Synopsis of chapter one: http://pastebin.com/NdBe3HZz
>As your vision faded and your body letting gravity take you to the ground you feel two different "arms" drag you away. Believing that reinforcements, despite no mention of them, have come to your aid. But as you are being dragged you can see fires being lit inside the buildings and they grow rapidly until they break the glass windows. Then they spill out and onto the thatched roof, igniting the entire building and the buildings near them.
...s-stop... w-w-we need to put the... the fires... t-the-they'll burn down the town...
>You weakly say as your vision finally gives out and you black out. You regain conscious a short time later, only to see the entire town consumed in a giant inferno. You try to speak again but all you do is black out once more.
Get up, you miserable pile of trash.
>A gruff voice says and when you fail to do so it grips your wound. The sharp pain wakes you from your terrible slumber.
That woke you, now stand.
>You roll onto your stomach, placing your body into a push up position, then you slip one foot underneath your body and you push up. Quickly placing your other foot next to the one already there and you stand up, holding your stomach.
W-wh-who are you?
>The gryphon in front of you looks at you skeptically, the same way a judge looks at a criminal. His feathers are grey with an occasional white one here and there. His fur follows the same pattern, mostly grey with some white.
You don't know who I am? What are you, dense? Speaking of which, what are you and what is your name?
>You try to make yourself look more intimidating but your wound is still fresh and the resulting attempt makes you look weaker.
I... I am... I am Human. That is what I am, and who I am... I said mine, now you say yours...
>The gryphon walks up to you, looking you up and down. Then he slowly walks around you, examining you like a cattle. When he walks back toward your front he stares you in the eye.
Who do you work for, Human?
>His face grimaced after saying your name.
I... I work for Ponyville...
>His face remains neutral as he starts to pace back and forth. He occasionally looks at you when he turns to pace to the other side in this small room.
What did you do?
>He says, stopping his pacing to listen to your response.
I... I was a guard...
>He doesn't seem pleased with this answer and yet his face doesn't change.
What rank were you?
>You look into his deep brown eyes, you swear you could see your reflection in them.
I... I was the Captain... the leader...
>His expression turns sour and he gripes your wound, the pain is on par with the original piercing. You scream as loud as you can and fall back down to the ground. He simply stares at you, his expression returning back to what it previously was.
Stand up.
>He says coldly, and you weakly rise to your feet. You don't try to act tough again, the pain almost brings you to tears.
So, Human. It's safe to say that you planned for Ponyville's defenses. Am I right?
>You open your mouth slowly while you choke back the tears.
Y-Yes. That's right...
>He grips your wound one more time and this is the last straw. As you fall down, tears openly stream down your face as you stifle your sobs. The gryphon looks down at you with disgust.
How dare you cry. You don't know pain.
>Your tears stop flowing as the pain subsides and you see his face darken.
Get up.
>You almost fall down because of the pain, but you make it. As you wobbly stand you see the gryphon's claw raise, and then it reaches towards you. You gulp and close your eyes, bracing for another painful grip. But after what feels like a minute you slowly open one eye and see the gryphon standing perfectly still, with his claw still raised. You start to move to the side but his gruff voice bellows out.
Did I say you can move?
>You stop dead in your tracks, his voice commanding utter compliance. But he still hasn't moved, not even to face you. The silence worries you, nothing good comes after a long bout of silence. He finally grunts and turns his head to look at you.
Let's go.
>With this he turns around and walks out the tent, the stars revealing how late it is. You follow him, you are humbled and afraid of what you see. Fires dot the landscape like stars in the sky, tents that are little more than a blanket strung up by twigs makes you realize how massive the tent-house you just came from is, and the sheer amount of gryphons is mesmerizing. Despite how many you and your men may have killed, their numbers don't show it. There must be at least ten thousand you think and the more you look around the more you think you're correct You shake this from your mind and you continue to follow the gryphon, and as he gets closer to the camp you get closer to him. Until a sudden claw grabs the nape of your shirt and pulls you down.
Well, what do we have here. A spy perhaps?
>A gryphon says, looking younger than the one you were following. He's still wearing his gear, which worries you because that means they're still fighting and that could mean they found Ponyville's residents. You try to stand back up but you are pulled back down.
You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?
>This is starting to draw a crowd and gryphons start to surround you. One gryphon looks confused, his faced curled up into a scrunch. Then his face lights up, eyes shinning and beak curled into a grin.
Hey, that's the weird thing from Ponyville!
>You hear in the growing circle some "Oh...." and "He's right..."
Hey! Pilo died there!
>A gryphon from the back of the crowd yells and a few more gryphons either agree or add more names. It spreads like wildfire until a cacophony of accusations starts to fill the air. It grows until the gryphon who first pulled you down starts to kick you, this new idea spreads much like the rest until you are surrounded by kicking gryphons. You are being beaten senseless and you blackout. This time you are thankful to escape this experience.
I told you to follow me.
>The grey gryphon says, looking down at your bruised and bloodied body.
You're lucky I came back. They started to get swords.
>You barely register what he is saying, your ears ringing and your eyes partially swollen.
Get up. This time follow me or I'll let them drag you away.
>Fearing for your life you quickly stand up and follow mere inches behind the gryphon. You constantly look around you, seeing gryphons with spiteful looks on their faces. Eventually you and your "guardian" make your way clear out of the camp and to an empty field. A few gryphons are standing near a sole cart. The "cart" is basically a wooden box with some wheels on it, a jail door on the back, a window facing the front, and handles to strap beast of burden to are attached to the front.
Get in.
>Says the grey gryphon, he then walks to the gryphons near the box. Not one to disobey the gryphon who saved your life, you quickly jump in the back of the box closing the jail door behind you. One of the gryphons comes around and locks the door and you turn to the only window to see the gryphons being strapped to the cart as they pull you. The grey gryphon walks behind the cart to watch you through the jail door.
You're too fat for them. That's why we're walking.
>The gryphon says rather bluntly, with this your trip begins. You turn forward and as you take a turn you can see what used to be Ponyville, most of it is reduced to ash with the few remaining structures are little more than a few walls. Only one building seems relatively intact with only the roof and one wall missing. You know that it's the guard house and with this note you slump to the ground and fall asleep, hoping that when you wake you'll be somewhere else
 
>Your sleep was terrible to say shortly. You were constantly being jostled in your cage, either from a rock in the road or your drivers turning to sharply and almost tipping the cart over. When you wake fully you can see the grey gryphon walking behind the cart, wearing the same expression when you last saw him. When he notices that you're awake his eyes fall upon you, studying you again.
I forgot to tell you something.
>He says after a good long minute of staring at you. After saying that his face curls and takes on a more inquisitive look.
I own you.
>You don't know how to react. The idea of owning another person rarely crossed your mind and the thought of being owned never entered your mind.
What do you mean you own me?
>You say out loud, staring into his cold stare. He furrows his brow and thinks what he has to say.
It's custom from where I'm from for murders to be given to the closest related family member. Seeing as you killed my son, you're my slave now.
>With this the gryphon goes back to dead stare look at the ground. You realized that you killed at least twenty gryphons and you decide to press him with one more question.
I killed a lot of gryphons, how come you get me instead of other families.
>The gryphon looks coldly at you but with a sigh his face softens by a small degree. He closes his eyes for a quick second then meets your gaze again.
I get you because you... killed my son. And because he was the highest ranking officer... lost. If there was another officer with his... rank then it would be decided by... proximity.
>In between these pauses you swear you can hear him sniff. You decide to leave it at that and you lay down again, despite knowing that you won't go back to sleep for a while. You just lay there, curled up and facing away from the grey gryphon. You don't necessarily feel bad for killing his son but if he saw the lack of empathy on your face you don't know what he would do. You've read stories about slave masters whipping their slaves to death back on Earth and you don't want to test to see if they do that here. You just think about your experiences here in Equestria so far. It started out pretty nice, the mane six seemed to be friendly to you and you were given a great home. Better than your last place by a good amount. You kinda miss your family and the few friends you had. But these thoughts are cut short when the cart comes to a sudden hault. The grey gryphon walks to the front and you look through the small window that you have. You see what appears to be two gryphons dressed in full military garb and they point to the cart. The grey gryphon makes some claw gestures while he talks to the military gryphons. He then makes the universal "Come over here" gesture while he walks to the back of the cart.
See, this is the slave.
