//------------------------------// // Act II: Rise of the Griffons. Chapter 9: Coming Storm. // Story: DOOM of Griffonstone! // by ShadowStar_IMHP //------------------------------// Doom’s POV Frustration was coursing through him and he slammed his fist down on the desk, shattering the desktop. Hans looked over “read something unsettling sire?” Doom stood up and looked down at the ruined desk. “Frustrating, I have been going over these books for the last week. Those nobles were corrupted. Food and wealth hoarded more than a Dragon’s. What is frustrating me is, I know I have done this before when I took over Latveria, but I can’t remember how.” He heads out of the office “Come Hans I need fresh air and a chance to view my new domain.” Hans looks to the desk. “No one writes the boring paperwork stuff.” “What was that Hans?” “Just thinking to myself, my lord.” Hans then follows Doom out of the office. Only looking to a falcon maid. “Get a new desk for our sire, and clean up. Make sure the papers aren’t lost.” As Doom continued on a scream was heard and a chair came flying out of a room braking against the wall. Doom reached out and caught one of the chair’s legs as it bounced off the wall Doom walks into the room seeing Gilda looking away from them. His eyes move along her spine seeing the clear anger stance. “So you lost focus again?” Gilda’s wings shot up before she folds them down and turns to look at Doom. He was glad for his mask, the grin on his face would be hard to explain. “Doom… Master… This stupid spell not working.” “Gilda there is no excuse. It is not a matter of the spell, all a spell is the means of remembering what you want magic to do.” He tosses the leg at her. “Catch.” Instincts and reflexes of a predator sprung into action and she easily caught the chair leg. “Now Gilda how did you catch the wood?” “I reached out and caught it duh.” Doom shook his head. “Think, your ears heard my words, your eyes saw the chair leg, your brain processed all that information, saw the projected path of the wood. Then commanded your arm to move to catch it. All in the time for the wood to reach you. Do you think a hatchling could do the same?” Gilda looked down at the wooden leg. “No, its muscles aren’t developed enough nor hand-eye coordination.” “Exactly, a spell is the same. You have to learn how to move the magic to produce an effect.” Her anger rises again and she throws the wood at the wall. “All I do is flashes of light!” “That more than any Griffon sense Boreas could do. I know learning the spells is difficult, partly due to your hands having one less digit then my own. Not only do you have to learn a new way of thinking, but you also have to adapt the magical motions to your body.” He looks to an unlit candle sitting on a table. Taking his time he moves his fingers showing Gilda each move. Once finished the candlewick lights. “Why do you think we need to use such magical language?” “Um… we don’t have horns?” Doom shakes his head. “We train our minds to recognize the motion to create the effect of the spell. Unicorns cheat, their horns are directly manifesting the spells. But they still have to think of the steps of the spell. We channel our magic into our hands. Spellcasting would be slower for us, but our advantage is we can channel more than one spell at a time. If we have the spells properly memorized so we don’t have to concentrate on both spells at once.” “Sire, if I may make a suggestion?” Hans’s voice spoke out. Doom and Gilda look at him. “Very well Hans what do you think could be of assistance?” “Well, I have no knowledge or skill in magic. I do know of some lore, perhaps a focus, a wand, or staff perhaps?” “No, I will not have my apprentice using a crutch. Once she uses a wand she will be unable to use magic without it. Without relearning another way to cast magic. This is a handicap all you have to do is knock the wand out of her grasp.” Doom then looked to Gilda. “The truth is once you train your mind to use a word or motion as the trigger, you can cast a spell just like you caught the wood. Just think of the word or motions and learn how memory reacts. You could even use meaningless words like Abracadabra, or Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.” Doom’s head turns hearing a snort from the faceless form of Hans. “This is serious Hans. If you can’t control your annoyances I will banish you from this chamber.” Hans bows “Forgive me, my lord, Gilda. I was just remembering something from my former life.” “So why can’t I just say the word light or fire to get the spell working.” Gilda puts the candle “If I can just will myself to cast the magic like that?” “You want to set everything on fire? Using complex motions, or meaningless words make it safe. If you just use something you say or do normally, you could cast a spell without meaning. The thaumic energy in your body will be wasted, and you will be unable to fly if you use too much.” “It is true this planet has an abundance of thaumic energy I only encountered in other realms like