Unmarked

by Croswynd

Chapter 21 - Who Do You Think You Are?

Chapter 21: Who Do You Think You Are?

Rain hissed through the air of the clearing, striking the grass with wild abandon. Huge aspens and fir swished and sighed in the wind, their trunks groaning against the storm. Lightning flashed and bleached the area a deathly white, while thunder rumbled in the heaving grey clouds high above.

“Professor! Cast a spell! Do something!” Quills yelled.

Novell shivered, his mind blank as he stared at Whisper’s still face. He couldn’t form thoughts, couldn’t move. He was frozen. Rain slid down his coat and between his feathers, soaked his mane and tail.

“I have no spells, Quills. I don’t know anything to heal her or... you have to do something.”

She can’t be gone.

“I don’t know what to do! I’ve never, I mean—”

Whisper...

Something snapped inside Novell. He breathed in a staggered breath, his first since his collapse just seconds ago. Dizziness fell away and he shook his head as his mind began to clear. A singular objective formed in his mind. Nothing else mattered.

She’s not dead. I won’t let her go.

Novell shot to his hooves.

Quills started at the movement. “N-novell?”

“Save her.” His voice cracked before giving way to confidence. “I trust you. So save her.”

Quills’ eyes were wide. “But she’s... I—”

Novell grabbed her by the shoulder and gave her a smile he didn’t really feel. “You know what to do. Just think!”

A strange expression came over her face, one mingled with surprise and realization. She turned to the body and drew a deep breath before nodding and brushing a strand of her mane out of her eyes. “Alright. Chest compressions.”

Quills rested her forehooves against Whisper’s still side. “Make sure her airway is clear, Novell.”

He complied, pushing away the helplessness hovering on the edge of his mind. “It’s clear.”

“Here we go,” Quills said through clenched teeth.

Snap.

A slight edge of hysteria filtered through his mental guard. But he had to be strong, for more than just Whisper. Quills depended on him for support. He couldn’t imagine what was going through the young mare’s mind. Having to do this to a friend... he couldn’t imagine having the willpower himself to do it.

Crack.

He pushed the hysteria down and gritted his teeth.

*****

Time was running out. They were already behind schedule to meet with the Hippogryphs, the war could spark off at any moment and Novell was just arguing.

“I’m going with you, Novell,” Kalyn growled. “Rell is being held by the Matriarch! She needs me!”

Novell’s gaze shifted to Whisper’s body, where he could see the slight rise and fall of her breast. “You can’t help her by yourself, Kalyn, and you can’t come with us. If you come anywhere near the Hippogryph encampment, you could start the war yourself. That won’t help anyone.”

“That’s easy for you to say! The mare you love is right here!” Kalyn clawed the ground, a grimace on his beak.

“She’s here, yes, but she nearly died, Kal’, helping Rell,” Novell replied steadily, meeting the griffon’s gaze. “I need you to protect her, and bring her, and Quills, back to Captain Skycrasher, for her sake as much as your own. Do you think Rell would want you to endanger an entire species just for her?”

Kalyn’s eyes flashed dangerously. “No.”

Novell gritted his teeth and glanced up at the sky, where the clouds were still loosing their burden. “I don’t like this, Kal, but I have to leave Whisper just like you have to stay away from Rell right now. If we don’t, Havoc wins.”

“What about the griffons we saw before the crash?” Kalyn asked. “If they haven’t taken Skycrasher into custody already, they will by the time we get there. That includes us, more prisoners for the Matriarch.”

The urge to take wing and forget everything increased, but he suppressed it with a weary mental shrug. “The whole crew is there. They’ll fight them off and you’ll be able to reinforce them if they haven’t. Regardless, I’d rather Whisper captured than dead.”

“But—”

“We don’t have a lot of choices right now!” Novell yelled, turning to stare into Kalyn’s eyes. “I don’t know what else to do. We need to get the Hippogryphs on our side. You were never supposed to come with us anyway. That was the plan. The best way to help Rell is to stop this war. We can deal with the Matriarch after Havoc is finished.”

“Rell might not have that long,” Kalyn replied softly.

Novell glanced sadly at Whisper. “Believe in your friends, Kalyn. That’s the only way through this.”

Scrolls walked up. “If we’re going to do this, we need to go now, Novell.”

“Alright. Gather everypony up. Kalyn’s taking Whisper and Quills back to the Southern Belle.” He glanced at the griffon.

After a moment, Kalyn nodded.

Novell turned back to Scrolls. “Which way is the camp?”

“Northwest,” he replied without hesitation. “I memorized the map Darkmoon showed us.”

Opening his wings to feel the wind, Novell felt a sense of direction overcoming him. He turned toward the northwest—toward the hippogryphs.

Toward the end.

*****

The rain continued to fall in torrents as the party, minus Whisper, Kalyn and Quills, continued through the ancient forest’s twisting paths.

Novell led the group, his wings open to sense the wind currents and keep his sense of direction on track. Vines ran over his body like trailing snakes, reminding him uncomfortably of the Nightvines. His fur was matted and the cold was barely kept at bay by the spell Professor Search had cast to ward away the chill.

“How much further is it?” the Professor asked through labored breaths.

Scrolls splashed through a puddle of mud with a squelch. “Less than an hour. We should be on the outskirts now.”

“Right, then. I’ll be glad for the rest,” Professor Search replied with a wince as he stumbled over a root.

We’re all at our limit, Novell thought grimly. All of them had been awake for more than day and the trials they’d been put through were wearing on them. If we don’t finish this soon, we might collapse.

That may be Havoc’s plan, Pensive’s familiar thoughts intruded on his. Tiring your enemy is a staple of warfare.

How do you know anything about warfare? Novell asked absently, his attention focused forward.

While I could remind you I am a creation of the embodiment of war and destruction, it is partly a residual memory from my time with Rez. There is more to him than just being an ancient hippogryph. He is... special.

Novell glanced back at the hippogryph in question.

Doggedly moving forward without a hint of the tiredness the others plainly felt, Rez loped beside them. He seemed content not to speak with the rest of the group save for what was necessary. Every now and then, the hippogryph’s head cocked from side to side, as if hearing something the rest of them could not.

Moving his ears involuntarily to pick up those sounds, Novell replied, Good. Special is what we need right now. Hopefully his kind will feel the same.

“Stop!” a squawk came from above. “Move not!”

Novell looked up, immediately falling into a stance he could easily dash into the air from.

A massive rack of antlers and a large beak appeared from the leaves of the tree. The Hippogryph’s head twisted from side to side, turning first one eye and then the other toward him. It crooned softly to itself before its head tilted upward, staring behind Novell.

Meaty thuds sounded from all sides as more Hippogryphs dropped from the trees. Some of them clutched staves in their claws while others held nothing. Feathers of different colors adorned their antlers, though from their shape and size, Novell suspected they once belonged to griffons. A few even had jewels decorating their necks strung together loosely with vine.

A squawk sounded from the one still in the tree and it fell to the ground in front of Novell. It was immediately apparent that this one was the leader, from what the Professor had told him. Its rack of antlers was the largest and held a great deal of feathers and gems.

He held his ground, surprised that he hadn’t flinched away.

The Hippogryph crooned in a strange manner and then pointed a claw at him. “Why here, pony?”

“To help stop this war,” Novell said simply.

Again that strange croon came. “Why?”

“Because even if you win, you’ll just be enslaved by something worse.” Novell tilted his head, careful to keep his eyes forward. The Professor had said to give a Hippogryph’s speaker his full attention. Anything else would cause insult. “Our companion will prove it.”

The Hippogryph’s beak clicked and it looked around him. “Powerful blood. No Clanspull. Strange.” It paused and turned around. “Come.”

