> Militis Corde
>  by Sanguine Eyes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1:  Perierat
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


	



Perierat


He blinked. His talons rose into his vision as his sharp eyes looked them over. His eyes quickly darted over his body. "Griffon…?" His beak felt strange, even foreign on his face as it moved about with his speech. His muscles were conditioned and taut, even if his joints were a touch achy. Upon closer inspection he could see dozens of small scars over his body, expertly healed from old wounds. His feathers hung heavy, wet with something that was not water; a strange cold fluid stuck to him, stuck to his whole body as if he had been submerged in the substance. His soft gray fur turned dark under the eerily cold and almost despairing feel of this liquid. It did not take him long to simply look behind him. Just a stone's throw to his rear, he saw a hole carved in the old limestone ruin, with wet tracks leading out of it all the way to his current position, literally just a few steps from the hole to where he currently stood.

        Every talon-laid limestone slab must have been masterfully set in this ancient place thousands of years ago, every wall and every stone perfectly sat flush and was flawlessly clean. It had to be a temple of some sort. The centerpiece of the room appeared to be the hole now stared at, within the hole was a bubbling swirling well. The closer he got, the more he could feel a strangely familiar coldness. Something told him he knew the feeling well but could not place it, it scared him in an unnatural way. Clearly the hole was very dangerous, he just did not know why. In his mind he searched for the name of this place, though nothing came. he blinked, a small level of worry began to bubbled up inside him, not only did his mind not hold no name for the place, it held little else.

        He thought hard; his mind churned and blazed back, trying to recall anything. Sensations touched his mind and tickled his feelings, but he could not remember how he even got into the room, much less what his name was, this of course should have caused him a great deal of fear and confusion; instead he just seemed mildly confused and calm, whoever he was, he was not easily panicked. He ran his talons through his fur and feathers, and he  discovered that was not entirely naked. He had some armor. Very light, skirmisher or ceremonial. Quite suddenly he cringed in pain from something he did not see or understand. It simply felt like something simultaneously ice-cold and blazingly hot was sliding like a blade into his brain, so intense it brought him to his knees. A thick layer of dust stuck to his wet feathers, and he groaned. The pain was great, but he did his best to shoulder it and steady himself. Breathing deeply and clenching his beak tightly he distracted himself away from the pain and he quickly recognized the military possibilities of his attire, feeling very pleased with himself for pulling something out of his empty mind. Pushing himself upright, he rubbed his head. "At least there is something in there..."

        He yanked off a piece of the armor and peered over it to see the words Mors est  haereticis engraved deep into the enchanted metal. His mind instantly recognized the writing but refused to let him in on it. It was like a tantalizing hunk of knowledge before him; the answer was at the tip of his tongue, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing would make it come out. It was not just the translation, but the name of the language, why it was on the armor, who the armor belonged to. It was not a far stretch to assume that he was a member of a military order of some sort. His mind poked and prodded at the idea as he fitted the piece back onto his armor. He paused for a moment looking closer and found that his body was very fit, more so than a normal soldier, not to mention the scars and the calluses on his talons.  He clearly had been using his talons for something over a very long period of time, handled tools, or weapons. But he felt certain he was not a gardner. 

        He whipped his tail back and forth before pouncing on it for inspection. There were several bands tightly wrapped about it in various places. It was unclear whether it was ritualistic, fashion, or some sort of ineffective-looking armor, but it looked like it might be a part of the full armor set. He let his tail go and looked about again. But again without warning he cringed in terrible pain, letting out a pained yelp and stumbling forward to the wall for support. His eyes clenched shut. Opening them, he felt blood spattered across his face and about his body, a blade in his talons plunging into the heart of a draconequus cradling a child. A feminine face twisted in horror and pain trying to keep her infant from him and from the blade. His eyes snapped open again to see he had not made it to the wall. Struggling upright, he lost the contents of his stomach and staggered back. He hoped to whatever deity was listening that what he saw was some sick joke, or a deception. It wrenched at his guts and caused more pain than he could handle. His mind was on fire with emotions which were too much pain for him to just shrug off, but strangely fear was very mild, what dominated his senses was disgust, disgust against those dying in his visions. He began to suspect he was not a very kind individual.

        "What the bloody Tartarus?!" He shivered, then smashed his balled talons into the wall. His joints popped and creaked, the pain helped him focus his mind away from the memory. His breathing was ragged and his heart was beating out of his chest. He stood, forcing his body to remain still and not shiver. His throat threatened to seized, but by sheer willpower he steadied his breathing. He was just starting to get it settled when he blinked and everything went to darkness once again. His whole reality he was so sure he had a hold on was gone again.

        "Your breathing, boy! STEADY IT!"  A one-eyed griffon glared at him angrily. Though no matter how hard he stared at the old one, he could not see the all of the old griffon’s face, he could only feel the pain in his little limbs, see the raised welts from being beaten with the training swords over his young body. He could feel it, he was young, so young that he had only just learned to fly. And now he was learning to fight as was proper. "The clans need warriors, boy! I fought in my first skirmish by your age, will you be a warrior, or just another milk drinker?" His sharp yells were quickly drowned out by another memory sneaking up and into his mind. He could see the old griffon, a broken blade lodged in his neck. His last words gurgled through the blood drowning his lungs. "That's my boy!" Then death with a smile, an authentic smile. The image brought him a twinge of pain but overwhelming pride with an ounce of sorrow. This old bird was someone very important to him, but he died with joy in his heart just like the blade in his throat and he was somehow ok with the old bird passing.

        The memory shattered and he regained his awareness as the olive wood doors at the very far end of the room, burst open, practically tearing off their ancient hinges. Two griffons soldiers strode in, clad beak to claw in heavy steel armor; these bulky combatants quickly spotted him. One stepped forward with a what looked like a relieved smile. The other, however, shot a taloned grip out and halted the first. His head shook firmly from side to side and he looked back at the lost griffon. Without a word, the guard tapped his poleaxe on the ground twice and waited. The two guards were staring at him, this was some sort of challenge, a code, but he had no idea what how to respond, what the return call sign was. With his failure to respond the hope-filled smile on the first guard vanished, and the other leveled his weapon at the memoryless  griffon.

        His eyes widened, seeing the bladed weapon aimed at him. The first of the soldiers began his charge with martial precision. Their choice of actions made his mind buzz, the sign before waiting for the countersign, then instant violence, he now knew he was somehow acquainted to these griffons. But they somehow knew he did not belong, apparently they were not interested in talking it out and giving him the help he needed. The first weapon swung, and something tickled the fringes of his mind, as if a voice spoke, but through feeling. Not words, but the base instincts that occur to feed the mind and trigger words. Ternin swings too wide, step into his reach and counter.

        He moved quickly, stepping into the blow before raising his talons to counter the swing by striking the guard’s elbow safely inside of the reach of the poleaxe. A balled up mass of talons smashed into the guard's throat as he whipped his tail about behind the guard’s hind legs at floor level, grasping the end of of the tail in his talons the amnesiac griffon dashed forward, yanking the stunned guard's paws from under him and meeting the second guard half way. Within the talons of the second and younger guard was a white war pick. It looked like it was carved from bone and weighed down or reinforced with metal. He struggled with the word for the weapon in his other hand but settled on “tonfa”. The setup was designed for speedy combos and a quick finisher, he wasn't really set up for such a battle, but the fragmented impulses told him what to do. Metyr is young, new; his mettle has not been truly tested. He will be easy to scare off. His wings opened in a sudden flash as he let his armor catch the pick as it hacked downward at him, sinking in but not doing much to his actual body beside giving it a small bruise. He swung his left arm to block the incoming tanfa as his right set of talons found a void in the armor of his foe, plunging in and tearing shallow wounds in the young guard's chest. He could see the look on the boy’s face. The youth was filled with terror by the sight of his own blood, not realizing the wound was so minor and just messy he began to panic and fell back, dropping his weapons and trying to apply pressure on his wounds. The moment the blood trailed back flicking off his withdrawing talons the griffon's mind exploded once more into his illusions. Screams filled his ears, the images flashed before his eyes. Not soldiers, but children, and women. Mares, fillies and colts, hatchlings and more. Things that could not fight back, soaked in blood against stone and cold steel. By reflex, he turned and his wings blurred with speed as he did his best to flee. 
        
        His momentum came to a sudden halt when a barbed knife plunged into his back and a wire pulled taut. As if harpooned, he was now being held in place by the first guard, who had only just came back to his paws. The guard was ready to give the stringed weapon a firm yank when a new emotion flooded the lost and confused griffon. Contempt, this filth was beneath him. He made a sudden savage slash of his talons through the air, given the distance between them he could not quite make out why he had chosen to perform this action. Nevertheless, even more surprisingly, sickly black flames shot out and coated the floor and walls, quickly eating through the wire enough for him to be free once again. The power within felt good. It was pure domination, setting things right. He was in charge, they were right to fear him. 

Coughing and wincing at the pains within him, he realized that he had just done magic and clarity came back to him. He was not very confident in his memory, but something told him that griffons were not supposed to be capable of magic, and the way this dark magic clung to his body, like ink or runny tar, felt filthy. Just as fast as he had whipped about to take action, he turned again and took flight. Blasting off into the air, his wings beat in full heavy thrusts despite the blade in his back. Once in the air his eyes darted about in a panic picking out the exterior of some sort of old castle and even various griffons on the ground, many looked up and pointed as if they were asking if they had permission to engage. He picked up the pace before feeling the pain in from the blade, he reached back and yanked it out but elected to keep the blade. Sliding it beneath one of the many belts over his body he continued forward. 

Loosening his armor he was tempted to ditch it but instead he just focused on putting as much distance as possible between himself and the strange ruin. He was still relatively calm, which surprised and concerned him. Who was he that he was not disturbed by this? Who was he that he felt pride in those nightmare images?  Who was he that he could look at something identical to him in race and feel they were beneath him? Whoever he was, this griffon was not pleased with learning about himself.
        
        His wings carried him as fast as he could go as his mind waged war within itself, trying to figure out what was going on Thinking back to the other Griffons, he felt unsafe and refused to land. He despite how capable he seemed, he was pretty beat up and more than a little confused, any further griffon hostility was a mistake to welcome. So landing anywhere nearby was probably a mistake as he was likely to be the target of more attacks. As such, he continued blazing his trail through the sky even when he noticed that there was water beneath him instead of land. He continued, following the sun and refusing to let his body slow. The wound in his back ached, and he still could not remember a single thing other than the events of the past hours. Those few moments were burned into his mind like a brand, and he poured himself over every last detail, trying to figure out everything he lacked.

        Hours passed, and he came to notice that the sun was setting, he continued west and did not look back. He barely managed to close his eyes and was rather surprised to drift off before waking up in near fits of fear. He was getting some rest, but his body burned and no matter how much sleep on the wind he got, he still couldn't seem to feel rested.

He felt like had been going for ages, the clouds blocked almost everything so with his perception it could have been hours or days. Looking down through a crack in the clouds, he could vaguely see land below him.  Even his excessively physically fit body was starting to reach end of its natural ability. Even without the wound and confusion or internal distress, he would have been close to simply passing out due to exhaustion, it was already a miracle he had made it this far. His fur was clotted and matted with dried blood seeping from his wound, his wings felt like they were on fire, his eyelids felt like they were made of lead. He was more than just tired. This was utter exhaustion. He didn’t have the power to fight it anymore, and to make it worse, the crosswinds that had held him aloft while he closed his eyes all but vanished. A sudden air pocket let him slip and drop through the clouds, he tried to catch himself but his wings buckled and he entered free fall. Even if he had the mental strength to continue on, his physical stamina was depleted. His body would no longer listen to any commands, and he was already already losing consciousness in the air. 

        The wind whistled past his head, but he did not notice or care. His ears popped at the rapid loss of altitude, but he was not awake to feel the discomfort. His body rocketed downward, toppling through the air as he plummeted. His eyes opened to narrow slits, just in time to witness a large blur zooming quickly up to him, but just as fast he slipped back into unconsciousness as the blur of a crystal castle zoomed up to meet him.
> Chapter 2: Expergiscere
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Expergiscere


The images swirled around within the utter abyss, unrelenting as the time pounded on. Every moment passed with horrors and despair eating away at him. He had waded through blood for what felt like years, the smell of it in his nostrils, the taste under his tongue, the feel between his talons. But nothing was as bad as the bodies. Thousands of innocents, whether they were mothers or fathers, or children; they all lay out butchered and hacked to pieces, rotting and decaying without graves. He shivered and retched, struggling to escape the blood, but it kept rising up like a sentient flood. His mind panicked and his beak opened to scream, but ten voices cried out, some in anger, some in pain, some in despair, some in pride.

For what felt like years he traversed this place, seeing faces he swore he knew but could not speak the names of, running from pain, feeling the sensation of his weapons sinking into flesh, hearing the screams of those who could not fight back. But suddenly the howls of a thousands souls rumbled as something else erupted into his nightmares. It was light, yet it was dark. A soft, sleepy blue wisp flowed through the darkness. The scent of lavender and other more painful aromas touched his nose even through the thick scent of blood. It was somehow soothing, but the sweet nectar scent hanging in the air caused a whole new set of terror that boiled up from within him. 

'You failed! You failed and now it's gone, you have nothing!' The voice was in utter rage and disgust, but what made it worse was that it was his own.The stronger the scent, the louder the raging voice. Other than invoking the inconceivable rage of whatever demons lived in this hell, the scent wafted and called to him like a divine presence reaching out to him, promising salvation he was clearly unworthy of.  Though for every single inch the sensation crept forward, guilt tore his body more and more to pieces. It was majestic and the very essence of grace and beauty, but feeling its mere presence made his mind demand the end of his life. It was a grace he did not deserve, a grace that he should never even be considered for. But most of all, it was a grace that utterly consumed him with complete and utter shame.

His shivering body gave into the demands of his mind, he crumpled and he gave up. It was too much and now he desired only release from the pain and endless despair. He stopped struggling and the blood rose up to swallow him, the talons and hooves of the dead gripping him and pulling his body under. He could see the swirling wisp gracefully swooping about as the blood soaked into his feathers and pulled him in further, pooling over his eyes and then beyond. He was completely submerged, the screams seemed so distant, the pain in his body so earned. He let his breath out, hearing it bubble under the thick crimson sea. He stirred when he felt a touch of pressure within the sanguine flood, the sudden sensation told him something out there had been impacted and the surface of the blood penetrating deep with great force. Something harshly grabbed him and forced him to the surface. For a moment he thought it was just the horrors not quite done making him suffer. However, when he surfaced the blue wisp pulled him in and things became dull, like he was looking through dirty glass pane, he could not focus. But the more time he spent staring at the changing world around him, the more he understood that it was always like this. It wasn't changing, he was simply becoming aware of the truth.

He reached out to with his talons to the wisp as if to feel the soft silky touch of its deep sky blue tendrils. He hesitated, knowing he didn't deserve it, but clenching his eyes, he pushed forward. It was like touching the stars themselves. A rush of mystic playful attention, like his troubles fading. But there was effort behind it, as if the little wisp was trying to hide his pain rather than erase it.

His attention shattered and the world began to crumble.  He could feel his heart racing in his chest and pain erupted in his body that sent him reeling ,he could hardly breath and the familiar tension of stitches pulling at his flesh made things more clear. He felt vulnerable and small, panic swept up into him and his mind screamed the danger to him. 'You are in danger! There is something looming over you.'

His eyes snapped open and he screamed so loud that his throat began to trickle blood. His talons shot forward and seized the first thing they touched in front of him, trying to squeeze the life out of it, trying to protect himself from the darkness, he didn't want to go back, he didn't want to feel the pain anymore. 

The figure his talons had wrapped around reacted very quickly, almost expertly. As if his talons were covered in soap, his grip slipped, letting the figure he had grabbed dart back out of reach. The tingle of magic told him this was a defensive and magical counter. Still, his talons left long marks that instantly began to seep red as they raked across flesh. His mind lit ablaze with reflexive patterns. 'Magical enemy, loud noises, flashes of pain, anything to break their focus. If racial magic, destroy the focus of their power, if artifact, separate them, if learned magic, keep them from speaking of performing incantations.' But suddenly, something froze him in place and struck him with despair enough for him he was back under the blood wrapped in the hooves and talons of the dead. The sound of the screams, they were fright and fear, but again, they were young. Not soldiers or beasts on the battlefield, they were the voices of the young, voices of children, the voices of sisters and daughters.

Wrought with shame, guilt, and internal pains, he did not resist as what he figured was a magical power lashing out in his moment of hesitation, seizing him and forcing him back with tremendous power. Even when he felt very obviously broken bones that had just barely began to set re-break and stir his flesh, he submitted, it was far better to die than to hear those screams again. He felt stitches pop and joints crackle as a dark blue pony stared at him gasping for air. Her horn flared in a panicked spell that was unusually strong, her wings flared out and gave a few beats before they folded again almost signifying her calming focus, regaining her composure.

"Calm down everypony... he’s alright, that was just a reaction. He was just very scared, his nightmare was rather... intense." The dark blue pony paused for a moment before she released him, but the sound of armor hastily clanking told him that next time it might be a spear through his chest and not a firm magical manhandling.

"Your Majesty! We heard a struggle are you alright?" His eyes were only open to vague slits to observe the world around him as his labored breathing and severe headache made everything sound dull over the constant ring in his ears.All he could see was the shine of heavy polished armor and glint of polished melee weapons.

Her voice was almost aggravated as she regarded them firmly. "Yes, I am fine. Return to the hallway..." The sound of armored ponies moved back through the door and he opened his eyes as wide as he could to let the pony know that he was indeed awake. The swelling and pain made the effort not so successful, but she did take notice.

"I am sorry..." His voice was raspy and half gurgled by what he could only guess was blood in his throat and judging by the pain in his chest, a broken rib... or ten. His body was on fire with pain, but somehow just looking into the eyes of the mare he almost killed out of reflex was more painful than the shattered bones grinding against each other and tearing at his flesh.

Her eyes reflexively closed as her head bowed slightly, almost as a noble gesture. "It is alright, I will survive. And after seeing what you have going on in that head of yours, I don't quite blame you for that reaction. Just stay calm and I won't have to put you down again."

He did his best to nod before suffering through the pain of tilting his head in either direction to notice there was six other colorful ponies and a Zebra in the room. He could not bring himself to look them in the eyes; every time he strayed close to doing so, he saw the empty, dead eyes of those back in the sea of blood. Cringing, he broke into a shiver again. The dark blue one quickly noticed and spoke.

"Calm down, it’s ok... you are safe. Just tell me, what is your name?" She took her time to lean in, carefully looking deep into his eyes. She could feel the massive level of malice within him, but she also sensed it was not his own. So long as the griffon in front of her was who she was talking to, she was confident she was safe.

"...I... I don't know." His mind raced back as panic began to spread through him again. He worked hard trying to grasp anything he could that would serve as his own identity, but nothing came up. "T..Tyr..in. Tyrin." Two seconds passed, and he kicked himself, realizing that it was a reflexive combination of the names he heard in his head from the two griffons that tried to kill him. Whatever it sounds griffon enough.

"Tyrin? That doesn't sound like a griffon name." His eyes focused and picked up the one talking, a pegasus with a cyan blue coat and mane of vibrant rainbow colors. Her voice sounded confident and almost arrogant, though her body language showed that she was still plenty frightened by what had just happened. But he could smell a fighting spirit in her. She was startled, but she could not afford to be scared. As if it was more important to her that the others knew she was strong enough not to be afraid. It was strangely relatable. 

He did his best to reach out with his weak voice. "I was hoping it would sound griffon. I don't know what my name really is." He tried to keep track of all the movement in the room, He didn't quite know why but it felt like something he had to do, but one pony in the room was a nightmare to try and track. The fuzzy pink mane bounced like jello every time she moved, which was constantly. It would have hurt watching her bounce around even if he wasn't in such a horrible condition already.

"Oh oh oh! Ask him about the ink!" The pink pony shouted as she bounced about. An orange pony casually moved a hoof over the pink one's head as if to hold her still.

"Calm down there, sugar cube, let the griffon rest. He don't have to go through everything at once." She stepped back and stretched her legs before backing through a pair of curtains he seemed to recognize.

"I am in a hospital?" The conclusion was a little odd to him, it looked like something he should not recognize, but at the same time, it was clear and obvious to him.

Another voice chimed in, thick with concern. "That is kinda where you go when you fall five thousand feet and break half the bones in your body, even if somepony broke your fall." Her voice sounded clear and easy to follow, like a teacher, well informed or more likely very well educated.

"I fell on a pony?" The all too familiar pang of guilt shot through him yet again.

The other side of the curtains groaned in a pained deep bass voice. "Eeeyup!"

He looked to the curtains and rasped out, "I am sorry, are you okay?"

The voice moaned again with a cough and a loud pop. "Nope!"

"Oh, you shush and stop squirmin’ ya hear?" He could make out the orange pony's hoof falls, but it mixed with somepony else, much slower and weaker.

"So you just have amnesia? Darling, that sounds just dreadful." The sound of a white unicorn's voice made him twitch. Something about the cultured flare drove some anger to the surface. But he kept it in check. He couldn't figure why he would be angry at it, but like everything else, he would figure it out later.

"I honestly have no idea. Chances are, you know more about me and what is going on than I do." He picked out another form in the room, a yellow pony who shook and shivered with fear. Just looking in her general direction was like being stabbed in the chest with a dull blade. He wanted to speak to her, to apologize and promise he would not hurt her, but looking at her trembling form triggered the memories which felt like fire in his mind and cold sludge in his belly. The others did not seem too concerned; he moved to the conclusion that she was just excessively sensitive and very faint of heart, and her friends were just very used to it. He still made a note to find her and apologize to her later.

"Calm down now... do you by any chance notice or feel anything... strange?" The tall dark blue one inched closer to listen to his weak voice.

"Strange ho..." The memory of his swipe at the wire that had kept him in place played back in his mind. The image of the blazing black flames licking across the air. He swallowed and shivered lightly, trying to clear his mind. "Strange how?"

She looked at him with raised eyebrows and then back at the purple one, who nodded. The blue one raised a mirror for him to see. Other than dark contusions and cracks in his beak accompanied by stitches and swelling which helped explain his severe pain, there was also something else. It looked like runny tar had flowed from his eyes like a fountain, staining his fur. "You have been crying this black ink out ever since you landed on Big Mac." The purple one’s tone was thick with curiosity and caution. She clearly thought it was dangerous, yet was utterly intoxicated with the aspect of something she did not know. Curiosity killed the cat, child; watch your step.

He was more surprised that he was not surprised by the fact that he was crying darkness while he slept. "It's new to me, but I do know something odd. I am not quite clear on how things are supposed to work, but..." He paused and swallowed painfully remembering the fire matching in color to his inky tears. "...are griffons supposed to be able to do magic?"

The blue one looked very surprised as the purple one had a face of pure joy and excitement. "That is not normal at all, but I am assuming you are asking because you can? Can you show me please?" The purple one's excited smile was almost unnerving.

"I don't know if I can, but I know I did. I shot black flames out of my talons" He raised his arm and looked at the now rather limp set of talons that were once menacing. However, they now just hung loose in a broken splint. He assumed the limb rebroke when he woke up.

"Enough for now... Twilight, you and your friends go back to the castle. I thank you for calling me for this, had you not, then he would have died. But he needs his rest, go on home." There was a few groans but one by one the ponies began to leave, then the zebra, speaking  in hushed tones the zebra conversed with the dark blue pony. He could just make out the rise and fall of her tones that suggested she was speaking in a rhythm or rhyme. A few moments later the orange pony came out again and left with the zebra just after she gathered up her primitive looking bottles and jars. The dark blue pony nodded to him, magically toning down the lights. "Good night, Tyrin..."

He relaxed, closing his eyes, but his mind troubled him. As if by impulse his beak opened and he spoke. "Selenicereus grandiflorus..."

She flinched and looked back at him. She knew what it meant, but seemed surprised that he had said it. "Wha…?"

"The desert moon flower; rare, beautiful, smells kinda like vanilla... it’s your perfume; it’s beautiful. But... please do not wear it next time. Forgive my rudeness... I don't know why, but it hurts..." He slowed and rolled the name he had only just given himself around in his mouth like it was a physical thing. "Tyrin..."

He looked back up at her and continued, driven to speak to the princess. "It’s also called Queen of the Night." His eyes drifted to her neck, to the scratches which had stopped bleeding, but it still sparked up shame inside him. "I am sorry, I hurt you."

She did not move or react for a moment but then a smile spilled over her lips. "Tis nothing to worry about. Thank you, Tyrin. ‘Queen of the Night’..." She chuckled. "You are quite the flatterer." Her horn flared, and the marks faded away, leaving only the soft crimson lines where the blood had touched her fur.

Without another word she left. He sat and stared at the wall for a moment. Minutes passed, and a nurse came to re-affix his splint. Despite the darkness inside that felt like poison in his belly, he was almost asleep when he heard a deep, loud snore. It was just a few moments more, and slow hoof falls started out the room. He peeked across the room flexing his left talons, happy those were not broken. A scent caught his nose just as he saw a very old green mare walk out from behind the curtains towards the door.

"Excuse me, Ma'am." She paused, and he could smell it much clearer. it was something he needed badly. "Is that hard cider?"

She paused, looking him over. Not sure whether to feign ignorance because she brought alcohol into the hospital or to just nod. A few more seconds passed and she nodded. "Nothin’ but the Apple family's secret recipe!"

He weakly clenched his beak. "I know it's kind of straightforward and I might not be allowed to, but may I have it? There are some things waiting for me in my sleep that I would rather not be able to experience."

She looked him with eyes that had seen many things, eyes that seemed to know exactly what he spoke of. She peeked towards the door then looked him over again. "Ya won't be wantin’ the hard cider then. Here ya go, just take some of Granny Smith's secret stuff. It will knock you on your plot and back. Keep it under yer pillow. But hide it under ya when the nurse with the red mane comes in, she checks there, dang busy body nurse." The old pony let off a warm smile before tossing him a full flask. "Come and bring back the flask to the farm when you're done."

He did his best to smile and raised the flask as if to toast to her. "Thank you, ma'am." She smiled again and left. As the sleep started to creep back up on him, he popped the top and downed half the bottle, which felt like a pony kicking him right in the mouth, then again in the throat and in the gut when he swallowed the strong fluid. He felt the warmth flood him, and he slipped the flask into his cast that formed around his left wing.

