Chapter 25
Proving a point
The sound of thunder echoed through the large golden hall. Everything was illuminated for a few seconds before the light returned to its normal yellow tone due to the candles. The griffons looked around uneasily, all covered in full battle armor. The distinction between ranks were very obvious because of the armor, but all seemed to be worried regardless of their rank. Their gazes remained fixed on the throne, where the king sat with his gaze lost.
The legendary golden throne, acclaimed far and wide across all the lands of Equis and beyond. Its splendor unmatched even by the two sisters old thrones. Golden garments filled it with images of battles won by the griffon empire and reminded them of times when the tooth and the claw were the only things that mattered. From times before even the formation of the land of Equestria and the pony empires to their western borders. Long before even the chaos master and his attempt to break the world into chaos.
That throne had been in the claws of griffons since immemorial times, and they had no intention of letting it get taken.
The king slowly fixed his gaze back on the griffons standing in front of him. His tired eyes showed signs of decay and he breathed hard as if he had a fever. His wings seemed like they had not been preened in a long time and his armor looked dark with little light shining on it. Even the feathers of the king seemed decayed, as if losing their life like appearance long before the owner lost it himself.
King Graccus III of the griffon empire. His empire had flourished in all sorts of ways since he started his reign, and now it seemed to be nearing an end. Not because he was dying, not because he had his griffons angry, but because he was losing...
Losing a war...
He sighed and slowly stood up. His golden crown emitted a golden brilliance that matched the throne's own surreal light as the faint candles illuminated it. His claws sounded as he took a few steps forward, right before the first step. All the griffons stood attention.
"I have heard the grim news that our messengers have brought, and so have you," he said. His voice sounded tired as well, and though not very old, it seemed like the voice of someone who had lived and seen lots of things. The respect his presence and his voice commanded in the present griffons immediately caused them to stand even straighter and listen even more carefully. His eyes kept scanning the room around, looking at every griffon his eyes passed upon. "And I must say that I do feel pained, but let's not make this a cause of our undoing. My son and heir was a good griffon in all of the ways one can call himself one. He was brave, loyal, and, above all, had a love for his land that made him do things not even the greatest heroes of our tales dared to do. Let his life be an example to all of us and may his soul reach the fields of glorious rest with my father and his father, his grandfather and my ancestors." He lowered his head. "And may his death be avenged." That brought a lot of whispers across the room and nods. Some griffons started to ruffle their wings as if wanting to leave and avenge him that very second.
"But we must tread carefully from now on. Our own pride caused all of our losses, and the enemy numbers contributed to that. We are the best fighters, but even a hero can't withstand an army of demon spawns by the hundreds." He started to go down the dark marble stairs that stood before his throne. "I summoned you all here today not only to pay respects to my son, but also to plan his revenge, and of every single griffon life lost in this conflict." He stopped at the bottom and looked at a high ranked griffon.
"General," he said with a look of conviction on his face. "Are we ready to mount the greatest offensive this world has ever seen or heard of?" The griffon slowly smiled and nodded. That brought a few lonely cheers amongst the griffons present. "Then let's get to work!" he shouted, his grim attitude and tired posture immediately left him, showing a completely different griffon. Yes, he seemed a little uncared-for and tired, but the fire that had lighted in his eyes seemed to infect every griffon with it like a plague. Soon they were chanting songs about war, honor, and dead changelings...
*** *** ***
A loud knock on the door of Davis' cabin at the main camp awoke the American. He blinked a few times before another knock, this one more insistent, made him stand up.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he said tiredly. He walked slowly in the dark with the faint light of the moon that passed through his curtains guiding him to the door. He stopped in front and opened it. Outside he recognized a messenger.
Those were never good news...
"Sir!" he saluted. "Your presence is requested in the war room, sir!"
Davis yawned and nodded at the pegasus messenger. "Very well private, go back to rest." The pony saluted him and left with no more words exchanged. Davis sighed and closed the door. He walked over to a basin full of water and grabbed a little towel. He breathed in and moved his head inside the basin, soon getting it out and wiping the water off with the towel. He walked to his bed and picked up his American uniform jacket and then put on the cap of the same uniform. He wanted to feel American for some time, not Equestrian. He soon left the room after strapping his holster and making sure the gun was loaded. Not that he thought he was going to need to use it.
As he reached the war room of the camp (a small room inside the main building) he heard a few voices coming from the inside. He recognized one as Ace, but the other one was one he had never heard before. It seemed hard and cold, which immediately made Davis guess who, or what, it was.
He adjusted his jacket and entered. Inside he found his suspicions correct; Ace was sitting on the usual chair he always sat on and an important looking griffon sat on the opposite side, which was where Louis typically sat. Davis was greeting by the two shutting up and looking at him. Ace acknowledged Davis' prescience by a quick nod and the griffon simply looked at him with deep yellow eyes. His eyes seemed to be feeling Davis' very soul, causing him to feel uncomfortable.
"You must be general Davis," the griffon said with a female voice. Davis face palmed on his mind. Why hadn't he recognized it was a she? Her features seemed far more elegant than a male griffon.