Novell blinked. “Wha—”

“Come... with... me,” the Hippogryph repeated slowly, its head cocked back toward him for a moment. “You understand, yes?”

“Yes,” he replied.

Can it really be this easy? Novell hesitated, one hoof in the rain-churned mud.

The Hippogryph continued forward, though its companions continued to stare at them with unreadable expressions.

Novell felt a nudge on his shoulder.

"Best if we keep moving, lad. War's coming." Professor Search said.

Nodding, Novell moved forward, continuing to keep his eyes focused on the tail swinging from the end of the Hippogryph's behind. It was similar to his, though shorn shorter and a dark red instead of brown. Even the hind legs were similar to his own, though they were more like a stag's than a pony's.

As he passed through the formation, the Hippogryphs closed around them in a swift, practiced movement. Aside from a few clicks of beaks, the guards were silent. It was bizzare how well behaved they were, considering they lived in the forest rather than the mountains like the Griffons. Novell had half expected them to be a disorganized mess than an elite team.

We know so little about them, Professor Search's words echoed from the past, even though we have so much information. They guard their secrets well. As I've said before, Starswirl is one of the only ponies to even glimpse their spells. They are a remarkable species, but dangerous for their secrets.

Dangerous is what I'm worried about, Novell thought with a slight grimace.

Comfort filtered in through his mental bond. He gave a slight nod and took a breath to steady himself.

*****

The Hippogryph leader, who had still not shared its name, padded through a perimeter of further armed guards. The ones who had been marching alongside Novell's group broke off to either side, silent as wraiths.

Through the rain, Novell could make out the forms of huts arranged in the shadow of trees. The constructions were almost built like an egg, thatched together of vines, leaves and some kind of substance that looked like resin. To Novell's eyes, they resembled the nests of certain birds, though on a much larger scale.

Grass quickly turned to well-worn dirt as they continued. Low-hanging clouds cloaked the ground in a thick fog, eddying around their hooves whenever they moved. A solemn silence rested across the area of the forest, with only the rain to intrude.

As he looked around, Novell noticed beaks and antlers poking out of holes in the nest-huts. Beady eyes tracked their progress with curious intensity, from young and old alike. What Novell assumed were males padded between the houses, looking up at them as they passed and fixating on something to the rear of the group.

Rez? Novell asked silently.

Confirmation flooded the bond like a mental nod.

He frowned. Why aren't you speaking?

Now there was a hint of uncertainty, though he couldn't tell if it was Pensive's or his own.

Resisting the urge to turn and look to his friend, Novell thought about Whisper. The image of her falling from the cliff at Pensive's magic clutches drifted through his mind, seeming so far off in the past. Worrying at her bedside in Zecora's hut appeared, the nervousness that had gnawed at him almost unrecognizable.

Recent memories intruded, of Quills working on the injured mare. He'd felt queasy and a feather's width from falling into the depths, but he'd held it together. For Quills... and Whisper. It was almost like a thin membrane separated him from his dark thoughts and unreasoning fright.

When did I stop feeling like that? he wondered, grim-faced. When did I start wearing this mask?

Something brushed across his body like a spider's web, startling him from his reverie. He looked up in a flash and fluttered his wings, confused at the sudden, nearly blinding sensation of uncertainty. His breath quickened and a nervous sweat beaded along his spine as he realized he didn't know which direction he was facing.

Shifting his feathers as subtly as he could, Novell forced down the panic threatening to take over. The currents of wind that only a pegasus could sense were still there, but they told him nothing. They were as silent as the village around him.

Ahead, the Hippogryph paused. The massive rack of antlers turned toward him, a single, beady eye fixed on him.

It felt much like looking into a Griffon's eye, as if he were pinned beneath that stare. His instincts wore at his resolve, urging him to run.

I'm not helpless, Novell thought calmly. The feeling was so familiar, it was almost rote. As long as I have my friends, I'm never helpless.

"You do not shrink from Selthavan's gaze," a feminine voice said from Novell's right, in perfect Equestrian. "This is good."

Clicking sounded from his left and a deeper voice squawked, "It is pony. Inside fear, just as others."

"Perhaps..." the feminine voice replied. Movement appeared in the corner of Novell's eye and a new form padded between him and the stare of Selthavan.

Novell shifted his gaze to the newcomer, another Hippogryph. This one was clothed in a shawl of dark purple weaved around its neck. The cloth continued around her body like a snake, draping itself around each wing and ending atop her tail. Obsidian-like feathers glistened in the rainwater while a white stag's fur covered her other half. She had antlers that were smaller than Selthavan's, but they were sprinkled with bits of jade and dark stones, feathers and... bones.

"Why do you come here, Equestrian?" she asked clearly, not even a rasp coming from her beak.

"To keep a promise." Novell wondered at how ridiculous that sounded when he didn’t even remember making one.

Her jewelry clattered softly against her antlers, moving with the tilt of her head. "A promise...”

"I have reason to believe that one among you is not a Hippogryph." Novell blinked away the rain water sluicing from his mane. "He would have come to you recently, maybe with claims of something beyond what you have."

A dismissive snort came from the left. "New? No new. Only old here."

The female's eyes flicked to the side before darting back to Novell. "He is right. There have been no Hippogryphs who have come that we do not know..." Her eyes lit with curiosity. "...save for your companion. I do not know him, a rare thing in our race. There is no Clanspull, either. Strange..."

"My companion's name is Rez." As he spoke, the other Hippogryph appeared in his vision, a slender male with a body worn with age. He didn't seem like the hale and hearty Hippogryph Novell had seen Havoc transform into in the mountain. "He was raised by a Griffon."

The male squawked and recoiled, feathers fluffling up and making him seem larger than his old bones implied. "Impossible! None of our race would be lost to a Griffon! Yavanth, they—!"

"Takallan speaks the truth." The female interrupted. Some of her feathers were also raised up. "What you speak is impossible. Worse, it is a dire insult to us..."

Takallan squawked again, shaking as if in rage, clicks and whistles catching the attention of the other Hippogryphs. Guards appeared from the sky, their claws glistening in the rain and held poised to strike.

A snap of a beak stopped them in their tracks. Yavanth eyed the older Hippogryph, stepping so close that their antlers nearly met. Takallan hissed at the female, his wings opening to their fullest.

With a whirl of motion almost too quick to see, Yavanth batted at the elder's beak with a claw. The elder screeched harshly and lowered his head to skewer the female on his rack.

Yavanth met the attack with her own, the two Hippogryph's antlers locked together. They broke apart and re-engaged without hesitation, neither of them budging an inch. Their claws and hooves dug into the ground and sparks of black and white began to light the air.

Novell noticed the two Hippogryph's horns light up with their respective magics: black for Yavanth and white for Takallan. A bolt of black shot up into the air, fizzling out like a malfunctioning firework.

Just like that, Takallan retreated, dis-engaging his antlers from Yavanth's and hissing with displeasure. The elder's feathers were held tight against his body, highlighting how small he really was.

Yavanth thrummed deep in her throat and turned back to Novell. "You are safe, now."

As if to emphasize her words, the guards disappeared back into the sky with only a small eddy of mist to mark their leave. Novell heard Scrolls sigh behind him, relief tinging the sound.

"Thank you," Novell replied, unsure as to how to address her. Titles were something the Professor had neglected to provide.

Yavanth crooned just like Selthavan had earlier, a spark of amusement in her eye. "You may call me Yavanth. Titles are not needed among the Hippogryphs."

With a hesitant nod, Novell replied, "Very well... Yavanth. As for the insult, I meant no offense."

