might be devastating to everyone, and far worse than they initially would be. His involvement in the conflict would certainly bring something, he just had to wait for it to reveal itself.

Chapter 16: Asha Utitur Omnibus

War, Entry №3, 13th of Autumn, year 3001.

Silence, the smell of death, intangible tension. That's how I met the other side of the war. Ponies aren't how I remember them. Instead, they are focused on the task, their faces hidden behind the visors of their helmets, their marks no longer visible behind the banner of Equestria on their armor. They abandoned their individuality for the sake of protecting their homeland.

However, there is something off... something I cannot explain but only sense. Everything about those soldiers feels out of place. The way they move, the sounds they make, everything seems like it's... I cannot explain this. I fear to think about it, but... are they even alive? Such a thought sends shivers down my spine, making my feathers stand up. I feel a certain chill that has nothing to do with the weather.

Thankfully, we are departing from the army camp soon. The air feels heavy here, and I would like to move out as soon as I possibly can, and I'm sure Mark shares my thoughts. I can see it on his face and his movements. He is young and inexperienced in warfare, so his desire to stay away from it is understandable.

And now, Ornella... As I write this, I notice her glancing at me with curiosity. She isn't moving towards me, so it seems she allows me some degree of privacy.

She is a beautiful mare if I say so myself. However, her beauty is overshadowed by the strange feeling I got from her. She is a pony but an odd one: taller, slimmer, and that look in her eyes... It is not just foreign, it is completely alien as if she came from another world entirely. I don't know if such a thing is possible, but I have my own theories regarding the matter of multiverse. Even then, it leaves many more questions than answers.

The armor she wears now is foreign in design, too. It is dark, a contrast to the usual armor of the ponies. I see the same style of armor on a few other soldiers but it is for the most part foreign. I wonder where did this Knight of the Pale Moon come from...

And when I touched her hoof, I felt something strange. As if she was cold... deathly cold. I don't dare think about it more, and I feel like I'm very mistaken, horribly mistaken, and yet I can't forget how unnatural it felt. And... now I noticed that her eyes are slitted. It is strange for someone who doesn't look like a lunar pegasus. Now, I also noticed that her ears are pointed... She's an interesting pony indeed, for I can't understand what race she even is despite being a unicorn of sorts. And the horn, I see that it is slightly curved. Very interesting.

I have more questions to her than I would dare ask. Perhaps, it is not in my best interests to pry where I obviously shouldn't.

In any case, it is time for us to move. Hopefully, we will find the answers to the war.

After he let the ink dry for a few moments, Erich closed the journal and put it in the bag. He glanced at Ornella one again, curiosity evident on his face. She was calm and collected, as well as silent. Something was in her head, something she would rather keep to herself until the time came. The griffon knight wondered what it could be but decided to keep such thoughts to himself. After all, he might not want to discover the truth.

Arantir was back in the Hornguard, spending his time in the library, studying what was left there by the previous owners of the castle. It was a usual sort of past time for the necromancer, but this time it was interrupted by a strange feeling. His ears twitched as they caught a silent sound. He paused his reading and looked up, curiosity on his face. He looked around the ancient library and soon sensed the source of the disturbance. It was one of the corners, covered in cobweb almost entirely. He stood up from the chair, which creaked once his weight was off of it. He walked to the corner, inspecting it with his eyes, sensing a very familiar presence. His ears twitched again, and this time, it was coming from behind one of the doors.

Obeying the strange call, he followed it and opened the door. It revealed a small room with an altar in its center. The altar in itself was a large bowl full of ice and dust. One of the torches in the room lit, allowing Arantir to see his reflection in the ice. His eyes sparked a green fire, and the ice melted in an instant, turning into a puddle of crystal clear water.

"One who left, has returned," a female voice spoke to him as an image appeared in the puddle. It was a military tent, guarded by two ponies clad in armor. "An old ally in deeds of past, she will help you once more," the voice continued, and the vision shifted to inside the tent. Arantir's eyes widened in genuine surprise as he took in what he was seeing.

"Ornella..." he whispered in disbelief, seeing a form of his once student and devoted follower of Asha. He blinked slowly, and then a small smile appeared on his face, replacing the look of surprise. "Asha indeed uses all..." he added as the image faded, leaving only the reflection of his own expression.

Swiftly, he turned around and left the room, his steps quick and his mind fixated on one thing and one thing only. Wherever Ornella was, he must find her, for it was their destiny to serve Asha until they are no longer useful to Her, for she was the Order, and Her will was eternal. Life or unlife, it all stemmed from Her, and one must prove their worth to Her to become Her tool, Her instrument of balance. And soon, two of Her most devout servants will reunite again to spread Her influence and aid Her allies in the quest to bring the ensuing chaos to an end.

Arantir hurried to one of the bigger halls in the castle, in which he built a one-way portal to Equestria. Filled with determination, he was certain it was time for him to find Ornella and bring her under his wing, for she had much to learn even after all this time and what they did together, fighting chaos.

Once a fair knight of the Griffin Empire of men, Ornella was a high-ranking member of the Bull Duchy, controlling the southeastern regions of the vast empire. During the Queen Isabel's War, the war against Demons, the necromancer-to-be came into frequent contact with the wizards of the Silver Cities and the necromancers of Heresh, particularly the Vampire Lord Giovanni. Even after the short-lived alliance between Heresh and Griffon Empire fell, Ornella maintained contact with Giovanni, and with his help, she assaulted the wizards, which granted her the lessons in dark arts from the Vampire Lord.

Ornella's curious flirtation with the Necromancers had resulted in a great change. Delving deeper into the dark magic, she soon became a worshipper of Asha. Once a lively woman, she crossed the line of existence, becoming a vampire herself, serving under Arantir for a great time, aiding in his war against the Demons. Ultimately, she had to sacrifice her life to help the High Lord bring down a powerful demon and discover the underlying plot of the war.

For quite some time, Arantir thought she had met her final death and would not return. However, his thoughts were proven wrong, and now he was on his way to reunite with his former student. They had another task, another mission, and fate itself brought them together once again. Deep in his mind, Arantir hoped he would not have to sacrifice her again, for she was a valuable asset both to him and Asha, and maybe even something more. For now, he had no time to think about it, for his only task was to find Ornella.

Traveling deeper into Equestria, Erich wondered how he would be received. Would it be suspicion? Anger, hate? Luna promised a safe passage under her terms, and yet the griffon was unsure. The populace might not be as accepting of him as the princess was, after all. Even with three Royal Guards near him at all times, he doubted it would improve anything by much. On the contrary, ponies might think that he was a criminal being escorted to prison. And yet, he could do nothing about it and he understood the terms Princess Luna proposed. In the light of the most recent events, it was the best choice she could make, especially considering that her very son was attacked.

Andromalius was a mysterious figure for the former knight. The first he heard of him, Erich was surprised and mildly confused. It was unknown if Princess Luna had any foals in her lifetime, and a demon no less... It was a shock to everyone who learned of the fact. In truth, the griffon didn't know much about demons or personal lives of Equestrian princesses, but such events were not to be overlooked, especially considering how sudden they were. A return of a whole country? It was unheard of until now. Demons? They were a legend, one of a dark kind. The princesses having foals? It was gossiped and talked about to no end every single year, and yet they were alone, and no suitors ever seemed to penetrate their defenses, much less the princesses themselves. And considering that the Princess of the Night spent the past millennium walking the Moon, it would be impossible for her to bear children at all. It was hard to believe in but even Erich could see certain similarities between Andromalius and Luna, no matter how different they seemed to look at first.

He shook his head slightly. Such thoughts should be reserved for a simpler time, one where gossips and rumors were the entertainment during various meetups with other knights and nobles of the Griffon Empire. Such times had passed, however, and now a war separated Equestria and the Empire. Many questions arose asking for a reason, and yet no one was willing to voice them in the face of Empress Ironfeather. She was a strong leader, and questioning her actions could and did result in death. Griffons did well to remember that.

Erich returned to reality and looked around. By now, Mark and he left the Grittish Isles and were moving towards Equestria, following the railroad. Unfortunately, it ceased to function due to the war and the proximity to the Empire, so the group would have to travel to the nearest non-military settlement first and work from there. There was no apparent direction, no actual goal aside from the vague 'understand the reasons behind the war from another side'. Erich had thought much through when it came to entering Equestria, but now? He was all but lost in where to go and what to do. He was in a foreign territory now, one that might not be kind to him because of the war.