>One of the military gryphons whistles and the other looks awestruck.
Damn, it's big.
>Says the whistler and the other nods.
Can you let it out? I kinda want to see it next to me.
>The grey gryphon looks unsure but in order to prove his point he opens the jail looking door. He then looks at you and motions his head. You then slowly get out, stretching your limbs. Shaking off the nap you just had.
Wow... it's big...
>The previously silent gryphon said. And to his credit you do tower over them by two feet. Yet you study their faces, they seem young. Too young.
You seem young.
>You bluntly say. Saying it any other way may insult them. The whistler looks down and the other one looks embarrassed.
We're not. Shut up!
>The previous silent gryphon says, his voice cracking like a teenager.
Are you sure? You seem pretty young, even more so because your voice just cracked.
>You say, pushing their buttons for the joy of it.
Shut up!
>The same gryphon tries to punch your gut but you simply push his arm away, causing him to fall.
You're right. We're young, if weren't at war we'd still be at training camp.
>The whistler says, still looking down. You look at the grey gryphon and he looks at you. You put one hand on the scalp of the whistler and rub his head.
H-hey!
>The whistler says and the other gryphon slowly gets back up.
Fine, old timer. Your free to pass.
>The grey gryphon motions for you to get back inside and you wave to the young ones. They return the wave as your trip continues down the worn path the grey gryphon knocks on your cage door.
Hey, slave. Thanks for not trying to escape back there.
>You sit there and look at him. The thought never crossed your mind until now. The area surrounding the cart becomes more barren as the trip goes on. The air becomes thinner and mist becomes denser. As you peer out the window you can see why. You and your caretakers are climbing up a rising slope on the side of a mountain. Below, barely viewable through the mist, is a valley. Pristine and clean, but the drop below makes you feel sick. As your cage turns you see the entrance gates to a gryphon city.
 
>The gate to the city looks like two bronze walls. You're thankful for their dull appearance as the Sun shinning on them is reduced to a tolerable level, like someone shinning a near dead flashlight into your eyes. You look at the gate and wonder how it's going to open, if it goes inward it may crush someone. If it goes outward then you're going down the mountain. Going up makes no sense as the only thing above it is mountain. The grey gryphon walks to the cage door and opens it, releasing you once more.
Let's go, slave.
>With this he starts to walk away, remembering the last time you didn't follow him you instantly get within inches of him. He leads you to the gates and tells you to take a side. You look at him skeptically as he walks to his side and grabs something you overlooked: a handle. You follow his lead, walking over to your handle and grabbing it with your hands. You look over your shoulder and see him push the handle forward, much to your surprise he moves it with relative ease. His gate easily slipping into the mountain side, you try it and the gate moves smoothly. He then walks over to you and looks you up and down, once more inspecting you.
I don't think you need to be put in the cart again. Anyway it's probably bad for you to be laying down all that time.
>He motions his head and you follow behind him, and the cart following you. As you walk into the city you can hear passersby talk about you and point to you. The grey gryphon looks very proud about his new slave, and you simply look down at the ground. You always hated being put into the spotlight.
Wow Je, this yours?
>A gryphon asks to the grey gryphon. His feathers and fur look like your owner, but they look freshly groomed. His face looks soft and well groomed, like a housewife who just went to the spa. His eyes are shallow, like someone who's never been without. Every society must have rich citizens, you think to yourself.
Yes, Ple. It's mine.
>Je, your owner, says. His voice carrying a hint of disdain underneath his joyful reaction.
I'll buy it off you. Twenty gold pieces, right now.
>Ple, the rich gryphon, cheerfully says. He then studies you, but it makes you feel weird. While Je may have studied you the same way you felt it was more sincere than Ple's. Ple is looking at you the same way a rancher would a head of cattle that were planning to eat while Je looked at you like a rancher inspecting his prize bull.
Ple, I wouldn't sell you it to you for a hundred gold pieces.
>Je says, his voice carrying more disdain than before.
How about one hundred and twenty gold pieces
>Ple says, still looking at you. You whisper to Je that if you get sold to this creep you're running away as fast as you can.
Ple, it's not for sale. Also stop looking so closely at it, it's getting nervous.
>Ple looks up at him with wonder in his eyes.
How can you tell?
>Je sighs and looks at him.
It just told me that it'll run away if I sell it to you. To be exact, a creep like you.
>Ple looks hurt and stares up at you. You try not to meet his pitiful gaze but you can't look forward forever. You take a quick glance down at him and you see his eyes scan your face, hoping to see if your owner was lying.
Can you please stop looking at me.
>You say, your voice confirming what Je said. Ple solemnly walks away, his head cast down. You and Je continue down the main road, taking a few turns here and there until you end up at a small building. Je knocks on the door and a gryphon opens the door, her face is remarkably familiar.
So, this is the dweeb who killed Pilo.
>You know who this gryphon is, her brown fur and white head. Her hair, always looking ruffled and tattered. Her voice, reminiscent of a schoolground bully. Her piercing eyes and general demeanor tells who she is.
Gilda, watch it while I get some items.
>Je enters the house and his dissipating footsteps indicates he went up a flight of stairs. Gilda stares at you for a while. Finally she opens her mouth and asks you a question.
What's your name dweeb?
Oh, that's easy. My na-
>You stop when a crying gryphon pushes Gilda out of the way and pounds your chest with her trembling fists. Her tears matting down her brown feathers near her eyes.
I hate you!
>She says in between sobs, her hits don't affect you but her tears do. You pry your eyes away from her and look to Gilda, her expression matching yours. You look around nervously, wordlessly screaming for help. You eventually see Je come down the stairs with a box underneath one arm and he sees what is happening. He walks to the crying gryphon and gently moves Gilda aside.
It's alright honey... calm down...
>You feel out of place, intruding on a moment you weren't meant to witness. Gilda seems to feel the same way and slowly walks away. Unfortunately for you, you can't do the same.
No, it's not alright Je! It killed our son!
>The crying gryphon screams, and tries to slap you. Je stops her with his free claw and wraps around her, gingerly putting the box on the ground. She resists at first but eventually succumbs to the gentle hug of her husband. You shuffle awkwardly in place and look away from the moment.
Honey, go back to bed now... please...
>She nods and drags herself up the stairs, wiping away the tears that fall freely from her face. Je picks up the box again and steps outside, shutting the door behind him.
Carry this
>He commands you. You take the box from him as both of you continue down your path. You wonder how long it took for the gryphons to carve all this out, the ceiling stretches for miles and holes at the uppermost parts let in sunlight and fresh air. You ponder the logistics of this but you decide to stop. With a world of magic, questioning how something happened usually brings up more questions. Eventually the two of you stop by another house, but this one is reminiscent of old human designs. A large open air courtyard with rooms all around, one door that covers the entrance at night. Inside the courtyard is a whole assortment of different weapons. Daggers, pikes, spears, swords, axes, claymores, shields, etc. All are on racks made out of wood. Gryphons are training against each other, using wooden replicas of the weapons previously mentioned. In fact their is only a few real weapons in each rack, the rest of the space is filled with replicas.
Well, slave. I'm guessing you don't know what's going on.
>Je says, taking the box from your hands. You nod your head and look at him.
You're not the house type... My son learned that. Instead you'll become a gladiator!
>Je says, extendlng his claw to the courtyard. It hits you like a sack of bricks, why he questioned what you did, why he saved your life, why he didn't sell you.
You see that building? That's where you'll fight.
>Je then points to a low rectangular building with no roof. You guess that's there because flight is pretty common here, and the walls are there to keep you from spilling out into the street.
Isn't this great? You can do what you do best and I can use the profits to help ease the burden of my family's lost! It's a win-win, don't you think?
>You nod, you doubt that you would get a say in the matter anyway. Je then walks up to another gryphon, who's fur and feathers looking the same color of a lion. The lion gryphon walks up to you and stares you down. Eventually he opens his mouth and says.
Fine, Je. He can enter. But if he dies then it's your job to clean up the mess.