"Yet offense was taken regardless." Her feathery brow raised. "That is why Takallan challenged my decision. You claim this one," she nodded to Rez, "was raised by a Griffon, an impossible idea if it were not for his lack of Clanspull. Our race does not allow others to raise our young. It is simply not done."

Novell hesitated again.

"Not strong, is pony?" Takallan muttered from the side. "Speak or be leave!"

"I'm telling truth," Novell said carefully. "Rez was raised by the daughter of the Matriarch. The Matriarch planned to use him against you, but her daughter refused to allow it. She saved him from imprisonment not long ago, only to be captured by her own mother."

Takallan hissed again, but Yavanth waved him silent. She walked slowly around Novell in a graceful poise, the shawl tugged slightly by the wind. Stopping before, Rez, she examined the younger Hippogryph, who returned her gaze with a solemn intensity.

Yavanth spoke in her own language of clicks and squawks, a questioning edge to them.

Rez replied in kind, haltingly, as if it were difficult for him to wrap his beak around the words. His long tail moved nervously behind him in short undulations, the hair tinged with moisture.

After a few more moments, Yavanth nodded. Her head tilted back toward Novell and she returned to her initial position in front of him.

"He is certainly a Hippogryph," she said simply, "though one unfamiliar with our spoken language. Curiously, he has named the blue one his mentor. He said they shared thought."

"In a manner of speaking," Novell replied with a nervous flutter of his wings. "But that event is part and parcel with my reason for being here. One among you has brought you to this war with the Griffons. Even if you win, you will only be ruled by him, though he threatens more than just your kind."

"If he strong, we follow. Is our way," Takallan squawked.

Novell turned his attention toward the elder male. "Even if he is not really a Hippogryph?"

Takallan puffed up again, his claws raking the air. "You dare!"

Yavanth raised her wings and struck the ground between them. "Enough! We will hear what he has to say."

"But the third!" Takallan continued with a defiant strike against the ground.

“How many times will you speak out of turn? Silence, Takallan.” Yavanth gestured at Novell. “Speak your piece.”

“Havoc was released from his prison.” Novell attempted to gauge the reaction to his words, but the Hippogryphs remained tranquil. “You may know him by another name, but he is a powerful entity who feeds on the chaos caused by war and strife. He pits those who would serve his needs against one another. Hippogryphs and Griffons have never been on the easiest terms, so you are who he chose to use. If you let him pull you into this war, he will grow too powerful for anyone to trap him again.”

Yavanth’s eyes turned to slits. “You are asking us not to fight those who encroach on our lands? Those who have betrayed us in the past?”

Novell nodded. “From what I know of Hippogryphs, none of you would be willing to be used by an outsider to further their own goals and harm you in the process. But if you go to war with the Griffons, both your race and theirs will be weakened and turned to slaves to further Havoc’s ambitions.”

“Surely you do not do this for purely altruistic reasons, young pony?” Yavanth asked with a sidelong glance. “What is it you would get from this?”

“To correct a mistake I made,” Novell replied with a grimace. “I set him free, so it is my job to make sure he doesn’t regain his power. If he is allowed to continue his plans, no one will be safe. Not even Equestria.”

Yavanth’s eyes gravitated toward Rez. “And you say this Hippogryph has proof?”

“Yes,” Rez croaked. “I saw.”

“Come here, young one,” Yavanth pointed to the ground in front of her. “Bow your head before mine.”

In the background, Takallan hissed, but wisely remained silent. However, his eyes darted all around, as if searching for some unseen threat. Novell frowned, but the sight of Rez bowing his head before Yavanth drew his gaze.

Yavanth leaned forward until her antlers touched Rez’, her eyes closing and a film of mist undulating around her. The seemingly living mist swirled slowly around the two, embracing them in a sheet of soft cloud. A blue light seeped slowly into the bubble of fog and the two Hippogryphs disappeared. Only the eddy of mist marked where they had been.

Novell fought down an edge of panic as Takallan glanced up at him from the spot where the two had gone.

“Come, ponies,” the Hippogryph grumbled and turned away. “Take to shelter. Wait for return.”

Fighting the urge to ask where they had gone, Novell followed.

Before they moved more than a few feet, the fog swirled and a dark shape arrived at Takallan's side. The new arrival whispered something in clicks and whistles. Takallan's beady eyes widened in surprised and his beak opened in a hiss. The older Hippogryph gave a reply and nodded, motioning for the messanger to go.

Takallan turned toward Novell. "No time left. War starts now."

"No, you can't." Novell took a step forward. "If you do this, you doom your race."

Fury danced in the Hippogryph's eyes, accompanying the sudden flare of feathers around its neck. "You no give orders, pony! Quiet or dead. Choose."

A dull boom echoed from far off in the forest, drawing all their gazes. Novell just caught the barest hint of a magical discharge, blue energy dissipating into the misty rain. Faint yelling and clashing metal rippled on the wind.

"That sounds decidedly like a war starting," Scrolls said, walking up beside Novell. “If Havoc is around for this...”

Novell pawed at the ground in frustration. “He’s around. We just need to find out where.”

"We still need the help of the Hippogryphs," Professor Search said with a grimace. "Without their magic, we don't have the power to cast the spell."

“Where did they go, Takallan?” Pensive’s voice came from behind.

The Hippogryph glared. “Away. Quiet.”

A film of energy danced around the base of Pensive’s horn and a dark look came over the unicorn’s face. “Where. Did. They. Go?”

“You dare!” Takallan squawked, his own magic sparking into existence.

With a sound like shattering glass, Novell’s sense of direction returned, the wind dancing across his feathers and then fading almost immediately. He started, both at that and the sudden flare of magic from Pensive’s direction.

Yet it wasn’t the unicorn who was causing the huge disturbance, but a Hippogryph with a rack that rivaled Tombfeather’s. Armor awkwardly coated the Hippogryph’s body, too small in some places and too large in others. Novell had a sneaking suspicion it had been made for griffons. Dozens of decorations flooded the pointed antlers and an obsidian pendant at the base of the Hippogryph’s throat gleamed in the dull light.

Brushing past Pensive as if the pony were a gnat, the large Hippogryph padded up to Takallan. It spoke, the voice deep and thrumming, more vibrant than any Novell had heard before in a Hippogryph.

Takallan, who had bowed his head at the entrance of the new arrival, replied urgently in a respectful tone. The feathers around the elder’s neck were flat against his body, but briefly flared out when he gestured at Novell and his companions.

The huge Hippogryph turned toward them, running its beady eye over the party. It shook its head, dismissing them as if they weren’t worth the look. Speaking quickly, the Hippogryph opened its wings and began to take off.

“Wait!” Novell cried, stepping forward.

The Hippogryph paused mid-flap and looked toward him, face as impassive as the hardest granite. A touch of curiosity seemed to flicker in those eyes.

“You’re the third leader, aren’t you?” Novell guessed, hoping he was right.

“Tyr,” the Hippogryph replied, then looked to Takallan and began speaking.

Takallan’s eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. “Tyr wishes speak, pony.”

Tyr spoke again and Takallan translated, “He is warleader. Why...” the Hippogryph paused, hissing in thought, “why stop? War is here.”

“Because you’re being fooled into fighting the griffons.” Novell felt a chill as Tyr’s expression darkened. “It’s true. Havoc is playing you. He’s... he’s a god of chaos, like Discord. Surely you know of Discord?”

Tyr rumbled. “Tyr says knows.”

Novell bit his lip, wishing Rez were here to relay the information. Without him, they only had their words. But maybe words are all I need. He’s a warleader. He understands strategy.

Out loud, he continued, “Havoc is behind all of this. He’s taken control of the griffons... maybe through the Staff of Will, maybe through trickery. But he’s the one who started all of this, I know it.” Novell changed tacks. “Why did you attack the griffons in the first place?”

