Foxy appeared on the other side in a much smaller cavern. The entrance was just in front of mare, blinding her with a bright midday light. It was warmer. She was on her guard and silently began stepping forward. Behind her appeared the rest of the small group. Metal took position on her left side with a prepared spear. In his pink eyes was visible the primal warrior instinct, which had kicked in. When Phoenix emerged from the liquid portal, a terrible pain, he felt in the stomach, which almost knocked him on his knees. The painful sounds that were coming from him, made the other two to immediately turn around.

"Are you alright, Phoenix?" the armored pegasus asked.

"I'll be fine, just give me a minute." the unicorn was holding his guts with his right hoof. He thought with an angry voice: "Is this your doing, Jester?!"

"Not exactly, my friend. I forgot to mention that I put a magical medallion in your stomach. I guess there was some interference between their energies."

"What?! Are there other things you'd like to reveal to me? I'd be happy to know about the other stuff in my body, you so grossly put inside."

"I'll make a note for the next host I infect, he-he!"

Phoenix sat. He groaned and felt like his insides were on fire.

"I guess this method of travel is not suited for unicorns... Or at least to ones, who were accustomed to more pleasant way of life."

Metal's warm smile helped the inventor to manage the pain. He had to clench teeth and try to ignore the hurt.

"Thanks, Metal Eye."

"We'll wait until he can move again." Foxy said without a drop of solicitude. "The hardest part now comes. A full gallop to the Capital. If you think that you can't do it, then head back home with half of our provisions."

"No, I'll be fine. I won't disappoint you!" the unicorn tried to reassure her but she sensed something was not quite right. Maybe she was just reading into it too much. She then turned to the entrance and looked outside. The living wall was silent, there was no presence of other creatures in the vicinity. A few minutes passed, when out of the blue, the air brought a scream for help, which took Tail's attention and forced her to peek outside, just enough to see what was going on but still hidden behind the shadows. Metal left the unicorn and went to her. He wanted to check too what was happening.

In the open, a green pegasus was running for his life. The chasers stopped just at the border, where the forest ended and watched how the escapee was distancing himself from them. Then, before the first projectiles were thrown at them, the two ninjas disappeared in the green thick wall.

Out of nowhere, dozens of armed to the teeth warriors appeared from their hidden spots for ambush and went after the fleeing Guardians. Other ninjas came out of the wild scenery like ghosts and very fast approached the messenger.

"Stop right there! Your name and purpose of coming here!" the red and purple ninja demanded with a lordly tone. He had drawn his short sword and would not hesitate to use it on this poor pegasus.

"Wing Mail, sire. I was sent by the leader to give you his orders! On my way here I was ambushed by the Guardians. I don't know how I managed to escape them..."

"Where is the leader's seal?" the captain threateningly pointed his edge at him. In his brown eyes there was no good.

Wing stood on his two rear legs, so that everypony could clearly see the black mark on his tummy. It had a shape of a dragon head with two circles around it. That was more than enough for the captain to believe in his identity.

"What are His orders?" there was still note of hostility in his voice. This old warrior lost a lot of ponies under his command in the past few days and was on the edge ever since the fist patrol went missing. The pegasus was sweating a bit, a little by the gallop and by fear.

"The leader commands you to return immediately to Draconicus and leave the Guardians be. They've learned their lesson, he said. We are all in danger of a new enemy, who will arrive via the Portal. He said that your forces are not match for her..."

The veteran ninja grabbed him and pulled him closer to his face. He was sick and tired of surprises, which cost him pony power, lives he couldn't bring back. The captain didn't want to think of the letters, he'd to write to the families after the end of this mission.

"Who is she?" asked with a calmer voice.

"D-Dragon Born!" the pegasus seemed a lot more scared than a moment ago. More so, that he was trying to escape the strong captain.

"That's me!" a mare voice came behind him. The red and purple ninja did not realize what went on, just that he landed hard on his face a few meters away from Wing Mail. He shakily stood up afterwards and stared at the unfamiliar grey mare with a red mane, who had the nerve to attack a captain from the Dragon Claw clan. The other black ninjas were equally shocked to see her there. How did she came here without being noticed?