 
>It's been a week since you were dropped off here. Surprisingly you have been treated well, as well as a slave could be. You are not allowed to leave the property and you're forced to share a sleeping chamber with two gryphons. One of them is a muddied green color and the other is a soft hue of blue. The blue one is called Rud and the green one is called Peller. Peller doesn't like to speak, in fact he has only said six words. "My spot. Rud's spot. Your spot." But you know not to think that the lack of speak does not equate to the lack of intelligence. Rud on the other hand wasn't hindered to speak his mind, booing and pouting when the news was given. But he later confessed to you that "I'm not upset at you. I'm upset because I hate that old one eye gets a room to himself, that's all." You understand his predicament, as you were once forced to sleep in a room fit for two with four other people while others slept one to a room. This day however was unusual, instead of the regular weapon racks there was a board in the center of the courtyard. On the board there were names posted, all were accounted for except yours. Then you saw a name you've never saw or heard before.
"The Beast from Equestria!"
>You nearly fall over with laughter, Rud and Peller come over to you to see what's the matter. It takes a while before you finally point to the board.
"The Beast from Equestria!"? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard, and I went to the Academic classes in school.
>Peller doesn't say anything, but smiles when Rud says that.
SHUT UP PELLER, I'M NOT DUMB.
>You snicker and look at Peller, his face saying what his mouth doesn't. Rud punches your arm and stares at Peller
WELL, IF I'M SO DUMB HOW COME WE'RE ALL HERE? HUH?
>Rud says, trying to prove a point.
Well, I'm a slave.
>You say, pointing out the obvious. Peller takes a bit, thinking of what he should say.
I'm a slave of a different banner.
>Rud looks awestruck, staring at both of you.
Am I the only one who joined on his own will?
>You and Peller both nod.
YOU DIDN'T WIN, PELLER. YOU DIDN'T WIN.
>You and Peller nod at each other. You guys won.
So, what is this?
>Rud stops freaking out and stares at you.
Oh yeah, you came here after this? This is the schedule for when you fight. We all fight at the end of the week, you see. But if you're good enough, or if the crowd loves you enough, then you can have special fights that occur anytime during the week. Heck, one time we all had this massive battle once. You should of seen it, utter chaos.
>Peller just nods while Rud speaks.
Anyways, since you're the new meat you'll fight first. Give the crowd something to get them excited. Then, they'll see the real show. Cause right after you is me and my match. Then ten more down the line is old Peller here. Then, after about seven more matches, is the grand finale. That differs from time to time, but it's usually One Eye fighting the last three matches in a row.
>Rud finally finishes, counting on his claw to see if he covered all his bases. Peller looks at the board to check his spot while you simply process what was just said.
So, you're second to last? So you're almost the worst fighter?
>Rud raises his claw and shakes it at you while Peller smiles.
No! I'm third to last! Don't you forget it you dork!
>You wave him off and get on with your new daily schedule. Train with a wooden spear until it's time to eat. The Sun's rays shine down into the courtyard all day. A rare occurrence considering how cloudy it was earlier. The mountain walls don't echo as much as you once thought, only happening when something loud happens, such as a cart crash. Instead of the usual bread and water your used to at lunch, there is instead a feast. Fruits, vegetables, some pieces of ham go around, fish is plentiful, small wine bottles can be seen next to giant jugs of water, and of course bread. The fruits are ripe and firm, their flesh chewy and sweet. The vegetables smell new, their skin is free of bruises, and their stems still attached and just cut. The small slice of ham that you had was perfect, the meat is savoury and had the consistency of cotton candy. The fish is marvelously cooked, hints of lemon waft up to your nose when the dish is passed to you and you don't feel guilty when you take three large pieces as there is six other platters being passed around. The bread is nice and flakey, it's still warm as if it was just taken out of the oven. You didn't have the wine, since you hate wine. But you did pass it around and each time the strong stench of alcohol and the sweet scents of grapes assault your nostrils. Instead you drink the water, it tasting pure and clean. This feast goes on forever and you eat to your heart's content, and when your stomach is full you look around and see the others still eating. You almost faint when they bring out more platters of everything. You opt to eat more fish, as it's the most plentiful right next to the bread and because you really like fish, it was always too expensive back on Earth for you to buy so why not indulge yourself now, right? After what seems like hours does the food stop coming and the other fighters finish what's on their plates. You actually stopped eating after your tenth fish, but you stayed at the table and talk with those around you.
Geeze, I guess why they called you "The Beast from Equestria!".
>Rud jokingly says, he ends this by nudging you with his whole body. You chuckle and push him away.
Hey, I didn't go to the Academic classes.
>Rud punches your arm and screams.
SHUT UP. YOU SHUT UP RIGHT NOW YOU NERD.
>You smile and Peller gives a knowing nod. You all help clean up the mess you all made, it's done without speaking a word just as it should be. After the cleaning is done you find a relatively quiet place and think. Did the evacuation go without a hitch, or did they get captured? Did your remaining guards listen to your rules or did they leave the others to fend for themselves? Did they leave ponies behind? How did the Cakes do, are they safe? Is their kids okay? What about the CMC, are they okay? Is the Mane six safe? How is the war going, are the Gryphons winning or are the Ponies? What happens if the Ponies lose? How are your parents dealing with your departure, do they think you're dead? Kidnapped? What about your friends, are they safe? You shake your head, you won't do them any good moping around. Eventually the Sun sets and you go back to your room to sleep. For the first time in years do you have a nightmare. You dreamt about your flesh being torn off like the skin of an orange. Being roasted on a fire while three smaller versions of you dance around you and chant in a unintelligible language. Eventually a loud roar followed by shaking ground scares the smaller versions of you and causes them to flee. Then Cerberus eats you, but instead of the usual heads it's yours. You become Cerberus and then eat the versions of you that cooked you. Suffice to say you wake up in a cold sweat, unsure of what just happened. You get up and go to the courtyard, despite it still being dark. You sit down and look at the ground, eventually drawing what you think is your face. It's terrible so you erase it, this process goes on for a while eating up the entire morning. When you finally hear another being awake do you stop drawing. You look to the sky and at the moon, despite all that is different you still like to look at the stars. Their fading light saddens you as the Sun outshines them.
Ready for today?
>You hear Rud's voice say, shaking off the drowsiness as you walks to you.
Yeah... it's just. I miss my home, y'know?
>He nods and sits down next to you. Looking up at the last few stars holding out against the Sun.
What do you think life means?
>Rud asks, still looking up at the sky. You look at the ground and think. People have been wondering what life has meant for the beginning of time, and it turns out that we're not alone in that field. You clear your throat and look back to the sky.
Life is like friendship, I think. You choose your friends and you can choose your life too. You can be a great friend and your friends will be great too, like life. Or you could be a terrible friend and your friends will be terrible back, like life. But.. there's always a friend that has to move on, and you gotta accept that, just as you gotta accept loses in life. That doesn't mean you forget your friends, it means understanding why they left and let them do it. Just as you should understand why things happen in life and why you should realize what it means. That is what life means to me.
>You finish speaking and look to the last star fading away into the blue void. Rud sits there and nods his head, understanding what you mean. He then turns to you and says something that causes you to think.
Would you have been my friend if you weren't stuck with me and Peller?
>You furrow your brow and adopt a more regal air.
Yes. Yes I would. You know why?
>He shakes his head.
Because you would have been just the same. You would have been just as nice as you were. Peller might have only said two words to me at first instead of six, but he would be the same too.
>Rud smiles and punches your arm.
You're just a big old sap underneath that hair, huh?
>You punch him back and chuckle.
At least this sap didn't go to Academic classes.
>Rud wails on your arm to no end.
SHUT UP. YOU-YOU'RE JUST A NERD. YOU BIG HAIRY NERD.
>You stifle him with your hand before his screams wake up the whole neighborhood.
Be quite! I don't want the whole world to hear you.
>You say in an Irish whisper. You slowly remove your hand and in response to being shut up he punches your arm.
Ow! Stop!
>This is how your morning went, discussing philosophical questions, making fun of Rud, and being punched in the arm. Once enough gryphons are up do you and Rid decide to train a bit before you're all shipped to the arena. A gryphon blacksmith repaired your gear and gave it to Je a few days ago. A few moments ago Je just delivered it to you and you're back to wearing your guard uniform. You're unsure wether purple costed extra or the blacksmith didn't have any but strips of black leather cover the damaged purple parts. You feel wrong wearing this, as it once stood for a testament of order and protection but now is being used for simple materialistic gain. The blacksmith didn't even bother to clean the bloodied leather, or Je told him not to. At any rate the spear wound where you were stab has a giant stain of old blood.
Geeze, what's up with your armor?