The most obvious destination would be Canterlot. It was the center of Equestria, the residence of political power, but for some reason, Erich seriously doubted that he would find anything of value there. He was also sure that griffon population of the capital would be watched closely, which would limit his search, no matter how legal it would be. Besides, traveling to the very heart of the enemy would be not the wisest decision, especially in the light of the recent events. No matter the intention, the best Erich would probably get was a jail cell and then escort to one of the outlying settlements or being deported straight to the Griffon Empire, where he wouldn't get much more than another jail cell and possible execution if his deeds were found out.

He sighed silently, knowing the perilous situation he was in. No matter where he stepped, he could meet his demise. And yet, the truth must be found. No matter what, it must be uncovered for the sake of everyone, no matter if they were griffons or ponies or anyone else. The conflict hadn't turned into a bloodshed yet, and the losses were minimal. However, a war is like a snowball — the longer it rolled, the bigger it got, taking everything in. First, the economy would start to fail, then the soldiers. In a few months, both griffons and ponies would be already tired of war, wishing nothing but peace. However, by that time, the losses would be too great to be brushed off and easily accepted. Many families would have acts of revenge to fulfill and deaths to mourn. In such an unstable position, igniting hate would be one of the easiest things to accomplish, and then the war would spiral out of control. Erich was an educated person, having read many books, including historical ones, which taught him valuable lessons. Unfortunately, he was just one griffon, and he would be unable to change the outcome of the war by himself.

With those dark thoughts in his head, he continued moving forward, for there was nothing else he could do. At the very least, he managed to save Mark from conscription. He was too young to die, he had years and years to live, and wasting someone like him was unacceptable in the eyes of the older griffon. And perhaps, Mark would provide insight which Erich couldn't achieve by himself. He only had to wait and see.

The silence was making him nervous. He was used to flight, and yet he was stuck on the ground. Perhaps, it was one of the preventative measures Princess Luna put to ensure that he would indeed remain non-hostile. Maybe it was just an oversight, considering how quickly Erich would be able to travel by flight, and yet his guards were unicorns. In any case, there was nothing he could change, traveling all the way back would be a waste of time, and it was not guaranteed that she would fulfill his request. It would be best that he would not try his luck this time.

Suddenly, one of the guards accompanying him stopped. Following the guards, Erich stopped as well, waiting patiently for them to allow movement again, asking no questions just yet.

Ornella stood still as if frozen, looking at her necklace. The teal-colored gem in it was glowing slightly, sending pulsating warmth through her body and into her mind. An image of the spider started to show itself inside the gem. A small smile appeared on her face as she mouthed the name of her mentor, the teal light reflecting in her wide eyes, making them glow brighter as well.

Arantir.

Chapter 17: In Morte Servitutem

The sun was setting, ending yet another day in the land of Equestria. Lowering below the horizon, its last rays making the sun orange in the west as the moon rose in the east, casting its pale light onto the ground below. The noise of the day faded away, replaced by the peaceful silence of the night. However, many things hide in the dark, waiting for their time to strike the unaware, to reign supreme when no one can stop them, and remain on the top until the sunrise.

Slowly and silently, a few ships were making their way from the Griffon Empire to the shores of Equestria. Their lights out, their crews and soldiers silent, they sailed across the ocean, hoping not to get noticed. Moon disappeared behind the clouds, hiding the ships from sight.

The captain of one of the ships was looking towards Trottingham. The city was silent, its own lights were completely out. It seemed abandoned, even dead in a certain way. The captain frowned, concerned about the situation. Ponies would not simply abandon such a city. The importance of Grittish Isles and its main city of Trottingham was immense in the plans of the griffons, and so capturing them was the prime objective. Under the dark of the night, it would be much easier to do, and hopefully, it would be swift, and griffons would suffer minimal losses if any at all. They only needed to reach the shores, and then it would be simple. The griffons were trained and hardened by many battles in their own country, and they knew warfare much more closely than ponies. Their experience far outweighed anything the ponies had, and so they had few doubts.

The victory seemed assured and guaranteed, there was nothing that could go wrong. And yet, the air was heavy, soaked with uncertainty and fear. There were some rumors from the survivors of the first attack. Equestrian soldiers were portrayed as immortals who acted as one and had no fear. But who would really believe that? Those who were spreading the rumors were labeled weaklings and cowards, subsequently thrown into the dungeons. The Army of the Griffon Empire needed no demoralization, the superiors knew it well, purging any doubts and fears from the minds of their soldiers.

On the other side of the coming battle, Princess Luna was standing guard on top of the highest building, her eyes open wide as she scanned the darkened surroundings. Night being her domain, she could see perfectly even without the sunlight, a fact which not many ponies knew and not many more suspected, and it was certainly not something that the public would know, much less something that the griffons would even suspect.

Everything seemed normal, calm, even serene. However, in the corner of her eye, she soon noticed suspicious movement. She swiftly turned her head and raised her binoculars, deciding to take a closer look and apply scrutiny to the sudden occurrence. And there they were, the ships full of griffon soldiers. A frown appeared on the face of the alicorn as she lowered the binoculars, thinking about her next actions. Knowing well what would ensue, a silent magic link helped her issue necessary orders. And so, the soldiers began moving, taking their positions and readying for the incoming assault. Crossbows loaded, cannons placed and loaded as well, spells prepared, lines of defense taken, and all in an almost complete silence. No words were exchanged, no jokes made, no fires lit.

The ships were closer and closer, soon within the engagement distance of the cannons. And yet, they were silent, waiting for the appropriate moment, the best moment to be the most efficient. Luna nervously shifted in place, watching the situation unfold from the above. She was confident in her general's abilities, she put her trust in the strength of her undead soldiers, and yet she knew that even the ideal situation might be reversed at any moment, for she lacked the needed information. Even her spies didn't manage to get the intelligence concerning the incoming assault. If not for her excellent night vision, Luna would be completely unaware of the attack before it was too late. Thankfully, she had time to prepare now.

No mercy to the invaders, no hesitation, and no doubts. Luna knew why they came and what they could and would do if they reached her beloved ponies. She was afraid to think of what horrors might ensue, for the griffons had plenty of battle experience, their emotions hardened by them. Would they show mercy? Would they hesitate? She didn't believe they would. She aimed to capture as many as she could, but even then, she feared that it was not the wisest decision.

However, it wasn't the time to think about it. The griffons were close, and it was the time to surprise them.

The thunder of cannon fire rolled over the silent ocean, projectiles hitting the ships with force, making one of them starting to sink at an alarming rate. The griffons exclaimed in surprise, startled by the unexpected fire from those they were supposed to take on off guard. There was no going back, and so they flew up, encouraged by the orders of their commanders. They were met with a barrage of arrows and bolts of magic, killing and knocking most of them, making the bodies fall into the water below, painting it red with blood from the griffons.

Returning cannon fire finally sounded, disarrayed and inconsistent, and absolutely frantic. The cannonballs hit the buildings without harming the cannons of Luna's army, for they were hidden well on the first two floors of different buildings around the shoreline and other well-hidden spots spread nearby.

One of the ships turned around, trying to flee from the failing assault. Cannonballs hit it repeatedly, causing massive holes to appear in the hull, sinking this ship as well. Small boats spread across the surface of the ocean, hurrying back to the Griffon Empire. The nearest escape boats were swiftly captured and turned towards Equestria, its passengers now prisoners of war. Their resistance was futile, for muscle could not stop the bones this night.

Luna was watching the scenery with caution, refraining from thinking of it as a triumph just yet. She was trying to see if her plan worked or if there was something else to the griffons that she hadn't initially noticed. However, it seemed their whole plan relied on attacking her army when they least expected it. Unfortunately for them, they didn't know one very important thing — the undead needed neither sleep nor rest. They were always awake, always alert, always ready to fight. They didn't need encouragement, they didn't need the fear of punishment, for they were eternal servants, obeying the one who raised them from the dead without any questions or doubts. Griffon's lack of proper intelligence was their downfall this time.

Soon, the battle was over and the silence took its reign. Many griffons were killed or captured with just a handful of them managing to flee. In truth, Luna counted on it — they would spread fear and raise uncertainty in the ranks of the army of the Griffon Empire. However, it would also make the griffons more careful in their approach, forcing them to come up with more elaborate plans. Equestria should be prepared for anything, even if it was something they would never expect. After all, Trottingham was just one city, one point. Bottlenecking the enemies was easy, but there was a whole shoreline. Well-defended, of course, but the forces were more spread out, making it easier to take them by force.

Luna turned away from the sight of sinking ships and clouds of gunpowder. It was time to notify her sister of the situation.

