Daring arrived at the rickety old roost just as the heavens opened up their worst, the heavy raindrops dripping like tears upon the pegasus mare and the earth below. The coolness of the rain soothed the pained and bruised body of the adventurer, however, it made her wings soggy and waterlogged.
The roost itself was about 19 ft. tall and wide, run down like the rest, but in a better condition than most. The structure was laid of old bricks, sticks, and straw--a small tower in the center of nowhere with the nearest huts and buildings a radius of ten feet away. The brick was cracked, but strong, and the straw damp, but holding together. Several windows were posted about the tower, all intact and with decorated panes. The lone tower itself was perched in the space between the town and expansive nopony’s land that composed the rest of the gryphon kingdom.
Both the roof and base of the tower roost had an entrance-way. The bottom one was blocked by a large circular wooden door. Up top, the roof’s entrance-way was a hatchway, currently closed against the rains. Both entrances, one for the floor and the other for landing avian's, a standard feature for a griffon roost. All in all, it was not the most prettiest building she had seen, but it was handsome in it’s own way. After all, it was better than nothing, and any port in a storm as it were.
As for Daring, she could feel the hot trickling blood flowing down her leg. Keeping it held to her side she staggered her way over to the large circular door, knocking upon it hard. She didn’t even want to think of how dangerous this was. Showing her face in this neighborhood, in this kingdom could be a death sentence for her. On the other hoof, if she didn’t get her hoof looked after there was a good chance she could lose it. The stone griffon's claws had scored a deep wound, and the grip he had used upon her, had done damage to her nerves and circulation.
Upon knocking, she found no answer , despite seeing the light behind the windows above. She knocked even harder, feeling a crippling shivering chill from the hard rain now pouring around her. Or it could very well be shock affecting her system from her wound. One hoof, covered in blood, the other holding the golden stone, Daring Do couldn’t help but imagine what a sight she would make for the residents of the tower.
She could hear them now, the creaking steps coming closer to the door, her sensitive ears picking out the footfalls and sounds of talons on floorboards. The door creaking slightly as it was opened a fraction. The beak and small yellow eyes of a gryphon chick glared out at her. Part of Daring relaxing as she realized this was no soldier starring back at her.
“What do you want lameoid?” hissed the young gryphon , Daring making out enough to see that the little one was female.
“I, uhh, I-I’m injured and I need help,” she whimpered, the pain in her hoof starting to act up as she could feel her veins turning to ice.
“So?!” Came the high pitched squeak from the little female, her eyes staring straight at Daring without even blinking.
Daring was starting to get annoyed. this was exactly why she hated dealing with gryphons. The war like griffons were one thing. At least they were all unapologetic with being aggressive, isolated, and xenophobic. Yet the social and often more intelligent gryphons were just as antagonistic in their own way, always looking to make a bit. Even their little ones had that spiteful and emotional coldness to them.
“Please,” she growled trying to keep civility even in the face of this little brat. “I-I’m bleeding badly. If you don’t help me I may die.”
“Then call a hearse,” replied the gryphon girl sarcastically.
Daring felt like she should have exploded at that but she did not have the energy, she was losing lots of blood, and the pain in her hoof had along with the feeling gone numb. Shock was slowly taking over her body, as she was losing the will to fight back the sense of drowsiness.
“Please…help” she begged before collapsing on to her forehooves, her legs having given out.
The gryphon girls yellow eyes faltered at that, a soft squeak leaving her beak as she seemed to react to the mare’s collapse.
“Oh flock, you’re serious...hold on a sec, Gramps!” She began crying out, disappearing behind the door.
Daring leaned against the tower, feeling the water pouring down her face. The sound of the door opening came to her ears, the shadowy forms of a larger gryphon and the small female coming into her vision. The older gryphon was accompanied by a second younger, yet still more mature looking companion. Both of them were dirt brown with white plumage. The child was of the same coloring as them, and huddled next to the younger adult.
Daring couldn’t help but close her eyes, the weight of their lids too much for her. Then she felt herself being heaved into a pair of strong arms. She faded in and out of conscious, just aware enough to make out the voices speaking to her.