>Rud asks out of curiosity. You simply tell him not now and find a spear that Je also delivered. Who's spear it belonged to will always be a mystery, but where it came from isn't. It's a guard's spear from Ponyville, the markings near the bottom of the tip tells you that. Much like your armor this spear isn't clean, blood that once moved from tip to shaft has stained this noble spear. You decide to clean it, as this is a simple task.
Why are you cleaning the spear and not your armor?
>Rud asks, this time you feel like answering him.
I don't know who's blood is on this spear. Is it mine, a guard, or a gryphon? I don't know. But after my fight I will.
>You say with a laugh. Peller chuckles and Rud doesn't get the joke at first. But when he does he smiles
 
>You look at the spear in your hand, the dried blood sullying the noble metal tip and holy wooden shaft. You find a bucket and an old ratty rag nearby, taking the rag you dump it in the water and wipe the blood off the shaft, purifying the sacred wood. You then turn your attention to the tip, gently rubbing the old blood away, leaving the metal shiny once more. But time has left it's mark, leaving stains of were the blood used to be. But it makes you feel better, like swatting a mosquito that already bit you. You take off your mostly purple armour to stare at it. The purple leather looks marvelous, the stitching done with care, the leather picked from the finest hide, the detail to craftsmanship is easily visible. The recently added black leather on the other hand is the exact opposite. It didn't matter what leather was used, hastily stitched together, and you can see holes in it when you hold it up to the light. Then you see it as you hold it to the light, the black leather is stitched in a way to resemble a stripe pattern on par with a zebra.
So that's what they mean, "The Beast from Equestria!". Well, screw that.
>You say under your breath. You stand up and find a sword on a weapon rack, taking the sword you cut the pieces of black leather off by cutting the stitches. Underneath most of the black leather lies the high quality purple leather. Only three or four strips actually cover up pieces of your damaged armour but you still take them off out of principle and because you know that the black strips offer as much protection as a piece of paper. You put the armour back on, touching where you were stabbed. It was an awkward experience, filled with fascination and a sense of dread. Your two gryphon friends walk up to you and ask why you cut off the pieces of your armour before your fight.
I did it for two reasons, one being it made me look like dumb. The other reason being it had as much protection as a... uh... rotting tomato.
>Peller picks up a piece and easily rips it in two, nodding after he sees you are correct. Rud watches Peller's demonstration and picks up a strip near his foot. Scanning it with his eagle like eyes, holding it up to the light he makes some clucking sounds. Obviously displeased with the discovery you made a while ago about the quality of the leather.
Pitiful. Just pitiful. This quality of leather is usually thrown out or used as rags, but due to their... tenderness the former wins out more often than not. Personally I would keep these and use them to mop up your sweat. But hey, I agree with you about taking this trash off that nice set of leather... well excluding the parts that have gaping holes in them.
>Rud says, his voice carrying the general tone of expertise  that comes from years of work in the subject. You take in what your friend is saying, mauling it over while you run a piece of the leather through your fingers. Finally you gather the pieces and walk your room, upon entering you place them in your spot. Your spot being a corner in the cramped room. You leave the room and see the other fighters lined up near the entrance, Rud waves you over and you ask him what's going on.
We're leaving now. Don't worry it'll be fine, just don't die.
>Rud finishes this by nudging you, during which you push him away. This makes him redouble his efforts and he nearly pushes you over with his aggressive nudges. You smile as the line starts to move, with you, Rud, and Peller in the back. As the line snakes through the streets you see gryphons point at you and talk in hushed tones to the gryphons near them. But it isn't just because you're different anymore, it's because you're a gladiator now. You still hate that they're talking about you but it stings less now, perhaps it's because it's not just because you're different or maybe it's because your friends are next to you. No matter the case the trip there wasn't that far, but it wasn't short either. Upon drawing near the arena does the general size of it stands out to you, maybe forty or more yards high and at least two hundred and fifty yards long on the long walls and one hundred and fifty yards on the short walls. Like all the other buildings here, it's made out of the rock that once formed the inside of this mountain but have been chipped away for gryphon dwellings. The line walks down a ramp and underneath the giant rectangle to a crude holding pit, the air is stale and the light dim. This is what being burried alive must be like, you think. You don't wait long until the same lion looking gryphon that first greeted you walks up to you and a gryphon that you've seen in the training grounds.
Come. You're up.
>With this he turns and walks into the ever darker pit, the gryphon next to you follows without missing a beat. Seeing what's going on you catch up to the two gryphons, eventually the lion looking gryphon points to one side of the room lit by four torches arranged in a square and your opponent goes over there. He then points to the opposite side to another four torches and you go there. You get there and stand in the center of the square for a reason you can't explain. Eventually the roof above your head opens up and the floor beneath you rises, the sudden burst of fresh air and bright light causes a reaction like a blind man finally being able to see. You grip your spear in one hand and clench your other one as you slowly rise to the floor of the arena, the cheering gryphons scare you at first almost making you fall over.
WELCOME TO THE FIRST FIGHT OF TODAY!
>An announcer says from some unknown source with it's voice being reminiscent of a wrestler announcer. The crowd cheers but not to the fullest extent they could.
RIGHT NOW WE'LL SEE BLUE FEATHER FIGHT A NEW OPPONENT TODAY! IN FACT A BRAND-NEW GLADIATOR, CAPTURED FROM THE EQUESTRIAN TOWN OF PONYVILLE! IT VICIOUSLY MURDERED HUNDREDS OF OUR NOBLE TROOPS BY ITSELF!
>With this the crowd boos and you groan. You know they're going to paint you as some sort of bloodthirsty beast.
BUT OUR GREAT ARMY WAS TOO MUCH FOR THIS BEAST! BUT MANY QUESTIONS ARE RAISED, WHERE DID THIS BEAST COME FROM? IS IT SOME SORT OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPON? IS IT ALONE OR ARE THERE OTHERS? BUT ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, THIS BEAST HAS NO EMPATHY, NO FEELINGS, AND QUITE POSSIBLY MENTALLY DEFICIENT.
>The crowd cheers and you feel insulted. You almost throw your spear to the ground but then you remember where you are.
BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN I MUST ADD THIS PART: THIS IS A STRICTLY NO DEATH MATCH, SO THIS BEAST WILL LIVE. FOR NOW. WITH THAT, LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!
 
>Your opponent starts to charge towards you, screaming to the top of his lungs with his sword lowered and aimed at your breast. You slowly walk toward him while he only picks up speed. Eventually he gets too close and you sidestep him, tripping him after you're out of his path. He falls flat onto the ground and his sword clashes against the rock floor of the arena. He shakes his head as he stands back up and you watch him clumsily search for his sword. He sees it nearby and jumps towards it, using all the power he can get out of his four legs. He grabs it and rolls onto his back, pointing the point towards your stomach. You have stood your ground during all this, letting your spear lazily sit in your hand. Your opponent gets back up and tries to stab the giant gash that was left from your previous fight. This time you let him come closer than before, building his confidence up. When he's about ten feet away you ready your spear, at seven feet you steel your nerves, and at five feet is when you strike. You sink your spear a couple of inches into the claw he's holding the sword with, when you hear his cry of pain you pull your spear out. He clutches his claw for a moment while his blood oozes out, but he recovers too fast and you're too close to stop what is about to happen. He madly swings his sword at you, hitting your forearm. Thankfully the slash isn't too deep but it's deep enough for your arm to let loose a steady stream of blood. You quickly back peddle, trying to increase the distance between you two. Now that he isn't charging you are finally able to see what he's wearing. He's wearing a piece of armour that covers his entire body save for his two large wings. Surprisingly he's also wearing a helmet, something that you wished you had. Both pieces seem to be made out of leather but without further inspection it could just be simple cloth. But a sudden wail breaks your attention.
I'm going to rip out your eyes!
>With this he flings himself into the air with his powerful wings and circles around you. You consider throwing your spear but the chance of missing outweighs the option. Instead you wait for him to come to you and while you wait you survey your surroundings. At what first seemed like a barren arena may have been not the case a few decades ago. Clear signs of what used to be homes can be seen with destroyed walls and a few homes still up. But now you're thinking about how they constructed the walls or what they did to the gryphons who lived here. You shake your head and focus on the gryphon overhead, he's still circling you like a vulture watching their prey. You spot a home relatively close by and make a dash for it, seeing as you can't fight a foe you can't hit. You barely make it inside when you hear a shriek and a gust of wind, you don't need to turn around to know what just happened. You look around the house, it's design seems close to that of your master's or the parts that you could see. You look around and see nothing except for a staircase and a hatch leading down to a celler of some sort. You back toward the center of the room, holding your spear ready to the door. Finally your opponent realizes that you're not coming out so he drops down on the roof. You turn to the staircase when you hear a sudden bang come from the upstairs and you see his shadow coming down the stairs.
