It was like any other day for Arthur, enjoying family time out in the wilderness. With his wife, a unicorn with a light yellow coat much like Arthurs, deep blue eyes, and a purple mane. Their daughter was playing near a pond, filly around three years old, yellow coat like her parent, amethyst eyes, and amber mane. Everything was prefect. Even the clear skies was something to enjoy. The sun was up high, a light cool breeze brushed their coat and manes ever so fondly. Arthur looked over at his daughter and yelled, "don't go to far now Aurora! I don't want you missing lunch!"
"I won't dad!" Lightly giggling as she mimicked a frog hopping. He looked over at his wife, Rose, and lightly kissed her. She embraced the kiss and sighed happily, returning a reply of her own. Then, things slowly started to take a rather unexpected turn. The skies that were once clear now became dark. The cool breeze slowly became violent, and there was some light thundering. Arthur told his wife to pack up, and called Aurora back over. But, she didn't come. He urged Rose to hurry up and went looking for their daughter. He looked and found her tangled up in a bush. He quickly went to her and managed to get her untangled. They both managed to regroup with Rose and quickly retreated back to town.
As the gained distance to the town, there was smoke arising. As they got closer and closer, sounds of thunder and screams were heard. They quickly realize that their town was in a middle of a crossfire between House of Earthborn, and House of Stormwing. Arthur and his family tried to find a place till everything died down. They saw their neighbors retreating to a cellar and the three quickly dashed towards them. Their neighbors urged them inside.
They managed to make it in time as a lighting bolt came close to striking them. The felt some relief, until they realized, Aurora wasn't with them. They quickly looked around the cellar and then heard a scream outside the doors. The looked out the small window and saw her, crying and terrified as she dodged various projectiles flying towards her. Rose shoved him out of the way and went into the smoke to retrieve their daughter.
Arthur tried going out, but his neighbors begged him not to go out, even going as far as restraining him. He broke from their grip and charged out. He looked throughout the chaos to relocate his family. His paranoia and sense of urgency was at an all time high. He saw them cowering under a fruit cart and quickly went to them. He dodged various swoops and grabs from the crazed pegasi around him. He took them by their hoofs and quickly led them back to the cellar.
The continued running for the lives until he felt the sensation of being lifted off the ground. Their neighbors quickly closed their doors at the sight of it. Arthur heard the screech and looked up: they were being carried of by a Roc, a rather large griffon. Arthur panicked as he tried breaking free. His wife Rose, was in its clutches. The talons went through her like scissors to paper. He covered his crying daughters' eyes, seeing the blood lightly gleam off its talons and trickling down.
Arthur quickly realized that Rose was slowly letting them go. He begged her not to let go, but she did. They fell. The could hear the whistles of arrows passing them and the various sounds of war. He held his daughter and tried to drown out the noise. The only sound heard was the thumping of their hearts. He held his daughter closely during what felt like their final moments. She embraced him back and sobbed. Then, they stopped. They felt a soft sensation. They weren't dead.
They just landed on one of the piles of hay. He felt ever so relieved and tried finding a place to hide. He heard his daughter cry, and shriek in terror. He saw her hastily climbing onto him as they heard the growl and a loud roar beside them. They were staring down a Keythong, a flightless relative of the griffon. Its tail wagged excitingly and the spikes on its back flexed. The Keythong continued staring at them, growling as blood trickled out of its mouth and had entrails of pony remnants on its claws.
They Keythong bolted at them and Arthur ran into the nearest house. The beast broke the door down and chased them upstairs. Arthur closed the door and tried pushing a dresser and a chester door, blocking it from entry. It did very little. Its talons clawed through the wood like it was nothing. Arthur quickly dodged into the bathroom, closed the door and hid in the tub, hoping it wouldn't find them.
The Keythong pushed the door down and sniffed around. Aurora lightly whimpered and Arthur tried calming her down. The beast took a few steps towards the tub. Its head grazed over the top, and both of them slowly felt the warm blood, trickling down on them. There was a loud roar and the Keythong screamed as its dismembered beak fell in the tub. Arthur cautiously looked around and saw a large hole on one side, on the other, a blown up Keythong.
After quickly leaving the house. They retreated to their own house only a few blocks away and tried to avoid the chaos. They arrived safely and hid, inside the basement. He quickly bolted and locked the door. He sighed with relief, however, Aurora whimpered and quickly started sobbing. Arthur quickly tended to her and held her tightly, knowing that Rose was dead. They some how managed to fall asleep and the chaos stopped. Arthur slowly woke up to silence, which scared him more than the thundering and roaring earlier.
Aurora was sleeping soundly and he gently slipped out of her grasp. Arthur unbolted the door and quietly, cautiously walked out. His house looked fine. He slowly looked outside and saw the chaos: cottages were burning, there were low moans, groans and cries in various places. Bodies of both houses laid scattered about. He saw his friends, and various faces he knew mourning over their loved ones. Arthur wanted to cry, but couldn't bring himself to do it.
The ponies around him quickly stopped crying at the sound of music playing. The music grew louder, and the tune sounded distorted and out of tune. The wicked melody made the very hairs on his back stand up. His blood ran cold, his knees buckled, and felt himself on the verge of collapse. He looked around and saw the various dead corpses slowly coming back to life. Even the one he was standing one struggled standing.
Arthur freaked and grabbed the hatchet by him and started hacking and thwacking at it. It stopped moving. However he heard everyone else panicking around him. He looked up, and saw them being carried away by the dead. Some managed to escape, but not all. He looked around once more and saw a few of them staring at him. He quickly ran back into the house, and locked it. He was scared, then the banging on the door happened and didn't ease him. He quickly closed the closet door and retreated into the basement. He locked the door and waited. He slowly scooted back to his daughter and stayed up, the rest of the night.