The guilt and despair slowly melting away into a blur, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the dark abyss of nightmares once again.
> Chapter 3: Convaluisset
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Convaluisset


"And this is your room" The happy Dragon waved a hand as if to show off the majesty of the near featureless crystal room with no furniture and nearly no light sources. The only seemingly good thing in the room was a window at the end of the room. Though he did not mind it, it did not even really need to be brightened up. He just needed a spot to lay down and a little fresh air.

"Well," Tyrin limped into the room looking around. "It's not terrible. Do all strange Griffons that fall out of the sky get to spend their time in a luxury castle?" 

"Just the magical ones." Spike laughed, bringing a smile to Tyrin's face. "But it's just until we find a spot for you, princess Luna's orders. You are to get a lot of sleep and rest."

"That's right, Spike." Twilight sounded off as she trotted into the room. "I know more about magic than anypony for hundreds of miles, well, maybe, but still it was decided that I was to watch over you and study your magic. Hopefully I can figure out what it is and how it works. Then we can help unlock who and what you are. No offense."

Tyrin nodded firmly as he looked about. He began planning out what he would put where until he moved out. He didn't want to overstay his welcome. Even if this Princess did not mind it, in all honesty, he would. He felt the urge to make his own home upon his own power, to have his own privacy. "Anypony else live here?" 

Twilight shook her head with a smile. "Every now and again somepony or another will show up for various things, my friends come over all the time but that is all."

He tilted his head curiously. "No special somepony I have to worry about bumping into or interrupting?" 

A bright blush spread over her face. "N-no, no no no no I'm not.. um.. no. Nopony like that!" She cleared her throat and looked back at him. She was almost startled to see that he was staring at her with wide eyes of what almost looked like shock.

"How...?" His talons raised as if he were handing her the question like it was a physical object.

"Um, how what?" Twilight questioned taking a step back, this really caught her off guard.

"How are you single? I mean, I understand it being your own choice or being cautious about those who would desire you for your position, but seriously here. You are young, beautiful for a pony, exceedingly intelligent, responsible, and wise. More than anything, you have heart like I have never seen. It’s like you legitimately care about everypony! Heck, if I was 20 years younger I would probably try and pick you up for a date..." He paused, feeling an odd grinding in his belly, like he had eaten something deadly poisonous. Something about the last thing he said hurt him badly. Like with all the old creaks and pains in him he quickly shouldered it and pretended he was fine. He remembered looking into the mirror for the first time. He was very well preserved. Handsome for a griffon. But clearly he was at least 40 years old, at the very least. He could tell easily by looking at her and feeling her power she was hardly even able to be considered an adult. She was at the very most 17 or 18. 

He looked up to see her eyes wide and the blush even brighter. It derailed his train of thought completely.
"Sorry, my mind just wandered a bit. The pain of being alone is severe, sometimes you don't know its touch until it's too late and it's left its mark on you." His talons extended towards her but he stopped. His mind burned and his gut twinged with pain. He had made it awkward enough and possibly even embarrassed the living Tartarus out of his host, not to mention he had utterly no idea where all this talk and thought had come from. It was like he was compulsed to make an action and did not care how it sounded until after he had done it. 

He stepped back and began to turn, hoping he could just wash the experience away with literally anything else, but Twilight’s voice called him back.  "Tyrin, your eyes!" He flinched and looked back. 

"What is it? Bleeding ink again?" He looked at Spike, who stared in fear, sparking interest and concern.

"No! They are on fire!"

"Huh?" Tyrin looked into the shiny pillar of crystal to see black flames licking up from his eyes. He looked like a demon straight out of Tartarus. Fear gripped him but quickly his talons came up to smother the flame that sprouted from his eyes. He could feel the malicious power from the black flames, he could see the fear in their eyes. The image of Twilight changed to a young purple pegasus mare staring up at him in fear as he drove his blade through her heart. To send a message, Aldiquine should not have turned his back on King Helios. The image shattered, not because it was over but because it enraged him. Harnessing that rage, he forced the memory back. He opened his eyes to see a massive pillar of flame around him. He stared at it and as his anger slowed to a halt so too did the flames. He did his best to calm down before patting himself to see if he was burned or otherwise injured, t. Then panic took him. He turned and looked to Twilight who surprisingly was staring in awe.

"Did I move at all?!?! It's important! Did I do anything other than stand there?" 

"N-no, you just stood there and caught on fire. Black fire, I've never seen anything like it, this is astounding. I think it's tied to your emotions!" Twilight's eyes were wide in awe, Spike was just hiding in the corner, but Tyrin was content collapsing into a pile as relief flooded through him. 

The emotions in the flashbacks were exceedingly powerful, the whole ordeal was far too realistic, he would not have been able to forgive himself had he hurt the Princess or anypony else. Even if it was his flashbacks,  he had little to no control. He did not want more blood on his conscious than the memories and flashbacks convinced him he had. 

"Princess, I know you are - um -doing your thing, but may I please have some time alone, perhaps the rest of the afternoon. I have a lot I need to do.” He was very relieved that his flashback did not cause him to be violent like waking up from his dream did, but still he did not want to put anypony in danger simply by living near them.

Twilight cleared her throat, calming down. "Yes, of course. My apologies, I am sorry, I got caught up in the moment. I forgot about the recovery process. You can do whatever you need, if you leave just tell Spike where in general you are going, and when you plan on getting back. I want to be sure you are safe." She smiled warmly and he sighed.

"Well, I guess there is one thing, it will keep my mind busy before I go out. Can I get a quill and some paper?" He gestured with his talons in a swaying motion as if to show it was not important but something he would like.

"Oh? You are writing something?" Twilight yanked some papers from one desk, and a quill and inkwell from the shelf, both from the room across the hall.

"Yes, a letter, and a poem..." Taking them up, he gave a firm nod in thank you nod.

"Well, Spike will be here.... I am curious though, who are you writing to? I mean, if you don't mind sharing. I am the Princess of Friendship, I do like to hear about everypony making friends and writing poems and letters is a friend thing, or well, i... it can be."

Tyrin looked up, and then back down at the paper. Drawing the freshly dipped quill across the page.  "The Princess that woke me up ... I owe her a thank you, an apology, and a compliment ... She was very kind to help me. And well, she has a really cute tush."

Twilight smiled happily, soaking in the words with a smile which froze when she heard the last part. He had said it with such ease that she did not catch it at first.  "What? Um, Tyrin,... um, uh,... well... um." 

Her mind blazed trying to figure out what to say. Nothing came to mind. She felt like she should object, but at the same time she felt it was not her place. Maybe if she let him do it Luna would nip the problem in the bud right away and the problem would not come up again. After all, she was a bit older than she looked, chances are she had some experience and would correct this in a manner she saw fit.

"Hey, I just need a good something to keep my mind off ... well you know." He forced himself to chuckle writing quickly as Twilight slowly and slightly uncomfortably left.

He chuckled at the letter, it contained a real apology and his true heart's feelings of how grateful he was for Luna's assistance, then a terrible poem. Something just demanded that he tease the princess, he could not understand or explain the urge. But he felt like it simply needed to be done. He finished up the letter and rolled it gently before applying a wax seal and pressing it in with his talons leaving a small odd mark from the indent of three talons pursed together firmly.

"Dragon... It was implied that you can deliver this..." Tyrin held out the letter which Spike graciously took up with a 'can do' smile. "It goes to The night princess. Please make sure she receives it. As well I was asked to let you know when I was heading out. I have a friend I must see and thank in person..."

Spike nodded firmly and breathed a shot of green flame which sent the message well on its way. "I'll let Twilight know. Oh and by the way, the name is Spike, and your night princess is named Luna." His tone was happy and calm, instructing and light. He just seemed happy to help which was all too fine with Tyrin.

"Do you know of a farm where they make cider? I believe it has a very old green earth pony mare." He was asking as he slowly limped to the door. His casts were all off and his wounds had healed very quickly, almost too quickly. But despite a borderline miracle of healing, he still had a few very sore joints and quite the ache through his body, especially his left foreleg which was broken severely, then broken again when he first woke up and scuffled with Princess Luna.

"Granny Smith, it's the Apple family farm down that way! Should be easy to find. Stay safe and if anything happens just ask somepony to come and get Spike the brave and glorious. I'll come and save the day in a jiffy." He gestured with a single claw at the very end of the town.  

Tyrin nodded firmly and started a slow limping walk. Making his way out of the castle he slowed and took his time, it was a fine summer evening so he found no reason not to.Trotting along he took in the sites of the small town. It was very cozy, everything within a short distance. A little heavy on population for such a small town but it was all well and good. He watched as a gray Pegasus with a blonde mane spoke with a chestnut colored earth pony, introducing an adult gray unicorn stallion. They giggled and happily talked. It felt good to be in the presence of such positive  auras. Next he watched a purple earth pony, clearly intoxicated stumbling about and trying not to bring attention to herself. He made note to talk to her on where to find more nightmare reducing drink. 

He spotted a small black unicorn filly, she looked starving. Instantly his senses expanded and he was put on guard, though all he could feel that he understood, was sorrow for her condition. He was going to approach when her head shot up quickly and she stared right at him with fear in her eyes. Quickly she dashed off as fast as her little legs could take her. He watched her go but did not follow. Clearly she had some reason to fear him, he did not want to give her more reason by chasing her down. He pondered the emotional and mental responses he had for the filly, but he pushed those thoughts back and instead continued down towards the farm as per Spike's direction.

It was a short enough walk, made longer by how much his injuries prolonged him and even longer by the ease at which he desired to travel. But he stood comfortably at the front gates of a happy looking farm and orchard. Slowly made his way in. He spotted the red stallion he had fallen on, his body was still bandaged but he appeared to be in good enough health and in good spirits. As he strode to speak with the stallion and perhaps apologize again, his eyes caught the real reason he was here. Just as quick he turned and headed towards the sleeping Granny Smith.

As if she sensed him coming, Granny Smith opened her eyes as he walked closer. His grip was still weak but he held out the flask firmly. She smiled and waved him off. " Don't ye worry sonny. You hold onto that, it needs somepony worthy of it, and if that puppy is empty then you are quite worthy... I hope you found the answer to your problems at the bottom."

He smiled again tilted it as if to toast the old mare. "I did, I was safe from the worst of the ... problems. I have you to thank. I don't suppose I could get more of that stuff? To me it is worth its weight in gold. I do not yet have money to pay, but I will gladly work for it once I am well enough to do so."

She nodded happily taking the flask and waving for him to follow. As he did he noticed she seemed cautious. The actions told her that the secret life of her boozing habits was one that she preferred to keep secret. He considered how old she was and figured she deserved a secret or two. 

Leading him through various sections of the farm she finally came to a rather interesting trap door in the orchard, near the house. Slipping in behind her he smiled at the site of a few stills and various barrels of booze. "Ey... I been workin' this here mini brewery for ages, I took it from my pappy when he passed and I was gonna leave it to my son... but fate got in the way..." She grumbled trying to use anger to hide her pain, it was clear this son of hers was dead; not only did he see it in her face but oddly he could feel it in her aura. "Applejack despises the stuff and yelps at me every time she finds any in the house... If ye be willin' teh work this here still with me, to keep this here Apple family tradition secret and alive until them varmints of mine are old enough to drink and drink responsibly then I'll let you sample and drink at your leisure..."

He paused to wonder what made the old mare take to him so quickly, it was almost alarming but he nodded happily. "Sure thing Ma'am... I am all too willing to take up such a generous offer..." He extended his talons and she answered it with a firm hoofshake. 

She had a happy look on her face. It lacked energy but it was clear she was very happy and poured him a very stiff drink. It was quite possible that she just needed somepony to talk and drink with. Granny too enjoyed a short drink as she regaled old stories to him that would put any young filly or colt to sleep before their dust cloud settled. He happily listened and drank with her, unlike the young, he was quite happy to listen to her tales. 

The flashbacks were strong and he could always start to feel them coming. The strong alcohol seemed to dim feeling and brighten up the darkness. The drunker he was the further away the flashbacks were from him. He almost wished he could be drunk the whole time even if it lessened the horrors a little. Looking up at Granny Smith as they spoke he felt comfortable and safe knowing that his nights would be free of the darkness and full of drunken bliss. His mind did not even bother trying to comprehend the possible health issues, what he needed was for the nightmares to go away. He needed relief, he needed freedom, and most of all he needed to be happy.

Hours passed and the two happily drank until Celestia’s sun set. Taking the hint he was just making his way back home, a full flask and a small pack full of bottles. It was dim outside, he had spent so much time with Granny that he was now quite late. He was a bit worried what Twilight would think, not only on the subject of him being late but showing up drunk. He was planning on just stopping by to return the flask, but he spent the whole day there with Granny. He was woozy on his paws but he was alright. Ponies did not pay him much attention as he continued on his way.

Just a few minutes away from the castle the griffon stumbled a bit. Sitting down he gave a quick thought to knocking back the flask that Granny Smith had topped off for him but he decided against it. As good as the booze was, he only drank it to snuff out the darkness, he did not need any more for the night. So he elected to sit for a bit. Looking about in his light stupor he noticed something in the shadows, he played coy to ensure it would not notice his attention on it. He waited until it was close before his talons shot out faster than even he knew he could perform. There was a sharp ‘eep’ which ended when his other talons also gripped the little thing. Another look at his catch and he just felt bad, even with the alcohol in his system he just felt bad.

In his talons was the little black unicorn filly. She struggled in his grip but he doubted she would have the strength to free herself even if it was just the weight of gravity holding his talons together. “Calm down little one… I'm not going to hurt you.”

Not only did the little one feel strange in his grip but just looking at her there was something odd. The darkness inside him felt contempt and disgust, but the part of him he quite enjoyed felt sorrow and a deep compassion for the little bugger. But this was all thrown out by the fact that he did not seem to even care about the next realization. Looking the filly over, she was absolutely terrified, but she was utterly starved, on her last legs. Looking into her eyes he noticed something and on a hunch he gave her horn a quick flick. The filly’s image flickered and went up like smoke. He was holding in his talons a very small changeling filly.

Oddly he felt no compulsion to act aggressively, he could feel the darkness demanding aggression or contempt. However, the darkness seemed to melt away at his compassion for the little filly. 

“P..please don't kill me!” She winced and struggled weakly. He could only shake his head and hug her in close.

“What are you?...If you were so afraid why did you come this close little one?.” He looked about and could plainly see that nopony was around. He held her in his talons and looked her over. She struggled to get her disguise back up and he could plainly see why it was a struggle. She appeared to be utterly starving, not only that but the base of her horn was cracked, and he could see what looked like something of a mix between long laceration and burn scars across her back. However, the most interesting of features was that her eyes were not the usual changeling drone blue. They looked like normal pony eyes with soft blue Irises. By instinct he seemed to jump to the conclusion.

“You are a queen?....” He patted her head and tried to see if it was just another disguise.

“No… my mo….the Queen said I was imperfect…. She cast me out. I'm not a changeling anymore…” The little creature seemed to be expecting him to simply crush her under his talons at any moment.

The Griffon held the little sickly thing in his talons for a moment longer. Every time he looked into her eyes all he could see was the hundreds of dead eyes he saw when he closed his own. It hurt him to see. He looked her over and honestly something within him grew dark with anger. He was angry, more than just angry. Seeing the little creature made him livid, literally nauseous with anger. Something inside him told him how easy it would be to snuff it’s life out. Not like any of the locals would mind him killing a changeling. 

His Talons moved over her as her eyes stared up at him with fear and helplessness. There was a trickle of blood and he noticed that it was coming from his beak. He was clenching up so much that the stitches around his mouth that had only just healed had began to reopen. Blood, but it didn't feel like his. It felt like the blood from his dreams, blood from the thousands. He looked into the Foal’s eyes and he felt sick. She was just a child, he could not believe himself. This was dark, vile, disgusting that he had even considered hurting her. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized that the visions and dreams were more than just dreams, it was part of him. He really was a monster. 

Stifling a retch he shivered and trembled holding her in his talons. Forcing himself to remain still he resolved himself, right there made a firm choice. He was going to prove that he was not the monster. If nothing else he needed to prove it to himself.

In one sudden movement he pulled the little changeling close and hugged her tight.” You don’t have to worry little one, I will keep you safe. At the very least I will keep you safe…”

Everything within him boiled. The disgust flared and fought against his resolve, but quickly flooded him with warmth. Something deep inside felt right, it got harder and harder to remember the pain or feel the darkness. He held her in his arms and closed his eyes. Breathing easily he held her tightly. He only opened his eyes when he came to a realization. He felt a little more sober, a lot more time had passed than he thought. 

Looking down into his arms he noticed that the filly was fast asleep, and surprisingly she did not look nearly as weak. He yawned and looked about, carefully placing her on his back. “Well… let’s see if I can get away with showing up drunk, late, AND showing up with an orphan to take care of…”
> Chapter 4: Laeta
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Laeta




The poorly carved lumber locked into place just about as well as he could manage it. The foundation of the new cabin was rather easy to construct, and there was no shortage of lumber in the nearby Everfree forest. Seeing as he had no money just yet, at least no money that he was not spending on tools and medical bills. He was not paid very much for his help on the farm, the truth really was he got paid mostly in Granny's alcohol. 

The griffon chuckled as he sipped from the flask and hammered the piece of wood until it finally sat level with the others, then he filled in the gaps with clay and straw. It felt almost natural to him, as if it was something he knew well enough but never really did, or perhaps something he had done once before long ago. He added the familiar sensation to the lump of details that hopefully would explain who he was someday.

From a tent just a little ways away the little changeling filly, Iris as he named her, mostly because unlike drones, she actually had Irises in her eyes. However, when ponies asked she was 'Cyan Iris'. The little changeling was still deathly afraid of everything that moved, running to Tyrin at the drop of a hat, hiding under him or behind him. When Luna came by he practically had to drag her over to the princess.

"It's okay, Iris, come on!" He waved to the little filly who came happily galloping to him for a hug, burying her muzzle into his feathers almost playfully, at least to the eye of the common pony. He did not feel even the slightest drain from her, but she was recovering very quickly from the love that she drank from him. It appeared that love given directly to a changeling willingly was far more powerful and fed them much better, it also helped that the love was authentic and growing every day. He could not explain it so easily, but he had grown very attached to the little one in such a short time. It was as if she filled a gap that he was not entirely sure he knew he had. Looking down he playfully rubbed her head and gestured for her to go back to the tent. Watching her happily gallop and frolic back made him smile.

Taking her back to Twilight's castle went far better than he had thought, but to him personally, it was still unacceptable. Firstly she had been worried sick about him and extremely concerned about his well being. He had not even realized that he had left promising to be gone only for a short while and coming back nearly 10 hours later. Then she was upset about being him being drunk, then drunk with a filly, then bringing a filly back with him. The whole ordeal should have been ten times as bad. However, the Princess of Friendship took it all far too well, it was something that did not sit with him. What he had done was out of line, he should have received far more than a firm slap on the wrist. He did not suspect some higher malicious planning, but he did very well consider what he would have done in their position. It just didn't sit right with him on a moral standard. Though it was not his intention, he violated trust and felt he needed to do something about it, even if they would let it pass, he did not deserve this sort of grace. Which was why he was living out of a tent, crafting his own home with his own talons.

He looked back at Iris who happily vanished back into the tent. With what little money he did have and could spare, he purchased her a few toys. He was most frightened at the moment of somepony showing up to take the little one away. He had no idea why his desire to keep her around was so strong now, especially considering what the darkness first impulsed him to do. He was afraid coming back that they would take her right away. However, Twilight waited till morning before contacting Luna, or rather she waited just the few hours left in in the night. Luna arrived quickly at the news of the development, and Tyrin found it incredibly hard to explain just how and why he came across then wanted to keep the little filly. To his great surprise Luna only needed to read the little one's dreams before she came to them both and said it was perfectly fine, in fact it would as she said 'Be good for Tyrin to have somepony to look after.' However, before she left Luna pulled him aside and told him very sternly that she could tell the little one had been through a whole lot, that he would be held accountable to an extreme if the little filly were to get hurt due to his negligence. She then proceeded to zap him with large amount of lightning. When Tyrin asked why she threatened and then shocked him, she answered by only by backing out of the room while glaring at him. The lack of her turning her back to him reminded him of the poem he had written earlier.

Tyrin chuckled and put another piece of lumber into place and hefted the large mallet. 







"Luna... are you certain?" Celestia stared down her sister over the dinner table. They both knew that if the Lunar Princess was even a tiny bit hesitant, Celestia would send somepony to bring the little filly to an orphanage.

"Absolutely positive, Sister. I saw her dreams, the choice is an easy one. The little one's memories of her mother are so filled with fear she can't even see the face properly. It was all darkness and fear. However, if ever the little one does recover enough, we can get a name out of her and then find her mother just in time to put that fiend in prison. Who in their right minds would hurt their child so much? Celestia, our ponies should never EVER come to simply hurting each other like that. " Luna casually ate the salad as Celestia had a third helping of cake. "That poor thing, even when she woke up she was scared to death of me. That poor little filly has probably been through Tartarus. It seems, the only thing she is not afraid of is that Griffon. Odd considering how much about him there is to be afraid of."

Celestia took another sip of the tea and nodded. "I want the situation very VERY carefully monitored. And by the way, the analysis came back on the tears, they still can't place it. It's like the magic that created it is just not recorded. And of course, there was the scattered memories. This is turning out to be quite an interesting issue, I just hope he is safe to have here in Equestria."

"Don't worry, Sister, I am fairly certain that whatever he is, that darkness and evil is not actually his. I cannot really tell what it is or why he has it, but it's a certainty that it is not his own. Even his own self image blurs in his nightmares. He cannot see himself fully, as himself when he relives the nightmares. I will keep going back to his dreams but I do not know what we really can learn from him with something as simple as just skimming the surface of his dreams, we will eventually have to go much deeper. I pray that it will not be as bad as it could potentially be."







He had only just closed his eyes after drinking himself to into a stupor. She was right there waiting for him, the image of haunting beauty. 
"At last I can have a good dream!" He smiled and rushed up to the image of Luna, embracing her, but he was promptly shocked with lightning before he could kiss her.

"I'M NOT A DREAM!!!!" She roared as he coughed and smiled looking back up at her. Luna continued still quite ruffled. "I... ahem, I am here to help you again, searching your dreams and such. You have recovered enough, but I cannot quite get into the areas I need to without what is essentially consent. I am confident the answer to all of these questions is in there, I just need to go a little deeper, it will require you to suffer through some of these memories, but don't worry, I will pull you out if it gets too bad."

Tyrin’s smile faded, he was all up for spending time with her, especially if she was going to say things that made innuendos even easier. Naturally she would shock him with lighting when he teased her. In fact just the fact that she responded to his teasing like that made him kind of want to do it more. It was like a little colt pulling a filly's pigtails because he liked her. Only this filly would turn around and fry him with lightning, still he could not see a reason within him to even be upset at the exchange. "If there is anyone who can truly help me... it's you. I trust you with my soul. Go ahead, lead and I will follow." 

He smiled to her and she nodded, turning away and tearing the layers of dreams open further, only when she was further ahead did she smile again. As annoying as the Griffon was, it was comforting to have someone around who didn't  tremble in fear or grovel at her hooves, her sister often talked about how 'a thousand years of ponies treating you like a God makes you really miss being treated like a normal pony'.

Taking some time to clear her mind, she stood upright and began to address the Griffon's damaged mind in its dream state, she turned and gestured for him to follow as she went further into his subconscious.

"Ah... here we are. Usually this place takes forever to find like this." She stopped in front of a door. Made of onyx and ivory and trimmed with crude iron. She chuckled, thinking of what it could mean on what kind of an individual Tyrin was deeper down within his self identity. Opening the door she gazed on in horror at the insides. He entered with her and stared blankly.

"...I take it this is bad right?"

Luna nodded staring at the sight before her. Every wall looked like swiss cheese. Not that they had holes in them, but the mind and stored memories that had been here were so damaged and fragmented that it was impossible to see what they were. 

"This place is supposed to store your long term memories, I am surprised we could even find it, but this... this..." She stepped into the next hallway and saw simply more of the same.

"Tyrin, these halls are supposed to be filled like a museum, full of your dreams and all memories that could influence them, your strongest memories. But this... this is like somepony came along with a hammer and took their sweet time to ensure each and every one was destroyed. How could they even get in here- much less destroy it?"

Tyrin reached for the shattered memories but found he could not touch them, he stocked it up to being a part of this place not actually existing so he could not interact with it physically. "So whatever damaged my memory... just made a mess of things in here?"

"No." Luna spoke sternly but still with plenty of awe in her voice. "This kind of damage can only be done from within. Whoever did this, they specifically came into this room and damaged each memory personally. But I do not understand."

Tyrin stepped into the next hall, freezing as Luna continued. "I have seen your memories before, your dreams, those were excessively vivid, and you can still speak and other simple things that anypony has to actually learn. Where are those memories, or the memories that cause your nightmares... Tyrin?" 

She had just noticed his face. Not fear or horror, but blatant confusion. "Princess? that door was into my mind right?"

Luna nodded as she turned the corner to see what he was gaping at. She too froze in shock and confusion.

"Then, um, what are these?" He pointed a single talon down the hall at the dozens upon dozens of doors lining the halls. The fabric of the hall had been torn and shattered, utterly obliterated to make room for these other doors, but each door was badly faded looking to be hundreds of years old, as if a simple sneeze could knock the thing off its rusted hinges. All save for one door.

"What is this?... surely this is the cause of your nightmares, but just what is it and where did it come from?" Luna stared at the massive pitch black door. It was utterly massive, and it seethed with darkness and pain. Whatever it was, this thing clearly did not belong here within him and his mind. "It’s partially open, and you would have to be brain dead not to feel that power coming from within. Tyrin, this HAS to be the source of your nightmares, let's get in there and resolve this problem."






Iris dove for cover in the bushes, whimpering in fear as the magic danced between them. The dream link was secured, but the black flames licking through the air made everything spark with fear and caution. To the little changeling's credit, she had a good survivor's instinct, and she was right in hiding.

Luna gasped as her eyes shot open. Shivering and shaking she fought not to vomit before she stared back over at the sleeping griffon. "W..what is that?!?" 

