//------------------------------// // Chapter 22 – Out of the Waves // Story: Infinity Era // by JDPrime22 //------------------------------// 22 Mount Aris Hippogriffia 2:29 p.m. From atop Hippogriffia Castle, Queen Novo and her daughter Princess Skystar hastily made their exit onto the balcony. What they heard prompted them to leave the throne room with their guards. What they saw chilled each Hippogriff down to the very last bone. What they heard was a low, awful hum that resounded throughout the mountain, from the entrance and all throughout Harmonizing Heights. What they saw was an alien warship hovering several hundred yards above the waves, slowly but surely approaching Mount Aris several miles away. That wasn’t all. Hundreds of smaller ships exited the much larger one, quickly approaching Hippogriffia faster than Queen Novo could have anticipated. The alien chariots flew overhead, firing blue streams of blaster bolts into the mountain and onto the city below. A single chariot flew for the castle, firing a single bolt of energy towards the balcony. The guards flew in front of their queen, their shields barely blocking the blaster bolt. Queen Novo shielded her daughter with a massive wing. Once the chariot flew out of sight, Novo and her daughter Skystar lifted their beaks to the sky, staring into the swarm of alien chariots flying about, divebombing their home. “I don’t think they’re here for a warm welcome,” Skystar said, trying to chuckle at that, but failing to hide the quiver of fear in her voice. Still shielding her daughter, Novo retreated into the castle, shouting, “Ready all forces for an immediate counterattack! Every able-bodied Hippogriff take to the skies and defend our home!” Every single guard, adviser, and soldier alike standing in Novo’s throne room reacted instantly. Their faces all shared similar expressions, all stone-cold and eyes filled with determination. No longer would they run and hide like they had with the Storm King. No magic pearl to keep them safe underwater this time. No time for acting like cowards. Novo wouldn’t have that a second time, and neither would her army. The commanders of her personal navy, led by General Seaspray, nodded to their queen. They spread their wings and flew outside through the open balcony. Unsheathing their swords, the Hippogriffs took to the skies, but the leaders of Novo’s navy disappeared behind the mountain, diving into the ocean and retrieving their only means of fighting back successfully: the full-force of Queen Novo’s naval superiority. Stratus Skyranger, a Royal Hippogriff Guard, saluted and flew his way through the throne room’s exit, weaving through the castle halls, flying up the steps of the watchtower, and pausing at the very top. The Hippogriff guard could see the alien forces demolishing their home, divebombing houses and firing their weapons away at civilians. Tightening his beak, Stratus pulled out a horn from underneath his armor. He took in a deep breath, pressed his beak to it, and made the call to arms. The Horn of the Hippogriffs cried out throughout the entire mountain, telling every citizen of Hippogriffia one thing… Defend their home. And they did. The reconstruction efforts at the base of the mountain were completely halted or just destroyed. Hippogriffs big and small, male and female, dropped whatever tools they had and fled from the onslaught and alien fire. They flew upwards towards the mountain, many getting shot down by the Chitauri chariots flying after them. The ones that successfully managed to make it back into Hippogriffia were met instantly with another wave of chaos. Even more Chitauri chariots filled the sky within Hippogriffia. Blue blaster bolts shot across the air every second, Hippogriff citizens and guards dropping like flies. Trees holding homes burned and fell to the ground. The Hippogriffs that had entered the city stood dumbfounded, but quickly found their sense of place when a chariot flew towards their group, three Chitauri hopping off and rolling on the mountain ground. The Hippogriffs scattered once the Chitauri whipped out their rifles and fired at them. A few screams were silenced once the blaster bolts hit a couple female Hippogriffs, striking a lone male Hippogriff in the heart. The dead bodies fell in the air and hit the ground without another sound. The others successfully made it into their respective homes, shutting the door behind them. The three Chitauri completely ignored the fleeing Hippogriffs above and around them, focusing only on the ones that had escaped them. They waited, their rifles pointed at the doors. Each of the Chitauri softly growled, fingers on the triggers of their weapons. When the Hippogriffs finally arrived, they didn’t come from the doors they escaped through. They burst through the weak ceilings of the houses, spears in their talons, crying out as they dove on the Chitauri. They didn’t even get a shot off, three Hippogriffs driving their weapons right into their chests and silencing them. The