Second Battle of Skyfall

The Second Battle of Skyfall was the fourth and final major offensive in the Second Griffon-Pony War. It is considered by some to not be considered an official battle in the war, as the war was considered won once Asgard was captured and Alaric Dawnbreaker was ousted from power. The battle occurred on August 2, Solar Era 1000 when the departing Equestrian Army was engaged by the remnants of the griffon resistance that had occupied Skyfall sometime before the Battle of Asgard. The engagement was little more than a last-ditch attempt to exterminate as many Equestrians as possible. The combat, while short-lived, was fierce and relentless. The Equestrians were victorious, subduing the remaining griffon forces, as well as successfully evacuating from the Griffon Kingdom. 
== The campaign ==
=== The Reclamation of Skyfall ===
In late July, just prior to the Battle of Asgard, two platoons of griffon elite soldiers finally returned to the Griffon Kingdom at the summons of Alaric after a tour of duty in Re'em. The Equestrians that had been garrisoning the city had been expecting an arrival of fresh reinforcements were caught off guard by the sudden arrival of heavily armed and trained griffon soldiers. The fighting lasted most of the day, and with most of the Equestrian garrison wounded from the first battle, the skirmish resulted in a decisive griffon victory. The griffons then executed every Equestrian soldier and captured Captain Cuirass. 
The following day, Princess Cadance and Prince Blueblood arrived in Skyfall to join the negotiations at Asgard. Princess Cadance had been summoned by Princess Celestia to attempt to break Alaric's hold on the griffons with her magic. However, the two were immediately captured by the griffons and their bodyguards killed. Some time after, a small squad of special operations Equestrians managed to infiltrate Skyfall, rescue the hostages, and escape back to Equestria with minimal casualties, though the city remained in griffon control. 
=== The battle ===
In the aftermath of the fall of Asgard, Alaric and his remaining soldiers fled back to Skyfall to rendezvous with his elite troops. Alaric, refusing to yield control of his kingdom to Equestria without a final stand, rallied his troops still loyal to him and set up an ambush attack in Skyfall. He also ordered the destruction of the Equestrian ships along the coast to keep the Equestrian Army from leaving alive. 
When the Equestrians arrived in the city the morning of August 2, Alaric unleashed a volatile assault. The initial fighting favored the griffons, and the Equestrians scrambled to prepare a counterattack. However, when they regrouped, the Equestrians began to smash through the griffon lines one by one. It was an arduous progression, but a steady one. Alaric knew he could not hope to win the battle, but cared only for killing as many ponies as he could before fleeing. 
By the late morning, Equestrian reinforcements had arrived from the coast and began a bombardment of the city. The griffons were now crushed between two fronts. Alaric retreated to a safe house, but was pursued by Equestrian forces. He fought stubbornly until the Equestrians broke the line and stormed the safe house, killing all within. Alaric managed to narrowly escape death through a window, but was again pursued by Fleethoof and forced into an airborne battle. Alaric defeated Fleethoof, leaving him badly injured before escaping Skyfall as the Equestrian Army finished eliminating or capturing the remaining griffon resistance. With their leader gone, many griffons surrendered without incident, but were subsequently executed under Cuirass' orders.