//------------------------------//
// Fall of an Empire (II of VIII) 
// Story: My Son, My Soldier, My Hero 
// by That_Random_Pony 
//------------------------------//

Commander Ember looked towards the small town of Graphite, the griffon's main weapon production cities. Draco's force was significantly larger, as he was aiming to distract the griffons while they snuck around from the north as he drove east. Moon was on his own mission with the ground-bound dragons. His hunter skills would make him a perfect leader for his ambush on the Empire's griffon garrions. She shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. 

"Is everything alright, Princess?" General Ace asked.

She nodded, pulling out the map of the town. "I-I'm fine. And please, Ace, you're a family friend," Ember said.

"Of course," he nodded. "Have you decided yet?"

She glanced over to the town afar, mapping out attack formations and outcomes. "Yes. We'll drive our carrier dragons above the factories to drop our winged-flame brigades," Ember began. "Tell those morons to watch their aim. There are civilians working those machines, and warriors are only patrols. Evacuate the innocent, set the rest ablaze. These factories must be burning by sun down."

Ace saluted, running off to alert the others. Ember tugged at the straps of her equipment, feeling a bit of discomfort. The armor her father had given her was a bit too much. The helmet was very tightly woven and made her snout strained. And her firey red spines itched near the bases, so she decided to forget it. The torso plating was very well fitted to her body, and the gauntlets and leg armors fit well enough. Her father had given her a set of daggers and various knives for long distance throwing. The blades were diamond while the edges were pure steel. She had a smaller sword than the others, but it was meant for quick and powerful swings rather than combat. 

Her wings were also given armor platings. Somehow, her father had gotten them made to be extremely light. On an ambush that left three of her dragons wounded, the armor proved to be just as durable. She chuckled as she remembered the griffon's face when his sword bent against her wing armor. But underneath all of it, she wore the same sweater she wore some years ago. It fit her better, but it still came out below her armor a bit.  She had to wear it, for good luck… and for hope she would see Draco again. And Moon, of course.

"Princess Ember." Ember turned to General Aero, who was saluting with Generals Ace, Whiplash, Charcoal, and Ash. "Orders?"

"Send the Terra squadrons in first. General Whiplash and Charcoal will lead them. NOT A SINGLE CIVILIAN CASUALTY. Keep those idiots in check." The Generals nodded with a few laughs and went off to gather the dragons. "General Aero and Ace, take the fliers over the factories and pick off any patrols or archers. Ash, I will accompany the Terra groups into the factories. Once we are clear of civilians, I will send a flame into the sky. Be ready to move out."

General Ash snorted a small flame with a smile. "With pleasure." It was no secret that Ash was a pyromaniac, which made him the perfect leader in pyro-squads.

                                                                                      



The Terra squads charged forward, Ember leading the large group. "CLEAR THE CIVILIANS FIRST!" 

"YES MA'AM!"

General Whiplash and Charcoal split up through the streets, avoiding falling bodies of archers. They burst into the factories, grabbing the griffons workers and slashing the chains keeping them there. They dodged arrows and a few thrown clubs as they carried the weak and skinny slaves outside. Those farther in, were being protected by groups of fliers and Terra squads. They fought their way to the edge of the city, where they rounded it and brought the females and children to the waiting fighters. Ember wrapped her body around a trio of children, just as a barrage of arrows rained down on them. 

Her scales and armor kept them out, but the ones she could not protect perished. With rage at the sight of murdered children, she slashed their chains, then ordered them to run to the hills. She turned around, brought her daggers to claw, and roared as she rushed forward. The arrow heads bent and bounced off of her armor as she charged like a fuming bull. She uppercut the daggers into two of the archers, then swung her tail around and slashed another's throat with the axe like end. A fourth had his neck broken when she clamped her jaws over his neck and jerked it out of place. Dodging more arrows, and slashing at more griffons, she climbed the stairs and glanced out the factory sized windows. 

The streets were filled with dragon fighters pushing back against the griffon army, which was being mowed down faster than she could register. Satisfied with their progress, she punched open the window and shot a plume of fire into the sky.

Waiting on the hills, Ash smiled maniacally as the fire dissipated. "SET FIRE TO THESE FACTORIES! NONE SHALL LIVE!"

The dragons shot off small burst of fire, then ran on all fours with their inner flames sparodically firing off. As soon as they reached the first factories, they let loose. The pyro-squads shot randomly in any and every direction, setting the wooden beams ablaze and melting the metals. Oil canisters blew up, but none of it affected any of the dragons still fighting. Ember began using her own flames to make the bastards suffer. Grabbing one by his tail, she lit his body and pitched him into some of his comrades, setting them on fire as well. She quickly pulled the throwing knives out of their sockets, grabbing eight in total. 

Going into the streets, she threw the miniature daggers to the roofs. Seven of the eight met their marks, the eigth hitting the target for a second time. She ducked under a spear swung from behind, slammed her tail down on the griffon, then sank her daggers into the back of his head. Ember grunted as a griffon smacked her in the face from the side. Just as she reached for a knife, a lance exited from the griffons chest, just as he screamed over the battle. General Ace kicked him off, then offered Ember a claw. She jumped up herself, pushing him to the side and grabbing the handle of a spear. Ember roared as her flames set the griffon's face on fire, then slapped him to the ground with her tail. 