I'm going to rip your heart out!
>He screams as he comes down the stairs, his heavy breathing indicates how long he's been flying or how much blood he's lost. Speaking of which your own cut hasn't stopped bleeding and you feel weaker to some extent. He finally sees you and makes another mad slash and this time you dodge it, you return his slash with a quick stab to his right wing. His wail assures your hit and you remove your spear and slip out the door while he wildly slashes around. You hold your spear close and run behind a destroyed wall about twenty yards away, ducking behind it when you get to it. You peer over it and watch the house, waiting for him to pop out. Eventually he does and tries to fly, only to see him get a few feet up before he screams. When he lands he holds his wing tightly and drops his sword.  You watch him until he slowly rises and grips his sword in his hand. You jump over the wall and hold your spear up.
I'm going to eat your tongue!
>He screams at you and you raise your spear, holding it level with his neck. He slowly walks towards you and swings like no tomorrow, you manage to get him once more in the torso but his armour takes most of the hit. You on the other hand get a few more cuts, two more on your forearm and a cut on your cheek. Blood and sweat run down your body, mixing into a fluid that had the appearance of both. A clear glossy coat with a dark red heart. You step back and your opponent makes one last slash, but you're prepared this time. As soon as he gets close you knock the sword out of his hand, kick out his already cut claw, and hold your spear to him as you go to his sword. You bend over, with your spear still aimed at him, and pick up his sword. Walking up to him you hold the sword to his throat and you let the butt of the spear hit the ground. You look at him and at the crowd.
I will never surrender!
>Suddenly you feel your right foot give out as he kicks you, toppling you over. You fall onto your back and the gryphon straddles your chest, he's grinning like a mad man. Suddenly you hear him laugh like one too and he starts to punch you in the face, stunning you. You finally have enough of this psychopath and you clock him in the mouth. He falls over and you do what he couldn't, you put your legs on his claws and you sit down on his chest. You punch him with all the might you can draw from your body. His face becomes battered and bruised, nostrils letting loose a torrent of blood. The announcer says something that you tuned out and you continue to wail on the gryphon until two pairs of arms grab both of yours. You kick and scream, finally tired of that crazy bird's comments during the fight. You're dragged to the pit while the gryphon that you fought against is carried out, probably to a hospital.
What do you think you're doing! I clearly said no death! You almost killed that poor gryphon!
>A dirt colored gryphon says, tapping your forehead. You glare at her when she does this and she slowly lowers her claw. You sigh and feel bad inside because she's right, she did say that. But then you remember what the gryphon said to you during your fight and tell her as much. She rubs her forehead and waves away the gryphons that brought you back down to the pit. She sighs and looks into your eyes, trying to gauge your authenticity.
I... I've heard reports of him... saying similar things during fights but I always thought that the losers were trying to... to discredit him and his victory. But I guess you're right, you have no reason to lie seeing how you won and all. There's a strict policy on things like this we're not allowed to let the crazies fight, some sort of anticruelty law passed a few years ago.
>You start to sway a little and you feel a bit lightheaded. The announcer sees this and gingerly takes your hand, leading you to a medical facility. The doctors there put some paste on your cuts and wrap them up, or stitch them if they were too deep. They tell you to take it easy for the next few days and let you leave, you and the announcer leave and she tells you some more rules about the arena. Most of the time there's no death matches and the few that do occur pertain to criminals convicted to die in the arena, fighting gladiators until they die. She explains why they called you a beast and it boils down to this: Everyone likes drama to some extent and gladiators can give them drama and a show at the same time. And then the gender rules, males and females can't fight against each other but men and women can fight as a team against another men and women teams but the girls can only fight the girls and the guys can only fight the guys.
Really, you can do anything unless it's stated directly before the match.
 
>She leads you back to where your friends are, letting you lean on her from time to time. She continues to talk with you on the walk there, turns out her name is Boma. She asks what you did before this and you tell her, letting her know anything she asks. Almost anything, you leave out a few choice bits such as the portal and your life back on Earth. She asks if you know certain pegasi, and it turns out that the same training camp that teaches young pegasi also teach young gryphons. You sadly say no to almost all of them, except for a certain teal coated, rainbow maned, violet eyed pegasus named Rainbow Dash. You tell her as much as you should know and your conversation stops here as you both make it back to the gladiator pit. Rud and Peller see you and help you to a cot stationed in the back. Boma bids farewell and your two friends, mostly Rud, ask you how you did. You tell them everything, from how you tripped Blue Feather to punching him to near death. Peller smiles and leans your spear against the wall closest to the cot. Rud looks terrified and about to throw up. You ask him what's going on and he slowly comes back down to reality.
Sorry. It's just... I remember my first fight against Blue Feather and how... weird he is. I'm going to bite off your tongue or I'll wear your scalp as a hat. I don't know, those threats never seemed fake. Like if I lost, he was going to bite my tongue or scalp me. I'm so glad that all my battles with him ended with a draw.
>You talk with your friends for a little while longer but eventually the jokes slowly putter away and your friends say their goodbyes, leaving you to wallow in the residual pain from your wounds. You look around your surroundings, now that your eyes have finally adjusted to the dim lighting. You see a good ten or twelve more cots like yours, a few have more lavish features such as pillows or even a blanket. You lay in your cot and feel a little unnerved, reaching for your spear you look around the room. You see the next two fighters go off, one being Rud. You internally wish him the best as you continue your scan. You see more fighters here than you ever saw at your home, for a lack of a better tittle, and only a few conclusions that you can come up with is that they come from other places like yours and or they come from their homes and do this as a part time activity. The thought of wanting to do this by choice boggles your mind, then you remember a certain gryphon that you're friends with.
I wonder how Rud is.
>You sit up in the cot and then sling your legs over the edges of it. When you feel the cold earth underneath you reach out for your spear and lift yourself up. You walk along, with your spear acting as a walking stick, and look for Peller. You search amongst the crowds of armed gryphons but to no avail until you ask a gryphon armed with what you think is a halberd.
Oh, him. Yeah he sits alone in that corner over there until that other weird gryphon comes back. Then they switch.
>You thank him for the help and resist punching him in the jaw for him insulting your friend, maybe under a different light you would but for now your recent battle has left you drained. You go to where the rude gryphon pointed you to and find Peller sitting by himself. He doesn't look up until you clear your throat, when he sees you his face reanimates.
Peller, why do you sit by yourself?
>You say with concern in your words and eyes. His eyes cloud for a moment and then meets your gaze. You see him try to say the right words but get frustrated and sigh instead. You sit down next to him, laying your spear on your lap while he tries to figure out the right words.
I don't like the others. They don't like me. I decided this is the best course of action.
>Peller says, letting each word a pause before the next. You're stunned, not just because this is the most he has ever said to you but also because of what he said. You lay a hand on the shoulder of your friend before what you're going to say. You muster up the courage and look him straight in the eyes.
My friend, I understand. But now that I have you talking how about you tell me about yourself, if you feel like it.
>He obviously feels better, if the smile growing on his face is any indication. But when he hears your second request his face looses the newfound smile, instead he adopts a more melancholy look. You take your arm off of him and look at him while he internally debates this. With a nod you know he's on board.
Well I was born a son of a duke and he was given some duchies to celebrate my birth. Some other dukes and duchesses gave some relatively small farms or mills, but the Queen gave my father something well above anything that was given. I was supposed to be the next in line for the throne, which would be momentous because no King has ruled in over seventy years. But you can see where this becomes a problem, the Queen's daughter felt betrayed by this. I'm not entirely sure but through some actions she remained next in line and when the Queen died she became the Queen. And I became this, a husk of what I should have been. Maybe one day the truth will come out, but for now I'm forced to fight here by orders of the Queen. I am a slave under a different banner, a banner of a crown.
>You take in what your feathery friend told you, each word eloquently said and each sentence given paused to announce the end of it. You don't doubt your friend despite no actual proof given, his own ethics wouldn't allow him to lie in this manner and you know it. He always seems so well groomed, his feathers and fur always looking freshly groomed and his beck always clean. This cleanliness is on par with that of nobility as you saw nobles in their own separate booths during your fight. You ask him to explain how his government works while you have him.
