//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Praxi // Story: Militis Corde // by Sanguine Eyes //------------------------------// 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..."