The sounds of battle being joined temporarily drew their attention, and Novell could tell Tyr was impatient to return to the front line.

“Eggbreakers attacked us. Hippogryph was slain. No reason. Yavanth not let talk to Matriarch,” Takallan growled reluctantly. “Never trust. They gather. Now we gather. Fight.”

“It had to be Havoc who did that. Did any of your race see this happen? Who was it?”

Tyr shook his head, wings ruffling. The sounds of battle were growing louder, closer to the village.

“Stop the fighting. Retreat. Don’t let Havoc use you!” Novell pleaded.

The Hippogryph’s face hardened and a flash of anger danced in his eyes. Shaking his head and snorting in dismissal, the Hippogryph’s great wings flashed out. Tyr was up in the air and gone before Novell could even register.

Takallan’s eyes held glee at the other’s actions.

A new flash of light zipped into appearance and two familiar shapes materialized in the fog. Rez stood next to Yavanth. Immediately, Yavanth darted to Takallan.

“Where is Tyr? I felt him here.”

“Gone,” Takallan crowed gleefully. “Fighting.”

Yavanth growled, swiping a claw across the old Hippogryph’s face. Takallan fell to the ground unconscious, his antlers suspending his face above the mud. Whipping around toward Novell, Yavanth opened her wings, the silk scarf flaring around her like a ghostly aura.

“Pegasus, I have seen what Rez has seen and I know the Hippogryph you say is Havoc.” Worry wrinkled just below her eyes. “I know him well, and that is impossible if this Havoc has been released only recently. I can only assume he has tampered with my thoughts and those of my race, through the Clanspull.”

“What?” Novell’s eyes widened in surprise. “I thought that was just so you all knew where you were?”

Yavanth shook her head. “That is not all it is for. It links my race in ways that you would not understand. What affects one of us affects us all. Rez alone remains pure.”

“Because he’s displaced in time,” Novell guessed, pacing. He looked up. “So what does this mean?”

“Our memories cannot be trusted,” Yavanth said. “Nor can our actions truly be our own if Havoc’s hold is real. I do not know if I can resist in his proximity, but...”

Professor Search moved into view. “If I may, Yavanth, you may be able to resist now that you know of the truth. The same could be said of your people.”

“You are optimistic.” Yavanth flapped her wings and looked away. “I cannot be such.”

“Unfortunately, my optimism is our only chance of stopping Havoc,” Professor Search replied grimly. “He is too powerful for me, or any dozen unicorns, to trap him again. But with you and your people’s help, we could attempt and possibly succeed.”

Yavanth hissed. “We have no such spells and... wait,” she looked to Rez and back to the Professor. “Something... a memory... not of Rez’ own. Of a unicorn’s...”

“That would be mine,” Pensive replied with his customary flat tone, no hint of the darkness shadowing his features. “I memorized the spell and was hopeful that Rez would remember it as a result of our union.”

Yavanth nodded. “I see. This spell is... strange, but I believe I can cast it... with the help of the others. But they would need to know the matrix’s plan and loci to help, and such locations are not entirely familiar even with this memory.”

“I know everything about this spell.” Professor Search tapped his head. “Nopony is more aware of trapping spells than I, I dare say. I can show your people where to go.”

“Then we need only find this Havoc and lure him into the matrix.” Yavanth winced as the sound of battle grew closer. “I feel that will not be difficult if the battle rages closer.”

“If Havoc is with the griffons,” Novell said grimly, his eyes scanning across the village’s homes. “He could be in any shape and form.”

Pensive shook his head. “I can sense him, vaguely. He’s near.”

“What? Is he that close?” Scrolls glanced around nervously.

“No... he’s near where the battle is.” Pensive’s eyes were closed and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. “The stone Rez gave me... it amplified more than just my shape-shifting. I can sense further... and he is growing stronger.”

Novell opened his wings and prepared for flight. “Pensive, use the spell that makes you lighter. We’re going to find him and lure him into the trap.”

“What about me?” Scrolls objected with a stamp of his hoof. “I can’t exactly fly, you know.”

Yavanth sighed. “Neither can I carry him. If this memory is right, I cannot expend my energy before the spell is cast.”

“Stay here, with the Professor,” Novell ordered, mind blurring with plans. “Pensive?”

“I may have an alternative solution,” Pensive said. “I can fuse with you, Novell, as I did with Rez—.”

That thought brought Novell’s mind to a halt, a sense of unease permeating a dark memory. He shook it off and thought it through logically, hoping Pensive hadn’t caught the emotion.

“No,” Novell said. “We can’t.”

Pensive started. “But it would be beneficial—”

Novel shook his head. “No. If you run out of power during the battle, we’re all lost. I can’t risk it.” He hesitated. “If you had more control or experience...”

A hurt look appeared on Pensive’s face, quickly vanishing into an unremarkable mask. “Very well. I will cast the spell.”

Novell nodded and turned to the Professor. “Do you think you can do this here?”

Professor Search looked around at the tribal grounds and edged a hoof over a marking in the dirt. “I think so. This would be the best place for the Hippogryphs to cast, as it’s rich with their energy.”

“Only one problem remains,” Yavanth put in with an uneasy glance around. “I am one of three leaders. I am not sure all will listen to me. Not nearly the amount we will need for this spell.”

“Oh, dear. That is... indeed a problem,” Professor Search replied, holding a hoof under his chin.

“What about Rez?” Novell asked. “Will they listen to him?”

Yavanth furrowed her feathery brows. “He has no Clanspull. They do not know him, nor do they—.” She stiffened.

“What?” Scrolls took a tentative step forward.

“His blood...” Yavanth murmured, looking away. “It carries ancient royalty, a presence I felt when I first saw him. I dismissed it at first, but... it grows stronger with each moment.”

Rez looked uncomfortable. “I’m growing still.”

“He’s nearly reached maturity, hasn’t he?” Novell asked.

Yavanth nodded. “He has. Displaced in time... perhaps he is aging further.”

“And with it, the power of his blood,” Scrolls marveled. “Well, that’s interesting.”

“The Warden certainly has a knack for planning,” Professor Search said softly.

Novell drew in a quick breath, remembering the conversation he and the Professor had on the Southern Belle. “The Warden of the Stream?”

“Warden of what now?” Scrolls asked. “Wait, that sounds familiar for some reason.”

The Professor met Novell’s eyes. Novell nodded.

“Warden of the Stream. We,” Professor Search gestured toward Novell, “believe that this Warden is the one who time-locked the egg.”

Yavanth’s eyes sparked with an unfamiliar emotion. “You speak of the dragon?”

“Dragon?” Novell asked, feeling as if he were being dragged into a mire of confusion.

“You do not know?” Yavanth clicked her beak. “The Warden is a dragon. One who has communicated to my race, to warn of us natural disasters before they can occur. We have long been in her debt.”

Scrolls cleared his throat and everyone turned toward him. “As fascinating as ancient schemes and plots are, we have more important problems at the moment. Save the history for later.”

“He is right,” Yavanth said. “However, this information should give me more sway with the others.” Her eyes met Novell’s. “We will do what we can. Now go. Lure your enemy here. We will be waiting.”

“Pensive?” Novell asked, ready to get moving. A rush of excitement and fear swept through him.

Pensive nodded and closed his eyes to cast a spell. His lips moved, the softest hint of words sliding across the wind. A moment passed and nothing happened.

“Oh,” Pensive said, looking up. “We’re still under the dampening field. I can’t cast spells here.”

Professor Search perked up at that. “Right, I had forgotten. We’ll need you to remove the field for the trap to work, Yavanth.”

Yavanth tapped her back legs against the ground. “Even if I could, I would not. The field only affects non-Hippogryphs.”

