> Dragon Of Instinct, Become's The All Father.
>  by ShadowsInTheDark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Heart Stones, Now We're One.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Asphyxious pov***

After coming back from helping that Everblight displaced again, I made a call for Luna, Revan and the main six to meet with me. We then went to the Dog Labs as I’ve come to calling it, and set everything up for what I had in mind.

“You’re going to do what!?” Yelled Twilight as her friends looked at me in concern. I guess they should be worried, after all I’m going to fully consume my heart stones. And if something go wrong I could be the one who get eaten.

“Like I said, I’m going to fully merge with my other heart stones. Once that happens I should have even more control over my blight.” I explained, but at the same time I didn’t want to run the risk that the other dragons in the heart stones could control my body if they’re strong enough.

“We, I understand. I did find others with you in your dream scape trying to hide themselves. I wasn’t sure what they were until now. But this will be dangerous, they could see what you are planing and try and stop you. Or worse, work together to stop you from doing what you have planned.” Luna added looking at me with a serious expression.

“I understand you’re all worried, that why I have all of you here if something go wrong.” I replied with a smile. They all looked worried, hell even Sonya and I even noticed some of my dogs peeking in from outside the room. “If anything go wrong call Ava and Mum. If things go wrong, they should be able to keep me contained here.”

I looked at Revan as she gave me that look of, well. That look you get when someone saying you're doing something stupid, but you know it needs to be done.

“This is a boneheaded move.” Revan grunted. I smiled and shrugged as Luna and Twilight started their work on the magic circle.

“It needs to be done, or I run the risk of there other Heart Stones taking over my body and devouring my mind til there's nothing left.” I explained as I go into the circle. I looked at everything making sure all the runes were in there right placement. Once that was done, I sat in place and let out a breath of air.

“Are we ready to begin?” Asked Luna as everyone took their places. I closed my eye and remembered what Revan taught me in meditating. I nod my head as I focus on my breathing, I could feel the magic in the room. I could slowly feel the world around me being cut off, and then darkness.





Once I open my eye again, I was in the forest by the large lake. I got up and looked around, nothing was out of place and that what bothered me the most. I looked around and thought about something, if I was a dragon in a heart stone hiding from the one who ate me. Where would I hide? I looked back at the lake after that thought. 

“It go against human instinct to go into the bottom of a lake. Humans naturally fear the dark for they do not know what's inside it.” I said to myself as I walked over to the lake and looked down into it. I never noticed how dark the water was before, if there was the mind and soul of the other dragons in those heart stones. They be hiding here.” After saying that, I started to walk into the water. It didn’t feel cold or warm.

It just felt like water the deeper I went, I took a breath as I took one last step as my head went under water. Only to break the surface of the water again, only this time I wasn’t in the forest any more. To be more clear I was in a dead forest, I was shocked at what I found as I walked out of the lake and took a look around.

“About time you showed up, King.” Spoke a voice that made me jump, I looked around quickly only to find a woman setting on a rock. I was confused by her long white hair, but when she looked up I saw an eye patch over one eye and a feral smile. I knew that smile, I saw it before.

“Instinct?” I asked confused by there new… Look. Before it looked like a copy of me, now it looked like a woman with long white hair, a black hoodie on with shorts and black knee high boots.

“You look surprised? What didn’t think I’d survive here or something?” She asked before getting off the rock and walking over to me. I was still surprised it, she show herself to me so soon after coming here. She then punched me in the gut knocking the wind out of me.

“W-What was that for?” I asked in pain as she smiled down at me. She points to the left showing a land on fire, then to her right to show a land of snow. Before pointing behind me to a land of sand and rocks.

“You let them take root in your mind, body and soul. That show just how weak you really are, how am I supposed to follow someone who didn’t even realize they were here?” She asked, it almost sounded like she was taunting me. I get it she was pissed at me, I let out a sigh as I get up again.

“So you going to help me out and removed them completely?” I asked looking at the three landscapes.

“No.” That simple word stopped me in my tracks. No?! I looked back at her in fear, what did she mean no?! As in she wasn’t going to help me? “You have to show me you’re worth keeping around, that you are the king of this realm inside of your mind and soul. If you can’t do that, I’ll just help one of the other dragons take over this place. Well if they're strong enough that is.”

She explained before pointing at the land of snow and ice. “I’d start there if I were you. They are the newest dragon to show them self.” Instinct explained before walking off.

“Wait!” I called out as she stopped. “I have a question. If I’m so weak, why talk to me at all? Why not side with one of the other dragons and help them take over my body and mind?”

Instinct seemed to stand there for what felt like ages, before laughing. She pulled out a sword and throw it to me. I caught it and looked at the blade, it was my cutlass. “Where the fun in that?” She replied before walking off. Next thing I know she was gone…

“Great… I have to fight three dragons and eat them… Just a walk in the park?” I asked myself before walking on. If what she said was true then this was the ice dragon from the dragon lands. This was going to be a long fight, it felt like a dream as I walked through the snow. But the cold and ice felt real.

“Nothing ever easy…” I growled to myself as I’m walking around this snow covered landscape. It felt like I was walking for weeks on end, until I heard a roar. “About time you showed up…” The snow ahead of me explodes as something large lands in front of me. I looked up at the large dragon before me.

“Hey there, nice to see you again. Not still mad about me eating you right?” I asked only to get a mindless roar in response. Yeah he was still angry…





I panted as I looked at my blood covered sword, but the blade was cracked in a number of places. I also almost lost my arm. I looked back at the dragon that was still alive in front of me. “Not bad, not bad at all.” Said Instinct as she walked up next to me.

“So, what do I do next?” I asked looking up at her. She smiled before helping me up, but that as far as it went.

“Place your hand on it heart, and the rest is instinct.” She replied before vanishing again. I was bloody and hurt, I looked back at the dragon as it whimpered at me… It didn’t want to die, I can understand that. But this was my body and soul, and no one was going to take that from me. I place my hand on it chest, the next thing I know a hundred lifetimes rush into my head. I saw everything, when this dragon was first born by Toruk hand.

The dragons fighting Toruk, the dragons hiding from him. How the world ended, then how it died. Then awaken again, then my fight with this dragon. The pain of my fangs biting into it body, my claws cutting into muscle. And then when I ate him… I dropped to my knees as it all hit me all at once.

“That was… Horrible, it seen so much yet it wanted what it could never have… That dragon, wanted to rule the world. Just like Toruk…” I let out a growl as the land around me disappeared. Now there was only two places left, a land of sand and a land of fire. I moved on ready for the next fight.


***Instinct pov.***

He was doing well, far better than I expected. I would think the emotional backlash from consuming the dragon, would have broken him. I was wrong, maybe it had to do with the loss of his daughter and family member. The dragons instinct’s were interesting, but these dragons were nothing like the equestrian's where in those dragons are driven by greed. These dragons are driven for a desire for more power.

Asphyxious however was not like them, being a human means he had the hope to change. I watched as he battled with the dragon over the sands. Unlike the last one, this one could talk. I’ll wait and watch, regardless who wins it all the same to me.

But I’d be lying if I didn't say a small part of me wanted him to win. After all it was his mind a soul that I was born from. It was also fun to watch him fight.


***Asphyxious pov***

I killed the second dragon, I felt sick. It was like every time I removed one of these dragons. My mind and body suffer for it. My cutlass was broken and I stared at it, I looked to the land covered by fire.

Every step I took felt like my body was getting heavier. Like I was wearing lead or something, unlike the last two dragons who attacked me. This one was waiting for me, the dragon looked up at me as larva ran down it body.

“I didn’t think you’d come this far, little human. Pretending to be a dragon.” It said in a deep booming voice. Everything in my body hurts, but I had to keep standing. I had to win or this last dragon would take over my body and soul! “Tell me, what is it you want most and I’ll give you the power to make it happen.”

This made me angry beyond anything, I could feel my own blood boiling in my veins. “The one thing I want most… Is something that was lost to me.” I replied glaring at it, the dragon looked surprised but I didn’t care about that. “What I lost was my daughter and cousin. I’ll never get them back no matter how much power I have or how much you can give me!”

“Impossible, how are you doing this? I blighted this part of your mind.” It asked as the land started changing all around us, but I didn’t care about any of that. I could even feel my body change as I stand just as tall as this dragon.

“This is my mind and you, Toruk and the rest of your kind. Have nothing I WANT!” I roared as I tackled the other dragon to the ground. I didn’t care about the pain in my arms, as we fell into the larva. I just wanted this dragon DEAD!

I could not remember how long the fight lasted, days, weeks, years? I didn’t care as I looked down at the dead dragon. After eating him I knew what this dragon lived through just like the other two.

“What’s wrong? You look upset?” Asked Instinct as she walked over to me. I didn’t say anything as the land changed again, this time the forest was back but covered in snow. I felt ill and sick, I now knew just how many lives those dragons had taken. And yet, I felt something hit my head. I blinked as I looked at Instinct. “Stop moping and wake up already, you’re worrying your wives.” Huh? I thought as I stared at her, before blacking out.






I woke up feeling like shit, my body wouldn't move. I then saw Pinkie looking down me before she gasped. “His awake!” She yelled before running off somewhere. As I was left alone I began to think. How long was I out for?

I heard the door open as a group ran in. First face I was was the main six, then Sonya and the others. Before Gwen and Revan came in next looking down at me.

“What happened!? You never tell me what’s going on!” Gwen shouted. Revan just moped. I slowly reached out and put my hand on Gwen’s head.

“Sorry to worry you, just had to clear out my head.” I laughed lightly, but my body felt like a brick. I then looked at Revan and see what she had to say. “So, was I any trouble?”

“You mean did you thrash? Yes, and you hit me in the gut.” Revan said grumpily.

“And your heart stopped.” Added Sonya with annoyed look on her face. “Then you stopped breathing, next thing we know your bones started braking all on their own.” Sonya went through a list of things happening to my body while I was out. No wonder I feel like hell.

“You’re an idiot. You should’ve placed some sort of protection spell on yourself.” Revan grunted. This made me laugh, I could not run the risk of that if I failed. So I just lay there with a smile on my face.

“Good news is, it just me and Sombra in my head now. No one else.” I added closing my eye.

“Wonderful…” Revan said sarcastically. “Here’s an idea, get rid of him too before you do anyone again.”

“No worried, I put him in a soul cage ages ago. Don’t mean I don’t hear him from time to time.” I replied resting, I looked at everyone before noticing something. “Where’s Luna?”

“She had to go out for a bit, but she said she’ll come back later to make sure you’re okay.” Said Twilight as she smiled, sheepishly. I wasn’t worried about it, all I know is I need a long nap.

“Someone get him to bed, he looks like he’s about to pass out after running a marathon… As a fat person…” Revan stated monotonously. I don’t know why but whenever she talks like that I find it cute. I was then helped to my room and put to bed, I hurt as I was laid down but I’d be okay. I then saw Gwen and Revan get in the bed and look down at me.

“Yes?” I asked tiredly smiling softly at them. When was the last time I felt this tired? 

“Is there something you need?” Gwen asked sweetly as Revan just stared blankly. I could not help but softly pull them into a hug. I just purred as they were in my arms, I could stay like this all night.

“Right now this is all I need, by the way. Have you two decided if you want to marry me yet?” I asked trying to stay awake now. It was hard seeing how heavy my eyelids felt.

“I say yes, but Revan’s unconvinced.” Gwen said, kissing my cheek. I smiled and nod my head at her, then kissed Gwen and Revan on the forehead.

“That’s okay, there’s no rush.” I replied as I slowly fell asleep. The next day was, interesting to say the least. As soon as I woke up, let just say that Gwen and Revan wanted my help relieving some stress. By the time it was over all three of us was gasping for breath.

“Wow… How long were we doing that for?” I asked, between breaths. I did not expect to make love to them as soon as I woke up to day.

“Since nine AM, and it’s afternoon.” Gwen replied, tiredly. I did not expect that, I looked at Gwen as she smiled back. As she cuddled one side of me, I then looked to Revan who was hugging my other side.

Revan only looked away. I smiled and kissed her forehead. “Did you like it?” I asked, rubbing my hands down their backs.

“Yeah…” Revan muttered. I wasn’t sure if she was blushing or trying to hide that fact. But I understand she a strong woman and didn’t like to show weakness to anyone. Even those who care about her. As we lay in bed I them think about things, random at first then other things. So as my mind wandered I held them closer.

“I want to stay like this forever.” I said more to myself then to them. Call it a moment of being selfish. I was content and didn’t want this moment to end. I opened my eye and looked at them, as Gwen and Revan looked back at me.

“I know…” Gwen said softly. “But things change…” To true the worlds always changing, along with everyone else. 

“I know…” I replied pulling them closer. I will do anything to keep them safe, I’ll do everything within my power to make sure no one harms them. “My heart belongs to you and no one else. The both of you.” I then felt Revan pull on my cheek, yeah it hurt. She even looked annoyed as she kept pulling on my cheek. “Why are you doing that?”

“Training. Now.” Were the two words that left Revan mouth. Oh boy, something tell me I’m in for a long week. I looked to Gwen and she just smiled at this. I’m doomed...
> Super Baby.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Asphyxious pov. On the train to the crystal empire.***

“I am surprised I was invited to this little get together.” I asked sitting next to Spike as we played card games. I have called Rin over to come to, seeing as I was married to Twilight and Shining armor was kind of my half brother now. It made since we’d all meet up. My only worry was that if Velvet was there I may need to hide from her.

“Well you’re apart of our family Asphyxious.” Said Twilight as she looked over at me from Starlight, To me the unliving looked worried about all this. I get the feeling Twi over working the poor girl. “Although I must ask, what kind of gift did your mother bring?” I blinked at this before looking back at Rin. The box was as big as she was and much to the unease of the other passengers it would occasionally move on its own and make strange noises.

“That kind of what I want to know, but I’m sure it not dangerous… It not is it?” I asked as I saw Rainbow looking it over.

“Oh no, it’s perfectly safe.” Rin assured. I just took her word for it before the train stopped. We all get off and on to the station, oh good lord what happened to him? I thought as we meet up with Shining armor. The poor guy looked like he didn’t sleep in days. 

“You okay there buddy?” I asked, he kind of went on and on talking in rambles for a while. Before he fell asleep standing up... I kind of feel his pain but I didn’t say anything. Rin just picked him up in a soft magic bubble and started walking towards the palace.

Once inside Cadence walked us inside to the room were the baby was. “We just like to warn you, she maybe a bit strange.” I rolled my eye at this.

“Strange please, I’ve lived it how bad can it be?” I asked walking behind Twilight and her friends.

“I’m sure whatever it is we can handle it.” Twilight added as we all looked at the baby. I for the lack of a better word was surprised, I knew I would be an uncle what I didn’t know was I’d be the uncle to a baby alicorn.

“Okay… That different…” I say blinking in confusion, how were her wings that big? “Okay Mum explain please?”

“What’s to explain? When two parents make a baby the dominant genes are used. So it makes sense that she would get most of it from her mother in this case.” Rin said with a shrug. I face clawed at this, not what I was on about but good enough.

My Luna and Celestia were here to and started to explain they didn't know how a alicorn was born. Mum being the troll that she was interrupted them by telling them about the birds and the bees. I asked why didn’t Faust tell them, they replied with she was busy. Busy doing what I had no idea.

We was then taken to the heart and had the caromay explained For some reason Rin put up a barrier around the heart which she said was to stop the sonic vibrations from breaking it. How did she know!? Oh gods that is loud!

“My ears won’t stop ringing!” I called out holding my head, next thing I know the small filly was hugging my face… “umm, hello?” I said as she giggled.

“Well it looks like she likes you.” Said Shining with a smile. Oh crap I knew that look, I am not babysitting.

“We can get everything ready while he looks after Flurry heart.” Said Cadence with a smile. She’s your kid, why are you powning her off on me?! I thought as everyone was looking at me now… You to mum? What’s with that look like you know funny things are going to happen? Suddenly Rin’s head snapped to look at Flurry Heart and she tensed then back peddled.

“Incoming!” She cried out. Oh gods what now? I thought as I looked at the kid with panicked eyes. She was making faces so I thought she was ether going to burp or throw up so I lifted her up and faced her away from me. That was a mistake. Suddenly her diaper expanded like a balloon and I was pinned under it. In a manner of speaking, I saw how everyone left the room leaving me alone to change her.

I sighed before looking at her. “Well let get you a clean nappy and cleaned up.” I said as she giggled. I was just lucky everything I needed was right here.


***Rin’s Pov.***

Troll,lool,lool,lool,lool,lool! I thought to myself as we walked out of the area. Perhaps in time he two will learn how to predict the disasters of the super babies.

“Oh I brought a gift for Flurry Heart.” I said to the exhausted parents as I lifted the box. “Thought I should show you first so that you don’t jump to conclusions or freak out.”

“Well alright, what is it?” Asked Shining, as Cadence walked up to the box.

“Every kid should have a best friend.” I said as she pulled on a ribbon and let the box fall open. “She’s already been trained and great with kids.” Once they saw what was in there everypony backpedaled and even Shining looked wide awake.

“What the buck is that!?” He demanded.

“It’s a dog.” I reply. Well… okay it’s a monster dog, like a hellhound but it’s not like its demonic or anything. I look over to see the black dog with glowing green eyes. It was as big as Cadence and its mouth was full of wicked looking sharp teeth. Under its black fur it’s vanes glow a toxic green color and its tail was long and ended in a second mouth.

“It so… CUTE!” Yelled Cadence as she hugged it. To the surprise to everyone else, but Fluttershy who was smiling. “But first let get you cleaned up and put a collar on you. Does it have a name?”

“Her name is Hope.” I said with a nod. I could see most of the ponies looking at me like ‘really?’ “Her spices are highly intelligent, more so than any normal dog, and she was well trained for kids. You’d be surprised how much she could help you look after her. She’ll be Flurries best friend and bodyguard.” I say with a nod.

“Well, at least it’s not a Argus.” Said Shining as he slowly moved closer to Hope. “So what do we need to feed her?” He asked before a commotion was heard. Everyone saw Asphyxious holding on to Flurry’s hooves as she was dragging him down the hall. Hope immediately honed in on Flurry then looked at me questioningly. I just give her a nod letting her know that that was her new owner.

“Woh!” Cadence said as Hope ran over to Flurry, carrying the alicorn of love as if she weighed nothing over to the child. Flurry stopped to look at Hope curiously until Hope opened her mouth and an absurdly long tongue shot out and licked her on the face.

“You have… No idea the trouble I went though to keep an eye on her.” Asphyxious said from his place on the floor.

“Oh believe me son… I do.” I told him as I gave him a pat on the back. Flurry was now giggling as she hugged Hope’s face. “Take cover!” I cry out as I back away. Ax immediately followed my example this time. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP! Flurry let loss strong winds that knocked over the ponies in its breath but Hope took the full force of the wind without being fazed by it. Good thing most monster dog species are so sturdy.

“My lord the pipes on her… Where did she get that from?” Asphyxious asked as Rainbow was sprawled out on top of his head. Luna laughed as her sister sighed.

“Oh this is nothing. I used to babysit two kids with the same power all the time.” Rin said as she watched Flurry and Hope happily playing. Though it didn’t bother Hope everyone could see that Flurry could have easily killed a normal dog with some of her playing.

“So what do we do now?” Asphyxious asked after helping Rainbow wake up. Twilight had shielded the rest of her friends from the baby burp, so they were fine.

“Well Hope can easily keep Flutter occupied and keep her from running off so she could look after the kid as needed.” I say and I see Shining look at the Hope with… well, hope.

“Oh as for your previous question, You might need to get the dog food shipped from the griffins. I’ll give you a few large bags of what she eats so you can get a steady supply.” I say with a shrug. “The name of this dog’s spices… is Bone Eater.” I say as I summon a large bone and toss it to Hope who eats it like it was a dog biscuit.

“Well then seeing everything in hand, let’s get ready for the crystallizing.” Said Shining Armor. Everyone agreed as they went through on what should happen.





***Asphyxious pov.***

After seeing the light show and everyone turned crystal again, I wasn’t impressed. However I’d be wrong if I say it didn’t make my lovers look more interesting.

“I...am not amused.” Rin deadpanned. I looked at her and laughed. Her fur stood strait up and spiked so now she looked like a crystal hedgehog. I then felt Luna stand next to me, and I swear I felt her hand on my hip. I looked down at her and smiled as she smiled back at me.

“I’m just going to take a nap in one of the guest rooms.” I said out loud as I walked off, I looked back from time to time to see Luna was following me. I smiled as we both entered a room and locked the door.





I woke up in the middle of the night, I didn’t know why but I felt restless like something was wrong. I looked down to find a sleeping Celestia to my surprise. I finally got out of bed, then after getting dressed I went out for a walk around the palace.

It all looked so different at night, but I didn’t like how fake the sky was. It should be colder than this. I thought as I continue my walk. No matter how nice it was in the crystal empire, it felt like one big cage to me.

I then smelt something, something unfamiliar? I followed the scent as I walked softly. I followed the smell to a room. I used my eyeless sight to look inside, sadly it didn’t work. The palace was full of magic and it was blocking my sight.

“Looks like I’ll have to find out the old fashioned way.” I calmly said as I opened the door. As soon as I did something felt wrong… Once inside I saw this was Flurry’s room, the first thing I saw was Hope was missing and blood was on the floor.

“RIN!” I yelled as I go down to where the blood was, as soon as I touch it I felt something was wrong. The blood was sticky, old and going by the smell had a number of chemicals in it. I then smelt rot, it was Cryx! How did they get in here, where did they go now!? I didn’t wait as I jump out the window and land. I look up and follow the smell of death, I had to find them and fast!

I didn’t slow down as I ran, I followed the trail until I heard fighting. I saw Luna was fighting some kind of undead minotaur. It gave out a roar as it swing it axe at Luna shield. “Hurry they took the baby that way!” Luna called out as she was fighting, I did as she said and kept running. I know she could take care of herself, I was more worried what they will do to Flurry.

I still remember the old books I used to read about cryx. As well as the books I have now, with the right training. Flurry could be turned into a powerful warcaster one day. But if cryx got their claws on her, they turn her into a deadly necromancer. I heard a howl as I saw Hope fighting something. Something tall, familiar and glowing green.

“Get away you beast!” Yelled the lich as it swings it staff at Hope who bit the tip off and ate it. This didn’t seem to deter the Lich as it fired a spell at her the lich missed as she jumped out of the way. It skull was that of a unicorn. 

“Damn it where is Rin!? Did she go home?” I ask as I pull out her token. “Mum get your fluffy ass over here now!” A portal opened up in the ground which Rin popped out of wearing Batman Pjs. “Alright I’m here what’s the…” Rin stopped as she looked around. I saw the lich was holding some kind of cage in it other hand. And from the way he was looking at mum I get the feeling he can feel the dark power rolling off of her.

“You would make a fine bride for our lord and master.” It said.

“Your lord? You’re giving off a familiar aura. Wait, do you work for a demigod dragon with a thing for death? I remember that guy from devine high school! He was always going on about how he was going to be king of the dragons or something like that. Poor guy kept getting his head dunked into the holy toilets by the war gods.” Rin said as if recalling something from long ago.

“I see the one who killed Dagger is here as well.” It said bring my attention back to it.

“Wait, how do you know that lich?” I asked looking at the sleeping form of Flurry in the cage. The lich laughed.

“I was his teacher.” He replied snapping his metal fingers as two helljacks dug their way out of the ground. “But he was to inpatient and well, you know the rest.” Rin looks up at the two jacks before opening another portal and out came Vinyl and two of Rin’s giant flesh golems.

“Vinyl want to play with your new model?” Rin asked and Vinyl jumped around excitedly. The lich back away as the two Helljacks walk forward.

“Aw heck ya! Wait till you guys check out my jack!” Vinyl cheered as a black and blue warjack climbed out of the portal before it closed. On its back were long metal spikes with balled tips with arcs of electricity jumping around them. Vinyl then jumped onto its back and let the energy shoot through her with a manic grin. “I named this model, Shock Box!” At those words music started playing from a pair of speakers on its chest that was so loud it made my teeth rattle.

“A lightning jack? Cool.” I said as I watched the Iron lich backing away. I saw one Helljack run at the flesh golems, before driving it claws into their fleshy hide. The golem being a souless undead could feel no pain so it just raised its massive hammer to bring down on the jack. The other one ran at Shock Box who Vinyl had decided should have a grappling contest with the other jack. As soon as they touched electricity shot through the Helljack while the speakers amped it up making the entire Helljack vibrate.

I saw the Iron Lich make a run for it past the barrier and I ran after him. Once on the other side I was worried Flurry wouldn’t last long in this cold when I saw the cage in the Iron Lich hand had it own shield.

“I know when to cut my losses.” He said, the next thing I saw made my eye widen in terror. He throw the cage into the air! I ran past the Iron lich without thinking and cate the cage. I let out a sigh as I saw Flurry was okay and was awake, I then felt pain… I slowly looked down to find the end of a blade sticking out of my gut. I slowly looked back in rage, as the Iron Lich looked into my eye. "Thank you for your contribution.”

I felt the blade pulled away as I fell in the snow holding the cage, I could hear Flurry crying, the last thing I saw was the Iron Lich wipe the tip of the blade into a glass vile. Then everything went black.

I slowly woke up in a bed surrounded by black crystals and Rin sitting over me. “Am I dead?” I asked blinking slowly, my gut still hurt and so did my back. Just what the hell did that Iron Lich stab me with?

“No your not dead.” Rin deadpanned. “I found you laying in your own blood and that other lich picking up that cage from your grasps." Rin told me. Oh god don’t tell me they took her. I thought as I felt like my heart was going to brake, I failed… “Stop! He didn’t get away with her.” She reassured.

“He… Didn’t?” I asked as I felt relief fill my mind.

“No, Hope saw to that.” Rin said as she used her magic to lift the now empty cage, with the lich’s arm still holding on to it. “He got out of there pretty fast when the faithful dog fetched its owner.”

I laughed a little at that, I then looked up at her. “I thought you stay the night, I didn’t know you went back home.” I said smiling at little. “Thanks for coming back… Twilight and the others are worried aren’t they?” I asked knowing full well after almost being killed by a Iron Lich they want to know I was okay.

“You could say that.” Rin said as she looked over to a hole in the wall. I stared at it before looking back at mum. “Fluttershy broke down the door. And the wall around it.”

“I… Guess we can thank my blight for that… I never did know how much it changed them physically. I only thought it changed how they looked.” I explained looking back at the wall. Note to self, never make Fluttershy angry.

“And Twilight tried to learn dark magic so that she could curse the lich through his arm.” Rin added. I sighed at this as I rub my face. “Tell her it pointless, the arm is just a tool. A part that can be replaced at any time, that why he didn’t stay and fight. The members of cryx can lose an arm or leg without a care. Once their task is done there no need to stay.”

“I did. Items only work if the owner felt attached to it. And I already informed her that he didn’t after trying it myself.” She said. I then thought about something. “Also” Rin then whacked me on the head making me yelp. “That’s for not telling me Flurry was in that cage!”

“Cryx aren’t known for giving up, they’ll try to take Flurry again. Not right now but they will try.” I said trying to set up and grunt at the pain.

“I figured as much. I’ve been thinking as building a dungeon heer and claim the entire empire. Even before my ascension a keeper is a god on their own land. I can hit them with spells and if they attack or break anything I’ll know they’re there.” Rin said. “My only reasons for hesitation are the fact it will taint the empire and crystal heart with dark magic and the crystals turning black might evoke a negative reaction in the locals. Also should any of the Cryx figure out how to make their own dungeon hearts. Imagine what they could do. Each caster will be like fighting their master in their territory.”

I can understand that, but something was bugging me. “I saw something before I blacked out. The Iron Lich took some of my blood… What’re your thoughts?” I asked.

“The blood of the brother.” She said without hesitation.

“Right but I’m not his brother… And I damn well not call myself his son. That thing does not have the right. So why take the blood? Maybe they think it’ll work?” I asked thinking this over.

“You’re being too literal son. Magic doesn't care if you’re born related or even adopted. It just needs the connection to work. And with all those hearts you ate to make yourself one of his kind there is a strong possibility that it will work.” Rin answered. She right, I am a fool.

“We still have time, they need to get things ready. That will gave us time to find them.” I added thinking on that as I look at my belly. “By the way, why hasn’t this healed completely yet?”

“You know Horny’s synth is the same way. It’s called a cursed wound. Until the curse is removed nothing can heal it. And even when it is removed it never heals right.” Rin said. I sighed as I realize what it was.

“Grievous wounds...” I said out loud. “It a rune spell used on weapons. Magic won’t close the wounds so it’ll have to heal the old fashioned way. Looks like I’m stuck here for a while.”

“Hmmm, must have been one of the things you left out of my copy.” Rin said with a head shake. To be far there was not a lot of rune plate designs in the book. I left out the ones I didn’t think she could use.

“The vault I found that you saw with me. Some of those books talked about rune plates. That leaves a question, how much do the pony cryx know?” I asked thinking about that.

“Their master is the original dragon right? So whatever he feels like giving them. Which is whatever he gave the human ones.” Rin said with a shrug. I guess she was right, that didn't make me feel any better.

“How was Flurry, she alight?” I asked looking up at Rin. She just smiled as she looked back down at me.

“Never better. The whole thing was just one big amusement park ride for her.” Rin told me. I looked at my belly and point at it.

“Even this part? I heard her crying before I blacked out.” I added, then saw a shadow on the floor next to the hole in the room. Guess someone eavesdropping. I thought as I closed my eye.

“Well she’s sleeping peacefully with her puppy now.” Rin said. I smiled as I nod my head, that was good. Some uncal I turned out to be, couldn't even stop them from taking my own niece. “Anyways I think it’s time the others come in and talk to you. So you can all stop hiding back there.”

I smiled as I opened my eye, and this time I saw everyone poke there heads out from the side of the wall. Fluttershy on the other hand ran in and hugged me. I hugged her back as she started to cry on my shoulder.

“I was so scared!” She cried as I rub her back. I then saw Twilight and Pinkie looking on. I rolled my eye and wave for them to join in. Pinkie balled her eyes out as she joined in on the hug. Twilight just smiled and held my head, I then saw Rainbow smark at this as Applejack. Grabbed her by the tail and walked off with her.

Huh, wonder if they’re an item? I asked myself as I tried to calm my three wives down. “Girls I’m fine, I just need to heal up for a few weeks is all.” I said only for Pinkie to put a finger to my lips.

“If you ever scare us like that again, I swear I’ll get Muad to use the Bolder Holder on you!” She yelled before hugging me. I blinked at this as I looked at Twilight questionly. What the hell is the bolder holder? “But I’ll never do that to you, If Muad did use that move on you. How will you give me and Twilight fillies.” Wait, WHAT?! I now have a new found fear of Muad… And some how found it kind of hot, what is wrong with me?! I looked back at mum as she started to cross her hind legs reflexively.

“Well darling you know what this means now that your, old coat is ruined?” Asked Rarity, oh god no. I liked that coat, I do not need a new one. The look in her eyes were sparkling, why can’t I say no to those eyes? And why do they all have to look so hot?! I just sighed as she went on on what to add to it. I hear Twilight, Pinkie and Fluttershy laugh at this. I then thought of something, I look at Rarity’s outfit and think about what my wives would look like wearing that dress.

“Here make him some of these too. One for each wife.” Rin said as she pawed over a picture before leaving the room. Rarity studied the image with fascination and I can see the gears turning in her head. Thin she read something at the bottom.

“What does a dark mistress even do?” She asked and that made my face go red. Oh god why, I asked myself as i cover my face with my wings. As I could not stop Twi, Pink or Shy from taking a look.

“Oh, those give a lot of freedom for the legs. I can wear those for my hops around ponyville!” Pinkie said with a smile. Kill me now, please. I thought as I cover my face with my hands now.

“I’d like one t-too.” Said Fluttershy and I just tried to sink into the bed. For the love of all things good, make them stop!

“What do you think the whip is for?” Asked Twilight. Oh god now I can’t get that image out of my head! It so wrong but so sexy, someone make them stop!!! “You know, I bet Cadence would like one to.” ...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

***Rin’s Pov.***

I suddenly stop when I felt a disturbance in the force. It was like millions of pent up horn dogs suddenly cried out in anguish, then were silenced...HA! I continue on my way to the couple’s room where I found Cadence laying with the dog in her bed curled up and acting as Flutter’s bed while daddy dearest was standing guard over them.

“Hope I’m not interrupting.” I say as I slink in. Armor smiled and shook his head as he looked back at his wife and daughter.

“I’m just making sure there sleeping, Cadence wouldn't stop worrying.” He said setting on the side of the bed. “I never imagined something like this would happen. Right under our muzzles to.”

“Actually that’s what I came to talk to you about. Security for your family.” I told him. He looked up at me and nodded his head.

“I’m all ears, I looked into this when Flurry was brought back. Nun of the guards saw anything out of place. So they must of used some kind of magic to stay hidden until they were ready to… try and take Flurry.” He said.

“I have two options that could help. The first is gifting this place with a dungeon heart. It is a powerful artifact that will turn the empire into my territory. Once an outsider tried any trouble in a dungeon keeper’s territory the keeper will know about it no matter how well they can cloak themselves. The keeper can then cast spells in that territory whether they are there are not with pinpoint accuracy and transport their troops around it like pieces on a game board.” I told him.

“Sounds almost to good to be true, what the downside?” He asked.

“The artifact is a dark one. The crystal heart will be tainted by the stronger artifact and though it won’t affect the citizens I don’t think they will react well to the crystals all turning black.” I told him. Shining Armor had a thoughtful look on his face.

“What the other option?” He asked looking up at me.

“If I claim her as my minion then I can move her around as I can them, like pieces on a board. She stays here and if she’s attacked I know about it instantly and pull her into my world. However if she is caged before I can do this I can’t pull her out so if they bind her fast enough I can only send troops and they fight normally. As the land will not be mine I can’t get a heads up and nore will you. The drawback to this one is nothing can be done untill they already have her.

He locked his fingers together thinking long and hard before looking up at me. “How large does your territory need to be before you know somepony entered into it?” He asked.

“I know when they interact with something in my territory. Simply opening a door will do.” I reply.

“What if, bear with me on this. What if we had this Dungan heart somewhere far enough away it won’t affect the land. But you clame small areas of land as your territory, like say the main gates to the empire? Or the front door of the palace, Could that work?” He asked.

“I could build a heavily fortified dungeon outside your lands and have my imps claim bits and pieces of your land and only chunks of the palace. But that dark power moved through any claimed land I have. Think of the dungeon as a literal heart and the dark magic as its blood. It will still get into the crystal empire even if not all of it goes black.” I informed him. He let out a heavy sigh.

“What do I do, on one hoof I can keep my daughter safe. On the other I can keep the crystal ponies piece of mind. If the crystal ponies start seeing dark crystals showing up all over the place they’ll think Sombra is back or worse. They’ll think we’re using dark magic, I don’t know what to do.” He sighed putting his hands over his face. “I wish dad was here… He always knew what to do.”

“If you're stuck on this you can always look to the more experienced and ask the sisters. Or try explaining things to the crystal ponies and see if you can get them to understand.” I suggest.

He looked up at me, with worry in his eyes. “There no guarantee, all I can do is ask them and if they say no then… I’ll have to ask Cadence what she thinks is best for Flurry.”

“I think this was the kind of thing Celestia was worried your son would do. Now we’re finding out ponies are more than willing to turn to the dark arts. When did things go so wrong for them? Why are they even doing this, are they unhappy we’ve tried to lived for and keep peace for so long?” He asked as he looked back at his sleeping wife.

“I’m not sure myself. I became a creature of darkness against my will and I was always immune to the negative effects of using it. I didn’t even know about them until a unicorn brought it up when he caught me using necromancy.” I say with a shrug.

“Well thank you for the offer miss Rin. I’ll talk with Cadence about it in the morgan. I think we could all use some sleep.” He said letting out a yawn.

“Of coarse. I’ll leave some sleepless guards if it will help you sleep better?” I ask. He nodded yes before laying down next to Cadence. “...Keep them safe.” I order as I leave I can see creatures made from pure darkness move across the ground like spilled ink before blending with the shadows on the wall. 

“Yes your higness…” He mumbled before falling asleep. As the doors closed behind me I heard the sound of someone running? It was Rarity running towards me.

“Miss Rin I’m so glad I found you!” I quickly seal her mouth shut with my magic.

“Shhhh! The baby and her parents are sleeping.” I tell her while pointing to the door. I then let her mouth go.

“Oh, I’m so sorry I didn’t know. But anyway I want to thank you for what  you gave me. It gave me so many new ideas and… Well, I need more material please.” She asked smiling at me with those big eyes.

“I’m not much for cloths. I just gave you something humans already made. That’s really all I can give you unless you want to make some orders for raw materials. Spider’s silk is the biggest trade material my city produces for trade.” I tell her. Rarity hummed rubbing her chin.

“I’ll need to make a demo before agreeing to order this spider silk in large volumes. But want I wanted to know is if you had any more works like this?” She asked holding up the picture I gave her. “Or something like it if you can?”

“I’m sure you will order in bulk. Every Rarity I’ve ever met has gone gaga over spider's silk. Softer than any other silk and stronger than steel. It always makes the Rarities cloths into must haves. As for other pieces of human fassion... Allow me to introduce you to a little thing called, anime.” I say as I summon some silk and let her feel it. Rarity eyes went wide as soon as she touched it before asking.

“What is Anime?” She asked as Rarity found herself taking the silk. I respond by conjuring paper and imprinting images of different anime characters in their outfits from all sorts of different styles. Rarity smiled as she looked through them but stared at one.

“Oh my, that leaves a little to show doesn't it?” She asked looking back at me. I just shrug at this. “Well ever way I can work with this.”

“Not all anime is clean. Some of these I gave you to make into bedroom where.” I answered. “You should be able to tell which is which.”

“So much to make so little time.” Rarity purred as she walked off with the art work I gave her. It even put a sway in her step. Hook, line and sinker. At this rate I’m going to need more spiders.





***Next day. 3ed pov***

“Everything looks in order, are you sure there no side effects to using this miss Rin?” Asked Rarity, as she looked at the spider silk in her hands. I wasn't surprised she had gotten to work on new outfits already.

“What side effects could you possibly be expecting? Spider silk is just the highest quality of silk there is. As long as the spiders don’t cover the webs in that sticky gunk it won’t even stick.” Rin deadpanned.

“Well that take a load off my mind, thank you darling. Oh do you want to see some of the new outfits?” She asked getting excited.

“Not even remotely.” Rin answered in a cheery tone.

“Oh come now, I want your opinion on these before I give them to Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie.” She asked before using her magic to bring the dresses. With a wave of her tail Rin had that look on her face that most guys get when their girlfriends make them go clothes shopping with them.

“I just want to know if you wanted to order more spider silk.” Rin said as she shifted backwards as if getting ready to run the moment she got her answer. That when the first manikin was brought out.

“Well, yes I think I’ll order more. Just not a lot, I want to try it out with some more things before I work on a full dress.” Rarity replied as she looked over the dress.

“Okay I’ll send a imp to get your order later bye!” Rin calls out as she runs like the devil was at her heels out of the room and down the hall. Rarity pouted as she looked back at where Rin was, before looking back at the dress she was making.

“I’ll have to make something for Miss Rin one of these days. As a thank you gift.” Said Rarity with a smile as she went back to work.

***Rin’s POV***

Dodged a bullet there. When I was woken up this morning and told that an important, life changing decision on an offer I gave was made I expected to be taken to the happy couple not to Rarity.

“Oh there you are, I’m happy we found you.” Cadence called over as she walked up to me. She was still wearing pj’s and slippers.

“I trust this is not about clothes or anything frilly?” I asked hopefully. Cadence looked confused before giggling at this.

“No this is about your offer.” Cadence explained. 

“Okay, so do you want to talk somewhere private or what?” I asked her. Cadence shook her head before speaking.

“I wanted to know something, this dungeon heart. It’ll turn crystals dark not evil right?” She asked sounding hopeful.

“No not evil. Dark magic will flow through the earth in areas I’ve claimed but it's just raw power, the only sentient influence that would affect the crystals would be me. It won’t affect any ponies near them...Unless they were dumb enough to eat them.” I add.

“There… Have been cases like that.” Cadence replied sounding embarrassed. “Anyway I was talking to your son and he had an idea that might make the crystal ponies more agreeable to this. One was to show them around, the other was he could farm any wild dark crystal that might grow outside of an area you control. What do you think?”

“If he wants to harvest the crystals that’s fine. Though the only things he can do with them is using them in dark magic rituals or making dark or cursed artifacts.” I say with a shrug.

“He said something about that, he asked me to ask you. What if he broke them down, could they be used as fuel for his machines?” Cadence asked who sounded like she wasn’t sure about that idea.

“Fule? You mean he wants to make them into mana batteries?” I asked. “Hmmmm, Well energy is energy. My jacks run on my dark magic with no problems but he should only use them for the cryx models or custom ones with their energy system.”

“I’ll let him know that, by the way how long will you be staying with us?” Cadence asked.

“At this point I’ve just been waiting on you guys to decide.” I told her. Cadence nodded at this before smiling.

“Well then, by my right as princess of the empire I will take your offer to place a dungeon heart in our lands.” Cadence replied. “Now come on, Flurry just found your Son and won’t leave him alone.” She added with a giggle as Cadence started to walk away.

“Sure, would you like it in the palace itself or out in the frozen wastes and just work my way over?” I ask as I follow.

“Outside is fine, it’ll also give us time to explain everything to the others.” Cadence said as she opened the room to Asphyxious room. In side Flurry was setting on his head, as Hope was laying on top of him.

“Nice hat.” I compliment before summoning some imps. “Head out into the frozen wastes, preferably at the bottom of a chasm or around ice spikes to better hide it and start digging down, the Riddler special.” I told them and the saluted and ran off.

“So about my ideas? Will they work?” Asphyxious asked, as Flurry found one of his horns on his head to hug. “Or do I have to worry about them exploding? ...More than usual.”

“Your jacks are exploding? You know to check the finished mana batteries for any cracks right?” I ask. Asphyxious let out a long sigh, before Flurry start to climb down from his head.

“Yes but that's not why they explod, three words. Gear Shift and Kat. My best engineers, they like to try and find new ways to improve the warjacks. Sometimes things get out of hand… That’s why I gave them a area with a lot of space to work in and only one reinforced door. Big enough for a warjack to walk out of, but locks from the outside. With lots of normal doors for anyone inside to get away.”

“I can understand that. But i that’s the case it’s best if you don’t use them for mana batteries unless you forbid them from using them when experimenting. Unfocused dark magic in the air can cause nasty mutations.” I warn.

“That’s my plan, I also set up the jacks engine into a engine block. Can be easily replaced with the older steam powered stuff. I only have like Ten jacks that use the mana batteries, the rest use the standard.” Asphyxious explained as Flurry jumps on Hope. “I also make it a point with those two if they're going to experiment with jacks, they will have to build a jack from the ground up to use. They’ve taken to naming the testjack as they call it Junk Rat. That thing cortex survived so much it ridiculous. There a pool on what’ll happen to it next in the den.”

“Well as long as you follow that simple rule they’re useable as mana batteries.” I told him as I created a barrier around me and Cadance. Asphyxious looked at me confused before slowly looking to Flurry.

“Mum, you do know I’m still healing right?” He asked as Flurry looked like she was about to sneeze.

“Oh fine you big baby.” I say as I open up and pull him in and closing it. But my entertainment wasn’t lost as Twilight entered.

“Hey g- why are you in there?” She asked as she walked up to us. That was when Flurry sneezed. Launching Twilight into the wall of the barrier. Slowly she slid down the barrier wall while making that squeegee on glass sound before falling onto the ground.

“Constitute!” I call out to Flurry as I let the shield drop. Asphyxious just face palmed at this.

“Oh so this was what you meant?” Said a male stallion voice. As Starlight the unliving walked in followed by a orange unicorn with a cloak and a lot of books. Nooooooo!!!! My entertainment! I saved the Crystal Heart so he wouldn’t come!

“Who’s this?” Asphyxious asked a Starlight smiled sheepishly. As she explained he was her old friend.

“This is my old friend Sunburst, he has a lot of books and when I started telling him about what happened to me well… He really wanted to meet you.” Starlight said as Sunburst was looking at his books before handing a piece of paper to Cadance. Damn it! So many funny situations wasted!

“Hey mum you okay? You look like you're about to pop?” Asphyxious asked looking up at me.

“Nobody has more books than me!” I say in an accusing tone while pointing at Sunburst hoping Ax thinks that’s what it was about.

“I’m sure that not the case Mum, everyone knows you have the largest Library in the multiverse.” Asphyxious said as Sunburst played with his glasses.

“You have the largest library in the multiverse? I’d love to see that some time, if that of course it alright with you?” I puffed up my chest in pride.

“It is. I’m sure you will be impressed. Billions of books on the arcane and other subjects gathered from countless worlds and it’s still growing.” I inform him. He smield calmly as he had a thoughtful look on his face.

“Fascinating.” He said as Starlight rolled her eyes before smiling.

“I am the goddess of lost and forbidden knowledge. So most of my followers are wizards. Any knowledge they get or discover a copy instantly goes to the library. Though their is a limit placed on any Twilight Sparkles as they would starve to death if we didn’t kick them out after so much time.”

“I find it hard to believe any pony would take their work that far to starve to death?” Asked Starburst.

“Want to meet one of my librarians. She’s the reason that the rule was placed.” I said as I create a portal and pull in an undead twilight.

“Hey! I was reading!” She cried with her rotting mouth which was missing its lips showing her teeth.

“I,umm… I’ll take your word for it. But why is she so different from Starlight? Aren’t they both the same kind of undead?” Starburst asked. Asphyxious smiled at this before looking at Starlight as she blushing.

“No Twilight here is a rotting zombie who starved to death while literally there was a place to eat in the next room over. Starlight became what she is because some bastard did that to her.” Rin answered.

“I don’t understand?” Starburst began but Asphyxious stop him there.

“Let just say before she looked like this, she was missing a lot more body parts. That a friend of mine help get back.” Asphyxious explained as Starlight was blushing even harder. She even held her cloak closer to herself. Starburst looked confused before his eyes widened a bit.

“Oh… I see.” Starburst began before finding the rest of the room more interesting right now.

“Anyways my imps have dug a good thirty miles underground and have already started making the labyrinth now so I’m going to set up the dungeon heart. You might want to give the heads up soon as imps work insanely fast. It won’t take them too long to claim territory at their level.” I told Cadance.

“Mind if I come along to observe?” Asked Starburst. “I’d like to find out more about how your magic works. Don’t worry I just want to learn more about magic.” I hum at this. It’s not like you can learn how to make a dungeon heart by watching one be made. I shrug and create another portal to the depths.

“Sure but don’t touch it.” I warn before hopping through. Starburst followed landing on his flank. He ground before getting up and collecting his things. “Stay in the corner.” I order as I summon a lot of gems, a crystal orb filled with life force and a knife. Once he was hugging the walls I began. I whispered the dark ritual and I transmuted the gems and held up the orb to feed life force into the artifact as I cut myself and bleed black, tar like blood into the swirling mass as it sank into the ground and solidified. ‘Bubump bubump bubump’.

“Wow, so that it then?” Starburst asked as he looked at it from where he was standing. “Hmmm, I wonder if it anything like the crystal heart?” He asked tapping his chin thoughtfully.

“In the strictest since it’s the dark magic equivalent and much more powerful. Though it’s function is far more complex and thankfully so is making it. It may appear easy for me but I’m a goddess with years of experience.” Okay that and it was force fed how to make them into my brain but no need to tell him that.

“I think I understand, the crystal heart was found. Whoever made it had a fixed point and limit in mind for it use. This dungan heart is like taking the base idea and expanding on it.” Starburst said as he walked up to me.

“Actually the first makers of dungeon hearts never heard of the Crystal Heart. The idea when taking them was to simulate god hood. Even a mortal with a heart is very powerful in the land they claimed with it. Such as being aware of all that happens in your land, being able to move minions around on your land like pieces on a game board and casting spells with pinpoint accuracy in your claimed land even if you yourself are nowhere near the target are just a few of the abilities a dungeon heart allows.” I lecture as I summon more imps. “Claim, fortify, dig.” I order and they get to work.

“Amazing, you wouldn't mind if I document this would you? I understand if you don’t want me to. I can see a lot of ways somepony could abuse the dungan heart powers.” Starburst asked as he was taking notes of the imps and what they were doing.

“You may not. Even though this room is many miles underground and will be protected by miles and miles of complex tunnels and deathtraps the dark power of a dungeon heart is not something I want getting out. Imagine if the Cryx figured out how to produce these things.” I told him.

“I see, Starlight told me about them and the time she spent with them... Alright I understand.” Starburst said as he handed the notes he already started on to me which I burn right away. It was mostly just theory work anyways.

“Yes well even if a good pony wanted to use it dungeon hearts flood their owners with tones of dark magic so I can’t see many of them being able to handle it anyways.” I told him as we moved on to a large room down a long hall as I created steel door after steel door finishing with a secret door to hide it which I locked. “Now for a boss monster.”

“Umm, what?” Asked Starburst confused. It was like he never played rpg games.

“A boss level monster is a powerful minion that acts as the last and strongest guardian.” I inform him as I look through my options in my head.

“Oh I see, well I guess i should leave you to your work. Umm, Miss Rin how do I get back?” He asked before seeing one of the wall drawings. “Wait, is… Is that miss Twilight?” I facepaw at this.

“For some reason imps like to carve porn in the walls.” I groan as I make a portal. “Just go through that. You’ll get lost and die if you try to navigate the multi layered several miles in all directions maze.”

I found him staring at one wall drawing that was of Starlight and he was blushing so hard it looked like his fur turned red. Considering it’s freezing down here I’m surprised he can feel like that. With a sigh I pick him up with my magic and float him over the portal before stopping. Carefully I put him back down where he can go back to looking at the starlight porn and took some pictures of his reaction to it. I then send the pictures to Starlight. Having done that I slam dunked him through the portal and closed it leaving him in Starlight’s room. Well I got work to do.
> That Was Unexpacted.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Asphyxious pov in his workshop.***

After helping Palutena I then go back to sleep, after waking up I vaguely remember something about her having her babies or something? I was half asleep and panicking to much to care at the time. Looking back on it I was useless.

“This year has been crazy…” I said to myself, before working on my warjacks. I have been upgrading them for a while now. Mira likes to visit my den from time to time, she a sweet worm… thing. Twilight twins ran me ragged when she came over from Everblight world. Still enjoyed when they came over, Twiblight as she started calling herself had a field day when her other self came over.

“Maybe I’ll just read books today, what do you think?” I asked Seether. The warjack looked at me after I asked that. I sighed shaking my head hearing my warjacks simple reply. It was a mix between a purr and a growl, well it did have the soul of a big cat in side of it. “Maybe you’re right… I need some time off.”

I then had a thought, maybe I should make Ava and Palutena a warjack? That could be fun. After that I started to work on a few things, the more I thought about it. The more I tried to make the warjacks I’m working on, fit with Ava and Palutena style…

“Maybe I should work on my magic?” I said putting Seether armor back on. After all the crazy stuff that happened, I could do with a holiday. “Hmmmm, that’s something to think about.” 

I went off to Palutena's temple to see if I can take a week off in her Equestria, it looked like she was starting to get some followers already. I could see some diamond dogs around, now where do I call her from? “I’ll just use her token. Hey Palutena you busy?” I asked after getting her token.

A long drawn out sigh greeted me, guess she had her hands full with the kids. “I wont be able to come over if you need help Ax, however if you promise not to break anything I guess you are welcome to come over.” Palutena replied and then after a pause “Oh and no scaring the foals with detachable limbs.”

I raised my brow at that, what makes her think I’d do something like that? I don’t do that to my own kids. “I’m cool with coming over and no worries, I don’t plan on having my limbs being removed.” 

“Oh and while I remember no hitting on Galaxy-eyes prime photon dragon or me while in her presence. It won't end well for you,” Palutena added a hint of worry entering her voice. I was just confused, was this Galaxy eyes some kind of monster card?

“No worries I have my hands full back home with Twiblight and Twilight.” I replied waiting for the portal. I’ll have to be careful once I get there, but hey I was going there to chill out not start trouble.

[Palutena’s world]

Palutena paced around the portal room, waiting for Ax to appear for his visit. She hummed as eight foals floated in her magic or were carried in her arms. The portal room now directly connected to the font of worship a font of faith that Palutena created and could call upon if needed and allowed her to hear the prayers of her worshippers.

When Asphyxious walked out of the portal he was dressed oddly. He was wearing sun glasses, had a straw hat on and was in shorts. “Hi.” Asphyxious said with a small wave, he looked like he was ready to stay for a while. If the bag in hand was anything to go by.

“Haywaii is about three hundred KM off the east coast of Equestria, that a way,” Palutena deadpanned, while pointing east. Asphyxious laughed as he walked over.

“I don’t need sand and hot sun to have a good time.” He replied before noticing the foals. Asphyxious looked a little confused at that before just shrugging.

“Yes well try and keep it in your metaphorical pants while your here, especially around my foals, okay?” Palutena replied seriously.  

“Look who’s talking, unlike you and Ava I can control myself.” Asphyxious said as he started to walk. “No worries I’ll behave, now where a good hotel?”

“Oh so you finally stopped being a tease around mother then?” Palutena smirked.

“I never said that.” Asphyxious replied with a grin.

“Yes, well one of these days Mom will trap you and you won’t escape and then all the frustration will be unleashed upon you. Anyways, follow me I will show you to the private library/lounge,” Palutena explained as she moved to leave the room, outside Asphyxious noticed two spiral staircases one leading up and the other leading down, he followed Palutena who was working her way up the staircase leading up.

“Is it just me or has this place gotten bigger?” Asphyxious asked as he followed her.

“My private rooms, the ones not open to the public are all apart of a pocket dimension which became a necessity once it became clear that I’d need more space for portals, books and bedrooms, like the Doctor’s Tardis,”

“Please tell me your rooms are not like Ava’s. Let just say… Well no need this is Ava we’re talking about.” Asphyxious asked looking a little worried.

“There isn’t a milking room or a sex dungeon,” Palutena deadpanned. He gave out a sigh in relief at that.

Palutena rolled her eyes and continued up until they reached the third landing and balcony which held the Library/Lounge. Palutena walked over to a set of recliner chairs and eight cots where she laid her foals down in. Palutena turned and looked over to Asphyxious who was gaping at her collection of books.

“So many…” He said looking at said books in awe. And then the poor soul noticed four Twilight’s all looking at him. Asphyxious looked back and gave them a little wave.

“Right there are four revive twilight’s in the library, one who was an alicorn princess who died from autoerotic asphyxiation.

Another was a demon Twilight that was Luna’s daughter and was killed and impaled on the palace walls.

The third one captain Nova Flare is the Twilight from survival is hell, not magic. 

The fourth is a vampire twilight from a scarlet reverie displaced world.

Oh and I am not sure if you know but palutena impregnated dark magician dragoness,”

Asphyxious had a look of horror at that last part. “You slept with… pervy girl?” He asked.

“Yes and Dark magician watched,” Palutena added,

“...And she calls me the prevart.” Asphyxious said in a deadpan tone, as he noticed the twilight’s staring at him..

“And which ‘she’ do you refer to?” Palutena asked with a hint of danger in her voice informing the lich that he had better tread carefully.

“The dragon you slept with.” He replied simply.

“Those two just get off watching things, and really it was my fault for kissing her as a surprise gift, that escalated.”

“They do spy on other displaced.” Asphyxious added. “But why are the Twilight’s staring at me?”

“Because you’re a human, or DM or DMG has been spouting gossip about you,”

“So in others words making stuff up about me… Lovely. Well i mite as well go to my room now and unpack.” Asphyxious said before the goddess stopped him from leaving.

“Don’t just stand there girls come and introduce yourselves, and explain the staring,” Palutena ordered, they shivered slightly but complied,

“We watched a movie about you…”

“Called The Porn lord and his Horny Hoard…”

“Wow talk about an upgrade, I thought most mages hated to use something besides books or book based tech, oh you girls would cream yourselves if you knew the technology I had access to over a millenia ago.”

“Oh god… they watched the dvd F.A.U.S.T. made.” Asphyxious groaned with a hand over his face.

“Oh really, my tier mate made a DVD about you this should be hilarious!” Palutena chuckled

“This is hasmon jack’s F.A.U.S.T. we’re talking about, Sonya mum.” Asphyxious explained.

“She’s still a goddess yes? Then she is still my tier mate.” 

“I’m going to lay down. Wait… What a tier mate?” He asked confused.

“A tier mate is a goddess or god on the same hierarchical scale, this scale is based on what aspects the god/goddess has, fundamental forces of the universe/multi-verse are tier one,” Palutena thought for a moment and continued to explain.  

“At the top tier is Faust, Celestia and Luna's mother, and Cosmos, who is their father. Also myself, goddess of light, dark, order, chaos, harmony, wisdom and craftsmanship, and Discord, who is also god of chaos.

Tier two; Gaia or Viridi, mother of life and nature,Thanatos, god of death and destruction, and Hades, god and king of the Tartarus. 

After them is tier three, being Celestia, goddess of the sun and day and Luna, goddess of the moon, stars and night.

Then tier four is Nightmare moon, goddess of nightmares, the king of the Griffins and God of storms Valfyre, the dragon lady, goddess of fire, lady Evyrfyre,  the minotaur king Runehorn, God of earth and mountains. Princess Cadance goddess of love, the goddess Rin who isn't an official goddess of this world yet and my second mother, Avarice, goddess of fertility and sex. Did I miss anyone?” Palutena asked Celestia,

“Yes, Queen of the katians Bastet, goddess of Luck and stealth. Alabim, king of Saddle Arabia and horses, god of speed and endurance. Queen Abyssia, of the seaponies and sirens and goddess of the seas. And Nemesis, goddess of revenge, those are the only ones officially part of the pantheon here,” Celestia replied.

“So… kind of like me and Everblight?” Asphyxious asked, it was clear this was new to him. 

“More or less, but generally less hostile. Well most of the time,” Palutena sighed as she remembered she had devoured Runehorn during her less than stable possessed state of mind, “Minotaurs do taste like beef by the way,” Palutena added absently.

“Follow me you don’t even know the way,” Palutena said shaking her head and as she went to leave through the door she turned to the captain, “Watch our foals Nova, I’ll be showing my friend to his guest room,” this caused Nova to nod and blush in embarrassment. 

“So anything new since the last time I was here? I remember being half asleep through most of it.” Asphyxious asked as he walked with her.

“Last time you were here you were running around like a headless trollkin, related to a crazy hat wearing troll,”  

Asphyxious stared at her for a moment. “How do you know about-wait, didn’t I ask you that last time?”

“I am an omnipotent goddess Ax,” Palutena explained exasperatedly. “Even if it is limited,” she muttered to herself.

“I’ll never understand women, gods/goddess and ponies.” Asphyxious said to himself.

“Gods aren’t much different from mortals, we think, feel and we make mistakes. We tend to have take a long outlook on things and our morality is different as it has to be,” 

“Think mortal mind in a dragon body.” Asphyxious replied thinking about it. “Don’t mind me just thinking out loud.”

Palutena shakes her head as they reach a non descript oak door with iron hinges and a twisted ring handle. She pulled the door open, it creaked as it hadn’t moved much, Palutena pulled Asphyxious into the room. To the right of the room sat a king sized mahogany four poster bed with a generic burgundy curtain and canopy, and white duvet and cotton lace covered pillows, out in front of them was an open air balcony, to the left was a cubby kitchen and couch and TV, “The balcony is covered by a privacy screen enchantment no one will see you even if you decide to go au natural,” Palutena explained.  

“Why do I feel like Ava had a hand in helping you make this room?” Asphyxious asked looking at the room. “It feels… Like she’s standing right here.”

“It’s your imagination, it was Rin’s minions who built it.” Palutena corrected Asphyxious. He didn’t seem to mind as he looked around. Asphyxious even looked under the bed just to make sure Ava wasn’t hiding somewhere.

Palutena rolled her eyes, “Ava is back home dealing with the problem’s I caused, when I annihilated the yak and altered the environment.”

“I remember that, I got my head shot off.” Asphyxious added rubbing at his neck. “I did not enjoy that… A little terrifying now that I think about it, no brain, no way to see or hear. Couldn’t even talk.”

“Yeah regenerating heads is not fun, took a fifty calibre anti-material rifle round to the thinking dome,” Palutena added conciliatorily.

“I’m okay, I’ll just take a nap for now.” Asphyxious said as he started to unpack. “Maybe go out and look for somewhere nice to eat.”

“There isn’t much to eat here outside of mortal food,”

“I like mortal food, if the alcohol strong enough to knock me out which I need now more than ever.” Asphyxious replied jokingly. That was a thought, how much alcohol did it take to get Asphyxious tipsy?

“As long as you don’t drink all of ponyville’s booze my poor subjects need it just dealing with me.”

“They don’t have anything strong enough to make me do that.” He added before looking at the door to the bathroom.

“Well they do have a strong whiskey, I may have had a hand in creating, ‘lumine dea est 'amore’ or love of the light goddess,”

“Cool, I’ll have to try a bottle.” Asphyxious replied. Palutena left the room while bidding Asphyxious good night. 





Next morning, Asphyxious woke up with a long yawn before getting up and getting dressed. After that he went off to look for something to eat. After following his nose, he walked down a hall into a mess hall. The room was rather non-descript and spartan, there are four banquet tables, with two pushed together on either side of the room. 

On the far end of the room was a long rectangular window leading into a kitchen, that was filled with ponies cooking food for the city guards. There was a line forming alongside the window and a wide assortment of meat, veg and other assorted foods were lined up, with ponies working the counter, each person in line had a tray with several compartments ready for food to be placed in them. Asphyxious noticed a large trolley that held the clean trays.

“Interesting.” Asphyxious said to himself as he walked over. “What do we have today?” He asked picking up one of the trays and got in line, he flinched as a ladle suddenly entered his vision and splattered mashed potatoes on his tray blinking as he was sprayed with it. Next up he got so carrots, sweetcorn and broccoli less violently this time and as he neared the end he got Trottingham puddings and several slices of lamb with mint sauce.  

“Thanks you.” He said before taking a set.

Asphyxious left the line and looked over the tables and wasn’t sure where to sit, when a familiar rainbow maned mare waved him over to her table, where she sat alongside a mare he didn’t recognise with a blunted horn and butterfly wings. Her coat was pure white and her long mane and tail where a light shade of blue. She wore a simple robe and looked to be conversing with the Rainbow mare. 

“Mind if I sit here?” He asked at the space on the table.

The Rainbow mare arched an eyebrow at the dragon, “I wouldn’t have waved you over if I didn’t want you to join us,” Rainbow Dash replied watching him, Asphyxious raised a brow when he took a set and started to eat.

“So what are your names?” Asphyxious asked as he continued to eat.

Rainbow Dash puffed up her chest with pride and pointed her right thumb to herself, “Captain Rainbow Danger Dash at your service,” she then pointed to the mare next to her who was retreating behind her mane meekly, “and this is Chrysanthemum,”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Asphyxious Hellbringer.” He replied smiling before Asphyxious went back to eating. “So is there anything fun to do around here? Or a nice place to relax?”

“Relax? You must be new here? This is Ponyville, the only chance we’d get to actually relax would be if Princess Palutena put up a great big shield around the city and even then we might not get to relax because she would only do that if the city was under threat, it’s a good thing the walls and the city was expanded with the farms encompassed in the walls our food, water and Alcohol supply are secure and self sustaining,” Rainbow explained waving a fork at Asphyxious.

“Is the alcohol strong?” Asphyxious asked leaning in with interest. The way his eye sparkled was like a man full of hope. “I need a drink strong enough to get me hammered. The closest I got was some stuff from Everblight world or drinking huge amounts of the stuff from Ava world.”

“Sorry, we don't have any sulfur brews. Only dragon in Ponyville is a baby. You could try making something from that Eridium stuff that's been spreading around like a pair of rabbits hopped up on Viagra.” Rainbow suggested, while Chrysanthemum blushed at the mental image.

Asphyxious just let out a long sigh. “That not a good idea, You’d more likely die from it then get drunk. And that just from trying to break it down, trying to turn it into a liquid is a whole another story.” He explained before looking off to one side. “Maybe I should just buy drinks from Ava and Everblight.”

“Palutena's mother?” Rainbow shuddered, “so. much. milk” she said absently when Chrysanthemum shook her to snap Rainbow out of it, “oh thanks Chrysanthemum.”

“So what do you do? Do you have any mates? I have noticed you around Palutena a few times.” Rainbow asked hoping to distract herself from a certain milk related trauma.

“Hmmm~ That takes me back, it tasted so good.” Asphyxious purred as he started to daydream. Before snapping out of it. “Oh yes, I have a hoard back home. Kind of went out of control before things calmed down. I’m getting married to Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Twiblight just to name a few. As well as Chrysalis.” The dragon had a daydreaming look again after he said that.

Chrysanthemum’s eyes widened as her face turned from creamy white to scarlet crimson. Rainbow looked at her funnily as Asphyxious raised an eyebrow at her reaction, as the meek butterfly mare withdrew behind her mane.

“Why is she acting like fluttershy now?” Asphyxious asked, in confusion clearly not knowing what was going on. “By the way, why didn’t you react to that name? Did the invasion not happen here yet?” He asked Rainbow Dash.

“Oh Chrysanthemum has always been shy and introverted, she says she is here for redemption for a sin she committed but won't elaborate, and what invasion?” Rainbow asked having her interest piqued, she missed the shamed and crestfallen expression on Chrysanthemum.

“If it hasn’t happened yet I shouldn’t say, but I will ask Palu about it later.” Asphyxious replied as he ate some of the lamb.

“ask me what?” Palutena asked as she suddenly appeared behind Asphyxious causing him to jump, He looked back at her annoyed.

“Please don’t do that, I get flashbacks of Zecora jumping out at me when someone does that. And I was talking about the canterlot invasion, I didn’t know if you wanted the others to know about it. Seeing as it hasn’t happened yet.” He explained not noticing the look of dread from Chrysanthemum.

“Oh that?” Palutena replied disinterestedly glancing over to Chrysanthemum, “a changeling will try and invade Canterlot either on Princess Cadance's and Captain Shining Armor's wedding or mine and Celestia's though I'm more worried about her ruining our wedding and not so much about the foalnapping of my dearest Celestia or myself.” she continued in that disinterested fashion.

“Yeah, Queen-” Asphyxious didn’t get to finish as something large was stuffed into his jaws. He could not talk seeing as his mouth was now full. Asphyxious was now trying to free his mouth of the object from his jaws.

A partially transformed dragon hand held his mouth shut and the glare he received from Palutena told him enough. 

“Well why didn't you say anything about it?” Rainbow asked rubbing her temples. “Because Dashie, you couldn't stop it from happening, changelings are shapeshifters and are masters of mimicry.” Palutena explained to the exasperated mare.

“Ouu Bow Mimoo Shulcans..” Asphyxious tried to say and failed.

Palutena’s glare hardened on Ax again and so she bid the Captain and Chrysanthemum good morning and dragged Asphyxious through a portal, when they returned to his room Palutena let go of his face and re-shifted her hand to an anthro one, “so want to tell me what that was all about?”

“I was just making small talk. Ouch…” Asphyxious replied rubbing his face. “Besides when I saw that changeling I thought the invasion already happened.”

“No it hasn't and she isn't a changeling anymore, that was mason/martial’s Chrysalis, she’s been exiled because she fused with yu-gi-oh monsters and wanting to be supreme leaders etc. Ad nauseum. So I reformed her both figuratively and physically. She seems happy enough crushing on Dash and living a simple priestess’ life atoning. For her crimes.”

“Wait what? Doesn't he like… Already control his Equestria or something and pissing off every grim reaper from other worlds?” Asphyxious asked sounding a little confused. “Unless this was him before he met me… Gods damnit the void give me a headache. Okay I get it now, don’t talk about the invasion.”

“No this was Chrysie from season six.”

“Yeah… I was displaced before I got to see season five.” 

“Oh i’ll inform you then, starlight glimmer becomes Twilight's apprentice in friendship, she befriended Trixie of all ponies, eventually in the finale she was invited back to her town with trixie and noticed ponies were acting weird, turns out changelings struck again and were replacing everypony. Discord, starlight and Trixie find the changelings hive and a huge anti magic field and save the day, with a changeling called thorax who was spike’s friend. Eventually the changelings undergo a garish and frankly offensive to color theory transformation, leaving chrysalis about to be reformed, but instead she runs off and swears revenge against Starlight Glimmer.”

“Yeah… That hasn’t happened yet. The cryx got to Glimmer town before Twiblight and her friends showed up.” Asphyxious informed rubbing the back of his head. “Also never heard of Thorax ever and seeing as Chrysalis is living with me, along with her kids I don’t think that is likely to happen. Oddly enough I haven’t met Trixie yet… That makes me a little worried now. I hope the cryx didn’t get their claws on her.”

“Well I shouldn’t be thinking like that, I’m here to relax not worry about things outside of my control.” He said before walking to the door. “Say, know any good pubs around here?” 

Palutena sighed, “Ax, you're not going to find anything here that’ll affect you, my whiskey tastes great but it's not going to knock you out.” Palutena paused thinking for a few moments, “hmmm, perhaps if I add magic to boost it?” 

Palutena created a screen, that floated contained the recipe regarding her malt whisky, “add a hint of zap apples, sugar, honey and infused with a little harmony and light magic for that added kick.”

“Well while you’re doing that I’m going to have a walk around, later Palu.” Asphyxious said as he walked out the door. Once outside and out into ponyville Asphyxious spent most of the day seeing if there was any difference from this ponyville and the one back home. Most of it was the same, only for one or two things here or there.

Asphyxious had just had some cake from sugarcube corner. He then opened the door to leave only to be swarmed by ponies. Oh no, it was the paparazzi and they were swarming him with questions. Asphyxious didn’t know what to say or do, he pulled the old art of leg it! He teleported away. His first hiding place was Rarity shop, Asphyxious didn’t think anyone would find him there. He was sadly half right.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is chique, unique and magnifique. I am Rarity Belle the proprietress of this establishment,” Rarity welcomed with a smile, then frowned in thought, “Hmmn Idea!” Rarity exclaimed excitedly dragging Asphyxious into her workshop where she began to choose fabrics levitating each to check against his coloration. She smiled as she seemed to figure it out, suddenly out of nowhere his clothes were removed and replaced with a light blue bra and panties with a white lace trim and a tiny bow in the center before he could voice his confusion, he was wrapped in a under dress, then an elegant sky blue dress with a white corset, it had bunched up shoulders, the skirt had sky blue rounded panels on top of a white layer with the front cut out. The under dress was then given a ruffle down it's front where it was visible. The hem had a lace triangular border with large bows every so often. The collar was a triangle cut that would have revealed cleavage if he had any, the collar was ruffled and there was a large bow with an emerald in the center on the breast above the corset, the shoes were a pair of strappy heels matching the dress his arms were then covered by elbow length white silk gloves. Rarity had stepped back to observe her work but frowned again before another smile replaced it. She levitated a case of makeup and hair products and barber's tools, and stalked over to Asphyxious who was beginning to understand what she was planning, she began to cut and style his hair. She covered his horror stricken face with makeup.

Just as Rarity finished Asphyxious heard the doorbell go, “Ah Princess Palutena! What bring you to my humble business?” 

“Hello Rarity, I am looking for a strange looking dragon,” she explained walking into the shop she spot Asphyxious, “oh my apologies for interrupting Miss. I was just looking for my friend, who seems to have wandered off. I’ll just get out of your mane, if you find him Rarity be sure to…. Wait that magical signature,” Palutena turned around and looked closer to the mare, who was making an effort at hiding her face, But Palutena saw it, and her grinned widely as she made her discovery, “Asphyxious?”

“Yeah,” came his defeated and muttered reply accompanied by a blush she was unsure was make up or embarrassment. Palutena pulled out her cellphone a gift from Celestia and took a picture with the camera, “oh Miss Asphyxious you shall make a fine bride for some mare or stallion one day,” Palutena commented with mirth as her grin became wider. Rarity looked at Palutena in confusion​ and so Palutena began to explain, “Rarity, Asphyxious is male.” Rarity's eyes widened in shock, as she blushed profusely. 

“don’t worry Rarity, you didn’t know,” Palutena reassured as she smiled pleasantly, but the dangerously mischievous glint in Palutena's eyes unnerved the mare slightly.  Palutena then conjured a bag of Platinum bits and handed them over to her as she pulled a reluctant Asphyxious behind her, Palutena sighed “would“ it help if i turned you female?”

“Wait you can do that?” Rarity asked with a shocked expression.

“Please remember who you're talking to Rarity, I am Light, Darkness, Order, Chaos and Harmony such a change is paltry party trick compared to what I am capable of,” Palutena offhandedly replied.

“Well… There no need for that because I can do this.” Asphyxious said before his body go up in blue flames, as a female dragoness stands in his place. “Well when I look at it this way, I do look kind of hot. I’m sure Revan will love this~” She said in a husky tone.

“I am surprised you never had any of your own womens clothes, anyway that cost me platinum so you and me are going on a girly day out.”

“I mostly just stick to what I know, I also only use this form for one of my hoard mates back home. But it is sometimes nice to be in this form, I can see why Ava stays in her female form most of the time.” Asphyxious replied as she moved her tail from side to side.

“Eh it's the same for me I just got comfortable and never switched back.” Palutena shrugged.

“Hold on what about your foals?” Asphyxious asked worriedly.

“oh the revive Twilight's and my daughter Twilight are all watching them.” Palutena reassured.





Meanwhile back at the temple, Twilight's were running around panting trying to capture the foals, Captain Nova was in the fetal position rocking back and forth in the corner muttering, “I am never having foals of my own.” Repeating it like a mantra as several alicorn fillies and two colts fly about and play with the aspects they received from their mothers. 





“I am sure they're fine,” Palutena smiled with complete confidence in her little family.

“Why do I feel like ’s morethat's  of a hazard then it should be?” Asphyxious asked as she was now trying on a dress. “Sorry Rarity but dresses are not my thing. Do you have anything like, maybe knee high shorts?” 

Rarity looked aghast at the idea, “no, no, no a Lady must always wear a dress or failing that a cute skirt.”

“You forget, I’m still male under all this.” Asphyxious replied smiling.

“Why are you even trying​ to argue? Just get a skirt and a tank top or blouse.” Palutena twirled in place, “you know i love my dress but I could use a new one,” Palutena remarked, Rarity’s eyes sparkled and gave Palutena the best puppy dog pout she could. Palutena saw and rolled her eyes, “yes Rarity you can design me a set of lingerie(socks, stockings, bras and panties), Casual clothes as well as dresses both formal, casual. Including daring, with matching shoes and accessories.” Palutena replied as she was engulfed in measuring tapes. “Okay done, i shall get to work straight away!” Rarity left giggling.

“While she was doing that.” Asphyxious said as she put her old clothes. “What up with all the ponies asking me questions?”

“Paparazzi, we have TV as well as the internet somepony must have seen us together and informed them.” Palutena sighed.

“YOU HAVE TV!” Asphyxious screamed, before jumping around in joy. “Yes, yes,yes, yes,yes,yes!” He stopped jumping around and blushed after realizing what he just did.

“That TV in your room wasn't​ a prop or decoration you know.” Palutena deadpanned. “And are you sure you're​ not related to Twilight,” Palutena smirked

“Ummm, she is apart of my hoard back home.” Asphyxious explained as he coughed into his hand.

“who are we kidding ax the whole of your world is your horde you horny bitch,” Palutena ribbed Asphyxious playfully.

“Careful I do bite.” Asphyxious replied playfully. Before poking her tongue out at her. 

“Rawr, careful I do absorb,” Palutena retorted playfully bumping Asphyxious with her right hip while poor Rarity dissolved into a puddle of embarrassment.

“Any way come with me, we have shopping to do and some spa work to be done, have you seen your claws they're a mess you need an emergency manipedi,” Palutena commented as she dragged Asphyxious out of the shop.

“What? My claws are fine.” Asphyxious defended, her protests go unheard as she was pulled away. “Although a hot tub does sound nice.”





Back at the temple, Twilight had called on Luna, for help.

“What hath mine sister and Palutena wrought upon the world!” Luna exclaimed melodramatically as eight foals were using her as a climbing frame.

Rose Quartz, flew up in front of her and booped Luna on the nose causing Luna to scrunch her muzzle up, which also made the foals giggle at her face. Luna's heart melted when she heard them and she then grabbed all of them in a hug, and then began to tear up,

“What's wrong Luna!?” Twilight asked her distraught marefriend.

“I want one too!” Luna wailed as Twilight paled. Captain Dash, who had just arrived in the room. Gave Twilight her condolences and rested a hoof on her shoulder.





“Well the water’s nice.” Asphyxious said as she relaxed in the water. “Although I wish they had the stone hammers that Ava spa had. That was really relaxing, Sorry Bulky but I have thick, and hard scale’s.” 

Palutena rolled her eyes as she melted under aloes fingers, “you girls have really adapted well to the new forms, bravo!” 

“Thank you Princess, we aim to please,” Aloe replied,

“You can go lower if you like.” Asphyxious added, making the other mare blush who was working on the dragoness back. 

“No! Bad Asphyxious, no hitting on the staff, we’re here to relax not traumatise the mortals,” Palutena chided but muttered, “much.” Asphyxious giggled before playfully pokes her tongue back at her.

After their massage and more incorrigible flirting from Asphyxious, they were lead to a VIP steam room, “we’ll collect you in a couple of hours.” Aloe explained before hurrying away when she noticed blood and gore seeping off of Palutena and Asphyxious.

“Ahh that feels good,” Palutena sighed in relief.

“I don’t remember there being this much blood?” Asphyxious noted at the small puddle of gore around her. “I hope this isn’t my blight, shouldn't be seeing as I can control it now.”  

Palutena looked over at the puddle, “it’s blood and gore.” She stated before leaning back.

“Weird…” Asphyxious replied before leaning back to. “But this is nice, kind of makes me miss Ava for some reason?” She noted before moving her tail to Palutena ready to poke her.

“honestly I don't get you and mom, your not dating and Ava seems to find you frustrating. Why do you care more than a friend would? I mean it's getting to the point where it seems like she's more an addiction for you.”

“She my friend, I want to keep it that way but. It’s hard to describe, it like we fit too well and I don’t want to ruin my friendship with her… Also she gave me blue balls for a while, that was more annoying then fun. She also stronger than I am, I guess that what I like the most about her. It make me feel safe and I don’t have to worry about going out of control. Or going power crazy.” Asphyxious tried to explain.

Palutena sighed, “How’s Rin been?”

“Mum? She’s been fine, she enjoys seeing my kids come over to play with there favorite nanny.” Asphyxious replied as she smiled.

“Perhaps I’ll visit with our Fillies,” Palutena mused with a finger to her chin.

“Oh god Trixie will go nuts.” Asphyxious start laughing after she said that.

“I worry how her Celestia will react, sure she knows I am lesing out with her alternate self but don't think she’d be ready for what is essentially her foals,” Palutena shrugged, the Doom marines Celestia broke down when she found out, I think it's because she was made barren or something.”

“Why not ask Ava for help? She can fix that just like that… Or you could ask jack once you get his token.” The dragoness replied as she moved over to Palutena. “I’m sleepy.”

“It’s not that simple, the Doom marines do not like accepting help or gifts, seriously I had to practically force one on them, then beat Murphy to shit because he tried to block me! A goddess! The nerve of that little man!” Palutena ranted

“Hmmmm, I’ll never understand all this crazy stuff.” She replied as she leans on Palutena. “Wake me in a few.” Asphyxious asked as she cuddles up to her.

Palutena shook her head ruefully at the dragoness.

Hours passed. 

“Hmmmm~” Asphyxious purred as she hugged something warm and soft. “So comfy.”
Palutena rolled her eyes, when there was a knock on the sauna door. A familiar purple, dragoness called through the door, “Mom!” Theia called, “help!” 

“Hmmm? Who the cutie?” Asphyxious asked as she wakes up, then blushes at where she was resting her head in Palutena chest. “S-sorry.” She apologized as she get off.

“That's Theia, my daughter used to be called Spike. You see Ponies misgendered her as a drake,” Palutena explained. Asphyxious nodded her head in understanding with the blush still on her face.

Raising an eyebrow she added, “the same Spike who is Twilight's assistant.”

“I know who Spike is, he’s my son back home.” Asphyxious replied trying not to stare at Palutena.

“so you are aware you just you just had incestuos thoughts then?” Palutena deadpanned.

“What?” Asphyxious asked in surprise. “N-no! No… I wasn’t thinking about that, I just forgot you was there before I woke up…” Palutena​ eyebrow rose skeptically but remained silent.

“What is the matter Theia?” Palutena asked choosing to ignore Theia's own blush.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, “You got to help! Aunt Luna is freaking​ out and having an emotional episode, Twilight asked her to help with the foals and then she devolved into tears and Twilight's and her revive clones have gone catatonic and Captain Rainbow Dash has devolved into laughing her flank off!”

“Oh by Dox! That's never a good thing.” Asphyxious spoke up facepalming at this. “Reminds me of the time my Luna found out they won’t be making a Mareio Kart three.”

“Why would that matter? Mareio kart eight is out here.”

“Can you sell me a copy?” Asphyxious asked. “My Luna would love that.”

“what platform?”

“Not sure… It looks like a ps2 but has a cartridge like a saga.” She explained before being interrupted by Theia’s voice.

“Mom help!!!” Theia exclaimed in panic, Palutena rolled her eyes. She lead the way out and paid the bill and left with Asphyxious and Theia following.






“Wow… This looks, kind of bad?” Asphyxious said looking on poking her head inside the doorway. “Should I wait out here?”

“Just hold on,” Palutena walked through the door the chaos reinvigorating her more than that spa visit had, “Luna? Twilight?” Palutena called not receiving any answers she made her way in, she found Captain Nova in the fetal position muttering to herself all the Twilight's were knocked out the foals climbing over them and a frozen pale Twilight stood over Luna who was now currently tied down to the floor crying and begging Twilight to let her impregnate her.

“Okay, let’s leave your mum deal with this. Want to go and play video games?” Asphyxious asked Theia. 

Theia shrugged and followed the elder dragoness.

“Okay, what is going on here!?” Palutena demanded as Luna froze and paled with Twilight running behind her, “Mom help Luna wants to impregnate me while she was playing with the foals she started to cry and then exclaimed that she wanted one, then she started begging me to.. to let her impregnate me. What's wrong with her?” Twilight asked, sighing and rubbing her head.

She moved forward and untied Luna before pulling her up and then hugging her. Luna started sobbing again as Palutena comforted her.

“Twilight, Luna's biological clock is going off, it means that she wants foals of her own and her hormones will basically make her pursue having foals. It can happen at anytime​ in an adult mare's life, but it is usually triggered by an external factors, including exposure to foals. Sometimes even after they have had foals and those foals leave the metaphorical nest. Talk and discuss it with her but don't outright deny it as a possibility as you could lose her Twilight. It's a powerful driving force and it doesn't exactly leave room to be rational or patient.” Palutena explained as she continued to comfort Luna who had devolved in spluttered begging for Twilight not to leave her and for forgiveness.

Twilight took a step forward and then all but ran and embraced Luna reassuring her as Luna kept saying, “I’m sorry, don’t leave me.” As she sobbed.

Palutena sighed, “you can come in Asphyxious.” Palutena conjured a copy of Mareio kart 8 for each format, “ and here are those games.” She added. Only to find Asphyxious was gone, and so was Theia.

Palutena groaned, “what part of stay does that girl not understand!” Palutena groused. In the end she did find Asphyxious again, but not where she expected she would be.

“Yes, yes! Yesyesyesyes! NO!!!” Asphyxious screamed at the TV, as she and Theia were playing video games. “How are you so good at this!?” It was kind of entertaining, seeing Asphyxious losing her mind over something as simple as a game.

Palutena walked in with her arms crossed, “what part of stay here, did you misunderstand?”

“Ooooh! You're​ in trouble!” Theia taunted Ax,

“You are too young Lady, you heard me say it and didn't remind her,” Palutena chided her

“Now what have you two got to say for yourselves?” Palutena demanded.

“Ummm.” Asphyxious said as she looked back. “I didn’t want to be in the way and thought it be better to stay out of trouble? And we’re sorry?” 

Palutena turned to Theia to hear her excuse, “sorry mom,” she said remorsefully as Palutena sighed.

“Well the problem is on its way to being fixed,”

“...Like to join us?” Asphyxious asked, holding up a controler.

Palutena rolled her eyes and grabbed the proffered controller, after a few hours of fun, Palutena ordered food to be sent to the royal dining hall and after they entered a banquet, they were joined by Luna and Twilight and the revive Twilight's. Celestia showed up shortly and took the high back chair next to Palutena's at the head of the table. Luna and Twilight at the other end.

One of the revive Twilight's gagged at the lovey dovey Luna. While Crescent flitted in and sat on Palutena's other side. A tail with a blade end reached out from under the table, before taking some food then retreating back under the table.

An hour passed as light conversion pervaded the dining hall, Twilight whispered in Luna's ear causing the older mare to blush and teleport out of the room with Twilight. As Celestia and Crescent leant against Palutena.

Asphyxious would pop out now and again to ask questions, before disappearing under the table again. One revive Twilight looked under there to find Asphyxious was hoarding food. The revive Twilights excused themselves leaving Ax, Celestia, Palutena and Crescent alone.

“This was fun.” Asphyxious said as she got out from under the table. “So what do we do now?” 

“We don't do much after dinner, watch TV, read a book, snuggle.”

“Can I join you? Back at home I don’t get a lot of time to relax.” Asphyxious asked as she looked at Crescent. “I got my eye on you, hehehe get it?”

Crescent gave himself deadpan

As they made it to their private seventy inch plasma screen TV As they sat down, Celestia, Crescent and Palutena, removed their food and bra's Palutena summoned her foals handing them two each to them before pulling off Ax’s top and gave Harmony and Pandora to her, having to grab the fillies as they matched onto her nipples,

“I… Don’t know how to feel about this.” Asphyxious said with a blush.

“consider it practice or an experience,” Palutena said as Rose and Serenity latched onto her own.

“I’m not used to this…” She added looking down at the two fillies. “But they’re cute, so I’ll put up with it. But don’t expect me to do something like this again.”

Palutena smirked, “Oh once is enough and you’ll soon be begging your hoard to let you do it.”

“As long as it my hoard doing it, I’m fine with it.” Asphyxious replied smiling back at her. “Revan also loves this thing I do with my tail.”

“None of that tail talk, you. Just relax and watch TV,” Palutena chided.
> Lost Lifes And The Return Of Lord Toruk.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Asphyxious pov. Wolves of Cryx Den***

I could not move, I could not see, the weight of rock and stone that fell on me must have knocked me out. All I could do was wait and hope my diamond dogs could dig me out. What had happened? How did a cave in start throughout the den? It didn’t make any sense, all I do know is after waking up I have been stuck here for hours. But the worst feeling was not knowing what happened to the others.

Were my diamond dogs even alive? Were my family and friends alright? Were any of them hurt?! I had to know, I NEEDED to know! No, panicking won’t help me now I needed to remain calm wait for Rex and the others to dig me out. I could hear them digging right now, I really wish they hurry. I can’t stand this!





“It can’t be…” I asked staring at the destroyed eggs that Chrysalis and Ditto had been laying. Ditto and Mawile were taken to the healers after they tried to stop the attackers but chrysalis. My sweet chrysalis…

She was dead, my chrysalis was dead and I wasn’t here to stop this. It took my dogs three days to free me and in all that time equestria was under attack. Cryx had at last made there move. I reached out and looked at her face. “She can’t be gone…” I said, out of both hope and despair. I knew better than anyone what the cryx would do with the souls of the dead. Worse than that they have taken our children the dragonlings.

“Rex, what happened to the others.” I asked, as I felt the pain grow even deeper with in my soul. I could already feel the death even this far underground, there was fighting and dying.

“We had moved everyone out of ponyville and through the shadow gate. Fluttershy and her family went through the gate first, We got word that Rarity and her family were next. Applejack family went after them but Applejack herself was not with them. Rainbow Dash family and her little friend just went through yesterday. But Rainbow said she stay and help fight. Twilight, her mother and Spike are waiting to go through the gate but Twilight say she could be of more help here. Sonya had taken Pupa and her young with her though the gate. No one knows where Pinkie Pie is.”

I wasn’t sure if this was meant to make me feel better or worse ever way I knew Rex was trying to help. Knowing AJ and RD they’re off somewhere fighting the cryx. God damnit do they not understand how dangerous they were?! They were a band of insane lich’s with a deadly army of zombies and helljacks.

“We need to act now, Waiting three days may have given them all the time they need to enact their plans.” I said picking up Chrysalis body and handing it to a group of the unliving. “Please look after her.” I asked still feeling numb, I could not grieve right now I needed to save our children who were taken.

That when I saw two fox imps running up to me. “We found them, we found them!” They both called up at once spinning my mind into action.

“I want every dog armed, I want all the unliving ready to move. I need the mantis ponies to protect the ponies going through the gate. I want every warjack up and running yesterday! Show me where they are!” I ordered walking through the tunnel as the fox’s quickly followed, I’ll cut down every last member of cryx I can find no matter what happens. This ends today!

“Your going the wrong way it that way!” Both Fox’s yelled at me as I turn back, seeing the way they were pointing. Right, find cryx first, then kill everything in my way.





***Kat the diamond dog pov. ponyville.***

“Now! Smash that thing!” I shout over the sound of the other diamond dogs using dragon rounds. I was still young for a diamond dog but right now I and Gear Shift were the only ones in ponyville when all this started. We got lucky when a group of unliving showed up with a laberjack and some diamond dogs who were looking to have lunch.

It didn’t have any weapons but it was strong enough to carry a few tons of rock and heavy enough to crush anything under foot. The jack brought it steel fist down on another of the undead ponies that were attacking us. We were still fighting, dogs had been pouring into the little town endlessly trying to push back these things. No one had got word what happened to Asphyxious.

All we could do was fight and keep our pack mates alive, I saw one of the things look my way and let out a horrible scream before charging me. It used it large metal fists to smash anything in it path. I swing with my spear and sent it flying under the jack foot, the jack looked down and brought it foot up before bringing it back down on top of the thing crushing it.

I then remembered something from Asphyxious book, the one he had me and Moon Dancer safeguard. It took a quick glance but I saw all I needed to confirm my suspicions. Mechanithralls a mix of dead and machine, this meant one thing the ones Asphyxious feared so much had finally come for him.

“We need to kill as many of these things as we can! Make sure to keep a lookout for warjacks that don't have our colours, they’re the enemy!” I yell as we moved on down the street to take on another group of thralls. “Come, there more this way!” I yell to the laberjack it squirt head looked up at me after pulling another thrall in two before discarding the remains in it large hands and followed after me. It may of had a limited understanding but I hoped it understands that everyone was in danger and I needed it help.

That when I saw two ponies fighting one had sent a thrall flying with a powerful kick, the other was a pegasus who was moving so fast she sent the thralls falling to the ground. But this didn’t last long before the thralls got back up again.

I then noticed the claw marks over the thralls bodies that were attacked by the pegasus, wait there was only two pegasus that had claws that she knows of one was already going to the shadow gate thing and the other was.

“Dang it Rainbow these critters won’t stay down no matter how hard we hit em!” Yelled Applejack as she gets ready for the next wave to attack them.

“I know! Even with these super cool claws taking these guys down, they just don’t know when to quit!” Yelled Rainbow Dash as her scales started to stand on end. That when the other dogs let loose a blaze of dragon rounds at the undead thralls. They both seemed shocked that a small army of dogs showed up to help.

“I thought you two left though the gate?” I asked I thought everyone had left already. Why were these two still here?

“This is our home, you think we’re gonna leave while these thing invade it?” Said Applejack as she cracked her knuckles.

“Yeah and besides, with me on your side you’ll look cooler saving the town.” Said Rainbow as she puffed out her chest. I see now they were defending their home, well I guess we could use all the help we could get.

“Are there any more of you out here fighting?” Asked one of the dogs loading his blunderbuss. I took this moment to have a quick drink of water while there was no more thralls to attack us right away.

“Well you know of Octavia and Vinyl Scratch that Asphyxious brought back from another world right?” Said Rainbow as she smiled at that. “You know the ones who have Asphy dragonblight like me.”

“I’ve heard of them but haven’t meet them why?” I asked getting the feeling I knew where this was going. That when I heard what sounded like a bolt of lighting and a blaze of fire coming down one of the streets, then the sound of music?

“Let just say those two are stronger than anyone thought. Their counterparts are also helping with the fight to.” Added Applejack who was smirking.

“Well then I guess we better get to work.” I said resting my spear on my shoulder. One of the dogs had handed a spear to RD and another handed a blunderbuss to AJ and showed her how to use and load it. I smiled as we started our march to meet up with these blighted ponies. Maybe we could win this after all.






***Asphyxious pov.

Something was very wrong, I felt a pain in my chest I have never felt before. What was this? Why is it the closer we get to the cryx base the stronger this feeling was becoming. One terrifying thought entered the depths of my mind making me move faster down the tunnels. I almost stepped on the Fox imps who were leading the way.

“Move faster we have to hurry!” I shout back my diamond dogs as they tried to keep up with me. My warjacks had no trouble keeping up as they kept up with me. This feeling driving me was dried and fear, fear for the dragonlings safety. They had to be alright! I thought desperately as we saw a green glow at the end of the tunnel.

“Here we are!” Said the two fox imps as I ran past. “Wait! Don’t you want to know-?!” I didn’t hear the rest as I ran through the tunnel, Fear for my brood driving me to act. I saw a  Mechanithrall turn and looks dumbly at me. Before my sword came down and crushed it in two.

“Kill them all!” I roared running deeper into the cryx base with my warjacks close behind. The Dogs were yelling something but it didn’t matter to me, I had to save my kids no matter what. I already lost Chrysalis I won’t lose our children as well!

“Where are you!” I called out in the hopes one of them could hear me, I heard nothing. Only the undead cries of the cryxs minions rushing to face me. I cut them down one after the other, while my warjacks let loss there rage destroying everything in there way. 

I then smelt something on the wind, the world around me slowed down as I turned down one tunnel. The smell was blood, my mind raced as I ran down the tunnel I was hoping they were okay that at least one of them was still alive. For all of them to be alive, Once I reached the end I was left shocked and despaired.

They were dead, all the dragonlings were dead. I lost all feeling in my legs as I fell to my knees staring at them. “It is not real, this can’t be real!” I screamed before falling over myself to reach them, I searched and searched but there was no life from any of them. They were all dead.

“At last.” I heard a voice call out, that didn’t matter. There had to be a survivor, even if it was just one! One of them must still be alive! “The ritual is complete, come master! We await your return Lord Totuk!” I froze at those words. It can’t mean, I thought as I looked around at my dead brood. Then looked up at the iron lich on a platform, there an opening high above but I didn’t care about that.

What I cared about was the bloody dagger in the undead lich hand, covered in fresh blood, my eyes followed the drip of the blood. Making me look back at all of my dead brood. Rage. Nothing else mattered any more, Chrysalis is dead, my brood is dead, they all died by the hands of this monster and I want him dead!

Whatever sanity I scraped together all these years at last broke, I transformed into my dragon form and roared in rage. I was breathing white hot flames as I climbed up to the platform then looked at Iron Lich. Even though he had no skin, no flesh, no face of any kind. All I saw was the bone white skull and I knew, he was smiling, the last thing I saw before being blinded by nothing but my uncontrolled rage before incinerating him into molten slag.





A huge rift opened up in the sky, as it split in two as green lighting strikes down from the sky. Then an earth shattering roar fills the air as a dragon fly out of the rift. The dragon as soon as it lands the land itself dies around it.

This dragon was Lord Toruk, The Dragon Farther. The dragon  looked over the land before letting out a snarl as he could tease the life of this world. "Soon, I will turn this world into nothing but ash." Said Toruk as he took to the air and let out a mighty roar, the war had begun.
> Asphyxious Tomb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Ten years later.***

A tomb was built in the remains of a dead world, it was built on the sorrow, blood and pain of Asphyxious. His body has been long dead, but his heart stone remains. His blight fed the runes in this dead place. The throne room looked more like a catacomb, the walls had names inscribed into them. Friends, family, his own children.

For the most part this dead dragon sleeps and rests in this tomb, the only time he awakens is if his followers have need of him. Or if a intruder come into his tomb, his grave if you will. A few of his loved ones survived on other worlds. Sonia, Sonata, Moon Dancer, Luna, Pizazz better known as Zaz and Gwyndolin also called Gwyn. But time waited for no one.

Asphyxious for now sleeps until he is called upon or if someone being a big pain in the neck. The most interesting thing was his tomb acted as a portal, a gateway to other worlds. Creatures and powers from other worlds can come here, to speak with others. Or visit the temples of gods, and some of Asphyxious old friends. For now he sleeps, for now he waits until a voice awoken him, a voice he knew.

Asphyxious opened his eye that slowly focused. His eyeless site set in, mapping out the throne room and who was standing in it before his eyesight came back it was his hearing first, and the first thing he heard was.

“So, still moping around? How much longer are you going to wallow in self pity?” Rin’s voice came from the fox imp standing in front of him. The toxic green glow of its eyes showing that it was possessed. Asphyxious stared at it, before letting out a deep sigh as dust fell from his form.

“I never wanted any of this, I didn’t expect to outlive my own children.” Asphyxious replied looking at the wall. Asphyxious even reached out to his warjacks hidden in his tomb he wondered how they still worked after all this time. “So what wrong this time? Some fool trying to destroy the world again?” Asphyxious asked as his joints screeched in protest after not moving for so long. His limbs snapped back into place as Asphyxious could move again.


“No... son I’ve given you time to grieve but this is getting ridiculous. Ten years is far too long to wallow. So...I’ve called an intervention.” Rin said as all of my surviving loved ones moved in from the shadows as well as several foxes carrying crystal balls covered in runes drawn in blood.

“Ten years, was I asleep for so long?” Asphyxious asked as he started to move, slowly muscle and bone started to grow back, as his flesh started to cover his more metal parts of his body. “I didn’t think I’d sleep that long.”

“We know you don’t want to talk about what happened, but it time to put the past behind you now.” Said Moon Dancer as she walked up to him. Putting a hand on his arm, Asphyxious looked down at her. She had aged but to Asphyxious it didn’t show, he slowly nods his head at this.

“You’re right, Ten years is too long I’m the all father now... I need to get used to that. So what happened while I slept?” Asphyxious asked, as his skin and scales started to grow back.

“Well how do we put this.” Said Pizazz or Zaz for short as she bit her lip, looking to her clone sister, Friend? Asphyxious will have to ask Ava for more details about these two another time.

“Your followers have started a crusade.” Said Gwyndolin or Gwyn for short. Asphyxious stopped and blinked at them confused.

“Agents who?” He asked as Asphyxious belly rumbled. “I need something to eat.” He grumbled looking around. Asphyxious always knew he forgot something when making this place, he forgot to put a fridge in here. Rin just sighed and created a portal which gushed out gems for him to snack on. “Thank you.” Asphyxious thanked before eating.

“You’re welcome. Now listen about the Cryx.” Rin said while pointing at Gwyndolin.

“Well after you dunk yourself in your pity party. The Cryx and your Diamond dogs went on a crusade to bring all Cyrx under your banner.” Gwyn finished as Asphyxious started at them.

“Oh gods don’t tell me, they used the shadow gate to go to the other worlds didn’t they?” Asphyxious putting a claw over his face. “Okay where are they now?” He asked going off to look for his old armour and weapons.

“What are you going to do?” Asked Sonia as she watched him get changed. Asphyxious walked out with a old friend, that friend being the Deathjack and two of his closest warjacks.

“I’m going to find them, then bet it into there heads the last thing I wanted them to do was go on a stupid crusade! Then maybe poke fun at Everblight not sure yet, or see how my old friends are doing.” Asphyxious replied as he walked down the hall.

“That’s what happens when you leave your followers alone for to long. They do stupid things.” Rin said with exasperation. “I made that mistake once and somehow they decided that I wanted virgin sacrifices.”

Asphyxious could not help but laugh a little at that. “They should have sacrificed cake and sweets.” He said making his way to the gate room. “Anything I need to know before going there?”

“Um, well you’re planet is alive again. So there’s that.” Rin said offhandedly. Asphyxious stopped looked confused before looking back at the fox imp. “I’ve been refurnishing dead worlds back into living ones for a while now. You think I wouldn’t do the same for yours? Gave it a black sun, had my imps import plants from other worlds to grow. Ava even chipped in by helping the imported animals repopulate faster.”

“Wait, you did what!?” Asphyxious yelled looking like he in a panic. “Do you have any idea what Ava would do if left to her own devices? Oh gods I fear at what I’ll find back home waiting for me.”

“Well...I must admit having all animal life including reptiles and water animals having huge boobs does take getting used to.” Rin said sagely as her imp body nodded. Asphyxious face clawed again.

“...I’ll deal with that later... Send me to my stupid followers before they kill a planet.” Asphyxious asked as he walked up to the gate.

“Again.” Rin added as she ran up to the control with that imp speed. “So, you’re good now? You’re not just going to come back and stew again when your done?”

“I’m good, and seeing all the trouble I made by shutting myself off. I need to fix this before it get any more out of hand.” Asphyxious replied pulling out his sword and looks at the blade. “I’m ready.” With a nod the imp poked a few buttons on the gate controls causing it to open for him. Once he left and the gate closed the imp looked to the others.

“Do you think we should have told him that his followers have adopted the naked party as a way of celebrating each victory? Because that’s what was on the other side of that portal.” Rin asked the others.

“And ruin the surprise?” Asked Luna with a smile. As they all giggled before Luna want up to the Imp fox. “By the way, is my moon still there or?...”

“Which one?” Rin deadpanned. Luna looked confused for a moment before remember what Asphyxious told her a long time ago.

“The one I had control over, wait are you saying I have more than one moon now?” Luna asked blinking at the imp.

“You didn’t do that? There are three moons out there now.” Rin stated. “They’re a little cracked from crashing into each other's few times with no one to control them but nothing that can’t be fixed.” Luna smiled before hugging Rin and screamed in joy... In the royal canterlot voice.

“GA! Not in the ear!” The fox cried.


***Asphyxious pov.***

“What the fuck...” I asked at what I was seeing. My brain must have stopped working because I was having trouble understanding what I was seeing right now. And seeing as I’ve lived in equestra for more than twenty years that saying something. I wasn’t even bothered that they were bipedal. “Why in the hell is everyone naked?”

That one question seemed to go unanswered for a whole minute before, everyone started bowing. Okay, I saw Diamond dogs, Ponies, Griffons, Mantis ponies, some minotaurs, Changelings, Thestral and Unliving. And oh look, they have dragons with them too. I thought to myself as my warjacks looked at me. It was to early to deal with this, I just woke up and was still hungry.

“Who is in charge and what are you all doing?” I asked trying to not stare, kind of hard when you’re in the middle of some kind of salabrasion where everyone was naked. “And please don’t bow, it make me feel like a prick.” At this they all stood up straight and saluted which resulted in them flashing their collective privets at me... I face clawed at this. I walked right into that one didn’t I?

“We are my Lord.” Said a woman voice, I turned around to see a huge minotaur in robes I think? From behind him walked out a mare in slimmer robes. “I am High Priestess Iron Buns! And this is head priest Long Horn!” She said in a over dramatic tone. I sighed at this, I forgot about how ponies name each other...

“Okay, from now on you’re Lizzy and he’s Fred.” I tell them getting confused looks from them. I knew they find some why to fuck it up but for now I just didn’t care.

“As you wish my Lord, I will be known as Lizzy Iron Buns.” She said as I ground, I walked away as I looked around. At least they’re keeping the warjacks I made in working order, hell they even made some new ones.

“Alright pack your things we’re going home.” I told them as they all stared at me. I didn’t care as I walked around with my jacks following me. I had to go back and find out, what happened to that world I left behind.






Things had changed so much, and yet felt so familiar. Walking around with an army behind you was a pain. I saw how the land healed, but to me the scars were still there. I then found ponyville, it looked like they were rebuilding Twilight old castile. It made my heart feel heavy, or that was the heart stone. But I moved on, told the army to do what they can to help.

I left to find old battlefields, old gravestones, then my old home. The Diamond dogs there were surprised to see me. They even held a party, it looked like my Den was untouched by the two year war with Toruk.

I found my way to my old work shop and to my surprised, my old warjacks sat waiting for me. I smiled at my old friends, I walked up to them and hugged Seether head. I never thought I’d miss them so much.

The smell of metal and smoke, the familiar sound of there engines humm. I was home again, the only thing I was missing now was. “Daddy?” a soft voice spoke, it made every muscle in my body teases as I slowly looked to the source of the voice. It was a filly who looked part dragon, she had blue scales but her mane was a soft pink.

“Gentle Shade?” I asked as she ran up and hugged me crying her eyes out. I couldn’t move or think as I looked down at my and Fluttershy child, I couldn’t help but kneel down and hug her back. That when I saw everyone came in and I saw them, Fluttershy, Sonata and my Puparium. They all rushed in and joined in on the hug, we were all overwhelmed by emotion I was never more happy to be back, at last I was home.
> Bonus chapter: Hidden in the dark.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Asphyxious after one miss adventure on Ave world found out just how bad things where with her enemy. Die Leucht, so Asphyxious went in search for away to help. And found one soul could get the ball rolling, after all he was the Dragonfather. And he could not wait to see how his works unfolded.

80 years later.

It took years to build up and careful planning, with a few grave robbing of the few sites that were left. However they only took the best minds who once lived, and hired criminals to raid morgues making it look like it was black market dealers looking for organs and body parts.

This was how Cryx was slowly building up, attacking remote places years apart. Or biding their time before carrying out their plans. Even hiding their attacks as one of Die Leucht monsters getting loss.

Yes it took time, but by using the underground caves and cassems to hide their movements. Even underwater tunnels were used, as well as natural toxic gases or scolding hot heat veins to block any living thing from following them.

Helljacks were only rarely used, because their lord didn’t want to risk the technology falling into the wrong claws. Many undead were made from the remains of those who were trapped in cave ins and the sinkholes that were carefully dug out for years. After they were sure the locals were not going to try and retrieve the bodies. Or just blocking a stream and waiting for years for it to take effect turning into a landslide.

Many mechanithralls were used as well as Scrapthralls as the main digging force, yet when it came to bedrock only then did they use the helljacks. The first undead to be made and awakened was a griffon who started out in humble beginnings, he thought he could change things for the better. Yet it never happened, he was imprisoned for anti government views. When all he wanted was to pass a law to give their people more legal protection, to provant what had happened to him.

He lost years of his life and health yet he didn’t give up, he still tried and then he was killed. Not quickly ever, he still remembered being locked in a chest and dumped in a hole unable to move. Then he realised what was happening, he was being buried alive! He died soon after.

When he awoke again, he was something else. His body was changed, his body was made of iron and steel now. His skull with it witchfire eyes looked up at the one who brought him back. That when he saw his new master, no. His lord gave him a new life as an iron lich. An undead, with a greater understanding of the world. His new lord made it clear that because of the Orichalcum it was too risky to openly attack Die Leucht, so they will hinder them.

Attacking their mines, their railways, slowly changing the landscape making it harder for them to resupply their armies. Yet it would be too suspicious if these attacks happened regularly, so they were biding their time. Waiting years for these events to be all but forgotten about, before attacking their next target.

His name was Grimscythe, his lord gave him that name. He found others to join the cryx’s legions. Engineers who became Necrotech’s, helping to build more helljacks and assembling their new work force/army. Yet this was just for the risen dead, they were not ready for living members to join yet. As they slowly start to believe in their new god, The Dragonfather.





Grimscythe knew to keep an eye on some of their necrotechs, the ones who were still loyal quickly changed their minds. When told they could be just sent back to whatever afterlife they had come from. The few who would not turn on Die Leucht, were simply turned back into lifeless bones. Yet still they kept them, it was better to keep them around in the event they needed a spare soul. Or to make them into Iron Lich Overseer. Three souls, one body.

For now things were slow, it always felt like this after the first decade. They used ghosts as scouts in the wilderness above ground. They knew how to stay hidden from the living, sometimes they would come across lost souls. Living or otherwise, the Dragonfather gave them a simple task. Guild the souls of the dead, so they could pass on to the next life. However not all souls were willing, so they were brought into the ranks of cryx.

It would take two weeks on foot to get anywhere close to where they were set up. Not only that, the air was replaced by deadly gases as well as the temperature dropping the deeper you went. That is not even going into the heat that would slowly build over time once you passed a certain point. However, it would take another few days of travel to reach that point.

The problem was making contact with the living, the ones who were found dying were easy to tempt into joining. The healthy and fearful would not be so easily convinced, he remembered his Lord left them a gift. A drop of the dragonfather blood, Grimscythe was told to give it to a true believer. And they will be the first to spread the word of the dragonfather. But there was risk, they had to be sure they were faithful. If not, the dragonfather blood would kill them.  

They made sure to keep a low profile and hidden, never going to the surface unless they had no choice but go above ground. It rarely happened, even so they knew how to avoid the living. Yet Grimscythe always felt like someone was watching them, not the dragonfather, no. When the dragonfather watched them, Grimscythe felt like their lord was watching with interest. As if waiting to see how they would deal with events and examining their choices.

It didn’t matter in the long run, after all they knew their mission. And he would make sure they would not fail, it was night and raining. Meaning it was perfect for them to go out and start their next plan. They were going to destroy the rail track that passed though this forest, sometimes they would even tip off the freedom fighters to do their work for them. Nothing too risky, they were no good to them dead.

He stops and spreads his metal wings out as he hears the caw of a carrion thrall. The undead crow flew down and landed on his arm. They were the best spies, they could not transmit information in detail. But they can transmit images and some sound if they’re close enough. Yet he ordered the undead bird to never do such a thing, it was too risky to lose something so useful.

“What have you found?”

He asked, yet it did not wait to send him the information. It flew away and caws for him to follow. Grimscythe turned to the two necrotech's who were travelling with him. And the small horde of undead.

“Continue with the mission, make sure to leave nothing behind that we were here.”

He told them and followed the bird, the rain was coming down harder now. As he followed he started to hear a sound, it sounded like, crying? When he saw the body, he followed the sound. Using his staff he carefully moved the body over and saw a griffon chick, They couldn’t be more than a few weeks old.

While the chick was crying, he looked at the body. The mother, maybe? He thought as the crow flew off to keep a lookout, he looked down to the face of this griffon and saw they were still alive!

“Please… Save her…”

They asked holding out the crying chick to him, Grimscythe was shocked. Why, why would she hand over her own child to a thing of death like himself? Then he quickly took the chick as the griffon gave her last breaths of life. The chick started to cry even louder, as he carefully wrapped it up in the blanket the griffon had held it in.

There was no time to ask questions, as the crow caws a warning! It was time to leave, he shielded the young chick and took to the sky’s! He was much faster than any living griffon, yet what to do with the little one? It was too dangerous to have it live with them, yet he knew a place where it would be looked after. Looks like he had a detour before rejoining the others.





The rebel fighters had many names and groups, they had a lot of reasons for wanting to fight for their freedom. However on a night like this, many just wanted a warm fire and a roof over their heads.

“Is the plan still the same? We’re moving out at first light to a new campsite?”

Asked a griffon with a bow on his back, as he tried to warm himself by the small fire box that was keeping them warm in the small tent. The others nodded as if they had done this before. One griffon was sharpening a spear, before sticking another log in the fire box.

Lately they have been getting letters dropped off by crows, telling them about when Die Leucht would be on to them or giving them a target to attack. It wasn’t like they needed help, the first time they got the letters they ignored them. Thinking they were a trap. Until they found out later what was inside, it was about a target they were hunting. And where they would be staying.

They all stop what they’re doing when they hear the crow, that was strange. It never showed up in the middle of a storm before or at night. They quickly left the tent and went outside to find out what was happening, weapons at the ready. They heard the crow again, then they heard a chick crying.

They saw the crow on a log it caws at them before flying off into the night sky. They quickly followed the sound and saw in the hollow of the log was a baby griffon!

“Okay what is going on here? Information one thing. But we’re not an orphanage!”

“How can you be so cold!”

Growled one griffon as she quickly picked the chick up and brought it back to the tent to keep it warm. Grimscythe watched them as he slowly disappeared into the darkness of the woods before taking flight. It would be safe with them for now, yet a part of his mind wondered, was this fate?





Grimscythe and the others returned without incident, it will take Die Leucht a few weeks to find out about the damage to the track and even longer to fix it. That pulls both time and resources away from other areas. For now they had an intruder to deal with, the shocking part was they didn’t have any trouble breathing in the toxic air around them. He didn’t understand how they were still alive, unless they weren’t.

“Who are you?”

He asked the pony who was in a business suit and had glowing eyes. This being whatever it was, could be an enemy yet he waited.

“I am diplomatic contact unit Mable, I am here to make contact with the followers of Asphyxious. Lady Aventurine told me they would be… Undead? I take it you’re them yes?”

Grimscythe, was surprised because the dragonfather told no one but him of his full name. So to hear it from another so casually was strange to him, however Asphyxiosu did say if they ran into trouble make contact with Aventurine a goddess. He even said they could trust them.

“You know of the dragonfather, he has told me if my focuses ever needed aid I should make contact with this, Aventurine. How did you get down here?”

“It was easy, you only accounted for anyone who was not modified to deal with harsh environments. I was designed to make contact even in the middle of a war zone.”

He was starting to understand, this Mable was changed not unlike himself. He was brought back from the sleep of death, this one was made more while still living. If they were still living, he wasn’t sure. Yet having an ally was useful, and Asphyxious did say he could trust them.

“I see, why are you here then?”

“To make an offer, we can trade in goods to help you with your goals. We have the same enemy. And Lady Aventurine knows Asphyxious… Entmantly.”

Mable brought out a holo list of the kinds of things they can offer, as well as weapons. The Necrotech’s were eager to get hold of such weapons, yet at the same time their lord said they should work on making new weapons themselves. However, never turn down a weapon you can gain through trade. Grimscythe agreed with this Mable, a trade was made, in time they could become friends. For now, he had an idea for a new cannon for the helljacks that could be very useful.

Mable left a machine behind, before using it to teleport away. It seems it could fold up and be moved, that was very useful. For now the necrotech’s were busy taking these new weapons apart and finding out how they work. Things are going to be very interesting from now on.





Turns out it was harder than they thought, forget about the weapons effects. Like setting a target on fire or freezing them. The weapons themselves were so complicated, the only way they would get any real use out of them would be to graft them to the helljacks.

So Grimscythe asked for help, and the dragonfather gave it. A portal opened in a remote location, where even if someone did know about it. They would be gone long before anyone was sent to investigate.

What walked out was a number of Iron Lichs, Necrotech’s and helljacks. There was Ponies, Diamond dogs, and even a changelings. As they quickly went to Grimscythe and he led them away back underground. It was very surprising to him, Grimscythe thought he was the first to be given a gift like this. However he may have been wrong, the other iron lich’s welcomed him like a brother.

The necrotech’s were even more eager going over every inch of the new helljacks that were with them. Grimscythe explained his plans and the other lichs were in agreement. They had brought up how they could shield the cortex of the helljacks. That would be a boon in itself, because the jacks could run on anything as long as it made heat.

So the necrotechs scrambled to come up with new ways to power the helljacks that were not coal or dark magic powered. Grimscythe was shocked that the dragonfather would use dark magic as a fuel for such machines. Yet the crystals grew in the crystal empire back on Asphyxious world.

It would take a few years, but they did manage to make a helljack engine that ran on other fuels. Such as one for methane gas, however that was mainly used for the smaller or light helljacks. Seeing as it was too dangerous to loud up a heavy helljack with such a thing.

Another was powered by refined oil, its smoke was less noticeable yet it burned through the fuel faster. Another used hydration, it was tricky and could only be used in small amounts. It gave impressive speed, so it was only used for their flying helljacks. Something that still surprised Grimscythe that they could build one that fly's, yet he could fly and he was just as heavy as a bonejack.

However there was one resource the new lich’s warned him about, necrotite. It was unlikely they would come across it on this world. But if they did find it, they were given strict orders about how to handle it. One make sure the living do not go near it as it could poison them and even kill them, two harvest it and remove it from the area as quickly and quietly as possible.

Necrotite was only found in places of great slaughter, the coal would be slowly bathed in the blood and death of the living. Making it into a potent fuel, that once set alight will not stop burning even under water. Until it runs out.

Grimscythe grew worried, if all it needed to form was coal and slaughter then it was very easy to make necrotite. It would take years of battle for necrotite to form. They needed to adjust their plans, first look into places of battle with the most heavy loss of life. Then search the local coal deposits if any to make sure there is not a trace of necrotite, if it is found. Then they will do as their Lord warned, harvest it and move it away from the living. For if Die Leucht were to find out about this, it would give them a deadly new weapon. That the living were not prepared for.





While this was all going on Asphyxious used the fact time did not run at the same speeds to his advantage. Modifying and improving his helljacks and their weapons. He knew this would mark him as a mad king, even going as far as to say a warlord of death. Yet why should such mortal labels matter to him anymore? He was the Dragonfather now, mad or not there was nothing more dangerous than a dragon's wrath.

Yet at the same time, he had other problems to deal with. Such as his followers' little rampage while he was gone, it turned out they even pissed off a few displaced while bringing the other cryx to heil.

Yet some of these displaced brought new thoughts to mind, what if they did manage to end him? Would it mean the end of him or maybe, the next step in his evolution? Asphyxious was in no hurry to find out, so he was going to prepare his followers. After all, if they were wiped out what was the point in him gaining so much power in the first place?

He smiled to himself, maybe he truly was mad. Asphyxious could not help but laugh, he was going to bring hell to them all. His last name was Hellbringer, it was about time he lived up to that name. It was time to show the other displaced, what war really means.





Grimscythe cryx have started to call themselves the Vipers of Cryx, much like how the dismonad dogs under the dragonfather call themselves the Wolves of Cryx. Grimscythe thought it was appropriate. Seeing as they mainly lay in wait and only strike when their enemy is alone and unaware.

It has been 30 years now, and they have made a vast tunnel network. They hid much of it in the already existing underground caves and caverns. Just to be sure, they moved there necrofacttorium deeper underground, they only just got this new one built five years ago. The necrotech’s designed it so it can easily be taken apart and moved at a moment's notice.

For now they had to stay away from the battles of the frontlines. As much as going to such a place would be abundant of replacement ‘materials’ however it was too risky to even think about it. However they did manage to get lifeless clones from Mable, so it wasn’t that bad. The problem was the clones didn’t have any souls, and because they were made raver then born. They had to find a way to program the violent behaviour that would have been found in the revived dead.

Lately the criminals in the griffon lands have been dropping, no doubt Die Leucht had something to do with it. The vipers of cryx were careful to make it look like any criminals who went missing by their hand, were few and had a large sum of coins on them. To make it look like they made a clean getaway.

The criminal masses unaware they were added as just another body to the scrapthralls. Grimscythe would much like to attack, cut down all in their path and harvest the fallen adding to their numbers. Yet it was not time, they needed to wait. They needed away around the orichalcum, there must be a way to ever remove its magical absorbing properties. Or to protect themselves from it. But how?

“Excuse me, Sir Grimscythe?”

Asked one of their newly risen unliving, she was one of the few who were found abandoned in an old mine that was quickly closed. Because of a cave in. When the vipers of cryx found them a week later there were only three survivors, who lived by eating their dead co-workers. It left them scared mentally but thanks to the dragonfathers knowledge, they saved them. However they could never return back home.

“I have the reports, are you alright?”

Grimscythe sent to her the feeling of smiling as he took the report, the war was still a slow grind. According to the group that was sent to keep an eye on things, Die Leucht sent back a number of trucks filled with dead griffons. Wait, trucks? He thought about that, they would need to transport them across vast distances. Thanks to the sabotage to the railway, large areas of it were cut off until they were repaired. Grimscythe turned to her and asked.

“Do our people still have burial rights for the dead?”

“Y-yes, why?”

“Because I think we have just found a way to boost our numbers.”





A transport convoy was driving through the night, they couldn’t stop until they reached the next settlement. The driver couldn’t keep his eyes open much longer, if they didn’t find a place to stop soon he was going to pass out. The griffon turned to his navigator who had fallen asleep, he frowned and hit them with his wing to wake them up!

“I’m up sir!? Ready to run drills sir?!”

The younger griffon yelled, making the driver laugh at him. The younger griffon growled at him but it was worth it.

“Good of you to join us, if I can’t sleep that means you can’t ever. Are we close yet?”

The younger griffon grones, as he starts pulling up maps. He looked back to the road, it was a dirt road. Worse the headlights were almost useless, you couldn’t see anything until it was in front of the truck. He also didn’t like the idea of transporting bodies. It was unsettling, worse if the boxes were not sealed properly. He heard stories about how one box wasn’t and it was only opened once it reached one of the main cities. It was called the fly box horror incident.

“Take this next right, there should be a village we can stop for the night.”

“Good, it's starting to rain. I hate driving in the rain, more likely to crash than find our way back.”

The three trucks made their way into a little village, at first it looked abandoned until they saw one torch light hanging from an inn. The six soldiers got out of the trucks as two of them made their way to the inn.

They went inside and found it was almost as cold inside as it was out, at lest it was dry. They looked inside and only saw two hooded griffons playing cards in the corner. One of them they saw was missing a leg, while the other was missing both of their wings.

“Vets of the war, most like.”

Said the older griffon to the younger, the younger one smirked at that. They rang a small bell at the desk and a griffon with a hood over their head walked out feeling their way to the counter.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

They quickly worked out the griffon was blind and could not see. The younger griffon smiled and quietly went round the counter while the older soldier talked.

“Yeah, we need six beds for the night.”

“Well you’re in luck, not many come here any more. It's been years since we’ve had visitors. What is your name sir?”

“I’m Razerbeck and this is Ribs, we call him that for his love of anything that meat.”

While the Inn keeper talked, Ribs was looking for anything of value and smiled as he found a bag full of coins. He saw Razerbeck look at him, Ribs just smiled and was carefully taking a few handfuls out of the bag.

“We hope you enjoy your stay, I’m sorry about this. I won't be able to make you breakfast when you wake up.”

“It's fine we’ll make our own.”

He said as the others walked in and followed Razorbeck, round back to their rooms being led by the inn keeper. Little did they know, the other two occupants of the inn watched. One turned to the window and their eyes glowed.

The six soldiers had to share one room, it was fine by them as Ribs was already splitting up their ill gotten gains with the others. Razorbeck was one of the few who thought of themselves as a real fighter. He watched how they made fun of the griffons who could no longer fly or walk. Razor saw much of the same thing happen to his own friends.

As soon as you could no longer fight, it was like you were an outcast from everyone. The worst case was when they were abandoned by their own families. When did things turn out this badly for them? Everygriffon was getting ready for bed and went to sleep.

Meanwhile as they sleept, the blind griffon made sure they were sleeping. Before the bandages over his eyes glowed. As he cast a silence spell on the building. He turned away and went back to the others, and nods his head. The other two nod and one waves at the window.

That when the vipers of cryx moved in, they gathered around the trucks. The unliving get inside and start reading off the marked boxes, pointing at one as the scrapthralls started taking them out one by one. Once they were moved away, a diamond dog necrotech started carefully opening the boxes once they reached him.

The bodies were then taken away as they carefully changed the papers for copies, with the body listed as missing. Only leaving behind whatever uniformed were on the bodies. It will take them a few hours to be done, by then the drivers will be none the wiser. They were careful to put the boxes back the way they found them, however one body could not be left behind. It was the body of a general, they knew what to do. They had to take this one with them!

The next morning, Razor got up early and woke the others as they woke up. They found the blind griffon was making tea. As they made themselves at home. Razor felt bad for the blind griffon as the others joked, and were openly stealing from him in the open. Taking as much food as they can with them. As they were getting ready to leave they saw the wingless griffon was trying to grow crops. While the one with a missing leg was watching out a window.

“Come on let’s go, I got you some ham!”

Razor looked at Ribs as he handed the meat to him. Razor took it and looked at it, he didn’t feel like eating. In fact he felt sick looking at it.

“Don’t you feel bad about taking the inn keepers food like that?”

“Oh like who’s he gonna tell? It’s not like he can tell anyone what we look like!”

Ribs laughed, as Razor started the truck up and took a bite out of the ham. It was good ham and started driving away leading the convoy of three trucks away. Unaware of the footprints in the mud. That one of their trucks drove over.





General Ironclaw or Irons for short, was a proud griffon as he stood and smiled to himself. He was standing before his commander as they waited to hear his report, Iron was sure he would get a medal for this.

“As you can see sir, we’ve pushed them out of the edge of the city. All we need to do now is keep going on the offensive and we’ll take the whole city by weeks end.”

He said confidently, as the commander stared at him as if looking through his soul, It made Iron a little worried when the commander got like that.

“Good work, now tell me how many griffons are already on their way to reinforce your battalion?”

Ironclaws was confused for a moment but quickly answered anyway. Surely this was a test, to make sure he could remember what was asked and what was being sent to the front lines.

“We lost over four thousand, but we can easily replace that number in a few days thanks to the draftees from the outer settlements. We can send them in first to take the worst of things until reinforcements arrive.”

The commander nodded, as Irons smiled more sure than ever now. Yet he couldn’t help but get this nagging feeling, like he forgot something important. It was on the tip of his talon he just could not remember what it was?

“What about the other movements of the army. Where are they moving now?”

Ironclaw went on telling him everything, yet the longer they talked the more things felt out of place. He stopped at one question as he looked at the doors behind him, leading into the office.

“Something the matter, Ironclaw?”

Asked the commander, Iron wanted to say no but stopped himself. No, this was wrong. Somegriffon should have come in by now. It was unusual for no one to see the commander, let alone Iron by himself. The commander never did one on one meetings with anyone, in fact the commander never waited for Iron to talk this much. He would always yell at him to get to the point!

“Who’re you!”

Ironclaw shouted, reaching for his sword, only to find it was missing along with his gun! Iron then started calling for the guards, only no one responded. Ironclaw ran for the doors and tried to open them. Only they wouldn’t open!

“I see… There is no point in pretending any longer.”

Said the commander as he waved his hand, as his voice started to change. Iron turned back and saw the commander form melt away like fog as a tall metal thing stood where the commander sat. Its head was only the skull of a griffon staring back at him. As the room changed into a vast cave.

“W-what tricky is this? Where am I? Where is the commander?!”

“Forgive me, when calling back a soul it’s simpler to just go alone with their strongest memories of their lives events from before. It also was much easier for you to answer my questions if you believed you were still living.”

Ironclaw didn’t understand, just what was this monster talking about?! Iron thinks as he thought of escape. He turns around and tries to fly only to find he is not moving. He is still in the same place he tried to fly away from, what was happening? What was going on!? Ironclaw panics as he tries to fly faster.

“You will understand soon. Just look down.”

Ironclaw felt a horrible feeling in his guts, every impulse in his mind was screaming at him not to look. Yet he did and what he saw made the battle hardened general scream. 

“What is that!?”

What he saw was his own body, in a magic cycle. With runes carved into the flesh and bones. Grimscythe walked around the ghost that was brought back to speak with the iron lich.

“It's simple, I brought back your soul to get information. Now that I have it, you can go back to your eternal rest.”

It was only now that reality was crashing down on his head he remembered everything. He had died, a pegasus had run him through the neck. He remembered laying there bleeding out in pain. Trying to call for help only to die. And he was about to be sent back to wherever his soul came from!

“No wait! Hear me out, I can be useful! I know more than what you asked, I-I know about an ops unit that is going to kill off a town! I can tell you where it is! When they’re going to attack! All you need to is-!”

“Goodbye.”

With that one word, Grimscythe cancelled the spell and Ironclaw soul was sent to whatever afterlife he came from. With the knowledge he had just betrayed everyone, worse he was sent back with the knowledge this wasn’t the first time his soul was brought back! Grimscythe walked away from the body. As he stops next to an iron lich with a dog’s skull for a head.

“So what do you want to do with him? Turn him into another scrapthall?”

“No, I believe we can find another use for him. I’ll leave the body in your capable paws.”

The Diamond dog lich laughed as he went over to Ironclaws body and dragged it away. Grimscythe had a lot to think about. It was already too late for most of the info to be useful, however they can find use in other ways. He went up to the new-u and made a call, after all information was just another weapon. If used properly.





Nine years later.

The Vipers of cryx have made themselves into a ghost story among the Die Leucht troops. Of shadowy figures moving in the darkness of woods, when a heavy rainstorm hit. As well as residents in small and what they thought were abandoned villages would be populated one day and then gone the next. It was just hearsay, ghost stories, yet it was annoying that some info did leek about them. For now it was just gossip. They will need to lay low until these stories die down.

Grimscythe was overseeing the contraction of a new helljack, the dragonfather offered the idea of using magnets to make a projectile move faster. At the time he didn’t really understand it, but as his Lord explained in more detail he slowly started to understand. The faster an object moves the greater the impact once it hits something. He tested it on a small scale and was shocked by the results.

Normal steel armour was punched though like paper, a hole no bigger than his own claw. Yet the biggest shock was how the steel reacted once it was hit, it was like the armour turned in on itself. If someone was wearing that, their rib cage would have been broken or worse crushed. And that was with just a small block of steel.

This new weapon could be lethal, the better question was how would it react to orichalcum? Could something moving that fast do the damage he was seeing? The first test destroyed the weapon, yet even so. The attempt to build a working prototype was worth it. The problem was they needed a way to deal with their enemy quietly, not load and call everyone to where they are.

Magic could help, but the Vipers of Cryx wanted to leave the smallest magical footprint as possible. They didn’t know if they could be tracked, but it was batter to assume they could. And to cover their tracks, the news Grimscythe got today was… Worrying. They got news that Die Leucht was taking prisoners again, he knew full well what would happen to them. The prisoners would be taken to work camps or worse test subjects.

They needed to lay low, yet felt conflicted as he watched the image on a hologram from the newu. Grimscythe knew he shouldn’t feel anything, yet a slow burning anger was building inside of him. To be brought back had risks, the dragonfather said they could lose their empathy for others. Or maybe some other emotion, Girmscythe wished he had lost it then he wouldn’t feel such rage at how his own people were treating other living beings.

He wanted to act, yet remind himself they were playing the long game. To be nothing more than a story was perfect for them, he stopped as he thought about it. Yes, being nothing but a boogeyman was perfect for the vipers of cryx. They could use this and spread such terror that Die Leucht would have no choice but to try and silence anyone who knew, pulling griffon power away from the front!

Another image popped up and this was what pushed him to action. The image was of a family being pulled apart, the kit taken away while the parents were sent to camps. Grimscythe acted, it was risky and could expose them. But he could not stand by anymore, they needed to act now! He only scolded himself for not doing something sooner. He walked into the necrofactorium at the assembly lines as a new Helljack awaked and stepped off to be called for by a warcaster. It was time for the Vipers of Cryx to show their fangs.





Three years later.

It was raining, the guard outside hated the rain. It made it hard to fly and their feathers would get water logged. It seemed pointless to him, because no one else knew about this building in the middle of nowhere. It was once a place for their war prisoners, now it was something else. The young of many races were brought here, to be for lack of a better word brainwashed.

For every failure a new method was thought up, he hated it but this was war. Better to turn them to the griffon empire as new citizens, or they would be sent off to some unnamed lab or so the romer goes. Even he didn’t know what happened to them once they’re taken away.

“Ewww, how much longer do-o-o-o we have to stay out here for?”

Asked the guard standing next to him, he looked at the fat griffon who was wiping their beck and trying to stay dry in this down pore. It was a hopeless attempt as he saw the guard using his own wings to try and keep himself dry.

“Another ten minutes, give or take. To be honest, I’d rather be out here than inside.”

“I know what you mean, the brats w-w-won’t stop crying. How a soldier meant to get any s-s-s-sleep!”

He frowned at the fat griffon, at that thought. He couldn’t believe this guard thought of himself as a soldier. At least the bunks were warm and dry, yet because this place used to be a prison. The large open spaces echoed, it was a depressing experience. It made him question his life choices, maybe he was better off working at his mother's meat shop. He wouldn’t be standing here wet, cold and miserable.

“W-what’s that? c-Chopper?”

Chopper looked out and saw a light, a single lonely light in the woods. Chopper looked to the other guard, as they looked at each other. Chopper didn’t know, maybe some other guard got lost?

“Don’t know, better call it in Mordan.”

Chopper replied, as Mordan ran off inside. Meanwhile Chopper watched as the light slowly moved out of the woods, yet it was still unclear what it was. It was too dark and the light looked wrong. It took five minutes because a group of armed guards walked out with their captain.

“Report.”

“Unknown sir, whatever it is. It’s waiting at the edge of the wood.”

The captain looked annoyed and waved for his group to move out. Chopper watched with Mordan as they stood in the rain. They moved closer once the captain waved them over, when they got closer they saw a hooded… Thing. There was a glow under its cloak and it seemed to be swaying from side to side.

The captain ordered for it to surrender yet it just stood there, one of the guards moved in to grab it arm. When suddenly it screeched and wrapped its arms around the griffon that approached it! There panic as the group tried to free their comrade, the captain had enough and pulled out his sword and stabbed it.

The light faded as it fell on top of the griffon dragging him down with it. The griffon yelled in pain and for someone to get it off of him! The captain pulled the hood off, to show a griffon skull with a glass lens over one eye as well as a number of tubs and metal grafted to its bones holding it together.

“You two, get some tools and help. Looks like we got one of the lab birds' pets running around.”

They nodded and ran back, Chopper then heard the trapped griffon yelling about hearing a noise? Then there was an explosion! Chopper and Mordan looked back in horror, the group of guards were screaming in pain as some rolled on the floor on fire. While another had what looked like a metal claw stuck in their chest. Others were crying out they couldn’t see or hear. As some got up confused about what was happening.

Chopper ran back to get the dazed griffons to get the wounded inside, the captain was the worst one off by far. As Chopper saw a part of the beak of the thing in the captain's eye socket, he was already dead. That said nothing about the shrapnel in the dead captain's chest. Chopper wasn’t sure which bones were the captain’s or the monster?

While he was getting them back to the facility, Chopper then saw Mordan pointing and waving his arms. Chopper looked back while carrying a blind griffon and saw more glowing lights, some looked like eyes. Then larger siloets light up something big glaring at them with glowing eyes!

“Get inside! Hurry and set the alarms!”

Chopper yelled, as the glowing eyes watched them enter back inside the building. Once inside other guards had shown up demanding what happened. Chopper yelled back they needed to arm themselves and lock down the building. Chopper didn’t have rank but a half dozen wounded griffons meant only one thing. They were under attack!   

The building was made of two parts, the main entrance and the courtyard before entering the main building. In the event of an attack the main building can be used as a fort, Chopper knew they needed to lock the gate then head for the main building. For now it was the only safe place here.

“What do we do with the wounded?!”

“Leave them! We need to think about ourselves!”

Two griffons talked before everyone started leaving, Chopper couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Leave them? There were more than ten griffons wounded here, they can’t just leave them here. Three have already died on the way, the rest were crying out in pain and for help.

“Help us!”

Called out one Griffon, as the ones who were deaf still tried to help. Chopper only left when another griffon pulled on his shoulder and he started running as well. Once outside, it was chaos. The watchtowers were being attacked by birds?! He had no idea what was happening, as he watched one griffon fall out of one watchtower as the flock of crows followed. Pecking at the griffon face and any exposed part of their body, the birds were even picking the griffons wings clean of feathers before going after the flesh underneath.

One griffon tried to fly away, there was a roaring whistling sound before something large knocked the griffon out of the sky! It was some kind of large metal bird, only the glow coming from it chilled him to the bone. It let out a horrible screeching sound before diving on their group!

“Duck now!”

Chopper yelled, as everyone dived for the floor! Chopper could feel the rush of air overhead before hearing a scream of pain! He looked up and saw one of the guards was in its metal claws while being pecked at by it, before flying over the forest, as another flock of crows was following. It then drops the griffon and the birds go down after them into the woods.

“Move!”

Somegriffon shouted and everygriffon got up and ran for the door, once inside they sealed the door shut! They all gasped for air and struggled to understand what was happening, they were deep in griffon territory. No one should be able to attack them this far away from the front lines!?

“Someone get in contact with command! Tell them we’re under attack!”

“We can’t, the line is dead!? We’re trying to fix it!”

“Somebody wake up the dayshift and get there captain!”

“It's the storm wraiths, they’ve come for us! They’re the dead and fallen of the war come to make us pay for our sins! They’ve come to take us to the eternal abyss where our souls will never see the light of day again!!!”

“Shut up!”

Yelled one griffon, as Chopper saw the one yelling grab the frightened griffon by the scruff and shack him. They were shaking them so hard he was afraid they would snap his neck.

“They’re just stupid stories! Storm wraiths aren’t real!”

“What is going on here?”

That is when the captain of the day shift showed up with all his troops. Some of them looked half awake, it brought Chopper some relief that he was here. It brought order in a sea of panic and fear. The panic and fear came flooding back as they heard the scratch of the flying monster outside, as it sounded like it was flying over the building!

That seemed to wake up any who were still half awake, as they looked around alarmed and holding up their weapons. Chopper told them what happened and about the death of the night shift captain. The captain told everyone to get armed in the armoury however they didn’t have enough armour for everyone. The armor was meant for dealing with riots in this place when it was still used as a prison.

“You two warn the scientists about what is happening and get them into the basement!”

Chopper did as he was told and found Mordan who was clutching at his chest breathing hard. Chopper got him moving as they went off to carry out their orders.





Grimscythe watched as the living ran inside the prison, they had already cut the landline making it look like an animal did it thinking it was food. The light helljack called a Shrike was finally getting some use, they’ve had it sitting around for 20 years. He made sure to have it maintained for the day it would at last be able to take to the sky’s.

They had brought three, having them take turns flying back into the clouds. The carrion thralls were used to distract and help slow down anyone trying to escape. There were several others joining this fight. Helping to coordinate the undead horde, as they moved in slowly.

The wounded who were trapped can be dealt with over time, the prison was the main target. They had a time table to keep, this needed to be dealt with before the storm passes. Lucky for them it should last for a few more days.  

The prototype wasn’t ready for this fight, however the helljacks they did have would do for their needs. He looked to the others as they gathered around him to hear his orders.

“This is a recuse, save who you can. We cannot let one innocent soul be lost, understand.”

“Shale we harvest anyone we find… useful?”

Asked the iron lich with a changeling skull, their metal body looked much like a praying mantis. With it long limbs. Next to him was the Iron Lich Diamond dog who had a new thrall standing next to him, Grim noted how it was modified to act much like the iron lich overseers. Only it had two heads, as he knew who this once was.

“Yes, the necrotechs will join us. After all, we’re trying to become a horror story. Leave anyone who you think won’t be believed or taken seriously if you can. After all, fear of the unknown is the worst enemy one can have on their mind.”





Chopper was looking out a window with a rifle, it felt useless to him as he saw the birds were picking at the dead. And even using the watchtowers as their new nests watching them. That when the metal bird landed on one of the towers, now that it wasn’t flying around at high speeds. He could see more details.

Its wings ended in blades as it stood on thin legs with hook like blades for feet. Its body was fat and round as the glow could be seen from its ribs? Or was it a spine? Its narrowed head turned with the glowing slits for eyes, it looked right at him and screeched loudly! Chopper hid behind the wall, hoping it didn’t see him.

As he looked to the other guard who was on look out with him. This wasn’t a normal attack, there were no reports or even news about monsters like this. They would know if these things started showing up on the battlefield.

“Think they’ve given up?”

Asked the other guard who took a peek out the window. As Chopper looked to the others who held their own guns watching, waiting for movement. It was nerve racking waiting like this, it hasn’t even been a full hour yet and every one was on edge.

“Movement!”

A yell called out as everygriffon started smashing windows to point their weapon barrels outside. They may have orichalcum bullets, but they didn’t have enough of them for everyone. The armor and swords were given to their best fighters, he saw them at first. The almost walking half skeletons of metal and bone walked towards them almost casually like going out for a daily stroll.

Then he noticed the others walking among them, hunched over with large fists. Once they got closer he saw to his horror they were metal fists and claws, the garnet thing looked at them with a deep hunger that gripped his soul. It screamed as it ran ahead, and an army of similar monsters quickly followed!

“Fire!”

Everyone started shooting, the monsters didn’t seem to care if they were wounded or not, as they mindlessly kept moving forward, they trampled the fence ignoring the barbed wire they were tangled in. They were strong enough to pull themselves free or simply tear the wire off.

“What are these things!? I’ve shot one in the chest and it won’t go down!”   

Chopper was having the same problem as he shot one in the leg and only made it stumble before it went back to running again, did they not feel pain?! He thought then shot one in the head, he got lucky as it fell twitching. Another was shot and it glow went out, that one must have been hit with oricalcum bullet.

He then noticed a slightly taller one of these monsters pick up or drag it dead away and went back the way it came. That was strange, these taller ones didn’t act like the rest. He tried shooting it in the back of the head, only for it to side step and take off into a run. How did it dough his shot?

That when he saw something with four glowing eyes, at the back of the hoard. With its arm out, before a shot was fired it moved it hand and the tall monsters followed. Like a puppet on strings!

“The one with four eyes, it controls the rest! Somegriffon shoot it!” 

Called out a voice, chopper was glad he wasn’t the only one to notice. The ones who had taken aim, knowing they were somehow magical. The orichalcum bullets would kill it and end this. They fired and Chopper heart filled with hope, before something large stepped in the way getting hit instead. It looked like some kind of huge metal insect or crab, it held up one arm that had three barrels on the end and they were slowly turning, picking up speed!

“Take cover!”

Chopper shouted before it started shooting back at them, there were screams and yells of surprises as it quickly end’s before starting up again. One of it round smashed through the window and he looked up and saw a metal spike in the wall, magic runes glowed on the spike and it quickly turned to dust.

He didn’t understand as it kept shooting and there was a short gap between shots. He waited for the moment it stopped shooting and looked out at it. He saw what he thought was it louder and saw the spike-like rounds reappear into it louder, he ducked back inside as it started shooting again!

“The damn thing got a teleportation spell on its bullets!?”

Chopper called out, as he heard a cry of pain from somegriffon being hit. In one way, it was a good way to save ammo. Having it teleport back to you in its louder. Whatever it used, they needed it gone but they didn’t have any heavy weapons. Just then a metal hand reached in through the barred window trying to grab his beck!

Chopper fell back looking up at the thing as it opened and closed it beck screaming at him, before he got up and started running. Everygriffon else started to run too, as he saw one griffon grabbed by the arm and got it pulled off. As one of the monsters tried to pull them through the window bars. Chopper just hopes the others are doing better than he was on the east wing.





In the east wing was overrun by mechanthralls, they screamed and roared at the closed doors that locked them out from the rest of the prison. Trying to force there way in. There was one survivor as they tried to crawl away from the mad hoard, the griffon was doing everything in his power to get away and live.

He stopped as something climbed through one of the windows, then another. As they entered through the new hole in the wall next to the window. That the monsters had dug out by hand and under fire. They were all wearing hoods and started looking over the dead. One picked up a orichalcum knife it almost seemed to be stung by just holding it before wrapping it up and putting it in a bag.

The griffon didn’t get to see more as he felt something piercing his back and quickly died. The unliving looked sadly at them, they were the ones who came with the reinforcements to help the vipers of cryx. She turned to the undead and gave one command and they stopped, to look back at her dumbly. A few growled but did as they were told.

The changling walked over and went down to one of the bodies and picked up a ring of keys, as she walked over to the door. More mechanthralls were climbing though the windows or climbing up to the upper level where gun fire could still be heard. She saw one light helljack push it way though one of the openings making it larger for it to fit though. They made room for her as she walked up and unlocked the door, gently pushed it open and said one word.

“Go.”

They rushed past like a pack of wild dogs, she turned away and looked at the bodies as the soul cage on her hip started to glow. Drawing the souls to her and trapping them inside it. Before looking out a window, she saw one of the iron lich’s and signalled to them they’ve breached the east wing. As the light helljack walked up to her for orders.

The lich gave a mental command and the scrap thralls started to move to the north of the building. Along with a number of their heavy helljacks. It wasn’t that hard to hide in a horde of undead, when they’re all wearing cloaks to help keep them dry from the rain.





Flinch was a griffon who was a crack shot with pistols, right now they had the monsters in a choke point. He wished they had a machine gun nest, they could use the fire power. Yet he settled for blocking them off and keeping them here.

What he didn’t understand was how they broke in, the door was reinforced and locked. So how did they get in?! He shot another of the monsters in the head, as it fell over in a heap. The only way they could get in is if one of them stopped to look for a spare key, these things didn’t seem the, stop to think type’s. These monsters were just mindless violence and nothing else, willing to take down their target even if it brought harm to them.

He saw one missing an arm but it did little to slow it down, Flinch pulled back after running out of bullets. On his way he passed another group acting as another choke point, he reached the ammo box and took out a few more clips. Each one held eight rounds each, he was about to go back when Flinch heard screams.

Flinch saw the guards running, one wasn’t fast enough as a metal beast with bone jaws fell on him. Biting down and shaking the griffon violently, he could see how the things tusks tore open the griffon body like wet paper. It threw the dead body to the ground and snapped its bone like jaws open and closed. Looking there way, as smoke bellowed from its smokestacks on its back. 

“What is that thing!?”

Yelled one of his co-workers, Flinch didn’t wait for an order as he opened fire with the others! The bullets didn’t do much damage to it. The most they did was scratch the armour or their bullets left small dents. Flinch didn’t stop shooting, as it ran through their choke point and down the halls deeper into the prison! Knocking over or stepping on whoever was in its way.

He realised just how lucky he was, the fact this monster could crush a griffon arm by just stepping on it meant it weighed a few tons. When he heard the screams of the other monsters and cursed, he didn’t have time to go after it. He would have to trust the others could handle it.





The deathrippers were doing their job of being a distraction and breaching deeper into the prison. They were giving a few orders, kill any griffon guard you find, push deeper into the building, if you can’t find an enemy return to the warcaster.

It was interesting how each helljack intrepid these simple orders. Some would take it as killing anything they find, others kill a few and move on. And two or three look for the biggest threats and kill them. Or kill everything in their way. They only had five of them running around and only two of them had already found a way inside.

As a necrotech Overbite understood the inner workings of the helljacks and how they run. The scrapthralls were already busy trying to dig their way though one of the walls by hand. It helped some had a hand replaced by a pickaxe or drill. The point of this attack was to attack from many points at once. Making the griffons inside split there focuses.

The necrotech pushed his mind into one of the deathrippers that were in the building. He saw it was in the middle of goring a griffon to death, before the helljack saw the last few embers of life fad out. It dropped the body and started to run again, it was on the hunt eager for another blazing light to snuff out!

It stopped as it saw a group standing in its way, yet these were different. They were wearing something that seemed to void all magic, the helljack was growling as if some part of its cortex understood they were the real threat. As they pulled out their magic devouring swords.

The deathripper roared as it charged! The necrotech tried to send it a command to return but it was too late, they moved out of the helljacks reach as its jaws snapped shut. One stabbed it and it roared not in pain but anger, as it used the weight of its own body to slam the griffon into the wall! The necrotech was sure the deathripper would have killed them given enough time.

However one sword reached the cortex, as another griffon stabbed into it. Cutting off the link and silencing the helljacks core. Without the cortex it was just a lump of metal, the necrotech had to step back and rub their head in pain! Being forced from a link between warcaster and jack was a very jarring experience.

Overbite looked up angry now at the fact they had just destroyed the helljacks mind, did they have any idea how much work goes into building a cortex! The scraptralls had at last broken though, good he thought as he followed after them. It was time to end this little game.





Verbal pulled his sword free from the metal monster, the griffon in orichalcum armour had suffered a few broken bones. The armour may protect them from magic, but that did little good agent something that was several tons of raw metal running at you. One wrong move and its wright alone could have crushed any one of them.

“It's dead sir, don’t know what I cut but its not moving any more.”

He called out as they had to spelt up earlier in order to move from fight to fight to help where they can. It wasn’t easy, Verbal looked down the hall at the bodies of the griffon he had eaten with not long ago.

“Can you still fight?”

“Sorry sir, I think one of my wings is broken along with my ribs!”

The wounded griffon called out trying to breath while wincing in pain. Verbal was worried as he looked back to his group. There was only enough gear for 20 of them and they broke up in groups of five to cover more ground.

There should be over a hundred griffons working as guards, not counting the doctors who work here. There was no telling how many had already died in this opening attack, and they couldn’t be everywhere at once. They didn’t even have enough orichalcum bullets, this building was meant to be kept secret so how did these things find out?

“Hurry get him down stairs to get patched up.”

There was another hoard of screams as the sounds of metal feet rushed to meet them. Everygriffon got ready even the wounded griffon who stood up and readied his own sword. Verbal was not happy about this, these things were not going to even give them time to rest!





Mordan was in a panic, the monsters had breached the north wall and were now flooding into the building. Why did he agree to be posted in the middle of nowhere? They were so worried about anyone finding this place that he had a bag over his head for the trip.

Mordan was on the catwalk aiming his rifle and shooting at the monsters, the half skeleton and metal ones were slow and easy to shoot. Somegriffon got lucky and hit something that made one explode and kill a group of them. The dangerous ones were the fast ones that were trying to climb up the walls to reach them, they had metal arms and legs. Mordan saw one of these things crush a griffons head!

He panicked and dives for the floor as gunfire almost hit him! He looks back at the spider like monster, it had four metal legs and a metal jaw. It had goggles over its eyes and was wearing a hood. What shocked him the most was that this thing was a diamond dog. It held one of their machine guns in one hand and a strange staff in the other. It looked strange, as it looked like a half ranch and half blade.

How did they get a hold of one of their weapons?! Mordan though then remembered the night shift captain and his griffons were armed before they were attacked, the monsters had simply took them and are now using them. The thing that used to be a diamond dog threw the weapon away once it was empty.   

It was making hand gestures to something outside, as something big walked through the wall making the new hole bigger. Just as Mordan thinks the metal beasts can’t get any bigger, unlike the small ones that were he thinks six feet tall. As tall as a griffon, this new monster was around ten, maybe eleven feet tall! It had metal tusks under its head.

The monster of a machine walked inside, its right arm was long and ended into a long spike. While it left arm, was that a harpoon gun? He asked himself, as the large thing just looked at everything that was happening. Then Mordan started thinking, it didn’t look that dangerous. In fact it looked slow and a bit pointless, whatever it was used for there was no way it could hope to hit a griffon flying. Unless…

They were him?! Mordan was told time and again his overeating would get him killed one day! He was both overweight and stopped using his wings to fly, he was more than out of shape. He made a run for it before hearing more of the wall being torn down! Once he was behind a pillar he risked looking back and saw what it was doing. 

It looked like they were making the breach wider, so even more monsters could enter the building. When a group of griffons in armour and swords arrived, some even had the orichalcum bullets. One of them opened fire, as Mordan watched as without being given a command the metal monster quickly moved to put itself between the shots meant for the diamond dog.

One round did get through and the diamond dog called out in pain, holding it shoulder. Wait, it didn’t react when they were shooting it before. That didn’t mean the diamond dog was just standing there letting them shoot at it. Whenever they did land a shot it just looked at them as if annoyed but had no real concern. That means orichalcum can hurt them!

What walked in next Mordan filled him with both horror and fear, what walked in was a griffon with a second head grafted to their neck. But that wasn’t the worst part, he had seen this griffon in the newspaper saying how he died years ago. It was general Ironclaw, now he understood what these things are. They were undead!

The undead general then pointed with it talon, as one of the griffons moved in to try and kill him! Then another metal monster walked through the opening in the wall, it walked on four spider-like legs and then pointed the large tube-like weapon at the attacking griffon and fired! The griffon used his sword to try and block it, before the projectile even reached him. It exploded but there wasn’t the spray of fire, force or shrapnel.

What hit the griffon was a spray of sticky liquid that covered them and the griffon started screaming in pain as they fell to the ground! Mordan watched in horror as the griffon flesh was being eaten away as smoke rises off their body, yet left the orichalcum metal behind. What made it worse was the sudden sound of the blade revving up on its right arm. He then saw its head, that was the top of a beast skull covered in armour.

Mordan wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take, it was just one horror show after another. The rest of the team tried to charge all at once but after the slow death of their comrade they quickly forgot about the first one. That fired it harpoon and impaled one of them mid flight, and started to reel them in as the griffon struggled to try and free them self from the large metal spear in their chest. 

The three who could still fight, tried to distract the one who could shoot at them while the other two dealt with the harpoon one. While it was swinging its spike arm at one, the other landed on its back, then Mordan saw the diamond dog staff reach up and close around the griffon leg pulling him off the metal monster back. As he was quickly dogpiled on by the numberless undead.

Mordan ran, he couldn’t stay here any more. To stay here meant he was going to die! He didn’t look back as he heard another scream of pain, and tried to block out the sound as he reached the doors. He was already trying to shut them as he saw another group of guards fly over to his side of the catwalk, as everything was being overrun.

Once they reached him they joined him in trying to stop the monsters from following them, they heard a number of screams and pleas for help and sealed the door shut. Mordan gasped for air as he tried to understand what happened, but that wasn’t important anymore as he looked to one of the cells and saw the young ponies staring at him. In fear as they huddled together in the corner of their cell.

Mordan didn’t think about them as he started running again, he needed a place to hide. Somewhere safe! However, he wasn't sure if there was a thing as safety anymore. They quickly ran to the lower level to lock those doors as well, before they were overrun again.





Overbite growled as he worked his tools into his shoulder digging around for the metal, then smiled as he found the bullet and pulled it out. He frowned at it, as a scrapthrall walked over with a box as he dropped the bullet into it.

“So this is orichalcum, the dragonfather was right to warn us about it. If this had hit me in the head I’d lose more than just my unlife.”

Overbite said, as he looked at the remains. The Reaper looked at the griffon it stepped on in order to pull it harpoon free, it left a big mess but that was nothing next to the Desecratot that was using its vivisector trying to dismember bodies. There was something wrong with that helljack, he would need to look over its cortex once this battle was over.

He called it over to get it refuelled. As it walked over he opened a hatch on the helljacks back, as the scrapthralls started loading bags of coals into them. They used a simple charm on the bags to make them waterproof, the jacks needed it. After all, they didn’t know how long they would be stuck here for.

Overbite saw his packmates get to work on the dead bodies, making repairs to the mechanithralls. As well as replacing their numbers, he smiled darkly to himself. If the guards thought this was all they would throw at them, they were wrong. His smile turned into a wicked grin as he saw the iron lich making his way over to join them.





Flinch was fighting for his life gasping for air, one of the undead monsters had punched him in the chest and it caved in on itself. He was sure a number of broken bones had already punctured something inside.

It wasn’t enough to kill him outright, however it was enough to put him out of the fight. He didn’t even know what they were after. He then saw how the things were taking away their dead before moving on to the griffons he was just fighting besides. He pointed his pistol at one when it walked up to him and shot it.

It did nothing to the undead skeleton, as it reached out for him but Flinch didn’t give up as he kept shooting at it! Then a clawed metal hand rested on the thing's shoulder and gently pushed it aside.

“Well look at you.”

The thing was tall and stood on four thin metal legs, like some kind of nightmarish stick insect. With a spine of smoke stacks sticking out from it back. The thing's head was the skull of a changeling. He was always told they were wiped out, yet this thing was looking over him like a prised meal! Flinch took aim and pulled the trigger again and nothing.

Flinch looked on in horror as he had already run out of bullets. The undead monster just tilts it head to one side looking at him. It then reached out over to the other empty pistol next to his crushed arm and looked at it.

“Interesting, do you pride yourself on your skills as a gunman?”

Flinch didn’t understand what it meant, yes he had skills with a pistol. Sometimes he would even do tricks with his weapons when on brake. He coughed up blood as he had trouble breathing.

“I will offer you a choice, you’re free to turn it down. But I will find another use for your corpse once you’re dead. You can join our ranks and aid us in our mission to free your people from being controlled. It may take years, lifetimes even, you may linger here longer than you would want to. All you know and love will pass before you, this is still a choice. You may not have much time but please think carefully now.”

Flinch didn’t understand why this thing was giving him a choice at all, he didn’t have any family. And all he had was his skills, yet even so he was pushed to be a guard in the middle of nowhere. Yet he had questions, questions he wanted real answers for. What was really going on, what was the point of the war? Their own lands were vast and they had more than enough room to expand their cities.

Flinch reached out to it as he struggled to speck, his life was already fading. Yet his talon was soon enclosed by the long claws of the undead changeling. It moved over him, with a number of spider-like arms with tools attached to each one.

“Do not fear, for soon you will understand and once you do. You will have no need to fear death.”





The captain of the dayshift did not expect to deal with a night attack, sure maybe a small raid by rebels, that wouldn't last long. However this was a full on assault by an unknown military power. He was on the third floor that was made to help hold off attacks, but the enemy was relentless!

Everygriffon quickly worked out they were fighting undead, in some parts of the prison his troops were holding out. In others they were forced back or made to retreat. It didn’t sit well with him, three guards just told him about the massacre in the cafeteria. As well as the fall of both the east and west walls. They had no choice but to give up the outer parts of the building to better defend from attack. Even if that meant fighting in the cell block. For now the doctors were safe in the basement until they got help. If any was coming at all.

“What of our magic slayer teams? How many are still fighting, what are our total losses?”

“Unknown sir, the unit sent to the cafeteria only one came back wounded. Another team has not reported and one of the other two teams sent a runner saying they have wounded.”

It was just one mess after the next, everygriffon ducked as they heard the sound of the enemy machine gun that shoots spikes at them! It was a damn good shot whatever that thing was, by the time somegriffon saw it. The thing would run off to attack from another angle, worse any griffon trying to escape outside would get attacked by the birds. Or shot down by that metal monster.

They were trapped with no way out, yet the enemy had not made any demands. He still didn’t understand what they wanted, what was their goal. There was one way out of this, but they needed everygriffon to follow there orders .

“Tell everyone to lock down the cell block, and have guards posted at every door. Then get me all the sergeants, looks like the only way out is to make a push!”





“Do you see anything?”

Asked a young voice in one of the cells, the one trying to see was an earth pony filly trying to find out what was happening. The first warning that something was wrong was when the alarms went off and woke everyone up, then all the guards started running around turning on all the lights. Then the alarms were turned off, it was quiet for a long time before they heard yelling and shooting.

She heard one of the big doors being locked before a group of griffon guards ran past and didn’t look back. They didn’t even stop to scold her trying to stick her head out the bars.

“No, I still don’t see anything.”

She said turning back to her friends, one was a pony unicorn who wasn’t old enough to use magic and a pegasus who can’t fly yet. As well as a few yaks who looked worried, apart from one who was the oldest.

“What do, pony friend. Starburst think happening?”

Starburst wasn’t sure, maybe they were being rescued? But she wasn’t sure, she could see some of the older ponies take notice in the other cells. Unlike her friends the older unicorns had a ring on their horn, or if they tried to escape or use magic had their horn cut down. She felt bad for the pegasus because they had their flight feathers clipped. Meaning they could never fly again.

Starburst looked at her friends, she was worried what would happen to them once they’re old enough. She saw the guards were in such a panic on the lower levels they were dragging boxes. She really didn’t understand what was happening, but she took notice how everypony in the other cells was trying to hide under their beds. Apart from the yaks, as a few tried to ram the bars to break free. They’ve tried before and it didn’t work.

“Maybe we should do what everypony else is doing and hide under the beds. I think something bad is going to happen.”

They agreed and did their best to hide under the bunk beds, it wasn’t easy as these cells could hold up to ten filly’s or three ponies and three yaks. The guards didn’t seem to care about them having enough space. Or if too many are kept in one cell. Starburst waits with her friends, unsure what will happen to them.





Chopper was trying to calm down after watching one of his friends be mobbed and pulled apart. Like a pack of dogs on raw meat, he got word that they were dealing with undead. It made sense now, that's why these things were so hard to kill.
 
For now it has been a few hours, they could hear the monsters outside the sealed doors but they aren't attacking. The time was four AM, and they started the attack two maybe three hours ago? Chopper wasn’t sure as his mind was only now being given the time to understand what had happened.

It was unnerving just to wait after seeing first claw what these things can do. Chopper was given ammo and saw it was orichalcum bullets, as he loaded it into his rifle the griffon warned. As the guard gave him a meaningful look.

“This should be the last of it, so make sure you don’t miss. Captain orders.”

He said before handing it out to the others and walked away. If what he said was true, that was a worrying thought. Not everygriffon got inside as another group of griffons was put in charge to protect the armoury. No telling if anygriffon was still alive or not, not like they had any other choice right now.

Chopper looked behind him at the cells, as he saw a pony looking at them though the bars. Lucky an older one quickly moved the younger one deeper into the cell out of sight. Chopper for the first time questioned what they were doing here, and why they were doing this?

Chopper jumped as something hit the doors, everygriffon took up arms and aimed at the door. Thud thud thud, it sounded like they were trying to get in. Then more sounds were hitting the door at a faster rate. It worried him as he saw the door was starting to vibrate. Like hundreds of fists hitting all at once!

“Hope the captain can think of a way out of this.”

Chopper asked himself, as the sounds were getting louder. Then a large metal spike like claw burst through one part of the door. They were getting though. He then heard a number of gun shots behind him as griffons fell over dead. He turned back and saw a ghostly griffon standing over him with two pistols in their claws.

As Chopper looked at it, he saw something about it look familiar. Like his seen it before, he then noticed the rank and it uniform as he realised who this was.

“Flinch?”

The ghostly griffon didn’t answer, as it moved the barrel of its gun to Chopper head and pulled the trigger.





Verbal was panting, most of his team was dead now. They were unlucky to be trapped outside when everygriffon else locked them out. At first he headed north but quickly hid when he saw the large number of undead in the cafeteria. He wasn’t sure what they were doing at first, but left when one of the monsters started opening the chest of a dead guard.

Verbal was making his way back to the south, it was as far as he knew the only place that wasn’t hit. With the loss of both east and west wings, surely someone made it out alive? He was in the middle of making his way back, when something felt wrong.

On the way the metal monster he had killed was gone!? That was impossible, he was sure it was dead. Well yes it still had power in its engine but it wasn’t moving. So where did it go? That didn’t matter as he made his way in deeper back tracking. He at last reached the south wall and saw nothing, nothing but blood stains on the floor.

That wasn’t right, where were the bodies, he carefully made his way into the hall. He could see the damage of a fight but still no bodies. Verbal held up his sword as he looked around, as he got half way into the hall. The door he entered slammed shut and locked, then the other door did the same!

Verbal held up his sword ready for an attack, yet still saw nothing. Then he heard something and quickly ducked into a roll! Verbal was lucky as he looked up and saw a pony clade in strange slim armour, while holding a large sword of their own.

Then another pony fell from the ceiling, unlike the first one. This one’s armour was bulker and had an engine attached to their back. As well as carried a large hammer and what looked like a blunderbuss hanging off her hip. They were also wearing a large gauntlet over their left hand. He then saw the pony face as one of their eyes glowed, before smiling.

“It appears I missed, sister.” Said the one in slim armour.

“Ha! Told ya it wouldn’t be that easy. This one got their fantasy magic eating swords. Unlucky for him, we’re ready for it.”

The pony in the bulky armour swung their hammer, Verbal looked between them quickly. The bulky one was an earth pony, however the other one he wasn’t sure. But going by the spike on their helmet that covered half their face they must be a unicorn. Verbal at last found a face to the attack, it must have been the enemy.

“Alliance scum! If you surrender now and call off the attack, you’ll at the very lest get to live.”

Verbal maybe looking at the one with the hammer, but kept his sword pointing at the other pony. The earth pony laughed and the unicorn giggled to herself.

“You silly sod, we’re members of cryx. We’re not part of any alliance, you daft prick!”

“We’re followers of the dragonfather, he welcomes all who are willing. If you like, we can save your soul as well.”

Verbal didn’t know what a cryx was or who this dragon father was ever. But the way they talked was odd, they said they follow a dragon? Were they some kind of mercenaries or cult? If they were, they were reckless, attacking this deep into the griffon empire. Before he could say more they attacked!

Verdal had to dash into the air up above some rafters, standing on a metal beam. When he looked down all he saw was the earth pony. Where was the other one?! He jumped back using his wings to keep his footing in the rafters. The unicorn was standing on one of the support beams and smiled at him. How did she get up here so fast?!

Verdal question was pushed aside as she attacked, she was fast. If nothing else worse she had skill. He had to dive back down to the floor, then the earth pony charged with their hammer! Verdal managed to dodge by a hair as her hammer slammed into the wall, cracking the wall and leaving a small crater.

If that had been his arm or wing he was sure it would have been broken. Verdal took to the air once more and was met with a sword strike! They were working together, he knew that he was having a hard time with it. They were meant to be an anti-riot unit, fighting armed trained soldiers. Wasn’t part of their training.

He managed to knock the unicorn off the beam, only for her to fall into the floor and pass though it?! He looked confused as he saw her land on a beam ahead of him. Was this some kind of magic and if so what kind?!

He was so forced on her he didn’t register the sound, boom! His wing explodes in both pain and gore, as he falls. Verdal looked at his wing and saw it was a ruined mess of meat and bone. Before hitting the floor! Pain ran through his body as he quickly got up and locked swords again.

“You know what the big problem with your armor is lad?”

Before he knew it, Verdal felt a gantlet hand close around his hamlet. He thought nothing of it until he felt the pressure slowly closing down on his head! He parried thinking of the best way to attack, until snap! His leg was broken at the knee joint as the earth pony used her hammer on his leg!

“Sure it gets stronger, and harder when it makes contact with magic. But like any other metal it has weaknesses. The fillies and clots back home have been looking over that crap for years now. And you know what, it's so simple.”

Verdal in order to get free cut the strap holding his helmet on his head with his sword. He fell to the floor gasping as he heard crunch. He looked back and saw the orichalcum helmet was crushed like tinfoal.

“Any metal can bend and break, you just need to apply enough pressure.”

Just then the room spins as Verdal blinks in confusion, why was he laying on his side? Why couldn't he feel anything? It wasn’t until he saw his own headless body fall in front of him that Verdal was having his last thoughts. He understood now why his body was over there, it was because his head was just cut off.





Overbite smiled as they flooded the halls, he left the heavy helljacks behind. They were more useful outside, being moved to open another path into the building. As he walked passed a pistol wraith.

It must have been summoned from one of the dead. He was surprised how one of the guards was so willing to be brought back to kill his own co-workers. Still Overbite didn’t question it, it is not like it could disobey its new master now.

Overbite was going to follow the others when he saw something, it was a stairwell going down. He frowned at it, even after becoming an unliving, did nothing to take away his sense of smell. What he smelt down there was antiseptics, drugs, blood, waist and burnt flesh.

Overbite growled as he stopped a few nercotechs then had them gather some scrap and mechanithralls. Before taking control of a Ripjaw, its body build was the same as the deathripper. The only difference was the ripjaw had a whirling saw that was inside of its mandible jaws.

Overbite led them down to find out just what they were doing in this place. Cryx could do some horrible things to the living if they wanted too. However Asphyxious had made some clear rules about how to handle the living, and even told them he was not perfect. Sometimes he himself would act without thinking, and inflict such suffering that their lord would then ask to be punished for his own actions.

Overbite felt sorry for their king, Asphyxious was willing to take on such actions that it would only bring himself harm. It didn’t matter if the rest of the clan thought he did the right thing or not. Asphyxious held himself to the same standards as the rest of the pack no matter how much power he had.

Overbite didn’t know what he would find in this place, yet if he did end up disappointing his lord. Then he will face his punishment, just like the dragonfather.  





Mordan had pulled himself away from the rest of the unit, when he started to hear sounds from one of the doors. He was trying to find a good place to hide, the only place to go was the basement. Mordan passed through the doors and rushed down the hall, the lights only lit up the floor leaving the ceiling and walls dark. As Mordan was making his way, he saw a griffon in a lab coat carrying a cardboard box full of papers. The doctor jumped before yelling at him.

“Don’t just stand there, hurry up and help!”

Mordan didn’t know what they were doing but grabbed a box full of papers, and then followed after the doctor. The doctor led him past a number of rooms where other doctors and their assistant were helping them. Fill up cardboard boxes and then find what looks like the main boiler room.

He saw they were all throwing boxes into the fire of the furnace, he joined them as he helped. Not really understanding why they were doing this. Then Mordan stopped as he saw something burning in the fire, Mordan quickly backed away as he saw bones in the flames!

“There's a body in there!?”

“Of course there is, it is one of the failures. What did you think we did with the dead ones?”

Mordan didn’t know what to say as he stared at them in horror, he had no idea what was really going on in this place as he backed away. As he backed out he saw the first room on his right had a small body on a table, and he vomited all over the floor.

Mordan had no idea, he didn’t pay any attention to the sounds coming down the hall. Or the screams as both doctors and assistants ran past him. Mordan dropped to his own knees no longer caring if he lived or died any more. He turned his head and looked up at the undead looking down at him.   

It was the diamond dog with one of those metal monsters next to him, growling by revving it saw at him. Mordan didn’t care any more as he just sat there, waiting to die. Meanwhile Overbite looked at the fat griffon over, he looked broken and knew why as he looked at the open cadaver in the room.

Overbite told one of his pack mates to watch him, as he walked past into the boiler room and saw the panicking griffons. Most stopped what they were doing and dropped any boxes they were holding. Only a few kept burning papers, seemingly ignoring him and his pack.

Overbite grabbed one by the throat with his vise claw, having the griffon dangle in the air. And pins him to the wall, the griffon cries out in pain as one of his wings hits the boiler. Yet Overbite ignored his begging and grabbed a handful of papers. It was mostly about brainwashing, using drugs and bombarding their minds with propaganda over and over again. There were also experiments, if you could call it that. Even the cryx had a logic to their craft. This was nothing more than butchery.

“I take it you’re in charge?”

He asked yet the griffon was still screaming, his screams only grew louder as he pushed the griffon whole body next to the hot metal of the furnace. Until he heard a voice from the group cowering in the corner.

“No I am.”

Overbite threw the griffon aside and let him go, the griffon was in so much pain they tried not to move. As it sent waves of pain throughout their body. The doctor held up his claws and Overbite walked over to him and grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close.

“Do you have any idea what you have done? I can smell the fear in this place, I can taste the suffering. I can hear the souls screaming for help…”

Overbite growled, as he dragged him into one of the operating rooms. As the others were forced to follow in order to watch. Overbite pins the doctor to the table and the scrapthralls started to tie the griffon down. Only then did he let go and started looking around at the room to see what he could work with.

“Y-you won’t get away with this, once the army finds out we didn’t report in, you'll be hunted down. You and the rebels will wish you were dead!”

Overbite started to collect a number of tools, a number of scalpels and bone saws. As well as a few drugs as that should work for what he had in mind.

“What are you doing?”

Overbite put each item down on a small table next to the bed, as two scrapthralls carried over a deathripper that had its cortex destroyed next to the table. Before taking it apart. Overbite smiled as he started moving things around and pulled up a metal claw. Then held it up next to the griffon arm before putting it on the table.

“You see nercotechs like myself always push the limits of what we can do with our knowledge of both. Necromancy and engineering, sometimes we get a case like yourself who think they can play god with the living. Or think life has no value, a large number of them end up like this. As we have to work on the move as it were, working with whatever we find on the way.”

He said tapping the shoulder of the scrapthrall, as the griffon looked on in horror at what the unliving had in mind.

“You can’t do this!”

“Oh I can, by your own people laws might make right? Those with power make the rules, the ones without must obey. You don’t have any power at this very moment and are under my mercy.”

The other griffons looked away as the doctor that was tied to the table could only watch in horror, as Overbite picked up a scalpel in his metal claws and smiled. Mordan was numb to it all as his mind shut down from finding out the truth of this place.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’ll live through every moment of this.”





The captain was making his leave with the riot unit, what was left of them. As they sneak out when the undead breached the cell block. They managed to get out the windows and climbed down the side of the building. Everygriffon else was told the captain was going to get help and that they should hold out for as long as they could.

That was a lie, he was using them to save his own skin and wasn’t about to die in this place. It turned out the birds were gone, he didn’t question where they went or where they were. But quickly took to the skies so they could all escape. They got about halfway to the forest, as a flock of birds burst out of the woods heading towards them!

“Fall back!”

The captain yelled, as two of their number fell to the birds, one griffon tried flying away. Only to be intercepted by the large metal birds, he only got word from the guards there was one not three! The captain watched as the griffon was pulled apart like a scrap of meat.

“Congratulations. I didn’t think you would get this far.”

Said a voice behind them, they all turned to the voice as they saw something tall standing behind them. Standing in their way back into the prison, it also had the skull of a griffon for a head. They all turned their weapons on the undead yet he remained calm.

“Open fire!”

It took to the skies on metal wings, before they took aim. The large metal birds dive at them! Some got cut by their wings with blades on the ends of them. Or were picked up and thrown into the building behind them, one monster had pinned down one of his griffons as it used its metal beck to try and pry their armour off while stabbing their large beck into their neck.

The ones who tried to fly were attacked by the crows, as the birds were going after every opening in their armour. The captain took aim when he heard the main gate opening. They had managed to kill one of the metal monsters, three of their group were injured while one was dead.

The undead who can talk lands in front of the doors as they open, and then to his horror he sees that every slan griffon walking out as an undead horde. With blank looks on their faces. The captain could do nothing but stare as the horde as they moved in on him and who was left. Then the undead monster that was leading it all spoke again.

“My name is Grimscythe the iron lich, I am here to set you free. For we are the Vipers of Cryx!”





Three weeks later.

It took two weeks just to clear the roads, then another week to send out a unit to check on the building in the middle of nowhere. The location wasn't even named, they arrived only to find the building was destroyed. It looked like a fire broke out making large parts of the building fall in on itself.

“Sir we’ve found the bodies of the griffons station here however they’re having problems IDing the bodies. Because of how badly burned they are. Also half of them are still missing.”

The aid said as the investigator was looking at the ground. He could see faint marks as if metal was dragged over the concrete floor as well as soot. The griffon stood up and looked at the building. The idea that the building somehow burned down didn’t sit right with him, not only that he didn’t even know this building existed until he was sent here.

The investigator lights a cigarette and starts smoking it, not only that the fire was so strong. According to the other teams it burned the prisoners to dust. They don’t even know who the prisoners are, or where they came from.
    
He walked away from the aid as he looked at one of the bodies, well the armour of one body. Some of the orichalcum looked stained or warped? It was hard to tell, it was like someone dropped a liquid on it and there was a reaction. Not enough to badly damage it but enough to mark the armour.

He moved on walking into the building despite the warnings of the aid it wasn’t safe. The investigator walked over the rubble looking at the damage, nothing stood out to him. It was just a feeling he had, along with the notice they got from another team the main lines to keep in contact were destroyed by wild animals.

That was unlikely, wild animals don’t dig up buried wire lines for communications. It was very unlikely, he found something that looked like a half burned teddy bear and picked it up. He blew smoke out from the counter of his mouth as he made his way back. Once he reached his aid he saw a new group arrived giving out orders.

“Don’t you think it's strange? The number of trees that blocked the roads were just enough to hinder our way here?”

“Sir?”

“I mean it's bad enough that the rains have washed away anything meaningful, not only that we’re late to the scene. Meaning any evidence we could find has long gone cold. The head office will just write this up as another rebel attack.” 

The investigator blew out another breath of smoke as he watched everygriffon moving. It looked like they were in a hurry, as his aid looked confused before he added.

“Did you know anything about this building? What was it used for or who was even out here? Seems odd to have griffons all the way out in the middle of nowhere.”

“I don’t know sir, maybe they kept pow’s from the war?”

“Pow’s don’t carry teddy bears with them, my guess is something rotten happened here. Best to not ask questions and keep what you hear to yourself. Just agree to whatever they think happened here, understand?”

His aid nodded as he dropped the half burned bear and walked up to the new group. His aid quickly followed. As they met the griffons in uniform.

“I am lieutenant Dreed, I take it you have news about what happened here?”

“Only guess work at this point sir, ever a freak act of god. Or rebels broke in and burnt the place to the ground. Nothing useful at this moment sir.”

“I see… Here is what you will report. A lighting strike hit this weaver monitoring station, everygriffon inside sadly lost their lives. But they will be remembered, understand?”

“Yes sir.”

The investigator replied and walked away with his aid following in worry, as they both got in the car. Once inside the investigator put out his cigarette and looked out at the griffons where being told to leave, as a large number of workers were brought in with tools and a bulldozer.

“I don’t understand sir, we’ve only been here a few hours. Why are they telling us to lie about what happened here? From what I saw there wasn’t any equipment like the lieutenant was saying.”

“Remember what I said, agree to whatever they say happened out here. You’ll live longer, to be honest. We’ve been getting cases like that a lot lately. Not like this but, gangs going missing or a new group pops up out of nowhere and suddenly they get a big pay off. Whatever is happening, it's best we lay low and not get involved.”

He said starting up the car and started driving back home, it was an eight hour trip to get here. And now it will be another eight hours before they get back home. Sometimes he hated his job.





“What do you mean you can’t take them?”

Grimscythe asked, confused about this. It was hard enough to get the prisoners out of their cells. Let alone trying to keep an eye on hundreds of hatchlings who were scared of them. The only ones who could get near them were the unliving, well most of them.

“I’m sorry it’s out of my hands, it would be too risky for both the children and our own troops to try and get them out. And the newu was never meant to transport hundreds at a time. Also mother has some concerns about letting children use them.”

Replied Mable on the holo screen, Grimscythe had left the others behind in one of the liveable levels of the tunnel network. They took all the food and water from the prison before destroying it, doing their best to make it look like an accident. They also made beds that could hang off there helljacks. It was a good thing they cleaned them off before doing that. Some children were even riding the deathrippers as long as a warcaster was on hand.

“Well what do you want me to do? They can’t stay here and we can’t hand them over to the rebels ever. They will tell them about us and that is too much of a risk to our lord plans.”

“Well like lady Ave would say, take responsibility for your actions. You will need to raise these children.”

“What?”

Grimscythe thought she was mad, they can’t raise them. They were undead, they weren’t even ready for living members yet. It was meant to be a slow build up, not getting a few hundred youths and being responsible for their upbringing. He was worried, it was bad enough the unliving were already getting attached to them. One kid called one of them their mother.

“Talk to Axphyxious, I’m sure he can help you work this out. Goodbye.”

Mable said in a sweet tone before closing the line, leaving Grimscythe alone with his thoughts as he makes his way back. With a million thoughts at once. He really didn’t want to waste his lord time with such things. Maybe asking for guidance would help him come to a decision on this matter.