The Iron Chancellor

by Radical Centrist


Pikes, shields and crossbow. The griffons' farewell gift

Two months ago...

"You're leaving?!" Little and Green gasped as the griffons were preparing to leave.

"Sorry ponies, but we have homes of our own." Albert dismissed, "I for one, refuse to be dragged into a revolution."

"Sorry fillies, but we can't help even if we want to..." Nina said to the distraught ponies, their eyes beginning to water.

"Our fuel is dangerously low," Gelde said,
"Our food as well," Jill added,
"Also the fact that we are aiding a foreign conflict." Harold explained, "We might be court-martialed if we help your cause."

"But your promise!" Little sobbed out, which caused the griffons to look down in guilt. All except Albert.

"We promised to reunite you with your parents." Albert deliberated harshly, "You should be grateful that we decided to take you this far."

"But how will we be safe without you?" Green wiped his eyes and looked towards Nina with conviction.

"Your villagers will protect you." Albert leaned forward, covering Nina from Greens' gaze. "You ponies need to learn self-reliance, we can't just do everything for you." Albert pointed back at the fillies, sick at their victim-play.

"But... We haven't given your books yet!" Little tried to entice her mentor but frowned when Harold shook his head.

"I'm sorry Little, but we never wanted them to begin with," Harold explained, which caused the rest of the griffons to turn around and begin walking away.

"Is this it?! You're just going to leave?!" The fillies cried out futilely, the griffons not stopping. All except Harold, as he began approaching the two ponies.

Harold hugged the two ponies, however, his frown shot down any hope for him to stay. "I'm so sorry ponies..." Harold tightened his grasp, stopping the fillies from crying. "But there's nothing we can do..."

"There must be something..." Little muttered, rubbing her heads against Harolds' arms, beginning to sob once more.
"What will we do?" Green muttered through closed eyes.

"Shhh... Don't cry Little, it's all going to be okay..." Harold cooed Little, letting go of Green to hold onto Little closer. "I'm going to regret this..." Harold grimaced for what he was about to do next. "There's something I want to give you..." Harold pulled back from Little, staring at her now-open eyes.

Harold pulled out a messy diary from his inner coat, passing it to Little. "This book contains the history of the griffon warlord era," Harold explained, causing Little to look down at the cover. "This includes the strategy, weapons and wisdom from the era. All summarised to the most important detail."

Harold began to smile as Little began to lighten up, tightening her grasp on his book. "Thank you..." Little silently muttered, prompting Harold to lean backwards.

"HEY HAROLD! HURRY UP IN THE NAME OF TARTARUS!" Albert shouted, unaware of Harolds' treasonous actions.

"Coming!" Harold called back, looking back for a final time to salute the fillies. "Make me proud students... Use what I have taught you..."


"THEY LEFT?!" Jaco gawked, the news of the griffons' departure finally hitting him.

"From what I heard from Green, they left to return home." Forest informed Jaco, understanding his reaction.

"Did they at least leave us with something?" Jaco pleaded as they had just lost their biggest muscle for their rebellion.

"I'm trying to figure that out myself," Forest shrugged, as Green had purposely been silent about that matter.

"Everpony! Can I have your attention, please?!" Little called out amongst the crowd, standing on top of Green with Harolds' book on her side.

"Guess we'll find out..." Forest alluded, focusing on the book which Little was now waving around.

Once getting their attention, Little cleared her throat to speak, "What I have with me is a book!" Little began, "...a book from the griffons!" The ponies began to lean closer upon hearing this, focusing on her book.

"This has been given to us by our teacher, Harold!" Little continued, waving her hoof in the air as if telling an epic tale, "It has the answers for the tribulations to come! Information that will lead to our victory!" Little proclaimed which got the ponies slowly cheering.

"Does it tell us how to make their weapons?" A pony asked, which got the others curious as well.

"No, unfortunately, our mentor could not disclose to us that information," Green explained, which got a nod from Little standing on him.

"But! Do not fret ponies! The book contains far greater knowledge that will assist us!" Little encouraged, but the ponies listening began to worry.

"Like what?" A pony asked,

"It contains the tactics, strategy and blueprints for weapons!" Little replied, "...just not modern ones." Little quietly muttered the last bit, hoping nopony would hear it.

"Not modern?! How are we supposed to fight the pegasus then?!" A pony implored, which got jurors of agreement. "Did the griffons doom us to our fate?!" They mongered.

"No!" Green and Little defended zealously, not wanting Harolds' name to be tarnished. "Harold would've never given us something useless! He instead correctly assessed that we lacked the materials to make their weapons!" Little affirmed, making up an excuse in the spot.

The ponies then began arguing with themselves, questioning the virtues of the griffons, and if they should've given up their weapons for their cause. The debate quickly escalated, however, was timely stopped by Jaco who began beating the ground to gain attention.

"Everypony calm yourselves!" Jaco demanded, silencing the rowdy crowd, "You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" He scolded, which caused several of the ponies to whimper confusedly. "How can we expect more from the griffons who has saved our lives?!" Jaco bellowed, "They have helped us without question! They have risked their lives to bring us home!" Jaco chastised the greedy ponies, who were bleeding their saviours dry. "They could've just left us to rot in the zebra's nets, but they had saved us! Not only that, they have bestowed upon us a book that will help us!" Jaco hollered, "Our greed and complacency will be our true doom! The griffons are not our gods but our friend! We will triumph in our own way!" Jaco boomed, removing all doubts in their heads, as they cheered as if possessed, lifting Jaco, Little and Green and parading them in applause.

"First up ponies!" Little shouted through cheers, "We need a workshop!"


The year's of constant travel had served the villagers well, as they were able to quickly construct a settlement near a river, accomplishing the task in a week. During this time, Jaco and Forest scoured the countryside, instigating the other villagers to revolt, citing their current horrible working and living conditions, and promising them to change after their revolution. At first, they were scared, afraid of what their overlords would do, but Jaco and Forest quickly turned their fear into anger, by stating rightfully that they would be persecuted anyway, even if they had done nothing wrong.

The humble group of 100 ponies quickly swelled to several thousand, turning their humble settlement into a city, and consuming neighbouring villages to add to their domain.

Forest and Jaco feared retribution from the pegasus of unicorns for the mass disappearance of the villagers, but Copper knew better. The elder had witnessed entire duchies being emptied by earth ponies and knew that the nobles could not do anything in fear of offending the nobles whose lands the ponies fled to. Furthermore, he also knew the pegasus' situation was precarious, stretched too thin and lacking experienced soldiers ever since their march during the windigos, their numbers decimated due to their inability to fly during the blizzard, forcing them to use their untrained legs to traverse the frozen wastelands.

Their food problems were immediately solved, thanks to their acceptance of fish as a food source, causing the villages to migrate directly next to rivers and away from the hilly forts, which further isolated them from authority. However, this meant their security from the incompetent pegasus were gone, which meant they had to begin arming themselves.

Thankfully, Little and Green had a plan. A plan devised from the history of a griffon warlord, known for his innovation in weapons and tactics. A griffon who used pikes with mounted shields to blunt a flying charge, and use crossbows to decimate the shattered fliers. His strategy focusing staying on the ground than flying. Perfect for the earth ponies. Perfect against the pegasus.

Little and Green smiled devilishly. They would show the pegasus a strategy forged from centuries of bloodshed. A fight not of route, but decimation.