Lullaby braced herself as the griffins made a sweeping pass across the roofs of the small town. The power of their wings beat down rattling the roof and shaking the insides of the small school house. Construction ponies toppled from the rafters and ladders fell to the ground in heaps. Honey dashed to her child’s crib and placed her body over the bed to protect him from falling debris. Lullaby did the same with her own.
For a few long seconds the wings continued to beat down as they passed. When the shaking stopped Lullaby opened her eyes once more. The school house was a wreck. Chairs and desks were strewn everywhere in piles of wood and splinters. A rafter had fallen and nearly crushed Honey’s desk. Honey stood back up and cradled her child in her hoofs. His crying not the only sound of pain coming from the ponies inside.
Lullaby looked down at the baby in her basket. Still sleeping. How could any child sleep through such a storm? She smiled and moved away to help the ponies that were pinned down or hurt.
Honey was finally able to calm Apple Crisp down and sit him back in his crib when another shock hit the school house.
“They’re coming back!” shouted a random pony from outside. “It’s a raid!”
Lullaby peeked her head out the door and looked up to see the griffins returning once more. Another sound accompanied theirs and Lullaby turned in the opposite direction. Coming straight at the reapproaching horde was a squadron of Pegasi in dark blue tunics and fake leather helmets. As they grew closer they split apart to encircle the griffin horde. Shouts came from below as well and Lullaby turned to the street to see several unicorns making their way through the frightened crowd. They were pulling a contraption with a long rope attached to a trebuchet containing a large boulder. She gasped as she knew what they were about to do.
“No! Wait! They’re still in the air-“ she yelled but she was cut short as the unicorns let fly the giant rock. It did its job and knocked down several griffins but also ended up clipping a young red Pegasus in the wing. He slowly fell as he lost control.
Lullaby rushed to Honey in the school house. “Watch him for me!” She pointed at the basket then swiftly turned around and in a flash was gone.
The young Pegasus was still falling, about to limply land on the roof of some store, when suddenly a pair of hooves caught him under the hoofpits. He dazedly looked up at his savior, the force of the boulder still rocking his vision. All he could make out was a black blur with wings carrying him to the ground safely. He felt his hooves hit the ground and slowly sank to a heap of limbs on the dirt road. He rolled over on his back as his eyes focused once more. A beautiful Pegasus stared back with a worried expression. “Thank you,” he winced.
Lullaby smiled, but then reeled on the unicorns manning the catapult. “What were you thinking? There were still fliers out there in the scuffle. You’re lucky no one died!”
“Ma’am,” an official looking old gray unicorn with gold plated armor stepped forward. “We need you to go back inside and stay away this is a dangerous area.”
“No thanks to you, windbags!” She was in his face now.
“Ma’am,” his voice was now more serious. “We have the situation under control.”
“No you don’t! And you know why?”
“Why?”
“Cause your catapult’s busted.”
The grey unicorn turned back to his men and his siege weaponry only to find that it had indeed come apart after the last fling. Pieces that appeared to have been securely nailed or tied to together had burst apart. The whole thing was now a pile of dead wood.
The gray unicorn muttered a swear that Lullaby had never heard before. “We still need to get in there!”
“No, you don’t! As long as the Pegasi are in the air there’s no point to a ground attack.”
He gave Lullaby a perplexed look. “And what do you suggest?”
Lullaby searched the sky for signs of the fighting pegasi. “Which one is the team leader?”
Gray unicorn pointed to a small blue pony in the distance that was zipping around an aggravated griffin. “His name’s Cloud Catcher.”
“Perfect, just stay here and protect the citizens, get them inside. I’ll go see what I can do from our end.” Without another word she shot off towards the blue Pegasus.
Gray unicorn stood perfectly still, a deep frown plastered on his face. He walked up to the red Pegasus lying on his back. “Stand up, soldier!”
The red Pegasus did just that and wearily raised a hoof to his head in salute.
