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After hours of flying with hazy and spinning vision I nearly collided with something in the air. Stopping in place I looked in confusion upon a metallic sheen that reflected my tired eyes back to me.

"Halt, by order of the Nestki-"

I looked up to where the shouting voice was coming from, seeing an avian beak and head atop the shining plate armor.

"The Alicorn Prince?!" The gryphon sounded surprised, but my world was quickly fading. My eyes drifted shut and I felt myself drifting lower, though I was too faded to realize what that meant.

Through the mental shadows I could hear the sound of wings as the stress upon my tired body seemed to lessen. I continued to flap a bit longer, not even realizing I was being carried. The mindless haze eventually took me and my eyes closed once more.

~

A distinct, rhythmic, beeping in the background caught my waking attention as my brain caught up. Hospital? I must have made it then. Gently lifting my head I found a glass of water being presented, held by some gryphon.

My vision focused as I took the glass and began to drink, wetting my throat. "Echelon?" I croaked out at the face that took form from the blurry vision.

"If only one good thing could offset all the bad." Echelon sighed." It is good to see you alive, but I am afraid you haven't come back to our lands at the best time. Your reports of the reborn Imperium are all too accurate; we have already lost contact with the territories in our outermost range of control. Their forces run rampant through many of our islands. The Nest and the gryphon mainland are untouched for the time being."

"They are demons, each one of them is possessed. Any place that isn't protected will only serve to increase the numbers of the enemy." I warned.

"Aeolus found that part of your message the most disturbing. We were all fooled into believing Sombra was an isolated case, but in fact he once sacrificed the entire imperium to summon the most powerful demon this land has ever seen, they were likely willing to be sacrificed as well. The fell power he pulled into this land so long ago is the same demon you destroyed before becoming an Alicorn. It is only now that the pieces fall together. Somehow we missed them this whole time."

"How can they be stopped?" I asked, wishing for an easy answer even though I knew there wasn't.

"The only way for survival is to eradicate them first. A task that is easier to propose than to enact. It seems the Imperium's attention is upon the nest, but we have also evacuated as many citizens as possible from vulnerable islands to stem their growth. Our scouts say they are moving inwards, towards us, instead of towards the Crystal Kingdom, Equestria, Prance, or the other gryphon territories. So it seems we will be the first to fall unless we can stop them here.

"I think he wants the pillar..."

"What makes you say that? And who is He, their leader?" Echelon questioned.

"There was a reason Sombra- Sombra's demon," I corrected, not wanting to believe my copy, who was possessed by the same demon, was still in control of his own actions. "Wanted the bands of power so badly. And for some twisted reason fate has dropped one right into its hooves."

"What do you mean? The four bands of power are all bound to Alicorn, has one of the princesses been killed?"

"No, there's five bands of power now. Somehow the shackle of dawn has slipped over from an alternate reality. Don't ask me how. But a possessed version of myself wields it. The same demon I destroyed possesses him, and he is the leader of the new Imperium."

"I understand why you didn't write this in the missive, it could be easily confused if things got out to the public. This demon possessed copy; you met him face to face didn't you? I can see it in your eyes, the hope that once resided there has fled."

"He beat me, read my every move like a book. And I was powerless to stop him as he took Xane's life. I even let him bring Kira to death's door with my weakness. How can you fight yourself?"

"I'm sorry, that is an answer you will have to find in your own. Rest for now, the hasty journey into our lands seems to have taken a toll on you.

~ Sovereign Throne of the Nest

I stood in the great hall of the gryphon king's keep. There were no sounds of merriment or food adorned tables this time, only solemn and silence. I dared break the silence with an apology to the elder gryphon who stood before me.

"I am mournful of the loss of your son." I bowed my head in shame before the Nestking, Aeolus. "You entrusted his safety to me and I failed you, I failed everyone." There was nothing I could say to make this hurt him less; I knew the anger and sorrow he felt.