Mephisto’s realm or the realm of Nightmare.” He looks down then moves his hand under her jaw and lifts her beak to look at her eyes. “Your world is flooded with magic, but it still takes time to collect into your body. I do not wish to see you vulnerable because you waste the magic within you.” Unseen by both, Hans' head tilts to the side if he had a mouth a small smile would have formed. Doom then steps back and heads to the doorway. “Come, Gilda, perhaps you need a break. It is time I visit the people I now rule.” A shiver shot down her spine but she quickly dismissed the sensation. Fear? Doom was a merciless killer. That was a sound reason she should have shivered at his touch, “Yes, a break. Where should we go?” She needed a break, time to understand why she was fighting her wings tightening up. Fear, yeah it was fear why else would her body want to display her wingspan. “I wish to see where the masses live. The Upper Root District.” The three head out of the castle. Once out the door, Stoneslasher grunts. “Sir, don’t you need an escort?” “No, Stoneslasher. If I run into a problem I can’t handle, your duty, is to get as many away as you can.” “I have the duty to guard the ruler of the city.” Doom spins around. “Your duty is to guard the Idol. That is the keystone of the entire city. There will be no repeat of the Cyclops. Am I clear, Stoneslasher?” “Yes sir.” Stoneslasher crosses his arms and snorts. “I might not like it, but I understand.” “Gilda, tell me about the Upper Root District as we walk the trunk road.” “Well, it's sectioned into five parts. Primary for housing for each group of griffons. We intermix alright but still tend to group up according to what type we are. Unlike the branch districts where wealth separates you from others, down here we are still segregated into types. There are some oddities of each group.” “Oddities? What do you mean?” Hans asks as he walks two steps behind Doom and to the right. Gilda was walking to Doom’s left. “It would be better to see. I don’t know enough to explain it.” “The first section is where most of Eagleblood live, that’s where my house is located. There is nothing much to say, you show strength or you are shunned. My father was one of the guards, till my mother died of feather flu, then he… he started drinking. One day he left and we found his body a few days later.” Pain filled her voice as they walked among the homes of the Eagleblood griffons. Doom looked around a plaza with one of the now functional water fountains bubbling with fresh filtered water. He saw signs of the might equal right pecking order. The strongest child was the leader of the group of cubs playing. Stronger males joke about weaker males. Doom was glad he didn’t see the primate habit of males and females have different roles. From what he could see the culture of the Eagleblood Griffons was family driven. Parents with one or two offspring. Any grouping after that was based on who was stronger and thus should be healthier. In his calculating mind, he saw how this developed. Even before the great quake there was fighting for survival and resources. Weaker griffons were a drain on food, so the pecking order developed the strongest get to eat and breed first. To prove you should get the food you demonstrate that you are strong, or that someone else was weak. Doom kept control of his anger seeing one of the runt orphans running away from a group of larger fledglings. The social restructuring would be needed, schools, and focus on other traits besides strength. The young one Faina demonstrated cunning, perhaps he should aim the future school system to focus on cunning and problem-solving. As they pass a bar the window shatters as a griffon is thrown out of it. The griffon collapsed at Doom’s feet. Out of the bar’s door came a mostly gray griffon. Doom could detect signs of aging, feathers weren’t as vibrant, more white hairs in the fur. Even with the signs of aging the Griffon was an example of strength. Firm toned muscles, his body was scarred in various spots from fights, his right eye was gone, the socket hidden by an eye patch. “That teaches you to call me a weak old bird!” Gilda sighs, “Oh no, Odin.” Hans raised a brow. “The same one that sent Doom those military proposals?” “I can hear you talking about me.” Odin looks over to the three. “So I finally get to see the big tough ruler huh? Gave those spineless chicken shit council a whacking. I start working as commander tomorrow.” “I’m not here to hire you,” Doom spoke up his arms behind his back hidden by the cloak. “I give the proposals some thought, but I will not be having you as my lead general.” “Give it up, you lost the guard command to Stoneslasher for a reason.” Gilda huffs. Odin turns his head to look at Gilda. “Gilda, you're as pathetic as your father was. Weak.” Gilda growled and in her hand, a burst of light appeared. “I’m stronger than you, old one!” “So it is true, you can cast magic. Well, show me what you can do besides make pretty lights.” Doom’s hand landed on her shoulder