She reached a hoof towards him but his eyes too snapped open, only the eyes profusely poured out blackness, ink and tar that smelled of rotting flesh. The only new feature was where his pupil should have been there was a bright, piercing white light which quickly centered itself, aiming clearly at Luna. 

Even with all the power in her, that single gaze shot ice to the depths of her soul. It was all quickly becoming far worse as he began to sit up. As fast as she could muster the power, heavy wards encased him. Thick magical shields formed over him like an iron cage.

"Deuro!" The voice inside the griffon spoke. It did not sound like him, but it had an instant response. Dark magical energy gathered over Luna's shields and as if catching fire without smoke or flame, the wards were consumed and turned to nothing. 

She froze in fear, an unnatural fear. Her eyes fixated on the beast before her, the thought ticked the fringes of her mind and she felt sick. She knew that she had to stop it, but this magic was incredibly powerful, she would have to kill him. But she could not rally the strength.

His opened talons reached for her and she shook with fear before quite suddenly, he collapsed. He twitched and sputtered, his body seizing before her, locked in a battle he may not win. Luna shivered, deciding on what to do. She had never seen or experienced anything like this.  

Tyrin's eyes opened wide and stared up at her longingly, swirls of pain, anger, and far less flattering emotions burned through him, the magical aura was so powerful she could literally feel it just from being within proximity. Her attention snapped into a higher form as his talons plunged into the ground and he let out a low guttural growl. His other arm came up and began to reach for her before his entire body forcefully seized up and the light drained from his eyes just as he forced himself, shivering and twitching back to the ground. It was as if he was fighting a seizure, and oddly winning.

His voice gasped and his body remained trapped in its tremors and violent shaking. "Do it... please... don't ... let me ... hurt any...." The remainder of his voice was drowned out in painful gurgles as he fought to keep it back.

Luna felt a spark of cold run through her, she did not quite know if he was really asking for it, but she knew that if she was faced with a battle like this with her own darkness, she would want anypony to do literally anything to keep Nightmare Moon from coming back. Including a far more final solution.

She winced and lowered her horn. She knew a few spells that might work, but they were very powerful and did not often spare the target, each one was from a combat type of magic. However, she did not get the chance to use any such spell. Mostly because, the very moment she took a single step forward, a small squeaky voice shouted out and Iris ran forward.

"No!" She pushed past Luna and forced herself against Tyrin who was slowly losing any form of emotion from his face as he trembled harder.

Luna did not know what to do, she already found the mere idea of killing this griffon, even by accident as something unacceptable. But now, this little filly. She had done a lot of things for her own safety, for the safety of Equestria, for the safety of the world. Dark things, things she regretted, things that had to be lost to time in order for anypony to even trust the royal sisters. But she did not have what it took to kill the Griffon in front of the filly.

Luna rapidly searched her mind in panic as he raised a set of talons and swung them inward. Iris clenched her eyes shut and held herself to his chest with all her little might. The little changeling knew she was dead without him, but even moreso, he had given her his own love, free of any agenda or plans. This love was something she never wanted to lose. If she was to lose Tyrin, she had no real reason to continue. In her head it was clear, she would far rather die in his arms than to lose him.

The world seemed to grow dead silent, the sound of talons puncturing flesh was like thunder in the very same silence. Luna still refused to move, her soul refusing to allow her to move an inch. 

"Carcere...."

Iris opened her eyes and looked up at the talons that had sank into Tyrin's own chest just above her head. Panic and pain shot through her when he seized up in silence. His eyes were blank and his body absolutely rigid, the Griffon fell to the ground solid as a stone. He did not so much as budge an inch even as the force of his body should have made his lighter limbs at the very least sway.

Iris, overwhelmed with the event and the harm to her only loved one just broke into tears. She honestly did not know what else she could possibly do, so her emotions flooded and overtook her young mind. Crying was all she could manage as she tried to shake the Griffon awake.

Luna on the other hoof, while still in the same state of shock, lay a single hoof on the little filly, almost instantly her crying began to lessen and was replaced with soft fitful breathing as Luna's magic forced her to fall asleep. Luna's mind was filled with questions that shot back and forth with a lot of weight behind each implication.

She sighed loudly and wrapped them both in her magic. She needed answers quickly, she needed to know more before she made any real choices. She could not let Celestia hear about this. If her sister caught wind of it she would take far more strict measures. What she needed was somepony who knew a thing or two and would not go public with her little restoration project on what anypony else would call a 'lost cause'. 

"Damn it all, I can't believe I will have to go running to 'him'."
> Chapter 5: Jussus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






Jussus



"Ewww. Order magic."

Luna's eyes widened slightly as she lowered her head, looking from the Draconaquus to the frozen Griffon. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Order magic. You know,  as opposed to Chaos magic. Boring, strict, annoying, stuffy… well, you know how I love myself some chaos magic? Order magic is well the opposite." Discord paced firmly up the wall, stroking his beard he stopped and looked down at the griffon. "But how did it get inside a griffon?" 

He teleported the short distance and grabbed hold of Tyrin's tail, lifting him. To his delight and Luna's horror, Tyrin's entire body moved as if he was one solid piece of plastic. "What spell did he use?" She knew Discord normally acted like this, but she felt something was a little off, like he was not telling her something important.

Luna raised an eyebrow and Discord just chuckled. It was a few seconds before she sighed and responded. "I don't know, he just shouted something and stabbed himself with his talons. Now he's like this."

"Oh?" Discord's playful demeanor lit up as he rested Tyrin against the wall by his tail, making him look like quite the balancing act. "What, per se, did he speak before he did this?"

Luna glanced from Tyrin to Discord to the sleeping Iris in the corner. She grimaced and opened her mouth. "Carcere."
Discord chuckled before it turned into his signature soft laugh. "Carcere? That's old Equestrian isn't it? First century right? "
Luna looked a little disturbed. "No I think I think it's older than that. Something that came before the formation of Equestria."
"First century Equestrian predates Equestria. First century Equestrian is just what they call it now. But if you are unsure you can always ask our precious, trustworthy, knowledgeable Twilight or try your luck at the 500 plus libraries within ten miles of here."
She sighed and made a note of it to ask Twilight in private. "Can you break the spell he is under?"

"Hex! It's a hex. Order magic is an interesting thing, the user speaks a demand and depending on his or her willpower, magical power, nature of the demand, versus the target's willpower if any, the target's power, and then their size and density. The result is basically the spell running through these factors, if it fails, it will either not effect at all or have much less effect. If it passes, then the spell takes on a mind of its own and tries to accomplish the demand. Thus the user can actually perform magic to do things he would not naturally know how to do. Find a way through a maze, guess which card is the right card, if he gets good enough he could even learn things that would require some level of premonition." Discord's paw and talons waved about with each word, magically displaying the show for Luna. However, to his displeasure; once he looked up he noticed she was just staring at him with a face that said it all.

"If that were true, then we would have known and everypony from shore to shore would be eagerly digging their hooves into such a magic."

Discord scoffed and picked up Tyrin by the tail like a baseball bat. "Well that is where it gets complicated. This was back during the war- a very VERY dark time, and the magical Inquisition controlled the flow of proper knowledge. Only very high ranking military and royalty was permitted to know such things, you should remember that at least, you were a little filly then sure, but certainly you remember the gap. Peasants knowing close to nothing but how to serve and die. Very different from now when everypony goes to school, everypony is allowed to learn to read and write. All unicorns are allowed to advance as far as they like and are capable of. This magic, it's a relic of a much darker age and I am pretty sure you won't find it anywhere else. It was kinda banned for a very good reason." Discord's face turned dark away from his usual playful mischievous smile. Luna stepped back a little uncomfortably. Discord was an old bitter enemy, and he was always the trixter, Luna could not think of anypony who knew him well and would not be put off by ‘that’ look. "But I can’t spoil the surprise can I? If you want to know, you just ask your sister. I'm sure she can explain all this."

Luna sighed and let out an annoyed 'harumph'. Discord just chuckled, plopping Tyrin on the ground between them. 
"Can you restore him?" She asked with mild irritation at his blatantly disrespectful treatment of the griffon.

"Can I? PffffffI think I'm the ONLY one in Equestria who can. Sure, Order magic is more powerful, and is quite effective against chaos magic, like soap against oil. But you oil up soap enough and it becomes Soapy oil as opposed to… you know, oily soap." Discord's paw came to his mouth in a yawn as his talons snapped firmly. A few buckets labeled 'chaos' appeared and promptly poured over the downed griffon. In a few moments he shot upright and took off in a wobbly run right into a wall. "Don't worry, that's natural. He should be sneezing out parsnips and farting hydrogen for a few days too."

Luna let out a long breath of relief and scooped up the griffon in her magic. "Oh thank goodness!"

Discord scoffed. "You are welcome but I would rather not be called 'goodness'," His eyes drifted to Iris and he smiled. "You do know about the little filly right?" He curled over, looking into Luna's eyes before she swatted him and rolled her eyes sighing at his usual antics 
“I know enough, now its late this really REALLY wore on me please just go to bed. I'll be going to bed as well."

Now it was Discord's turn to 'harrumph'. "Very well. You enjoy your… catbird thing."

Tyrin mumbled and struggled to his paws. His wings came out to brace his swaying body as Luna steadied him trying to get him to stop moving. 

"Tyrin, please,you had a bit of an accident. Slow down. We can just take this a little at a time."

"Yes yes yes, slooowwww it down." Discord chuckled tapping on Tyrin's forehead. But Tyrin did not smile. He simply froze, staring up at Discord. Tears flowed from his eyes and he mouthed a single word. Discord too stopped. His face turned sour and then it lit up with livid rage. He looked like he did not know what to do. He was shaking and gritting his teeth. 

Tyrin wobbled and passed out once more into Luna's grip as she stared on in confusion and mild horror. "Discord? Wh- what is wrong?"

"Take your griffon and leave, NOW! And don't EVER let that thing near me again!" He pointed away from him and it looked like he was just moments from trying to force them to leave. "That thing is not what you think it is, Princess. Do NOT let it out of your sight. In fact, do the whole world a favor and kill it while you can!"

Luna's red flags were past waving and she quickly enveloped herself the little sleeping Iris and Tyrin with magic, winking them away with her.







Tyrin gasped loudly at the teleport, his eyes pin pricked and they rapidly darted back and forth until he picked out the source of his fear and with it, found the fear melted away. He scooped up Iris and his jaw clenched as he breathed hard. "I'm… I'm so sorry! I put you all at risk."
Luna placed a hoof on his shoulder and he flinched away from it, refusing to look at her, but she persisted. 
"Tyrin, please. What did you say to Discord? I have never seen him react like that."

He shook his head and held the sleeping Iris tighter. "No! Please just… Don't make me think of it. I want no part of it."

She looked over his shivering form and sighed. Luna's horn gave a soft glow and she placed a hoof on his head. Slowly he stopped shivering and slumped forward. She sighed hoping she would not regret letting him sleep here if ever he returned to his old flirty self. Placing him on her bed and little Iris with him. Iris mumbled a little and cuddled deeper into his feathers as he instinctively held her tighter. She could see it so plainly, the little filly adored him and she looked so safe in those powerful arms. It reminded her of a time long past, before Equestria.

Luna swatted herself across the cheek trying to push back those same painful memories. They were beautiful once, but now they were only the most terrible bittersweet. She spent some time trying to find a way to explain this to Celestia if ever she found out.

Hopping up on the bed she ran her hoof over the feathered tufts that looked almost like ears. She smiled, the griffon was such a goofball. And yet he had so much love in him, love for this little lost filly, love for those he did not want his darkness to reach. Sure, he drove her crazy with how many poems about her butt he had written and how creative he was getting in sending them to her. But it was more silly than anything. She smiled planting a small kiss on his brow. She hoped he would get a good night's rest, It had been a long night and she was covered in dust and sweat, and her horn ached from the long range teleporting and the short tussle with whatever was inside Tyrin. She smiled wearily and hopped off the bed looking to get a bath and a meal.

"So that's all it takes? A few butt poems and he lands you?"

Luna turned bright bright red and whipped about at the sight of her sister's snickering. She opened her mouth to explain politely the conditions in which the griffon was in her bed, angrily, in the Royal Canterlot Voice. However, Celestia quickly raised a sound proof bubble around the Night Princess until she stopped screaming for her own sake, and for the sake of the others sleeping in the room.

The bubble dropped and Celestia, still smirking, poked her. "I am only kidding Sister, I felt your return and I can plainly see Iris. Also, I'm fairly certain you have higher standards than that."

Luna was still rather angered at the joke but she let out a sigh that seemed to accompany her blood pressure returning to normal. But Celestia's smirk faded into a frown. 

"Sister?" Luna looked back to Celestia.

"Luna, I didn't just feel your return,I can feel something in him. It’s not somethin-"

Luna raised up. "Please, no. I am taking care of it. I am so close. There was no danger or anything, we explored and we learned some stuff. It was just really rough on him." She shivered, hoping desperately that Celestia would not easily see through her white lie.

Celestia raised her hoof for silence and Luna bit her lip. 

"Sister, I will let you handle it. But promise me you will come to me next time there is anything like this. Even if nopony gets hurt, what will everypony think? That Griffon has some serious darkness in him. It won't matter if he hurts anypony, they see it and they will demand some sort of action. We might be able to just demand he be untouched but the ponies of Equestria won't have it. I have seen witch hunts before. It may have been a hundred years ago, but it's not like our culture has changed much since then."

They both shared an awkward moment of looking back on the griffon and filly. "Well Sister, if you need anything, I will be in the royal baths. I am in desperate need of a good cleaning before I turn in for the night." Luna smiled and began to trot away, but she hesitated at Celestia's frown.

"Sister, please promise me... please. Promise me you will let me know if anything happens. I need to know. I need to keep you safe, I need to keep the kingdom safe." She outstretched a hoof towards Luna but let it slowly drop as Luna turned back to face her.

"I will sister, but please trust my judgement. I suffered at the hooves of my own greed, loneliness and pain. I.. I just don't want him to suffer the same when it's not even his fault."

Celestia nodded but did not smile. She sighed and turned about to trot out, giving one last look at the griffon.







There was a firm press on his beak and Tyrin opened his eyes slowly. All he could see were large cyan blue eyes peering right back at him. 

"Daddy? Are you awake now?" Iris had climbed on top of him and was watching intently.

"Yes, yes Iris, I am awake. Such a clever girl, how did you know?" His tone was thick with playful sarcasm.

She smiled brightly and sat up before falling off him as he rolled upright. "Well Daddy, I have been sitting on you for about half an hour asking if you were awake, I knew you would wake up eventually."

"I see... well. Good girl, now where are we?" He rubbed his head looking about. But he quickly got his answer as he looked at the bed, the sheets and the sleeping alicorn in the corner. "Oh dear um... Let's get back home Iris. Princess Luna needs her sleep."

Iris happily nodded and came to the balcony waiting for him. He started for the balcony as well but stopped. Turning back, he very carefully picked up Luna and placed her in his place on her bed. She mumbled and grumbled in her sleep, but did not wake. Plucking one of his feathers he dipped it in an inkwell and wrote a quick note and another bad poem, with a smile leaving it with his feather on her desk before quietly coming back over and scooping up the little changeling and flying back out of the castle.

"Is Princess Luna going to be my new mommy?" She asked, giving him a suspicious glance. 

Tyrin sputtered and flushed with color. "Ahem... well... um... No... probably not. I would only be so lucky. But no little one. She's a princess, and I ..." His eyes looked vacant as he slowed and glided back towards ponyville. "... I'm a monster."

The little changeling filly swatted him on the head. "You are not a monster, you saved me and you love me enough to protect me. No monster does that. Don't say stuff like that about yourself!" She gave him her best stink eye and with a little surprise he smiled back at her.

"Still Iris, she's a princess. Not going to happen, trust me." He laughed and picked up speed towards their new home with a bright smile.







The old pub was bright and happy as the two brightly colored ponies talked happily. It was all smiles and laughter. One even bought two whole rounds for the entire house. Everypony was beyond happy and not wondering or asking why these two did not partake in any of the hard cider. They all just stayed back and celebrated as the two sat comfortably in their booth talking with bright and happy smiles.

"You don't say, a Griffon? Now that is interesting"

"Oh yeah, he takes her everywhere. Maybe you should let Mother Dearest know."

The bright yellow pony laughed, patting the other on the back. "Of course I should, I'll tell her as soon as I get back, she will get a kick out of it."

None took notice that their conversation, while sounding happy, was in a rehearsed tone. The purple pegasus laughed, giving his 'sister's' cider mug another clink. "Oh, she will love it! We can bring the whole family back together."

"Yes." They both smiled happily. "It might get rough, but family is supposed to stay... together."  Her eyes flashed green and he could not help but to return the slight magical gesture.

"That it is, that it is.”
> Chapter 6: Praxi
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Praxi



"Come on, just a little more..." Twilight smiled watching as the cup slowly raised off the table, then let out a sharp squeak and jumped back as it burst into flames and the ash votexed upward and settled on the ceiling.

"I'm just saying Twilight... I don't think I can do it without a verbal incantation, and even then its not exactly easy..." The griffon pulled up a book and quickly flipped through the pages before looking at the ash. "Prohibere!" The ash fell from the ceiling and into an ungraceful pile on the ground, the action was quick and seemed extremely messy. He quickly went back to flipping through the pages. The sound of hooves skittering about and dragon claws in quick pursuit could be heard from the hall along with laughter.

"Sure we can't just have some fun instead?... I mean I think I'm pretty well studied out. And Iris is going to be tired by the time I'm done at this rate."

"No!... first off study is good. Second, your idea of fun is getting drunk and sending inappropriate poems to Princess Luna. I was specifically asked to keep you busy and to keep you from doing exactly that." She gave him the stink eye and he sighed looking at the pile of ash. "Revertere..." The ash whipped up into the form of a cup and hardened quickly changing back into a cup. However, the surface still looked wretched and scarred, it was clear his magic was far from under his control.

"I am still amazed at this magic. I can't even figure out how you can be so non specific and get such results..." Twilight marveled at the cup still watching it form until the very last fabric of the magical aura finished transforming the ash back into a cup, and then jumped a little as the cup exploded with a light 'pop'. "Even if your magic is... extremely unstable. One would think that 'order' magic would be a lot more fine tuned."

"Honestly I'm just amazed that I can do anything at all. Its more than just knowing the words, and sometimes it doesn't work when I properly use the words, or if I only use the words. I have to really want the spell to work... and sometimes I don't even know the word it just... happens... There is some memories up there somewhere..." Tyrin smiled patting the top of his head.

"Well there is no doubt that you have this magic, but its not because you have an affinity for it, its more like it was literally bound to you. We have seen magical artifacts that let the user have access to the power within. This could be the same thing, or ... hrmmm" Twilight took some time with her hoof to her chin. "Naww.. that would be silly... unless... oh heck. Ok we can take a break. But only a break, no alcohol and no letters to Princess Luna!"

"Oh that is fine with me..." He tapped a teapot with a smile. "Coquo!"

Instantly the teapot began to whistle as the water inside was brought to boiling. Twilight smiled looking it over with interest. "You didn't even need the book that time."

"I know, its kinda odd..." He poured himself a cup of hot water and began to mix some tea. "Its always one word, and I only need to vaguely talk at something and it does just what I want... well sometimes." He glanced back at the corner where they placed everything he had destroyed so far into a flank high pile of ash and debris.

"Yes, the spell originates in your mind, but it needs a verbal incantation to actually trigger and begin to form. More or less it only needs to be spoken because words are the catalyst to this particular magic, at least so it seems. Any attempt to use your magic without speaking just ends up melting or burning things..."

"Well, as fascinating as it is... I have a rambunctious filly to catch and snuggle. That is what I must use my break for... see you in an hour or so." Before Twilight could say anything else the Griffon's wings flashed out with a sudden and near vicious 'foof' and he was off at a rather impressive speed.

Watching him leave, Twilight gave a soft sigh of relief. She was quite used to be the princess of friendship and she really enjoyed teaching, even trying to teach a Griffon. But something about Tyrin made her feel very uncomfortable. It was more than his alcoholic problems or his borderline lewd behaviors towards Princess Luna. Something else, she had seen it when he first woke. She shivered just remembering that scream, seeing him lurch forward and grab Luna by the throat.

She paused, still shivering she looked at her own hoof and gently touched her throat. She had never seen anypony die, and sure there were those like Tirek who just wanted to kill and steal, she came close to dying from him. But she had never seen anypony just simply try to kill somepony else. "Tyrin.... what are you?..." Her voice echoed coldly in the room filled with the fumes of his dark magic.





"I'M THE SNUGGLE MUNSTER!!!" Tyrin swooped low swiping his open talons at Spike and Iris. Iris let out a squeak and leaped over under a nearby desk. Her laughter echoed loudly, Spike however let out a yelp of surprise as he was carried upside down.

"Gah!! Put me down! Put me down!" Spike yelped as he dangled, but then noticed how high up he was. "GENTLY! Gently put me down!!" He moved to grasping at Tyrin's wrists rather than trying to free himself.

"I have him Iris.... what say you we bring him to Rarity's and give him a makeover!"

Iris squee'ed with joy and clapped her hooves happily, all the while Spike turned pale and just shook his head in horror.

"Mwahahahahahahhaaaa!" Tyrin swooped over and Iris jumped up on his back just in time for Spike to dig his claws into the crystal floor and leave ten inch scars for each finger as he did his best to save what little masculinity he had and in front of Rarity of all ponies. 

His desperation was rewarded as Tyrin preferred to let him go than to physically harm him in their little game. Instead Tyrin soared out the front door without spike. Spike breathed a little easier and wiped his brow with a flood of relief. "Better tell Twilight our resident snuggle monster is taking a bit of a longer break.."






"...A... kilt?" Rarity stared at Tyrin uneasily.  Most ponies who were there when he first woke up seemed to have a rather negative reaction to his presence. He hadn't even been able to get within twenty feet of Fluttershy without her running and crying. But he was not here to make peace, He would certainly do his best to make his apologies when they stopped looking at him like he was going to gut somepony.

"Yes... a kilt, and something pretty for little Iris here." He smiled happily gesturing to the little filly who stared in awe at the dresses, hats, and more on display.

"Um... I.. I think I could do that... I've never worked with griffons before. But ..." She gave him another look, and to his relief it was not fear but rather something else which he easily saw in her eyes.

"Yes I do not have enough to pay for it which is why I am happily offering to take up a favor or two for you. Need gems? I can go out there and fetch them for you. Need something repaired? I can do that... Griffons are quite versatile and powerful. It is very handy having a griffon owe you a solid..." He smiled and as she was about to speak again he picked up Iris. "Plus... how can you say no to this?" 

He held up Iris and her eyes seemed unrealistically large, she sniffled and practically puppy eye stared her way into Rarity's soul. "That... that is just unfair..." Rarity let out a sigh turning aside. "Fine!... but its going to be a big favor... or something like five small ones."

"Huzzah!!" He happily set Iris down and she in turn celebrated with him.

After a short amount of Rarity taking measurements and talk of colors and fabric, Tyrin turned to the alabaster unicorn. "Don't you have a little sister?"

She looked back at him raising an eyebrow, her measuring tape rolling up firmly. "I do... why?"

Iris hopped off and scooted back under Tyrin. Despite the reason they were here she was always nervous about anypony other than Tyrin being near her. But it was easy for anyone to dismiss it as just her being shy. Tyrin just smiled and nudged the little filly a little. "I am hoping to find somepony who can be friends with little Iris here. She has... um... I guess you can say, missed out on a lot of school and though Twilight is helping with that, I fear that she has not really had a chance to get out and make some friends... as I hear you and somepony else really holds that activity in very high regard... I am actually just wondering if you would mind me dumping little Iris off with your little sister."

Rarity looked him over then smiled. "Well, I guess so. But Sweetie Belle and her friends are off at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Oh... good I can visit Granny too..." He chuckled and picked up Iris, placing her on his back.

Rarity however gave an unsure look. She was made aware through both Applejack and Twilight just what he did while spending time with Granny. Her unsure look gradually turned into a disapproving glare as he took off through the window with Iris on his back.

It was merely seconds into the sky when he could feel Iris fidgeting on his back. It had only been a month or so since he took the little changeling in but he knew this fidget well. "What's wrong?..." He pivoted in the air and set down in the top of a tree.

"... D.. Daddy... um...." She looked up at him, her eyes watering. Instantly he pulled her in close. "Wh..why? Why do you even care about me? I was cast out of the hive, and even without the hive to support me I am statistically a danger to those around me. And if I am found out I am a danger to you too... You gain nothing from me and I gain everything from you... why are you so happy doing this?"

Tyrin's face was stern and focused, the subject was one he did not want to address but he knew well that it would come up sooner or later. "Iris..." He looked down at her as he sat firmly on the branches. She sat in front of him, her small form pulsing with green magic as she dropped her disguise. She did not look too different. The scars on her back were a little faded now that she was being well fed, her horn still had its natural crack in it, and finally her cyan blue eyes looked twice as sharp, like the eyes of a predator completely thrown out of the role by the tears in them. "Iris... You know... I have no idea what my name is? my real name... I don't know where I was born, I don't know how old I am... Every day I wake up and try and think of something else, every day I look for something to take away the pain of not knowing, dull the hurt of knowing I am most likely something I do not want to be. Every night I drown my pain with anything that can make me so dull I can't experience my dreams, I can't go through those dreams, all I see is death... the most horrible kinds of death, dishonorable disrespectful abominable death, and it's all at my own talons. I can smell blood every time I close my eyes...."

Iris shook her head. "So I'm just your tool to help you distract yourself?"

"No!" His response was sharp and his eyes betrayed the pain at her words. "Never think you are a tool. You are a living breathing being. Yes, initially I took you in to prove I was not what my dreams and every waking moment screamed that I was... " 

He looked away, breathing in with a long deep sigh. He raised his talons to look at them, remembering well the first time he caught himself doing this. "I kept you... loved you... still love you because you... even as a changeling, literally one of the most feared things in Equestria... You deserve love more than me, and I want love. I want anything that can make me feel like I am not a monster. I want as many things as possible that will keep me thinking of anything but whether or not I really am a monster. If it really matters if you are a changeling or a unicorn... then it matters that I am not a real griffon, it matters that I am really a monster under all this... some sort of magical anomaly or something. I know you better than I know myself. And I can say with confidence that you are just a little scared filly who needs a mother or father. I will be that father, and that will prove to us both that we are not monsters, we are a family."

