A Griffon wearing the uniform of the Griffin Empire while wielding a huge flamethrower was looking out over the heavily guarded northern border between the Grand Duchy of Feathisia and the former Duchy of Cloudbury, the now illegitimate territories of the Griffonian Republic. His gaze saddens as the endless lines of refugees fleeing the barbarian land of the north crowded the small checkpoints of the imperial borders.
After the decline of the Empire, many regions declared their independence by ambitious lords and dukes deluded with a future of glory commanded by their respective houses. Many of those only spawned more chaos and anarchy, giving room for revolutionaries and rioters to completely dominate their respective regions and expand the violence even more.
Cloudbury was one of them.
A region weak from years of dependence on the empire, had been one of the duchies most affected by the decline, with a lack of allies in the north and a total absence of local forces for defense, it was totally overrun by republican forces in their desperate retreat after their failed revolution in 978. Who had the support of the hungry population fresh with the ideals of the revolution.
But with the ensuing peace the dust settled, the republicans who were a vast assemblage of republicans, communists, anarchists, exiles, criminals, former Imperial divisions, and existing residents of the mountains. Completely split.
Generals acted like warlords, plundering the lands and abusing their power as they pleased. The Left Revolutionaries completely broke apart from their former comrades after Kemerskai suspended the constitution. That already were disillusioned with the barbaric attitudes of predominant generals toward the locals, was the last straw for them. Considering the 'Griffonian Republic' a rogue state.
So they seceded their former comrades in the revolution and created the Republic of Skynavia, based on the principles of libertarian, democratic socialism. Further increasing infighting in the north.
"Nice place.." A deep but calm voice comes from behind him, calling his attention.
A figure came up while using the shadows formed from the rays of light coming from the moon. With his gray military coat and pinned medals, a Griffon officer. His unique snow-white fur, and blood-red eyes piercing the corporal with a cold and calculating gaze.
"Oberleutnant!" He saluted while putting his big weapon over his shoulder.
"Stabsgefreiter, at ease." The officer waved his hand at him while looking curiously at his weapon. "Still using that old thing?"
He looked at his weapon with fondness written over his face. "I know it may be more than a decade old and with short range. But this little baby..." He said with a smile while patting the tubed weapon. "Saved my life on more than one occasion."
"I expected you to have already burned yourself with such an unreliable thing." He joked with a deadpan face. His comrade just laughed while putting his flamethrower on his shoulder, he watched as his officer walked over and sat down beside him. "What brings you here sir?"
"Heinrich, I told you, you don't have to go all that 'sir' shit with me. We are fellow officers, Just my name is enough." He complained with a sigh, putting his left claw in his pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.
The empire's military officers could each be different, with doctrines they believed in and training styles they used on their subordinates. But Dawnclaw was different.
Heinrich was afraid of the officer not because he was cruel, but because he was unpredictable. He was prone to outbursts of rage over the smallest of inconveniences but in return. He was one of the most fanatical patriots he ever met, this griffon would do anything for the empire and had already thrown himself into danger more than once alongside his soldiers for that.
He was an enigma, a man fair to his fellows when he wanted to, but also a being with an absolute lack of empathy for anyone who showed positive feelings for anyone outside the empire.
"Yes si- I mean, yes Ferdinand." He coughed into his fisted claws and looked away in embarrassment as he received his superior's glare. "Sorry, old habits die hard." He laughed awkwardly. "Again, what brings you here?"
He for a moment received no verbal response. But one with its claw, his former commander asked him to come closer. And the corporal obliged.
Dawnclaw then crouched down and brought his face close to the soldier's flamethrower. Tucking one of his claws into the pocket of his uniform and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He gave his soldier a look, still not budging from his position.
He returned the look of his superior with one of confusion.
The white griffon then poked the flamethrower with the same claw he was holding the cigarette pack with. The soldier broke out of confusion and hurriedly activated the flames from his flamethrower.
The Officer then nodded to him, pleased, and lit his pack. Sitting down next to the fellow officer and sighing a jet of smoke.
"Smoking in peace.... The officers' quarters are in chaos with the revolution taking place in Aquileia, I just want some calm for now."
"Yeah... I'm hearing that both Republicans and Royalists are using the guillotine to execute traitors... The stories give me chills in my feathers." He received a scoff from Dawnclaw
"Nothing surprising. I expected that those who stepped out of Griffenheim's light would start acting like a bunch of savages." The soldier looked conflicted with what Ferdinand was saying, which made the officer look at him with a bored face. "Don't you realize how much everything has started to fall apart since the empire began its decline and fragmentation?"
The officer just received a curious look, as if asking him to clarify.
"It all started because of that bastard…" It snarled its beak as its claw trembled with rage. "Kamerskai had appeared with his pathetic ambition to steal the crown for himself. He fucking deserves to be skinned alive for the transgression of going back from the grace of our empire" The soldier raised his eyebrows as Dawnclaw blew out another puff of smoke.