“This mare is badly hurt...deep wound on that hoof...loosing lots of blood,” floated in and out the older, gruff voice of a mature gryphon.
“Let’s bring her inside. Watch that helmet of hers!” came the reply from who she assumed was the younger mature male. As she was led from the cold rainy outside into a dry and warm hearth space, she distantly realized that they had brought her inside the tower.
Daring could feel herself being laid upon a hard surface. The gryphon's crowding around her.
“I’ll get some water and some bandages for that wound,” called the younger male. The click of his talons signaled his departure from the room.
“Will she be okay?” came the voice of the young gryphon girl.
“Hard to say Gilda. Hopefully. That way, she can pay us for all this excitement she’s causing.”
“Oh boy, typical griffins, always after some bits one way or another,” she groaned in her head, even as she felt the young gryphon’s talons take her good hoof in her paw. The touch reassuring even if it was from a gryphon. “Okay I like her, the girl's alright.”
“I’ve got the hot water and the bandages,” came the excited voice of the younger male.He returned fairly quickly.
“Hold her down then, this is gonna sting her something awful,” came the withered voice of the older male. Daring tried to sit up, only to have three sets of talons push her back down, her weakened body couldn’t put up much struggle. She could feel a hot, wet cloth being pressed to her wound, wincing at the burning sensation and the lasting sting she felt upon contact. The younger male gryphon dabbed her wounds, cleaning off the blood and putting pressure on the cuts.
“Keep cleaning that wound, then bind it. We might have to put the whole hoof in a sling,”
observed the elder gryphon. The younger following his instructions, cleaning her cuts, and eliciting a rather sharp pain coming from her hoof. Squeezing her grip still around the stone, and now with the young gryphon girl holding onto her.
“Hey, what's that in her hoof?”
Daring could feel the stone being gently pride out of her hoof, no longer possessing the strength to hold onto it.
“Some sort of stone, it seems,” came the young male, inspecting the stone in the youngests talons.
“Better not try and pocket it,” moaned Daring in her head, still too weak to speak out loud. She felt the griffins start to bandage and sling her hoof and wounds. Feeling empty without the stone in her hoof, and only able to find the talons of a young gryphoness, gently squeezing her hoof instead, Daring found a strange comfort, and soon gave into some most deserved rest.
~
When she awoke, Daring found herself on top of a hard table, with a feathered pillow placed under her head. Neither of the two older gryphons were in sight, but the little one was curled up on a cot just on the other side of her table. Daring groaned as she felt the ache in her hoof, looking to find it wrapped and secure in a sling.
“Had us worried there, pony. For a second we thought we’d have to bury you in a ditch somewhere,”came the voice of the older gryphon. His body soon came hobbling into view.
“Yeah? Well, I’m not so easily killed,” replied Daring with as much conviction as she could muster.
“I’ll say. Daring Do’s reputation truly precedes her.”
Daring froze at that. The realization she had been recognized delivered a powerful shock to her system. She frantically glanced around the living room she was in, searching for any griffon guards or for someone to try and slit her throat. Seeing nothing and no one, she pulled herself up and prepared to defend herself.
“Take it easy! If we wanted you dead, we’d have let you bleed out,” stated the gryphon calmly. He watched as the pony adventuress took a second to think over that statement, then settled down and bowed her head in acknowledgement.
“Y-Yeah, thank you for that. I’m in your--debt.”
“Never mind that. Usually I’d charge you an arm for, well, your arm, but right now, you getting out of here as quick as you can would be all the payment I need.”
“Huh?” spluttered Daring, confused as ever. A gryphon ignoring the chance to make a profit or get paid, was relatively unheard of.
“You're a walking liability in these regions, pony, We’re not ones to let someone just die, but if you think you're welcomed here you got another thing comin’.”rang off the old bunch of walking feathers. He stared at her, his gaze unwavering and nonnegotiable.
“Fine, I’ll be off in the morning then,”stated Daring, lowering herself back to the table.
“That would be fine, since morning will be in a few hours. I don’t know what all the explosion and commotion was in town last night, but I’d bet you were apart of it?