He felt a sudden press on his back. Looking back he noticed she was leaning on him sniffling. But he smiled when he saw the edges of her lips curl up. "Hey... I guess I am a good daddy..."

He scooped her up and snuggled her making he squeal. She nuzzled him calmly and calmed down. "Thank you daddy... but... um...do I have to go and play with some fillies I don't know?"

Tyrin floofed up his feathers and breathed in deep. "Of course silly. It would be really weird if I was your only friend. Just make some friends and have fun. No need to live life with only the very few people you know..."

She squinted scrunching her nose. "Do I have to?"

He smiled and with a single talon he have her nose a quick firm press. "Yups!" Without another word he hugged her to his chest and took off into the sky as if he was going to fly straight into the sun. 

"It's beautiful..." She murmured and he smiled in return.

"It is, heh... if ever you need to be somewhere safe other than home, come here. These trees, this safe little spot, and if you have to, you can hide just barely inside the Everfree forest." He nuzzled her happily and she giggled giving him a nod.





The small orange filly flapped her little wings as hard as she could, speeding down the little track. Her eyes watered from the sting of the blasting air, her scooter tearing its way down to the ramp over the lake. She could count the very seconds as she continued down the path. "Hey... are you one of Sweetie Belle's friends?" 

Scootaloo turned to her left to see a full sized griffon just inches from her. First, her flinch upset her balance making her scooter turn far too sharp in an instant, then just as fast, with the luck of the front right wheel striking a small stone she was sent over the front bars. It was at this moment she was fairly confident she would be spending a great deal of the next week or so wearing a cast. But just as fast as she stumbled into the accident, one set of talons scooped her up and another set plucked her scooter out of the air as well. There was some very sharp turns and a few somersaults through the air and the scooter clacked on the ground softly, scootaloo's tush touched down on it, Iris landed in front of her and then one griffon just to her right.

"Sorry about that... its funny how often simply greetings can end in disaster..."He turned his head to see two more fillies running up quickly. "I was right... You are Sweetie Belle's friend..."

The little orange filly simply sat there for a moment before looking up at the griffon. "You.... you have got to show me how you did that! It was not as fast as Rainbow Dash but it was AWESOME!!!"

Tyrin chuckled and nudged Iris. "See... I'm awesome... the cool kids think I'm awesome so now its official..." Iris chuckled a little still slowly shying away from Scootaloo and the approaching Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Hey, you're Granny's friend right? What are you doing here?" Applebloom spared a glance as Iris who now did her best to hide behind Tyrin.

"Actually, I am looking for you...the three of you. Now, I can't make you girls do anything but it would mean a lot to me if you would play with Iris here. She only really knows me. And you three seem very capable and trustworthy." He smiled plucking Iris up and setting her in front of the trio. Iris's eyes were simply glued to her hooves. He gave her another soft push and she looked back. "It will be ok silly... I will do my own thing... and you play here."

Iris looked to the three fillies who smiled back happily, they looked kind and excited to make a new friend. She looked back at Tyrin and scrunched her nose. "Ok... but you..." Her magic gripped the plumage of his head and pulled him down to her level. "You behave... no alcohol... no Luna's tush... be good!" 

He chuckled happily raising back up. "Swearsies! You have my word!" He raised his talons as a show of oath.  

This looked to be enough for her and she looked at her hooves again before standing up. "O..ok... I'm Iris..." She dug at the ground with a hoof trying not to look away.

"Well hello Iris.. This is Scootaloo, this is Sweetie Belle, and I am Applebloom..." 

Tyrin's smile grew, he simply delighted in their friendliness, he was 100% confident they would be just fine. "Ok then... you four have fun, if I'm not back to pick you up by sun down just make your way back to the castle." He gave her a nudge and a smile before taking off and leisurely making his way down towards the house, then past it into the orchard.

He happily made his way towards a spot he remembered well. But the moment he touched the trap door the familiar sensation of lightning tore through his body and singed his feathers leaving him on his back twitching. "Didn't you and I quote, 'swearsies' not to go and get drunk?"

Groaning he rolled back to his paws, his smoldering feathers leaving a ghostly trail of smoke as he turned to behold Luna. "I wasn't... Swearsies!... I was just going to pick up some for tonight..." He chuckled standing up a little crooked. 

The regal princess scoffed and gave a dismissive roll of her eyes. "Well, I did not just come here to shock you with lightning, we have come to a decision. My sister and I have come to the conclusion that you get into too much trouble, we are going to give you something you HAVE to do... Don't worry, it wont interfere with you raising Iris, it just keeps those talons busy and off of the booze." She raised her wings and horn, with a mighty flash Tyrin's feathers became just a little more singed.

"Canterlot?..." He looked about still a little sore from the lightning.

Luna pushed a hoof to his beak. "Not just Canterlot, this is the royal guard's barracks and training grounds. You know, a long standing tradition with troubled youth is to stick them in the military and see if the structure there improves their behavior... We are sticking you in the royal guard to keep your talons off the booze and your eyes front..." She flinched looking back and swatting his head with a solid 'thwack' "EYES FRONT!"

"I was just admiring your cutie mark..." He chuckled rubbing his head.

Luna grumbled and let out another sigh. "Don't pull that around here... My guards are present, and though your actions are only in jest... I hope.. they will see it as a threat and direct disrespect. They might just try and put you in your place..." 

She glared at him and he smiled his best 'I be a good boy' smile. "Soooo... what exactly will my duties be?"

"That's just it... "She groaned and rubbed her temple. "This is a solution for more than just our problem with you. As you know, Twilight is a princess, but she has no guards and she has consistently refused to have any of them. You live down there and are in constant contact with her. Putting you in the guard makes it so not only can we assign you to her and she is  unofficially guarded but the guards that are there to train you will be her guard as well..."

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Um... isn't this the same princess that saved Equestria what like... seven times? More?... why does she need guards? " 

Luna looked away for a moment. "She is accustomed to fighting against a single opponent she knows of and knows well. Not something like an assassin or something..." 

Again Tyrin gave her a look that betrayed cunning despite his usual silliness. "What happened?"

"We are just trying to cover our bases..." She spoke matter of factly.

"Princess... Twilight has been a princess for well over a year and she has been extremely important.... no, utterly vital to the survival of Equestria for a few years, ever since you came back. Why now of all times are you forcing someone to guard her? You can tell me or I can just act against all probable threats with excessive force... This will make me you AND the guard look bad, but I don't have much other choice due to the lack of information..."

Luna sighed. "Something happened, a group we thought was extinct a very long time ago showed up at our doorstep. They did not attack but they are very well known for being extremely aggressive and going for the goals even if their goal is something that truly does not exist."

He sat down and pondered the information. "What kind of group? Is it a cult or something."

"Its a highly fanatical pseudo religious faction that used to thrive in a nearby nation... The Ordos Sanguinius... the order of blood."

Instantly Tyrin's eyes widened and a cold shiver ran through his body. Badly damaged memories starting to stitch together. "Mors est in haereticis... Th... they are griffons aren't they?..." His mind flashed back to his earliest memories, he could see the two griffons, he remembered the fight, he could still feel the pain in his back, but then that is when the pieces began to fall into place. He looked to her for answers but her silence spoke volumes. "Y.. you.. you knew... Luna... you knew!" He stared at the princess in disbelief as he fought back tears.

"Tyrin... no.. calm down. We just needed to-"

"NO!... you.. why? why didn't you tell me?... You knew of them, I told you exactly what I saw before I arrived, you saw it in my dreams, I came here in the armor, I had the blade... Luna!..what.. what am I?... " She rose a hoof as if to try and get him to calm down but he swatted it to the side. "What am I?! What else are you keeping from me?"

She grit her teeth and looked about, his raised voice was drawing some attention. Quickly she flashed them to her private quarters. "Tyrin, we did not tell you because we still don't know. We have no idea what you are or why they are after you. It was all kinds of confusing when you showed up. The Ordos Sanguinius have stayed out of Equestria for over a thousand years. Not since my sister decimated their forces when they came to burn Equestria to the ground when she failed to produce Nightmare moon to them for execution..."

"And now they are back?... they are back for me... they need their monster back..." He trembled in anger and pain as he looked away from her. 

"No... Tyrin... the armor you were wearing..." The princess hesitated for a moment before levitating a box off her shelf and unlocked it, spilling its contents out on a nearby table. The buckles and bands of his armor spilled with it. "This armor... it is not something they give their prisoners or their soldiers... its the ritualistic champion armor. The head honor guard, a position that replaced their prophet  Gnaeus the Seer. Over two thousand years ago, a griffon named Gnaeus had prophetic dreams, he prophesied that this world would end in magical fire, he forged the Ordos Sanguinius with the High Talon's blessing to prevent this prophecy as long as possible. So began the Order of Blood's reign of terror, they traveled the world, killing or capturing anypony or anyone who dabbled in extensively powerful magical destruction. It was not until I fell and was banished that they came to confront Equestria. It was then that they took 11000 Griffons to burn Equestria until they found me. They did not believe that my sister would truly banish me, they thought she was just hiding me to keep them from executing her only blood relative. But 11000 griffons was not enough to stay the wrath of my sister now that she had no ability to banish, seal away, or otherwise peacefully resolve the conflict with her foe. She was forced to act out in violence, and it took thousands of lives to finally make the order believe perhaps not that I was out of their reach but the blood they would pay was not worth one possible danger off their list. They were shamed for leading those thousands to their deaths at the hooves of my sister, stripped of their glory and blessing through the High talon, their order suffered severe attrition as their knights fled, after that they never returned to Equestria that we know of.  Only those who are already shamed go to the Ordos Sanguinius. All we know is that you were wearing the armor of their champion... This could be for a dozen and a half different reasons. But they do not give that armor to anything they see as evil..."

Luna struggled to find something else, anything else to tell him. "We were going to tell you Tyrin, we just didn't want to tell you before we knew for sure and had real answers for you."

His talons grasped the buckles and armor pulling it to him as he turned away. He breathed in deep and his talons tensed so tightly that the stone beneath him cracked. 

"Please... Tyrin... w.." She reached a hoof to him but again he swatted her hoof away.

"My duties?... Those freaks tried to kill me. And now they came to find me here in Equestria, I need to protect more than just Twilight, if they know about Iris they will try and use her to get to me." His voice was stern and aggressive. It was enough to put Luna on edge, so much so she flinched as he whirled about and levied a talon at her. "I will do as you ask but do NOT hide things like this from me again! I expect my 'trainers' to be there by morning. And they WILL protect more than just Twilight." His tone was clear, she had hurt him and it would take time for him to really forgive her, but he was not going to just leave. 

Luna sighed and nodded firmly. "I will send them your way..." She fidgeted wanting to say more but she didn't know what to say.

"Princess... this hurt... a lot. You kept from me literally the ONLY thing on this world I wanted to know, something I have every right to...." He stopped and turned back to her. "But... I understand why you did it. I .. I need some time to think... Please send the trainers and guards, just don't pretend that they are only there to guard Twilight..."

He took off through her window and she did not stop him. She just watched him go wondering and wishing she could have done it differently.





"That was a LOT longer than an Hour..." Twilight stared down at him as he climbed up the stairs in the library, but with one look at him she did not press it any further. "Are... are you alright?"

"I.. I found out some stuff about me... I need your help. I need to know as much as I can about the Ordos Sanguinius." He dropped the armor on the ground between them.

"The... Ordos...no way! Oh! I should have known!!!" Her eyes lit up with excitement. "We don't know much about them but they did traditionally use first century Equestrian, this makes a lot of sense, that is why your armor was covered in it!... oh oh oh! I have a book somewhere..." She darted off to the other side of the room going through her shelves hoping to find something of use. "This makes so much sense!"

"It does?" He pushed the belts and armor to one side and gave her a quizzical glance. 

"Yes, if I remember correctly they were something like an anti magic inquisition. Everything they found dangerous they either destroyed or sealed away. If you were one of them you could have found something dangerous in their vaults or something and it wiped your memories and it might have even pumped you full of this order magic! It makes so much sense... this has to be it." She happily squee'ed in joy.

"I certainly hope so... and... Twilight?" She paused sensing the tension in his voice giving him a slightly worried look. "Thank you..."

She gave him an odd glance, not really understanding his appreciation. "Well of course, we are friends aren't we? Why wouldn't I help?" She gave him a smile and pulled a few books out from the shelf and double checked the designs of the armor.

He looked over her shoulder eagerly. However, his focus was rattled when the sound of little hooves clattering over crystal floors echoed loudly. They both turned to see three little fillies happily dashing down the halls. 

"Tyrin!!" They slid to a stop with a small package on Applebloom's back. "We have something for Iris..."

He put on his best smile, forcing the less than desirable feelings he developed this day into the depths of his mind. "That is nice... but.. um shouldn't you be giving it to Iris?... where is she?"

The three gave him an odd look. "Um... well here right?..."

"Well... did she come back early?" He asked calmly.

Their looks became even more confused. "Um... did you hit your head or something?"

"A few times yes... but where is Iris?" He gestured among them with a talon. "Am I forgetting something?"

"Um.." Scootalloo started looking at him with a questionable eye as if she was wondering if he was drunk. "About two hours after you left... you came back and picked her up. I don't know what she did but when you talked to her she looked really scared and kinda sad. We had a lot of fun though and we kinda figured that we might as well invite her into the Cutie Mark Crusaders... I mean you gotta start somewhere right?"

"Wait... what?... What do you mean I..." His eyes widened and a cold shock ran through him tearing a hole right into his soul. "...Iris..."
> Chapter 7: Raivo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Raivo


"Tyrin! please calm down!" Twilight urged the Griffon to no avail.

Tyrin snapped the head off of the broomstick in his home and rummaged about until he found the machete he borrowed from Granny for when he was going through the Everfree to gather supplies for his cottage, a few short moments of work and he had secured the blade to the head of the broomstick. He had hastily secured the old armor onto his body hoping it gave him some sort of edge in the fight to come.

"Tyrin! Please!" Twilight reached out to him but he turned and gave her an icy glare which seemed to echo with the devastating scream that echoed from him as he seized Luna by the throat. She could see it blatantly in his eyes, he was in dire pain and nothing she could give would take that pain away.

"They have my child!... I don't care what kind of friendship you want me to act with, I am going to find and begin to kill changelings until my child is back in my embrace... If you really want to help, find me their hive. I'll have to kill less Changelings to find it myself..." He gave her a parting glare and hefted his weapon before turning and walking out.

Quickly Twilight followed out after him. The look on her face was one of desperation. "Wait please... w...we can go to the royal guard..."

He whirled on her and sank the blade into the dirt between them. "How many ponies get captured or replaced by Changelings? It's how they survive, it's the only reason they can shapeshift. So how many has it been? there are thousands upon thousands of Changelings yet they remain at large. Just how capable do you think the royal guard is in defeating the changelings? Just how dedicated do you think they are at countering their influence on Equestria? Additionally... there is another reason... And I can't trust anypony with it. Even if they could take on this task..."

He growled looking away from her before yanking the weapon up and shouldering it. "Just know that it's not on the menu. I HAVE to do this, I don't care what the consequences are, I am doing this."

She stood watching him leave, she remembered his scream, remembered the look of pain and terror on his face. He was still lost, still in pain, Iris was his beacon of light in the darkness. She did not know if he would call her a friend, but she knew she would not turn her back on him. She had dealt with changelings and a whole slew of other immortal and nigh invincible enemies before. "Hold up!... Tyrin, I am coming with you I don't know where the hive is but I will do my best to help."

He spared a look back at her before gesturing to follow, but then something unexpected happened.

"Tyrin!... they... um... they are in the Everfree forest, on the far Eastern side." Spike looked on in hesitation as he held out a folded piece of paper.

It did not take long for Tyrin to swipe it from his claws and open it up. It was a crudely drawn map with an X on the far side of the forest. Below the map was a crudely written message, it was as if the writer barely knew how to hold a quill much less have been graced with the interior of a school before. *We have her. come to speak. Queen want speak to you.*

"What?..." He turned the paper over a few times still unsure what the actual message was. But he found nothing else. "Well fine then. I'll come but only time will tell if there is talk..."

He tossed the paper and continued directly towards the forest, Twilight trailing him closely after whispering some instructions to Spike.





Twilight could barely keep up, but she knew she had to. Tyrin was out for blood, and she wanted at least part of him to be left over by the time this was over. She was also hoping that her message got through as fast as possible. She was mildly thankful that he was choosing to fly through the forest rather than over it. Her lighter frame made it much easier to keep up, if they were above the forest he would simply have left her miles behind. However, this did not mean it was easy. Even with him ducking dodging and weaving past every tree and branch, he still did not stop even a little. He was on a warpath and Twilight worried for him almost as much as she worried for the changelings.

"Keep up Princess, if you really can't keep up then go back. This is not a fight you should even be in..." His eyes panned back at her and she shivered still seeing the anger in them.

"I can't just leave you, and if you really need to fight, somepony has to make sure that Iris is clear of the fighting..." She looked back at him as she struggled to keep up, his eyes went back to the front as he kept going.

They kept going for another few minutes, Twilight was already on the verge of passing out when suddenly she got a face full the gray fur off Tyrin's rear. Collapsing in a gasping heap she panted heavily as she looked up at Tyrin as he stared down into a descending cavern. This in and of itself would not have meant much had their not been two Changelings guarding the entrance. They regarded Tyrin calmly and smiled as they stepped forward. However, they did not appear to understand exactly how much they had angered the Griffon by taking his daughter.

Twilight stared in gut wrenching horror as Tyrin charged forward the moment one of the changelings opened his mouth to speak. His balled up talons smashed the changeling in the jaw snapping his mouth shut and severing his tongue. The homemade spear flew from his grip and impaled the other changeling killing him instantly and pinning his limp body against a tree. Tyrin's talons  gripped the remaining changeling by the head and with a mighty heave he twisted and yanked the smaller changeling over his shoulder turning its head backwards and sending it into another tree.

"T..Tyrin!... w.." Twilight could do little more than stare as the griffon tore the blade free letting the body hit the forest floor.

"If you can't... then don't. You can get home... Don't wait for me.." He growled and started down the cave. In desperation Twilight followed, but everything around he made her slow. Fear eating at her gut, she flinched at every shadow and quickly lost Tyrin in the darkness, thankfully there was only one path to follow, even if it was flooded with increasing loud changeling shrieks and yells.

"Tyrin... please... slow down.. just.. just stop!" Twilight slipped on something slick in the darkness. Picking herself off the floor she sputtered and  tried to peer through the darkness. She focused for a moment and her horn created a illuminating ball of light. Unfortunately for her this showed her just what she had slipped in.

At her hooves and all over further down the hallway, blood and entrails of changelings littered the hall. Tyrin's broomstick appeared to have snapped, the sharp end of the wood was stuck through an eye, the borrowed machete she found even further down the hall as she kept going, it was dulled till it was nearly just a flat piece of metal it was then pushed through a changeling's mouth and out the back of its neck. Shivering and shaking, Twilight continued and her keen mind saw two things. Firstly, the loss of the improvised weapon did little to slow him down. She guessed that he picked up one of the changeling's many weapons. However, the second observation chilled her to the bone. All these slain changelings were killed from behind yet clearly the noise in the hive would not have let him take them by surprise. Twilight shivered and held back the urge to vomit. This was not a fight, he was slaughtering them, and they were not fighting back, only running.

She pushed deeper into the hall finding nothing alive but clearly hearing more battle and conflict deeper inside. Her body filled with a terrible chill at the entire ordeal. It felt like a nightmare and as she curled a hoof to her chest she hoped to Celestia that it really was just a nightmare, but the Changeling screams ahead reminded her that this was not so.

Pushing through the darkness the princess of friendship finally came to a very large central chamber. Burning green flames lit the damp air, the taste of copper lingered on her tongue. A cold shock shot through her and she struggled not to vomit as she stared down at the dozens of morbidly torn apart  changeling guards. But she saw him, splattered with blood and hefting the changeling polearm at a Changeling Queen she could have sworn was going to be Chrysalis.

The angry Changeling stared down at Tyrin from her throne, her raised hoof commanding her most elite guards from engaging the griffon. At her side, bound with a chain around her neck, a little Changeling filly stayed still looking down in fear and pain, a large crack from the base of her horn to about halfway up. Twilight didn't know exactly what was going on and but clearly this was a standoff. The unknown queen appeared very angry but she paled in comparison to Tyrin who starred with livid rage, black ink welling up in his eyes.

The changeling's lips turned just slightly, she was still clearly angry but at least for show, she needed to smile. "You did not need to kill them you know... You were invited, the guards were ordered not to harm you and to let you enter peacefully..."

The bladed weapon left Tyrin's hand and cleaved through two guards before sinking deep into the queen's throne just inches from her head. Her eyes betrayed the sudden fright at the excessive speed that the attack happened. Tyrin's beak opened and his voice roared. "GIVE HER BACK!..."

His talons tensed up, the joints popped and cracked still caked with Changeling blood. His voice lowered to chilling levels. "You have nopony to blame but yourself, you took her and now you will give her back... I won't tell you again, and I’m not asking. Learning your lesson MIGHT make me spare your life..."

His hissing voice made it clear that there was no question on how long he would wait, no mystery of what trying to play out any theories would win her. The queen hastily flared up her horn and the chains dropped off of Iris's neck. She quickly scurried over to Tyrin who held her tight. The only one who seemed surprised was Twilight.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" He cradled the little filly and she just whimpered, shivering and crying into his shoulder. He glared at the queen, clearly tempted to kill her anyway. But to her relief he turned and walked back the way he had originally came in. Twilight stared in fear, unable to utter a single word as Iris finally managed to look up. Her tear soaked eyes beheld the Princess of Friendship and her magic flared up enough to put on her old disguise. Twilight was completely dumbstruck. She simply stood and stared as Tyrin wordlessly walked past her.

Twilight had only just turned to follow, making a note to ask questions the moment everything calmed down. But everything was put on hold when the queen spoke. One simply word earned her the hate filled bloodshot glare from Tyrin.

"Wait...." She stood from her throne and her brood scampered about her on the walls and ceiling. She swallowed and stood ready.

"I spared your life... DON'T TEST PATIENCE THAT DOES NOT EXIST" His eyes burned as he stared at her with endless livid hate. She recoiled but did not back away just yet.

"We did all this for a reason, you don't have to leave, in fact you shouldn't leave" She put on her best smile and levitated a small chest over. But if the griffon was interested he did not show it. "We... ahem... We know what you are. We can't exactly just stroll into town and talk to you."

His glare intensified and he turned to Twilight. Slowly he handed the very worried Iris into the very unsure Twilight's hooves. She held her, still unsure of what to do with the filly she had come to know and only just now realized was a Changeling. She turned to him but his beak parted and a single word escaped. "Relinquo..."

There was a cold shock that ran through her brain. It was so clear, she had to leave. It was the polite and smart thing to do. She really wanted to leave. Twilight instantly began to walk out as if  nothing was wrong. But something itched inside her. Her logical mind dug at why she would do such a thing, reason and logic screamed at her and slowly she began to stop. Blinking heavily she looked back when he spoke louder. "Evolo!" There was aggression in his voice and a fright spread through her.

Twilight's power surged and Iris screamed out as she struggled to get to Tyrin. But she was too late. Twilight was in the middle of the Everfree forest. Her head was still recoiling in pain and fright. It was like someone had just sat her down and gave her a very convincing ten hour lecture on how if she did not leave that very moment, she would die.

Still fresh with fear and only just barely starting to realize that she had just experienced order magic, the little filly in her grasp sprang out looking in all directions, tearing up she turned back to Twilight. "We have to go back! please! They are going to show him!"

"Iris! Slow down, calm down. What is going on? Why did they foalnap you?" She was still put on edge from the fact she was talking to a Changeling.

"They took me to lure him in. He has a lot of dark energy, I thought it was a coincidence, that it just felt like what I thought it was." Twilight stared at her again, this time more confusion than pain and fear. "When I first saw him, I thought he was a changeling, so I followed him. But I learned pretty fast he isn't a changeling. But.... he has some strange changeling magic, it's woven into who he is. They told me, but if they show him, it might wake him up. It might give him bad memories, they might make my daddy bad!"







"What is this game bug?" He stood, raising on his hind paws as he picked up another dropped weapon.

To her credit, the queen did not cower, but she clearly understood that now was not exactly a moment for theatrics. "Well, we brought you here because you are very VERY important to the hive, to all Changelings in fact. There are not many hives out there, but ours remembers the old tales, and you... or rather, what you really are is all over our oldest history... There is a lot we are hoping you can fill in, but you are the single most importan-"

"Shut it!" He brought the bladed instrument down between them, shattering the stone and making her flinch while the Changelings behind her scurried for cover, only peaking out when he didn't follow his anger up with violence.

She popped open the chest and levitated out a dark crystal sphere. "Just give us a chance, I'm sorry, we crossed a line we should not have. It was ignorance, but the reason we need you is very real. Just give us this chance...." She offered the crystal out to him. "It's a memory inducer. A very very old and powerful artifact. It's got at least one more good run in her. Just give it a shot. If there is anything in there that is repressed, it will unlock it and let you see who you really are."

He stared at her, his eyes wet with the same black ink before his taons snapped out and grasped the sphere. "Scutum" darkness enveloped the air between him and the queen. An extremely powerful telekinetic field raised on all sides as he stared at the sphere finally bringing it in and flooding it with his magic. It did not take long to activate the device, But he almost wished he hadn't.





Panicking and moving about rapidly, Twilight was followed quickly by Iris as they struggled to find any kind of way back into the hive. She did not even remember how she got in or out. The order magic burning its way into her mind did not quite let her remember exact details. Struggling to remember all the while, scanning everything she could with her magic she did not notice the army approaching.

Wings flapping loudly preempted the flash of magic as the Lunar guard as well as a company of the solar guard landed quickly. Twilight came about just in time to see none other than Luna herself in full battle regalia.

"Thank goodness! My message got through, please we have to hurry!" Twilight still stumbled about a little. Iris seemed like she was about to explode with fear and distress. Luna however, scooped up the filly and with a short moment of focus the filly was fast asleep.