stopping her from leaping at the elder griffon. “Don’t waste your magic on him.” Then Doom’s face looks at the former guard commander. “Odin, I will respect your former rank. However, insult my followers again and I shall make an example of you.” Odin’s eye twitches. “So you're as pathetic as the chamberlain was. Surrounding yourself with spineless followers to boost your ego.” Hans speaks up “Allow me to demonstrate the error of that statement, your majesty? He reminds me of my former father. I've been sparing with Stoneslasher.” “Very well Hans, Don’t kill him he could be useful. Just not as my general.” “Understood my liege.” Hans stepped forward “Your flaw is you see strength as toughness, hard as a rock.” Odin snorts then lunges slashing with his talons. Hans leaned away from the strike at a nearly impossible angle for a vertebrae creature. The rest of the fight follows suit. As many times Odin tried to hit the thin creature called Hans, his target seemed to be just a half-inch out of reach. “Water is fluid, always shifting, always bending. No matter how heavy, or tough stone is...” Hans stopped moving and Odin’s talon hit cutting long slashes in Hans’ chest. “A pond it's thrown in doesn’t care.” Then Hans backhands Odin, sending him flying a few feet knocking him out. “Given enough time or right conditions, water can shatter stone.” “That enough Hans. We made our point. None in my inner circle are weak.” Doom then started walking away leaving the knocked out Odin laying in the dirt. “Yeah, he was a jerk, always made it hard for my father, got worse after my mother died. Well anyway, the next section is the Falconblood section.” Between the two sections was the massive roots of the great tree. A natural wall isolating the groups. “It seems King Grover expected conflict among the different types of Griffons. Each group has its dedicated housing.” As they passed under the building thick root Doom noted areas where doors were once attached. Not a defense for creatures that could fly, but if a land attack happened they could close the gates. Perhaps as the city expanded into the lower roots, and now the fringes the idea of that type of security was lost. The Falconblood section was much like the Eagleblood. The main difference was the behavior of the Griffons. The cubs and fledglings were running and chasing each other, but not in an aggressive way like the cubs chased the runt. No these cubs were racing to play, he saw a run trip and fell on his wings, and got helped up by a normal-looking fledgling. Another group of young were playing some kind of game, the only thing he could compare it to fetch. An adult was throwing a ball as hard as they could and the young went running or flying after it and retrieving it. Speed and agility seemed to be the strategy for the Falconblood. Much like how Hans fought Odin, the falcons went with being so fast they were rarely hit. Rush in snatch the food rush out. This tactic is mirrored in the fetch game he saw. The biggest change was the sounds. Eagleborn was challenging or yelling at each other, the falcons were daring each other pushing each other to different types of showing off. Another sign of the survival strategy was speed and cleverness. “Gilda, that fledgling Gallus he was a falconblood correct?” “What? Oh yeah, Gallus the sneak, yeah he’s a falcon, I think the other fledging Faina was an Eagle.” Hans looks about “There are a lot of interesting color variations. Gallus had that blue tone feathers and fur.” Doom nods “I have the feeling that the Runt condition and the vast variety of color patterns are from the genetic bottleneck condition after the great quake.” “Oh, you think so?” A voice came from behind the three and all three turned to see the grayish griffon Gabby. “HI! I saw you three walking, and I thought to myself that she looked familiar. Then I remembered selling sandwiches for you. Did you like the special ham? I baked those crickets myself.” She then sighed “Thought I lost my job, something about being overly anxious, or annoying, or was it both?” “Well then come to the castle tomorrow and we can discuss a job post,” Doom commented to Gabby. Hans noted Gilda’s feathers ruffled a bit hearing Doom offer Gabby a job. “Oh wow really? I’m Gabby! Wait… what would you have me do? One boss wanted me to pose for pictures on a desk. I told him no so he fired me.” “Nothing like that Gabby, I just would like a fast reliable messenger.” “Okay then! See you tomorrow.” Gabby takes off as the three watch her go. “Why did you have to do that? She’s annoying.” Gilda asks, crossing her arms over her chest. “Gilda, there are a few things I’m aware of that you do not.” Doom looks up at a bunch of clouds moving overhead. “I’m going to see if she can walk on clouds for example.” Gilda tilts her head and looks at Doom. “Why?” “Haven’t you been curious why you could walk on clouds? It is something I believe few Griffons can, or even try.” “Well I was kind of surprised I could when I went to Flight Camp, but I haven’t given it