"Steal the crown? But he didn't want to form a republic…?" The officer with his white fur looked at his companion beside him with a look of offense.
"The Republic? Do you really think that's what he cares about?" He scoffed again as he took a drag on his cigarette. "She's just a foil to that warlord's ambitions."
"I... I don't understand...."
Dawnclaw heaved a long impatient sigh, and dropped his cigarette on the floor, stomping and crushing it under his leonine paw. "Dictatorship, Heinrich, a fucking dictatorship. That's what I mean."
The corporal's eyes widened, nervousness evident in his body. "With our lord getting weaker and weaker.... Do you think he would try to become the empero-"
"Don't you DARE finish that sentence." Dawnclaw was glaring at him, her scarlet irises giving her a demonic look in her rage, gleaming in the reflected moonlight.
If looks could kill, the corporal would already be dead.
"Y-y-yes si-i mean Dawnclaw!" He shouted and immediately got into a stiff military pose instinctively.
The officer only gave a dismissive look, but he closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. Taking out another pack of cigarettes and puts it back in his mouth, this time taking a lighter out of his other pocket and lighting it.
The Soldier let out a sigh of relief as he relaxed and wiped his forehead with his claws.
"Your wife sent a letter." The Soldier immediately shot his head up in utter surprise.
"Hanna?? So soon?" Dawnclaw just nodded his head as he blew out another puff of smoke, giving his subordinate a sideways glance.
"Congratulations on the hatching. She's a girl." He put his free claw in his backpack that was lying on the floor leaning against the wall they were leaning against, pulling out a letter.
Slowly he walked over to his soldier, handing him over to him who was still frozen in shock.
"I... I don't know what to say..." He would be shocked when Dawnclaw patted the soldier twice on the shoulder and gave him a slight smile.
"Enjoy your leave. And don't forget to come back in three days. Or I'll put you through hell." The Soldier gave a shudder of fear at how grinning he looked as he promised to do push-ups until he died, or worse. But he couldn't help his smile and tremble of emotion as he held the letter in his two claws.
Dawnclaw then calmly walked around the soldier and walked back towards the officer's quarters.
"Ferdinand." He stopped. Turning his gaze back, the soldier looked up at the officer with happiness and tears in his eyes. "Thank you very much indeed... I don't know how you managed to convince the other commanders... But you have my deepest gratitude." He wiped his eyes quickly, not wanting to further humiliate himself in front of his commander or show any more weakness. "Whatever you need, me and my squad will be there for you!"
The albino Officer just let out a friendly smile. "Don't worry Heinrich, I'll use his favor." He resumed walking towards the officer quarters with a feral smile creeping across his face. 'Soon, very soon.'
His figure disappeared as it had appeared through the shadows, leaving behind a cheering soldier with happiness and hopes for the future. Not knowing the truth behind the act of kindness.
He opened his eyes.
Ice cold, was how he felt.
Standing up he looked at his surroundings, almost his entire face was underwater, only his eyes and beak sticking out. When he sat down, the water was only up to his waist, and he found himself in a very shallow lake. It was reddish black, reminding him a little of the wine that many nobles always drank when talking to his father.
Looking at her body, he didn't see her cream fur. Soiled with a liquid that had a dark red color, very similar to the one he sat in but was clearly different.
Lifting his claws and withdrawing them from the lake, he would see the red liguid running down his dirty feathers and dancing around his claw to its tip and splashing into the lake.
As he watched the droplet touch the vast, shallow lake, he could see the small round wave that formed upon its impact. Which dispersed among the huge liquid mass.
It was then that it dawned on him.
That wasn't wine, it was blood. Blood that was clearly not his.
He had already seen this liquid coming out of him when he cut his palm between the claws by accident, his father showed enormous concern for him. Something that comes from within all beings, one of the most important things of life that can be spurted out so easily.
And it flowed through him, through his claws. Covering his entire body and paws, that sea of blood followed as far as the horizon could reach.
But the sky was not bluish like the sea or dark like the vast outer space, but a purple color surrounded by a black veil that dominated the entire sky. The sun and moon kept overshadowing each other in what looked like a battle for dominance of day and night.
An eclipse.
Looking around, it was obvious what was going on.
'A dream...'
This was supposed to be impossible, the little white things his father gave him made all dreams disappear. Giving him a deep, empty sleep.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
The heir would rather be dreamless than tormented by the things he saw on the other side.
He never had the heart to tell his father, he didn't want to worry him any more than he should. Especially with something as small as little nightmares.
It was Dad who needed worry.
But now he could not reflect on these problems anymore, as this demonstrated a new problem. He was able to reason, to think.
In a dream.
This made him even tenser. Dreams that he could do things, or 'lucid' dreams as the adults called them, were the worst.
Usually, when he dreams of those strange beings, he was a passenger on a chaotic train. Being able to witness everything but as a spectator, he liked those dreams, he felt like he was watching a weird scene in a book and he could actually enjoy what he was watching. The lucid ones are when everything changed.
He was there, he saw it all happen. Acting like he was part of it.