"You just brought yourself a death sentence!" the warrior angrily shouted.

"Me? Ha, if you dare to tango or are you afraid?" the mare was fearless and mighty, though the dragon ponies still didn't not know who the heck she was. More ninjas approached from all sides. Very quickly her world was surrounded by black and shining metal. "Stand back, everypony! Do you not recognize me?" she asked with a lot of power in her voice.

Her orange eyes moved from one ninja to another. Her cold gaze froze every warrior on his place. Something told them not to dance with her or else...

"Ha, if you thing that you are the legendary Dragon Born, then you are mistaken! She is cursed, wears a black outfit and has fire breath, can you do one of those, impostor? Where is your famous sword?" the captain stood in front of her, a lot of rage was coming from him.

"Come closer and you'll learn." she mockingly answered.

"Kill her!" what a simple order for an impossible task.

Four attacked simultaneously, she quickly ducked. Four weapons hit not flesh, but metal. She then stretched her hooves at theirs, touched them at some sensitive points, which paralyzed their muscles and couldn't use their front legs. Without a delay, Foxy jumped from her place, smashing the chin of one of the attackers. Blood and teeth, he spilled out. Tail jumped over a warrior, who fell on the ground because of her triple weight. She almost broke his spine. Five more swung their blades at her, she dodged all attacks by doing some fancy aerobics. Foxy was so beautiful, while moving like the total master of war. No pony could capture her, only the wind stroke her goodly red mane and fox tail. Her deadliness, combined with her natural elegance, made Metal's heart go faster and faster. He was to stay with Phoenix, who was still having the stomachaches and protect him at the Portal. Her fighting skills completely captured his soul, now he knew what his friend saw in her. Passion and perfection...

Oh, priestess of awesomeness, please take me to your temple and show me your moves for my eyes only to see!

She kicked their flanks like a mule. Ninjas were flying in every direction, some were able to get back to the unfair fight, others stayed on their places. Her powers found no match in these warriors, who so stupidly tried to harm her. No matter from what angle, how many or with what weapon they attacked, Dragon Born always managed to move out of the way and counter attack with her deadly techniques. Ponies fell on the dusty ground, paralyzed, or with broken ribs or legs. No pony could stop her! Those fools, they should run for their lives than to dance with her!

They were so off bit. The mare skillfully made a short work out of these losers.

It was the turn of the captain to try his luck. He swung his sword at her, like a lightening she rolled to his side. However, he anticipated that move and before Tail could hit him with her triple force, the red ninja tried to stab her in the back. Foxy had to roll forward again or her flank could turn into a Swiss cheese.

The sharp edge only scratched her rear hooves. Both turned around and were now facing each other. Standing still in preparation for the moment, when both we going to charge like the wind. No other ninja dared to interfere in this duel. So much fear was falling from their eyes, they didn't want to take another try with her.

In just a blink of an eye, they got at each other's throats. The swordspony cleverly swung his blade with fluency, but still not enough to make a successful hit on the agile mare. He attacked, she dodged and vise versa. The two seemed like gladiators, who fought for their place at destiny's throne room. The captain was straining his ability to fight with the sword to his highest limit. His heart was beating even faster with each moment. Heavy sweat was all over his coat. He moaned, roared and all kinds of other sounds came from his mouth. He was beginning to breath out of rhythm.

Foxy was the other opposite. She seemed to be playing with her toy just to learn how long he could keep up with her speed. Like a demon, she tormented this veteran and made fun of his misses. Her orange eyes were the depths of his destruction. Her hooves the poisonous spears. Her red mane was his blood.

The rest were horrified to see the captain lasting so long against her. Wounded and the ones, who were not harmed by her fast hooves of bone crushing, were frozen in a circle around those two, who seemed to be on equal ground. But then, the mare made a critical mistake and the blood pony capitalized on that. He hit her right in the face with his rear legs and then quickly pointed his sword at her tummy. She was on her two rear ones, when the veteran stabbed her.

As if time stood still. Because of the the crowd around them, Metal was not able to see what really went on, but that sound of steel shattering into pieces made him to forget his duty and get out of the small cavern. He flew upwards and went directly above the small arena. For his relief, Foxy was not harmed. She was smiling in a dark manner at her opponent. The latter was like gunned down at the sight of his broken sword. The blade fractured at her stomach area, which was covered in a thick dragon skin, which was almost un-pierceable.