"Get Princess Twilight and Iris back into town immediately!" The soldier nodded firmly as he  took Iris in very steady caring hooves, two guards flanked Twilight and she did not get the chance to object as they slowly began to move her very sternly away. Then the explosion rocked the forest, green and black flames shot up from every crack and crevice in the ground for miles, the stink of cooking changeling flesh and the smoke and heat of foul balefire filled the forest to the brim. Luna gawked but only for a moment before she repeated her order with far more urgency and aggression in her voice.

"GET HER OUT, NOW!" She slung a polearm off her shoulder and gave it a twirl. "Third company! Secure all access points, second company, take the solar guard and comb the forest for changelings, everypony else come with me!"

Twilight did not get a chance to get a word in as a small group of guards picked her up rather roughly and made haste back towards Ponyville. Still in shock she did nothing to oppose them, hesitating for just a moment until she saw Iris fast asleep going the same direction. Sweat heavy across her brow Twilight quickly turned front and began flying on her own which was quickly noticed by the guards who let go but stayed very close.

Twilight  shivered and glanced towards Iris not sure if she should speak of it to anypony. But swallowing she gave a glance back at the rising smoke just in time to see the tiny dark blur that was Luna disappearing into a hole in the ground. "Please be safe Tyrin...."





They were weak. They didn't deserve the legacy of his dark blood. "Your weakness disgusts me... I cannot even fathom how my own blood could have possibly fallen so far...."

Tyrin's words hissed from his mouth, the runny blackness dribbled steadily from his eyes. His talons dragged the changeling banner across his blade cleaning the excessive blood from it and gripping the weapon with an iron fist. The queen stood weakly, sparks coming off her horn, over strained from the fight. She winced as she coughed up a thick slurry of blood. She shivered staring at him, only her honor guard survived the blast, and that was only because they were with her behind the magical shield. The rest of her entire hive died in that split second. The moment he activated the crystal, the creature in front of her was born.

But she had some hope, it was keen and powerful, overflowing with its movements and endless powerful attacks. She could barely keep up, she was unsure if she could even call what she was doing as keeping up, but he was slowing down, as if the memories returned were being combated and he was losing the power and oddly seemed to be more deliberate with his attacks. He had burst through her shield, the same shield that held back that massive balefire blast, he had torn through with his bare talons and crushed her left foreleg with the slightest effort, but now he slowed, not tired but almost thoughtfully. Debating whether to kill or just leave to rot. She could have more children if she was able to run, it would take her two decades to fully return her hive to power, but she would have to escape first.

"Please... I... I don't understand. Why? Why would you do this to us?" Her words had validity, she truly wanted to know, but they were spewing forth from her lips to keep him from attacking until she had a chance to run. The five remaining honor guard stayed between her and the griffon. But they knew that they were staring at death itself but it was their place to die protecting the queen.

Tyrin's beak cracked open and a grin spread. "You... you were weak... so weak.. and despite my song to you... you left me... I sang... I sang for a thousand years... and you still did not come!" His grin faded  and his eyes narrowed. He took one step before three of the remaining honor guards rushed him. Their blood splattered left and right before their bodies fell to the ground twitching, the ringing blade somersaulted end over end before clattering to the ground trailing changeling blood. Talons free of the weapon, the figure before he still advanced without an ounce of hesitation, his stride going from livid rage to calculated wrath.

"Please!... no!.. we ... we need you! We are weak because you were gone! You... you have to help us!.. Please! We were incomplete without you!" She struggled to hobble back on her three good legs and instantly the remaining guards stepped forward not fearing what they knew would instantly be their doom.

He froze, Tyrin clenched his beak, a pain spread over his features. A pain that was nothing like the darkness just moments before as his eyes panned over the changelings standing ready to die before their queen. "Du...duty..." The darkness about him faded like a dying fire flickering to nothing in a harsh wind. His stance changed from that of a darkness that took life to something stern and powerful. Something honed by decades of military training.

After but a short moment of hesitation, his talons raked across the centerpiece of his armor. The small runes across his sparsely populated armor flared with a golden light and he regarded her with a righteous glare. He took up a stance, his wings out and his body ready. The way he stood suggested there was something precious he stood in front of, this was not an attacking stance, it was the stance a guard took to protect his charge, almost mirroring the changelings before him. But it went nearly unnoticed by the queen or her guards.

Seeing the darkness vanish they hesitated for just a moment but when they saw no sign of a return of the devastating power they both rushed in at once. The queen just watched wondering if she could escape.

Tyrin's reaction was purely martial. He twisted and pivoted in the air, his talons met joints and gave firm strikes and yanks, twisting and pulling, he tore apart the guards with carefully calculated martial prowess. The last guard gurgled and struggled against his crushed throat before he fell to the ground. The queen's eyes narrowed. His back was turned and if she was going to survive, it was now or never.

Her horn flared and a thick sickly blast of dark green washed over Tyrin's back  and she bolted for the catacombs as fast as she could manage. Even if he wasn't downed by the attack, she knew she put all her remaining power into it. He would not be able to catch up before she hit the catacombs, then he would never find her.

A flash of gold in her peripherals was all she saw before she hit the stones beneath her, propelled by a strike directly between her wings.

His body was alight with gold from his armor, every small point of metal and runes shed light to the next fully over the surface of his fur and skin creating a thick magical shield. She stared up at him with fear, she was going to resume begging before his talons pressed firmly over her throat as he leaned over her.

Choking, she struggled with the words. "Please!.... p...please!.." She opened her eyes to see him turning away from her. Silently staring back as he held her down. "W...what?..." He did not move, just stared at the same spot back near her now shattered and burning throne. Staring with pain and confusion.





Dark blue feathers in the air, he stared blankly. He didn't know what he was looking at, but it was there. Right there, the most beautiful creature he had ever seen or comprehended. Dark blue feathers and fur. Her wings were delicate and smooth like silk. She smelled of the queen of the night, he remembered offering her the flower when he first saw her.

" Selenicereus grandiflorus ... the desert moon flower..."

He offered it to her, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen to the most beautiful creature he had ever beheld. She smiled. She smiled and removed his helmet, placing a kiss on his young brow. From that day onward, he fought for her. He fought only for her.

He winced at the sharp pain, like a cold blade under his eyes, deep into his head. When his eyes opened, he saw her form. Limp at the feet of the throne. her delicate beautiful neck bleeding. He looked back at where he pinned her killer. The enemy griffon's bloody talons scraped against Tyrin's plate armor. The killer spat and laughed at her death. The ice cold breath caught in Tyrin's throat. Tears streaked down his face and he opened his  beak in pain. His voice rang out in a deep weeping cry. His scream echoed loudly as he felt the world around him melt and shatter. The sole reason for his existence torn away and spat upon. He screamed until blood mixed with his spittle. Screaming and weeping at his loss. There was nothing left in the world. Nothing that remained, save for the one who killed her. His breath lost in his chest, his gaze turned slowly to the pinned enemy and everything he had inside him was released.





"Don't stop!... just move forward! I refuse to believe nothing is here!" Luna charged through the tunnels lined with charred bodies of the destroyed hive.  All killed instantly without any form of discrimination, simply slain with the dark fires. Her night guard moved quickly through every last room, searching  top to bottom.

The dark blue alicorn moved between then like the night itself. Her mind blazed from one scenario to the next, her senses explored every inch of the razed hive at high speeds. The princess of the moon slid to a stop and pressed her hoof on the wall for just a moment. She could feel it, such extreme pain, like a nightmare that never ended. "HERE! Form ranks!"

The guards gathered quickly, leveling spears and pikes at the wall just as she pressed and gave a firm twist. The wall flared with her magic and crumbled away. They advanced slowly her eyes catching the occasional non charred bloody body, eviscerated and broken before being thrown clear. Slowly she advanced until she saw it.

Tears poured from his eyes as his body shook and shivered. The griffon stared down at the limp form of a changeling queen. His talons pressed at her throat keeping her pinned. His voice was like a crying child, whimpering and gasping as he stared down with broken eyes repeating the same word and watching the queen twitch and spasm with every repetition.

"Cruciatus.... cruciatus.... cruciatus..."

She carefully trotted up until she was just feet away. Staring down at the limp queen, Luna could not help but to grimace. The queen's eyes open wide, a broken far gone blank look on her face. Hesitating she looked back to Tyrin who could do nothing but repeat the word. Slowly she reached out and touched him. He flinched, shaking hard his beak clenched shut and he turned to her. His body convulsed and he broke, with a flood of tears he embraced her and wept into her armor.

Without the ability to even understand what was going on, she calmly stared and slowly, her hooves came up to hold the broken griffon. She pulled him close and whispered softly. "Shhhh... sleep... I have you now...and I won't let go.." Her horn glowed and Tyrin returned to his nightmares.
> Chapter 8: Repercussus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Repercussus



His Talons raked across the wooden floor boards, but his beak remained tightly  clenched. He had drained all his reserves hours ago, the empty bottles clattered about by his paws and the guards outside refused to let him out. The younger ones were terrified of him and he could barely hear them outside, had the veterans not been there they would have either run away or tried to do something very foolish. And he would not have blamed them.

For the past five hours, his mind was an absolute flurry. He had woken up just in time to freak out and begin to get violent when he saw that Iris was not with him. However, this rage was quelled quickly when Twilight had come and hoof delivered the little one to him, her face screamed that she needed to talk, but she could have been blind and still plainly seen that he did not. He stayed with the little changeling until she had fallen asleep in his little makeshift nest upstairs, then immediately he moved to the living room and began pacing. He had killed so many, at least hundreds. He knew exactly what he was doing and he could feel each and every soul blink out like a candle in the wind, the worst part was that it felt good. Like a horrible wrong he had put right. Something that was an insult to an infinitely burning pride.

The whole thing was nothing close to an out of body experience, he saw everything, and each step of the way it was like his opinion just changed. One after another, killing as a father protecting his daughter, killing something that perverted his beautiful image and legacy, then killing for revenge, because it was his duty.

His balled up taons smashed a hole in the wall and he held in a roar of anger, but he froze into stillness. Even though she did not speak, he could feel her little eyes on him. “Go back to bed Iris… please…”

It was so silent and so still he could hear her breath. He could hear her little hooves clipping and clopping across the wooden floor, tears felt like fire coming from his eyes and he felt her little forelegs over him. Hugging him close she buried her face in his fur.

He didn’t want her here, he wanted to be violent and vent off the pain, he wanted to drink away the memories of this day, he wanted to kill more vile filth that tried to take her from him. But he didn’t want her to see it, she was a child, he was a monster, a monster that didn’t deserve anything he had.

Turning slightly, he could not tell if it was selfishness or selflessness, she needed him and if he could kill a thousand changelings to rescue her, he could tuck her into bed again. Without a word he scooped her up and carried her back upstairs. She cried into his shoulder and he lay down with her cradled in his arms.

He didn’t deserve any of this, and she deserved so much more than him, but as he knew well, there was no other who would give her anything close to what was needed. Some simply had a fate that was not fair.

He pushed his thoughts to the furthest reaches of his mind and coiled around her, he could never sleep after this day. But even if it cost him his life, he would let her sleep, and he would kill anything that came through his door for her.








“Would you have done it any different if you were in his position?”

Celestia’s hoof smashed down on the table. “OF COURSE!”

Luna glared across the table at her. “Really?... because I know of a few times where your actions certainly say otherwise…”

Celestia glared and her eyes boiled with aggravation before Luna continued. “Look, I’m not, nor will I ever say that his actions were a good thing, what he did was genocide, he should have came to us, and he most certainly should not have gotten Twilight involved, even if she supposedly demanded to come along… But face it, if it was ANYPONY else… anypony at all, they would be doing the exact same thing if only they could.”

“He killed thousands of Changelings Luna… THOUSANDS!” She stood up and looked over at Luna closely.

“You tried to do the same thing against the wolves of the north when the raids began, and we both were willing to draw blood if the elements did not seal discord, and don’t pretend we went to Sombra to talk him down… When tyranny strikes, freedom has to answer or perish.”

“2.7 thousand changelings… this is the single greatest loss of life since…”

Luna whipped around and leveled a hoof at Celestia. “... Since you stood off against the Ordos Sanguinius when they came for nightmare moon… How many did you kill? Eight thousand? Nine?... Ten thousand?”

The stone beneath them cracked and burning magic seeped through the cracks. “Do NOT speak of such things... I never wanted to end so many lives, do not throw that in my face and expect me to just accept it!”

“Then open your eyes sister! His child was lost to him and he rose up to face the challenge. Yes he could have done better but you would have done the exact same thing if it were me, and you can't blame him for doing what any parent would do if only they had the capability.”

The door creaked open and one of the guards stepped in, but immediately almost fell back and wet himself as both Celestia and Luna glared and shouted in unison “WHAT?!?”

“Your highnesses… th… there’s foreign emissaries here to see you both.” His voice was almost a whimper and it gave Celestia almost enough time to calm down.

“Tell them to come back later, we are busy.” Celestia took the time to close her eyes and breath in deeply.

But the guard only brought more distress. “Um… they are here specifically about your most… um.. Current problem.” Celestia narrowed her eyes at him and he swallowed loudly and forced himself to stand up straighter. “Its… its the Ordos Sanguinius.”







Luna excused herself and Celestia rushed to the throne room. Double checking and triple checking herself, she issued orders to her guards and hoped this day would not get any more bloody by the time it ended.

Stepping out in a soft regal trot she sat in her chair and her eyes opened, staring down at the two scarred and grizzled Griffons strapped with plate armor and, despite regulations, her keep eyes could see where several weapons were tucked away, just how one limb rested heavier, or a piece of armor was intentionally left loose. She would have to rearrange the guard to ensure her veterans were kept closer. As it stood, even if these two really were unarmed it was likely she was the only one in the room who could challenge them. She grumbled on the inside imagining her guards rushing in then rushing back in fear after the first five or so were effortlessly slain.

These were not the average Griffons either, she knew what had happened to their order after she decimated them. Each and every member was a highly skilled warrior shamed in his or her own right before they chose to serve in the order of blood and shame. The Ordos Sanguinius was needed, and those few who wanted penance needed the order.

Her lips parted and she spoke out firmly, hoping they remembered what happened last time they tried to throw their weight around a thousand years ago. But she hoped against hope that she would not have to do such things ever again, and she was not sure if she could. “What do you want?”

The closest Griffon opened his beak and to Celestia’s surprise the voice was female. “We have come for the body of one of our own. He died in service, and his corpse was taken from us by a monster possessing his body.”

She rolled the words around in her head putting a great deal of thought into it. The way the Griffon said it made a lot more sense than what she had put together for her idea of who and what Tyrin was. “I am sorry, but we do not specifically have what you speak of… perhaps if you would disclose more information…”

“No” The old bird spoke the single word with utter certainty and her cold eyes stared as if she was holding a blade levied at her throat.

Celestia could see the fire of her spirit, she then remembered exactly why the Ordos Sanguinius fought until she was forced to kill ten thousand of their soldiers. She remembered sweeping fire and blades through their ranks, how they dodged past the decimated burning remains of their comrades and renewed their assault for every life she was forced to end. To these griffons, nothing was more important than their duty, their lives without their duties were long past without meaning. They had no fear, because whatever drove them into the order had figuratively killed them, and duty was the only way what little remained of their lives held anything remotely approaching meaning.

Celestia breathed out in a long sigh. Her eyes memorized the weathered face of the female griffon, she was tall and regal. Celestia could have sworn if she was not strapped to 200lbs of tempered steel and her plumage cut short with a razor, she would look like a queen. “Please… just give us a few days, this event stopped being uniquely your problem when he crashed here.

The old female did not flinch, her beak opened fluidly and he voice spilled out in flawless dominating etiquette. “24 hours… then we will start taking steps to collect the body ourselves…” Celestia raised a hoof but was sternly cut off as the griffon’s talons jutted out at her like a blade. “If you wait too long it will end more lives, you were lucky it killed your enemies, next time you might not be so lucky. And don’t let its little pet fool you, monsters draw in other monsters, ever wonder what a creature like that feeds something like that little changeling queen he is so fond of? I doubt it's capable of love, and just how much freedom did you give it just because it looks like a foal?”

Celestia’s heart fell silent, the questions had burned in her head, but she didn’t ask them because she didn’t want to know, she didn’t want to see how dark the situation really was. But now she knew why the changelings would foalnap something from someone as dangerous as Tyrin, not to mention the reports, of what he spent his money on. She was concerned that the child wasn’t eating, the only thing he purchased was supplies for his cottage, small toys, and alcohol. But she was healthy.

Celestia nodded, silently cursing to herself. She really had gone soft. She had stood along for a thousand years, but the majority of that was peaceful and lonely, she had grown so weak in that time.

She watched the griffons turn and leave. A chill running through her, she was frightened at the prospect of just how weak she had become. It was not just physical and magical power, she could have taken on Chrysalis had she put full power behind her initial attack. She could have fought against Tyrek, she would likely have lost, but if she didn’t have to worry about collateral damage, she could have stood a chance. It was not only her power, but her will to fight. She was becoming tragically weak, and her nation needed her to be the strong leader she was supposed to be.

The tail of the griffon whipped out of sight and Celestia gave a long sigh. It was time for her to be strong, a kind of strong she didn’t want to be, and a kind of strong she couldn’t just foster in Twilight and hope the problem would resolve itself. “Fetch the Dawnguard… and report back to the barracks. I don’t want anypony with less than five years venteranship guarding this room.”

The guard nearly dropped his spear at her command. He was young and while he knew he wasn't a veteran, he was not quite sure what he did to be removed from such a prominent position. But he nodded firmly and excused himself, then when around the corner he went even more pale than his white hide. The Dawnguard were more than just veterans, they were the elite of the elite amongst the guards. He ran the conversation the princess had with the griffon through his head and made guesses at what the Dawnguard would be needed for. But he knew, if they were legitimately needed, he didn’t want to be there for what the princess was about to do.







His eyes opened, he couldn't tell if he had fallen asleep, but he certainly felt exhausted. He wanted a stiff drink and maybe another, and maybe another. He looked down at the little filly in the nest, so soundly sleeping. He had been so angry he would likely have attacked the next fool who stepped through his door and savagely beaten them until they were a stain on the floor. But, this little filly just melted his rage and pain away. He didn’t deserve her, nopony did. He smiled and carefully stood up.

As if he was sneaking away on a stealth mission, he carefully made his way down stairs and poked about in the kitchen, he frowned at the condition he had left his cottage in. broken bottles and jugs. Talon marks and holes from his fists. He had a lot to fix and every inch of his home made him feel shame for acting out when he could have been helping the others who suffered while he did as well.

He moved through the home into the kitchen which basically had no use other than for his own ocasional snacks. His mind poured through the small conundrum. He did eat occasionally, but mostly he just drank all the alcohol he could, any normal griffon would have starved to death by now, he was sure of it. He grumbled and started to quietly pick up around the house.

He paused as his talons shivered and shook. Memories so close to the surface, he could almost touch them, but all he could do was feel the pain and loss as they slipped by leaving him alone in the cold world. He wiped his eyes clear and breathed deeply trying to clear the pain away. He couldn’t just surrender. Iris needed him, otherwise he would have probably broke his wings and thrown himself off a cliff by now.

His head jerked to one side as the a firm knock sounded from the door. A small spark of rage built up but he smothered it and stood up.

He didn’t have to move or speak, the door opened and something he did not suspect moved gracefully until it was right in front of him.

Celestia strode up, her wings flared and not just a guard on either side of her but a scarred and honed veteran, years of combat in their eyes. He stood and leveled his eyes at her, she in turn stared back at him. He could see it in her eyes, she was here for a reason, a reason he would not stand for. She opened her mouth to speak knowing he knew what she was going to say, but he beat her to it.

The darkness welled up in his eyes leaking down his cheeks as bloody rage rose up inside him from the depths of his soul. “You will not touch her…”
> Chapter 9 Ira
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ira


She stood in her majesty, her armor let off the golden glowing runes of imbued power millenia old. She didn’t need to bring the armor, nor the Dawnguard but her heart hardened, and she needed this if she wanted respect herself as the defender of Equestria. Celestia had no doubt that Ordos Sanguinius would somehow know what she did and how she went about it. Her heart begged her to stop, but her mind stood firm on what she had to do to be the leader of her nation.

“Tyrin… She’s a changeling…” Her eyes didn’t stray or vary from the cold stare at the griffon. “Her very method of sustaining herself is harmful. She feeds from you… She’s dangerous, if not now, then when she is older.”

His talons balled into a fist and harshly smashed into the floor shattering the wooden planks. “YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!” His eyes narrowed into slits of pure rage against her golden fiery glare. “She steals nothing from me! I feed her my love upon my own volition.” He moved forward making the elite Dawnguard snap into position, levying their spears at him ready for anything. 

“Tyrin… please… don’t make us use force… I don’t want to do this…”Her voice remained calm and authoritative. She hated every second of this, but she knew what would likely happen if she did not stand firm. 

His body trembled with rage and his beak clenched shut as his narrowed eyes flooded with inky darkness and instantly began dribbling down his cheeks and onto the floor. “If you so much as touch her, you will have to kill me first. And you damned well better kill me… She is my daughter… and I will NOT forgive… I will kill and kill and continue killing until she is back in my arms… That is what I did to that hive, and it’s what I will do here.”

She flinched internally, she knew well at the sound and tremble in his voice, he was not exaggerating. “Please Tyrin, just let this happen. I don’t want to harm you or her, and my finest will try and find a solution to make her safe, for you and my nation. I know the love you feel for her, but I have to think of my nation first… The security and welfare of thousands cannot be put at risk for a single individual…”

“You are not changing her, nor will you touch her…” He glared up at her menacingly and her eyes emulated the calm before the storm as she released the power within her, churning and shaping it.

“Please… don’t make me kill you…” She hid the shiver and pain, the gall that she had to speak such words to push her authority forward.

His eyes lit up and oozed the vicious black fluid as his saliva too turned dark with his deepening voice. “You know the terms Celestia...Your move…”

Her heart cried out and she hardened herself, casting the doubt and pain from her. She needed to do what was best for her nation. “I am sorry Tyrin… I swear to you, I will not have her harmed if I can help it.” She looked to the stairs and started forward. Her heart darkened as she spoke the command. “Guards!”

The Dawnguard, the two she had brought in were melee experts, exceedingly powerful magical grip on their spears, their armor too was enchanted and boosted their already impressive combat capability. But this was not something they had seen before.

It was like a flash, at once his paw contacted right over her first guard’s eyes in a heavy kick that sent him flying into the wall, then nearly through it. The spear tumbled through the air, free from the guard's magical grasp.”Tenaci!”

Celestia watched in awe as the weapon instantly shot to his waiting talons which seized the hilt firmly as his other set of talons sank into the floor. ”Incisura!” Instantly the ground in front of him burned with a sharp line which snapped into a flawless circle around the second guard already spinning as he hurled the weapon at Tyrin with a masterful blast of telekinetic magic. But the circle had finished forming and it became clear that it was a lot simpler than it had looked. The pony quickly sank as the floor gave out under him dropping him a twelve inches. 

The spear soared true and would have ended Tyrin upon impact, but the the dark flames and sparks, Tyrin’s stolen spear began to shift and change, burning and changing shape as it intercepted the flying weapon and knocking it clearly out of the way. Again, he flashed forward towards the remaining guard just barely regaining his balance. His talons scooped under the pony’s chin and grasped not his throat but his jaw and with a blasting force of pure brute strength he threw the guard overhead into and then this time through the wall.

Standing in front of Celestia who was forced to turn around and address him. He glared with pure hatred, his chest heaved and his form darkened even further. The air grew cold and the blade he had taken grew to a sickly black color, unrecognizable from its original master crafted Equestrian form.

“Is this really what you want Tyrin?...” Her eyes lit with golden fire as her power swelled. It had been hundreds of years since she had to command her full power. She honestly didn’t know if she could get this far, but she could feel much more inside her. The long since abandoned golden wrath that she had released on so few, it was a weapon that she knew she needed, but a weapon she did not want to use.

“No, but clearly somepony wants it…” He hefted his weapon and piled on the black flames, forcing more and more of his unnatural power into the weapon.

“I don’t want this Tyrin, nopony does…” The click sounded firmly, the gold and ivory polearm popped off her armor and folded into its form, glowing with golden light, she stood ready wondering if she should call in the rest of the Dawnguard.

“Daddy?”

Instantly the power within then both flicked like a candle in the wind. Celestia tried to stabilize her magical flow, she had hardened her heart just enough to know she could subdue him and take her. But she didn’t know if her heart could handle any child, no matter its lineage having to be involved in such violent affairs. She needed to do this, but the very last thing she wanted was to watch the little changeling die in a fight between herself and Tyrin.

“Oh… Iris… me and your father are just having a disagreement… but we came to a conclusion…” She could see the fear in the little changeling’s eyes. But with the soothing power of her magic, she reached out and spoke in sweet tones. “We just want to have you over at the castle… come. Don’t worry… it will be fun…”

She offered a warm smile and could feel the magic seeping into the young mind drawing her forward, a childhood dream of spending a night in a castle building up in her eyes. But then the blade punctured her back. The runed armor was enough to keep a meteor from harming her, but the dark blade just barely punctured and all at once, Celestia’s golden rage returned.

Her wing flapped once and tossed Tyrin back. But he caught himself and his power flared even greater. His voice rang out in desperation and anger. “RUN! GO AND I’LL CATCH UP! GO, YOU KNOW WHERE!”

Her little hooves clattered and she popped out the back wall in a fresh hole. Celestia opened her mouth to spout orders but Tyrin was on her instantly. Her blade battered and clashed with his as he forced himself between her and the little changeling’s escape. “You touch my daughter and you die….” His power flared and the darkness returned with a vengeance. His beak opened and his voice growled out the single word which appeared to make everything worse.

“Exsuscito”

His power flared to an excessive level, sickly tendrils of power reached out, not just over his feathers and fur, but across the floor. The power thickened and grew into grotesk growths which formed to bone like structures over his limbs until it reached the base of his skull, spreading into a hardened caprace like an actual skull. Celestia had her golden armor, Tyrin had whatever this was.