“Well that’s fine, then!” Professor Search said with a mischievous smile underneath his mustache. “That will help immensely with capturing Havoc.”

“I’m not sure it will,” Yavanth replied, uncertainly plucking at the scarf she wore. “If my memories have been tampered with, Havoc may have also tampered with the spell.”

Novell turned toward the village exit, jumping into the air to test his wings. No pain flared through them. Just the steady pull of muscles that hadn’t been used very often. I need to fly more.

He turned back to the others. “Get the spell ready, Professor. We’ll be back soon.”

Professor Search, Scrolls, Rez and Yavanth looked to him, concern in their eyes.

“Good luck, my boy.”

“Off we go,” Novell said with a smile, Pensive by his side.

*****

With his companion lighter than a feather, Novell rushed through the trees on wings that had been aching to take him through the air for days. Trees whipped by in a blur. Wind rippled past his face and along the feathers of his wings, pointing him west, toward the battle.

Echoing booms thundered from that direction and the screeching of the warriors was a dull cry that seemed to reach the primal recesses of his mind. Conjuring images of the battle, Novell was hoping he could reasonably handle what he would soon come across. Shooting upward, out of the trees, Novell saw the battlefield.

The reality of the situation was far from what he had imagined.

As far as he could see, Hippogryphs and Griffons fought one another, their weapons flashing and magic zipping through the air. Bodies lay forgotten underneath the talons of the Griffons, both their own and the enemy they fought. The trees that had once stood ancient and stolid against the elements were uprooted, used as clubs or shot like projectiles to take out dozens of Griffon soldiers.

Yet the Griffons were giving as good as they got, though they had no magic of their own. The leonine legionnaires shot through the sky like spears, dodging blasts of magic to close with their enemy. Flashing, metal felled Hippogryph, shearing horns, bone and feather.

It was sickening. Pointless.

The scent of ash filled the air, the magic that the Hippogryphs used often bursting through the forest in flash fires. Cries of death and terror mingled with the roars and shouts of combatants.

This shouldn’t be how the world works, Novell thought, closing his eyes to the violence. Queasiness gripped his chest and he fought against the urge to lose the contents of his stomach.

Steel yourself, Pensive’s thoughts invaded his mind, trampling the feelings of helplessness and disgust with his calm radiance. We must find Havoc. I can feel him somewhere further west, near the front lines.

“Tyr first,” Novell shouted over the din of battle. “We need his help to do draw the griffons toward the village.”

He will not help you, Pensive replied with a mental shake of his head.

Novell glanced around the battlefield, ignoring Pensive’s statement. Tyr was larger than the other Hippogryphs, but the warleader was nowhere to be found. Scanning the sky, Novell hoped against hope that Tyr hadn’t fallen in battle. If he had, there was little chance they’d be able to stop the senselessness.

Just when he was on the edge of giving in, Novell spotted Tyr, flanked by a dozen other hippogryphs, hovering above a cloud. Energies gathered at the tips of the Hippogryph’s horns, coloring the cloud a harsh blue. Miniature lightning flashed around their horns and a series of light bridges shot toward Tyr.

Tyr roared as the energies mingled with his own, a sound piercing enough to send a shudder of fear through Novell’s body. Electricity bit at the Hippogryph’s horns and incandescent light pulsed.

Novell looked away.

Piercing even his eyelids, light exploded outward. Thunder clapped through the battlefield, louder than any Novell had ever heard. The sound pounded his chest, taking his breath away and nearly causing him to crash into a nearby tree. Pensive gasped beneath him and muttered a quick spell. Grinding concussions blew the air away, forcing Novell back. Burning heat assailed him, searing his feathers and hurting his lungs.

With his ears ringing, Novell opened his eyes after the light left, recovering and righting himself from the blast.

An entire swath of the Griffon ranks had disappeared, as if something had reached down and incinerated the line of warriors with a touch. Only ash remained to mark their passing, mingling with that of the forest fire’s.

That spell... Pensive’s voice vibrated in Novell’s head, aghast. Hippogryphs should not know it.

“Y-you recognize it?” Novell asked, dumbstruck by the destruction. Or, at least, he hoped he asked. He couldn’t hear his own voice over the ringing in his ears.

Evidently, the gist of his question must have carried through their link, as Pensive replied. Yes. Havoc spoke of it once...

Novell glanced up to look at the source of the blast, searching for the Havoc’s form in the Hippogryphs who had helped Tyr. None of them looked familiar, though shock was etched clearly on their beaks. Even Tyr seemed troubled by the devastation that he’d caused.

The Griffons were in disarray after the blast, some of them flying around confused while others stared dully at the place where their comrades had been. But the warriors weren’t confused for long, as some of them were already beginning to resume the fight. An edge of madness seemed to be coming over them, like the Hippogryphs had poked a stick at a hive of angry hornets.

Novell! Dart left! Pensive’s thought came.

Novell immediately obeyed, twitching to the left, his wings shooting him to the side.

A rush of air followed the shape of a Griffon that Novell had narrowly avoided being skewered by. Beak opening in surprised anger, the Griffon twisted in mid-air and slashed through the air toward him like an arrow. A sea of anger stormed in those eyes, all hints of intelligence banished in the wake of insanity.

Before the Griffon could rip through his frail form, a spark appeared below Novell and zipped upward. The ball slammed into the Griffon’s shoulder, sending the warrior spinning away with a pained squawk. It disappeared into the canopy, the crunch and rustle of branches and trees barely audible with Novell’s returning hearing.

We must hurry. It’s too dangerous to remain here.

Novell took one last look around the battlefield and cursed Havoc. I know. Find Havoc while I try to convince Tyr to leave.

A sense of annoyance permeated their bond, but Pensive simply remained silent.

Taking that as agreement, even if it was reluctant, Novell soared through the battle, careful to keep a tight grip on his friend. Below, the enemy forces returned to battle after the short lull, each side fighting with an insane fervor.

“Tyr!” Novell cried over the cacophony when he was close enough to the cloud the magical destruction had rained down from.

The massive Hippogryph looked to the side, the shock on his face now replaced by the stoic mask he’d worn back at the village. “What want, pony?”

Surprised that the Hippogryph could speak his language, Novell touched down on the cloud while Pensive cast a cloud-walking spell. The bouncy cushion of the cloud seemed at odds with all the death below.

“You need to retreat, back to the village,” Novell yelled, his eyes desperately searching for reason in the Hippogryph’s eyes. “You’re being used! You have to see it! How could you have known that spell otherwise?”

Guilt flashed across the Hippogryph’s features and his next words were almost hesitant. “Spell known. Ancient.”

“No. That’s not the truth, and you know it, somewhere inside of you,” Novell replied. “I saw you, after you cast it. You were shocked. And horrified.”

A manic tint came over Tyr’s eyes. “Speak careful, pony. Insults bad for you.”

Novell’s mouth twisted into a scowl and anger surged like a flame through his breast. “I’m trying to save you, featherbrain! Yavanth needs your help to stop this war.” He changed tacks, hoping Tyr’s military mind would work better with a white lie. “You can win against the Griffons. She has a weapon! A spell!”

The madness lessened. “Spell?”

“I don’t have time to explain this to you,” Novell growled and struck the cloud with a hoof. “Just retreat back to the village. It’s your only hope of winning this. In case you hadn’t noticed, you’re losing, even with your magic weapon.”

Tyr looked down at his forces engaged in battle, both in the sky and the air, and saw what he meant. The Hippogryphs were fewer than the Griffons, and did not fight as well at close quarters. Built for speed, the Griffons were able to close the gap and engage their enemy face to face, leaving little time for spells. What magic the Hippogryphs were able to cast weren’t enough for the opposite force’s sheer numbers.