Oh, it's pretty simple. At the top you have the King or Queen and then next to the throne is their spouse until they have a child and then they take their spot. But the King or Queen can decide if they want their child to be next in line or not, if not it must be given to someone of high social standing or already part of the noble family. There is a non-spoken rule if you have more than one child and it's that your other children become Dukes or Duchesses when your chosen heir inherits the throne. Then the Dukes and Duchesses become next in line, going from oldest to youngest. If then comes something that hasn't happened ever, the people elect a new official. This hasn't happened because it would mean that the entire royal line is gone. Anyway the new elected King or Queen family's line becomes the new royal line. Then the cycle repeats forever and ever until every last gryphon is gone, which will never happen. We're pretty resilient when it comes to that type of deal.
>You listen attentively to your friend while he talks about more of the current noble line, which apparently has three Dukes and seven Duchesses. A very skewed gender ratio you point out and your friend smiles. But another question pops into your head when memories of Ponyville assault your mind.
Hey, I have one last question. Who declares war?
>Peller thinks about this, he obviously wasn't expecting this question. He thinks more than you were expecting, letting silence ring for a minute or two. Eventually he starts talking again and you listen religiously to him.
On paper it's decided by a collection of the three major branches of the military. Air, Land, and Water, the last being in terrible shape due to the fact that we don't like the water. And along with the military, the Queen and the two oldest Dukes or Duchesses also attend. Well you can see what happens, a little force here and there and the Queen gets what she wants. So to answer your question, there is a committee but if the Queen wants war she gets war.
>You smile and thank your friend for what he has told you. You always like hearing and learning about places, even more so now because it could save your life. You look at your hands and you feel a ghostly weight on them, the weight is reminisce of the gloves you wore when you had to shovel snow at your parent's house so many years ago.
 
I hate the snow.
>You say, shoveling the frozen menace from your driveway. Well it's not yours but your parent's, but for now it's yours. The sun has long since set, letting the other stars shine now. You move what feels like hundreds of pounds of the densely packed snow. Your biceps are burning and the layers of clothes are being drenched in sweat. You hastily finish up the work and sit on the steps before your front door. You stare up and into the dark night, letting the snow hit your face. Suddenly you hear the door behind you open and you feel someone sit next to you.
Hey there.
>Your father says, sipping a Budweiser in his left hand and holding a cigarette above it. His face is eerily similar to yours, actually when you were born the doctor said that there was no doubt that you were your father's son. He isn't dressed as much as you, probably because he doesn't plan to stay out here as much as you.
Son, I want to talk to you for a bit.
>He calmly says taking a sip from the red and white can, afterwards he takes a puff from his smoke. Thoughts of birds and bees trying to make a child race through your mind. You're dreading what he's about to say but you calm yourself, your Dad would only do it if he was completely plastered. Right now you'd guess he's only half wasted, which for your Dad is about six or seven beers.
Have I been a good father? I've tried, I've tried so hard but I feel like you got more of me in you than your mother. Son, don't be like me please. Stay the hell away from any drugs, I've tried a good bunch and they're terrible. Also don't go looking for fights, you'll only find enemies. But if someone wrongs you make sure they don't get up. And please don't hold back, I don't care if you lose just make sure the other kid doesn't feel like they won. Don't be greedy, spend your money but don't be a fool about it. Son, I don't care if you're a garbage man, just be happy with what you do. Also, never let your friends down. And I mean a friend, someone who will lay down their life for you or someone who you could give your life to and find it the same way you left it. Never let those people down, you'll only find a few. Now come on inside, you can finish this up tomorrow.
>You stand up and wipe the snow off of you and your Dad does the same. He leads you back inside your home. The warm air and the smell of food wavers your need to finish the job. You'll do it tomorrow.
 
>This is how weeks, then months, go by. You spend a week recovering and or training, then on the final day you and your fellow gladiators go to the arena to fight. Once you get patched up you either go talk to your friends before they fight or lay down on the cot because of your cuts. Since you beat Blue Feather you had to fight the next gryphon on the list, thankfully that match was till first blood. Your opponent was given the hilariously awful name known as The Vengeful Claw, the name being said in a mock tone. You and your friends mostly mess around during the waiting periods between fights, telling dumb jokes at one another. They tell you more about their world and you teach what knowledge you remember from school, every bit surprises them thankfully. You never thought yourself a teacher but apparently you're not that bad at it, maybe you should've changed careers. You whip these thoughts from your mind, while your friends may be calm the kids back home wouldn't. Anyways the battles after your first were relatively easy, most of your opponents decide not to fly. Perhaps your spear scared them or they heard what you did to Blue Feather to stop him from flying around. After your conversation with Boma your "name" slowly changed, turning from The Beast From Equestria to the Fallen Captain. The portrayal of your capture changed too, from once a harsh heavily favored view of the Gryphon Army changed to a more intermediate viewpoint. Both sides did wrong and by the end it leans more towards you than the Gryphon Army, or maybe it's your own bias that thinks that. This week however while Peller goes off to fight Rud decides to talk about his life.
You don't know me very much do you, Captain.
>Rud says, with Captain being said half-jokingly and half-seriously as it is your rank. You smile and reply with a simple no, followed by my academic scholar. Rud, as usual, punches your arm with the force of a bull. Well a bull if it was castrated and missing a leg, but a bull nevertheless. He suddenly stops and looks into the distance, his face and eyes taking on the appearance of a man who's been forced to marry the girl he loves.
I promise it's not as sad as our King, but not by much. As you know I kinda goofed around in school, not really applying myself as much as I could. But I have a good reason, I swear. I was in love, stop rolling your eyes, not that petty teenage love. She liked me back and well... You know how boys think. Anyways, after school we got married. That was the second happiest day of my life right there.
>You stop him by asking a very important question. What was his happiest day in his life? He just shakes his head and gives you a weak punch that turned into a slight push. You slap his hand and ask the question again.
I'm getting to it, you dummy. Like I was saying, the second happiest day in my life. I don't need to tell you but I think your kind does the same thing my kind does on their wedding night.
>You nod and the mental image of two grown gryphons sitting on the edge of bed wearing traditional wedding clothes pops into your head. The male gryphon has a small top hat on his scalp, it's slightly slanted and he is holding a red cube. The female has a veil coming down to her eyes and is holding an old wooden playset, with a circle hole, a square hole, and a triangular hole carved into it. They try fruitlessly the circle and the triangular hole with the square, eventually they put the square into the square hole and a baby gryphon pops into their arms. The new parents blush hard and their baby grabs the father's top hat. You shake your head, out of everything that has happened to you in your life that was the weirdest thing ever.
So months later my pride and joy was born, Lina, but then things happened. Gryphon mothers are extremely protective and well... my wife kicked me out. I didn't know what to do, my joy just left me. I was a wreck, constantly losing jobs left and right. That's when I landed here, it gave me structure. Structure I hadn't have in a long time. Well, every time I fight almost all of it goes to my wife and kid, I haven't seen her in so long. I guess the only silver lining in this is that my wife has started to write me letters, I think her maternal instincts finally stopped being so high. She said maybe in a week or two I can visit my daughter.
>You comfort your friend, his voice may be the same but you know deep down inside he's torn up. No father is able to go so long without seeing their child, scratch that. No parent is able to go so long without seeing their child, it's torture. You and him hash out how his life is, and if their is anything you could do. He smiles and shakes his head, he knows that your sentiment is just that. You're a slave, there's nothing you can do.
 
WELCOME SPECTATORS TO A VERY SPECIAL EVENT! TODAY WE HAVE AMBASSADORS FROM THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THAT'S NOT ALL THAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT TODAY'S FIGHT. AS YOU ALL CAN SEE THE COMPETITORS ARE ALL IN THE ARENA FOR A TEAM MATCH. DON'T WORRY, THERE WON'T BE DEATH TODAY.
>Boma says in her announcer voice, but this time her voice is a little more cheerful. Perhaps because she was right about the fight or maybe because she got away with eavesdropping. You expect her to talk again instantly but there was a long pause instead, a sense of dread fills your gut as nothing good comes from a long pause.
