It had been weeks since Draco's last letter reached her, and no matter how many times she sent her own, there was no reply. With reports of griffons near the southern borders, Celestia was becoming increasingly worried. She had summoned the Dragon King several days ago, and per his messenger's word, he was making his way. If something was wrong, she would need answers, and she'd know if Draco wasn't with him.
"Princess," Lieutenant Shining saluted. "King Draco just arrived. He's in the courtyard."
Celestia teleported the stack of papers into her chambers and nodded. "Send him in."
Shining saluted and went to get their guest. A few minutes went by, and the dragon supreme with his personal guards came in. Shining waited near the door with a few of his own Solar ponies. Celestia stood up and walked down the steps until she was face to face with King Draco.
"Leave us," she ordered. Shining hesitated for a moment, but ultimately saluted and ushered his squadron out. "All of you."
The fighters turned to King Draco, who nodded without looking at them. They followed after the pony guards, leaving the rulers alone. Celestia inched her muzzle closer, a stern look over her features.
"Where. Is. Draco?" she asked.
The king stared at her for some time before sighing and lowering his head. "He went missing some time ago," King Draco admitted.
Celestia's eyes sharpened into a glare and her horn flashed brightly, slamming the dragon king into the far wall. "What do you mean missing?!" she yelled.
"It was an ambush! The Black Beaks tricked us into sending them to the northeast mountains!" King Draco grunted.
"They took him?!" she shouted. "You said you could keep him safe! If that griffon bastard so much as lays a claw on him-"
"They took my daughter!" he shouted. Celestia's glare softened slightly, and she let him back onto the marble.
"They took Ember?" Celestia asked in a low tone.
The king growled as his claws scratched the marble floor. "I wanted to keep them safe. But I walked right into their trap," he snarled. "To think, that I wanted to keep her safe… and instead she could be dead… or worse."
"What do you think I'm thinking about Draco?" she asked, half snarky, half sincerely.
The king glared up at her. "You haven't seen what I've seem," he sneered. "You're son killed hundreds of them."
Celestia's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"
King Draco stood to his full height. "Near the carrier-dragon I sent them on, we found a clearing filled with Black Beak warriors," he explained. "It was… grisly. They were missing limbs, some their heads, and many of the trees looked as if they were thrown."
Celestia looked away in shock, then mashed her face into his. "You said you would teach him to control his anger!" she exclaimed.
"I have!" he retorted, pushing back. "He wasn't berserk! I've seen him lose it! He doesn't use his enviornment, or weapons! If he killed them, he knew what he was doing!"
The thought of that… animal working with her son was much to swallow. "I'm sending a regime of Solar Guards to search for him and Ember," she said. "You'd better hope they find them."
He nodded, then went to the door but stopped. "I've never once told my daughter how much I love her," he said across the room. "I've done my best to show it, but I know she needs to hear it. Please, give me that chance, Celestia."
She understood his pain, and she nodded softly. "Just end these griffons," she resolutely said.
Gryphos, Griffon Empire
A Black Beak warrior trudged through the emperor's halls. He knocked the door open, startling Grypho and his two female slaves. "What is it?" he asked agitatedly. "Where's Captain Pierce?"
"Dead," he panted. "We only have a dozen survivors in dragon territory. We're still searching for the boy, but the dragons overhead are making it difficult to track him."
Grypho stood up with rage in his eyes. "You lost the boy, and you're Captain was killed?!" he yelled.
"He's stronger… than we thought," he grunted. "He… did this."
He turned to the side, showing his bandaged stump of a hind leg. The wraps were leaking blood, and he showed immense discomfort. "A child, did this?!" Grypho screamed. "You disgraceful… just go back and look for the damn boy! Shove a spear through his stomach if you have to!"
Grunting in pain, the Black Beak member walked out of the throne room.
"Just three days' journey from here," Moon said. "How is your wing, Ember?"
"Much better," the dragoness nodded. "Thank you, again."
Draco felt a feeling he hadn't experienced before, and it felt… weird. "So, where are we exactly?" Draco asked.
"Just north of the main mountain. Don't worry, it won't be long now," Moon assured them.
They passed over a stream, and Draco helped Ember through the tide. "How's your leg, by the way?"
"The water is nice," she laughed softly. "I don't mean to bother you with this."
"It's fine, Ember," he smiled. "We're almost back to your home. I'm sure I can do this for another couple of days."