"I accept whatever punishment your law dictates for the sake of continued peace with your people. I only ask that you forbear judgment until our lands are safe again."

Things seemed bleak, an army of hell spawn on the loose, and the heir to the Gryphon kingdom dead. I was on the run from the Alicorn sisters and even Kira was...

No, I had to stay strong. No use mourning when it could end up costing everything. The corrupted version of myself held a disturbing power and whenever he resurfaced I needed to be ready.

I was startled by a talon that had thrust its way under my chin, forcing my head back up to look into the Gryphon kings eyes. What confused me most was the lack of anger in them, but instead a gentle calm. "There is more magic in this world that you have yet to discover young one. Seek out but a drop of Zandria's blood along with one feather and return them here. You will find an explanation and my forgiveness then." The Gryphon king released me and strode away.

"Do you not need me to help fight? What if my dark copy shows up?

Echelon butted in. "My pardon, but we know a damaged soul when we see one, you must first tend to yourself if you desire to win your battles. This journey and time should help with that."

"Whatever you desire." I bowed my head once more, the King speaking as I departed.

"Sometimes it takes losing something to realize how lucky you were to have it in the first place..."

"I know." I muttered back. I had lost so much, in so little time, so recently.

~ The Galloping Isles aka, Pirate's Paradise

I stood in front of a building I had never thought to see again, Zandria's mansion looming over me once again. Although this time I wasn't in chains, or expected. I grasped the knocker with magic, slamming it against the door with a resounding thud. I did this two more times for good measure, preparing myself for whoever might greet me.

The door pulled open and I found myself staring into eyes full of surprise mixed with fear. I took a step forward and the Prancian doorman skidded back, swiftly remembering the countless shattered tips of acupuncture needles that he had gotten removed from his foreleg, not to mention the still un-repaired indent where I cast him into the wall with magic. I could see past him to another familiar Prancian, this one with a bulky cast. She reached instinctively towards her satchel then realized she couldn't reach with the cast, resigning herself to just watch.

"One w-would question why ze esteemed gentlecolt should- uh... R- return?" The Prancian questioned, barely hiding his fear that I might be here for vengeance.

"I'm going to see Zandria, don't bother getting in my way." If it wasn't the tinge of malice in my voice, my piercing glare was enough to gain his compliance. I couldn't be the pristine hero of my story, and if getting my hooves dirty is what it took to win then I would do it.

"As ze late Prince wishes." The doorman gave a quick now before scurrying away, not even bothering to shut the door behind me as I walked away.

I somehow knew things would never go back to normal. The dream I had shared with Luna showed me that my pain and anger could be harnessed, and maybe that's what I needed to stop my doppelgänger. He expected me to play by the rules, to be the good guy. But I needed to cheat a little if I wanted to win with this hand I had been dealt.

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the metallic jangle of chains. I reflexively dodged away, finding one more familiar face. This verdant unicorn didn't show the same fear to attack, even though he should.

More chains burst from the floor, a pathetic attempt to ensnare me. Deep silver flame flared up around me as his conjured chains dissipated, unable to survive the raw magic surrounding me. I rushed forward as another chain sailed forward, meeting the same fate as the others.

In a single strike I halted the green unicorn's magic, his aching jaw more important.

"You shouldn't have done that." I shook my head, levitating and heating the metal of a nearby silver candelabrum. The melted wax fell away to the floor as I held the unicorn in place, letting the hot metal flow around his horn. "I'll call this payback." I taunted as a few molten drops fell into his scalp. The metal quickly cooled around his horn, ensuring that he was unable to use it to channel his magic. I jokingly fashioned a small silver key hanging from the tip of his horn by a link of chain, the useless metal resting between his eyes as a reminder that I was still irate at the occurrences of my last visit.

I threw the useless unicorn aside and continued on my way to the penthouse to find Zandria. I could hear him writhing in pain behind me, any guilt burned away by my current anger.