“Are you going to retreat?” Novell prodded, impatiently glaring at the Hippogryph. “Do it now or lose the war. What would the rest of your race say of you as slaves of the Griffons should you fail to win?”

That finally tipped the scale. “Fine.” Tyr turned toward the other Hippogryphs uncomfortably shifting on the cloud and spoke a few terse words. They left without a word. Tyr followed a moment later, casting one last glance toward the pegasus that had so harshly argued.

Snorting, Novell shook his head. “Good. I’m leaving. Pensive?”

Havoc is directly below us, now, Novell. Pensive’s voice came. I can’t tell exactly where in all of the fighting, but he’s down there.

Looking down, and then wishing he hadn’t, Novell ground his teeth. None of the death-dealing forms below looked familiar, but something was stirring the Griffons up. It had to be Havoc.

“Time to dare the thunderstorm,” Novell whispered to himself. “Pensive. You ready?”

“I am,” Pensive replied with a nod, then cocked his head. “It will work.”

Novell flashed a grin he didn’t really feel. “Yeah, I know.”
.

Lifting the unicorn off the cloud, Novell tucked in his wings and angled down toward the maelstrom of magic flares and whirling steel.

Immediately an electric ball whipped past him, narrowly missing the edge of his left wing. Thrusting down with one wing, Novell rolled through the air in a move that would leave Whisper jealous, had she seen it. He gritted his teeth at the thought. She will see it, after all of this.

The ground drew closer, almost blotted out completely by the armored and armed Griffons, their wings tucked underneath metallic shields. Some held spears in their claws while others simply rush forward with the tools nature gave them.

A flare of magic corkscrewed through the formation, shocking the approaching Griffons and stunning them long enough for another spell cast by a different Hippogryph to end them. They worked together, backs to trees or one another, barely managing to keep their enemy at bay. Even that wasn’t enough in some cases and Novell noticed a female Hippogryph go down underneath a swarm of heavily armed legionnaires.

Where is he, Pensive? His eyes scanned the battlefield, looking for any out of the ordinary griffon.

Pensive lifted a hoof, eyes closed, and pointed at a particularly puny Griffon.

Novell drew his eyebrows down in disbelief. Had the unicorn mistaken his sense of Havoc?

That is him, Pensive replied to that thought with a flash of annoyance. He is as devious as he is powerful. What better way to be underestimated than to be the least threatening?

Maybe you’re right, Novell thought, sickened as he watched the small Griffon slice through two Hippogryphs with barely a blink. Blood coated both claw and beak and a look of almost sinister joy was visible even at a distance. Are you ready?

I do not believe anypony would be ready for this, Pensive thought blandly. But yes, I believe so.

Grunting with the exertion, Novell dashed toward Havoc.

Eerily, Havoc waved at them as they drew closer, a smile no beak could possibly make appearing on his face.

Welcome to the beauty of war, little pony, Havoc’s thoughts intruded on his with an exaltation bordering on insanity. Like what I did to your little foalfriend?

Novell froze mid-flight, images of Havoc’s claws raking Whisper’s wings appearing in his mind. An anguished cry tore through his soul as he watched her run, wounded and alone. Unreasoning rage ran red in his vision, his brain snapping at the images like a Diamond Dog at a gem.

“Havoc!” Novell yelled, rushing forward.

A mocking laugh rattled in his head, further fueling his anger. Novell rocketed through the air, intent on ramming Havoc straight into the ground, to pound his hooves into the chaotic god’s maniacal face and soothe the burning revenge searing his soul.

Havoc smile grew wider as he drew closer.

Novell!

The cry jolted him from his path, and he veered away just in time to avoid a skewering claw Havoc held out for him. Disappointment and anger clouded the unnatural Griffon’s face.

Crackling with power, Pensive let loose a blast of electric energy right into Havoc’s scowling face.

Havoc recoiled from the blow, his form wavering as lines of teal lightning fizzled around him. The masking shape he wore gave way to the hideous amalgamation of animal parts that comprised his body. It was just a moment, but it was enough. Havoc’s eyes burned with hatred as his Griffon guise reasserted itself.

Time to leave, Pensive said wryly in his mind.

Grunting in affirmation, Novell darted away just in time to avoid a lightning strike called down from the storming clouds. It struck the ground near Havoc, blasting dirt, Hippogryphs and Griffons alike into the air.

We definitely made him angry, Novell thought with the first real grin in days. Good.

What wasn’t good was the sudden feeling that he was flying through molasses. Eyes widening, the pegasus glanced around to see the very air around him writhing as if he were underwater. Even his breathing seemed labored and it was all he could to do stay in the air.

Of course, the rumbling roar of a lion combined with the screech of an eagle was more than enough spur him on.

A pang started in his side. It started slow, but then it grew, quickly, like the forest fires roaring around him. It encompassed him. He cried out, feeling his wings pull themselves to his sides to escape the pain.

Ground rushed toward him, though he could not see it. He anticipated the impact. Pain consumed him.

Then, just as he felt sure his insides were nothing but cinders, he was submerged in a rush of coolness. The flames hissed against the sudden intrusion, then stilled, frozen in tranquility. Where the blinding flash of pain once pierced his mind’s eye stood only ice underneath a titanic moon.

New sensations soothed his body, expanding his height and width. His wings felt as though they were being drawn out by the tide and lengthened, widened. The curious presence of a point on his forehead swirled with power, so unfamiliar and mystifying.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself flying once more, in a different part of the battlefield.

Hippogryphs retreated from their enemy, Griffons chasing as best they could, though they were delayed by fields of miasma that slowed their movements. Still they roared, their claws clutching toward the object of their hatred, pressing forth.

A few Hippogryphs nearby were not so lucky as their brethren and were swiftly overwhelmed by the army of fleet fliers.

Eyes flashing, the particular font of power on his forehead shone and an explosive concussion separated the two warring bands.

The Hippogryphs he had just saved seemed more surprised than the Griffons. Their eyes instantly found his, before nodding in thanks and retreating with the rest of their race.

Fatigue nipped at the edges of his mind as he turned away, moving away from...

Wait, where is Havoc?

Wait, where is my Originator?

The thoughts struck his mind simultaneously, stopping him mid-way through a dive. Confusion battled with explanation. He looked down at himself.

His fur was dark, as though it had been charred. With a flap of his massive wings, he looked around, the forest aflame and a haunting after-image hovering on the edge of his vision. The land burned, his hooves covered in obsidian, a long shard of dark bone jutting from his forehead. A beguiling voice...

“No!” Novell cried, his voice his own.

The ice that had consumed him retreated in the turmoil of his emotions, fading away into mist. His mind felt as if it were being split in twain, pulled apart by eager hooves. Something cracked.

Seconds later, Pensive appeared below him, unconscious, clutched in his forehooves.

Novell nearly dropped his friend, who was suddenly returned from weightlessness. He grunted, exhaustion dimming the edges of his vision. A tiredness like he had never known before seemed to cloak his body like a sinister sheet, inviting him to fall into its embrace.

There you are... Havoc’s voice whispered in his mind, jolting him awake. Your new tricks are amusing, but not even they are enough now, with all this war around me. Your home will burn, just like this forest. Your friends will be swept away, alone and forgotten, blaming you for their pointless deaths. Yet you resist still, attempting to stop the natural course. Just who do you think you are, Novell Light?

Glancing to the side, Novell noticed a small Griffon flying toward him with a manic grin. Two other Griffons formed up on Havoc’s flanks, their fur and feathers singed from an explosion. Fury burned in their eyes.

Cursing his luck, the pegasus flew in the direction the Hippogryph were retreating, adrenaline the only thing keeping his wings beating through the air.