“If you can’t fly then you’ll walk. Protect the civilians, Gladius.” With that the gray unicorn walked away.
“Yes, Uncle.” Gladius whispered as he turned his head toward the black mare flying away toward the unfolding battle.
Lullaby dodged and ducked between mobs of griffins and pegasi duking it out in the air. Once she noticed that a griffin had been on her tail she would corkscrew in another direction forcing the griffin to do the same. In a maneuver only a pro could pull off she stopped on a dime in front of a wall and flew up leaving the slower griffin to hit and crumble against the wall.
After a few minutes of dodging tails in this manner she finally made it Cloud Catcher. The blue Pegasus did not look so good. His opponent had caught him by flying in a wide circle that was shrinking every second. When Cloud Catcher went up, the griffin would as well. Leaving him only two dimensions of travel. Lullaby had to act fast or he would be shredded.
She flew high into the sky above the cloud line and set herself directly above the griffin and Pegasus. Then she began a slow rotation going in the opposite direction of the griffin’s predatory circle. Within seconds the speed of the rotation began to accelerate, collecting clouds and moisture. Soon she had a small funnel of air that fell down between the griffin and its prey. When the griffin’s circle tried to breach the funnel it was immediately stopped by wind pressure. Lullaby flew into the heart of her tiny tornado to talk to the Pegasus captain.
“That was something!” he exclaimed in a joyful expression. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen cloud play like that before. Thanks for pulling my flank out of the fire.”
He reached out an appreciatory hoof.
“Your welcome but we don’t have time for this!” Lullaby pushed his hoof away. “Listen, they’re evacuating the citizens from the street. This is our chance to sweep the horde out without any casualties.”
Cloud Catcher cocked his eyebrow. “What did you have in mind?”
“Your team are all trained in weather manipulation, right?”
“The best we’ve got.”
“Well,” Lullaby motioned to the funnel surrounding them. “Think we can make a big enough one of these to push them out?”
Cloud Catcher stroked his chin with his hoof. “Young Lady, that sounds destructive and completely irresponsible.” He paused to watch her expression. “I’m in.”
Lullaby smiled and they bumped hooves in decision.
“Just give me a minute to let my boys in on the plan.”
At that there was a sudden burst of air and something careened past them, completely dissipating the tornado. The two pegasi looked onward at the figure that had cut through the wind pressure like a hot knife through butter. A long male griffin with spotted haunches and slightly yellow and red feathers on the tips of his brow caught their gaze as he landed on a treetop. His piercing blue eyes catching them from hundreds of hooves away.
“I don’t think we have a minute,” Lullaby muttered nervously.
“I’ll make it quick,” was all Cloud Catcher had to say before flying off.
Lullaby stared straight at her new opponent. He was large. Probably a good head above her. His wings were enormous with the same pattern of red and yellow highlights accentuating his tips. He dug his claws into the tree, ready to spring forth at a moment’s notice. Lullaby decided that if she would have any advantage it would be the first move. She flew away.
Within moments the griffin was at her tail, staring her down with a blue eyed glare. She made a quick stop and changed direction but this did not impede her pursuer. Next she tried a cork screw through the trees. The griffin continued in an identical manner matching every move she made. He wasn’t trying to catch her. He was faster than her and he knew that. This was some kind of game of follow the leader.
“Think we can talk about this?” she yelled at her back. The griffin merely gave her a playful smirk, his eyes widening ever so slightly. “Thought not.”
So he proved he was fast, strong, and pretty good at wing control with those forceful turns. But there was one thing that Lullaby knew she was better at than him. She finally exited the forest of trees and rose higher for coup de grace. Suddenly Cloud Catcher was there.
“Nice work, rookie! Kept that loose cannon off our backs with plenty of time to set up!”
She took a look at the town. An enormous funnel was forming in the street below, created by the Pegasus team. The most of the griffins were down for the count but the rest struggled in vain to circumvent the ponies’ magical tornado. It was really working.
