Silver Page's POV

I slammed the rock into the griffon's head and backed away. The soldiers were everywhere and I could feel my wings twitching in fear. Crystal Sword was at my side, dispatching of any enemy getting to close with his magic. The town we were in had been under siege for maybe an hour, the bell tower continuing to warn the citizens of the impending doom. I could feel the fear of everyone around me, like a leech I gobbled it all down to feed.

Dodge city was the name of the town. I remembered Crystal remarking about how the stone walls would not hold the enemy for long when we got here. Unfortunately he'd been correct. Just two days prior to the attack Solar Guardian Holy Light appeared by the town gate. He was wounded and brought at least a hundred soldiers with him. We quickly learnt the border had fallen to the combined troops of the dark kingdom and Griffonia. The soldiers the Guardian had brought with him were the only survivors.

I had come here with Crystal to help the ponies here flee, but quickly we realized there was nowhere to go. We were forced to hide away the foals and the pregnant mares the best we could in basements. All who could fight were given a sword and told to stand their ground no matter what. Holy Light inspired them, his voice filled with pride as he spoke to the commoners given weapons. He had quelled their fears and made them feel bigger then themselves, like they were apart of something more.

Then the attack came.

The two days of preparations hadn't been enough for us to be ready for the overwhelming forces. The enemy army had brought catapults and they broke through the wall defending the town in a few minutes. I was horrified and shocked as I saw the griffins leading the charge, the enemy cutting down anypony in their way. They didn't stop at nothing to quell our retaliation and they did so proudly.

Crystal told me to stick by his side when the enemy army finally reached us. The former king used all his strength to hold them off, summoning blue crystal spikes to kill any griffins getting to close to us. He moved us down the different alleyways between the many houses as the fight continued, the stallion giving me a dagger to defend myself with. I tried to help him in any way I could. I smashed rocks into their bodies using my newfound magic and I stabbed them in the side if they got to close.

Finally we reached the main square where most of the fighting was taking place. The town was mostly made up of rows of two story houses, which had been badly damaged by fires. The square was no different as smoked filled the air and war cries could be heard from the enemy. I saw the Solar Guardian leading what soldiers we had against the invading force, using his long-sword to cut off the head of griffins.

So far I hadn't seen any troops from the Empress army, but maybe I should be happy they hadn't joined in the fray yet. I was no warrior or mage, but I would hurt any enemy that came close to me or my king. I would be made a slave for Guto's pleasure and I would never again allow myself to be bound by the corruption. It was in my blood, but I controlled it, it didn't control me.

Suddenly the ground underneath my hooves exploded and I was sent flying. I tried to unfold my wings but I landed on the ground either way. With a groan I forced myself to look up and I noticed several ponies coughing up red dust. Crystal Sword was nowhere to be seen and I could not make up black round objects being tossed into the main pony army. They exploded and red black smoke filled the air afterwards. I could hear its false promises from where I had landed and I recognized the feeling from when he held me prisoner.

The corruption had been weaponized.

I saw Holy light hold up a magical yellow shield around himself and the soldiers closest to him. The stallion looked horrified as crystals started to grow from the body of those affected, like parasitic lifeforms. My head spun as I tried to make my way towards him and get passed the enemy soldiers. Yet I could only stumble forward as sanguine ponies and griffins landed next to me. The bat ponies growled and jumped me, trying to stab me with their daggers.

They were suddenly pulled to the ground by a light blue aurora and their limbs were bound with crystal shackles. The griffins were quickly cut down by Crystal Sword as he wielded his blue blade. The stallion effortlessly blocked any strikes sent his way and he reached me in the matter of seconds. The former king helped me up and looked around at the dying ponies and burning buildings.

"Bastards.." He growled and helped me get behind the pony troops.

"We need to run! They're using the corruption!" I said with panic filling my every bone.

"I know. We need to call a full retreat if we want any soldiers to make it out alive." Crystal said and closed his eyes.

A great wall of crystal suddenly rose between the two armies, its blue and magical nature clearly originating from the stallion next to me. Holy Light used that opportunity to call a full retreat as the griffins started to fly over the wall and the ponies ran for their lives. I pushed my head into Crystal's side and tried to get him to move, the enemy soon being on top of us.