“So what if I was?” she replied accusingly.
“Nothin’, just means there will be guards, and maybe even the Legion poking about after you,” finished the old gryphon.
“Legion?” She asked herself in her head, trying to save face before the old gryphon, unwilling to allow him to have the last word.
“Wouldn’t be the first time, would it, oldtimer?”
The old one just guffawed at her before hobbling back up the stairs of the roost, muttering behind him. “Ah young folks these days, can’t wait till I’m so old I won’t be able to remember times like this.”
Daring lay back down, her back sore and her head swimming. The adventuress was thinking about how she would get back to Equestria. Being one hoof down could be a big problem. Especially if she needed to go on a treasure hunt to find this sword… the black griffon had called it Excalibur. Perfect. she at least had a name to search and research now.
“Don’t mind old gramps , he’s a bit… gruff, but he’s cool.” came the soft voice of the young gryphon beside her. Daring switched her gaze from the ceiling to the gryphoness on her cot.
“Are you really Daring Do?” asked the girl, her eyes wide as she stared back at the pony opposite her.
“I am.”
“Well, that’s not totally lame then,” muttered the gryphoness, her sharp yellow eyes looking down from Daring’s bright magenta.
Daring couldn't help but smile at that. The girl was young, probably just old enough to have started flight-school. Gryphons however, did not have their own flight school anymore, most of them being taught by their parents or family instead.
“So that’s your gramps, and the other one?” inquired Daring.
“That’s just Arrow, he’s my cousin,” she answered abruptly.
“And your name is?” asked Daring.
“My name’s… Gilda”
“Very pretty name,” spoke Daring softly, smirking as she saw the blush creep onto the gryphon girl’s cheeks. For all gryphons it was rare to ever get a friendly compliment, and it clearly embarrassed her.
“Why were you hurt anyway?” asked the gryphon girl, rolling onto her side so she could lie down and watch Daring comfortably.
“I got into a fight with a stone statue,” spoke Daring proudly, loving the widening of the eyes of her attentive audience.
“What did the statue look like?”
“Well it sort of looked like the one that used to be in your town square… in fact it is the one that stood in your square.”
“You fought the seal of Mordrue?!” squealed the the gryphoness, surprise and alarm all over her face.
Daring frowned at that, and lowered her voice to keep the other two gryphons none the wiser. The last thing she needed was someone interrupting their conversation.
“Who is Mordrue?”
“Mordrue is the ancient priest who helped found the Gryphon kingdom. Don't you ponies know anything?” scoffed Gilda.
Daring chose to ignore the girl's rudeness, and focus more on gathering more information. Trying to figure out what to ask the young gryphon who surprisingly knew quite a bit already.
“Why is he in your town's square… was in your town square?”
“Because of the coup’ of course. Mordrue was the first gryphon priest of the empire. Once the empire fell apart he became advisor to the kings” continued Gilda. “The last unified king we had was Golden Crown. Him and the idol of Boreas made us gryphons the kings of the roost!”
Daring nodded her head, familiar with this history, of course the young gryphon girl was leaving something out.
“Didn’t last too long though did it?”
“No…”
“What happened? The fall of the monarchy is historical knowledge, but very little exists on the subject.” insisted Daring.
“Mordrue happened!” scowled Gilda, the young gryphon snarling in anger.
Daring herself couldn’t help but wonder how she knew so much on this subject. Especially one so young . She might have been beyond the age of a small filly, but she wasn’t fully adult yet either. She kept this observation to herself, however, more interested in listening as the young gryphon continued on.
“He hated how Golden Crown was ruling the kingdom. He believed we should be built on force and power, not cooperation with other kingdoms. After the idol was snatched, everything went wrong for us. Mordrue used that to his advantage, he managed to turn the honor guard against the king, and bam… no more Golden Crown.” hissed Gilda, spitting on the floor, not caring about manners (in typical Gryphon fashion).
“Yes but how did he become a statue?” pushed Daring, dying to know.