A burst of air and then a red and yellow blur shot past the two skyward ponies. It dove straight into the funnel and began to fly the opposite direction. Slowly but surely the funnel was disappearing.
“That’s bucking unbelievable!” Cloud Catcher shouted. “We got twenty pegasi down there!”
This was indeed bad. Not only were they losing the twister but with the momentum generated by the red and yellow griffin there could be a total reversal. One the pegasi in the middle of all that would be the victims of.
Lullaby pumped her wings and flew down to join them, Cloud Catcher in tow. She hit the wind pressure barrier like a wall of water and began flying with all she got. Sure enough the griffin had started a reversal and the wind was against her now. She looked above her as the griffin continued to pass her over and over again. Twice a second. Three times a second. How was he this fast?
Lullaby could feel her wings beginning to cramp. They had added just enough pressure to keep the funnel deadlocked, no spinning either way. Now it was just twenty something pegasi and a griffin in a dust storm. As Lullaby passed the streets below her she could notice through the clouds of dirt that the griffins were rising again. Their second wind clearly restored. There was no more time.
Lullaby shot into the sky once more and spun around. This was going to take finesse. She calmed herself and examined the pattern of the griffin in the storm. She took a deep breath and began to rotate through the air. Slowly but steadily until she was pulling in clouds behind her. As she continued to spin faster and faster the clouds behind her condensed turning grey and dark. They shot off a spark, then another. She could feel it, she was reaching her terminal speed. She placed her hooves above her head and she bucked the clouds brewing behind her and sent a shock wave through it. A pillar of lightning shot out pushing her with speed unseen before into the funnel. She felt her front hooves connect with her target.
She looked up past her hooves for the briefest of seconds. The griffin was there, his talons up in front him blocking the attack. He had finally stopped circling but was now standing perfectly still being pushed with extreme force by her. There was no fear in his eyes. In fact he was smiling. He gave her a playful wink and then with a loud “POW” was sent careening into the horizon.
Lullaby, still moving at an extreme speed, plowed into the earth. Conveniently creating a safe hole from the twister that, now free from the griffin’s speed, was created easily. It swept through the town picking up every last griffin and leaving all the homes and businesses slightly shaken but still better off.
When the twister reached the edge of town all the pegasi disengaged from the funnel and let it continue its path towards the mountains. Townsfolk slowly poked their heads out of their houses to investigate. Lullaby popped her head out of the ground. The townsfolk looked at her for a quiet moment and then burst into cheers. Gray unicorn was the first on the scene.
“That was completely irresponsible!” he shouted over the whoops and hollers. “Do you know what would have happened if that had gone south?”
“But it didn’t!” Cloud Catcher was there along with his whole team at his back. The only one not there being the red Pegasus standing behind gray unicorn. Cloud Catcher pulled her out of the ground. “This mare just saved our and your sorry flanks, Javelin! She’s a hero.” A cheer rose again from the spectators.
Gray unicorn, now identified as Javelin, pinched his face in anger. “She’s still a civilian! To perform such an act on the orders of a civilian are-“
“Are what Captain?” Cloud Catcher’s voice was now serious as he removed his leather helmet. “My team doesn’t answer to you.”
“The civilian committed an act of insubordination!” Javelin flared angrily, now right in Cloud Catcher’s face.
“As I said!” Cloud Catcher continued. “My TEAM doesn’t answer to you.”
Cloud Catcher proceeded to place his leather helmet on Lullaby’s head. She looked up at him with a shocked expression. Javelin just looked annoyed.
“I gave my nephew a position in your ranks because I was told you were the best warriors the pegasi had. But if you let any rebellious rookie join you then I suppose I was mistaken.”
Cloud Catcher shoved his face in Javelin’s once more. “You’re not really going to take the kid’s future from him just to spite me, are you? You don’t want to come off that petty.”
Javelin took a look around him. Ponies were everywhere, staring at him, judging every action. He turned to his men and nodded his head in a way that said “We’re leaving.”