Erich was startled awake as he heard what seemed like thunder. He unzipped his sleeping bag and rubbed his eyes as he heard the thunder again and again. However, at this point, he realized that it wasn't thunder. The sky was clear for the most part, and there were no flashes of lightning. He could only assume what it was judging by the direction the 'thunder' came from. However, he was certain it was cannon fire. A few minutes later, it ceased, leaving the night in a ringing silence.

The griffon sat down and let out a sigh as different thoughts went through his head. How many casualties were there? Which side won? What would happen next? Were there any of his old friends in that battle?

Despite what he thought, the guards at the campfire remained calm as if the cannon fire didn't worry them at all. After all, their objective was to guard the griffons. What happened at the front lines was not their concern anymore, they had to follow orders given to them by the Princess of the Night herself. Even then, Erich noticed that the guards would often glance in the direction of the cannon fire, their postures stiff, deep frowns of concern on their faces. Perhaps, they were as worried about it as he was but they had to follow orders and not look back.

Erich yawned, realizing that he needed more sleep. He returned to his tent and got into the sleeping bag, soon drifting off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Ornella was looking at her necklace. The gem was glowing brighter, the image of a spider evident in its center. Standing up from the campfire, she left in the dark of the forest, knowing where to look and what to search for. The remaining guards didn't object, for she was their superior. They rearranged themselves, taking different positions to make sure that both griffons could be seen if they attempted an escape or anything similar.

The clouds parted, revealing the moon, letting its pale light illuminate the land once again. Under one of the trees, Ornella could see an equine shape. Her eyes were accustomed to the darkness, and soon she could see who it was. a tall, slender equine with wings of a bat, pale fur, gray eyes, and an unmistakable spider on the forehead. Even in his pony form, Arantir remained recognizable just like Ornella was.

For a moment, the two stood in their places, just looking at each other, many emotions racing through their heads. Despite being undead and entirely devoted to the cause of Asha, they could still feel, and right now, both of them expressed relief and a certain type of joy about their reunion.

"I am very glad to see you again, Lord Arantir," Ornella bowed in respect, a smile on her face.

"So am I, Ornella," the necromancer nodded, his own emotions mostly hidden under a calm mask. "Asha indeed uses all, and even your death serves Her well," he looked at the moon. "This reunion is our fate. Standing together and fighting the Chaos is our sacred duty, my child," he returned to Ornella. "What is your mission now?"

"I am escorting two griffons called Erich and Mark," the vampire replied. "They're searching for answers about the war."

"That is very interesting..." Arantir tapped his chin in deep thought. "Seekers of knowledge from the other side of the conflict... Truly curious," he looked at Ornella."Very well, then. If that is your task, then you must make sure those two find what they're searching for. However..." he paused for a moment. "I am fairly certain they won't find anything here in Equestria. The conflict stems from the Griffon Empire... just like previously," the memories of his last crusade flashed before his eyes. The demon cult in the Silver Cities, demons in the heart of the Griffin Empire orchestrating its downfall, and the quest Asha gave him, which ultimately resulted in the unveiling of the demons and their ultimate defeat. "Perhaps, the two of us should travel into their lands. However, we must solve the current issue."

"Princess Luna might be able to do something," Ornella made a suggestion.

"I believe I can convince her, for she is my student now."

"Spreading the word of Asha even here?" the vampire asked with interest.

"Luna is not a believer but she is a capable ally whom I managed to make a connection with," Arantir explained. "She is a good learner, a wise and powerful person. She reminds me of you, Ornella," he looked at her with pride, making her straighten her posture. "I cannot express it in words how glad I am to see you again, my child. And now, it is time for us to act."

"Indeed it is, master," Ornella bowed. "I will be waiting for Luna's decision. Regardless, I am always by your side. Asha uses all."

"Asha uses all," Arantir repeated, bowing to her as well.

They both went their separate ways, content with knowing that they were both alive and fighting chaos once again. Soon, the necromancer disappeared into the darkness, and the vampire returned to the camp, a certain bounce in her step.

"Everything alright, sir?" one of the guards asked, noticing her unusual behavior, rising slightly from his place near the fire.

"More than alright," she replied, joy in her voice which quickly turned to seriousness, cutting off any other possible questions. "Anything to report?"

"No, sir," the guard shook his head. "They haven't left their tents or attempted anything suspicious, sir."

"Good," Ornella nodded. "You, go to sleep now, I will stand guard."

Chapter 18: Prima Damna

Author's Notes:

I know it's been a long pause yet again. Unfortunately, for the last past months, I've not been feeling so well. Not that I'm sick or anything, just... rarely in the right mood for writing well. But a few days ago, I thought about this story, and a chapter idea came to me. I also had some interesting dreams... I suppose they acted as my motivation.

So, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

The sun slowly crept up from below the horizon, the splatter of morning red wounding the pale-gray skies. The cautious silence of the night slowly faded into the new day. A chilly wind blew across the land, carrying fallen leaves, creating swirls of red, orange, and yellow. The early birds whispered among each other, their wary chirps filling the air with a sense of unease and uncertainty.

Clouds of black menacingly hanged above the city of Canterlot; low rumbles of an incoming thunder rolled over the Equestrian capital. From time to time, a light drizzle would wash the streets of the city, but the rain was yet to come in full. The usual smiles of the ponies were gone, replaced by sorrowful frowns and teary eyes. Most of the citizens of Canterlot were dressed in black attires, slowly making their way to the castle, keeping their heads down. The usual noise of the bustling streets was gone, only the shuffling of the ponies could be heard.

In the square before the castle, a crowd was assembled. They whispered among each other, soft cries were heard. Princess Celestia stood on the balcony of the castle, her expressions stricken with a mournful look. Her eyes looked at the center of the square where a plain dark-gray rectangular monument was being raised. On that monuments, words were inscribed in white: the names of the fallen.

Trottingham was the only place to suffer no casualties. The attack on Equestrian shores during the night was sudden and wide, all major cities assaulted by griffon soldiers. The ponies were not ready, their combat experience was negligible, and so they suffered many losses over the night, only barely managing to drive the griffons away. The lives were gone in the heat of battles under the starlit sky; the bodies of the fallen were collected and brought to Canterlot. In the name of those brave warriors, a mausoleum was built where they would rest in peace.

"War..." Celestia finally spoke, her heavy voice making ponies fall into silence as the crowd listened. The sun appeared, piercing the black clouds with crimson rays of light, washing the streets in an unsettling red tint. "It never changes. With each war, lives and resources are lost, swallowed by the abyss of death, never to return. Yesterday night, griffons attacked us, taking our lives... Our brothers, fathers, sons... They are the first losses, and there will be more."

A wave of whispers went through the crowd. However, ponies went silent as Celestia continued her speech.

"The brave souls that fought for us laid down their lives so that we may live and restore peace one day," she said slowly, looking up at the skies. "Their sacrifice is immeasurable to us, to the whole Equestria. As the Princess of Equestria, I announce that from this year onwards, this very day is the day of mourning and remembrance. We will honor the death of our protectors, and we will make sure that we end this war and return peace to our lands once more..." she closed her eyes and let out a slow sigh, "For now, all we can do is hope that we will not fall. We must train ourselves, our loved ones, our families and friends; we must prepare, all of us. We will not let them take more lives, and we will fight for what we believe in."

A rumble of thunder rolled through the city louder than before.

"And now... a minute of silence to honor the fallen," Celestia spoke and closed her eyes.

A lightning struck one of the castle's spires, the booming sound reverberating across the city. The sun disappeared behind the dark clouds. The rain, unleashed, started pouring down, filling the streets of Canterlot with many small streams and pools. Celestia stood under the rain as it soaked into her fur and mane. The latter became duller, no longer having its majestic ethereal flow. The tears of the alicorn mixed with the water from the rain, rolling down her face and dripping on the floor of the balcony.

Her thoughts were with the fallen. The worst that could happen happened — her dear subjects were dying. She had spent centuries protecting them, making sure they would live long and happily, and yet their lives were cut short by war. They would never see their loved ones again, they would never live their lives to the fullest.

What more could Celestia do to protect them? Years of practicing diplomacy seemed wasted, for they were not enough to prevent Equestria from taking part in a destructive conflict. Was it her fault? She couldn't help but think that deep down, it is. With her experience, she should've been able to prevent this tragedy, and yet she didn't.

Celestia sniffed and exhaled shakily, the sound of her breath deafened by another crack of thunder. The wind harshly whistled, blowing in her face, slapping her with fallen leaves. The pegasi stood on the dark clouds, watching as the rain washed the streets of the capital.