The power burst from him and kicked out the doors and windows. The remaining Dawnguard stood in formation, ready for anything that could spill out into the yard. Their urgent glares brought Celestia back into the moment and with a deep breath she deeped as far as she could into her reserves and drudged up the fullest extent of her power, something she had not truly done since she ended ten thousand lives in her battle with the Ordos Sanguinius. Golden fire instantly replaced her normal magical aura, and while it coated her wings and body, she added the final touch, the fiery halo forming over her head stated her divine right to rule and protect the nation of Equestria. She could feel the remnants of the wound on her back healing and the two locked eyes.

As the power surged through her like the sun itself, her mind wandered for a precious moment, she didn’t want this, but she needed to do it.







Iris panted, bolting through the trees and brush she knew the spot was around here somewhere, but she didn’t really get a good look at it, she just knew it was vaguely around the Everfree and Sweet Apple Acres.

Her little hooves could only take her so far so fast. She had dropped her disguise and buzzed her little wings as fast as she could, she was not a strong flier but she knew she could certainly go much faster with wings and hooves. She had seen the guards, heard Tyrin’s voice. It was over, he could take the hive by surprise in a perfect environment, but against the princess of the sun, in the open?

She sniffled and her jaw clenched almost certain she would never see him again. But she would wait until she died of starvation. Tyrin was her father, and even if every pony in Equestria would turn her in to the royal guards or kill her on sight, she would wait for him.

Her heart sank in utter fear and despair as she impacted what she knew immediately was a pony. She looked up to see the bland features, a red scarf, glasses, a small cart. She was exhausted, even if this pony had ten carts, Iris knew she would not get away.







His cough brought up more blood pooling under his chin. The magic had fragmented and shattered, much like his ribs. No amount of wrath and power within his darkness was able to keep the solar matriarch from tossing him around like a rag doll. To his credit, he put up an immense fight, and five of the eighteen remaining guards were all that was left standing. He was sure he didn’t kill any of them, but they were either unconscious or simply out of the fight through severe injuries. It wasn’t them but Celestia’s goddess like power that had shattered his ribs, dislocated his wing, and hyperextended his left arm.

He watched weakly as the hilt of the gold and ivory weapon impacted in the puddle of blood before his eyes. “I am disappointed in you Tyrin. You hurt my ponies, put my kingdom in danger, and wasted my time.”

He struggled to get his paws and talons under him but her hilt lifted form the puddle and pressed down on the back of his neck. “STAY DOWN!” Her voice growled and echoed with what felt like endless divine power. He choked and groaned under her, even more so as her power helped pin him. A pillar of golden light over his position like a giant pin sticking through him and keeping him secured to the ground.

“You’ll live, but you will pay off your crimes and foolishness. No question about that. But first… we need to know where you sent Iris…” She pressed harder on the back of his neck and he groaned painfully.

He coughed and the bloody spittle mixed with blackness of the dark magic within him added to the puddle. “.. G… Go to hell…”

“Funny you should mention that… If I don’t turn you over to the Ordos Sanguinius, you’ll likely be spending a great deal of time in Tartarus… But if you are going to be difficult… I won’t play along. I’m sure you can tell, but I am done being gentle… “ She turned to the guards who were carefully laying out and treating the rest of the Dawnguard. “Get the ritual memory crystals… we are taking the information directly…”

Another surge of anger and desperation flowed through him, but she reminded him of his place with a little more weight and more focus on her magical pillar of light. He groaned loudly and the talons of his good arm splashed down in the puddle. His voice rasped and he painfully lipped words up at her. Despite her harshness in the moment, she was still Celestia, she was still the kind and loving ruler of the land. Grinding her teeth she leaned in and offered her ear to his pained voice.

“I… told you… you had better kill me…” Her eyes opened wider when he rolled to one side, forcing her weapon to slip. Power within him flared one last time, giving him just enough to act one last time. His knuckles impacted Celestia’s knee with a loud crack. Her focus instantly lost in the flaring pain she crudely brought her weapon to bare and suddenly she could not see.

The dirt and blood from the puddle beneath his beak made a thick and sickly mud which still clung to his talons after throwing a handful of it into her eyes. But he was already in the trees fighting the shock as the remaining power braced his ribs and forced his wing back into its socket while righting his hyperextended arm.

The last of the magic burned fast like dry kindling. He brought just a fraction of it to his mind to seek out Iris through the dire pain. The rest held his fractured body together. And so it was, his ravaged body creaking and on the verge of outright failure as he blasted through the forest. 

He rapid closed in on flickering spirit. So small and fragile, had he not been the the very last fraction of his strength his speed would have been redoubled when he saw the fear and shock in the flame of her spirit as he closed in. Panic and fear shot through him as he saw another spirit there near hers. Gasping and growling he burst through the brush mere seconds from his daughter. He tried to slice another piece of his power to form a weapon, but it was not enough. In desperation and the last of his wrath, he yanked the last fraction of magic holding his body together and formed a blade, instantly hugging Iris to his side and levying the blade at his foe that he could not even see.

“I… will..n…” Blood seeped from his body at an alarming rate as his senses rapidly evaporated. She was there, in his arms. But his life was fading faster than he could sense. He wanted more time, silently, in the precious moments it took for his body to fall to the ground, he begged the darkness within to give him just a little more, he would give anything, pay any price, his life, his soul, anything if it meant he could hold her, if he could only make her safe. But just like that, his body hit the cold wet forest floor and the last of his life flickered out with the magic.

He saved her, and now he gave her the very last of his life to keep her safe. All he could do now, was hope the darkness listened and hope that his sacrifice could keep her from perishing.


> Chapter 10: Novos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Novos



It was so cold, the world was an absolute haze. He could vaguely see the outline beautiful winged figure. The song escaping her, the voice touching him stung like venom, it was so beautiful but he recoiled because he knew he was unworthy. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. But the more he refused, the more the hole in his chest tore and the more the sea of blood swallowed him.

His mouth fell agape and the silent scream was deafening. But instantly everything went black. His mind went reeling and his senses faded. Then, what felt like centuries, the light returned, and again she was waiting for him. The vicious cycle continued again and again, he couldn’t tell if he was him slipping deeper and deeper into the bloody sea consuming him or just his tiredness as he tumbled through the abyss.

His eyelids were heavy and he shuttered in the emptiness. But with no warning, his head was jerked up and his eyes focused, as if she forced him to look up he watched an extended limb. He blinked, and it was a set of talons, again and it was a hoof. He was torn in shame and pain. He didn’t know what to do as she screamed to him, begging him to take the offered limb. Then there was a flash, his immense pain flared even higher as he looked her in the eyes, and he saw it. His shame and pain was overwhelming, but he saw his reason to live. A little filly crying herself to sleep just beyond it all. His unbearable pain and self disgust was thrown to the side. He didn’t deserve life, but he knew someone else who did.

The scent of the queen of the night flooded his nostrils and he seized onto the offered talons, watching them swap between hooves and gripping digits. He looked her in the eyes and beheld her utter beauty, but he could not tell what he was looking at. 

And finally, he opened his eyes. Pain shot through his body like nothing he had ever experienced. But one thing told him the one truth he was currently searching for. Though he could barely move he felt the gentle rise and fall of a small form over his legs. He didn’t know why or how, but Iris was alive, unbound and sleeping right there with him. Despite the pain in his body which was beyond measure, his heart was at ease just seeing her there.

His eyes peering upwards were swollen, but not swollen shut. He was heavily bandaged but a quick very light movement told him that his skeleton was currently not crushed to dust. However, it certainly felt like it. His joints were stiff and even though he could feel them move cleanly, his body felt like he had been fed through a meat grinder and sewn back together then perhaps thrown off a cliff. He would have shook his head as if to tell his creativity to go away but even thinking caused tremendous pain.

“Oh… good, you really are alive. She was really scared.”

Tyrin froze and his eyes tilted to one side, following the voice. And much like the voice on his ears, his eyes begged the same question when they centered on the figure. The question which only just barely escaped his mouth with what little force he could muster. 

“Who are you?”

The figure smiled and set a small book down on the rock he was leaning against. He was a tired looking gray unicorn. Simple mane and tail swayed gently in the breeze. A small sandy colored old beanie sat on his head, a darker gray coat with a deep red scarf over his neck and finally, a small pair of glasses gently perched on his nose. He looked so simple, but gently looking around he noticed odd supplies. It looked like a rather improvised campsite, but the items strewn about did not seem very equestrian. He could see a few books with titles that he could not read, and the smell in the air was a scent almost alien to him, but something inside told him what it was while reminding him it was something entirely unEquestrian.

“Earl…” He spoke so calmly, almost blankly.

“Earl?... That doesn’t sound like a pony name…” His voice was so weak that he could hardly speak, but he hoped he didn’t sound too aggressive.

“Well… I’m a pony, and my name is Earl. Not being pony like doesn’t change that.” He sat up and stepped out of the small tent Tyrin only just now was made from tarps and a great deal of gathered wood and branches. Just as fast, “Earl’ the pony came back in with a bowl. The familiar yet alien scent wafting from it. “Here… Drink. You aren’t going to get your strength back if you don’t eat something.”

Tyrin just weakly stared. “I don’t really know how to put this or why it is… but I don’t think I need to eat… like… ever…”

Earl stared at him but did not seem to let even a single moment of emotion touch his face. All Tyrin could think was that he would hate to play poker with him, with a face like that nothing short of telepathy could tell what kind of cards he had. 

“Well… it's here… I figure better safe than sorry but hey, I’ll be happy to have another hot serving of soup” He happily sipped from the bowl and his magic pulled up chunks of the soup.

It was just then when the smell hit him. “Fish?... are you sure you are Equestrian?”

He chuckled sipping down more broth before setting the bowl on the same rock as his book. “I’m a pony, I never said I was an Equestrian pony…”

Tyrin tried to raise an eyebrow but winced in pain. He quickly opted to just ask the question instead. “Non Equestrian pony?”

“Yes, I am from Seyga Oyggjarnar… I think in Ponish, it’s called the sheep islands.” He leaned back lifting the book with his magic and burying his nose in it again.

“Why did you help us?” Earl’s eyes flicked up and his eyebrows raised ever so slightly. Tyrin winced as he struggled to at least sit up a little. “Why did you help us? She’s a changeling, and I’m not sure exactly what happened when I passed out but I’m pretty sure I attacked what I think was you.”

Earl smiled. “No, you just grabbed her mumbled something and fell to the ground. But I helped you because… well you were in need. It would have been impolite.”

“And Iris?” Tyrin looked down at the little changeling, she wasn’t even disguised.

“What about her?” He tilted his head almost as if he was confused.

“She’s a changeling, you know… shapeshifting monster?” He dropped his volume a little as he noticed despite how painful it was to talk he had been raising his voice a bit much and she was still sleeping.

“Oh… like a Nikur? She’s a good girl, and so what if she’s not a pony. The islands are full of non ponies. Is Equestria really that racist? I mean, I might turn around and go back if I might not be welcome….” Earl looked over his camp, he looked very tired and even seemed grumpy at the possible thought of packing up and heading back to wherever he had come from.

“Nikur? Is that like some foreign shapeshifting bug?” Tyrin was curious enough to inquire before he returned to asking about the events he missed..

Earl smiled. “No, the Nikur is a shapeshifting water pony. But honestly, I figured your little one was just an odd looking pony. The poor girl was just crying and scared, but despite how much I asked and tried to calm her down she just kept crying and blubbering about her father. I was half expecting something that looked like her to pop out, but eventually you came out and practically died in front of me. Speaking of which… if you don’t mind explaining, what happened to you?”

Tyrin lay back, the rest he could guess, but the foreigner did help him more than he could repay, he figured he might as well tell him. “I fought a sun god.” 

“A what?” Earl’s eyes popped up from his book, though they showed not surprise but mild confusion. 

“Celestia, the princess of the sun. The immortal leader of Equestria, its kinda complicated but Changelings are not quite trusted and I am… well I don’t even know what I am, but whatever it is, some other griffons want me dead.” He almost chuckled seeing how easy it was to say, the whole ordeal was destroying him and his body was basically falling apart at the seams, but looking back at it all he could think of was how fast everything happened from leaving the temple to fighting with Celestia.

Earl paused for a long moment calmly staring with tired eyes. “You fought the ruler of the land? Are you sure you’re not just some common criminal?”

“Yes, I am sure.” Tyring chuckled despite expecting to feel his ribs clatter around loosely in his chest, though despite the fact that it did indeed hurt, he was again surprised that his ribcage was indeed not shattered. Thinking back he remembered that while he was battered all over, only a few limbs and joints had been horribly injured.

“I assume it is quite complicated. Anyone, pony or not steps up and tries to protect a young one like that, despite such grevious wounds can’t be all that bad.” 

“Well, I can’t say I’m all that good, but the whole ordeal is a bit hard to take in all in one go.” He looked down at Iris with a smile, though his talons ached and just moving them was about as extreme as extreme pain got, he still gently ran his digits through her mane.

“Honestly, I am a fair bit relieved to find sompony in this forest, I was really starting to worry.” Earl happily turned another page of his book but didn’t look up.

“Oh… about that, what in Celestia’s giant golden butt are you doing in the Everfree forest?” Tyrin was quite curious, more so about this foreigner than actually what he was up to.

Earl calmly set the book down and pulled a small parchment from some bags. “Well, I came to Equestria for a few reasons, but mostly just a cultural experience. New books to read, new food to try, and ancestral homes to explore… But this map is very disappointing. The landmass is very accurate, but there are towns were there should be none and the giant city in the middle of the forest just isn’t there.” He levitated the map over for Tyrin to see.

Tyrin’s eyes panned over it and he cocked an eyebrow. The writing was new to him, but the map seemed oddly familiar. Almost familiar in a bad way. But he quickly saw the problem which partially annoyed him. He didn’t know how he knew but he could tell pretty decently that the map was an edited version of a much older map. “I think I see your problem. These villages have been gone for about a thousand years. I’m guessing that your island is a wee bit isolated?”

“A bit yes…” Earl turned the map back and looked it over. “So the capital of Equestria is not in the middle of this forest?”

Tyrin chuckled and tried shaking his head, but instead simply explained it. “No, its on the top of that massive mountain in the distance. It’s called Canterlot. The castle your map shows the city around is the castle of the two sisters, it was abandoned a thousand years ago, and the city around it was never built.”

Earl scrunched up his nose tossing the map to the side. “Well, I guess that is one more thing I have to fix… well I thank you at least for this.” He grumbled and his magic lifted his book once more.

“Well, ponyville is just a short trip that way. I’m certain you can find a new map and a whole bunch of other stuff, and I know its asking a lot, but I don’t suppose you can not tell them we are out here?” He looked down at Iris and stroked her mane slowly. He was very grateful for the foreign pony but he desperately needed just a little more from him.

“Well, I won't lie for you, but I won't go out of my way to give you away.” He nestled down comfortably and smiled. “Plus, I’m not done with my book.”

A soft smile spread over Tyrin’s face. Earl was quite an odd one, but he felt safe trusting the pony. Looking down at Iris still sleeping softly, his eyes grew tired as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.





The sound of a hammer plinking away at the ancient armor, the heat of the forge, the yawn of the old blacksmith unicorn as he looked over each piece of Celestia’s battle regalia. It was all scuffed up pretty bad and one or two pieces had some minor damage but he was astronomically more surprised that the ancient princess had gone to battle. The last time the armor had been in this forge, it was his great great great grandfather who had originally created it for her doing repairs.

He was old, but he had never let his lineage down, technically he was the undisputed grandmaster smith in the entire kingdom. Despite all of this, he strained to keep his eyes on the armor, for he had never seen the look Celestia wore on her face. He couldn’t place it, it was rage, it was sorrow, it was worry, it was regret. But it was enough for him to feel a shade or two frightened in her presence, and while he knew she was over a thousand years old and rather powerful, the rightful leader of the land, he couldn't shake the feeling that unsafe was not something he should feel around her.

He could almost feel it as her eyes came off of him and she turned about to leave. He breathed easy as the doors closed, and with a slight groan he moved to help his son with the repairs.

Celestia’s hoof falls were different, and all who saw her dared not make eye contact. She had always been so kind, so careful, so happy. But her facade was gone, even her natural grace and ease was replaced with flawless intentful motions. She had wrath boiling in her gut, and everypony knew it. They were just afraid to inquire about what.

Finally, the door slammed and Celestia sat on her throne, only a single figure stood there with her. The air was filled with a silence that simply twitched with burning magical power.

“Are you happy sister?” The voice was soft, too soft.

Celestia raised her eyes angrily. A veil of control span across her rage and her lips parted. “Did you know?”

“That she was a changeling?” Luna made her way up the steps and she sat firmly in the seat next to Celestia. “Yes, of course. Her dreams were full of it. From her mother, to her own image. Nopony can hide such things from me within their dreams…”

Celestia could feel the veil begin to tear but she barely kept her rage in check. “Then why didn’t you tell me? What was it? Was it the griffon? Was it some petty anger? Why didn’t you tell me?”

As she spoke, the room became hotter and hotter. But Luna’s expression did not change from its calm and sorrowful state. “...No, I didn’t tell you because much like in the past, I saw things you didn’t. Things, I should have been able to bring to your attention, but you would not have the time for...Things I can see, things you are blind to.”

Celestia glared and Luna turned and met her gaze firmly. Celestia opened her mouth but Luna stood from her throne and fully faced her, the sorrow turning to anger. “I watched her dreams, some poor little filly begging to be noticed by her family, crying out but getting nothing in return. That in itself was enough, but it's not where it ended. I watched her nightmares, when she wanted nothing more than to be loved and accepted, her mere existence recognized, she was turned away. And when she begged, pleaded to be loved she was not embraced but outcast, banished from her home. When she wanted to stay, her mother, her own family gave her those scars on her back. Leave, never return and live, or stay and die. And don’t lie to me and think for a second you would look that deep! You would see a changeling and throw it in tartarus.”

Celestia too stood and faced Luna. “And the griffon?” Her voice was stern and while her wrath boiled and raged behind the veil, Lunas words cut deep and cast her resolve asunder.

“What? A horribly wounded and lost soul? I have seen him at his most bare form. He would rather die than to hurt an innocent life. I’ve seen him make that choice, and so have you. He is dark, but darkness is not evil. A wounded beast, no matter how peaceful will still thrash in its pain. And that is what he is. Wounded, desperate, in pain… lost.” Her teeth grit and her eyes raised to Celestia. “And you should be DAMNED ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!”

Luna’s wings opened and her power flared. Celestia too stood and her power ruptured the veil. Burning like open flames, even her mane ignited and lit the room, but the light did not penetrate past Luna, it only made her shadows larger and looming as they danced in the magical flames.

“WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO SISTER?!” Baring her teeth Celestia took notice of her rage and recoiled for a moment. “You weren’t there! For a thousand years, I had to fight. I had to fight and I didn’t always get to take the path of pacifism. I had to kill just to keep my people safe. This is no different! The Ordos Sanguinius would have forced the issue, they may still. And I know first hoof that they will not stop until they are either dead or have achieved their goals. Where were you then? Where were you when I had to kill ten thousand griffon knights to keep an army from burning down Equestria to search for YOU!”

“I was on the moon! Banished by YOU! For what? What was it? Oh right, my own family refused to even acknowledge me, I didn’t just want love, I only wanted to be loved back!” Luna hissed through her teeth as tears began to leak from her eyes. “Why didn’t you kill me the first time huh? Because I was your sister? Do you know what eternal night would have done? It would have killed everything! You would spare me but kill him? Is your nepotism really that strong? What about the second time? Why not just kill me? Was it because you still loved me? Or because you were a coward and ran? You left a child and her friends to face me in your stead!” 


“That is not how it was and you know it!” Celestia’s burning glaring light consumed every corner of her side of the room. “The elements made their choice, it was fate and I had to follow it.”

Luna’s magic waned and she regained her composure. “Fate… sometimes you only seem to see the signs when they are practically crammed down your throat…” She turned and began to walk away. Celestia opened her mouth to protest, to continue, to make her voice known, but Luna turned at the neck and let her voice be heard. “He is hurt, if he was family, you would stop at nothing to save him, to hold him close and tell him he was going to be ok. You would do everything you could, for him… and for her… But you won’t, so do us all a favor this time. Don’t do ANYTHING!”

Celestia remained silent as she watched her sister leave the room, the dancing shadows followed and soon she was left alone in the burning room. Despite her blasting magic, it felt dark, lonely, empty. She could think of nothing else. Something hung in the air, something distasteful, it was the same feeling she had when she came home with the blood of ten thousand griffons on her hooves. Guilt, and no amount of rage or justification could save her from it.







“YEEEEEE!!!” Iris squealed with glee hugging onto Tyrin who groaned and did his best not to yelp loudly or to push her away in extreme pain.

“Yes, I am still alive… at least for now.” He would have chuckled but he simply ruffled her mane.

“I was so scared! You didn’t move, you weren’t even breathing. Mister Earl helped though! I didn’t know what to do..” She sniffled and buried her face in his feathers and fur snuggling into him.

Tyrin smiled, despite how much it hurt. His eyes panned over at Earl who had long since finished his book and picked up another and was already halfway through it. “I’m ok little one, and we have our new friend to thank for that.”

Earl’s eyes lazily peaked up from his book. “Well, don’t thank me too much. Your injuries were not what put you in danger. I only barely took notice because I didn’t think your kind had magic…. But yes, you were dying of magical exhaustion and burnout. Basically you tried to use more magic than you had. Really all I had to do is use basically any magical healing or energy transfer on you. It kept your spirit from rupturing and evaporating.” He nosed into the air happily as if he were reciting an old text.

“Well, I had no idea what that even means, but I am very thankful...I still feel like I’ve been through a meat grinder though…” He winced as he flexed his talons, but smiled as he noticed that the pain was manageable. 

Iris nudged and nuzzled into him. “I’m just happy you’re safe.”

He smiled and stroked her mane. But something inside made him dread. “I just hope there is something out there for us after this…”

She looked up at him, and even Earl peeked up from his book. “I don’t care what there is, so long as you are there. So long as you’re ok.” She smiled and he couldn’t help but to smile back.

Earl just chuckled and kept reading. But Tyrin shifted and with a loud groan he struggled to get his paws under him and stretched his wings. What had to be every one of his joints popped and cracked loudly at once.

Earl flipped to the next page and without looking up he mumbled out. “You shouldn’t be up, even if the real danger to your life was magical exhaustion, it doesn’t mean that your limbs weren’t broken.”

Tyrin smiled flexing the limbs and with a sigh he sat down. “I would be lying to say that it doesn’t hurt like Tartarus, but if anything is clear… it's that I’m not a normal griffon.” He rolled and bent his joints testing what was clearly broken before he had passed out. 

Iris whimpered looking up at him. “Please don’t… Just lay back down, you will get hurt if you move around too much.”

“Don’t worry little one, I just need to move a bit. Go lay down, I just need to move about a little.” He smiled giving her a soft nuzzle.

“I would agree with her… but then again, I’m not a magical catbird, so what do I know?" Earl turned another page and Tyrin chuckled.

Iris looked back up at Tyrin with worry but nodded and cuddled up in the bed he had just left. Tyrin moved about stretching his legs and wings. His whole body screamed out in pain but there was something he needed to do.

He gave one last look at Earl who gave him an eerily knowing nod, then he moved further into the forest. He really was just wandering about, but he was most certainly looking for something. He looked about as he limped his way through the thick jungle like woods. He passed glowing staring eyes without a care, barely took notice of a small shaman like hut in the woods decorated with primitive wooden masks, he simply continued until he spotted something that could help him.

He picked up the long straight length of wood. Bending it firmly he smiled watching it peel back, and with the help of a firm grip and iron like talons, he snapped the tip to a sharp point. He breathed in and despite the pain in him he rolled into the effort and spoke calmly.

“I still don’t quite know what I am… but I think I have a pretty good idea, just not specifically. However, I want you to know that unless those I care about are safe, I have no intention of surrendering or giving you anything.” He twirled the stick in long slow arcs between his talons, but when the first flash of movement touched his eyes, the stick came level and lunged forward letting it fly and piercing the griffon’s wing and pinning her to the tree behind her. Instantly Tyrin’s open talons shot out to the side to seize the second ambusher by the throat. Throwing his body into a roll he smashed the seized griffon into the ground again and again until he dropped his weapons.

“I thought long and hard…” He stared down as he slowly advanced on the female griffon, her heavy armor clattered and she grunted in pain trying to remove the wooden spear from her wing and put distance between her and Tyrin. “I figured, if only I could see you guys again, I could get you talking, figure out who I am… what I am… but… I … I just don’t care anymore. That burning urge is still there. I don’t know who I was, but I know him. I can feel him as the foundation of my soul. His mind is like steel, his values like the fire in my chest demanding my every action… “

The tips of Tyrin’s feathers began to spout  black flames and crackle with the eerie energies as he closed the final few yards and stood just feet from the pinned griffon still choking the lift out of the second warrior without even looking into his eyes. “I have nothing but admiration for the griffon who gave me this gift. I will honor his will, and I will honor his sacrifice.” 

He looked up into her eyes and the inky blackness began to bleed through. “But make no mistake, there are two people in here… And as your friend serves as my honor, my foundation and my skill, the other one, he… he serves as my wrath. My anger, my pride… my instinct... And he is relentless.”

She looked him over with complete and utter terror, and just as if on queue he hefted the second warrior and slammed him into her pinned wing. She let out a scream of pain and he leaned in close. 

“I don’t mind you coming at me. The pain inside, the darkness, the proud deeds of that filthy animal’s actions, the genocide, the hatred.. The darkness, it is utter poison against the foundation of the hero this body once belonged to. Whatever these memories belong to deserves the pain, and now… that pain falls to me. So I have no problem with your little hunt. But… you hurt anyone else… ANYONE else… and I’ll let the darkness have its way.” He locked his eyes with hers and with one sudden flex of enhanced strength he crushed the griffon’s neck within his talons. His secondary attacker went ridgid then limp in his grasp.

“Go back, go back to whoever sent you. Go back to them and tell them, they will get their chance. Three days from now, I’ll be in the southern outskirts of ponyville. Tell them to bring everything they can to kill me. It’s your only chance. And hurt anyone before then, I’ll go underground and you will never find me. But you will know I’m still there, I’ll let the beast out, let the darkness have its way every day, every night. It will get its fill and you will die looking for me, every night seeing the aftermath of the darkness and its wrath as a reminder of you failure.”