much thought.” “In order, to walk on clouds, I believe you need to be able to channel large amounts of magic to your hands and feet. Channeling magic to the hands is vital in our method of casting magic. Using the images on the grand chamber Boreas used gestures to cast magic as well. One of the signs of a caster could be cloud walking and manipulation of clouds.” “Oh no, you are not taking that flying feather duster as another apprentice!” Hans looks over so glad he didn’t have a face to show the grinning he would have. “What the matter, Gilda?” “Don’t be jealous Gilda, one day I will find another Griffon spell caster. By that time you might be the one teaching. Even if Gabby, can cloud walk, given how hyper she seems I doubt she has the mental focus to cast a spell.” “I’m not jealous! She is just annoying.” “Come there still three more sections for me to see. Next, are the Ravens correct?” “Yeah, this way…” Gilda stomps her way to the pathway into the Ravenblood section. Mumbling under her breath “I’m not jealous.” Raven’s section was a dramatic change. The walls of every home were painted in vibrant colors, as many as possible. Swirling twisting patterns of colors and shapes gave each home and building an abstract look. Every wall had pegged for hanging decorations. Some were flower pots, others feathers with beads, and large numbers were wind chimes. Just inside the section right in front of their path was a young adult female griffon. Perhaps two years younger then Gilda, this griffon was of the Raven’s and her head was down in a bow. Dressed in nothing but a loincloth keeping her modesty and beaded necklace with small animal bones among the beads. It was clear she was waiting for the three. “Greetings King Doom, she has been expecting you. Please come, she is waiting in her home.” Doom raised his brow “Who been expecting me?” “The Flight Mother of course. Come, she was most insistent.” Glancing to the other two he nods. “Very well lead us to this Flight Mother.” As the four walked through the plaza Doom noted there were more runts among the Ravens, there were even fewer color variations. He even spotted some runts that were clearly from other types of griffons. He did see variations among the raven blood colors, some ravens seem to look more like blue jays, or cardinals with bright blue or red coloring. The majority were black with white markings, or like the young woman ahead of them no markings or gray markings. “I note more Runts among the Raven’s. Is the runt birth disorder more common?” “It is said that a runt is the reincarnated spirit of one of the lost generation. For this reason, we accept and even cherish those born with the ailment.” Hans was surprised. “Wait, ravens knew about the lost generation? The great quake?” “The Flight Mother will explain.” She came to a beaded curtain and parted it. “She waits inside.” Doom entered the hut-like building and within he could see many bottles glowing with some unknown luminescent chemicals. Bottles of various potions lined shelves along the walls. Feathers and animal bones decoration was about and on the other side of the chamber was an elderly raven headed griffon. Mostly black she had white markings on her beak and forehead. Her eyes were blue and there were gray hairs in her fur. “You're late. Haggatha died the day before you took over the castle. Oh, how she would love to brag that she was right. Doom indeed came to Griffonstone.” The elderly griffon snorted and motioned before her. “Don’t just stand there come sit. We have much to talk about unfortunate events that have transpired.” “Our escort mentioned the Lost Generation. So the Raven’s remembered the great quake?” Doom asks as he sits down crossed legged. Behind him Gilda, and Hans followed suit. “She talks too much, but to answer your question. Yes, we remembered. Even before the Cyclops arrived some lords and nobles thought the history was… unseemly. A painful reminder of shame, not a reminder of why we should not fight among each other. Bla Bla Bla, it was a natural disaster not some supernatural event, our ancestors weren’t being punished.” She started laying down cards. Doom noted they were much like tarot cards thought the symbols were different. The death card for example was an image of the Shattered hill with an eclipse overhead, clearly representing the quake. “Our numbers were the lowest after the Great Quake. Some of our best fighters rushed into the den to save the young, only to share their fate.” As she spoke she laid down the cards, each one matched her words. “So yes we recorded the history in ways the fools didn’t see, our games, our habits. We kept it hidden when the first council after king Guto’s fall. They started slowly, removing some books with the history recorded, then some griffons who knew the history vanished. It was a few decades but, eventually, the majority of the griffons became unaware of the truth of our past. Greed once again took over the other’s hearts.” “Wait how did the Raven’s remember if the councils were