Ponies were silent.

Rushing out of the Equestria-Union portal, Andromalius quickly made its way to the castle. Ponies let him pass, granting him puzzled looks as they saw the ruler of an allied country almost gallop through the city. He paid them no mind, moving to the castle at a quick pace. Blood pumped in his head, deafening him with the rapid beat of his heart. He soon came to the square and saw the monument. In front of it, Celestia was sitting. Her mane flat, her gaze directed at the hundreds of names, and her royal regalia gone. Her ear twitched as she heard Andromalius approaching.

"I've heard the news, I... I came to help!" he quickly said, "We can still bring them back to life, right? J-just lead me to where they are and I'll do it!"

"It's too late. I couldn't do it," Celestia replied, turning her head to her nephew, "They're gone and there is nothing we can do about it."

"But let me try! I'll do it, I can fix it!" Andromalius said, his voice shaking with desperation, refusing to acknowledge the reality of the situation.

"Andromalius..." the alicorn hugged him and gently whispered into his ear, "Please, calm done, my nephew. It is not your fault."

"If I were there, if I just were there, I'd, I'd b-be able to do it!" he replied, shaking his head, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Leave the 'ifs" behind. We can't change the past," Celestia assured him, "Many tried, and even if we involve magic, terrible things can happen... Leave it be, and let us focus on the present. We can still prevent more deaths from occurring."

The hell stallion was silent for a while, quietly crying on the shoulder of his aunt. The dark thoughts didn't leave his head, planting guilt deep into his mind. Deep down, he knew it wasn't his fault — he didn't kill them. And yet, he could've prevented it from happening if he were on the frontlines, fighting for the ponies, using his immense power to protect them from harm. Instead, however, he was sitting in his castle, far away from the reality of war.

Was he a coward? Was he not utilizing his immense power to the full? Myriad of thoughts went through his head, each of them bringing a new view on the situation, possible solutions, and strategies. Would it be good for everyone if he went to war?

"I know what you must be thinking, but please, listen to reason," Celestia looked him in the eyes, "What if you were killed? You have a great importance, Andromalius."

"But I know strategy, tactics... I'd be able to do something even without fighting myself!" he replied with some aggression in his voice. "I, I know it's just from a game I played, but... I'd be able to do at least something!"

"Maybe you would, but you need experience, you need to learn," the alicorn sighed deeply, "I see that you are eager to help, and there is no way I can stop you from just going to the frontlines against my word, so... I have an offer for you. I will allow you to join the Equestrian Army and learn from the best generals we have. You are a younger mind, too — you might be able to come up with something new, something that would help with the tunnel vision many people of experience often have," she paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. "But for now, we must prepare here and not rush to our enemy. They are waiting for us to misstep, and then... more deaths will follow."

Andromalius' body relaxed slightly as he let out a deep sigh. He let go of his aunt and looked at the names on the monument. For a long moment, all he did was silently reading the many names of the fallen. Each word struck something deep in his heart, making it ache.

People say that one death is a tragedy, many deaths are a statistic. To Andromalius, it wasn't true at all — the individual tragedies piled up, affecting more and more people, and such waves could be felt through generations. Behind each name, there was a person. Someone with dreams, fears, desires, friends, family. Each of them was an individual, and their lives were destroyed in a short moment of battle. Their families and friends mourned them, and Andromalius was sure there was much more to it. Perhaps, he would meet one of them in the future and see for himself what consequences those deaths brought.

"I understand," he nodded, his voice calm and collected despite the storm in his mind. He turned back to Celestia and asked, "What can I do right now?"

"Ensure that ponies in your lands are safe. Develop your country. This is the most important thing now, Andromalius," she told him in a firm tone, "You can't go to war without a strong economy. I can already see dips in ours... Equestria wasn't ready. The Union might be prepared, but you have enough to deal with outside of putting resources into the war effort. Remember — wars eat up resources and lives like nothing else. You should be careful."

"I know," Andromalius made another nod. "And I will be careful."

"No rush, Andromalius."

"No rush."

Arantir was slowly walking along the shoreline of one of the major coastal cities of Equestria. He glanced with interest at the skyscrapers and other modern marvels like electric lamps, and even monorail. However, those soulless material things were not what he came there for. He was much more interested in the exchange that happened there yesterday night; the exchange of life and death.

He slowly stepped through the recent field of battle, inspecting it with his eyes. The sand and ground was soaked with blood; different weapons lay around; a broken down ship lay on its side nearby. The bodies were long gone, but the stench of death was as apparent as ever. The necromancer inhaled deeply and sensed the scent of iron, the most recognizable and familiar one. Despite the wind blowing, the scent prevailed, refusing to go away. However, there was something more...

From the wreckage of the ship, a sudden creak of wood sounded. Arantir turned his head, only to jolt back as a crossbow bolt pierced his neck. He stumbled a few steps back, disoriented and slightly confused. Once he regained his senses, he managed to see a griffon soldier hiding in the shadows of the ship, trying to load the crossbow with another bolt while using only one of his talons — the second one was limp, bent in a way it wasn't supposed to. He huffed and puffed, his eyes fixated on the pony as he struggled with his weapon.

Slowly, Arantir pulled the bolt out of his neck. Despite the injuries, the shooter was precise — the bolt struck through the windpipe, making the necromancer wheeze as the metal rod obstructed his breath. He let out a low growl as the tip exited the wound, finally letting it heal rapidly. Meanwhile, the griffon desperately tried to pull back the wet string as it slipped from his grasp.

With one flap of his membrane wings, the necromancer crossed the distance between himself and the shooter. Knocking the crossbow out with his magic, Arantir pinned the assailant to the wall of the ship. The griffon growled and groaned, struggling to break free, his paws dangling in the air helplessly. For a few long moments, the High Lord peered into the eyes of the griffon, making judgment inside his head.

"I might have a use for you," Arantir said coldly as a green glow surrounded the two. In a moment, they disappeared into thin air, leaving the crossbow and the unloaded bolt behind.

Chapter 19: Nam Medios Confringetur

Under the rays of the zenith sun, a unicorn and a pegasus stood at the shore of the ocean. They peered into the water, listening to the waves softly washing over the shore.

The unicorn turned her gaze back to the forest she came out of just a few minutes ago. The wind quietly whispered but the usual noise of the wildlife was gone, replaced with an eerie silence. The leaves rustled, some of them falling and swirling through the air, carried by the gentle wind. The noise of the battle, the clashes of steel, the screams of the dying, and roars of battle cries were long gone; only one thing remained — the smell of death. Intangible and silent, it could only be felt by the very soul. No matter how peaceful the surroundings seemed to be, it was apparent that something was amiss even to the least keen eye.

The unicorn reached out with her hoof and touched the water; in an instant, she winced in phantom pain and pulled out, shaking her hoof. She held it close to her chest, nursing it as if it was cut and bleeding. Her ears folded, and a pained look appeared on her face.

"Are you alright, Natura?" the pegasus asked with worry, stepping closer to her.

"I'm alright, but..." she looked back at the ocean, "These... deaths... they're taking a toll on everything..." she let out a long sigh, a lone tear rolling down her cheek, "They bring sorrow and grief to everyone. Ponies, griffons, the very nature itself... Everyone feels it. The more deaths happen, the longer all of us will have to recover. Years, decades, maybe even centuries..."

"What can we do about it, then?" Nota asked, trying to be hopeful, "Is there anything at all that we can do?"

"The two of us? Honestly, I don't know," Natura replied with uncertainty, "We might be able to... fight, but it would only bring more deaths..." she hung her head and sniffed, more tears welling up in her eyes, "I just don't know..."

"Natura..." the pegasus gently lay one of his wings on her back, "We'll find a way. Now, c'mon, let's get away from this for now."

Far away from the sites of the recent battles, deep within a long-abandoned castle, now occupied by the undead, Arantir was preparing to interrogate the griffon he managed to capture. Suspended in the air by magic, the captured griffon struggled to move, breathing heavily as sweat rolled down his face. His beak was forced shut by magic as well, preventing him from saying anything just yet; only low growls and grunts could be heard coming from him. His eyes darted from side to side, scanning the empty stone-walled room, but the only thing to be seen was a reinforced iron door in the center of one of the walls, as well as ventilation holes near the ceiling; they were too small to be crawled through if the griffon managed to break free from his magical shackles.

