There was a time when our kind were viewed as Gods, a time when it was believed that we held true divinity. I remember a time when this was true…

~Paladin Mars

/ / / Griffon Kingdom, Fringes of the Fallen City. / / /

Scipio was growing frustrated as he dropped the Griffon to the ground, the blasted creature simply refused to speak. No matter, there were plenty of ways to pry what they needed from him if that is the way it was going to be. The mind was a complex and fickle thing, but the Alicorn was well versed in traversing its intricacies.

The cowering imposter had mentioned a deal that had been made; this was something that captured Scipio’s interest. Dragons making deals with mortals had rarely worked out well, for the mortals…

He was just about to see how resistant this Griffon would be to his mental probing when a rather peculiar sensation overtook him. It was as if a large clawed hand had grasped around his body and began to squeeze him, like he were a mere toy in a massive child’s grip.

Hardly a second later and Scipio felt the pressure upon him increase as the mysterious force began to drag him backwards, his hooves sliding in the mud. With a snort of annoyance he began to resist, his magic crackling with power as his horn lit anew, only to immediately fizzle out.

With a muttered curse of his own Mars went sliding past, his horn sparking and blinking as well. “Judging by how hard you hit him I had expected to have more time!” He called out, looking over his shoulder at where they were heading.

“Indeed,” Scipio acknowledged, turning to look as well. “Perhaps I should not have been so restrained.”

At these words both Alicorns were ripped off their hooves and sent sailing through the air. They tumbled end over end in a rather undignified manner, passing right over the Dragon pulling at them as it yanked its arm toward the ground. In the same moment the energy surrounding the equines shifted directions, whipping them downwards, slamming them into the rocky ground at the base of a cliff face.

Before either pony could react the Dragon shifted his stance, lifting them into the air again and swinging his arm in a wide arc. The magical grip of the Dragon sent the pair of Alicorns hurtling through the trees, smashing them against the trunks, large rocks, anything he could find.

Finally, after having used their bodies to devastate the immediately surrounding foliage the Dragon’s magic lifted them skyward, shooting them up above the clouds before hurtling them back down. With thunderous force the Alicorns screamed into the ground, their bodies shattering the soil into a huge crater, toppling several of the few surviving trees in a spray of mud and bits of shattered stone.

Releasing his hold Roh approached his prey, knowing full well this fight was far from over but well within his control. “That may not have done much damage,” his thunderous voice boomed over the rain. “But it would taste a lie to say that it was anything other than cathartic.”

Coming to a stop just shy of the new crater the Dragon leered down into the hole, his teeth glinting in the light of a distant bolt of lightning as he smiled. “Come now, surely you can do better…?” His voice trailed off as he inspected the empty interior of the crater.

“It would be a pleasure,” Scipio called from behind, his magic snaking its way around the Dragon’s tail and yanking him backwards.

Roh had only a moment to show surprise before he was flipped over the Paladin’s head and whipped into the ground, his body creating a rather sizable impression of its own. Only momentarily dazed he rolled back to his feet, pushing up on all fours and glaring dangerously back at the now smirking Alicorn.

That is when Mars dove out of the sky, the Alicorn breaking the sound barrier just before striking the top of the Dragon’s skull. The blow hit with such force that the Dragon’s entire upper body was driven into the ground, shaking the whole valley as soil, rocks and foliage exploded away in a wide shower of pulverized bits.

As the area finally stopped shuddering a slightly battered Mars climbed up from the smoking crater, walking along the Dragon’s still form before hopping down and rejoining his companion. Together the pair flopped down on their haunches, staring at the downed reptile with skeptical looks, their chests heaving for breath.

“I, am getting too old for this,” Mars eventually muttered, massaging a sore spot under a wing.

Scipio meanwhile occupied himself with pulling a persistent vine of brambles from his mane, tossing them away as his attention returned to the downed Dragon before them. “Really? I had just begun to enjoy myself,” his expression hardened as the beast groaned and began to move. “Terra will not like this, we should summon the others to pacify our new friend here so that we may learn more of their, ‘deal’.”

Mars watched his fellow Paladin rise back to his hooves, the other Alicorn flexing his wings with the clear intent to take flight. Reaching out Mars caught Scipio’s foreleg as he passed, stopping him and, ignoring the smirk of the young upstart, gratefully accepted the now offered hoof.

“Why so quick to dismiss the King’s decree?” Mars asked, his tone growing playful as Scipio pulled him up. “Have you lost confidence in our ability to contend with this foe?” He snorted, looking past Scipio. “Tis only the one Dragon.”

“Fate favors the cautious, Mars. As you have always been so fond of lecturing me,” Scipio reminded his elder, meeting his gaze. “This beast bears far too many secrets for my liking, true enough his kind have always thought little of our magics, but this resistance of his, is something else…”

Mars returned his eyes to the Dragon as it pushed itself up with a foreleg, shaking the dirt from its head. “How do you mean?” He asked, lighting his horn again to prepare another spell.

“A simple process of elimination, Mars.” Scipio answered succinctly, his own horn coming alight as well. “Considering how little effect our blows have yielded thus far, and his apparent ability to disrupt directed energy based spells, or the fact I cannot seem to translocate.” He said, a serious tone thickening his voice as the light around his horn dimmed. “There is but one logical conclusion to draw. I fear this may very well be an Iridescent.”

Mars scoffed, though his stance shifted subtly into a more defensive posture. “Impossible.” He growled, his muscles tensing. “Their kind have been extinct for nearly twelve millennia, not since the great city fell have they soared the skies!”