I-I HAVE TO TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID. I'VE JUST BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A DEATHMATCH. IF ANY AUDIENCE MEMBER OR FREE GLADIATOR WANTS TO LEAVE YOU MAY DO SO NOW.
>Boma's voice was quivering with fear and sadness, obviously fearing for you and your friends lives. Speaking of which you look at Rud and whisper to him that it's alright if he goes, Peller agrees and adds that you two will be fine. Rud looks straight ahead and stands tall, it's clear that he's trying to look confident but deep inside you know he is deathly afraid. You know that he won't leave you, a friend never leaves a friend behind. You nod to Peller and he understands, nothing you two can say will change his decision. A fact you're grateful, for if it was just you and Peller then your chances of surviving are slim to none. You take a deep breath, calming your nerves and focusing on your collective strategies. As you look down the line no one steps out to leave, when your eyes float to the crowds not one seat is left open. The entire arena is deathly silent, almost as a final silent salute to those who will perish.
There's about eighty of us and five more than that of them.
>Rud says in a monotone voice, which would have been funny if you weren't potentially looking at your death. How many gryphons will die today, how many by your hand alone? At Ponyville your spear had a purpose, to protect those unable to protect themselves. Here it's purpose has been twisted and corrupted, to entertain those who thirst for blood.
THE MATCH BEGINS NOW! GOOD LUCK COMPETITORS
>Boma says, her voice ringing throughout the arena which is then followed by the roars of the crowd and fighters. Each side charge toward the other, weapons lowered if it followed reason. The ground rumbles underneath the charging lines and you fear that the floor underneath may collapse. The floor holds thankfully and you start to see blood on the tips of swords and axes. You look at your friends, you three decided to wait until the lines clashed before you moved. You three steadily approach, making an arc pattern to get to the rear of the other team. Most of the line didn't notice but four of them did, fearing for their lives they broke away and charged at you. You steadied your friends, charging against them would draw attention and make all three of you weary. Instead you three walk to their side and easily circumvent their charge, the dust trailing behind them coating your armour and skin. Frustrated two of them fly into the air and try to charge you from two fronts. Rud and Peller fly up to take them on while you contend with the two on the ground. You take a quick look to where the main fight was going on to see five dead or dying gryphons on the ground while the rest of the teams have split off. Skirmishes ranging from one on one to small group battles like yours are dotted around the grounds. You turn back to your assailants just at the last second, an axe nearly slashes your jugular while a mace almost smashes your knee. You jump back and lower your spear, a quick thrust with your spear and a gryphon gets pierced in the chest. He goes down for now while his teammate makes a desperate swing at you with his mace, once more he misses but you know that your luck won't last forever. You feel something warm drool down your head, you wipe it from your forehead believing that it's sweat but when you look at your hand you see that it's blood. You know that you haven't been hit in the head so you look up and see Rud bleeding from midway up his front right leg. You consider throwing your spear at the gryphon who stabbed him, as only one of the gryphons has blood on his sword, but then you leave yourself defenseless. A sudden scream snaps your eyes back down and a searing pain along your thigh causes a knee-jerk reaction in you. Your thrust your spear without looking where and a gurgling sound follows it, when your eyes finally are at ground level you see that you impaled your spear into the throat of the axe wielding gryphon. His teammate is about to swing and your left open, pulling out your spear would take too long so you grab the axe off of the gryphon you killed. With a mighty swing cleave you chop of the gryphon's claw that was holding the mace, with the threat neutralized you look up and see Rud dodge another swing at him. A feeling of immense rage washes over you and you take aim, axe in one hand and the other hand aiming. You let the axe go at the height of the arc and with a solid thud Rud's attacker goes down, axe sticking out of his belly. He may have survived the fall and the axe, but when he lands on the axe you know he's out for the count. You try to pull your spear out to finish the one clawed gryphon near you but it's lodged too deep. Instead you take his mace and pound his skull in, pieces of skull and beak go flying after the first hit. Then, once your mace cracked through his skull like a hammer pounding an egg, you get into his squishy pink brain matter. You give him a few more smashes until you toss the now bloodied mace aside to pull out your spear, which proved to be an easier task when you didn't have to worry about someone trying to kill you. A twist here, a turn here, and a little force and your spear is finally freed from it's mortal sheath. Spear in hand you walk over to the gryphon who has an axe in him to make sure he's dead and to retrieve that axe, you might need it to take down another pesky gryphon. You rip the axe out of his body, letting his intestines spill out like a perverted art demonstration. His blood has lost its redness and has turn a more blackish color with only a faint hint of red. You wipe the blood from the axe, using his wing as a cloth, with your new weapon cleaned you look to the sky, only to see Peller finish off his opponent by slashing his neck. His neck, now partially divided, drains blood in a steady, dark crimson stream. From the side Rud smashes his spine with , what appears to be a Lucerne hammer, and the resulting two attacks knock the gryphon to the stone floor. The sudden impact to his flaccid body causes his neck to jerk backwards and then forwards, literally cracking his skull open. His brain sprawling out around him and his blood now forming a sheet of blood on the stone floor. Rud and Peller float gracefully down next to you, each holding their weapon half ready and half unripe. You feel the same way that they do it's a complete lack of desire to kill, but you're forced to for if you don't then you'll be killed. Rud lets his hammer stand on its butt and Peller rests his Horseman's axe on his shoulder, or what the closest human interpretations of the weapons would be. You stare out to the arena and you start to see a worrying pattern, your teammates are being split up and then killed. At least twenty or so of your team lie dead in a puddle of blood or organs, sometimes both.
What should we do Captain?
>You take a deep breath and sigh, your nerves calming down and your thoughts resetting. You walk forward, gripping your new axe in your left hand and letting your spear hand loosely in your right. As you expected a gryphon charges towards you and you let your left hand go as far back as it can. Like a rubber band snapping back your arm swings forward with momentum increasing how fast you can swing. Blood rushes to your hand to a painful level as you make contact, unfortunately two things happened to you. The momentum you build up causes you to take a step forward and stumble at the same time, ending with you falling onto your back and for your spear to go flying. The other unfortunate event is that you missed his throat and you end up leaving a gash on his forehead, a painful thing for him but he survives the attack. This is how you die, done in by your own hubris. Thankfully the gryphpon lets out a horrid scream and holds his forehead, giving you ample time to stand back up. Or so you thought until another gryphon pushes you over, you look up and see five gryphons join the fight. You may be a great fighter, if your rank in the arena is any indication, but six on one is certain death even if you had your spear. Then you realize you're not alone, and you quickly look over to where your friends are. And on que they come charging, the rays of sunlight hitting them make the two look like heavenly angels. Sudden a terrible pain erupts from your forearm and see a dagger of sorts sticking out of it, the pain causes a reaction you can't help and you let out a wild howl. This takes the gryphons back for a second and your friends charge through their ranks, fighting the pain you quickly hope to your feet and look for your friends. You see Rud has fallen over much like you while Peller has remained balanced throughout the ordeal, the other gryphons seemed to have shaken out of the trance you put them in and they start to attack you three. With Rud still on the ground four go after Peller while two go after you, with no weapon as your spear went flying and the axe lost in the sea of claws and paws you're forced to dodge most of the attacks until you're able to get a weapon. You take a quick glance to see how your friends are doing to see a sight that causes time to stop. Peller was overwhelmed, four against one is impossible even for you to withhold longer than a minute. Now your noble friend lays at the end of a greatsword, his body littered with stabs wounds and his coat bloodied. His face locked into a silent scream, eyes beading with moisture and pupils slowly dilating to a point past reason. When he hits the ground you don't know if he's dead but if he isn't he soon will be, you want to run over there and make his last few minutes as peaceful as you can. You turn back to your assailants and decide to punch the nearest one in the face, but a sudden pain coming from your forearm reminds you that you were stabbed and that the blade was left in. You barely dodge another swing at you and take a giant step back, you need to think for one second. From this spot you can see that the four gryphons attacking Peller switched to Rud, the thought of losing another friend would break your mind and you don't know what you would do. The next swing comes and this time you grab the weapon's hilt, a quick jerk and tug and the longsword is yours. You sidestep the defenseless gryphon and make a hasty swing at his partner, with both of them taking a step back you charge towards the group advancing to Rud. Rud decides to fly into the sky, oblivious to your charging rescue. The four gryphons fly into the air and the two gryphons you were fighting join suit, leaving Rud to fight against six. You rush to where your spear was and try to find the seven flying gryphons, but you can't see him so you rip the blade out of your arm and rush back to Peller who is barely alive.