The silence was broken as the key turned in the lock, producing a screeching sound of old mechanism in need of oiling. The door opened with a whine, and the High Lord Arantir walked in. He looked up at the griffon with a neutral expression and then released his beak.

"I will never tell you anything, scum!" the griffon barked out, spitting at the necromancer. A magical glow surrounded the spit, sending it into the eye of the griffon.

"I have no time to quarrel with you, griffon," Arantir said in a stern tone, "You will lay out everything you know or I will force it out of you. And if you think to lie..." he raised his hoof and gestured at the griffon, "I will know it."

The griffon was silent in defiance, glaring at the necromancer coldly. A few long moments passed before the next words were spoken.

"Judging by your armor, you are a high-ranking officer in the Griffon Empire," Arantir continued, his eyes traveling along the red stripes on the high-quality steel plate armor of the griffon, "It's no surprise you show such devotion to your cause, whatever it may be. Unfortunately for you, it also means that you have valuable information for me," his eyes flashed green, "So, what will it be?"

"Nothing you have can make me speak, pony," the griffon retorted, "I know all your methods, and I will not budge to any of them."

"That is where you are wrong," the necromancer made a green flame appear on his hoof as he raised it. The griffon's eyes widened in surprise, staring at the dancing flame, "You don't know my methods."

On Equestrian shore, Andromalius and Celestia prepared to depart on a boat. The alicorn princess wore a warm coat over her alabaster body, and a scarf was wrapped around her neck. On the horizon, snowy mountains could be seen standing tall and unmoving; beyond them, the Frozen North lay. However, it wasn't the destination of the two.

"I believe everything will go well," Celestia assured her nephew, "You are now a ruler, and as such, you have to participate in meetings with other rules. Build relationships, negotiate agreements and other things of that sort. My sister and I ruled for so long only because we've given a lot of our attention to the art of diplomacy over the course of centuries. We might have the most powerful known magic on our side, but just having a bigger stick than others doesn't mean we should use it. Aggressions brings aggression, Andromalius; the deeper you are in it, the more difficult it is to get out."

"So, we're doing this right now to get allies?" Andromalius asked with interest.

"In simpler terms, yes, that is the case here," the alicorn nodded, "We meet with minotaurs today. They are the most technologically advanced race in the whole known world; we could greatly use their help."

"And what is my place in it?"

"Well, you'll be watching and learning, for the most part," Celestia explained, "It is not uncommon for rulers to bring in their own children or other younger relatives to meetings."

"But why are we traveling alone?" Andromalius looked around to emphasize his point. There was only a couple of civilian ponies that were preparing the relatively small boat.

"We're going to the Concordia Agitatum, the Island of Negotiation. As per tradition and agreements, we must travel alone just like any other ruler that wishes to negotiate," she told him, "If we were to bring weapons, we would be violating the agreement, and the punishment for it is most severe."

Having no more questions, for now, Andromalius nodded in understanding, and the two waited for the preparations to be done. In a few moments, they got into the boat and started making their way over to the distant island.

For a long while, they were silent as the boat quietly floated across the surface of the ocean. The weather was almost still, making an impression of peace. From time to time, pegasi would come down from the skies and snatch fish from just below the surface. All of them soon disappeared as the two rulers continued on their way.

Andromalius stared at the water, his gaze drowned in the movement of the ocean. Absent-mindedly, he put his hoof in the water, feelings its chilly surface. With a heavy mind, he made circles with his hoof, keeping himself calm and distracted during the trip. The events earlier that day echoed inside his head: the sudden and disturbing news, the following talk with Celestia, and then preparations to the meeting with another ruler. All hopes of settling the conflict without many losses were gone, replaced with a grim realization — the war was indeed there, eating up lives with ease.

The hell stallion knew he couldn't be everywhere at once. He wasn't omnipotent, he wasn't all-knowing, and so his only hope was that he would be able to find resources and allies necessary to defeat the griffons; most importantly, he needed to find the reason, dig to the very root of this war. It wasn't a computer game; it wasn't a relaxed match of strategic skill between friends; it was a very real conflict. Andromalius was no longer moving pixels on the screen of his PC, and his opponent wasn't his friend. Many real lives depended on him, depended on his ability to solve problems and think ahead.

He wasn't sure he was ready for this challenge. During the last few months, he uncovered the unexpected truth about himself and the universe as a whole. A son of one of the most powerful entities on Earth and Equestria, he had to take up more responsibility eventually. From having a reasonably peaceful life in a rather small city, he went to being the ruler of an entire country in a foreign world. Even now, it made him think of how impossible it would sound to him just a few months ago. But now, it was very real.

Meanwhile, Celestia was observing him with worry. She sensed his mood but didn't know what to say; she herself hadn't been to a war in many centuries. Despite having hundreds of years worth of diplomatic experience, she didn't manage to sense the incoming war or rise in hostility towards ponies. Had she failed? And if she did, would she fail again? These questions could only be answered by someone who wasn't her, unfortunately.

After what seemed like a small eternity, the island finally appeared from behind the horizon. Andromalius finally raised his eyes and looked in its direction, taking in the scenery. He didn't know what he expected to see, but what he saw managed to surprise him. The island was small and entirely rocky with only a single crooked pine tree in the center of it; under the light shade of the tree, a table made of stone was placed. Under the said table, a somewhat humanoid figure could be seen.

"It seems King Ordin is already here," Celestia said, a soft smile on her face, "Now, Andromalius, remember the greeting — a half-bow. More than a polite nod, less than a full bow. And don't worry — he is a good person, I'm sure you'll have a positive first impression of him."

Andromalius nodded in response, hiding his nervousness. Despite his tough exterior, on the inside, he wasn't ready for such an important event. His experience with such meetings was limited to going to a headmaster's office after someone broke a window in his school, and that situation was much different than the current one. Fortunately, he had Celestia on his side, so he wasn't going into this alone, at the very least.

In a few minutes, the two disembarked the boat and made their way to the table. King Ordin stood up and came from behind the table to meet them. He was a minotaur, slightly taller than either of the ponies, had white fur, a long graying beard and a full head of hair, and piercing green eyes. He made a bow, to which the two responded in kind.

"Long time no see, Princess Celestia," the minotaur king said in a soft deep voice. Then, he turned to Andromalius and sized him up with his eyes. His look was wary but respectable, "I have heard good things about you, Lord Andromalius, and I'm pleased to meet you."

"Any words from others?" Celestia asked as the three took seats at the table.

"Zebrica decided to stay away from this conflict for now," Ordin replied, locking his fingers together and placing his hands on the table, "And I thought they've sent you a letter."

"If there was any, I might've missed it," the alicorn said, "Amidst all this..."

"Yes, I understand," the minotaur king nodded, "And from what I know, other, smaller nations are staying away from this conflict. They have neither the resources nor power to aid either side, and I understand them."

"What about you, King Ordin?" Celestia asked with interest. Before she could continue, however, the minotaur's eyes widened and he jumped across the table in one swift motion, tackling the alicorn. Andromalius stood up, confusion in his eyes, and then something ricocheted from his exoskeleton.

The hell stallion turned around and faced five griffons, all of them armed with crossbows. With a loud whistle, a bolt passed by the demon lord and struck King Ordin in the shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain. Quickly, he pushed Celestia under the table, hiding her from more bolts.

"Are you insane, you damn birds?!" the minotaur shouted in anger. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?!"

Wordlessly, Andromalius surrounded the two with a protective magical shield. Rage welling up in his eyes, he rushed at the griffons, ignoring another bolt that reflected off his front. The element of surprise gone, the griffons could do nothing as the hell stallion charged up his magic and froze all of them in place, preventing them from letting the bolts loose or flying away.

"Now, this..." King Ordin mumbled, standing up, a crossbow bolt stuck in his shoulder, preventing much blood from escaping, "Absolutely... unacceptable!" he roared, his bloodshot eyes glaring at the frozen griffons, "You a-"

A bolt struck him from behind, cutting him in the middle of a sentence. After a long moment, his bulky body fell forward, ending with a thump. Another three griffons were standing from behind, ready to strike. However, Andromalius was the first to act — grabbing all three with his magic, he crashed them against the stone table, making a crack appear. Knocked out, they were no longer a danger.

Quickly, he made his way to the minotaur king and used his magic to pull out the bolts. Breathing heavily, the hell stallion lit his horn again, and this time the glow was golden. In an instant, the wounds on the minotaur's body healed as Ordin groaned, returning from the dead. With a long sigh of relief, Andromalius sat down on the ground.