This was bad... for the stallion.

She disarmed him, the shattered pride sadly fell on the ground. For him it seemed like hours passed for the blade to reach it's final resting place. The captain was still starring the point, where the edge had to move inside. His brown eyes couldn't believe it. She really was Dragon Born and now it was over for him. The rest of the ninjas couldn't do a thing, like statues, they silently watched the execution. No emotion, except fear.

"Dragon Born!" somepony shouted from the forest. She turned her attention to the approaching white pegasus with a lush black mane and blue eyes. Behind him, silhouettes were spreading to the left and right. Soon these dark figures turned out to be other ninjas, who had a very terrible look. They managed to ambush the enemy warriors, who went after Feather and Silver and now we ready to do one last engagement before they could taste freedom. They took attack positions and waited for the command.

Free came to the mighty mare with the eyes of a filly at the confectionery. Despite not really knowing how she really looked initially, that one pony in a circle of so many enemies, seemed like the chosen one. The dragon ponies found themselves in a difficult position and without their head of command, they were not able to do anything, except to keep watching.

Foxy gave him the cold eyes. She didn't recognize this young pegasus.

"Dragon Born!" he said with so much excitement, which annoyed her a bit.

"Are you going to stop calling my name and tell yours?" the hostility in her voice did not scare him at all.

"Yes, of course! I'm Free Feather, the leader of the Clan Phoenixes. I hope that we haven't arrived too late?" he looked around. So many ponies were lying unconsciously on the ground, that it kind of answered his question.

Then Foxy noticed the handle of the blade on his back. That was hers. He saw at what her eyes were looking and bowed. After that he took off the scabbard and ceremonially handled her the sword. She quietly took it in her hoof, then quickly pulled out the blade with her mouth and lifted it high, so that the clawed edge stood like a tower of power, the undisputed tool of death. The sword shined with a white light, it finally rejoined with it's true master. Every ninja from the Dragon Claw clan immediately bowed down and trembled in fear. Judgment, they were going to receive and it wasn't not going to be the pleasant kind of one.

The captain, who was frozen solid, closed his eyes and waited for death to welcome him in her legs.

"I'd run, if I were you." the legendary mare whispered in his ear.

His heart was beating unevenly. Terror had fully spread its tentacles in every part of his body. He shakily looked at his comrades and ordered with a defeated voice:

"Everypony retreat!"

"Wait! Before you all crawl back to your master, I present you with this choice:" Feather said loudly. "you can come with us through the Portal to live real meaningful lives or you can rot in here, serving evil until your bones melt! Anypony, who wants to give up this Hell for the Light will be welcomed! Choose now!"

The statues looked at each other, a lot of them were too loyal to their leader, some were hesitating and a very few dropped their weapons in a sign that they'd go with the winners.

"Come on everypony! I used to serve the Dragon Claw clan, but the leader is corrupted and thinks of nothing else but war and misery! Look inside your warrior hearts and see the truth! The days of glory are gone!" Silver shouted next to Free.

The ones, who were pendulating followed the example of the first ones but the the majority still stood in the leader's control. No pony else jumped the ship...

Then the statues slowly began moving their limbs. With heads down to earth, they grabbed the wounded and then made a column. Wing Mail nodded to Feather, then went to his friends and helped them carry the unconscious ones. He wouldn't want to leave them, so the green messenger was going back to Tartarus. They began to march in the direction of their capital. The ones, who chose freedom sat and waited. They were feeling like traitors but their souls would not bare to live the old lives, when this opportunity was given to them. The Phoenixes carefully watched the rest leaving this place, only the captain remained. He turned to Foxy without looking her in the eye.

"I'm honored that I was your opponent, Dragon Bron. I'd ask you one thing: kill me!" what a brutal request from a beaten warrior.

Her demonic eyes stared deep into him. To unleash the rage of the mare was really tempting. It would satisfy her demons for some moments but it was not worth it.

"Please, I don't want to live with my shame! I've lost fair and square. I deserve an honorable death!"