It was then the wall shattered, yet it stayed flouting in the air. The tiny pieces of crystals were suddenly hurled at the invading army with massive speed, many griffins and dark kingdom troops alike loosing their lives. Crystal puked up a massive amount of black goo in the process but it finally allowed me to get him moving. I helped guide the exhausted stallion through the burning town and I saw Holy Light direct soldiers and civilians alike to the nearby forest. I followed and helped my savior every step of the way as we escaped Dodge City, leaving the way open for the enemy army to take southern Equestria.

May the gods look upon you with favor Equestria, you will need it.

Nathaniel's POV

Nathan looked upon the thousands of ponies that had taken up shelter in the ruins of Baltimare. They all were talking and planning out the quickest way to scout the ruins of Fillydelphia. Rose had already sent out scout to once more find out the situation in the city and hopefully mark places where the enemy had canons. They lost seventy-five soldiers to canon-fire alone in the last battle and the sanguine mare hoped to avoid such a loss again.

Yet not everyone in the camp were tense or anxious. The pony soldiers seemed hopeful once more, even more hopeful than when they drove the griffins out of Everfree. The dragons arrival and the news of the Lord Protector still being alive had the soldiers laughing and singing songs. It seemed like hope had finally arrived in this dark situation and that they would be saved.

Nate watched all of the emotions pass through the camp from one of the many hills in the area. When the city was demolished were many once tall towers and building reduced to nothing but coloured rock. These great piles of rock became new hills and they in turn created whole valleys among the ruins that the ponies were forced to traverse. It would surly be the same in Fillydelphia so Osiris was preparing for the worst. With the amount of high ground the griffins would hold in the former city they could place out canons everywhere to watch their new land.

The thought of the last pony soldiers falling to the griffins among the Fillydelphia ruins was grim, but the their newfound allies brought a whole new perspective to the situation. Or rather, his newfound allies. The dragons refused to listen to anyone unless Nathaniel himself told them to do so. It brought both Rose and Osiris a lot of frustration. Nate had to go out of his way if he wanted them to listen to anyone, promising great victories against the griffins if they just did as they were told.

The two adult dragons that had accompanied the other drakes were both impatient and frustrated every time they were told to simply wait on Osiris' or Rose' command. They repeatedly said that he should be leading them into battle like the warrior the mark indicated him to be. But the human tried to convince them that waiting for information was the best approach as they knew little of what awaited them.

The two dragons did as they were told, but they weren't happy with it that was for sure. The teenage dragons were more easily to persuade as they listened to him without question. They all seemed to know the prophecy Faust left behind, her promises of a guardian of the realm. They all looked up to him like Nate had been leading them for years when he bearly knew one of them. It both scared him to wield so much power, but it also felt good.

"Have you tried your mediation thing kid?" Osiris suddenly asked the teen who looked over his shoulder at the sand coloured stallion.

"I can see all living creature's in an area when I do it. I have felt nothing but us since we defeated the griffins.." He mumbled sadly.

Osiris shock his head and looked over the ruins. "They have to pay for this kid. We can't let them get away or simply pay their way out somehow. If we fail to destroy this threat our nation will fall." Osiris proclaimed and the human nodded.

"I know. We will win, we will get these soldiers back to their families and make Guto pay." Nate said.

Osiris didn't say anything after that, the stallion seemingly thinking about something. Nathan just let him be in his own mid for a few minutes, the human enjoying the calm sensation laying over them in the air. Nate started to think himself as he watched the soldiers below and the sun in the distance. Why was Osiris different from everyone else? Why was he Guardian Osiris and not Guardian 'generic last name'?

"Why don't you have a last name Osiris?" Nathaniel asked the stallion who tensed at the question.

Osiris sighed before answering. "Why do you want to know?"

"I want to know I guess? You're different from everyone else, like you lack a last name. But all ponies I've met have one, even the princesses. So why don't you?" The human asked him and turned to look at his friend.

The wind blew through Osiris black mane before he answered. "Because I lost the right to call myself by that name."