“The Princess of Equestria,” came the old voice of Gruff, having returned without notice during the conversation. “Golden Crown warned her before Mordrue snuffed him out, and she sealed him in stone to which we left him to rot. The only ones who knew that though were me and the dragon scribe Malachite… we were both there to witness it.”
“How did you see it?”
“I used to be a member of the imperial court. Anyway, Mordrue went to stone, and the honor guard, were cursed by breaking their oath. Neither them nor their descendants can know peace until they’ve honored the spirit of their king. It’s been several generations and they still haven’t managed to fulfill it. Even the oldest of them like me, except their use of magic has kept them looking healthy enough.”
“Where are the honor guard now?” asked Daring.
“You remember that legion I told you about? that's them, and if you fought Mordrue in the town square, then they will be here to investigate it, rest assured.”
Daring nodded. She realized that she had to leave, but she couldn’t go without the stone. She remembered them taking it from her the previous night.
“I should leave then; no point in you lot getting into trouble over me. Um, where is my stone, by the way?”
“What stone?” asked the old gryphon his eyes darting about suspiciously.
“Should have known,” she thought to herself. “The stone I had last night, it’s important, I need it.” She moved her slinged hoof out of the way as she stood upright on the desk.
“Oh that stone? Well, I have seen that stone before. I know who it belongs too and let me tell you pony, if they catch you with it, they will be burying what’s left of you in a ditch for sure.”
“Don’t mess with me old one; Hand over the stone now!” She glared at the older gryphon. Hopping from the table onto her hooves she made preparation to make her move, only to fall to the ground.
“You're still too weak to force me to do anything girl. Besides, save it, you’re in no position to protect this stone now, but here it may be safe for a while.”
Daring didn’t like it but she had to admit, the gryphon had a point. She was on her last leg right now, she couldn’t keep the stone away from a porcupine at the moment. So she relented to the wisdom of the old one’s words. If he wasn’t interested in handing it over to Mordrue, then this could be a good place to hide it.
“You’re right, it’s probably safer here.”
“Glad you’re not too horse-headed to argue on that.”
Snorting in trepidation at the gryphon’s words she glared at him and then back at Gilda as the young gryphon chortled at her gramp’s jibe.
Just then the sounds of the outside world erupted into chaos as cries of surprise and gryphon shrieks erupted outside. All three, pony and gryphons, went to the ground level window peering out of the glass panes.
Outside the roost, the town of Griffonstone had erupted in activity, the township having gathered around the square. More than likely investigating where their statue had gone and why the entire square was covered in burn marks and gravel. All of a sudden the crowd of gryphons parted, as a long procession of armored soldiers began marching through them. Rows upon rows of steel helmets and glinting armor, battle talons, long spears and pikes catching the sunlight of early morning. The ranks of the griffon warriors were four across and formed a continual stream of avian warriors.
“Is that…?” trailed of Daring inquisitively, already fearing the answer.
“The legion.” answered Gruff.
Despite the array of arms and number of the soldiers, the crowd seemed to be more inclined to jeer and mock, some throwing dirt clods and even rocks. The projectiles and words glancing harmless off the armor of the griffons, who continued on without stopping or question.
“Not a great welcome committee?” Noticed Daring.
“Most of them are renegades. Not being able to find peace has kept them hated even by our own. Their betrayal is not something any of us have forgotten.”
“They seem to be going somewhere,” muttered Daring.
“The Drake Mine. That’s where they go.” answered Gilda.
“And how do you know that young lady?” growled Gruff.
“I’ve followed them out there sometimes, they always use that old mine as a meeting place, once they make their rounds.”
“I’ve told you to stay away from that mine and to not follow those traitors and losers!” humphed the older gryphon. The young gryphon scowled at her grandfather before racing back to her cot, giving a gryphon growl of defiance.
Daring looked over at him, meeting the old ones eyes. Her questioning look must have bothered him because he turned to look straight at her.