“Quite so!” Roh’s voice boomed over the new clearing as he turned to face them, his prey, his first real test. “You have indeed seen through my ruse, Scipio, your sight is impressive. And you, Mars, Lord of armies. I am grateful that our paths should cross this night, I have looked forward to this moment since I was but a wee drake, crawling about in the dirt before I earned my wings.”

The massive creature reared up, swiping an arm at the sky with a roar so loud the air shook. High above the clouds tore away, long gashes slicing apart as though ripped by giant claws, the new holes allowing in beams of sunlight that landed upon the Dragon’s scales.

For a moment the two Alicorns had to look away, nearly blinded as brilliant light filled the vale, flashing with every color of the spectrum. It was intense, easily one of the brightest things either of them had ever seen, so bright it burned their eyes.

It was nothing but a distraction, Scipio knew this even before he had turned away in pain, he knew it even before he felt the claws of a hand larger than himself close around his body. He also knew to brace against the coming impact as he was lifted high into the air, he knew there would be more pain, and he knew that there was very little he could do as the ground suddenly rushed up to meet him.

Fighting to keep his focus Scipio concentrated on his energy, guiding it into his bones as his body shattered earth and rock. Again and again the Dragon slammed him down, chipping away at his defenses with every strike.

Scipio could not last, not like this. He needed to change tactics if he wished to prevail against a creature that had been designed with the very purpose of killing his kind. As another thunderous impact crushed the breath from him his magic flared to life, latching onto a nearby chunk of granite and launching it into the Dragon’s face as hard as he could manage.

The chariot-sized piece of stone found its mark, striking Roh just below his eye and shattering over his hide like cheap pottery. Though the blow barely left a scratch it served its purpose, staggering the beast just enough to loosen his iron grip.

Sensing his brief chance Scipio broke the hold the Dragon had on his body, kicking out of his grasp and rocketing into the sky above. His wings ached and his muscles burned, the damage had been done, but he dared not stop now. Flipping around he charged back the way he had come, pouring his power into his own body, magic reinforcing flesh until it was nearly indestructible.

Scipio pushed himself harder than he had in many centuries, the energy in his wings flaring, pushing his speed to propel him faster than most mortals ever dared dream. The air around his speeding form boomed like thunder as he broke through the speed barrier, his form nothing but a blur as he accelerated further.

The Dragon had seen him coming, and would have reacted if not for Mars choosing that exact moment to blast him in the face as well, before using his insane strength to ram the beast’s own fist straight up into his jaw. Again the Dragon was staggered, knocked back on his hind legs and off balance, perfectly open for the next attack.

In the next instant Scipio rammed himself into the Dragon’s gut, slamming his front hooves into the circle of already charred scales. With a roar of surprise and pain the Dragon sailed backwards, his entire body leaving the ground from the force of the attack.

Freed from the Dragon’s grasp Mars was flung to the side, falling into the trees and rolling across the mud. With a groan he slumped to the dirt, deciding that perhaps things were indeed getting a bit carried away.

Holding his throbbing hooves to his chest Scipio watched as his opponent sailed across a full half mile to the far side of the valley, crashing into the rocky cliffs and disappearing in a cloud of shattered stone. Even as he waited there, wings flapping numbly from the damage they sustained, Scipio knew that would not be enough.

Spotting Mars struggling back to his hooves far below Scipio waited until their gazes met, a nod being shared between them before both Alicorns shot forward. Taking the offensive the pair of Paladins charged, streaking through the air in a blur towards their downed target.

Roh had just begun his attempts to extricate himself from the rocks around him when he heard them coming, the Alicorns shouting over the storm as they flew at him, preparing to deliver heavy blows. He smiled to himself as he watched them come, his heart swelling as he studied their faces. They were growing desperate.

Scipio roared with all his might as he dove at the Dragon’s chest, the great beast lodged back first in the cracked stone of the hillside. A physical assault would be risky with just the two of them, what with their magic being largely ineffective and the Dragon matching them blow for blow. Complicating matters further was Mars and his insistence on conforming to the peace treaty with the Griffon kingdoms, and their rule of two.

An Iridescent was of a far higher breed than the average Dragon, boasting magic and durability that greatly exceeded that of their brethren. Their scales were among the hardest of natural substances known, and laced with disruptive fibers that unraveled even the strongest of spells. Which was why it was most often necessary to charge them head on, and charge the Paladins did.

With enough force to shake the entire mountain the Alicorns drove themselves into the Dragon’s gut, pulverizing hundreds of tons of stone and sinking him further into the cliff face. Not letting up for even a second they lashed out with their hooves, limbs moving with barely visible motions as they rained blows down upon his scaled hide.

They were efficient and precise, both sets of hooves perfectly in sink with one another as they struck, left then right. Scipio grit his teeth as his forelegs grew numb, the bones within shuddering with every impact they imparted. But they could not stop now, they held the advantage and the Dragon’s defences were beginning to weaken.

Scipio’s determination only grew as his next attack broke through the scale it struck, shattering it like glass and bruising the hide beneath. With renewed vigor he put everything he could muster into his next punch, driving his hoof straight into the exposed flesh, grinning like a fool when he heard a roar of pain.

Until now it had seemed as though Mars had been pulling his own punches, if just a bit, but his next landed with enough power to completely bury the Dragon within the mountain, pushing him back until the shattered rocks collapsed over him. As the mountainside continued to crumble and roll down over their opponent the Alicorns slowly backed off, nursing their aching legs and giving the avalanche of boulders a weary look.

“Any chance that will have killed him and we can go home?” Scipio asked half heartedly as he inspected his cracked and bleeding hooves.

“Not on your life, Scipio.” Mars replied with a face like stone, his eyes watching a few last boulders tumble past. “This, is far from over…”

Next Chapter: XII: Insidious Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 60 Minutes