Hippogriffs turned their heads to the skies once more, seeing even more Chitauri filling it. They spread their wings, gripped their weapons, and flew into the madness. To defend their home. Almost every citizen took up arms and joined the fight for their very survival. They knew there was no running this time, not when the cry of the Horn of the Hippogriffs sounded off. All they knew was that they held the line there, they fought for their home, their people, and their very way of life. Almost every citizen was a part of it. Almost every citizen, male and female, took part. Not the children, though. They were forced into homes, into small huts, into basements, and told to keep quiet. For if all else failed, the future of Hippogriffia lied with their children. Almost every child was picked up and flown into somewhere safe. Almost every child was safe. Silverstream and Terramar were unfortunately unaccounted for. Brother and sister, siblings raised together since birth, quietly moved from tree to tree, sneaking behind trunks and pausing at every turn. Terramar held out his claw to his sister, peeking out from the tree trunk they hid behind to gaze out into the open. Dead bodies littered the mountain floor from what he could see, most of them Chitauri… but many of them Hippogriff. Terramar gulped at that. Other than that, it was relatively calm, and it was a straight shot to their house still standing amongst the ruin of several others. “Do you see anything?” Terramar took in a calming breath, turning back and gazing into his sister’s terrified eyes. And it absolutely killed him to see Silverstream so scared. As long as he could remember, Silverstream was always the happy-go-lucky member of the family, second only to Skystar, who they hardly saw considering her important duties as a “princess”. Silverstream was always the life of the family, the heart that kept them alive, and the smile that lit up everyone else’s. But no… she just looked completely and utterly lost. Her mane was in shambles, her beak slightly shivering alongside her body. She played with her claws nervously, small cuts and dirt marks on her body. Silverstream sat in the shadows, flinching at every explosion, crying out once a particularly large one hit the tree they hid behind. Luckily, the following boom from the explosion silenced her screams, Silverstream covering her beak and closing her eyes. Chunks of wood fell around them, but not one piece hit them. Some splinters got in their manes, to which Terramar dusted his off. He looked up and saw flames eating away at the very top of the tree. He exhaled, turning to his sister. “I think we’re good.” Silverstream opened her eyes, still covering her beak. She watched as Terramar stepped out of the shadows and into the light, peeking out once more and nodding. He turned her way, pointing out. “Okay, just follow my—” An alien hand wrapping around his throat cut off his voice. He lost all the air in his lungs when that same hand, that same arm, and that same alien stepped forward and threw him into the mountain wall. Silverstream screamed. Clawing at the alien palm, Terramar gasped for air, staring right into the beast’s reptilian-like glare. It growled, lifting up its rifle with its free hand and pointing the glowing tip Terramar’s way. “I got ya, bro!” Silverstream, finding the bravery in her heart, latched on the Chitauri and began clawing at its face. Leaving clear claw marks on its helmet, Silverstream’s desperate attempt to save her brother’s life was short-lived. The Chitauri promptly swatted Silverstream aside, the Hippogriff landing with a painful yelp leaving her. Barely looking up, Silverstream hissed at the pain, gasping only when the Chitauri tossed her brother aside, its attention set on her. It raised its rifle, the sharpest point at its tip centered her way. Silverstream screamed, shielding her head as the Chitauri brought its rifle and the blade down on top of the small Hippogriff. Except, it thought it did. The blade never reached its target. Silverstream felt her heart still beating, still heard her own breath, and never felt the pain. Slowly, she lowered her claws from her head and looked up from where she lay. She gasped. She grew small tears in the corner of her eyes. And that smile finally returned to her beak, followed shortly by her overly-ecstatic voice. “Dad!” Sky Beak growled at the Chitauri standing above his daughter, his talons wrapped tightly around the alien’s rifle. The Chitauri looked from the rifle to the Hippogriff in shock. It couldn’t do anything else other than that. In one swift move, Sky Beak swung the rifle aside, unsheathed his blade, and swiped his right arm cleanly across the Chitauri’s neck. An unknown black fluid shot out from the slice, the Chitauri crumbling before Sky Beak. “Dad…” With his breathing slowing slightly, Sky Beak turned his eyes up to see Terramar struggle to find his footing. Gasping, he placed his blade back in his holster, rushing over to Terramar and wrapping