"No. Killing you won't serve any purpose. I don't give a buck about your honor!" she put back the sword into the scabbard. "You want to have some honor? You'll get one, if you stop serving that coward, you call the leader!"

The ninja sat on his flank. He had a wretched look. His right to die like a ninja was denied. How could he find peace now?

Foxy was done with this minion and now turned to Feather. Metal landed next to her, some of the Phoenixes were interested in his armor and royal-like appearance. He looked a bit silly in that gold panoply. On the other hoof, the spy was intrigued to finally meet ponies from this distant land, who didn't want to kill them.

"Who are you? And why was my sword in your possession?"

"We are the Phoenixes, the survivors from the Guardians of the Portal. Blue Circle gave it to me with one in mind: to deliver it to it's rightful owner. He stole it from some demon or something..."

"Demon?" Metal asked.

"And who are you? Are you a prince?" Silver entered in the circle. Her crimson eyes didn't gave him a sense of trust.

"Me? No." he smirked. "I'm Metal Eye. Officer from the Royal Guards of the Equestrian Kingdom."

"The Northern Kingdom?" Free's eyes got wider.

"Yes?..."

"After we make the jump to the other side, the clan will head north. Could we expect help from your kingdom, Officer Eye?" the younger pegasus asked with high hopes.

"Of course. We help ponies in need. I can bet my career that you'll be welcomed like family!" he assured.

"Demon?" she thought. "It must be the shadow... Why it would need the sword?"

"Thank you, Dragon Born!" Free quickly bowed again at her. Foxy was not feeling honored because her mind was troubled with stuff that concerned everypony. "If it hadn't for you, we'd have never been able to escape this hell."

"Where is Circle? Where is the Master? What happened to the Guardians?" Foxy stepped forward to the pegasus. Her serious look on her eyes was a bit disturbing.

"The Guardians are no more. Some days ago we tried to assassinate the Dragon Claw leader but failed. For the past days, we were hunted by them. Yesterday, Circe lost his mind and decided to go back to Draconicus to prepare things for your arrival. On the very same day, I and Silver Knife got ambushed... Master Triple came to our help and paid with his life, so that I and she can live." sadness was in his blue eyes, when he mention the death of his former master.  

"Circle, did he talk about the Shadow Sun Prophecy? What was the name of the demon, who stole my blade?" questions and more questions were fired like from a machine gun. She demanded answers and the pegasus willingly gave them:

"Yes, he claimed that we are all playing a role in the prophecy. When he came to the camp, days after the attack of the shadow, I overheard the name, The Jester of Flame. I do not know who that is but my guess is that's the name of the demon..."

"I know who he is." she darkly said. Her right hoof was pushing hard into the ground. "A dead dragon, the one who cursed my grandmother. I find it difficult to believe that he is alive..." then her eyes grew bigger from the sudden realization, which shattered her view of the recent events. The curtain fell... "He is the shadow! The master behind the scenes... now everything makes sense..."

"What are you talking about?" Feather confusingly asked.

"Lucky's death... was that his doing?" she was turning her head to the left or right, whenever a question was asked. "Why his murderers recognized me but the ninjas here didn't? My revenge... is it just an illusion? Is this a plot to destroy me for what my grandmother did to him?"

"Foxy?" Metal showed a lot of concern for her.

"He helped us defeat Shadow Sun and then he killed Lucky... Why? What is the Jester planning? What is his goal?"

"Who is this Jester? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." Phoenix came to them. Somehow no pony noticed him approaching from the cavern.

"A dead dragon..." Metal answered. Then he quickly turned to him in a surprised manner. "Wait, are you okay, Phoenix? No pain in the stomach?"

"I told you that I needed a little time. It hurts a bit but I'll manage." he smiled then said to his friend the shade: "You never told me that you are an ex-dragon. You must know by now that I have learned some spells that can make your world turn upside down, right?"

"Ha, watch out everypony, we have a badflank over here!" the shadow mockingly said.

"Wait until I laugh at your failed plan!" he thought fearlessly.

"Why you wanted to assassinate the leader? How you failed?" Foxy asked the young leader.