Nate looked at Osiris as he said that and noticed just how sad the stallion seemed over telling the human that. The scout was good at hiding his emotions, but Nathan could clearly see the pain in the pony's eyes as he spoke of it. What could he have done to earn such a punishment? What crime would cause your family to disown you in such a way you could no longer bear their name?

"What happened?" The Lunar Guardian asked the pony.

"I got a child killed. I used to be part of the guard patrolling tartarus, making sure no creature could break out and infect the villages close by. But one day a family passed by the gate when we had it opened. They had their daughter with them and we cared little for them. But as I turned around I thought I saw a filly walking down one of the many stairs in the prison. I first thought I had been wrong and I ignored it but quickly had that child's parents discovered the disappearance of their daughter. I was too afraid to speak to my commander before they understood the filly was gone and once everything erupted into chaos I froze.

"My test in that cave was to meet the little filly again and beg her for forgiveness. I somehow earned it and I was sent to you and Rose. I represented forgiveness according to that weird room and I still can't really believe it. But even if the filly have forgiven me my family has not. I told my father what happened a few months after the incident and he disowned me. He took the news so hard he retired from his post and returned home. I could no longer call myself by my family name and I was no longer allowed to see the rest if my family back home. Not that they would have wanted to see me either way.

"Once they all knew what I had done they cut all contacts with me and told our county's high council about my crime. I am no loner welcomed in Naviin and I won't be until I can prove myself worthy of bearing my family's name again. What I'll have to do to be worthy of such a thing I do not know. But I do know that if I regain the honor I lost because of my selfish fear I can rest easy. And if my family can forgive me? Then I would be eternally grateful to the gods." The stallion told the human with sigh.

Nathaniel thought over the information for a while before asking his next question. "So Naviin is your home country then?"

Osiris chuckled at that and nodded. "Naviin is.. was my home. It lies beyond the Southern Luna sea, on the edges of the map. My family has lived there for generations and was rather displeased when my father immigrated to Equestria. They were even more displeased when I followed him and took a position in the Equestrian army. But I do think they were rather pleased with his return and even more pleased with me not coming back with him. I was against a lot of things they did in Naviin."

"Like what?" Nate asked.

"Corrupting certain government officials, bribing guards, screwing over shops now owned by them and outright sending assassins after other noble families? I love my family dearly, but many of them are not kind ponies." He scoffed and took out some liquid courage from his saddle bags.

The human took the red bottle and took a sip of the substance, coughing as he swallowed it down. "So why would you want to bear their name again if they're such horrible people?"

"Because they're family kid. Not all of them are like that. A few, like one of my brothers, wants to improve Naviin. He'd like to root out corruption within the goverment and the noble families. Sadly his voice is seldom heard nor appreciated." The golden furred stallion mumbled.

"So what was your name before your father disowned you?" Nate asked Osiris before handing him the bottle.

The stallion downed some of the alcohol before answering, like he needed some added bravery to even say it. "Soulblade. My name was Osiris Soulblade."

The journey to Fillydelphia took another day of their time. The human and his friends lead the army of ponies and dragons over the grassy hills of the east and avoided fighting the best they could. At times they would bump into a griffin scouting group and quickly captured them or killed them. They didn't let anything stand in their way especially not Guto's minions. It wouldn't be until they got to the first burnt village they really understood the power of the griffin flag ship.

The settlements around Fillydelphia had been burnt to the ground by the enemy army passing through. They had seemingly left no one alive and easily dispatched of any guard presence in the area. The griffins had then burnt it all to the ground and left to find another target. It made the soldiers angry and the dragons furious. The griffins hadn't even give the ponies a chance to fight.

Most of the journey was spent in silence as the army did not want to disrespect the dead. It was easy to see the ground they were walking on as burial grounds with how many lives that had been lost. The human cringed as he thought about the ponies begging for mercy only for the griffins to cut them down like animals. It hurt to think about all the children that lost their lives when the invading army fell upon the surrounding villages.

No one was spared from these visions and by the point they reached Fillydelphia was the mood among the soldiers at an all time low. The ground was scorched black by the powerful canons that had leveled the coastal city and the building themselves were just as badly damaged as in Baltimare. The only difference here was that a few houses still stood on the very edge of the city, but they too were damaged and coasted in blood. The sight made Rose growl and Osiris say a small prayer.