his arms tightly around him. He felt Silverstream latch onto him, his arm reaching back and bringing his daughter in close. He could feel them trembling in his arms, scared, confused, but well alive. “Kids!” Sky Beak said with a relieved gasp of air. “Oh, thank goodness you’re okay!” “Dad,” Terramar wheezed, coughing loudly, both at his wounded throat and the growing smoke, “what’s going on out there?” Breaking the hug and bringing his children forward, Sky Beak could see the terror and bewilderment in their eyes. The dirt and dried blood from the scratches on their faces were also there, only making Sky Beak wonder what would have happened had he been too late. Shaking his head at that terrible thought, he said, “Son, even I don’t fully understand it, but I know for certain that we’re doing our best to fight back.” The sound of a flying chariot crashing into the house above them caught their attention. The flames eating away at the tree began to drop particles of ash and fire down to them, the burning husk of the Chitauri chariot hanging loosely over their heads. That was enough to get them to move, predominantly Sky Beak. He reached forward and pulled his children onto his backside, letting them latch on to him. “Now hold on,” he told them, feeling their claws digging into his back, but he didn’t care. He just cared for their safety. Spreading his wings, Sky Beak stepped out into the light. “I need to get you two to your mother. You’ll be safe in Seaquestria.” Terramar and Silverstream both shared a terrified look and whimper with one another, closing their eyes and holding onto their dad with every bit of strength they had left. And with two of his own flesh and blood latched onto him, Sky Beak took off at a quick gallop through the burning city of Hippogriffia. He paid no heed to the Chitauri flooding the streets, all turning his way and firing at him. He didn’t look at the flying chariots suddenly focused on him, chasing him past the gates of the city and right off the mountain. He flew them downwards. Straight downwards, dodging blaster bolts and using the back of his wings to hide his children from the eyes of the aliens he knew were on his tail. Without the use of his wings, Sky Beak began to free fall down the mountain, only able to dodge and weave through the air. The ground was approaching faster, and the Chitauri were getting closer. Narrowing his gaze, Sky Beak saw a slab of rock sticking out directly in his path. Pulling out his sword, Sky Beak risked just a moment to get the aliens off of his tail. And for just a moment, he shot out his wings, his children a clear target. But before the Chitauri could even fire at him, he sliced the slab of rock, pushing it and himself outwards, and took off. The Chitauri didn’t even stand a chance when the slab of rock fell in front of them, their chariots smacking right into the stone and erupting into a flurry of flame and metal. “Dad, look out!” Silverstream cried. Looking back, Sky Beak gasped and flew away from the mountain, dodging the flaming husks of the chariots just in time. Both Terramar and Silverstream watched the remains of their pursuers fall to the very base of the mountain, crashing and erupting into a bright fury. Doing so prompted their attention to the rest of the mountain coming in full-view. Mount Aris was swarmed by Chitauri chariots. All the sky was blotted, from blaster bolts to the bodies of Hippogriffs and Chitauri alike. Smoke and ash rose from within the mountain, several explosions appearing from within and upon it. It reminded the two Hippogriffs of the Storm King’s invasion a year earlier, but much worse. So much worse. When they turned their gazes forward, all they could see was an even larger army approaching their home. And with them… they brought even bigger monsters than the Storm King. The Chitauri Leviathans exited the Command Center, flying just over the waves of the ocean and quickly approaching the mountain. They were two in total, but surrounding them were reinforcements. Even more aliens than either sibling could count. They were so engrossed with the giant, flying serpents that they hardly took notice that they had made it to the beachline. And waiting for them was their mother, Ocean Flow. The seapony was waiting by the water’s edge, her concerned eyes watching with relief as Sky Beak brought forward both of her children, safe and sound. “Oh, Terramar, Silverstream!” Ocean Flow exclaimed, wrapping her arms around both of her children and bringing them close. They hugged their mother in return, Ocean Flow breaking the embrace and looking them over. “A few scratches here and there, but nothing a little oyster cream won’t heal right up.” Breaking her eyes away from her children, Ocean Flow stared into her husband’s gaze. She smiled, hugging her kids once again. “Thank you, Sky Beak,” she told him. “Keep our kids safe, Ocean Flow,” Sky Beak said, his voice strong. Rubbing their manes, she nodded. “I promise.” Sky Beak nodded to that, spreading