"We still have the rest of the town to take!" Ace shouted, running beside Ember. 

"Then let us get started!" Ember smirked. Ace took flight, as did she. 

The fliers rained hell from above, some being able to drop payloads of dragon bombs and setting buildings on fire. The town of Graphite was only factories, and because of that fact the structures exploded various times before collapsing. The carrier dragons above bellowed as they landed, shaking the ground beneath them. The griffons did their best to fight them off, but their massive size allowed them to knock down the metal buildings and swipe at them. They weren't slow in battle, as most thought. They fought just as their smaller counterparts, with much skill, grace, and strength. Each of their fires were hotter than any other dragon. The flames melted the griffons armors and punched holes into any factory walls still standing. Some were so cruel they body slammed groups of them, but it cost one his life when the group fired arrows into his exposed belly. 

Unlike fighters, their bellies were much more sleek and thin, so as to not cause as much drag in flight. At the sight of a fallen brother, the dragons redoubled their efforts, efficiently slaughtering any who remained. 

Ember regrouped with the generals as they converged on the last griffon squadron. She flew ahead and cut one's head open with her tail, then swiftly slashed dragon symbols into two others backs, bit down on one's neck, and finally used her open claws to stab the last two in the eyes with knives. She clenched her mouth shut, causing the griffon's throat to seperate and the body to fall to the ground. Ember spat the esophagus off to the side and sheathed her daggers. The fighters gawked as she walked towards the generals, who were amused by her little slaughter-fest.

"All done?" Aero panted hoarsely. "Where to now?"

Ember spat a glob of griffon blood to the side and thought. "Our next targets are the plains near Bostogne."

"A plain? We're attacking farms?" General Ash asked.

"No. We're attack the griffons last supply line of food for his army," she growled. "Should we fail in taking the capitol, they can at least starve to death."

"And will we be setting the agriculture ablaze?" General Charcoal inquired. 

"We shall."

"Princess, you can't-"

"I, am aware of the food crisis the new ruler and society will face," Ember interrupted General Ace. "But the burned crops will fertilize the soil, and we will not be killing any cattle, pigs, or chickens. Once this war is over, we'll be able to help them rebuild Graphite, plant their farms and they will have enough food for their new beginning."

Ace smiled, her intentions reminding him of her father. "Yes, Ember," he bowed. 

"Tell the army to rest," Ember ordered. "We leave by tomorrow's dusk. No sooner than the setting sun. Ace, please tend to the surviving griffons. Provide escorts to the Minotaur border. President Steam should already be waiting for the refugees."

The generals nodded, going off to their own platoons. Ember sighed as she rolled her shoulders, then fiddled with the end of the sweater. She sat herself beside a very ancient looking oak tree. The fact that a tree survived the bloodshed and fires amazed her, but the great tree served as a nice place to rest. She watched the sun descending over the far mountains, which was where their target layed beneath. She, Draco, and Moon would regroup at the city of Windawn, then finally attack Gryphos and find the Griffon Emperor. 

If they survive… No, don't think like that. Moon will survive. Draco will survive… he has to… and so do I. We'll make it out… and maybe… Draco will finally see the strength I have.

She was woken from her thoughts as she felt something tugging on her sweater. Beside her was a small griffon cub, who was covered in smoked coal and dirt. "Y-You're… you're Princess Ember?"

Ember glanced off to the side, where Ace was smiling deviously. "Yes," she nodded. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, stepping closer. "Y-You saved my Mama," she shakily said. "Thank you."

Ember nodded, her frown easing into a smile. "It was my pleasure," she said softly. "What is your name?"

"Little Beak, miss." The cub smiled sweetly at her. "Are we coming with you?"

There was something about this griffon that seemed… familiar. The black feathers, and her eyes seemed just like someone she'd met. "It's too dangerous, little one. We'll make it safe for you, and we're going to help when this is over." The cub's tail sagged sadly, and she frowned with a quivering lip. Ember smiled and picked her up, setting the surprised cub onto her lap. "I promise, I'm going to make everything better."

The cub nodded, wiping the dirt from her feathers. "If you find my Papa, can you save him?" Beak asked. "He fought the Emperor's griffons. Maybe he's still okay."

Ember looked uncertain, but the pouting lip was something one could ignore. "I'll do my best to find him," she nodded.

The griffon held out her smallest talon. "Promise?" Ember stared at the little claw with much hesitance, unsure of whether or not the father could be alive.

With a sigh, she wrapped her smallest digit around the cub's and smiled. "On my code as a dragon," Ember chuckled. "I promise to bring your father back."

The cub smiled, her tail wagging excitedly behind her. "Okay. Bye, Princess."

"Just Ember, young one." The cub nodded, then ran back over to her mother, who smiled at Ember and to Ace.

Ember looked over to the horizon, the stars beginning their ascent. "Good luck, Draco."