“Her father is among them. Dukat, my son. He was just fresh from a hatchling when he joined the guard, he’s now one of their top fighters. They’ve been using magic to keep their bodies ageless, but that doesn’t stop them from starting families, and roping new generations into their curse. He was there for her for a while, but the curse caused him to up and leave. She will have it too. When it will affect her I have no idea, but it will make her cold and susceptible to the same xenophobic rot. Until then however, I try and keep her as far away as possible. I even sent her to Cloudsdale when she was younger, to study to fly and get away from here.”
“Where is that mine?” asked Daring, staring at the backs of the long legion of griffons disappearing into the distance from her vantage at the window.
“Outside of town, north. 10 leagues away, it’s a massive pit in the ground, goes deep down. But why?” responded the old one.
“I need to see what they know, or if they're in league with Mordrue now.” declared Daring.
“Good luck then. If you manage to get there without being killed, keep to the walls. There should be enough rock faces for you to hide behind down there.”
“Thanks.”
Daring slipped out of the house quietly, hoping to not to be seen and cause an uproar. Hovering now with her wings flapping silently, she carried off after the legion. Holding back a bit to not alert the marching griffons of her presence, she watched as the columns of warriors shuffled along, wondering why they weren’t flying. She followed them at this pace until they arrived at what the old gryphon had described as a massive it in the ground. The warriors filtering into the opening, Daring following right behind.
Landing on her hooves, holding her injured one out of the way, she crept along the walls as advised. The pit was quite large, having once been a depleted mine. However, at the bottom of the pit was a second corridor leading further below. Upon following the gryphons down this corridor, she found the heat and darkness to be growing, barely able to make out what was in front of her. Sweating now she hugged the wall, counting on it to guide her through the darkness.
"At times like this it would be great to be a unicorn, then at least i can make my own light,” thought Daring to herself, finally catching sight ahead of a light at the end of the tunnel. Upon reaching the entrance she quickly dove her way through the entrance-way and behind a series of large boulders. Crawling around the boulder she brought her wings to bear and hovered her way up to the cavern’s numerous rock faces jutting out of all the walls. Finding a particular comfortable rock face she was able to just peer over the top of it, able to look down on the cavern floor below.
The army of griffons laid about the cavern, most of them barely having the energy or care to even get off their backs. The group had no drive at all, staring into nothingness or the blazing fires of the torches and campfires scattered about the cave. Daring had never seen such a sight, the griffons before her were a stark contrast to the one she had seen marching through the township. Far away from the eyes of their cursing and irritated country-gryphons, they apparently had no need for the pomp and circumstance. Daring could make out the bored and expressionless features of the flock, the legion of griffons being shockingly less impressive in person.
Just then the torches lining along the cavern walls, were snuffed out all at once. The campfires exploded in green flame, bringing an eerie glow about the cavern, the legion themselves began to light up, their bodies illuminating in the darkness, even the green glow not enough to counter the lack of light. At the far end of the cave, a glowing green figure came into focus. Most of the them couldn’t be bothered to move, however, a dozen or so did. The lead griffons undertaking a battle stance while the others formed a defensive ring about their less motivated companions
“Ha! Finally we can have an actual fight!” screeched one of the avians.
“It’s gonna be a good day to die!” cried another.
“Or to return to the world of the living…” replied the green figure, Daring catching something familiar about its voice. Watching as the figure came right up to the battle ready griffons, only for the fires and torches to immediately re-alight, bathing the cavern in light once more and returning the griffons to their normal look.
A collective gasp erupted from the amassed griffons, and Daring was glad for it, since it covered her own exclamation of surprise. For standing at the front of the whole legion, was the black furred and green eyed griffon of her nightmares.
The griffons seemed to recognize him as well, many of the leaping to their feet, looks of shock and surprise over every one of their features. The once battle ready avians now stood dumbfounded and slackened in discipline.
“Mordrue?”
“He’s alive?”
“It’s not possible!”
The black furred griffon smirked at the cries of surprise and doubt from his fellows, and just waved them to be silent.
“Are you really so surprised? Come now boys, we’re the same you and I, last time we met was well over a century ago, and yet here you are. Now here I am. We’re survivors, we’re griffons! We always come out in the end.”
“You’re the one who got us into this bloody mess, in the first place!” Screeched one of the soldiers, his companions giving their own cries of anger and disgust.