Nathan simply raised his hand and looked to his fellow guardians. The two ponies gave him a nod and the man gave the order to attack the griffin encampment. The dragons roared and took to the skies, quickly diving towards the ruins and spewing fire upon all they could see. Cries of alarm rose from the ruins and the pony army rushed into the destroyed city. For a second time they climbed up hills of rubble and cut down anyone that stood in their way. Nathan lead the charge with Valkyrie, smashing it into the ground and sending out a great magical shock-wave.

The battle went south for the griffins pretty quickly. Any canon the enemy had installed was toppled by the dragons in the matter of minutes and the few hundred griffins that was stationed at the ruins were running around in panic. The human and his friends lead the soldiers into the middle of the enemy army, cutting down anyone that tried to resist them. With the dragons circling above and the thousands of ponies flooding the ruins the battle was quickly won.

Once the ruins were secured the ponies relaxed. The sea was still controlled by the griffins, but now they had won back the coast. With the dragons at their side could no ordinary army win, but the griffins were no ordinary army. They were armed with something that could kill the dragon lord himself. Charcoal had told him how the fleet of flying ships had brought down their most powerful warriors. Even if they had managed to destroy a few ships it had not been enough for a victory.

The dragons failure was a harsh lesson to learn from. They couldn't stand alone against the threat or they would all fall to Guto's blood-lust and pride. Nathan would now allow them to fall, not when they were so close to striking back against the griffon king. Not when they could save all the innocents left in Equestria. Not when they were so close to avenge Luna.

"Lord Sol! We have managed to secure all vantage posts among the ruins and we have killed or captured all griffins in the area. We have also found a cellar door underneath the rubble of the old town hall. It is shielded by a powerful spell and all attempts at opening it have failed." A soldier suddenly informed Nathaniel.

"Good job. Let's go and check out that cellar door." The teen told the soldier who saluted.

"Sir!" the pony exclaimed and lead the human towards the middle of the destroyed city.

The old town hall had been temple like building before the attack. The Greek like columns had supported an arch at the opening of the building while the rest of the structure had composed of three different floors shaping a spherical structure with a dome roof. The highest floor had acted as the local lord's office, it had probably been filled with riches all destroyed or looted when the griffins attacked. The two other floors had just been offices ransacked by the griffin occupation, the walls showing clear signs of having burnt. All of this could be seen by simply standing in front of the massive building as the most of the front wall was destroyed from canon fire.

"The cellar is at the back." The soldier told Nathaniel.

"Did our mages try to break the spell?" The human questioned as they came upon a large wooden hatch in the ground.

The pony shook his head, "They did my lord. They were unsuccessful but managed to confirm it's not dark magic involved. Whoever did this holds no ties to the crystal empire or the dark kingdom. Yet the shield is very strong, so obviously a powerful mage warded of this cellar."

"The question is who.." Nate said and closed his eyes.

The human focused on his surroundings, allowing his magic to 'feel' around him. The hatch was bright as the sun and a very familiar word could be 'read' from the magical shield, that being 'knowledge'. Nathan opened his eyes in surprise just as the hatch exploded open and a white blast of magic sent him flying backwards. The human rolled a couple of meters upon the muddy ground with a groan and he looked up to see a spear tip pointed in his face.

"Nice to see you too Starswirl.." The teen groaned in pain and slowly got up, looking at the dirty disheveled face of his magic teacher.

Enjo Steelheart's POV

'This is a horrible plan..' I thought to myself as I was lead down the griffin camp in chains.

Commander Fylk walked ahead of me with two other brothers in arms. The wolf-pony had lead us this far without taking to many casualties and he had inspired me to fight for my fellow mutants. Fylk had saved my tribe by himself against a horrible beast and he'd personally killed more griffins then all of us combined. There would be no one I would rather follow into the fire and fray of battle.

But he was really pushing it now.