Only the red Pegasus stayed behind. He looked completely unsure of where his loyalties stood. Cloud Catcher motioned for him to join them, “Come on, Gladius. You’re uncle’s just blowing off steam. Come meet our new recruit.” Gladius followed his team leader’s advice.
---
Off in the distance, as he walked away Javelin muttered to himself, “Filthy savages.”
A unicorn soldier to his right spoke up. “Sir, are you speaking of the griffins or the pegasi?”
Javelin fixed his subordinate with a look that sent a shiver up the soldier’s spine.
---
“So what’s your name, kid?” Cloud Catcher asked.
Lullaby could not stop her blushing. She had never had such attention heaped on her. “I- I think there’s been a mistake. I’m not trying to join-“
There was chorus of voices and questions from the other pegasi. “Where’d you learn that?” “Did you train at Cloudsdale?” “Can you teach me that move you did?” “You looked amazing.”
That last one coming softly from red Pegasus named Gladius. His red face turning and even deeper shade of red as everyone gave him a quick glance.
“She certainly was,” Cloud Catcher continued. “Now are you going to give your name or do we have to beat it out of you?” He nudged her shoulder jokingly but it still sent a wave of pain through her body.
She winced. “Lullaby. Lullaby Hush.”
“Well, Lullaby, welcome to the Great North’s 12th Pegasus Legion. We go by Wonderbolts for short.”
----------
Spike had retired from the festival a little early today. Not that the attractions and treats weren’t spectacular but a dragon’s got to know when to call it quits, especially when you’ve just spent the previous day binging on said treats.
He had just turned down the corridor towards Twilight’s room when something caught his eye. Something was glowing at the far end of the hall. A faint blue light spread across the corner of the crystal hallway illuminating a bust. Spike stepped past Twilight’s door, slightly curious. When he was two or three steps away from the corner the light disappeared once more. He quickly turned the corner and notice the glow had gotten further down the hall. It almost looked like somepony carrying a blue torch. But once again it dived behind a corner almost as if it knew he was in pursuit.
Something drew Spike even faster toward the luminescent glow. Though he had to stop frequently to catch his breath he never once lost sight of the glow. It quickly ducked inside a room and Spike followed suit, immediately running into a long elegant pink hoof.
Spike tumbled to the floor. “Ow, my head.”
“Spike, are you hurt?” Princess Cadance extended a hoof to help the tiny dragon up.
“No, I’m fine,” he replied as he rubbed his head. “Did you see-“
“A blue glowing thing that looked like a pony holding a torch?”
“Oh, you have?”
“Yeah, it just flew past and into the library.”
“So what is it?”
Cadance gave a concerned expression. “I’m not sure, but I couldn’t sense any love from it.”
“Which means?” Spike asked hesitantly.
“Either it’s an illusion or something far worse.”
“Why does it seem with me, like every situation is the latter?” Spike threw up his hands to the sides of his head in a pleading gesture.
Cadance let out a small giggle. “So,” she stared at the shelves of books where the blue glow had gone. “Feel like a little adventure?”
“Uh,” Spike was hesitant. “I guess we’ll be safe if I’m with you right?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen.”
“Well, okay.”
The two began to walk down rows of ancient tomes. Spike sticking close to Cadance’s hooves.
“So what are you doing in the library?” Spike asked. “I thought Twilight said you were supposed to be at the closing ceremony.”
“That’s not for another hour at least. And besides, when you’re expected to attend all ten days of a festival it gets pretty monotonous after a while.”
“I suppose,” he gave an embarrassed grin. He had been able to whoop it up for the entire ten days. Now he just felt a little gluttonous. “So you’re looking into that room that Twilight found?”
“Well, not exactly. I was doing my own runs of the castle looking for secret passages. It’s kind of a hobby I’m working on.”
“Found any?”
“Tons! You wouldn’t believe all the trap doors that are in the throne room at least.”