Hope I’m far enough away to stay out of range of that spell, Novell thought with a grimace, remembering the experience of his internals aflame. That thought spurred him even faster.

Trees whipped by as he flew, not fast enough. He knew Havoc was gaining without even having to look back. It was like he could feel the presence of the dark god on his tail, snapping at his heels.

If only I could fly faster. Novell spared a glance down at the friend he carried in his arms. I could... drop him...

After all, it was Pensive’s fault he was in this mess. Pensive was the one who lead Novell to Havoc’s prison. Pensive was the one who betrayed him, nearly killing Whisper. Pensive was the one who trapped the twins, the one who froze the Professor in a block of ice. Pensive was just Havoc’s thought, not even a real pony. Just a facsimile, a fake. A burden.

Novell’s arms weakened. The world dulled around him. It would be easy. Then he could escape, lead Havoc into their trap and...

He could be with his friends, free from fear.

Novell let go.

*****

How come ya don’t have no cutie mark?

Well, there’s a reason for that...

You know, if you actually tried at something, maybe you could actually do it. All you do is quit if things get tough, even if you’re kinda good at it.

And your problem is you never quit!

Why do you cry?

Because everypony hates me, no matter what I do. All because of this stupid talent I’m supposed to have that I can’t ever find.

My deal is as such: In return for giving you the knowledge of your purpose in this world, I want you to find a way out of this prison for me.

You expect me to believe you know what I’m supposed to do when I don’t?

My special talent. I think I finally get a little bit of it. Understanding the possibilities and reaching out to make them happen - realizing potential.

And your cutie mark? You still don’t have one.

You’re right, but now I’m on the right path to finding it and it’s thanks to my friends I’ve gotten this far.

My friends...

Just who do you think are?

I know who I am.

*****

Sound and sight rushed back.

He reacted instantly, diving.

A glimmer of light shone from behind him, a pleasant thrill running through his body.

Novell caught Pensive with a renewed determination, as if the very act of saving his friend brought him strength. He worked the muscles in his wings in powerful beats to avoid the collision with the ground and shifted his wings to rush forward.

What? How could you... you dare! Havoc roared in his mind, frustration as clear as a night above the clouds.

Exultation carried Novell through the air, his wings beating triumphantly. A grin flashed across his face and giddiness overwhelmed him. I finally found it! I know what I’m supposed to do!

He saw the potential in others, in his friends, and through the bonds he formed with them, unleashed it. Friendship was everything he needed, everything he’d ever wanted. Friendship was more than the strength to carry on with others.

It was magic.

And that magic is exactly why Havoc won’t win, Novell thought fiercely, dodging a sudden fireball. It exploded against a tree near him, showering Griffons and retreating Hippogryphs alike with hissing embers.

Why are you running? Havoc hissed.

“Flying, actually!” Novell taunted, throwing the words behind him. “Keep up, Ice Tail!”

A meaningless series of phrases in a haunting language raged in his mind. Novell grinned.

The smile proved short lived.

Just like before, the sensation of an ember being dropped in his guts nearly overwhelmed him. It burst quickly, the air around him thick. His vision blurred. Agony coursed through him.

The screech of Hippogryphs interrupted the pain and a sense of confused outrage came from Havoc’s direction. Novell spared a glance back to see Havoc pinned between two Hippogryphs. Blazing with light, their horns struck the false Griffon with blasts of electricity.

Havoc fell back from the assault, his foreclaws held out in front of him. Seconds later, the two Hippogryphs were blown away, into the air. They tumbled out of control, arcing toward the forest.

Before Novell could react to try and save them somehow, they righted themselves. He gaped at them, surprised they were still able to fly after being blasted by Havoc’s spell.

Their sharp eyes found his, and they nodded, darting into the forest and disappearing.

Now I know what the Griffons mean about battling beside others, Novell thought, amazed that the two had decided to repay the help he had offered earlier. Him, a total stranger. A tingle came from his flank and a smile returned to his face.

Though he itched to glance down at his flanks, Novell simply didn’t have the time. Instead, he dived into the woods like the hippogryphs had. Havoc would still find him there, but at least he’d have time to get further ahead.

Shuffling Pensive into an easier position to carry, he flew toward the end.

*****

Yavanth and the Professor better be ready.

Breathing hard, and with his newfound strength waning the further he flew, Novell made it to the rendezvous. He burst through the trees to see hundreds of Hippogryphs scattered in pockets throughout the clearing. His eyes scanned the crowds, looking for the Professor’s distinctive coat.

“Over here! Novell!” Scrolls called out.

With relief washing through him, he flapped tiredly toward his friends. Scrolls helped him set Pensive down before he was able to land next to the Professor, who was busy talking quietly with Yavanth.

Novell drew in a deep breath before he tapped the Search on the shoulder. “Professor?”

The unicorn whirled around, his glasses askew. “My boy! You’re back!” His eyes widened. “Is Havoc here?”

He shook his head and winced against the pang in his side. “No. But he’s close. Really, really close. Are you ready?”

The Professor glanced around at the assembled Hippogryphs. “Well... maybe.”

His stomach dropped. “What do you mean, ‘maybe’? He’s almost here!”

Yavanth strode forward to lay a claw on his shoulder, her eyes worried. “We don’t have as many of my race here as I would like. The mention of the Warden and Tyr’s reinforcements helped, but there... might not be enough of us.”

Fluttering wings nearly gave Novel a heart attack, but when he turned, it was only Tyr who joined him. Cuts and slashes bled in the places the armor did not cover, but the massive Hippogryph seemed to be fine otherwise. He spoke to Yavanth in their language, his tone clipped and hurried.

The slight tightening around Yavanth’s eyes did not bode well. “Tyr says the Griffons are nearly upon us. They are barely holding them back. Apparently there is a small Griffon able to cast spells...”

“Havoc,” Novell answered. “That’s how he’s been doing all of this, manipulating both of your races against each other. Shifting forms and conniving, worming his way into your trust...” He took another breath. “I think the Staff of Will’s gem is how he’s able to do it. It was a piece of his power and the Matriarch no longer had it on her staff. Since the only way to receive the Staff and its gem is for it to be given away, I think the Matriarch has been manipulated as well, whatever her goals.”

Yavanth sighed and cast a look about the clearing where Hippogryphs of all ages and genders huddled in groups. “Then you would ask us to spare her and the rest of the Griffons after this is done, then?”

Novell nodded. “Yes. Havoc is at fault here. He should take the blame, not you or the Griffons.”

“No,” Tyr said, drawing their gaze. “We fight.”

Yavanth looked up at the massive Hippogryph, a flat stare appearing in her eyes. Tyr winced against that glare, shuffling uncomfortably.

“We will do as this pegasus says,” Yavanth stated with finality. “The philosophy the ponies have is one we should adopt. Peace is far better than war, my mate.”

Tyr’s beak clicked together and a strange croon drifted out that Novell now recognized as laughter. “Very well. I go, gather others, bring here.”

Yavanth drew closer to Tyr and whispered something in their language before the huge Hippogryph flapped off. Her scarf eddying in the wind, Yavanth turned back toward the ponies.

“It is time I take my place. I wish us all luck,” she murmured the last.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” Scrolls asked sarcastically, a confident smile on his face. “This plan will work.”

“I hope so.” Nodding her head, the hippogryph flew off, leaving the ponies alone.

Novell glanced at his friends. Pensive was laying next to Scrolls, while Rez stood with the Professor. They all looked to him, the worry they no doubt felt drowned out by their bonds.

“Well, I guess this is it,” Novell said jokingly, the sounds of battle just beyond the forest’s edge. “Off we go.”

