//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: The Reign of King Sombra // by PlushWraith //------------------------------// Sparks woke up to find Dust walking back and forth in the tent. "What's wrong?" Sparks asked getting up "Finally, you're up. How'd it go? What did the captain want?" Dust asked still walking back and forth. "He had a task for me. I'm to accompany the gryphon on a mission," Sparks answered "What! The Gryphon? What's the mission?" Dust asked stopped in his tracks "I don't know. He will tell me once we set off," answered Sparks. Before Dust could ask any more questions, the gryphon entered the tent "So, you ready?" the gryphon asked "Yes," Sparks said, going to pick up his armor. "Leave that. You won't need it where we're going," the gryphon said and exited the tent, Sparks dropped his armor and quickly went after him "So where are we going?" Sparks asked "I'll tell you once we're out of the camp," the gryphon answered. After about a minute of walking the gryphon started talking "The mission is quite simple really. We'll join a caravan going through the towns and villages in the area and see which ones of them are protected and wether or not they are worth taking." "What's the point? We have enough troops to take any town in the surrounding area," Dust said "Perhaps. But first of all we have to secure a foothold in the area and after that we can establish control of the entire region. And for that we have to find an easily defendable position from where we could maintain control of the region," the gryphon answered "What about the fort you we're talking about with the captain? Wouldn't that be a good position for a forward base?" Sparks asked "Not really. The fort is old and run down. It would require repairs and we don't have time for that. Now enough talking let's go," the gryphon answered. They continued on their way in silence. After Sparks left Dust tried to find out if anyone knew anything about the gryphon or the mission Sparks was sent on. Noone knew anything about the gryphon except for the fact that he was working for the captain. Dust managed to find out a bit more about the mission though, it was supposed to be a scouting mission to the nearby towns to find a suitable place to establish a foothold in the region. But noone knew why Sparks was chosen for the mission. Dust was rather dissapointed that he couldn't find any information on the gryphon, but at the moment he had more important things to worry about and he needed to speak to the captain. When the captain finally agreed to speak to him, Dust walked into the captain's tent and immediately started talking "Captain, I have reason to believe that the bat ponies are still in the area." "And what makes you think that?" the captain asked "Well. I'm pretty sure I saw one of them last night during guard duty." "But you're not sure about it? Did anyone else also see it?" the captain asked "Well the pegasus that was on guard duty with me also saw something," Dust answered. "I see. Send him here. I'd like to have a word with him," the captain said "Yes sir," Dust said running off to find the pegasus. When Dust came back with the pegasus, he was asked to wait outside while the captain spoke with the pegasus. When the pegasus finally came out of the tent Dust immediately asked him "So, does the captain believe me?" "I don't think so, sorry. He said that it could have been anything, but he did agree to assign an extra guard to the tower," the pegasus answered "I see. Well be careful then and if you see something let me know," Dust said "Will do. I have to go now. See you later," the pegasus answered and trotted off. "I know what I saw I just need some proof," Dust said to himself walking towards the tower. Dust proceeded to search the woods around the tower, but found nothing "Damn! There has to be something here. There just has to," Dust muttered to himself. Dust continued his search for a while when suddenly he heard something "Who's there!" he called out but got no answer. He slowly moved towards where he thought the sound had come from. He was making his way through some bushes when he saw something running from the corner of his eye. Dust immediately bolted after whatever it had been that he, the only thing he could make out was something gray making it's way through the woods. "I've got you now," he thought to himself when suddenly he was hit in the face with something. When he got up there was no sign as to where whoever it was who was running from him had gone. "Damn. I lost him," he sighed and started heading back to camp dissapointed.