The plan of simply letting the griffins capture us so close to their main encampment by the dessert's edge was as brilliant as it was stupid. The commander had simply walked up to a griffon soldier and asked the chicken to be taken to their leader. Unsurprisingly Fylk ended up with a bloody snout and all of us were bound in chains. The griffins that had "captured" us had paraded us around like it was some sort of great victory and most of them grinned as they learnt the leader of the mutants had been captured. I groaned at the idiocy of this plan and looked around to distract my stressed out mind.

The griffin camp was large, even for the chickens standards. Maybe over three hundred griffins lived here? Rows upon rows of sand coloured tents stood around us forming a minor town with set up roads between a few of them. The enemy had filled them with all from weapons to living quarters for their soldiers. It was annoying walking past a tent to hear them call us 'freaks' or 'dirty mutants', but Fylk ignored it. Our leader was stoic against all the taunts and his lack of reaction angered many of the war pigeons.

In the middle of the camp had a large wooden platform been built, currently holding up their flying ship. It was an impressive sight I'd give them that. The ship was just like our commander had described it, except that the hull was covered in metal while two large metal cylinders was attached to the front. Fylk had called them canons and said their destructive capabilities outmatched anything we could build ourselves.

The wooden platform the ship's hull rested on acted as a stage as well. As we approached the ship I could see a decorated griffon looking down at us with glee. He was wearing a thick silver armor that covered most of his body, medals and other things attached to it. I was certain I saw a red crystal hanging around his neck before we were pushed snout first into the sand. My tail flicked in anger until a griffon lightly cut it with his sword, making me hiss in pain.

"If it isn't the wolf and his loyal scum! We have been looking for you 'commader' Fylk. King Guto demands justice for your crimes against our great kingdom!" The griffon leader called down to us.

His brown feathers and grey eyes watched us intently as he awaited our leader's response. It was like he was eyeing up his prey, just waiting for the right moment to strike. It was a pain to hold back the amount of rage this griffon made me feel, but the commander had made it certain only he would speak. The wolf-pony had a plan we were supposed to follow, and we owed him our lives to try follow those orders.

"The only crimes committed here has been by your king. This is our land, our future republic. I'd advise you all to leave, or you will die." Fylk said though his mismatched teeth.

The griffon commander laughed before answering, "You are in no position to make threats mutant! Order your people to lay down their blades and we might consider not purging you from this desert."

"Over my dead body." Was the only response our leader gave theirs.

The griffon dressed in a silver armor eyed Fylk before growling. "Then so be it.."

The griffin soldiers that had captured us quickly dragged us up from the grund and lead us towards a stone block. I could see an axe and dried blood on the ground. So they were gonna execute us just like that? No sadistic torture or watching our loved ones die? It wasn't too surprising considering all the problems our commander had caused for the chickens, but it still surprised me. I watched how a hippogriff walked over the wooden platform holding up the ship and how he flew up to the griffon vessel. I caught a sight of blue and black feathers underneath the golden griffonian armor.

With a growl from one of our griffon captors I was forced to rest my head on the stone block. I hissed at the enemy and my sensitive nose picked up on the smell of blood coming from the stone. I would not be the first meeting my end here and I wouldn't be the last. I tilted my head to the side to look at Fylk, the wolf-pony still chained with the other mutants the griffins had captured. I think I saw worry in his eyes before I spotted a large griffon dressed in brown robes walking up to me. He effortlessly picked up the executioner's axe and grinned sadistically at me. The camp cheered and chanted for him to cut off my head, to kill us all.

Your plan better work commander, or I would be meeting the Sandwalker sooner than expected.

"Any last words mutant?" The robed griffon asked me as he raised the axe above his head.

"You really should watch your backs better." I spat with a grin.

The griffon looked confused before the sound of one of their canons charging up magical energy cut through any sounds the mountain pissers had been doing. The griffon commander shouted a panicked order to secure the canons but it was too late. With a great flash of green light fired the ship's left sky-metal canon a beam of concentrated magic directly into the griffon camp. The explosion was so bright and loud I lost all senses for a couple of seconds but I could feel myself hitting the sandy ground as the blast sent me flying away from the stone block.

