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.