“Aye, it was you who convinced us to mutiny against Gold Crown!”
“And it was your doing that we weren’t there to stop Arimaspi taking the idol in the first place!”
The black furred griffon screeched for silence, his eyes lighting up bright green, immediately shutting up the collection of griffons, the soldiers seemingly cringing from his gaze.
“Gold Crown was a weakling! His idol was a false one, meant to corrupt your minds and turn you from the path of our ancestors. I should know since I am one of YOUR ANCESTORS! We are griffons! We do not make deals with lesser beings, and we do not let weakness such as friendship or such sensitivity influence us. We take what we wish by the claw and by the talon.”
“You’re not the one who had to forgo their honor!” Cried another one of the soldiers, a blue-tan colored fellow.
“Honor, ha! Where is the honor in being weak? You, like me, were once warriors. You’re griffons, not… ponies. I warned you that Gold Crown would bring you ruin. We never had so many weaklings out in the open before him. So then what happened once you lost the idol? Exactly, you fell apart becasue weakness had polluted our bloodline. An empire built on a trophy is not an empire of strength! Had Golden Crown not used the Princess of Equestria to seal me in stone, I would have brought you all to true glory!”
“If you're so great, how are you gonna get us out of this mess?”
“Glad you should ask, you see, you all know me, and that I’m older than most. So old that I know more secrets and treasures than any other living being. There is a sword, forged from the fires and essence of the greatest races of our world, and in it lies the power over all creation! I had the key, to this weapon, it was once sealed with me in my stone prison, only with that can we find and wield the sword.”
“And this key would be where, exactly?”
“Taken by our greatest enemies, the ponies of Equestria. I believe from what I have gathered since my liberation, that the pony in question is also another of our enemies. The pony they call, Daring Do.”
At that the griffons erupted into caws of anger and aggression, Daring was certainly glad she was safe, hidden behind the rock face.
“We shall find her, and tear the key from her cold dead hooves, and become the master race we griffons were always meant to be!”
“Easy for you to say, you haven’t been cursed to never know peace until you honor the memory of your king!” shouted another griffon in the crowd.
“Such may be your fate, but it may not be such a burden when you have a purpose! With the sword I can break you of your obligation. I come but with one request. Follow me, join my cause, help me take the key, and the sword. Do this and I shall have us all take our rightful place as masters of this world!”
At that Mordrue hopped up onto a stone slab, giving him sight over the whole legion collected there. His eyes flashed and in an instant a series of instruments from the grriffons packs flew across the room, the company's band griffons giving a caw of alarm to see their instrumental pieces floating on their own. The instruments started playing by themselves, bringing a chanting beat that echoed through the rock hall's.
[Mordrue]
Don’t you remember that time
When we were in our prime
We had treasure and spoils everywhere
We would plunder and pillage,
Every pony and village
With no worry or danger to care
Then along came our king with
His weak, inferior fling
Which brought us to ruin in the end
So rally my troops, it’s our time
To regroup and return to our
greatness once again.
So just name me your king
and our future you shall bring
I’m the best choice to have, be it cursed or not
I’m your only hope, what else have you got?
{leaping off the slab he hovers over the rest of the legion}
You want a fearless leader
Who will lead you strong
It’s on your choice
So don’t make it wrong.
[Gryphon chorus]
We used to be feared
Not mocked and jeared
In any kind of battle,
We were tough
We knew to survive
We had to fight and to strive
But then Golden Crown brought all that friendshipy-stuff
And so we have fallen
From the path we had chosen
We’ve been abandoned in the dirt and the cold
But we shall reclaim our glory
Make all of them sorry
And return to our beginings of old
So, you want to be, our king
Then more than promises you must bring
To put our faith in thee
To rule and lead
Our chief and soon our king to be
[Mordrue]
Then simply put it, to a vote
Just make sure, you make note
You want fame and grace
Then you should be devout
To be the master race
I’m your only route
[Chorus]
We’ll strike in all of their most bountiful places
From Manehattan's docks to the hills of Fillie
We shall leave neither survivors nor traces
In our glorious pillaging spree!
