General Grievous silently observed the the cellar in which the surviving residents of Appleloosa were hiding in. This was an all too familiar situation for him, the half starved adults and children, wide eyes looking up at him with both fear and gratefulness, the dark and crowded room. It reminded him of his days on Kalee, liberating his people from the monstrous Huk. To him it was darkly ironic that the Changelings were insect like...just as the Huk.

The pony that was obviously Braeburn was rugged now, his hat now had a few tears, his vest was dirty and his mane looked as if it hadn't been washed in days. His eyes widened at the sight of Grievous.

“What in the name of Celestia's mane is that?”

“This is General Grievous and he's our new friend,” Pinkie answered, sliding up to him quickly but still keeping her voice down so as not to scare the colts and fillies.

“How long have you all been here?” Grievous asked, his eyes never blinking. The cramped wooden cellar had a gigantic shelf in the back and a couple dozen barrels, the racks on the shelf were empty and the barrels were either empty or had rotting apples in them.

“About three days I reckon,” Braeburn said sadly. It pained Applejack to see her cousin so...broken and haunted by these experiences, her face showed her determination.

“C'mon eveypony there's a train that'll take us all to Canterlot.”

The survivors perked up at her words and wasted no time in following Grievous up the stairs and to the secret hallway that led out. Out to their freedom. Grievous made it out first, stopping so as to make sure the ponies were keeping up with him and he waited until every one of them was out before turning to face the doors.

A splintering sound resonated throughout the otherwise silent room as the doors spontaneously tore off their hinges and smashed into pieces against the building opposite Town Hall. Eerie hisses and screeches and a insect like buzzing crescendo-ed together as the Changelings gathered outside, their pupil-less eyes boring into them hungrily. The skylight shattered loudly as a cloaked figure descended upon them like a huge bat out of Tarturus, the ponies either screamed or cringed while Grievous hardly reacted, completely unimpressed at the enemies display of so called “power.”

The figure opposite the cyborg stood and tossed off his large robe to reveal a lighter set of ash gray robes, on his left was  gray lightsaber hilt with a thin bit of gold curling around it and stopping just below the place where the deadly blade would emerge in moments.

“Renn...you're the assassin?” Grievous exclaimed, actually surprised by the revelation.

The Dark Jedi smiled in a predatory fashion and held his chin high.

“Yes and I must say its a very rewarding job, thanks to that battle on Mygeeto where I was believed to have perished I realized how pointless the Order had become. Fighting a senseless war...which I hear you are still a part of...you never will stop will you?”

“I will stop when you and the rest of you Jedi scum are dead!” General Grievous snarled back, the ponies all stayed close to the walls, the rage emitting from Grievous was almost more frightening than the Changelings or even Renn.

Renn drew his lightsaber.

BSSSH!

The green blade shot out, glowing, slowly he raised it, pointing it aggressively at the general while keeping it horizontal to the ground and up near his face.

Grievous steadily drew two lightsabers, igniting them simultaneously. The atmosphere seemed to grow deathly silent except for the endless humming of the lethal weapons.

Renn made the first move, running at Grievous, keeping his lightsaber down so he could bring it up as a slash attack.

Grievous crouched low to the ground and his green and blue lightsbers began to rotate. Becoming nothing but glowing blurs, steadily he angled them forward. The tips sliced into the wood creating burning gashes in the wood as sparks launched up, Grievous never flinched when the sparks struck his metal body. As he expected Renn staggered back at the unexpected move. But quickly the assassin regained his composure and ran at him.

Grievous immediately brought both of his blades up to block the attack, the crackling blades echoing in the Town Hall. Grievous swiped with his left quickly knocking his foe's blade aside and stabbed with his right. Renn slid to the left attempting to position himself behind Grievous only to be put on the defense. Grievous brought his lightsabers down mercilessly on Renn's, who had to keep his weapon over his head to block a few downward swings.

Just as quickly, Grievous swiped with his right and keeping his other above his head, bringing it down and spinning once. Renn deflected a blade and lept back, stunned by how fast Grievous was. But regardless he ran forward again, aiming to cut the Kaleesh warlord in half but Grievous flipped over his head. Renn dropped to one knee and blocked both lightsabers, groaning under the strain he aggressively pushed up and swung with one hand, managing to turn himself around to face his larger enemy.

Grievous blocked with his right and swung with his left. Renn ducked in time but again found himself on the defense, deflecting attacks meant for his upper body, the general's swings were blurs and he barely could bring his weapon downward in time to meet the quick stabs meant for his legs. Renn swung up to counterattack forcing Grievous to bring up a single lightsaber to defend himself.

Renn followed up with a few powerful hits, driving Grievous back, grinning he took a swipe at Grievous' mechanical legs...but Grievous already had a counter planned.

He tossed one lightsaber into the air and quickly dropped down on his free hand and was now standing with it. Swinging hard his blue lightsaber at Renn's legs forcing the Dark Jedi to position his lightsaber downwards, the cyborg's foot grabbed a hold of his once air born weapon and spun his whole body around on his hand.

Renn gave a small jump to avoid one lightsaber but had to sloppily parry the green blade that could cut his head off.

Grievous pushed up with his arm and while in midair tossed his lightsaber back into his free hand and swung down with both. Renn flipped back and as soon as his boots hit the ground he ran at Grievous. The warlord parried with his right, keeping Renn distracted before he viciously swung to the left with his other blade, staggering Renn.

The weakening Dark Jedi screamed angrily and swung. Grievous reared back, crouched and spun, sticking his right leg out to trip his enemy.

“Uff!” Renn gasped when he smacked hard onto the ground, winded and now defenseless...he gave the order.

“Changelings attack!” Next Chapter: The Battle Of Appleloosa Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes