Chapter 10
Black Feather had been escorted by a guard captain towards an area of the tents in the camp. The captain had been slightly briefed on the mission and it would require some of the guards best and brightest men. So how did Black Feather end up meeting the most delinquent soldiers that just graduated from the Royal Guard Academy, even he didn’t know.
“Men line up for mission briefing” the Captain shouted. Fifteen guards lined up in two rows with an extra in the front. “Sergeant step forward” the Captain said. The extra guard in the front row moved closer to Black Feather and the Captain.
“Sir, Sergeant Glass Horn, sir” the Sergeant said.
“Sergeant this is Black Feather, he will be in charge of this mission your team is being assigned” the Captain said. Glass Horn nodded respectfully. The Captain patted Black Feather on his shoulder and said ‘good luck’ before leaving.
Black Feather specifically said he needed veteran and hard working men, not delinquents who barley passed training. “Alright, I’ll make it straight to the point. The Bearer of Kindness has been captured” Black Feather said. The squad gasped a little. “We are going to the Griffon stronghold not far from here where they will most likely have her” Black Feather was laying down simple and easy for them as best he could. “If we don’t succeed however then war will surely erupt and trouble for everyone” Black Feather finished. “Any questions” one Pegasus soldier raised his hand.
“Yeah, a few actually. Who are you, who is the Bearer of Kindness, how do you know where she might be, and why us” the other guards looked at him and nodded in agreement.
Black Feather tacking a close look at the guards concluded that they were all about his age if not around that area. Even the Sergeant looked like he had just exited officer training. “One, I’m the one that will get you in and out alive, two she can wield an Element of Harmony, three I’ve been there and that’s where all important prisoners go, and four I don’t know, I asked for diligent, hardworking soldiers and your what I got” Black Feather finished.
The guards all just looked at him them started to smile and agree. “Alright then when do we leave Sergeant” the guard asked Glass Horn.
“that’s your call sir” Glass Horn said to Black Feather.
“In one hour” Black Feather said. Glass Horn dismissed the squad and led Black Feather towards his tent.
“Don’t worry about the men sir, they won’t let you done” Glass Horn said.
“Yeah that’s what kind of worries me” Black Feather said.
“If you ask me this is a golden opportunity for the Captain to get rid of me and my squad” Glass Horn said.
“Why’s that”
“We were the worst squad in our graduating class, the Captain always disapproves of any squad that is the lowest in any class” Glass Horn looked a little upset when speaking.
“Well then, lets prove him wrong” Black Feather said and Glass Horn looked at him. “Let’s get the Bearer of Kindness and stop a war, then he will give you some recognition” Glass Horn nodded and began getting ready.
“I really think that I should go with you” Twilight and the others were in the command tent. Twilight had been insisting that she should go with to retrieve Flutter shy from Iron Wing.
“No, I got this, besides if you’re here than they won’t be able to take any of you instead” Black Feather said.
“Twilight, he is correct. the Griffons will most likely try to get any if not all of you to even further our hardships” Celestia said. Twilight reluctantly gave in and agreed.
“Just get Flutter shy back for us ok” Twilight had a tear coming in her eye.
“you got it” was all Black Feather said. Before leaving the tent.
Black Feather and the squad of soldiers had been on the road for a day and a half. He estimated they’d reach the Fortress by nightfall. Then the infiltration would begin. He smirked at himself, Griff Beak was right about one thing, infiltrations were his strong suit during the Rebellion. His estimate was correct, they did reach the proper point by sunset but were attacked by a group Griffon Legionaries. The squad quickly and quietly dispatched them and got into position.
“Alright, we will enter here and move through this hallway. At the end is a stair case where at the top is the tower cell for very important prisoners” Black Feather had been briefing the squad on the infiltration of the Griffon stronghold an hour after the sun set. “Any questions” one of the Pegasi raised his hand.
“Yeah, what are the defenses like”
“Good question, at least three Legionaries squads on each floor constantly on duty, we’ll most likely have to fight” Black Feather said. All heads nodded and readied their swords, spears, shields, and anything left unchecked.
In the fifteen-man squad, there was eight Pegasi, six Earth Ponies, and Glass Horn was the only Unicorn. Glass Horn had a sword and knife but the others were more armed. The Earth Ponies all had massive shields that could protect most of their body. They also had spears on their backs and a sword on their side. The Pegasi all had knives and had short lances and two carried bows and a quiver of arrows. They were professionals in close combat and fast movement. All the guards had on the Royal Guard armor and helmets while Black Feather had his courier armor on, minus the officer décor, with his Talon Gauntlet and his new Great sword from that slaver.
After another ten minutes of sneaking the squad made it to the wall. On Black Feathers command the Pegasi would bust through the glass windows and set up a point so the rest could climb into the fortress. Black Feather gave the signal and the eight Pegasi burst through the windows. Several maids and Legionaries were around and caused some commotion. The maids trying to run blocked the Legionaries so it took them a little longer to get organized. With that the Pegasi charged forward and collided with the Griffons in close combat.
Black Feather and Glass Horn were the first into the windows while the others started to climb. The first thing seen was a fight between the Pegasi and the Legionaries. Black Feather immediately rushed forward with his gantlet and sliced a Griffon in the side. Glass Horn was organizing the Earth Ponies to create a shield wall. After doing so and the last close combat duel won the ponies and eagle ducked behind either the shields or a wall to avoid arrow fire. Three griffon archers with crossbows were a few hundred meters away. “Cloud Kicker, Burst shoot those archers” Glass Horn commanded. The two Pegasi that had the bows brought then up and simultaneously fired. Two of the three fell to the floor and the last one ran away.
“Leave him, let’s get to the tower” the squad moved at Black Feathers orders. After a quick count, none of the squad had been injured or killed. After running up several flights of stairs the squad encountered attack after attack. Successfully winning every fight and losing no one. Outside the tower cell door, a small fight ensued with the Pegasi fighting off some Griffon guardsmen, the Earth Ponies building a shield wall to give Glass Horn time to pick the lock on the door.
“Hurry with that lock” Black Feather said.
“It’s harder than it looks” Glass Horn said.
“Cloud Kicker on your left” Black Feather turned to see the Pegasi each directing each other like while simultaneously being directed in the same. Cloud Kicker jumped and kicked a Griffon that was running up the stairs back down them.
“Right side Burst” Burst reflected a strike from a Griffon sword and stabbed him in a counter.
After the small skirmish, Glass Horn finally cracked the lock and the squad got into position to breach the door. “Shields in front, Cloud Kicker and Burst get your bows ready, I think that they will have some archers as well” Glass Horn ordered the squad to get ready for the breach. Black Feather however finished with an order himself.
“Remember the Bearer of Kindness is in there, don’t hit her”
“Yes Sir” the Guards got into position and readied their weapons.
“NOW” Glass Horn yelled. The shields rammed the door and opened it only to meet many arrows.
The arrows hit the shields and fell harmlessly to the floor Cloud Kicker and Burst released their arrows and struck two of the Griffons down. The six other Pegasi jumped over the shields and charged the remainder of the Griffons and drew them into close combat. Black Feather, having followed the Pegasus, slashed a Griffon in the leg with his sword and kicked another into the wall. “Flutter shy” Black Feather gasped as she was chained by the legs to the wall sitting on a bed.
“Black Feather, what are you doing here” Flutter shy asked.
Black Feather broke the cell door, ran to the wall and freed Flutter shy from the chains. “I came to get you out of here, let’s go” Black Feather said offering his hand. Flutter shy smiled and took his hand and they bolted for the door. The guards finished with the Griffons but succeeded in capturing one alive for Black Feather.
“Where is Iron Wing” Black Feather said.
“Ugh. At the border with his army” the Griffon said.
“What” everyone said in shock.
“Ha-ha, Iron Wing thought you would have invaded so he went to the border to start his war” The Griffon started to laugh. He stopped only when Black Feather punched him out cold. Black Feather turned around and said to everyone.
“We need to get back to camp”