Ember smiled, then winced slightly as he pulled her out of the water. Moon was waiting at the other end, his ears perked up in alert. A wolf came limping from their front, whimpering and barking lowly to Moon. He returned his own gestures, and the wolf went to rest by a tree.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked.
"He said there are pony guards up ahead," Moon said.
"Solar Guards?!" Draco asked, a bit excitedly. "My Mother must've found out, they can help us!"
"Let's go," Ember smiled. Draco nodded and helped her walk quickly.
But Draco didn't hear Moon following. He turned around and saw Moon watching from a distance, his ears drooping lowly. "Moon, come on! There's help up ahead!"
The wolf-pony didn't move. "Moon. What's wrong?" Ember questioned.
"Ponies aren't really… used to me," he muttered. "Much less Solar Guards. If you're going with them, this is goodbye."
Draco and Ember glanced at one another, then walked back over to Moon. "Don't be afraid," Draco laughed softly. "As long as you're with me, they won't hurt us."
"It's not that," Moon growled, then sighed deeply. "They're the reason I had to leave Canterlot."
"Are you saying you were a criminal?" Ember asked.
"No no no, nothing like that," Moon chuckled. "My mother kept me a secret from pony-kind, and when I first left my room, the guards attacked me."
"But that was a long time ago," Draco reminded him. "And like I said, they have to listen to me!"
Moon hesitated some, but Ember put a reassuring claw on his shoulder. "Trust him," she nodded.
Her action made that same feeling in Draco emerge, but it subside when she removed her claw. "Alright," Moon exhaled. "But please, stay in front."
Draco chuckled. "Sure thing!" They continued on, but the wolf behind them howled to Moon.
His ears perked up and he stopped, but Draco and Ember kept going. Shorter howls came next, and Moon's eyes dialed to the size of needles. His friends had already gone up the path, and he galloped as fast as his legs could carry him. He saw them speaking to the guards.
"Draco?" one in particular asked.
Even with the armor and enchantment, Draco recognized the voice. "Dasher!"
He helped Ember sit down before running over and giving him a backbreaking hug. "Buck, kid, what has your mother been feeding you?" he strained.
Draco chuckled and let go. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
Dasher smirked. "When I heard you went missing I went to Celestia and asked if I could lead the search party," he explained. "What happened to you two?"
Draco's smiled faded as he thought back about a month ago. "We were ambushed by griffons and knocked out of the sky," he said. "Ember got hurt bad and… hey, where's Moon?"
"DRACO! EMBER!" The guards looked towards a strange wolf-like pony galloping right for them, and they readied their spears.
"Wait wait wait!" Draco shouted, standing in their way. "This is a friend! His name's-"
"The griffons are nearby!" Moon interrupted. "They'll be here any-"
"AGH!" They looked to a guard who was piked on a griffon's spear.
"Form up!" Dasher yelled.
The griffons jumped from their brush covers and shot a small barrage of arrows. Draco covered Ember, while Moon leaped behind a low lying rock. Some of the guards' armor protected them, but eight of the twenty took some to the neck and face. Dasher cried out as an arrow embedded itself in his leg, causing him to fall on his side. Draco turned around, just in time to catch an arrow before it joined the other six in his back.
The pain was nonexistent as he carried Ember behind a tree. "Draco, you're-!"
"Just hang on!" he exclaimed. "Moon!"
The wolf-pony hybrid leaped out and joined him into the fray. Moon tackled a griffon to the ground while Draco picked up a spear and fought his way through to Dasher. Solar Guards weren't as highly trained as the Black Beaks, but they were holding their ground. Draco stabbed a griffon in the leg, took his dagger and plunging it into his neck. He heard some screams, meaning the guards were getting wiped out.
Moon spun around and kicked an incoming griffon, then jumped back as a spear dug into the dirt in front of him. He tackled the spear-thrower and rolled around in a wrestling match with him. Draco threw his spear at a griffon, but he ducked under it and slashed Draco's chest. Roaring in pain, he punched him in the beak and pounced on him. After a minute of struggling, he snapped the griffon's neck. Dasher was back up and locking spearheads with a Black Beak. He parried the swing to the ground and used the butt of it to smack him across the face.
Before he could end it, a dagger sunk into his chest. The griffon he made stumble back buried it's spear halfway into him. Draco looked over to the three, and his mind snapped.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
RIP THEM TO SHREDS!