~

"Now, now, what's with the rude commotion?" Zandria smirked as I burst through her door, the nearly see-through curtains around her bed pushed aside in preparation for my noisy arrival. "Good servants are hard to come by, and you seem intent on maiming all of them."

I could already feel the influence of Zandria's ancient spirit of sin, Lust, battering away at my inhibitions. I tried to focus my mind, continuing to talk as a distraction. "He was worthless, and so are the others. I'm here for you."

"Oooh. So demanding." Zandria gave a slow stretch, flashing her voluptuous body for my eyes to gaze upon. "It looks like you have changed since we last met, and for the better." She gave a fake yawn and flopped down upon her bed, her plumage ruffling ever so slightly. "Come and have a seat, I won't bite, unless you beg me to."

I obeyed her demands, but not because she had control. I needed her compliance, even if it cost me. I sat down, keeping her only in my peripheral vision to make sure she didn't try anything.

"Now what was it you wanted my darling? Did you come back for a thrill or for business?"

"Business." I curtly replied, gulping and taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves. I didn't want to feel this way, but Zandria's 'curse' made it impossible to hold composure.

"Rest your head and stay a while. I find business much more bothersome than pleasure, so relax." Zandria motioned towards her lap, smirking as my head sunk towards it. Zandria was sure she had me where she wanted, and in record time too.

"I'm not worth the hunt Zandria, keeping me around would be more trouble than it's worth."

"Oh yes, I know all about your newfound lack of a royal title. Doesn't mean you can't do a favor for me in exchange for whatever you came here for." Zandria gently stroked my mane as she spoke, each pass making me tremble with anticipation despite my plans for this to end abruptly.

"The Imperium is back, I need you to put aside your family disputes."

"I know about the Imperium as well, but do you truly think that I would willingly work alongside my worm of a brother or my pompous fool of a father? Ha!" Zandria snorted.

"If you don't help now you will be alone when the Imperium turns its gaze to you." I warned. "He is too proud to admit it, but your father needs your help." I tried to convince her. My words were true, even if my intent wasn't. I could tell the Nestking needed all the aid possible to fight off the Imperium even if it wasn't my mission to get it.

"If you want my fleet it's going to cost you." Zandria leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"Cost what?" I questioned my face beginning to flush ever so slightly.

"Something I plan on taking anyways." I could tell from her tone what she meant.

Zandria attempted to guide me into a suitable position, causing my hoof to graze gently across her wing, reminding me of my actual mission. Grasping a single feather I pulled it from her wing, quickly jabbing the pointed quill into her thigh. Her blood filled the quill like ink as Zandria cried out in surprise, her spell and physical grasp upon me lifting long enough for me to spring away, taking the bloodied feather with me.

Zandria looked to the dimple of blood welling up on her thigh and then to the feather in my hoof. "Its not often that I'm the one being used..." She stood, anger in her avian eyes, looking ready to spring. My horn let out its usual glow as I prepared to stop her, but her anger swiftly subsided and she slumped back down wearily to the bed.

"You win this round." She sighed, knowing that fighting an Alicorn was futile.

I lowered my guard, a little surprised that she would give up this easily. I could tell she wasn't even actively trying to seduce me.

"I will arrive with my fleet as quickly as possible, there is a gryphon I know that needs to repay me for what you just took... And don't think you are off the hook, I'll have plenty of time to get what I want from you once I get there." Zandria winked and motioned for me to leave, a conflicted expression falling across her brow.

I was still confused at how easily Zandria was letting me go, and how easily she had offered the aid that was my fake reason for coming. But now wasn't the time to question those sorts of things, I had to get back to The Nest before my copy decided to attack.

Author's Note:

~ Thanks for reading!

It seems I'm always apologizing for being so slow to update chapters :p

If I wasn't a lazy shite this story (technically) would have been finished last year (according to my own predictions).

Anyways, no promises but I will try to update again in a decent amount of time. Just hope I can finally get back into a grove and sit and write for more than 5 minutes at a time without zoning out or getting distracted.