He dropped the dead griffon and seized the wooden pike before tearing it free of the female griffon’s wing. She let out a yelp and backpedaled from him. But he did not advance. He simply tore the other griffon’s pack from his back and took a peek inside before slinging it over his shoulder. “You know the terms, I’ll see you in three days.”

As he walked, he could hear her running and feel the darkness coursing through his body, eating the pain and feeding him power, even as it screamed for more as he forced it back within the depths of his soul, it taunted him with delicious power and control. But he was not in the mood. He had a new friend to talk with, a little changeling to snuggle, and a battle to plan, a battle he was very likely to loose.
> Chapter 11: Animarum
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Animarum



He looked up with a small amount of distress, but it was far far too late to back out now. He just wanted to be sure his little Iris would be ok, and he couldn’t very well do that six feet under.

Grumbling, he sipped the last of his flask down, that would be something he missed dearly as well. He would miss them all, Granny, Twilight, Luna, even his new friend Earl, but most of all, he would miss Iris. It nearly took more than he had in him to make that arrangement, and he certainly hoped that Earl could actually find a place for her up in his homeland.

The future was unclear, but he was confident he would die before the sun set. It was odd to him that not even a year had passed, mere months since he was metaphorically born, coming into this world without knowing who he was or what he was for that matter, and here he was marching to a warrior’s death. His armor was very light and his weapons, while plentiful were not the highest quality. Most of his gear had come from the griffon he killed, but he scavenged what he could from where he could.

He looked to the North, thanking Granny Smith for all her help, silently apologizing that he couldn’t give back more. He thought of Twilight, she gave too much too easily, if she was to be a princess she had some lessons to learn. He smiled at how much kindness she had in her, it was really something else seeing how much she was willing to do. She didn’t even tell a soul about Iris, granted he didn’t know if she would remain silent forever, but he was thankful nevertheless and he ensured his will would tell her of that. He thought of Luna, he didn’t know why he cared so much about her, but he had a decent idea that he was sure he would never get an answer to. A small part of him wished he could get one last night, see her one last time. His thoughts went to Earl, for such an odd foreign pony, he was a good guy. Certainly confusing and perhaps a little too bluntly honest, but he was happy to have met the guy.

He tilted his head back and rubbed his eyes as his mind went to Iris, he didn’t want to leave her. The only reason he had not killed himself or surrendered to the darkness was simply that one little filly. More than anything, he wanted her to be safe, wanted her to live a long and happy life. It made him question his entire plan. But it was far too late to change anything. He could already feel them, their souls burned bright, a neutral pained light. They were not evil, but they were not good, they were doing what they believed they had to. And the darkness inside him, the very power that let him feel them out, he could not blame them for their desire to kill it.

He counted ten, then one more just beyond them. Five arranged to the left and five arranged to the right, all hidden, then one in the center.

He breathed easy as his eyes closed, he walked within the iron jaws of the trap, each of the ten teeth remained set and coiled, waiting for the command for his death. Blades tucked into his belts, even his tail had a small fitted blade, like the stinger of a manticore. It had been poisoned, but he washed the blade clean. These griffons were doing their job, he had no ill will against them, after all they had left Iris alone as requested. When he lost his life to them, he wanted it to be a fair fight.

He smiled, as he approached, the halberd on his back had been pulled from the long burnt out husk of a hive where he ended thousands of lives in that one moment. The dulled machete that Granny had lended him rested at his hip sharpened like new.

His slow trot came to a gentle halt in front of what he could only guess was their leader, or at least the stand in. He breathed in deep, feeling the knives from his kitchen tucked away into the armor, he had plundered them from what remained of his house. He was still confused as to why he even had a kitchen, but while kitchen knives were not ideal for combat, he was thankful he had them.

“I’m almost shocked… I was rather shocked when you spared my knight and made her deliver that message, I was absolutely certain it was a ploy to get us to let you have enough time to escape. But those orders, those specific orders. You are certainly not what we thought you were. It’s almost enough for us to consider some of him is still alive in you somehow…. Almost…” She was old, he could plainly see it in her features, not only was she old, but she was weathered. What had to be once beautiful deep blue plumage was gray and looked dirty. She had no place on the battlefield, but he could see it plain as day, this was extremely personal for her, she had to be here. 

He smiled opening his eyes to see her, and his heart to feel her. Her resolve was absolute, which was vital for her at the moment because she was in dire pain. He could feel it inside her, a cancer, a sickness, something inside her was taking her from the world, but here she was, spending the last of her pained days, tracking him down to kill him. A part of him wondered what or who she was. She leaned on a polearm, looking sickly but he could tell, the power in her soul was immense. While the sickness in her marked her for death, the power in her spirit was enough to fight off any death that came for her.

He watched as she plucked a small bag from a pocket and appeared to whisper into it. A cold pain shot through his heart when he saw the bag, but he didn’t know what it was. “I don’t really know who I was, but who I am isn’t a liar. And there are those I love, and those I owe. I would rather face death than to see them hurt. So yes, I came. And I have here to end this. I am sorry, I am so very sorry. Sorry for the lives I have ended, sorry for your knights, sorry for whatever this vile darkness has done, what it’s revelled in. And I am sorry that I will fight back against you. I don’t know who or what or why, but I do know that you don’t deserve my wrath. But... “ 

He paused looking out at her, then looking down at his talons, exactly the same as he did when he was ‘born’ when he came into existence. Flexing his talons and looking over them as if it was the first time he had ever seen them. “I have something, someone, someone I want to go back to. I have those I love, I owe you a chance to take back what is yours, but it’s not yours alone. This flesh may be your family, your comrade, your friend… I don’t know, the darkness within may be your prisoner… but the heart belongs to a little filly I will do anything to protect. I don’t care what you think of it. I will fight for that love. But that is all I will fight for. If I die to your blades this day…. Then so be it. But if I survive, I will find the most distant shore, I will go there with my daughter and I will stay where I cannot harm anything until such a day that I perish.”

She looked at him with confusion, even as he pulled his halberd up and planted it in the ground, the dark twisted and pitted metal had been filled with his darkness, filled and empowered, hammered out by the magic within him until it was a twisted thing that sought out the lives of those that opposed him, it was fitting that he had pulled it from a mass grave of burned bodies. But she still just stared, her polearm was shined from quality steel, and decorated with gold and ivory. Her empty gaze continued until a twinge of sorry etched into her features as her beak opened for words.

“He really is still inside there. You sound just like him… A real hero, selfless and dedicated, wrecked with loss… our loss. I remember feeling so betrayed that you had the audacity to mourn for her. I was even more angry than when you took her from us. But… alas… that time has long since passed, and now we both surrendered our lives to the blood.” She gave a weak smile as tears welled up in her old eyes. “They are here… they are here because for the last thousand years, they have sworn an oath to purge evil from this world, purge all magic, magical items, magical beings… and that which they could not purge yet still remained a threat, they would seal away forever. But… I am here because of you. No matter how much I hated you, hated you for taking her from us, hated you for losing her, hated you for mourning as if you had lost more than us.”

Her breath became unsteady as if she were on the verge of slowly weeping. “I was so damned angry, I hated you so damned much… But it took me years to find out that I hated you, not because you took her, not because you lost her, not because you mourned…. I hated you because you loved her more than we did. I hated you because she loved you back just as much as you loved her… And that was all I had. All I could do for her…” Tears slipped down her cheeks and she trembled as she hefted the weapon with the skill of a grand master. “All I could do, was avenge the death of her most loved husband… Avenge the death of the greatest and most selfless hero I have ever known… avenge the death of someone I so selfishly hated, it was all I could do to make peace with all the hate I’ve held in my heart.”

She sniffed and swallowed before looking him in the eyes and nodding. He didn’t want to do this, there was a thousand reasons not to, but he knew, something in him knew it, and demanded that he give her at the very least this one last chance. 

“Come… take what is yours… the griffon I am today knows and will not hate. You are owed this much, and you will have it.” He breathed deep, his thoughts lingered on Iris but he slowly opened his eyes and nodded back to her.

The steel jaws of the trap snapped shut.

All ten Griggons leaped, swords, axes, spears, and more flew at him with masterful skill, but she stayed back, her stance steady. She knew, she somehow knew exactly how it would go.

Tyrin rolled hard. Blades hidden away in his feathers, from kitchen knives to sharpened shrapnel of what remained of his home, the assault peppered the incoming foes. There had been so much force that a single kitchen knife managed to penetrate a helmet, the dead body continued on its course tumbling to a stop even as Tyrin shot to the skies and the remaining nine followed.

His machete bounced and pinged off the flurry of blows at a blurred speed. He hardly knew from where they were coming or how, he just let his instincts flow, and the blade intercepted again and again. The very slightest of flinches left a shallow four inch cut into his neck, but the attacker lost his head with a splashing of blood. Sadly, farm ready iron was no match for Griffon steel and the weapon snapped under the weight of a heavy axe blow. His talons snatched both pieces from the air and he began a dive. Pushing the handle and short length of blade into his belt he threw the broken blade end up at his pursuers. The first Griffon dodged, the second parried, but the third took the blade deep into his shoulder severing the muscles to his wing. He perished not even a second after Tyrin pulled out of the dive.

The remaining seven circled him in the air as he drew two knives. Clashing and clanging about he sacrificed two seconds taking a heavy blow to the back and a spear to his wing as he ducked under the wild swing of the seventh warrior, planting his blade into his throat before abandoning the kitchenware for the saber the poor knight held. 

He tumbled through the air as his muscles pulled taut despite his tendons no longer being attached to the wing. Falling out of the air he calmed himself and allowed the darkness to seize his flesh, knitting the wound back together despite his lack of ability to actually heal the wounds on his body. He barely pulled out of the fall as he threw the saber into the closest face of his foes. This Griffon deflected the blow just barely. It still slit her throat and she tumbled into a pile desperately trying to stop the bleeding. The remaining five took up a quick formation instantly making up for the dropping numbers. Two charged him head on, three flew over him and came in from behind at equal angles.

He took two blades in the abdomen just as he gripped them with his awaiting arms, forcefully pulling up and snapping two necks at once. He could feel the blades stirring his insides as he forcefully whipped about to face the remaining three. A dagger in each shoulder, and a sword in his left and right sides. The maneuver was performed beautifully, but it didn’t keep his iron like talons from sinking into the center knight giving her a full frontal lobotomy through her eye sockets. The two blades pulled out and raised to sever his arms. Like lightning, he tore out his broken machete and plowed into the first knight, sinking the broken blade through his eye and into his brain. He instantly whipped about, his magic reconnecting tissue and tendons as he removed and threw back the daggers from his shoulders. The sword plunged through the palm of his open talons. Despite the massive damage, the talons snapped shut like a trap. The other arm came up and plunged a dagger into his chest, right below the base of his neck. He looked into the Griffon’s eyes taking note that this was Ternin, the first Griffon he had met on his misadventure. Recognizing him did little to quell the regret as Tyrin’s open talons closed over the knight’s face and with the dark abominable strength of the monster within, he crushed the Griffon’s skull, finally pushing him away, letting his spasming body hit the ground.

He looked back, he could see terrorfied ponies looking on from afar. Royal guards had begun to gather, and he knew it would not be long before they stepped in. He had to do this fast, he had to let her do what she came to do. His magic held his body together just barely, as if his every injury was simply stitched back into place with the utmost precision and skill. This however, did not keep the black blood from spilling out of him like a slow fountain. He slowly made his way back to the same spot, grasping the planted halberd he painfully breathed in and smiled. It hurt so horribly, any one of the wounds could and would have likely killed him. He could even feel the black tar like blood pushing the poison from his body, carried there on the bladed weapons of the knights. But something else was present, something that gave his command to the magic an odd drunk feeling. Like a pleasant numbness. He still had magic, but he was slowly losing it, he guessed it was some sort of precaution they took to deal with the magic. It was likely something they always had.

He smiled. “I don’t want this, I’m not afraid to die, but I am afraid to leave those I love without me to protect them… but… you are owed this. I have no right to take it from you.”

Tears came from his eyes and he smiled nonetheless. Then he saw it, he didn’t know why. But he saw it. He saw an old Griffon teaching him to fight, an old war veteran begging for a good death, robbed of the battlefield by misplaced pity, raising some abandoned bastard, raising him as if he was his own flesh and blood. He watched with pride, terror, sorrow, and relief as the old bird breathed his last, dying in battle as he was meant to. He saw that same young griffon filled with pride, wearing a uniform for the first time. The polearms clashed.

She might have been dying, but the blow was so powerful he could feel his straining injuries threaten to pop open. He saw her, younger, but still much older than himself. He saw her shaking her head, aggressively refusing his request. Refusing to give her blessing.

Her blade cut just below his left eye, it was so fast he could only just barely avoid her pincushioning his throat. He could see the same blow, thirty years ago hitting him in the throat so hard he could not stand. He was young and taught by the best, but she was the grand master of her order, and her daughter was not to be handed out to some commoner.

Again, this time the blade passed through his left knee and she dodged masterfully under his violent slash. She watched the young griffon again and again and again, rise up against the unmovable grand master with no regard for his own life. He loved, and he knew that some things were worth putting one’s life on the line for.

His blade parried but her weapon passed through the hilt at a deep angle slashing a bloody line from his shoulder to his hip. He could see the young griffon fallen, so broken and bloody that he could not stand, but he still refused to surrender. 

“So long as I love, I will fight for that love…” Her eyes opened, not just from hearing those words once again, but from the sharpened end of his weapon penetrating her heart. The surprise in her eyes, identical to the shock over her face as the most beautiful creature in the world stepped in front of her mother refusing to yield. The beautiful feathers, soft dark purple. The scent of the queen of the night. The griffon he married, the same griffon he couldn’t protect. 

The little bag she carried, torn free by the remains of his weapon piercing her chest. The dark blue feathers from a long dead lover and daughter floated across, caught on the winds of their bloody battle. They came to a rest in the bloody palm of his talons. They stared at the feathers together. Pained, but fully aware that it needed to happen. From the moment the darkness seized the mourning shamed knight back near the well in that limestone castle, this moment was destined to happen.

He looked to her, and she looked to him. There were no words, but all was understood. She slumped and lay back peacefully. He even guided her body to the ground. He wanted to settle her into her final rest, but the feather in his grip, he could not let go, he could not look away.

He stared, despite his body being in tatters, he could only stare at the flawless deep purple, the soft scent that haunted him, that haunted his nightmares. Greater than the thousands of lives that weighed on his conscious, was the one failure. He could see her, looking into the feathers he could see her looking right back at him, looking at him and telling him what he always knew. It wasn’t his fault.

He loved her, he loved her more than anything, he protected her with all of his strength, so when she died, it was default that his strength had not been enough. He looked at her, her weeping eyes. She had been there, crying out to him, telling him over and over, but he refused. He could not bring her back, and he could not punish her killer any more than he already had. He needed more, but… there was no more. There was no blame to be laid. She was gone, and no matter how much he wanted something, someone to blame. There simply wasn’t someone to blame, not anymore.

It felt like a scab coming off, like a massive weight he didn’t know he was carrying. Had there not been a massive gaping painful hole, he would have said it felt like salvation. But no, it was only relief, the kind of relief that was cutting off a gangrenous limb, the kind of relief that was cutting open a digit to remove a splinter, the wound remained, but the obstruction, the problem… it was gone.

He could see her smile, then the oddest sensation followed. He could see himself smile. Like it was twenty years ago. He could see them embrace and leave. But the fear flared, and he realized that the emptiness would not remain empty for long.

He twitched. He could feel the frightened souls of guards approaching fast, he could feel the burning beacon of golden light that was Celestia poisoning his rightful property. The wounds over his body seethed and bubbled as he repaired, powering through the magic which seeked to hamper his might. 

“Finally…” His voice was cold, and he trembled with delight that it was finally his again. He could feel the spears pointed at him, but he didn’t bother with the prattle the petty mortals spat out at him. He just grinned, stretching his wings as he rose off the ground without any effort of flapping. “I was so certain he had killed me… Damned fool throwing us both into the well of souls… But it takes a lot more than that…”

He laughed and turned to see guards, more guards, the dawnguard, then Celestia. Celestia, she would be hard to break, but she was the only heir to the old king, the kingdom which now belonged to him. “Supplico.”

The command shot out and all at once, spears clattered to the ground, two of the guards couldn’t even handle the command, vomiting and spasming on the ground like the petty creatures they were. All others who could survive his righteous commandment knelt as was their place. Save for Celestia, but she would kneel in time.

“Hello hello hello… “ He grinned and a shot of horror flushed through Celestia. Her magic barely raised fast enough for his sickly rotting magic to clash against it. She didn’t even need to ask the question. He answered it. “I…. am Dominus Rex… rightful ruler of all… God of order, Father of the Changed Ones, Tyrant of Darkness... well, I suppose in the present day, titles like ‘god’ are a little worn out… but I suppose my kingdom returned, I will have plenty of time to..”

His eyes went wide, as did the eyes of every last soul present. The terror and unabated horror of the creature within the griffon’s body was placed to one side as a spear had plunged into his back and out his chest. There had been so much force in it that the mere action seemed to tear and shake the very reality of the space it passed through. Black blood splashed out of the beaked mouth as the dark king as his eyes traced the length of the massive spear. His magic gripped at the weapon but seemed to dissolve on contact.

“I’ve been waiting for you…” The voice was all too familiar, but so filled with unrelenting rage and bubbling livid hate that Celestia barely recognized it. A lion’s paw gripped the tether to the spear fueling more chaos magic into it. “Ever since he spoke that name, I knew you were in there… I KNEW… you would come out… And I would be damned if I wasn’t waiting for you.”

The body of the Griffon flinched and hesitated as the wounds began to unbind and bleed again. “D...do you really th..think you can..can….”

Discord cut him off with a slightly too satisfied grin. “You’ve starved nearly to death for a thousand years in an anti magic Griffon cell, wasting away until you could just barely possess a simple griffon warrior, who managed to throw you into a supernatural magical anomaly which effectively merged you both into the same person as you were trying to rip his memories out. What little was left, you two killed while in your death throes. Now, with his soul finally moving on, that tiny little bit that is left, that’s you big guy. And I didn’t wait a thousand plus years just to let you resume killing everything just like you killed my people, just like you killed my mother. Sorry king of fools… you and I have a LOT of catching up to do before your end…” 

Seizing the tether with all his might, Discord yanked and the barbs dug in as the spear tore the dark king from his host. The look of absolute horror on the king’s face faded into a frightened pained loss for words. Two souls, turned one, turned zero. The darkness went with the God of chaos as they slipped further and further away. Kicking and screaming, the pride, hate, wrath, and violence that had lived inside the griffon Tyrin vanished into the realm of chaos, leaving an empty husk mortally wounded a dozen times over bleeding on the ground.

Had the silence not been deafening, the magical backlash of the order magic commands being torn free as the caster was removed from this reality nearly broke those who suffered from it.

Nopony knew what to do, and nopony moved, everything had changed in a few short seconds. Nothing was the same, nor would it ever be.
> Chapter 12: Fin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Fin



The dream was like a fitful sleep of emptiness. It didn't know what to think, it just existed in agony, agony it didn't understand. But there was a sudden splash of warmth, something indescribable, it was like the sun flooding in with comfort and relief. Then it sat, still not knowing what to do, what to think, why it hurt or even what it was. It just lay there, it just barely knew enough to think a question out, it didn't even know the words to form such a thing as a question, but it started to understand the need for such words.

A sudden sensation, like a burst of cool air, a lovely peaceful light. The smell of a fresh summer night. It... he felt comfort, a blush of affection, a flirty impulse of fun. The happy night felt lonely though.

Suddenly, there was a touch of sophistication, the sound of a foreign voice, too honest to mistaken. So too was the warmth of a happy worried soul just wanting to contribute, her energy showed a deep desire to care.

Then the flood of love, a love so powerful he would do anything to protect. It was just a single drop of magical energy, but he knew it better than he knew himself. It was a love he would fight to the end for, it was the love he did fight to the end for.

There was more, magic he didn't recognize, magic that was not supernatural energy, but the power that one feels when he knows he is cared for. The warmth of love, the warmth of friendship, the warmth of forgiveness.

He didn't know what he was feeling. But the endless sleep became uncomfortable, the aches and pains of a lifetime of abuse and war stirred him. His eyes fluttered and he vaguely took in the visage of a beautiful griffon, deep purple and sparkly starlit plumage. He saw her move away and embrace a griffon as the two faded in bliss they found in each other's arms. But the image didn't leave, he still saw a beautiful face, he didn't know what to do, it was so beautiful and so peaceful.

He didn't know what drove him, but he reached out and kissed. He kissed fully and there was a moment where he felt her surprise, even perhaps her melting into his embrace, then his body flooded with lightning.

"HEY! Careful, we just put him back together!" Twilight objected despite her blush at the action as Luna let out a harrumph.

"He's alive. That is all the proof I need that he's back." Luna growled despite blushing like mad and huffing angrily.

"First base... huzzah..." Tyrin coughed smoke with a happy grin. He didn't even flinch as the ear piercing squeak of Iris sounded with her pounce, like a little changeling torpedo through the air she aimed right at him..

"DADDY!!!!" She brutally nuzzled into him and despite the excessive pain he snuggled back.

"Iris! careful! He barely survived, we can't be putting too much on him!"

Then a voice he was not so sure he wanted to hear.  "Alright little one, I need a word with your daddy... Go with Twilight." He watched the pearl white hooves scoop up Iris and move her back. And with relief, he noted the little changeling didn't resist or show any fear. She did however, pout and stamp her hooves as she objected. But with some calming talk and promises of epic snuggle time with her daddy later, Twilight managed to lead her out of the room.

The silence felt like a iron prod in his gut. Despite how certain he was that it was coming, her voice still made him flinch. "Tyrin..." Celestia's tone was stern, but it lacked the aggression and bubbling anger from the last time he had heard it.

He swallowed not looking at her. "How long was I out?"

She sighed and sat down next to his bed. "8 months. You died on us seven times and we had to do so much damage control that even I am sick and tired of my job." 

He swallowed speaking in a low weak tone. "That's... a long time." His eyes drifted down to his bedding and he fell silent.

They both sat in mildly uncomfortable silence. He wanted to ask questions and figure out what was next for him, but he didn't talk, he didn't need to. With another deep sigh Celestia continued. "I'm still exceedingly angry at you. But you did only what you felt you had to. And there was kinda a very very dark and evil thing influencing your reactions, whether you were really capable of making your own choices or not is not something we are trying to figure out anymore. I don't like it, but as far as the public goes, we had a minor emergency where you... a normal griffon was possessed by an ancient evil and  did battle with some foreign forces as well as we princesses, but the darkness is defeated and now the griffon is safely recovering." She chewed on her lip with a grumble. "Between us you still should spend a few years in Tartarus, but I can't really bring myself to punish you, not to mention there wouldn't be much point. You ... well, you're crippled, I can't really give you a more harsh punishment than what you have now without it just being petty hate."

He blinked and tried moving, other than being quite stiff from what he imagined 8 months of bed rest, there was also a horrible grinding feeling and an ungodly amount of pain flushing through his body.

"Apparently, you were already like this, or close to it back before you lost your memories. Or rather, the Griffon that became you was like this. He worked out and fought constantly until his body was basically destroyed, and he just kept pushing himself. When he was possessed, and you were metaphorically born, the order magic kept your pain at bay, but... well I don't know what will happen now."

"I suppose I kinda earned it..." He weakly smiled and pushed the vague memories to the back of his mind.

"I don't really know the exactness of what your condition is. When it was all over, you were just a soulless body bleeding to death. We were just barely able to heal your wounds, and that will add onto the already pretty insane levels of joint and muscle pain you had before. And while it is correct to say you had two souls in your body, then none, the way he described it, Earl said that the fragments, or wreckage of the souls were embedded into the residual spirit and all it needed was spirit fumes... or... well, raw magic. Specifically, the raw magic that belonged to those who knew you, cared for... no... had some sort of feelings for you, not romantic... just... knew you and cared in one way or another. Your spirit would remember and reignite from the memories and recreate what passed for a soul, and the echo, or shadow of what was inside before would come forward and you would live again."

He didn't know what to think, other than what he could possibly do to pay Earl back. But the first of his renewed memories taunted at him. The first sensation he had felt. He carefully chose what to say. "You were the first to help heal me didn't you? I... don't know what to say... just... thank you..."

She glanced at his smile, but she grumbled. "Don't be so thankful, your body is already old and beaten half to death. I have no idea how long you will last. But take comfort in the fact that you will spend the last of your days with that daughter of yours. Just..." She looked away and grumbled louder. "Stay away from my sister's butt!"

He laughed and she continued to grumble as she stood up and made her way to the door. He could vaguely hear Earl on the other side telling Iris to be calm and patient.  He looked to her then to his open talons, heavily scarred and in pain. "I can't promise something so dire so soon." He smiled still looking down at his talons, remembering the sickly black flames.

"Well, who knows. Maybe she will shock some sense into you. Regardless, whatever you do now, Just know that we are even. I won't come after anything. After this, we owe each other nothing." She looked at his gaze towards his open talons and she turned back to the door. "Don't expect it to come back, I'm fairly certain, you are just another mortal, probably even less now with all that damage. Without the magic, you won't likely last long, but you get to spend whatever time you have left with those who love you."

He smiled as she stepped out. He could hear her talking, as if giving instructions. He guessed it was mostly just telling Iris not to jump up on him. He could hear the little changeling whining. There was a soft empty feeling, like all his adventures were over. But there as a peace to it. A comfort, he was happy, even if it was a bittersweet happiness. His memories of the last fight were basically gone. He barely knew what had happened, all he remembered was that he expected to die, then something that was inside of him no longer was. There was a great imbalance, then nothing.

He teared up, looking at his talons. The Griffon and monster that became him were gone. But he remained. He could feel the emptiness. The painful shame, the sickly flashes of death whenever he closed his eyes, the unbearable pride. All of the impulses and feelings were gone. He felt incomplete, so empty, but finally truly like himself, as if he finally stepped out of someone else's shadow. It was an odd duality that he figured he would live with forever. He looked to his table side at the candles, burned out, still lit, and unlit. He could hear those he loved and cared for getting the go ahead, he was pretty sure Iris was giving a thanks hug to a very merciful princess. He turned back to the candles and a weary pondering smirk crossed his features. Something about his future, whether it was going to be a few short and painful years of caring for Iris, or if he got lucky and lived longer. "Or... perhaps..."