"Circle told us that he was going to bring machines of terrible power, that could wipe out the other clans without them having any chances. He also told us that the leader was under Shadow Sun's control. The master and Blue confronted him in his quarters but were not able to kill him. Circle mentioned that he wore a red tricorn medallion with unnatural magic."

"I'm the inventor of the weather changing machines." the smart unicorn revealed. "And I'm not proud of what I was about to become."

"Why would you do such a horrible thing?" Silver was surprised to hear that.

"I was... under the influence of the red pendant..." he sadly looked down at the earth, trying to hide from their piercing sights.  

"At least, we stopped you before the unthinkable." Metal place a hoof on his shoulder. His pally words brought some self respect into the yellow inventor.

"Red medallion..." in Foxy's imagination appeared the two crimson pieces, which they destroyed. They were isosceles triangles with one hundred and twenty degrees angles on the tops. She connected them, her mind put the green spiral one in the center with its top facing her.  Comparing this to the locket, which was illustrated in the Shadow Sun painting back at the artists' home, Tail noticed that only one piece was missing. "Lupi Do... what have you done!"

"Smart girl, isn't she?" the Jester noted inside Phoenix's head.

"The danger from Shadow Sun is not over! Mix in there the Jester's dark plans... Our arrival here was planned from the beginning!" Foxy angrily turned to Metal, who was trying to comprehend what she was saying. "We are dancing under his music! And I don't like being controlled!"

"I know how much you want to scream and tell them that I'm here. I warn you again, only think of exposing my presence and you'll be dead on the spot!" Phoenix stood silently with a dark flame in his blue eyes. The yellow unicorn was not ready to die but he did not want this evil creature to succeed.

"I'm a little confused... So, Shadow Sun is real? I mean Blue is crazy and we didn't believe him much about that old story. But now, when you talk about it, I begin to fear of how blind we are..." Feather felt a bit guilty.

Foxy turned to him and said coldly:

"Shadow Sun is real! The rulers of the Northern Kingdom believe in her existence and they are semi-Goddesses!"

"Does that mean that our mission has changed? Is this a quest for revenge or for saving everypony's flanks?" Metal asked calmly.

"Both!" she darkly answered without looking at him. "I'll stop the leader and the mistress, he serves, and I'm going to end the Jester's pathetic existence!"

"We would like to lend you a hoof, Dragon Born but our mission is to preserve what is left from the Guardians and our peaceful ways of life. We are too weak to go on another assassi..."  

"I don't need your help!" she sharply cut him. "You would only slow me down!"

There was so much pain in her orange eyes, that entire worlds would burn brightly in the hellfire inside her. All her life she felt like being used. Her being couldn't take it no more, it was time to end it all right now. Her life had one meaning - to lay waste to those who brought her pain. She was not afraid to parish in her attempt, she would welcome the eternal peace with a smile.

"It's time to go on our ways." Tail then bowed down at Feather. "Thank you for delivering my weapon. Take some of our first aid kits and half of our food. Phoenix will give them to you."

"I thank you for opening the path to salvation for us." Free bowed too.

The Phoenixes took their wounded to the Portal. One of the two sacks was given to them. Foxy and her sidekicks immediately left for Draconicus after they gave them the necessary provisions for their survival. They began jumping to the other side, finally these tired, dirty and weakened by the past days ponies saw the light in the tunnel. They were leaving pain behind to face the bright future together. From now on it was only history...

One pink and red ninja was sitting outside. His tunnel sight couldn't break from the shattered blade. He failed himself and the leader. What was he going to do now?

"You can come with us, if you want." Feather asked the veteran warrior.

"But we are enemies... how can you forgive me for trying to hunt you all down?! I won't be able to forgive myself for the lives that were lost in these short days, if I choose life..."

"With time everything will be forgiven! You had your job, we had ours... We can't change the past, it is, what it is. The only difference we can make is to pay tribute to the ones, who are not among us and choose the light."

"Wise words from a such a young pegasus..." he looked at him in the blue eyes. They weren't exactly warm, but not hostile either. They were the eyes of a leader, who cared for his friends. A leader worth standing behind. The veteran realized that and his internal flame began to burn in a different light. "I'll follow you!" Next Chapter: Chapter 40: Craze Is In The Air... The King Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 3 Minutes