"I did it... I did it..." he muttered to himself, a sudden smile appearing on his face. This time, he was in the right place at the right time, and he managed to help when the need came. He tried not to think of what would happen if he weren't there. A pleasant buzz in his horn from the recent spell reminded him not to worry, at least for now. What was done was done, and the result was positive.

"King Ordin, are you alright?" Celestia said worriedly as she crawled from under the table, rushing to the minotaur.

"A crushing headache..." he groaned, sitting up, his vision blurred, "Someone hit me in the head really damn hard..." his eyes shot open "The griffons!"

"Dealt with," Andromalius replied, finally finding the strength to stand up and to drag all the unconscious bodies to the table, "An... ambush."

"Oh damn, these bastards..." Ordin growled, "I have no idea what has gotten into them, but it's apparently enough to cause them to declare war on all of us," he looked at the griffons in disgust, "This is unheard of..." he turned back to Celestia and Andromalius, "I am... very grateful for saving my life, Andromalius. I don't know what you did or how you did it, but..." he touched his shoulder, "It seems I'm alive and well. And I thought that... this day was the day," he let out a long sigh, "And as a result of this, the least I can do is to join you. Whatever is going on, I cannot stay out of this; not anymore."

Despite the good news, Andromalius couldn't help but frown. If griffons were willing to break such laws to get to him and his aunt, as well as anyone who would want to ally themselves with the ponies, then what were griffons doing? What was their plan?

Andromalius and Celestia looked at each other and nodded, having the same thoughts in their heads. They might have won this battle and gained an ally, but they were not a step closer to understanding the griffons or deciphering their actions. If anything, the only thing they understood was that griffons had no limits; nothing was law to them, and they would go to great length to win this conflict.

Author's Notes:

And another stat update for Andromalius. The stats haven't changed that much, I only really did one thing: changing his portrait and polishing everything else.

Chapter 20: Pactum

On Concordia Agitatum, the three rulers gathered the griffons and used magic to put them in deep sleep, preventing them from escaping. The weapons were collected as well, put on the table, and thoroughly inspected with a keen eye.

"It seems like our design..." Celestia raised a brow, commenting on the crossbows, "It could definitely be handled by hooves if needed be. I don't think I can find a reason for the griffons to use it over their own more ergonomic solutions."

"The bolts are poisoned, too," King Ordin grabbed one of them by the shaft and showed its head to the princess, "See this tint? If we didn't die immediately, we would either bleed out or die of poison shortly after the attack," he turned to Andromalius, a look of worry on his face, "I think one of the bolts hit you."

"They can't harm me," Andromalius knocked on his exoskeleton. Not a scratch could be visible on its dark-red surface, much to the relief of the hell stallion himself and the two rulers.

"Well, that's good that you're unharmed, then," the minotaur nodded, "In any case, how did the griffons even get here? There isn't a place to hide unless they were waiting underwater. I've been here alone for around ten minutes before you showed up; they had all the time to kill me there and then, but they didn't..."

"I might have a guess, King Ordin," Celestia replied with a frown on her face, an idea appearing in her mind, "They knew we were coming, they had our weapons... Their plan might've included framing me and Andromalius, making it seem like we were the aggressors."

"But wouldn't that just be... very suspicious? Especially since they wanted to kill all of us," Andromalius said, confusion on his face.

"We don't know what they exactly wanted," King Ordin raised a finger to emphasize his point, "We'll have to interrogate them. But before we do, we must return to our countries, and I'm afraid this might be difficult. We traveled alone, but we don't know if those griffons are the only ones around. So... wait a minute..." he gestured to the right. On the horizon, a sizable wooden ship appeared, its course straight at the island, "Damn those featherbrains... they brought a ship!"

"Doesn't seem like theirs..." Celestia narrowed her eyes in doubt, "Let's wait until we can clearly see them."

Hiding behind the stone table and the tree just in case, they watched as the ship approached the island. Slowly but surely, it made its way across the surface of the ocean. Andromalius was ready, feeling an itch in his horn. With just a single spell, he could set the whole ship on fire if the need arose. Celestia had similar thoughts in her mind, closely watching the ship with her eyes. Soon, the rulers could make out the flag — it was Equestrian. However, they had yet to see those who sailed it, and so they continued to wait. In a few minutes, it was apparent that the sailors were in fact ponies — pegasi, to be exact. At the nose of the ship, a familiar figure stood, dressed in dark robes with golden embroidery on the edges.

"This is... our ship," the princess said in disbelief, "Honestly, I... I have no idea what they're doing here."

"If it's not a griffon trap, then I'd say we're lucky today," King Ordin replied with hope, "And yet... I would like to know what this ship is doing here."

Soon, the ship halted to a stop as it anchored itself not too far away from the island. A lone figure took off from the deck and flew towards the rulers on its membrane wings. To the surprise of both Celestia and Andromalius, the pony turned out to be their necromantic ally Arantir.

"It seems I have come late," he said as he landed, folding his wings. Then, he addressed Princess Celestia: "Your majesty, I managed to capture a griffon officer, and he told me something interesting," he glanced at the bound griffons, "But first... I count only eight griffons out of the supposed ten."

"I will order and conduct the search immediately," Celestia quickly nodded and swiftly took off, heading to the ship as fast as her wings could carry her.

"If I may ask... who are you?" King Ordin respectfully addressed the necromancer with interest in his voice.

"I am Arantir, High Lord of Heresh," Arantir made a respectful bow, "And you are King Ordin of Tauria, I presume?"

"Indeed I am," the minotaur responded with the same polite bow, "Forgive me, but I've not heard of Heresh. Is it one of Equestrian Duchies?"

"Let's just say... It is further away from here than you might think," the necromancer replied vaguely, "In any case, the griffons planned to poison you and frame it on Celestia. What they didn't account for were Andromalius' presence and subsequent interference."

"They didn't try to poison me, they were going for a bloody kill," King Ordin slightly corrected him, scratching his shoulder and then the back of his head.

Arantir frowned in response but didn't say anything, deciding to keep those thoughts to himself for now. After a few moments of silence, he gestured at the ship.

"Well, in any case, I believe we can deliver you back to Tauria," he said, "Going alone might be dangerous, especially with the possibility of the remaining two griffons being around to finish what they started."

Aboard the ship ENS Skytrotter, the rulers assembled in the captain's room to discuss the final terms of their agreement. Arantir, technically having the high title, was present as well, but refused from taking part in the discussion. However, he decided to stay and listen, hoping to have a clear understanding of the current politics between Tauria and Equestria.

"I will see what I can do about sending troops to your aid, princess," King Ordin said, "But definitely expect some of our new transportation designs. To be honest, your ships and trains are outdated and could use a replacement. Chariots are also outdated, you could use some... motorized transport."

"Sounds reasonable," Celestia nodded, "We could use all the help we can get. Our soldiers aren't nearly as good as the griffons, I'm afraid."

"That much is true," the minotaur nodded, "If only you had more ponies like Lord Andromalius. Trained, armed and armored, and you'd be able to topple the griffons, especially if you are trained in the arts of magic."

"Thank you," the hell stallion nodded with the corners of his mouth slightly up.

"You've saved my life, and for that, I will be eternally grateful," Ordin smiled at him, "I suppose I can also host some of the ponies as refugees. We have plenty of resources, not to mention uncharted lands in need of proper development," he turned to Arantir, "High Lord, may I ask you about your part in this conflict?"

"I can sense disharmony coming from the Griffon Empire," the necromancer replied, "There is something more to this conflict than simple territorial and resource disputes or acts of revenge... This is what I need to discover."

"A fine goal it is indeed," the king nodded, satisfied with the answer, "If I may ask, what is it that you are providing to Equestria?"

Arantir glanced at Celestia, a silent question in his mind. Understanding it, the princess let out a sigh and braced herself.

"Since you're de-facto our ally, I suppose there is no harm in sharing such information," she said slowly, carefully weighing what she could say next, "King Ordin... High Lord Arantir is a necromancer."

"A necromancer?" the minotaur echoed in confusion, "Forgive me, but I can't seem to understand what this word means."

"He provided an army to us," Celestia continued, "The army of the undead."

A heavy silence fell on everyone involved as the minotaur king blinked in confusion, digesting the information. He rubbed his thumbs against one another nervously, his eyes shifting from the princess to the necromancer and back. He exhaled through his nostrils and rubbed his forehead with one of his hands, wiping away the sweat. Andromalius, Celestia, and Arantir patiently waited, watching his reaction. The princess silently cursed, realizing that it might've been a mistake to reveal one of the most important secrets to another ruler.