She stood up and lifted one of her front paws. "I am Gwydy, General Gwydy." Davis hook his paw.
"Pleased to meet you general," Davis said letting her paw go as both went to sit down. Ace looked between each other.
"She's the king's nephew, Davis," Ace said. "She's come here on his behalf..."
"To ask for the help of the Equestrian army on a lightning offensive to push the changelings once and for all off gryphon lands. They've been inside our territory for far too long. We believe it is time to end this once and for all." The gryphon general interrupted Ace rapidly to announce her purpose there.
Davis quirked his eyebrows.
He had wanted to do so, but not right before they actually entered the gryphon lands. He wanted to have an established position and a well thought out strategy, not being rushed. The gryphons seemed ready, or at least Gwydy had made it sound like that; he needed time to prepare and ready his troops. He wanted to secure Equestria's frontiers and then move to the gryphons...
But then here was his chance. He could join this gryphon offensive and get it over with; he'd not even need to protect his borders because the changelings would be far too busy defending themselves to make an actual attack on Equestrian territory.
He looked at the gryphon carefully, and the gryphon returned the stare. Ace only saw the two look at each other unblinking, wondering what was going on.
Davis saw her gaze seemed firm, yet some delicacy in her face features made it even more convincing and authoritative. Somehow, he knew she firmly believed that they were going to win the offensive, and that made him consider the option.
If he joined he would be rushing though.
"I'd like to know more details before jumping into a plan I'm unaware of, I'm afraid." He stood up. "Who is the general in chief of this operation?"
Gwydy looked at him, surprised. She obviously supposed that the human would have joined her immediately, everyone else did.
"But..." She sighed. "The king himself will be leading us, general. He's got everything planned perfectly; we can't and we won't lose this, not with him in command and leading the forces."
Davis looked at the window and saw his troops training and then turned back on Gwydy.
"It frightens me to think that someone can be so confident of the victory when they've been losing so far."
Gwydy opened her eyes wide, surprised in her face that soon turned to anger.
"We've not been losing! We have been only not placing all of our efforts on it!"
That cause Davis to stand up, anger starting to fill him now. "Not all of your effort?" he asked slowly. "Excuse me if I didn't got that right miss, but I feel that you should have then placed all of your efforts before they reached you capital's gates. That makes me wary about the position you say you have on this war."
Gwydy stood up as well. "What would a monkey have to say on griffons and war! We are bred to fight; it’s in our blood! If it seems we are losing, it's but an illusion to those that try to understand us!" Her face was now angry as well.
"Then why come to us for help?" Davis deadpanned. That caused Gwydy to stare blankly at him, all her anger vanishing. "Why, if you are so good, do you need our help?"
Gwydy didn't spoke for a few seconds as she seemed to process that. "I..."
"You came here without any real consideration. Think about it..." Davis began, walking over to a table that had a map. He took it and then placed it on the table to let the three see it. "Here are the griffon lands," he said pointing with his finger. "The changelings are here, barely a day's walk and even less flying. They're waiting, for what I don't know, but they're probably doing the same that you are: a last invasion. I've followed their moves and they are surrounding the city and blocking it from any way to get resources, including food. I predict that by next month, they'll be in position to attack with all they've got."
Gwydy looked at the map, her frow deepening and causing her to look older than she was. She sighed. "You... You are actually right. Why hasn't the king done anything about it?" she asked, more to herself than to the two Equestrians.
Davis shook his head. "I know it seems like a good idea, and it probably is, but your generals and I dare say your king have not taken into consideration a lot of things I'm afraid." He started to roll the map but Gwydy's claws stopped him.
"Let me see the map." Davis nodded and allowed her to unroll it again. Her amber gold eyes scanned the map, as if looking for something. "You say you've been following the changeling's advance in our lands?" Davis nodded. "I believe, no... I fear you are actually right. There's. No way we can make this glorious attack unless we get rid of all the changelings already in our lands... Why would the king... my uncle... Why would he plan something so poorly?" She turned furiously. "A straight line plan he said, they'll not expect it." She walked towards the door and stopped. "I'll have a talk with him and generals after returning." She turned back to face Davis and Ace. "I'm sorry to bring such a poor proposition to you and for wasting your time. I hadn't considered all of this, and I fear none have or, if they have then they're too scared to say it." She bowed. "Though I am going to ask another thing."
Davis nodded just as Gwydy raised her head again. "What may that be?"
Gwydy smiled. "Fighting on our own isn't as good as fighting together. I want to know if Equestrian troops will fight by us to win the war."
Davis smiled. "You can be certain that we won't abandon the griffons; our troops will soon leave our own territory and go help." He walked to her and raised his hand to shake her claws. "It'll be an honor."
Gwydy smiled. "Great." She shook his hand and then bowed respectively at Ace. "I'll be leaving then. Expect more from me in the future." She opened the door. "May the enemy fall before our combined might," she finished before leaving, closing the door after her.
Ace stood up. "I can't believe you just convinced a griffon that their king was not right."
Davis chuckled. "I merely pointed the fact that it would be a very short operation judging by how the changelings seemed to be doing their own strategy."
He looked at the map. "If they surround that city, I don't think the griffons will last much longer..."