A constant ringing sounded through my head as I struggled to get up and I looked around. Even with my vision a bit blurry I could make out black smoke rising towards the sky and griffins running around in panic to coordinate themselves. I was happy to discover that Fylk's plan had worked out, even if I was certain it was gonna get us all killed. Our commander had assured us that this plan of this would work but I had my doubts as he had went through it with us.

Our leader's second in command, a hippogriff named Saren, would disguise himself in the enemy armor we gained after raiding their camps and sneak inside. With Fylk being captured would all eyes be on the him and not on some random half-breed soldier walking around camp. I had assumed the griffins would notice Saren was not one of their own, but with all the commotion no one seemed to question his presence in the camp. It had been easy for him to get up onto the ship and gain access to the canon.

My chains had been separated from the others' from me as I was brought to the block. As I tried to run the chains attached to my legs rattled on and they slowed me down. I did my best to avoid griffins trying to cut me down but I was not getting far in my current condition. I needed a weapon and I needed to get rid of these chains. In the chaos a griffon spotted me and charged me with a battle-cry only for him to fall to the ground. An arrow was buried in his back and I heard a horn blaring over the sand dunes.

Dussins of our warriors poured down from the steep hills of sand around the griffon camp and crashed into whatever defenses the chickens tried to put up. Commander Fylk was no where to be seen as I ran around the burning camp and I swore I heard one of the ship canons charging up magical energy once more. Suddenly a blast from the canon hit the outskirts of camp and many of our soldiers as well as their soldiers perished in the magical blast. The explosion made me temporarily deaf again and I hurried away towards the platform around the ship. We needed to gain back control over those canons or all would be lost.

I saw another mutant running close to me as our forces slipped into the camp. I ran up to the mare who reminded me of a mix between a dragon and pony and quickly held up my hooves. She swiftly cut off the chains with a stolen griffon sword and I ran away giving her a thankful nod. My snake like tail picked up a sword on the way laying next to a dead griffon and I rushed to the wodden platform.

Before I could reach the ramp leading up to the ship's docking place a pissed off griffon commander landed in front of me. He was bleeding from his head where his helmet had rested before and his once clean silver armor was not filthy with blood and dust. I glared at him and gave off a hiss before I rushed the older warrior. He gave off a growl and drew his own sword before hurrying towards me. As we got closer in our sprint the enemy commander raised his blade over his head and with a quick swipe of my tail I blocked his downwards strike.

We exchanged quick jabs and slashes. It was clear he was the better fighter but he lacked my tenacity and determination. I rolled out of the way, ducked under the commander's sword and I was driven back further and further away from the ship. I cursed under my breath as our fight took us towards the burning tents and the other battles going on in the camp. At one point I stumbled due to the body of a fellow mutant, the enemy using this opportunity to slash me across the chest. I yelled out in pain and quickly backed off, the griffon grinning at me.

The battle to reclaim our home was long and bloody. For every strike that hit me or was blocked I could see the enemy commander quickly cut down a mutant getting to close to him. Our forces had manages to cut down many unprepared griffins in the first minutes of the fight but now with their commander leading the charge they started to push our troops back. I tried my best to deflect my enemy's strikes but I was getting tired. I was bleeding at several places at once and no strike that went through the griffon's defenses could penetrate his armor.

Finally with a quick swirl of his talon he disarmed me and slashes his blade over my left eye. I gave out a pain filled scream before all air was cut off to my lungs. The griffon commander picked me up with his free talon and he simply slammed me onto my back. I gave of a wheeze and slammed my tail against his armor and I sunk my fangs into his talon but he would not let go. He squeezed harder around my throat before suddenly he was sent flying.

I coughed and wheezed, trying desperately to get up and get my bearings. I struggled to look around with my good eye to see Commander Fylk burying his teeth into the griffins leader's neck. The soldier that had been moments away from killing me before screamed in pain and desperately searched for something to defend himself with. The wolf-pony on top of him easily tore away the griffon's armor but couldn't quite get in a killing blow. With my damaged vision I noticed it too late, a spear lying close to the two struggling army leaders. I took of sprinting towards them and picked up another sword laying on the ground, hoping I'd make it in time.

"Die you damn dog!" The griffin yelled and stabbed the spear into Fylk's gut.

"No!" I yelled and slammed into the enemy commander.