[Mordrue]
“That’s the spirit lads, let’s do it together!”
If you’re in, then I’m yours
So give me your supportive roars
ROAR
I’ll lead you straight, right to the promised land
You’re my family now, your my fellow clan
[chorus]
Where a life of sin, is the greatest win
Time to pay, back our grudge
Have some courage and make that plunge
[Mordrue]
It’s not the time, to be sort of breath
You either flap your wings, or fall to your death
[Chorus]
We’ve made our choice
[Mordrue]
I’ll accept your voice
[Chorus]
Without further adieu
We shall bow anew
To our chief, the glorious
Mordrue
{bow down before him}
[Mordrue]
That’s what I like to hear.
Daring held her gaze upon the army of griffons below her, her heart pounding as she realized her dangers and problems just went from one to ten fold. There was no way she could fend off that many. There was no way she could dodge them forever. She knew now, she could no longer guarantee the protection of the key, and there was no one she could trust the key to. Such power and such danger were too great to leave to chance.
Her thoughts flew now to Celestia. The panic and the fear beating hard in her heart, as she thought that, perhaps the princess could help her protect the stone. At the very least she could use her power to help fend off the dark mage and his followers. The more she thought over that idea however, the more the thought itself began to decay in her mind. Celestia was a princess, with great power, but how would she use the stone, or worse the sword? Would the princess take it for her own, would she use it? Why wouldn't she, that much power could make the whole world a different place. Celestia had considerable power over Equestria, but the the rest of the world was a vast dark world of unknown. Friendship and caring were definitely not universal traits. These griffons wouldn’t be the only ones to come after the stone, or the sword, others would come. Armies would come, there would never be an end to the war for the sword. In that time, would Celestia give in? When the smoke of ruin blew across the cities, when the hills ran red with the blood of pony and non-pony alike, could her power alone stop the fighting? In those moments when everything was at stake, her power not enough to ever truly end the bloodshed, would she use the sword to end the fighting? Would she give in to using the power for what she believed was the best choice for all? Daring's mind went over these scenarios again and again, the risk and the potential risks overriding her judgement and her common sense.
As she slipped out of the cave, the roaring and chanting griffons echoing behind her, she came upon a stark realization. No, she could not risk it, even on the remote possibility it could happen. Deep down a small part of her realized that this was silly, she was being paranoid, but the fear and power of the stone had its grip upon her mind.
She could not go looking for the sword. Mordrue and his cult would be after her now, searching for her. If she left now she could lead them right to it. She couldn’t stash the key either, couldn’t keep it hidden in the gryphon roost. Mordure had already demonstrated the ability to manipulate it with his magic. That left her with only one option… she had to destroy the key.
She barged through the gryphons doors, nearly bowling over Gruff in her haste to get inside. Panting out of breath from the speed she had put her body through, Daring lent against the side of the wall. Sweat dripped down from her fur, her eyes stinging from the feel of the sweat mixing into them.
“Easy there pony, where’s the fire?”
“Right behind me! The legion and Mordrue are together now. They’re gonna be coming after the stone and me.”
“Sounds serious,” muttered the old gryphon.
“It is! Mordrue cannot get hold of the key. It has to be destroyed.”
“Any idea how to do that?” replied the gryphon, having returned to the table Daring had spent the night on. Gilda was sitting there herself, chewing on what appeared to be a scone.
“The key is magic, so it stands to reason, it must take magic to destroy magic,” answered Daring Do.
“There is an old spell we gryphons know. It’s meant normally to break down an object into its main essence, but if you want to destroy that stone, it might work. Break the stone and the magic should dissipate.”
“How soon till you can make it?” Daring pressed further.
“Just give me an hour.”
~
Daring had spent the whole hour watching the old gryphon and Gilda prepare the potion. Using an old cauldron they had poured everything from entire bottle of blue liquid, to half eaten rodents and lizards into the soup. The bubbling mixture turning a dark purple tinged with red. Set to a boil in the fireplace they had let the mixture cool, before heating it up once more, pouring an opened bag of green herbs into the batch.