“Off we go,” Professor Search echoed, a slight smile on his face. It faltered. “My boy... it’s been... wonderful.” The old unicorn paused, seeming at a loss for words. Finally, he sighed and the smile returned. “Thank you.”

He turned and left, Rez at his heels. The Hippogryph waved, a fierce look in his eye. Novell knew the look was the want to protect his home and friends, just like how he knew that he was counted among that group.

“Well, just us, now,” Scrolls cheerfully said, gesturing at the forest’s edge. “That looks like the last of the rearguard now. See Havoc anywhere?”

Hippogryphs were streaming through the treeline, the dull glare of fire filling the dark expanse of wood behind them. Battle cries and screams joined the retreat. Novell saw Tyr looming above the trees, his dark form directing Hippogryphs to various positions.

“No,” Novell said honestly, his eyes glued to the forest. He could feel a pulsing darkness just unseen. “But he’s nearly here.”

Scrolls looked over to him with a bored expression and buffed his hoof on his chest. “Angry, I hope?”

“Last time I saw him.” Novell glanced at the other pony curiously. “You seem calm.”

“Scared to death, actually,” Scrolls replied frankly, letting a grimace show. “But there’s nothing left for you and I to do but wait.”

A burst of energy exploded at the edge of the clearing, trees and boulders flying into the air from the devastating blow. Ember and ashes rained down, acrid and choking. Hippogryphs caught in the blast fell, landing and rolling to a stop.

Through the breach roared Havoc.

Now showing himself truly, the god of chaos swung his fists into the ground, causing tremors that shook the entire area. Each raging cry expelled an icy mist that froze enemy and foe alike. His tail swept back and forth, felling any trees or Griffons or Hippogryphs with the giant hunk of ice encasing the end of it.

“Where are you, Novell Light? Where did you scurry to with that traitorous thought of mine?” Havoc bellowed from the other end of the clearing, nearly as tall as the trees around him.

Despite his exhaustion, Novell jumped into the air, his wings checking his fall. He rose until he was several heads higher than the crowds of Hippogryphs all arranged in a circle. His white fur stood stark against the green and browns of the forest behind him.

Havoc’s eyes found him easily and a feral snarl lit his face. The breastplate he wore was filmed with molten sweat, the metal moving with each breath as if it were alive. Those terrible, obsidian claws pointed at him as Havoc turned to the Griffons behind him, cackling like a madpony. The Griffons stopped, unsure, like hounds at their master’s heel, letting the last Hippogryphs disengage and take their places.

Silence, save for the forest crackling flames, filled the air.

“There he is! I found him, no thanks to you useless chaff!” Havoc laughed, wiping a tear from his eyes. When he recovered from his fit, the god of devastation looked up at him with a wink, shrinking back to his normal size. “You know, that little trick of yours really, really hurt. Pain! Me! The incarnation of agony and destruction! Very good work!”

Havoc strode forward as if nothing were amiss, his tail the only indication of the burning hatred buried underneath that smiling mask. “Surprised me, that’s for sure! Didn’t think you had it in you! Not some pony like you, weak and...” he stopped, leaned back and whistled. “Well, that’s interesting. So you found it out yourself.” After a moment of staring at Novell’s unblinking glare, he waved magnanimously. “Well, go on, you earned a look before I kill you and your friends.”

Novell spared no more than a glance at his flank, but even that was enough to fill him with pride. Two feathers, one orange, the other white, crossed each other. Birds of a feather.

When he looked back up, Havoc was right in front of him, a cruel smile on his brutish lips. “Time’s up, my little pony.”

Moving faster than the swiftest Wonderbolt, Havoc’s claw shot out and grabbed him around the middle, squeezing slowly. Gasping, Novell stared wide-eyed at his sudden captor.

Havoc returned his gaze with slight amusement before looking back at the circle of Hippogryphs, who were frozen as if in ice. “What? You didn’t think I’d recognize that spell? The one that trapped me for centuries?”

A squeal of air escaping his lungs was Novell’s only reply.

Sighing theatrically, Havoc waved a hand. “Honestly, I thought you were smarter—”

The god of chaos grunted. A field of teal surrounded his hand, loosening the grip.

“Huh.” Havoc looked around before spying the source of the disturbance. “Ah, Pensive, my dear, errant thought! How nice, we’re all here together. Absolutely lovely.”

Within a blink of an eye, they were suddenly beside Pensive. Havoc reached down and picked the unicorn up with a frown, looking between his two captives.

“Hmm. I saw you two fuse back there in the woods. You actually looked regal.” Havoc tapped his lip with Pensive’s horn, as if in thought. “I might actually keep you two, even with all the grief you’ve caused me.”

A droning sound started in the distance.

Havoc nodded his head and pursed his lips. “Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. You’ll be my slaves. Keep the majority of my shapeshifting, if you want, as long as you use it for me. Just need to wipe your minds and make you my thralls, but you two should be pretty good as my minions.”

Haunting images of Equestria burning jumped unbidden to Novell’s mind. Dark hooves, covered in obsidian...

The drone transformed into a hum.

“As for these Hippogryphs,” Havoc continued boredly, turning toward them. “I’ll let the Griffons have them. They’ve been waiting so patiently, after all.”

Novell tried to turn his head, attempting to look toward the source of the familiar humming sound. Now it was loud enough to be a thrum, like massive turbines shearing through the air to keep a certain ship afloat.

Suddenly, a whistling sound started.

Havoc turned, allowing Novell to see help arrive.

The Southern Belle steamed toward them, listing badly to the side, pegasus crews flapping around the airship like a pack of clouds escorting a thunderstorm.

However, it was the plummeting barrel that drew Havoc’s attention.

Novell closed his eyes just before it hit the ground.

“What—”

Havoc’s words were lost as the keg exploded with all the force of nature’s wrath.

Thunder screeched through the air in a clap loud enough to feel the air ripple on his wings. The world went as silent as the grave and even through his eyelids, light blinded him. Havoc’s grip on him loosened in surprise. It wasn’t enough to get out himself, but...

Pensive, teleport us away, while he’s distracted! Novell thought as fast as he could.

Only silence returned his request.

That was when he noticed the familiar, cold link he shared with Pensive was no longer there. Panic raced through him.

What was going on?

Suddenly he felt the grip around his middle disappear. His hooves touched solid ground. Just as he opened his eyes, another keg fell to the earth in a blinding flash, but not before he witnessed the Hippogryphs in motion, their antlers shining with magical energy.

Novell winced away, confused.

The touch of a hoof on his shoulder was a comfort, but with his eyes useless, he had no idea who it was.

Where am I?

An insane laugh pierced his brain.

You were so close. So close. The image of Havoc reaching for him appeared behind Novell’s closed eyes. But that bumbling Professor made a mistake!

No, Novell thought wildly as the pony behind him attempted to pull him away. The Professor couldn’t have... he studied it!

Again that manic cackle came. Oh, he got the mechanics right! But as long as I have someone from this plane... I can’t be banished! Not with this pathetic amount of magic your “friends” control.

And I’ve.

Got.

You.

He felt a claw wrap around his hoof. Felt his body stretch like taffy. Felt a cold rush as something impacted him from the side.

Most keenly of all, Novell felt his failure.

So close...

Comments

[Sgt Grub]

Incoming Fan Tears in T-3
...2
...
Now

[Ficta_Scriptor]

Not another cliffhanger! You tease us so!

So that was epic. And awesome. And... Damn it! I want to know more! More!

[djthomp]

Whoops, took me a day to get to this, but once I started reading the update wild ponies couldn't have dragged me away.

So, living Whisper, but abducted Novel?

[Luminous Lead]

That whole fight was really well done! Birds of a Feather, huh? That's... I can't really say I saw that coming. Works, though, in retrospect.