"So..." King Ordin said slowly, nervousness apparent in the tone of his voice, "You meant to say that... those soldiers are not... alive?"

"Precisely," Arantir was the first to reply, nodding to the king.

"Does that mean they are... trapped souls?" the minotaur continued, his fingers tapping on the table and his body tensing.

"Most of them are only bodies," the necromancer answered calmly, "Others are willing souls serving to protect Equestria."

"King Ordin..." Celestia was next to say, "We don't want more deaths. What High Lord Arantir has saves us from having to lose many more lives. I, I hope you understand that, well, ponies are untrained. They're not ready for war. We're trying to prevent real losses..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

"I... understand," Ordin said slowly, nodding, "This... I will have to accept," he looked in the eyes of Celestia, "I hope you know what you are doing, Princess Celestia... And this information must not be revealed to public. Not yet," he let out a nervous chuckle, "It is... actually quite funny that we have the, heh, 'goddess' of daylight, a demon, and a... dark magician."

Andromalius couldn't help but chuckle to that, knowing that the situation was even more absurd than King Ordin suspected. On top of what he said, High Lord Arantir belonged to a videogame, and he along with the hell stallion were from different worlds entirely. However, Andromalius wasn't about to let Ordin know that, fearing that the minotaur king would back out of the agreement.

"And one more thing..." Ordin spoke again after he calmed down, "High Lord, if you ever meet a zebra... they will understand who you are without you saying a word. Be catious."

Arantir nodded in understanding, making a mental note in his mind. Both Andromalius and Celestia silently sighed in relief, glad that the king accepted the reality of the situation. Sharing such information with their new ally was a wise move, all things considered. If they didn't do it, King Ordin could find out about it eventually, and his reaction would possibly be much less accepting. The Princess and the Lord hoped that this sign of trust would lead to a stable relationship with Tauria and eventually, the victory in the war.

Hours later, the sun had begun to set, its orange rays casting long shadows across the lands of the Griffon Empire. The military camps lit their fires, the watchers were in their places, and the rest of the griffons were ready to sleep. Empress Ironfeather was in the throne room of her royal palace, tending to the needs of the Empire. The war had taken its toll on industry and agrary, taking more and more while giving less and less. The first month of the war was far from over, and yet the progress had already been halted almost to a full stop. Equestrian shores were secure, and the easiest route to Equestria itself seemed impenetrable. The griffons went to war expecting a swift victory, counting on ponies' long peacetime to prevent them from being able to defend themselves. And yet, such assumption turned out to be unexpectedly wrong.

The Empress frowned as she studied the reports. The griffons were met with heavy opposition in major cities, suffering comparable casualties to the defenders. Only one camp was ready, and only because it was placed in the wilderness. Contrary to what Ironfeather expected, the Royal Pony Sisters let the civilians arm themselves despite the possibility of griffons capturing the weapons.

Her thought process was disturbed when two griffons entered the throne room and swiftly bowed. For a few moments, everything was silent save for the scribble of Ironfeather's quill as she finished writing down her next orders.

"Well?" she spoke after putting the papers aside, "Report on your mission, soldiers."

"W-we have failed you, my emperor..." one of the griffons said, a light tremble of fear in his voice.

For a few seconds, the Empress was quiet, a deep frown forming on her face. It seemed her plans were failing once again, eating up her time and resources without anything in return.

"You had everything at your side," she said, her voice cold and stern, "You had the equipment, the time, the numbers, the reconnaisance... Now, tell me..." she walked closer to them, "Why is it that you, despite all the advantages you had, failed your task?"

"Y-your majesty, something unexpected happened..." the griffon replied, "Lord Andromalius was there."

Silence took reins once again as the Empress stopped in her tracks, her eyebrows going up. Soon, however, her expression changed into anger. She was bested by someone she hadn't heard about until the last few months. Was she defeated once again by someone she considered a nobody? She huffed and turned to the window, glancing outside her palace. The two griffons remained silent, waiting for her to speak again. A long while passed as she stared off into the distance, thinking about the news.

"Alright..." Ironfeather finally spoke, exhaling through her nostrils, "I presume that he had taken out the eight, then?"

"He h-had taken them as prisoners, your majesty," the griffon answered, "And... I couldn't see it, but either they missed him or the bolts had no effect on him whatsoever."

"I see..." the Empress replied with a heavy tone, "First, he thwarted the assassination, and now he had set more countries against us... this vile demon... So, what do we know about him?"

"N-nothing outside of what I've just said, your majesty," the griffon answered obediently.

"Send another group. This time, only observe and report anything and everything you manage to find out about him," Ironfeather ordered, "Under no circumstances attack. We need to know our enemies before we can strike them. Dismissed."

"Right away, your majesty!" the griffons said in unison, straightening their posture and saluting. They walked out of the throne room and headed to fulfill their Empress' orders.

Ironfeather let out a sigh as she dragged her claw across her face. This Demon Lord was a surprising nuisance, much stronger than she expected and anticipated. He was far more than a strangely-looking pony, and certainly far better than many of Equestrian princes. The Empress was wrong about assuming he was a nobody, and so she could only subdue her ego and think rationally. No doubts remained — Andromalius was indeed a worthy threat. And as such, he needed Ironfeather's utmost attention.

Chapter 21: Ad Bellum

Author's Notes:

Finally, another chapter. Enjoy!

An unusual quietness reigned in the city of Canterlot, filling its streets with a sense of uneasiness. The great memorial built in remembrance of the first fallen warriors stood silently in the center of the city. The dark-gray marble with its white inscriptions made nearby ponies hang their heads and speak quietly as not to disrespect those who died to protect Equestria. The relatives of the fallen were standing before the monument, weeping quietly as they repeated the names of their loved ones, children, and parents in their head. The guards stationed nearby had their helmets off in respect for those who laid down their lives so that others wouldn't have to. Even the stoical expressions of the guards seemed to fail as lone tears rolled down their cheeks as they tried their hardest not to look at the grief-inducing, painful monument to the first war in many centuries.

Princess Celestia and the former queen Hashaleet were standing on the balcony of the castle, watching as the sun slowly lowered below the horizon.

"War... It has become a foreign word to us," Hashaleet spoke quietly, "In our struggle, we have forgotten what it's like to fight. With no strength left, with barely anything to eat, and with cold creeping up on us, we had to forget and forgive what we quarreled about. Countless times, we would all get close to each other in hope of the warmth we needed..." she let out a long sigh, "Sometimes, I wonder if it's the loss that unites."

"It may be so, but I don't think it's the only thing. It can't be," Celestia shook her head slightly, "We have had peace for many centuries. To see it broken pains me to my very core, Hashaleet."

"How was this peace achieved?" the pale pony looked at the alicorn, "Was it truthfulness or was it deceit?"

The princess opened her maw but no words came out. For more than a thousand years, Celestia maintained her position of power and made sure that ponies would not tread from the path she laid out for them. She had manipulated peace into existence, squashing any even remotely violent conflict wherever she could. No deadly force was used, but what she did was enough to ensure that ponies would live peaceful lives. She thought such lives were perfect, and so it continued for a long time.

Celestia also honed her skills of diplomacy, but it did not come without a dark side – corruption and bribery, while not widespread, was not something she refused to do when needed. For years, she assured herself that what she did was for the best, but now she wondered if it all was just an illusion. Was it just covering a boiling pot with a lid to not see the steam, to muffle the sound of the water bubbling?

"I see..." Hashaleet said to the silence of the princess, "We still haven't learned, I'm afraid."

"We will," Celestia said, but notes of uncertainty were apparent in her voice.

"Will we?" the mare voiced the question the alicorn already had in her head, "I suspect that this war will not be the last. Such things keep happening when we refuse to learn, and they have been happening since the dawn of sapience," she looked the princess in the eyes, "They haven't stopped yet."

Once again, Celestia didn't know what to say. Before this war, she was certain that no other would as much as look at Equestria the wrong way, but she was proven wrong. She desperately wanted to be right, and yet it became clear that her blindness was her greatest mistake. Not only her country could achieve so much more if she didn't hold it back, but lives would also be saved if she were more observant. She still didn't know how she could've missed the coming of the war, and yet she couldn't prevent it. These same thoughts plagued her mind every day since it begun.