his wings. Terramar’s eyes widened. “Dad, what are you—?” he began to say, only to bring up a wing to shield himself from the onslaught of dirt and sand once Sky Beak kicked off the ground and took to the skies. Lowering his wing, Terramar gasped. “Dad, wait!” he screamed, reaching out. He spread his wings, as well, but was stopped when his mother grabbed his claw and dragged him back. Terramar fought back, looking at his mother in shock. With eyes just as hurt as his, she said, “We have to let him fight with the others, Terramar!” “I have to help him!” “No, you don’t!” Ocean Flow declared, reaching out her fin and grabbing Terramar’s pearl necklace. In a flash of white, Terramar was a seapony, dragged into the ocean by his mother. Even as he fought back, Ocean Flow turned to her daughter, teeth clenched as she yelled, “Silverstream, come here!” Silverstream obeyed without question. Without a fight. She held onto her pearl, her body transforming in a flash. With her seapony form, Silverstream swam into the water, joining her mother and brother and watching as her dad took to the skies, joining the fight. And join the fight he did. Sky Beak soared several hundred yards above the ocean, flying with the Hippogriffs that had managed to turn the tides of the onslaught at Mount Aris. The Chitauri wave that attacked the city was defeated, at the cost of so many Hippogriff lives. To Sky Beak’s grim realization, just over a hundred Hippogriffs were flying around him, all to the same target. To the hundreds of Chitauri flying their way. The two Leviathans charging ahead. And the Command Center getting closer and closer to their home. Sky Beak’s ashen expression held as he flew. Taking a moment, he observed what the remainder of the Hippogriff army had left. Numbering in just over a hundred strong, they held spears, shields, swords, and other weapons of war, their armor gleaming a bright gold, their cries echoing across the ocean’s surface. Despite facing overwhelming odds, they were fearless. They would fight to the very last Hippogriff. And so would he. Unsheathing his sword, Sky Beak screeched as loud as he could, wings pushing him faster towards certain doom. And so many others followed him. So many Hippogriffs destined to die if they pursued the enemy any further. And they would. They would die for their people, for their home, and for their families. They would lose it all to keep them safe, even for just a moment longer. They would… … not face the enemy alone. Sky Beak shot his gaze downwards, screeching out. So many others looked down as well, halting in their charge ahead to stare onto what erupted from the sea below. They had arrived. They were there. Queen Novo’s navy. The Hippogriffs screeched, weapons held to the sky. Several ships rose from the ocean waves. They were gray in color, their metallic armor glinting in the afternoon sunlight. Spilling torrents of water back into the sea, the Hippogriff navy stood between the Chitauri and Mount Aris. The seaponies upon the hulls of the ships all transformed into their Hippogriff forms. General Seaspray was among them, unsheathing his blade and pointing it to the alien army ahead. The massive ships, fifteen in total, charged full-steam ahead, firing off their cannons towards the Chitauri. Their firepower managed to hit several at a time, chariots erupting into nothing but flame, dead aliens falling from the sky and hitting the ocean. Speaking of the ocean, the Queen’s naval power wasn’t the only help they received. Sky Beak watched as hundreds of seaponies rose from the waves, several leaping forward and charging towards the alien army. They all held spears. They all faced the enemy. They were all fearless. With the seaponies backing them, Sky Beak returned to the reality of warfare and held out his sword. He screeched into the air, the Hippogriffs with him doing the same. They charged ahead. Seaspray held out his sword, screeched out into the ocean air, and sliced downwards. Instantly, massive wings began to rise out of the waves by the sides of the ships. They bounced up and down, slowly pushing the ships above the water and into the air. The propellers spun faster and faster on the sterns of the ships, keeping them airborne, pushing them higher and higher into the sky. All fifteen ships soared. Seaspray cried out a second time, slicing at the air with his sword. All fifteen ships fired their cannons at once, striking a single Chitauri Leviathan. The beast roared, its body erupting into flame and its own destroyed armor. The ships that managed to fly by it fired once again, striking the exposed sides of the beast. The Leviathan let out one final cry before falling to the ocean below, its gargantuan body launching tower-like waves into the air before it disappeared within the blue. Sky Beak watched it all with incredulous eyes. He watched as Novo’s navy charged right for the heart of the invading forces. Right for the Chitauri warship. And he, his people, and all of Hippogriffia followed.