Pendragon stared in shock and sadness at his fallen friend. The dragon had a terrible wound on her left side, and she was not moving. Pendragon and the dragon had been traveling for months, occasionally having adventures. She was the only friend he ever had, the dragon. But after this last war, she had fallen, and Pendragon couldn't save him in time.
He and the dragon, Selondir, had been ambushed by a group of gryphons, somewhere at the northern borders of Equestria, when they were returning home.
Even though Selondir was a dragon, she wasn't as large as the other dragons. She was an adolescent, but she was only as big as a manticore of the Everfree Forest, maybe a bit bigger.
Lowering, Pendragon touched his horn against Selondir's forehead, tears running down his face, onto the floor next to the dragon's head.
Who am I...? Pendragon thought to himself. He and Selondir had the ability to share thoughts and words by mind. It was a talent only few unicorns and dragons shared, and they used that several times to their advantage, when against people who didn't know of it. He had become so accustomed to it that he rarely talked out loud. I've lost who I am. I didn't protect Selondir, what kind of friend am I?
He looked around. The fallen bodies of several gryphons were scattered around. They had said something about a war with Equestria, and something involving Princess Celestia. He couldn't have heard the rest, because Selondir and him had finished off mostly everyone who attacked them. The rest, two, had flown away, and Selondir didn't follow them. What's the use? They cannot go too far in Equestria, and we'll be far in by the time they come back, she had told him when he asked why she didn't go.
Wasted years, wasted faith..., thought Pendragon. The was isn't over yet, it has just begun. He turned once again to Selondir, silently mourning. I will avenge your death, Selondir. You can count on that, the thought, projecting his thoughts loud enough for anyone else nearby to feel.
Pendragon had found Selondir as a white-purple egg deep in a forest who's name he could not remember. It had hatched one day while he was at his home with his uncle, who had quickly found out about the dragon because of disappearing animals. Pendragon was one of the few ponies who didn't mind having a carnivore as a friend. He had brought Selondir to a safer place, after all. The forest was no place for a newborn dragon.
Years had passed, and Selondir had grown, enough to live on her own in the forest. Pendragon's uncle, Morningstar, had told him to be quiet about Selondir when he went to the nearest village, and he did.
But he couldn't keep Selondir a secret forever, and soon he had to find a way to explain it when a group of gryphons arrived and started attacking the nearby village, Maragost. The village, which was close to the northern borders of Equestria, seemed to be an ideal target for them. It was then that Pendragon discovered the power of thought-speech, and called Selondir to help.
After the gryphons had been driven off, the villagers actually thanked Selondir, while some just stared at her, keeping a distance, mouthing a silent thanks before walking away, probably in fear.
Selondir then acted as the primary defense of that village, while I also helped, when a messenger pegasus came and told us that Princess Celestia had heard of our abilities and what we did, and asked if we could help her with a few tasks; scouting the entire northern side of Equestria, including the forests. It seemed that the gryphons were planning an attack against Equestria. They have to have a reason, and Princess Celestia thinks that they are planning to conquer and claim Equestria as their own.
With the sudden attacks popping up on the northern border, we began to worry that they might have spies and groups further in, and we were one of the two facts that dragons could be friends with ponies. The other, was of a unicorn in Ponyville, a village further in. They couldn't help, however, as the unicorn's dragon had no wings, and was still a baby, so we were chosen.
We had been through several adventures, each one always ending victorious. But now we, I, had failed.
Standing up and wiping the tears away from his face with his hoof, Pendragon looked towards the direction of the Border. During his battles and adventures, he he had grown strong in magic and body. He could even rival the power of the Princess' personal student. But he didn't try, he wouldn't. There was no point, they were miles away from each other, and even though she could teleport, it would take a great deal of energy, rendering her a bit helpless and useless for a few days.
There's no point in staying here, Pendragon thought. I should go, that's what Selondir would want me to do... But I can do one thing, one thing before I leave. Pendragon stood back, and began to use magic.
Moments later, he was elsewhere, on a cliff overlooking some plains, towards Canterlot. Behind him was the body of Selondir, encased in diamond, so he could come back and return back to finish things whenever the war ended. Nothing will be able to break her tomb, and nothing will be able to go near it but me. He had put several wards and spells to protect the diamond from thieves and other ponies. Sure, maybe the gem-collecting diamond dogs would try, but they'd need to go through the wards first.
“I promise you, Selondir,” Pendragon said out loud, towards the diamond tomb. “I will avenge your death, and end this war once and for all.” Touching the tomb with his horn, he turned ad disappeared in a flash of light.
“Hey! You over there!” A voice shouted at him. He stayed in the same position, ignoring the voice but keeping one ear perked up.
“Pendragon!” The voice shouted again. This time, Pendragon turned his head a little bit, half a spell forming in his mind.
He finally turned, half squinting because of the sun, which was setting. He recognized the earth pony as one of the villagers of Maragost, along with several other people, armed with whatever they could have gotten their hooves on. Some had sticks, others had pans.
“Pendragon, what happened? Where's Selondir?” The earth pony asked. Pendragon stopped the spell, then sighed. “She's gone. They killed her,” he replied.
He had now managed to count how many there were. Only six, including the earth pony who had called him.
“Oh.”
Silence.
“The Princess was right, though. The gryphons are planning to capture Equestria,” Pendragon said, looking north. “One was carrying a scroll. Why he was here, I don't know, but they weren't planning to give the letter to us.”
“Then we must take the letter to the Princess nevertheless,” the earth pony said, looking at some of the gryphon bodies for a scroll of any sort. There was none, because Pendragon had put it in his bag. It wasn't a saddlebag, though he wore it on his back. Saddlebags were usually hanging on the sides, strapped to the body, but this one was worn on the back, not suspended.
Pendragon's horn glowed, then he took the scroll out of his bag and opened it in front of the earth pony.
The letter wasn't signed, it wasn't addressed to anyone.
“Gather every able gryphon and bring them to the borders. We will attack in the dead of night, so rest if you want.” The rest of the letter gave instructions on what to do, how to move through Equestria, almost as if the writer of the letter has flown over the skies of Equestria.
“A guard from Canterlot arrives every five hours, correct?” Pendragon asked. He had overheard this from one of the other ponies, who was talking idly to another, still holding the stick with one hoof.
The earth pony nodded. “Last one came four hours before we left. It's been around half an hour now.”
That would mean a quick response. The Princess would try to contact us again once she reads the letter, Pendragon thought. He wished Selondir was still alive, so she could suggest what to do do next. Dragons were known for their strength and scariness, but none of them knew how intelligent they were, even though most were just hoarders of their treasure.
Pendragon nodded, then said, "We should head back to Maragost. Give the scroll to the pegasus once you see him."
The earth pony nodded in return, then they turned and started walking back south-west, glancing around often, afraid that Pendragon and Selondir had missed one gryphon. Still walking but keeping his head held low as if he were their prisoner, he was alone with this thoughts for the first time. Usually when there was silence, it usually meant Pendragon was conversing with Selondir. Now, he only had his own thoughts to listen to.