removing any traces of the lost history?” Doom laughed “Same with how Jews in my world remembered their traditions. They made them into games.” Hans nods “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel I made you out of clay.” “Hans, don’t insult a proud tradition by trying to sing it.” “Sorry, my sovereign.” “Please Flight Mother, continue” “Indeed we hid the truth right under their noses. Card games played in a way to tell the story, Can you lay down the cards, in the right pattern to save the young… by the time a cub grows up, they figure out you can’t. We have hidden other traditions in similar ways, just in case the councils got wind of our little cards.” She then looked at Gilda “They also destroyed records of magic. If some griffon found out the secret to casting magic, it would be a threat to their control. So, if a young griffon was found that could cast magic, they vanished. Of course, I have no proof of this, just old stories from other flight mothers before me.” “Knowing magic was possible for griffons, we looked for other ways.” She motioned to the bottles of positions behind her. “We searched, and found from the Zebra alchemy. Of course, we kept this secret as well.” “Why are you telling me this?” “Time for us hiding our knowledge is over, you change things, alter destiny, and challenge fate itself. This shifted the pattern of the weave. Chaos walks the world again.” Hans might not have lungs but if he did he would have sucked in a breath. “You don’t mean…” “Yes, Discord is free, and he’s early. He will be drawn to those whose fate and destiny’s pattern is spun around. That is no longer the ponies, it's you three. Discord will be coming to Griffonstone.” ---------------------------------------- Canterlot - Celestia’s POV Celestia slams the newspaper down. On the front page were the words ‘WEATHER OUT OF CONTROL, Cloudsdale Unable to stop wild storms.’ “This is all Doom's fault. With the sun and moon no longer under our control, the climate is changing.” Luna sighs and puts down her paper. This one was reporting a blizzard hitting Manehatten. “We already have some of our best Unicorns and Pegasus scientists working on the problem sister. Not much more we can do.” Celestia stood up and headed to the window looking down at the gathered ponies. She noted the signs they were holding. “Just a year ago they were cheering my name. Now they are protesting. Yesterday I saw a filly hide behind her mother when she saw me.” She turns tears in her eyes. “You know how painful that was…” Luna rolled her eyes “At least they don’t believe you would eat them if they didn’t give you any tribute. Really why did you let that horrible Nightmare Night tradition continue?” Celestia sighs and looks out the window again. “Well, it can’t get any worse could it?” “Oh, my dear Celly… it can get much worse.” A voice calls out causing both princesses' ears to fall back and eyes widen in fear. Slowly they turn and see the figure sitting on a lounge chair feet propped up on a footrest. In his taloned hand, he held a smoking pipe that was releasing multi-colored bubbles that floated down to the ground. His right lion’s paw he held a newspaper with the words ‘Celestia on a rampage, killed three’. The mismatching form of Discord appeared relaxed, even if he was upside down sitting on the ceiling. His tail moved and snapped and in a flash of white, he was standing before the two Royal sisters. “Things can always get worse.” “DISCORD! SO you are the reason for the out of control weather.” “Oh no, I would never do something mundane as cause a normal snowstorm in Manehatten. Now chocolate rain perhaps.” “What are you doing here?” Luna says as she stands taking a fighting pose. “Nothing, I’m doing nothing. So settle down Luna, we all know you two are helpless without those Elements of Harmony. Or do you want a repeat of me using you as a Waifu pillow?” He snaps and a binder appears labeled Scrip. He started flipping through the pages. “It seems I’m early. You ponies lose the Sun and Moon, the wild weather, and Celestia killing her poor ponies. This all caused enough Chaos for me to break out way before the season final.” “What are you talking about Discord?” Celesia asks as Luna blushes and looks away crossing her arms. “The fact is Celestia. Fate is no longer centered on you or your precious ponies. As far as Destiny is concerned you are not important. You aren’t worth my time.” With that, he snaps and vanishes. Luna looks at Celesia. “What do you think he means Celestia.” She raises her hand and rubs her temple. “It means he’s going after Victor Von Doom and the Griffons.” “Should we warn them?” “I truthfully don’t want to. We know we can defeat Discord with the Elements of Harmony, hopefully, he can remove Victor von Doom and his pet Nightmare Hans.” Luna looks out the window seeing a cloud bank moving in as the sun sets by itself. “I don’t know what scares me more, Discord winning, or Discord losing.” “I’m afraid for both outcomes. Sometimes there is no winning, only losing."