Moon bit the griffons neck and shook his head violently, dislocating his head and shredding his jugular. Draco's scream made him look over, but he wished he hadn't. He watched as Draco tore a griffons arm off then jammed it clean through his own chest. A Black Beak behind him was about to stab him when his foot came up and broke his arm. Draco roared as he punched through the griffon's throat and used his other arm to rip his head off.
After picking up both their spears, he stabbed them into the one stabbing Dasher from behind. Draco took Dasher's own spear and piked the griffon head in front of him. The last griffon was about to drive his sword into him when a spear rocked into his side and made him cry out in pain. Ember grunted as she got back onto her rump and rubbed her fractured shin.
The black receding out of his eyes, Draco kneeled down next to Dasher and pulled out the dagger. "Dasher… Dasher, come on. Come on, get up," he whispered.
Blood gushed from his chest and trickled out of his mouth. He raised his head just enough to look at Draco fully. "Damn… you're getting… pretty, ngh, big."
Draco whimpered as he saw his eyes trembling. "Dasher. No, don't do this," he whispered. "Come on. Rainbow's waiting for you to come home. You have to get up and come with us so you can see her again."
Dasher grunted in pain as he lowered his head. "Listen… just… just go," he forced. "I'm not… gonna make it."
"Yes you are," Draco said loudly, his voice cracking. "You have to get up and tell Rainbow that I'm okay! Please! Come on!"
Dasher shook his head, trying his best to ignore Draco's tears that were falling on him. "I… never wanted to… get caught… in the war," he grunted. "I… wanted… to… make sure you… you, ngh, grew up… Draco…"
"Please, Dasher," he sobbed. "Don't go."
A smile came over the dying pony's lips. "Good… seeing you… kid…"
Dasher's breath came in sharply, and his eyes gazed endlessly at the grass in front of him. Draco sobbed quietly, putting his arms over Dasher and remembering all the days they'd spent with and without Rainbow. He was always like a father to him, and now he was gone. When he heard the griffon straining and groaning in pain, the black not only changed his eyes, but his mind fully changed.
Stomping over to the helpless griffon, and recongizing the torn limb, Draco roared, worse than ever before. "JRO IFEK UTANK!!"
He ripped the griffon's tail off, throwing it off to the side then grabbing hold of the griffon's good hind leg. "No! NO!"
"DRA!"
Draco ripped the other leg off, making the griffon scream in agony. Moon turned green at the sight, staring in shock as his normally docile and friendly friend tearing the rest of his arms off. Draco shot his arm into the griffon's chest, then pulled out his rib cage and heart in a bloody mess. He roared as he started beating what remained in blind fury.
Ember and Moon watched in horror as he mashed the organs and armor into a steaming mess. "Draco! That's enough!" Ember shouted. "Draco!"
"Draco! He's dead! Calm down!" Moon shouted as well. Whether Draco heard them or not wasn't his concern.
He kept beating the body until his fist started punching into dirt, mingling the two. "Draco!" Ember yelled. She went over to him and put a claw on his shoulder.
Moon did the same, but cautiously. "Draco!" he shouted, shaking Draco lightly.
Ember pulled her recovering arm out of it's sling and wrapped her arms around him, bracing through the pains his movements made. "It's okay, Draco," she whispered, hugging him tighter. "We're here."
Moon wrapped his paw awkwardly around Draco's neck, on top of Ember's arm. "We're not going anywhere, Draco," he said softly. "We're staying with you, my friend."
Draco's arms slowed down until he was just slapping his knuckles on the corpse. Blood was sprayed all over his face and arms, his already tattered clothes getting even bloodier. He sobbed uncontrollably, sniffling and whimpering as he buried his face in his hands. Ember nuzzled him as soothingly as possible, and Moon hugged tigher.
"I… I couldn't… save him," he sobbed. "Damn it… I'm… I'm so… useless!"
"Everypony is useful in their own way," Moon chuckled. "No pony is useless."
Draco sniffled, continuing to sob until the sun vanished over the far mountains. The Solar guards bodies were buried, their spears holding their helmets proudly. Draco planted his old friend's spear, then place the helmet on top. He could imagine Dasher's fatherly smile whenever he came to babysit him. The times the three of them wrestled and tired each other out.
"He's in a better place now," Ember whispered to him. He nodded softly, adjusting her arm so he could assist her better.
"There's a cave over this next hill," Moon said.
Draco took another moment to collect himself, then turned with Ember and slowly followed Moon. He went slow to be by his side, but Draco didn't seem to care.
"Tomorrow we're stopping until we get there," he said coldly. "I wanna talk to Draco."