Sweat. Blood. Sand.

Everything seemed mixed in a horrid paining of the gruesome fight, and all tinged with the foul stench of decay. Megaera’s ivories closed around nothing, and the snap sent a pang through her clenched jaws. But her body hit true. She felt her front collide with the Bloodied King and an angry growl rumbled out as she pushed, black hooves digging into the ground as she strained. The monster stumbled but out of the corner of her black eye, she saw the Night mare falter as well; her horn was firmly lodged in the monsters chest. There other stallion had placed himself on the monster’s other side, the blue eyed grey that had seen the Earth God’s message, and Meg new he was another ally in the fight.

Winds rose, and Megaera felt the sand sting her face as it whipped around. Confidence surged as the Heard the voice of Midas. The bay mare was a soldier, and now that her commander was near, they couldn’t fail. ”Keep him still!” she heard the order and moved immediately to obey. Again she pressed her bulk against the cruel beast, but instead of pushing forward, she held him in place. The storm of sand raged around her, and she was forced to shut her eyes against the gale.

”Get away!” She heard the shout from Midas and hastened to move away from the wraith. Midas’s magic must be closing in, and she knew its power she shuffled her feet to be clear of it. But her eyes were closed against the storm and her trajectory moved around the wretched stallion more that away from him. The orb of gold began to form from the swirling sands and a hoof-size chunk struck her across along the jaw, sending her head flailing. She felt the blood start to pool on the left side of her face and she drew her front legs to her, raised off the ground as she let out an angry scream.

The mare shook the sand from her eyes and opened them to see the golden cage solidify. The thrill of victory started there. They’d done it? Was it really captured? She forgot about the slow drip of blood from her jaw as her eyes sought out the others: Midas was concentrating on the orb, “Midas! Is the beast contained, can your cage hold it?” The grey stallion had only minor scrapes, but the dark mare was on her knees, muttering to herself. Meg moved toward her, “Are you alright, sister?”