I rolled a few meters with the griffon before we came to a stop. I was exhausted and everything hurt, but I was still lucid enough to notice the blank expression on the enemy's face. The bastard that had stabbed Fylk was dead on the grund, my sword sticking out from his chest. I simply stumbled back to my leader and noticed him pulling out the spear. I hurried to his side and held his head as I saw griffins fleeing towards their ship.

"Get to the ship son.." Fylk spat out and growled at the fleeing griffins.

"I'm not leaving you commander you need to see a mage now-" I started only to be cut off.

"NOW! If we loose that ship we're all dead anyway!" He yelled and I winced.

"I can get you away from the battlefield and then join the others-" I tried but was cut off once again.

"That is an order Enjo! Our people and nation always comes first!" Fylk yelled with a growl.

I swallowed thickly before responding. "Yes sir."

I left my injured commander's side and rushed towards the wooden platform and ship once more. My battle with the enemy leader had lead me maybe a two-hundred meters away from the ship, but that would be all the flying chickens would need to destroy us. Even with my injuries I ran for the platform, scaling the ramp that lead to the podium. From there I ran up another ramp until I finally got to the ship. I saw a few of our soldiers doing their best to protect Saren as the hippogriff tried to make the damn ship fly.

I ran across the deck, cutting down any griffon that wasn't prepared. I noticed a large piece of cloth hanging above us partially filled with air and then I noticed a strange device underneath it. I hit the griffon invention with my tail and suddenly flames erupted from it. The cloth started to expand and the platform the ship rested on started to creek. I saw Fylk's second in command spin the strange wheel used to steer the ship and slowly but surly we started to fly. Many more griffins took to the air now while our own soldiers ran. This had been part of the plan.

Our soldiers quickly cut their ways to the large canons at the front of the ship and fired upon the groups of griffins flying towards us. The griffins had lost their commander, their ship and now finally most of their soldiers. The mountain pissers still remaining on the ship laid down their arms in surrender and our people cheered. I simply sat down on the floor and dropped the sword clutched tightly in my tail.

"Commander Fylk is injured!" I yelled to Saren and pointed towards the area where I had left the commander.

The hippogriff quickly jumped over the side of the ship and flew towards the injured commander while the ship started to lower itself towards the ground. I didn't understand how our soldiers figured it out but it didn't matter, all that mattered was Fylk's survival. I saw the other mutants looking worried as we landed and the same second we could get off the ship I hurried towards the spot our leader had last been seen.

As I saw Saren clutching one of Fylk's hooves I sped up. I made it to their side and watched my commander with great worry as a mage hurried towards us to heal the injury. The wolf-pony was slipping in and out of consciousness but once he spotted me he smiled. The older mutant mumbled something I couldn't hear so I bent down to pick up on his message better. I needed to know what he wanted from me.

"Get to Equestria son.. Kill the mad king and then rest. The other tribes will have to unite under our banner after all of this.." He coughed and looked up at the sky.

"I won't be able to lead the charge, that is up to you." The mutant said and turned his head to Saren who nodded.

The mage started to quickly work her healing spells on the mutant who grunted in pain. With his orders given we all packed what we would need for the journey before boarding the ship. We were unable to say goodbye to the commander as he was put in a magic induced coma by the healers. My own wounds were bandaged up and healed to the mages best abilities, but my eye was beyond repair. The best they could do was to make it look like an eye again, but it was a milky white that made look older than I was. I wrote a quick letter to my parents and gave it to a messenger before the ship finally took off towards Equestria. There was only one more battle to win before our desert would be a nation and our people would govern themselves.

Only one more battle and we would all be free.

Author's Notes:

Finally. We're getting closer towards the end and I am so happy about that. I wondered if I should've tried to get the chapter to 7k words but I quickly realized that would be padding. There will be parts planned for this chapter in the next, mainly things from Celestia's POV and finally all armies moving towards Canterlot. I am so excited for all the death character interactions that will play out.

Also the story just 200k words which is amazing. It thanks to you guys I've gotten this far and I am happy you've followed for this wild ride ^^

Anyway I hope you liked the chapter and that you all will have a nice day