“What’s that for?” asked Daring.
Just a bit of cilantro...for texture,” answered Gruff.
Daring only nodded apprehensively, still unsure about this idea. However, her fear and paranoia were too great: every time she thought about taking this easy, the thought went back to the cavern of griffons, chanting Mordrue!
“How do you know this spell anyway?” asked Daring, pacing back and forth in front of the two gryphons huddled over the cauldron.
“The gryphon spell of distillation is a long held secret. To distill water, nutrients, essence from any object or source. It has dated back to the gryphon priests of old.” coughed old Gruff.
“Do you think it will work on the stone?” inquired Daring warily.
“Only one way to find out isn’t there?” answered the grouchy old gryphon. Blowing over the potion to make it cool and ready. Then handing over the golden stone delicately to the golden pegasus mare. “Here it is, you best be the one to do it.”
She nodded her head to him, as she held the stone in her hoof. Her eyes glazed over as that feeling of longing and that familiar murky haze returned to her mind. Her determination by then however, was solid. The vision of that black griffon flashing through her mind, his harassing green eyes staring at her.
So without further hesitation she dropped the stone into the cauldron, the golden stone giving a bubbling squeak once it had hit the purple mixture. The stone itself did not sink right away, but instead began bubbling and floating on the surface. The stone glowed as the very gold color and energy drained out of it, mixing in with the potion. It floated on top of the mixture until it was a simple polished stone dark grey, before the stone slowly sank to the bottom of the pot, the stone itself drained and dissolving as it did so. The golden energy infused into the purple potion beginning to simmer and boil, bubbling as the cauldron heated up on its very own. That’s when the pot chose that moment to explode.
An explosion of the golden energy laced mixture hurled energy everywhere, Daring caught right in the blast radius. The burning mixture soaked into her skin and clung to her body. Now she stood fully drenched in the potion, the mixture burning her skin, but not painfully so. She could feel the energy being absorbed into her body, her eyes opening wide and her mouth gaping as she could feel a ball of heat and power building inside her. Something was happening with her body and she couldn’t tell what, all she knew was that whatever the potion was doing to her, she was the only one going through it. Gruff had gripped Gilda and dived for cover as soon as he saw the explosion. Daring who had been so close in order to make sure the stone had dissolved had taken the brunt of it all.
“That’s never happened before… must have been the cilantro.” came Gruff’s shocked voice. The old gryphon peering around the upended table, he was hiding behind. “You al’right there pony?”
Daring was standing there still, she hadn't moved, her fur stained purple and red, the colored potion mixing into her fur as her eyes stared wide open, looking down at herself. The feelings of the magical energy lacing through her veins from her fur, all of a sudden doubling over at a slight pain in her stomach and then further down, as she fell to her legs once more. Ever mindful of her hurt hoof, she kept her weight on the other three feet, trying to breathe as she could feel something building up inside of her.
“Where’s the…” she trialed off as she zoomed to the window, opening it and dropping her head out of it. What came next was the sound of vicious coughing and sounds of a mare being sick. Bringing herself back into the roost she staggered a bit only to find herself supported by Gilda and Gruff, the two gryphons holding her steady.
“I’m not feeling well, I think I might just...” she whispered before seizing up and fainting into the arms of her gryphon supporters.
When she woke up she found herself once again staring at the faces of the same gryphons in the same room, and was she… yep still on the same table. Looking over she winced once she felt the pain of her broken hoof.
“Ugh what happened?” She asked.
“You fainted,” replied Gilda.
“That’s the second time in two days,” groaned Daring.
“This time for a whole different reason,” muttered Gruff, the old gryphons face coming into her focus as he placed a gentle claw upon her stomach, Daring not knowing why the touch felt so strange to her.
“What do you mean and why do I feel so strange?” She asked softly, confusion and even some pain evident in her features and voice.
“Well I don't know whether to say congratulations or condolences pony, but it seems like you’re pregnant.”
Upon hearing those words Daring could only go wide eyed in fear and terror, before fainting for the third time in two days, in the same roost, among the same gryphons. The only difference now was that she was.
Pregnant.