He gazed at the candles, Luna, Iris, Twilight, and Earl all going through his mind. The power of his own emotions, desires, and love. He smiled and his beak parted. "Lucerna."

The door opened as the candle sparked to life with a soft flickering flame.
> Bonus Chapter: Past I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

He never called his teacher by his real name name, for the first half of his life he didn’t even know it, but every time he saw the old Bird's face, it's stung with all the pride and sorrow he could ever feel.

He could still feel his Talons clicking against the Stone in the training Hall, he could feel the pads of his paws heating up as he slid to and fro, he could feel the wind rushing over his young feathers as he tore through the air in practice as he warmed up. But all of this was nothing to when he could feel his heart thunder in his chest with overwhelming pride every time he completed the task and he saw the old Bird's face the old bird had his odd almost sad half-smile, even well into the Autumn of his life. He was so old that his feathers we're falling out despite his exceptional breeding. This one Griffon he knew in his heart had lived a thousand times the life any other had.

But today, today was the day that he was forced to do something he did not want to, the day it all changed and really understood one of the reasons the old bird had taken him in.

He knew there was something wrong with the old bird the moment he came into the training Hall. The smell of alcohol, though not forbidden was not often made known in the training Hall. Alcohol was used to forget, it was used to prevent the ability to feel. It was not a crutch he saw the old bird use often at all.

"Boy?..." He flinched at the words, over the years the old Bird's voice had become weaker and weaker, raspier and raspier. But this one word spoken so simply didn't sound like his usual gravelly voice. He sounded like he was in pain, not the kind of pain caused from bruises and broken bones, but real pain.

"...s...sir?.. " He didn't know what to think when he laid eyes on the old bird, all he could see was the dying pride and strength of the one that might as well have been his father.

"Come... come boy... I wanted more time, you aren't ready for what I have to ask of you... You aren't ready, but you must..." He coughed and he could not hide the small trickle of blood that came from his lungs. He wheezed and his talons shook. His Talons shook even more as he reached out pointing past the young Griffon he was at the time. The single gnarled Talon leveled at the training floor. "The...the weapons... fetch them..."

Unsure he followed the order but hesitated as he watched the old bird struggle to meet him in the circle.

"No!... boy... the real weapons... the steel ones...."

He hesitated but slowly and surely retrieved the cold steel blades and presented them to him. His shaking talons snatched up one of the blades and he offered a solute.

"Stand boy... you won't understand... Not yet anyway..."  He went into a coughing fit and plowed his blade into the ground to steady himself, the blood dribbling from his beak. But his eyes leveled and focused.

"T.. this is our last training session... Listen to me and listen well, I am going to attack you... And I am going to attack you with all the might I still have. All of my skill and all of my power will be put into attempting to end your life... "

His heart sank and the breath left him as he looked up at this dying Griffon will shock in his eyes and the pain in his heart. "B..but..."

"But nothing!... you do recall the songs I sing?... those songs aren’t something we sing because we think it sounds nice..." His eyes trailed off and he mumbled softly trying to find the tune of the song and though it was across the room to a dying warriors breath he could hear it. "...lord... make me dead before you make me old..."

The old bird shivered and pulled the blade from the floor. " I tried to teach you everything I knew... There's very little I haven't been able to teach you... But the time is gone, and you must learn one final lesson before it is too late.. We are warriors my boy... warriors live and die by the blade, while all are born, very few are made, and the likes of us are forged within a fire lit long ago… When all tremble in fear for their lives, we stand and we bask in the glow of the rise of war, we wade through the rivers of blood needed to be spilled through the art of violence in order to keep the peace that the petty take for granted...  until the river of life runs dry and our last breath leaves us... We are warriors... we fight for honor and we fear nothing but more than anything, we die right… We die in battle..."

Despite his crippled dying body, the old bird lunged forward with all of his might, at a speed he could barely keep up with, his heart shuttered as he watched sparks fly off of his blade as his teacher let loose with an unyielding assault.

He gave ground quickly as the old veteran tore through the space between them, he watched the blade ping off of his defenses with masterful precision, blows that would have severed arteries, tendons, or even ended his life within a single blow. Fear ravaged his heart, but so too did sorrow, but he saw enough to know what was going on, despite how horribly it hurt him, he knew what the old bird was doing and why.

The High Talon had retired him from the military, his war wounds prevented him from being consistent on the battlefield, the young High Talon didn't know what this meant. He was denying the old bird his rightful death, a death in combat. The death of a true warrior.  And now the task fell to him. The old bird had spent 15 years training a hatchling into the most powerful warior he could, and now all he asked in return was the right that was denied to him because a fool pitied him, because his strength was mistaken for stubbornness, his duty mislabeled as tradition. 

The more he watched the old bird tear away at his defense the more he realized, the old bird was robbed of his honor, and after 15 years of what can only be described as true fatherhood, it was time for him to become a true warrior, and it was time for a true warrior to have his rightful death.

The blade had swung so fast but neither of them fully comprehended exactly who's weapon shattered first, but the broken and shattered blade sank deep into the fur and flesh.

Tears welled up in their eyes as they both look to each other and the old bird smiled. "T...thats my boy...."

He watched as the old bird fell back the shattered steel into his throat, the blood gurgling with every word barely escaping his beak. "You ..you... you did it... You are a warrior... And more than anything... you are my son... it does not matter if my blood is not yours, you are my son and I could not be any more proud..."

He held the old bird and watched the light fade from his eyes.  "Into the hall of the fallen, great father, bless this soul and take him into your fold, for if he is unworthy of the Hall of the Fallen... then none are worthy..."

Reaching up he slowly close the eyes of the Griffon who raised him. Crossing his arms over his chest and placing his Broken Blade within his talons. He stood in silence for what had to be hours, listening to the Rain beat against the training Hall. It felt like an eternity before he turned and retrieved his traveling bag, he grabbed the cask of strong alcohol and shattered it in the hall before dragging his talons over the flint and lighting his home Ablaze.

As the flames rose up around him, he sealed every last detail into his memory, he would not allow himself to forget this. His father choosing his death at the talons of his finest creation. A worthy death and the best gift he could ever give to the Griffon he owed everything to.

He wiped the tears from his eyes taking up his pack and looking back at the old bird. The young Griffon stepped out, his heart hurt. He didn’t know where he would go, Equestria? Griffonstone? It didn’t matter. He would find a place to belong, a cause to fight for, and he would not disappoint his father. He was no longer a lost bastard, but a proud warrior who sent his father off to meet a fate once robbed of him.

His heart ached, but he never before felt such pride, even as he stood in the rain, the blazing home behind him. He looked to the north and spread his wings. His father’s life just ended, but his own just began.
> Bonus Chapter: Past II
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The dust kicked up, midsummer drought did little for the temperate zone. The land was normally a Lush in green, but something unnatural had happened. The grass was dead and now dust seem to linger in the air. Something foul lingered within this place.

Talons gently sifted through the torn-up grass and dirt. Lifting high and allowing the dry Earth to run through his digits. The grey Griffon said nothing as he calmly stretched his wings and took to the sky again.

It had been two weeks since he was dispatched. The sun could not dry out this area this quickly. Even nearby streams had stopped and run bone-dry. The anomaly was originally just a level 4 disturbance. But there was nothing else so he decided to take it up. And why not? “Idle talons serve only darkness…” He mumbled as he continued further.

He had mapped out the area and found the center of what he assumed was the unnatural event.  The thickest part of the forest, somewhere unwise to go lest one would be accompanied by hunters. But he and every other Griffon new full and well. “ A knight of the Ordos Sanguinius was alone for a reason…”

His eyes peered through the haze as the night begin to fall. But he saw something, something he clearly did not expect. Another Griffon traveling by ground. Straight into the heart of the forest.

His mind turned and he knew that this cannot possibly be a coincidence. The figure was clearly a hunter of some sort. Armored and muscled with a spear at his side and a crossbow upon his back between his wings. 

He allowed himself to fall, sinking through the trees in order to follow this Hunter at a distance. It was clear that this Hunter was either a part of the problem or on his way to try and solve the problem. “Malicious or clever… let's find out…”

He followed silently, watching carefully from every shadow. The hunter’s every step was clear. Experience and wisdom guided him. But the forest was alien to him as it was to this lone Warrior. “Clever it is… but how did you know where the magic is?...”

He watched as the hunter slipped between two trees, but then came to the notice that he could no longer see the Hunter. “I suppose I should have given him a little more credit…”

With a flash of Cold Steel, the Warrior whipped his blade behind him to catch the spear before it drove into his spine. The hunter was fast and cunning. The blades danced between them, each and every slash was parried or redirected, every thrust countered. The Hunter was not to be considered prey, even by the knight. 

Knocking the spear to one side, Talons locked in and together they fought their way into the sky. Skill tempered by Decades of experience and well honed understanding of the art of combat clashed violently against physical power and excessive skill, new and unheard of fighting styles. No one beast of the air could gain an advantage over the other. 

Finally they parted, blades dance through the air at the Hunter. Barely deflected by the twirling spear leaving icy blasts of Frost and ice. The crossbow popped off of the hunters back and discharged. Deflecting off of the blade, the bolt combusted into a ball of Fire but rolled off of the protective runes etched into the Warrior's Armor. They stood and cold regard of one another.

“You are not, a part of this problem are you?” His old eyes peered into the hunter’s Enchanted goggles.

“You tell me old bird… you're the one who followed me into the forest… if anyone is here to cause trouble it's you.”

“There is some truth to your suspicion but alas, you are incorrect. We are not supposed to believe in coincidence but I suppose it is passable here… you are here to hunt what is causing this unnatural phenomenon… and so am I…”

The crossbow leveled at him again. “Let's say that I believe you… where does that leave us now?”

He did not move or bother requesting that he lower his weapons. “The Ordos Sanguinius suspects magical interference… I am here to destroy whatever it is within… I cannot stop you from getting in my way. Thus I suggest that we work together at very least until the taint has been removed…”

The hunter regarded The Warrior for a short moment. His grip tightened on his weapon before a smile appeared on his face. “Gareth… Gareth Blacktalon!... Hunter… every hatchling knows not to trust the shamed…”

“Perditus… Shamed knight, champion of the Ordos Sanguinius…” The warrior did not bother explaining or justifying the shame.

“Perditus?... your name is lost?” The hunter hummed the question with a curious smile.

“I was shamed. Lost became my name… is my only name. I am undeserving of any other…”

They silently regarded each other for a short moment, it was fully understood that's the warrior would defend himself if attacked but he did not value his own life. None join the Ordos Sanguinius for glory, only the broken and lost of soul joined the blood order. The warrior knew that the Hunter was not as he seemed. The bladesmanship was clearly inventive a veteran Soldier, but he had no comrades with him, he had no emblems and no symbology. He was alone but the warrior could not tell why. The hunter had no dishonor in his movements. He was strong and old, not as old as the warrior but clearly the hunter was far more than what he seemed.

Gareth frowned his eyes picking out the details until he remembered. He remembered but he did not speak it.

They shared a nod and fell through the forest covering once again. They knew no threat would come from each other. Suspicion and mistrust was common between Griffons, and even deserving. But these two knew far too well that they had nothing to fear from each other.

They progressed further and further into the heart of the forest. Wordlessly they continued. The song of their souls was all that could be heard within the deathly silence of the unnatural Forest.

The forest soon became a nightmare of darkness of the night, and the night became a cave drenched in darkness. The Hunter and the warrior continued despite the eerie darkness

The hunter grumbled dragging his talons through the sickly aura coating the ground like if it were a membrane of filth. “Foul magic…” 

“It is not foul Magic… it is simply being used by something foul.”

“If you say so, whatever it is, when I see the source, I'm going to kill it… “

“Very well, but if it cannot be destroyed I must capture it.”

This was the first thing that had said verbally in hours, but between them, every last twitch and movement spoke volumes. Pain and sorrow from the warrior, eagerness and caution from the Hunter. The song of their souls call out to each other and they sang the story of their lives.

At long last they found it. A wall of water blocking off the cave. The hunter nodded to the warrior and the warrior nodded back. The warrior passed an air stone rune to the Hunter who then swallowed the stone. Together they entered the water. It took very little time to get to the center and escape the wall of water.

The tormented soul of the water Elemental chained into place cried out to them, it's song one of torment.

The Hunter growled and the warrior remain silent. The spear twirled in his grip before snapping into position. “This is vile… what beast has done this?”

“shhh…” the warrior raised his talons and closed his eyes. “listen and you will find it…”

He could feel the souls singing loudly. Despair from himself, Anger from the Hunter, pain from the elemental, then finally Glee, vile contentment, filthy power tainting the air with its sour notes. 

The Warrior’s eyes snapped open and he stood ready with his spear. Both Griffons faced the hidden foe. 

Hooves sounded upon stone and both prepared themselves. “Hello hello…” The Voice croaked, dry and worn. “the kittens have come out to play…”

“Unicorn?...” the hunter looked to the warrior

The warrior shook his head “It used to be… but this is something else. Greed and Desperation gave way to Darkness. This isn't a pony anymore.”

The equine stepped into the light and a smile spread over it's rotting features. “Quite observant… I did not expect something like you to understand what I was… but alas.. neither you nor I really care so let's get this done with, I am very close to completing my work.”

The dry rasping voice felt sickly against the hunters ears, but it was nothing new to the warrior. 

“Lich… this unicorn traded his soul for more time here in the Mortal plane. Specifically he traded it for eternal existence within the mortal plane and a fairly substantial amount of power…” The Warrior glared up at where the Unicorn stood.

“That doesn't sound like something I have heard of before.” the hunter stood unsure of himself as he leveled the crossbow at his Undead enemy. 

The unicorns lips parted like worn leather on a hot day. “Fascinating that you would know so much about me… I'm flattered, most ponies don't even know… but here you are, a Griffon and you know exactly what I am as if you know exactly how I came to be in this form…”

“We need to destroy him quickly. It's okay to use explosives against him but try to avoid using anything excessively magical. The water Elemental here is bound specifically so that he can siphon off all of its magic. Considering it's made entirely out of magic it will last him quite a while, but an Elemental is too pure and every ounce of the magic he extracts, he must first corrupt it. And he can't corrupt the elemental itself. He's not strong enough to do that, which means we can kill him and free the elemental…”

The hunter smiled to the warrior. “ In that case I'll keep him busy, you free the elemental and hop in to help once you're done..”

The warrior nodded instantly flew to the bound ancient Elemental. He turned back to the hunter for short moment. “Be careful, the Lich is immortal. No matter how many times you take him apart he will not die.”

The hunter Smiled twirling his spear. “Good… I don't have to hold back I’ve been meaning to get some stuff out of my system.”

The Unicorn scowled and lowered his horn. A blast of fire and lightning shot out at the Hunter, but Gareth was nothing close to a normal foe, even to this undead monster.

Blasting through the fire, his crossbow sang, bolt after Bolt penetrated and exploded within the pony’s flesh. The rotting flesh and ichor splattered off the undead creature even as the fire cauterized the wounds near instantly.

The fire danced off of his feathers as the hunter twirled through the air planting his spear into the neck of the Lich. But he did not stop nor slow, with his blade planted through the undead creature’s flesh the momentum continued and the creature was slammed into the far wall. Gareth twisted his foe upside down against the Cold Stone and planted two crossbow bolts into his face. One in each eye socket. The enchantments slowly ignited and begin to burn away what little flesh remained.

Even with this the Lich still thrashed about. His rotting flesh quickly begin to regenerate, his twisted backwards limbs and dislocated vertebrae begin to contort back into its natural state.

Quickly Gareth repeated the process almost as if he was cleaning the walls of the cave, the handle his spear, the mop a mass of Rotting Flesh and Bone.

Finally the Lich tore  free of the spear and began a Cascade of spells. Magic that burned magic that suffocated magic that peeled away, magic in a thousand different death-dealing schools. The relentless assault was quickly yet narrowly dodged by the hunter with skillful weaving in and out of range and sight from the Lich. 

The Lich was an undead horror, an arcane monster capable of unthinkable devastation. However, before his undeath, he was most likely some stuffy old Mage that never went outside. The hunter was far more than just a bird who hunted. His spear claimed the lives of a great many soldiers and mighty beasts in his time. While this Undead abomination blasted away at the world trying to snuff out a single life, he would never understand why he would never be able to touch this Hunter.

In frustration the Lich raised his horn and begin to draw deep within the power inside his Undead body. Being immortal he did not need to worry about the dangers that a lack of oxygen would present, and so logic within his mind dictated that collapsing this cave would provide him with a victory even if it took him awhile to reap the benefits of the victory. However, his potential victory was quickly cut short when the water Elemental practically obliterated his Undead rotting body against the cave wall. 

Joining the Hunter in the open-air of the cave, the Warrior stared down upon the undead creature. “It cannot be slain, we must seal it away…” The Warrior spoke calmly as he raised his Talons offering a variety of blades and stakes glyphed and runed with anti-magic blessings.

It felt like mere minutes before they finally left the cave. A smile crossed the Hunter's face as rain came down upon the droughted land. The warrior  to leave began but he slowed and look back when the hunter called to him.

“I think I know you, many know you… you do not need to live life shamed… “

The warrior shook his head. “She died because of me, I either live life shamed or I will die in my shame.”

“You didn't kill her…” the words the Hunter's spoke was from one Warrior to another from one brother in arms to another.

“It doesn't matter, I was her protector, she died… I lived… now I am worth less than nothing…” The Warriors words echoed with his pain.

The hunter stared for the longest moment, the warrior before him could very well have been called his brother many times over. The soul within the warrior was a noble one but stained with pain and Horrors that he could not Escape. And it was then that he understood the Warrior’s chosen name. “...Very well… Perditus… but I beg of you to not forget that you do have value, and you will always have value…. You truly are lost but don't think even for a moment that she looks down from beyond the sky at you with anything but the love she has always held…”

The warrior looked back and the pain flowed from his eyes before he turned away and took to the skies back to his own exile.
> Bonus Chapter: Present I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"She's most certainly not a Nikur" Earl looked even more tired than normal looking up at Tyrin as he hobbled about the house only just barely able to put things back together.

"Yeah... She's a changeling." Tyrin struggled to get the walls back up and while it would take a lot of effort, then even more to get the holes filled, he was sure he would have his house back in just a few days.

"No... I mean, she didn't even try to trick me or eat me or anything... She's just a scared little filly. It was nothing but non stop crying and worrying. I told her that you wanted her to come up  with me. I practically had to drag her along. And why did you get me to drag her along?" Earl's demeanor hadn't changed, he still buried his nose in his book. And while Tyrin was endlessly happy for such a stranger to go so far for him, he had the feeling that the foreign pony had his fill of foalsitting. "She would not have done well on the island"

"Well, she's here now, clearly I made a good choice. By the way... how far did you get before the royal guards caught up with you?" He struggled with one of the loose timbers, his body might as well have still been in tatters. 

"About to the spot where we first met. I'm happy they asked nicely, I was afraid I would have to fight them. I may be capable but I don't want to pick fights with guards of any kind." He lay back in the remains of the kitchen and to Tyrin's surprise he lay his book over his eyes instead of going back to read it.

"Well, not to speak ill of our nation's finest, but the guards here are a joke. Save for those special forces guys. I mean, I can take em... but I'm a catbird... I can do things like that." He struggled to finally line the broken walls up and whispered to them with a smile, a smile that grew when what looked to be dark mist pulled the walls perfectly into line. 

"You still got that thing?" Earl peaked out from under his book before resting his eyes again.

"Yeah, I don't know what to think of it. It's power that belonged to a pretty bad guy. But he's long since gone, I'm surprised I have it, but I'll live a lot better with the power, and longer. I want to be around when my Iris is all grown up." He smiled thinking of her, remembering the height of the Changeling queen he faced down. He wondered how tall his little Iris would become.

"It's good then?" Earl's tone was flat, but it was always flat. He was an utter anomaly to Tyrin, but nevertheless Tyrin was overwhelmed with gratefulness that the strange pony stuck around.

"Did you at least get to the capital fast?" Tyrin stopped his repair, mostly out of dire need to rest. Slowly limping back to the nest that he put back together and with a happy hum he lay next to the sleeping Iris.

"Yeah, totally not what I expected, but hey... it's good.  Some weird... um... I guess I can call them ponies... But hey, Equestria is a strange place." He snuggled into the spot a little more comfortably and Tyrin looked to the rest of the nest.

"Hey, there's room here..." He snuggled into the sleeping Iris and gestured to the other side of the nest.

Earl seemed to hesitate uncomfortably for a moment before sighing. Without even poking out from under his book he simply replied in even more of a tired tone. "I don't do snuggles. Physical contact makes me ill. I appreciate the offer, but no thank you."

Tyrin shrugged. "Suit yourself."He rested his head over Iris, overjoyed with her safety. He didn't know what he would do without her. As odd of a pony Earl was, he was willing to put himself at risk for her. He hardly knew the guy, but he was alright in his book.

To Tyrin's mild surprise, Earl spoke again, still not peaking up from his book or even moving. "What are you going to do next?"

"Well, I'm going to fix my house, then Imma try and help you get a house thing figured out if you'll let me. Then I have to see if I can start work, I have some debts to pay off, then... I guess I will try and bet my hands on some fine moon tushy..." He grinned, his eyes still closed, but he swore he could feel lightning roiling up ready to strike him.

"Moon tushy?" Earl finally budged looking up just a little.

"Oh... Luna... I kinda like her, and teasing her is one of my pastimes."

"Luna? The princess? The Goddess of the moon?"

"The one and only..." He smirked really feeling the hours lag on, weighing on his eyes.

"Maybe it's just me as I am a foreigner, but that sounds like an astronomically asinine idea." He waved his hoof weakly in the air almost dismissively.

"Yeah... it totally is..."

Earl's hoof slumped and he grumbled. "You're weird."

"Yeah... I know..." 

Tyrin smiled, drifting off to sleep. Earl was an odd one, but there was a good friendship in the future. Even if he gave the unicorn a thousand years of favors, he still wouldn't feel like he had payed him back well enough. Earl was odd, but Tyrin would either be his friend or die trying.

With a new friend snoozing in his shattered kitchen, a snuggle bug Iris napping in his nest, and a Luna to tease, likely found in his dreams. Dreams that would be free of the endless hell that was the influence of the dark king. He could not ask for a finer ending to his own story. He didn't even expect to have a past or present, but he would have a happy future, with friends and a family.
> Bonus Chapter: Present II
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The newspaper rolled tightly and Celestia tested its heft, as if inspecting an ancient relic or master crafted sculpture.  She gave it a few practice swings before her magic also wrapped up a simple squirt bottle in her golden magical grasp. Her eyes closed and her sharp inhale came in as if she was about to take the first step of a thousand mile journey. 

The newspaper swatted upside a feathered head and the squirt bottle sprayed a steady stream of water at the same head. "Bad!... No! Bad bad bad!"

Tyrin's bloodshot eyes glared back at Celestia, unflinching as she kept swatting him relentlessly. "I told you I wasn't trying to do it... Haven't you heard of a mistake?"

"Yeah... they are usually gray drunk and feathered!" Celestia swatted him two more times before he mumbled an incantation and the newspaper burnt up in black flames. But before the ash hit the ground her golden magic rolled up another and brought it to bare.

"Sister... That isn't a nice thing to say, and it's not the end of the world." Luna's horn flashed moving Tyrin literally just three feet further away from Celestia.

Celestia simple moved forward and the newspaper swatted over Luna's head too. "This is your fault too... what do we tell the kingdom?"

Luna sighed letting the newspaper bap her on the head twice before she too incinerated it. "It wasn't planned, and I don't see how it's anypony other than our own business."

She grumbled and turned about but sighed explosively as Celestia began bapping her again with a new newspaper. It was black fire again this time which burned the paper, and a blue magical force field which blocked off access to the other newspapers. Then the squirt bottle started up again.

"I GET IT!... You can stop now...." Luna growled through her teeth but Celestia didn't stop.

"I don't believe you... It's not very damned hard to not get pregnant. Especially with a stupid drunk griffon." She fired the squirt bottle again. "So until I am confident you get it... I'm going to use a much simpler method for both of you..." She pulled up a magazine and rolled it up to continue bapping as well with a monotone chant. "No!... Bad! Bad bad bad! No!"

Luna's eye twitched in a manner easily compared to something that was on the verge of violently exploding. Easy to compare because that was indeed what happened next. A flash a blue tore her from her location and another flash of blue tore Tyrin as well from the castle.

This time golden fire consumed the rolled up paper and the squirt bottle as she called in a guard. "Get me cake!"

The guard looked at her and stuttered a moment before swallowing and trying again. "But... Your majesty... you told us that you were on a diet... and th.."

"CAKE! NOW!" It was not wrath but extreme annoyance, but the poor stallion couldn't tell the difference and bolted out the door to bring forth royal sweets for some royal stress eating.





"Don't feel bad." Luna's voice echoed off the cave walls.

"I don't, I mean. I know it was a mistake, just alcohol and over flirting, but I'm not afraid of it. I am a little confused about how though, we are two very different species." He looked over her shoulder as she dug through a crate, and he held out the stomach tablets for her morning sickness.

She quickly took them and popped two. "I'm... I don't know what I am. I know I can handle it, but I am kinda freaking out, and freaking out that I'm not freaking out enough. And generally speaking, magic makes up for gaps in what would normally be logical progression of events. You'd be surprised how often the actual reason is.. 'cuz magic!'... Its handy, but it can kill your brain trying to think it through..."

He seemed to phase out in though before stirring. He had no lips, but she could tell what he was thinking. Before he even opened his beak her magic clamped down on it, shutting him up. "It's not your fault. It's nopony's fault. You were ten times as drunk as me, and I kinda just figured I would finally tease you back. Things got out of control and yes, it happened. The world is not going to end." She gently rested a hoof on her belly. "Can you think of any names?"

"I gave myself the name Tyrin... I'm not a good person to ask about that..." He nervously scratched at his plumage.

"And I named an possum Tiberius, I even knighted him ser knight errant Tibbles.." She smirked, her eyes looked down at belly, thinking of the life forming within her, a soft soothing power flowing through her like a magic she had never felt before. "...Tyr..."