Her ear twitched as she heard a hum coming from the direction of the portal to the lands of the Union. She turned her head and looked at it, trying to see what was going on. Her eyes widened when she saw Andromalius coming out of the portal, dressed in full plate armor. The vizor of his new helmet was up, exposing his eyes, which were filled with determination as he marched onwards. From behind him, rows of armored and armed demons followed, and their stream seemed endless as they made their way through the city of Canterlot.

https://youtu.be/EXWoC1FDFRQ

Purple banners with the red unicursal hexagrams rose high above the many spears of the demon army as it marched. Not a word was spoken as the armor clanked and many hooves struck against the ground in unison. Ponies parted in respect, allowing the warriors to pass without slowing down. The army flowed through the city like a river, they were one continuous stream from the portal to the entrance gates of Equestrian capital and beyond.

Celestia watched them march, involuntary tears rolling down her eyes. She wanted to yell for them to stop, but she knew that Andromalius' mind couldn't be changed. He had long decided that he would do everything in his power to bring the war to an end, even if it meant leading an army by himself and put himself in mortal danger.

The stream of soldiers grew larger. Ponies took weapons and armor and followed the army to war. Some of them had nothing to lose, others have already lost what they had. And now, the only thought on their mind was making sure that the war wouldn't take more of their lives. A desire for revenge boiled in their pained hearts, and nothing could stop them from marching on and taking it.

Despite what Andromalius told himself, the same anger boiled inside him. A large part of him wanted to make the griffons pay for what they had done, to avenge the fallen and to stop this madness once and for all. And yet, he had to remind himself that the other side of the conflict was not inherently evil. He needed to get to the bottom of this before passing judgment, he needed to understand it in its entirety.

He carried the banner high as he marched without stopping for a moment. His hooves struck the ground in unison with others, and he led all of them to the war. He didn't know if all of them would return or if even he would. Fear crept into his mind, dictating him to turn away and hide, but he didn't allow it to control him. Instead, he marched on, knowing that he could be of great help, and thus he must go forward. To him, there was no other, better way.

As he exited the city through the main gate, he noticed a few figures standing by the roadside. His eyes widened when he saw two griffons accompanied by a few guards. And yet, no restraints were visible on the griffons. Andromalius shifted his gaze to look at the guards and found something familiar in a mare. Dark armor, the look she had on her face, and most importantly, a spider on her chest armor. Arantir sprung into his mind, and then he almost gasped at the realization – it was Ornella. He had no idea how it was possible – she met her final death at the end of Arantir's campaign against the demons of Ashan. And yet, a certain line appeared in his mind – perhaps, Asha found a use for her. A necromancer warrior, Queen of Vampires, she would certainly be a useful asset. Andromalius suspected that she would reunite with Arantir very soon, and so he continued on his way past her and further along the road. She gave a look back, interest and curiosity evident on her face. She had seen demons, she fought them many times over the course of her campaign, and yet she had not seen a Nightmare with golden, angel-like wings before. However, she didn't speak a word, simply waiting for the entrance to clear of the army to proceed into the city. She had her orders, and she had to fulfill them before proceeding with her own thoughts.

The two griffons, Erich and Mark, stared at the passing army, their eyes wide. The rumors and speculations were true – Equestria allied themselves with true demons. The former knight of the Griffon Empire had read many things about them, and none were good. And yet, he was uncertain if the demons were truly as evil as the old books described them. They looked intimidating, especially with weapons at their side and armor on their bodies, but otherwise, they didn't seem evil. At the very least, they didn't seem to be made of hellfire or have anything fiery in them at all. In fact, many of them shared colors with many ponies of Equestria. The big and bulky devils looked very close to minotaurs and, in fact, weren't too much different aside from a few small details and their sheer size. Were the books wrong?

And yet, it was an army of demons marching towards the Griffon Empire, no doubt with the intent to battle. Blood will be spilled, flesh will be torn, bones will be broken, and no one will walk out of it unscathed. Despite abandoning his duty as the knight of the Griffon Empire, he felt a certain ache in his heart. Would it be right for him to stay away from the battle and search for answers or should he return and fight with his brothers in arms? And if he were to fight, then what would he fight for? He didn't believe Equestria had a spy in the Empire, much less did he believe about Equestria looking to destabilize the Empire and turn it into a weak union of ruinous states.

Once the army passed by, the griffons and the guards entered the city. Erich already felt uncomfortable as he saw looks of distrust and even anger aimed at him and Mark. He tried his best not to look threatening, calmly looking forward at nothing in particular, avoiding as much as glancing at the ponies. However, he could feel their glares on his body, he could sense their sorrow and grief, and the desire for revenge.

Suddenly, his vision went red as a boulder collided with the back of his head. He stumbled but was caught by his friend Mark, who helped him stand. Immediately, Mark started searching for a medkit in one of the bags.

"He did not kill any pony," Erich heard Ornella say, "Stand back, please."

"I don't care!" the pony, a mare, cried out, and the griffon heard some struggle from behind. He was forced to close his eyes as the pain thumped inside his head.

"Please, stop," Ornella remained calm, using her magic to hold the mare back, "You don't need to do this. He is innocent. Those who hurt you and your family will be punished, but not him. He didn't do it."

In a few long minutes, the mare finally calmed down, collapsing on the ground and crying loudly while a stallion rushed to her to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," he said to the guards, his voice slightly raspy, "We... lost our son. Please, go."

Ornella nodded and turned back to the two griffons. After Erich's wound was taken care of, they continued on their way to the Canterlot Castle. Despite the pain, the griffon couldn't help but think about what had just happened. He could feel the hate radiating from the crying mare, and this hate was aimed at him, Mark, and the rest of the griffons. The Griffon Empire had taken the lives of Equestrians, and the ponies were ready to retaliate with all that they had.

The guards motioned for the griffons to step aside as a sound of wheels rolling on the ground from around the corner appeared. In a few moments, two pairs of guards appeared, each pair hauling a cannon on a wheeled carriage. Erich raised a brow, noting that it was a completely new, unknown design. Sleek, thinner, but longer barrels; conical projectiles seated in brass; a latch near the back of each cannon. The carriages passed by quickly, hurrying to catch up with the demon army.

With the way clear, the group moved to the Canterlot Castle and soon came to its majestic gates. After gaining access, they entered the castle and went to the right, the guest wing.

"I will inform the princess of your arrival," Ornella said, trotting off in the direction of the throne room.

Erich and Mark exchanged glances, both thinking about the same thing. How would Princess Celestia welcome them? Would she be angry or would she be calm? The griffons expected the former in some way or another, but they were certain that they wouldn't receive a warm welcome. The best they could count on was coldness.

After they were shown to their guest rooms, the griffons unpacked. Erich brought parchment, ink, and quills to the table present in his room. After some hesitation, he pulled out his journal and placed it next to the writing equipment. He was sure to remember to write down what would happen next as long as he was allowed to. He found it easier to keep track of events if they were laid out on paper in front of him and not just stored in his head.

He grunted as an ache passed through his skull, reminding him of the recent incident. He looked out the window and saw the sun disappearing below the horizon, announcing the end of the day, and the night took reins. Stars appeared on the sky, brightening with every moment. The moon was rising, its pale light replacing the bright rays of the sun.

A few knocks came from the door. Erich shuddered from the sudden noise and turned away from the window. He walked to the entrance, grunting in pain as an ache resonated through his head. After opening the door, he saw Ornella.

"Princess Celestia will hear you tomorrow morning," she told him, "For now, you are welcome to rest."

"Thank you," Erich nodded politely and then closed the door. With a long sigh, he went to the bathroom to clean himself after a long trip. Sleep was certainly what he needed at the moment, and he couldn't wait to feel the comfort of the bed against his body.

Little did he know that someone was watching him from behind the window. The figure's shape was concealed in the coming darkness, and it soon disappeared without a trace or sound. Whoever it was, the tired and hurt griffon didn't notice them, soon disappearing inside the bathroom. As the sound of the running water filled the guest room, the figure reappeared near the window. After fiddling with something from the outside, a quiet click sounded, and the window opened. A dark figure slipped inside, landing on the floor quietly. Stepping softly, it made its way to the slightly opened bathroom door. After a moment of waiting, the figure opened it and rushed inside. A noise of physical struggle sounded, and a yell was muffled.

After a few moments, a painful crack sounded through the room, followed by a thump as a body fell on the floor. A long minute of silence passed, a stream of blood ran to the door of the bathroom, spreading around the tiled floor. The only sound that could be heard was the running water. The curtains near the window waved ever so slightly, pulled by the winds from outside the castle walls.

A pained moan sounded as Erich crawled out of the bathroom, a bloody gash visible on his side. He blinked slowly, clutching his senses. He inhaled sharply, collected what remained of his strength, and opened his beak.

"Guards! H-help!"