---
Elsewhere, a slightly scraped up member of the castle staff began to polish the bannister of window in the throne room. He heard a loud click and looked down. He gave a short exasperated sigh as his body tumbled into a deep hole. The only sound in the throne room being his grunt of “I’m okay.”
---
“Why do you suppose Sombra would build so many traps in his own castle?” the young dragon posed.
“Probably because he had a lot of enem-“
Cadance was cut short, or rather made speechless. They were now before the hole that Twilight spoke of. There in the center of the library wing sat a round hole, its insides black as night.
Cadance threw Spike a sly grin. “You think we should?”
“Uh,” Spike stammered. “Maybe we should just wait for Twilight.”
“I’m pretty sure the blue glow went down there. I mean, this is the way it came and there’s nowhere else to go.”
Spike gulped loud enough for Cadance to hear. She smiled and wrapped a reassuring hoof around him.
“It’s okay, Spike. We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
Suddenly the thought of the blue glow raced through his mind. Something about it reigniting his baser instincts and pushing his mind to tell his body, “Follow.”
“No, I want to go,” he replied resolutely.
“Okay,” Cadance picked him up with her magic and set him on her back. “Hang on.”
The two slowly floated to the bottom, Cadance’s full height not that much shorter than the entrance’s height. She made her horn glow a faint blue that lit up the tunnel.
“Onward to adventure?” She asked.
“To adventure!” Spike shouted, immediately slapping a claw over his mouth.
The echo channeled down the narrow pathway and back up, sounding longer and more ominous than before.
“Uh,” Spike cleared his throat. “Yeah, let’s go this way.”
The two began to walk slowly down the twisting tunnel, the only light coming from Cadance’s horn. It was certainly dark but Spike could not feel anything like fear. In fact, he felt serene, almost at peace. Constantly he found himself nodding off only for Cadance to make a small hushed noise that would bring him back awake.
They finally reached the end of the long tunnel and peered into the tiny room. Cadance could stand at her full height in here but the ceiling was still mere hooves away. She cantered over to the desk and examined the ever-burning candle.
“Amazing!” she murmured. “An indestructible spell on the wax? Maybe the wick? And the flame! All these years burning underground. This should be in a museum, don’t you think so, Spike?”
When no response came she turned around to find Spike fast asleep on her back. She smiled and rested him on the dusty bed. Spike immediately curled into a ball and hugged the blankets tight to his scales.
Cadance turned her head back to the desk and what sat next to it. An ancient chest. There was no markings that could determine date or ownership and there was no lock.
No harm looking inside then. Cadance thought to herself.
She began to lift the lid slowly with her hoof.
KATHUNK!
The sound sent shivers up Cadance’s spine. Nothing in the room made such a noise. It was like a large object came crashing down on another.
“Oh no.” Cadance’s eyes went wide.
“What was that sound?” Spike was up, attempting to rub the drowsiness from his eyes.
“Come on!” Cadance grabbed Spike once more and placed him on her back.
This time she galloped through the tunnel. They reached the opening in mere minutes, however now there was no opening to be found. Cadance looked up at the ceiling where the hole once was and found herself staring at some kind of rune or sigil. It was etched into the stone with what appeared to ancient ash. She forced all the magic she could muster into her horn and let it loose. The blast hit the rune and it appeared to glow a deep red and then fade back to black. Cadance tried again and again with only the same result. She backed away from the wall, this time aiming her blast not at the rune but at the stone wall around her.
I hope this doesn’t collapse this place and kill us, she thought to herself.
The blast she let loose once again dissipated, this time clearly being absorbed into the wall.
“Spike, this is bad.”
When no response came she lifted Spike off her back once more. The tiny dragon was asleep again. Cadance laid him on the ground on his back and put her head to his chest.
“Oh no.”
His heart beat was slow and getting slower.
Cadance took a few steps back and turned around the tight tunnel. Her eyes began to well up with tears. “What have I done?”