C-captain... I'm cold.
>You get down on one knee and hold his right claw, his usual impeccable clean coat is now dusty and bloody. You look at his wounds and tell him everything will be alright, he knows you're lying and calls you out on it. You squeeze his claw tighter and take occasional glances to the sky yet no sign of Rud. He asks you why you're doing that and you decide to tell him, there's no sense to lie to a dying friend. He tries to get up but you and his lack of blood stop his heroic attempt, finally he understands what is going to happen despite your reinsurances otherwise. He grips your hand with all his might and stares deeply into your eyes, he says something so soft and weak that you have to lean in. With your ear literal inches away from his beak he just as softly repeats what he says, and when you hear it your heart breaks.
...I want you to go and find Rud... but first tell me your name... you're actual name...
>You lean in and whisper your name into his ear, when you pull away from his ear you see his face contort into a look of skepticism. You smile and nod, which may seem like a weird thing to do at first but it's an answer to a question that can't be said. The answer being, Yes I'm not from this plane of existence. He returns his face returns to it's usual look and gives you one last smile until he rests his head against the cold stone floor, eyes slowly dimming until the natural fire of life dies in them and his body letting out one last breath. You close his eyes out of respect and lay his claws on his chest, a custom that you did subconsciously almost as if it's part of human nature to bury their dead. You place your hand on his forehead and lower your head, closing your eyes and letting a tear roll off your cheek and onto his. Standing up you grab your spear, Peller's axe too in the process, and look out to the distance. Most of the fighting is done, leaving your team losing in the process. How anyone could like this is beyond you, even more so now that your friend is gone. Eventually among your search you spot Rud and a group of gryphons you remember from the gladiator pit fighting off the other team the same way you did so long ago. It's an uneven fight, four against thirty, so you pick up your pace to that of a full on sprint, wind blasting against your face and causing your eyes to water more than they are already. But like your last stand someone slipped up, an honest mistake here or a more experienced fighter against a lesser experienced one, and the result is much like yours. Everyone in the cluster lies dead or dying and you slump to the ground. Your two closest friends died within thirty minutes of each other and your mind can't handle it, the only thing that you feel other than utter disparity is a phantom feeling on your hands.
 
... Never let your friends down. And I mean a friend, someone who will lay down their life for you or someone who you could give your life to and find it the same way you left it. Never let those people down, you'll only find a few...
 
A-AND T-TH-THAT'S IT FOLKS... WAIT THERE'S ONE MORE LEFT IN THE MAUVE SHADOW TEAM, IT'S THE FALLEN CAPTAIN!
>Boma starts this announcement literally crying, the quivering voice is proof enough, but as she continues her voice steadies out and grows to a more hopeful note. You remember the words your father told so long ago and realize that your friends never let you down, but you let them down. It's your fault that Peller died, and the sequence of events that caused Rud's death is also your fault. You stand up and decide that the only way right now to atone for their death is to for you to live, for they gave their lives for you to live. Gripping your spear and axe you stand where you are, the gryphons obviously think that this will be easy and only send three to attack you while they stay behind and watch. You decide to play a more defensive role and attack them before they can get close to you, taking your spear you throw it an instantly killing him as it almost completely passes through his skull. Using the pointed tip of Peller's axe you pierce the eye of the closest gryphon and stab his brain in one motion, in an another fluid motion you remove the tip and grab his spear. The third gryphon halts once you have stabbed the second gryphon and a frighten expression washes over his face once you pick up the spear, obviously remembering what you did to the first gryphon. You shift the spear around your hand, it's quality is far lower than yours so you decide to stab the recently killed gryphon with it and leave it there for now. The third gryphon seems to have gained confidence again once you get rid of the spear and steadily walks towards you, menacingly brandishing his shortsword. You stand still, letting him get cocky and lower his guard, and you make sure your grip is as tight as you can make it for what you're about to do. He takes a swing at you but before it can get to close you bring the axe behind your head and swing down with all the force you can muster. This action on your part easily slices through the claw and bone of the gryphon, his claw falls to the ground along with his sword while blood pours out of his body. The blood splatters  onto the ground and sword, his screaming agony causes you to feel a pang of guilt. You pick up his sword and walk behind him, you raise it to where you think the skull and spine connect and with a quick flourish the gryphon lays dead at your feet. Having no need of the sword you leave it there and retrieve your spear that's a few feet away. A sudden gust of wind draws your attention and you see about half the gryphons have flown to the air while the rest charge. If there were less you'd consider throwing your spear but the sheer number that's coming towards you wouldn't be effected if one goes down. Instead you lower your spear to your hip and raise your axe, planning instead to use the spear as a deterrent of getting too close and using the axe to kill those who do. Your plan works and the gryphons form a circle around you, the first gryphon that got too close got a swift axe to the forehead, his eyes rolling back into his skull is an image you'll never forget. You make another swing at the crowd circling you and like before they jump back, this time no gryphons come at you so you make a thrust at the group. You manage to graze the side of a gryphon as he turns away from your previous swing. You feel a blast of wind hit your body and you see a gryphon fly past, a mace in hand. You then remember the gryphons in the air so you aim your spear and throw it into the spiraling mass over head and once the spear leaves your hand you reach down to retrieve the greatsword off the gryphon you killed not so long ago. You can awkwardly hold the greatsword in one hand and the axe in the other, you swing the greatsword with as much grace as a burning swan. But it does the trick and the circle increases around you and you can see a gryphon fall down with a spear in it, you also occasionally look up and check if other gryphons try to get you from the sky. You see a gryphon fly from the circle and to the mass up above, a worrying thought pops into your head and you prepare for the worst. A gryphon comes from your right and you swing the greatsword at him, leaving it stuck inside about halfway in his neck. The gryphon you saw fly away comes back and makes a few claw signals to the remaining gryphons, you know what's about to happen. When they pull back you gather all the weapons you can which turns out to be more than you expected. You see the gryphons that ran away come back charging and you ready a spear to throw at them, taking a step with your throw you see a gryphon fall and the gryphons in the sky rushing to you. You're soon enveloped in a feathery tornado and the only hope you have is to swing in every direction. The speed of the gryphons and the force of your swings spill open the gryphons unfortunate enough to have their stomachs to you. But you don't come out unscathed, cuts ranging from less than half an inch to one that runs from your wrist to your elbow. The would-be tornado collapses after the first gryphons fall by your hand, their bodies tumbling to the ground and their blood or organs blinding their teammates causing a fresh wave of bodies falling. More than once have you seen a gryphon literary break their neck and slowly their eyes dim, death covering them with it's gentle embrace. Then the few that are left fly off behind the charging line and like before you throw the other spear you had into them. Another one falls and a few trip over his body but the majority of the line pushes forward, weapons readied. The gryphons that flew to the back and the ones who tripped form a second wave, but you barely register them as the first one hits. You swing with the shortsword in one hand and Peller's axe in the other, hacking with the axe and stab them with the sword. The gryphons fall one by one, blood coating your weapons and body, and retreat only when the second wave crashes at you. Much like the first they fall and the few that are left stay, fighting you with the last of their team until it's just you and one gryphon left. He's barely alive, blood draining from him like a lazy river. Not so much that he dies instantly but not so slow He can fight through it. You walk to him, your spear that you retrieved not so long ago loosely held in your hand. He looks at you with fear in his eyes and a feeling of guilt washes over you.
I'm sorry for this, I truly am. Do you have any last words, friend?
>He looks at you, searching for the truth in your eyes. He opens his mouth and slowly lets out words you'll never forget.
I just want to go home.
>He says, voice quivering as tears roll down his eyes. He must barely be old enough to join in the fight, much like those guards you saw on your journey. You bite back the tears yourself, his words hit home harder than anything else could have.
I do too...
>You say in a voice much like his and quickly thrust the spear into his skull, instantly killing him. You leave your spear in his skull and go to Rud who has long since passed. You openly cry over your dead friend and do the same ritual to him that you did to Peller. You feel an immense guilt over your friends death and you tune out the rest of the world. The cheers sicken you and you try to yell at the crowd but you're forced out before you could. You give them all a hateful glare and slowly walk out of there, your body moving on its own accord. You don't even realize you're being lead by guard ponies until you see that white unicorn stallion and his wife standing at the end of the hall.