And in none of them did he come to a good nor happy end.
He only had three of these dreams in all of his life, all in a body that wasn't his and all of which he was attacked; One, a group of those things wore what looked like blankets around their bodies as they came at him with small knives, coming out of the darkness and attacking him, he fell to the ground and dropped what looked like a golden mask. Another was very quick, but still terrifying, with him in the middle of a huge chaos of what looked like a huge fight. Men wearing purple fighting other gray ones. He just saw a man coming with a huge ax and swinging it down with the intention of hitting him.
Both of those were scary as hell, he woke up terrified not knowing what to do. But they were quick, like a quick cut to the finger, it hurt but it ended just as fast as it started.
The last was the one he had more trouble forgetting about.
Explosions saw all around, he was in a hole without understanding absolutely anything. Inside of what looked like a building, he could see out through the window a veritable kingdom of Marr. Or similar to the stories he heard.
A city in ruins as screams came from the skies. Bombs fell as popping noises hit all around.
But something stood out in the gray of the whole scene. A red flag was raised and flew from one of the biggest of all buildings. As screams followed this.
Black silhouettes dominated the streets, their red eyes reflecting on a sunny day, and even with the sun in the sky, it was impossible to see the true figure of the creatures that dominated the streets. Screams of what sounded like a celebration, while others of sheer terror with those on the streets roaring in delight, showing their predatory teeth while saliva came out of their mouths in the middle of their shouting.
All these dreams he woke up thrashing and screaming from his crib next to his father. Who always came running to soothe him between his clutches.
He did not understand, why these dreams?? What did they mean? What did the gods want in revealing this to him?
That had gone on long enough, he needed answers. He needed someone who knows how to talk to the gods, he needs his grandfather.
Eros always said the gods were everything, they were the absolute truth. If they were everything, then they were the ones who created such nightmares.
But now he could only walk on his two feet, looking around in utter confusion, lost and aimless in the face of that endless lake and the solar eclipse.
A noise. A sound breaking the absolute silence that have been plaguing the dream. It was faint, but it was there, if everything hadn't been so quiet he wouldn't have noticed.
Another and another.
Pop, pop, pop.
Looking at his legs where the sounds originated, he saw bubbles bursting, one every second, but gradually increasing.
Eyes came out of the water, making the emperor let out a cry of despair and falling backwards, making a huge 'splash' and a new wave of blood fly to all sides and dirty him even more.
In front of him, having emerged a gigantic Griffon. Her eyes slowly lowered to him, Grover could barely close and open his mouth. His eyes completely bug out.
"D-dad??"
But he paid no attention to the little Grover and neither to his exclamation, letting out a snarl as he walked forward, with his huge claw he grabbed the child who let out a yelp in fright.
He then slowly placed it over his furry head in complete confusion while he started walking.
This was all happening so fast. Was that his father? Why was he so big?
It was then that he realized, his father was not wearing any clothes, not even his crown. Instead he had a huge metal chain strapped around his neck, chest and upper limbs.
In it he was pulling a huge coffin.
'Why... What does that mean...?'
He could see how much his father suffered to carry the huge coffin, he pulled hard but walked for just a few meters, the more force he did the more he grunted. Trembling with every little movement he made, but refusing to stop.
"Dad, please don't try so hard. You'll only hurt yourself more." But the giant ignored him, it didn't even look like he had heard. "Dad?"
Again he ignored him, he was focused on only one thing. Take the coffin.
'What was that coffin carrying anyway...?' Looking back he could just catch a glimpse of an orange and cream squared symbol, but it was small and in the upper middle. Was it a body...? He had already seen a burial from above the palace, but up close... It gave a sad feeling.
"Dad, what are you carrying-" He was cut off as something imploded from the waters beside him, causing him to jump in fright and immediately cower in the giant's fur.
"Right! Right! Right!" A new voice was screaming, like the cries of a bird. Peering out, he saw an eagle flapping its wings near them, its brown-white fur showing age.
"Wh-what....?" He barely had time to think when the same thing happened on his other side, this time a pink eagle.
She proceeded to fly to the opposite side of the other who kept repeating her scream for one direction.
"Left! Left! Left!" The Pink Eagle proceeded to scream as well repeatedly, its screams sounded feminine compared to the bulk of the older one.
'Left....? Right....? Are they targeting us? But why opposite paths?' He looked confused, but got a surprised expression at looking more closely at the two new arrivals. 'Auntie? Grampa?'
The only answer he got was from his father, who came to an abrupt halt. The giant didn't seem to have heard the two eagles screaming, but now he was showing physical discomfort. His limbs trembling and swaying.
"Dad..?" he asked, rubbing the fur on the giant's head. Who still showed no response to his son's touches.
Without warning, he fell to the ground, sending Grover tumbling with him, flying off his head and landing in the shallows with a 'splash'.
He got up quickly and looked at his father. Fallen and motionless.
"DAD!" He got up and quickly ran on his two paws, dropping to his knees and stroking his face. "Dad, are you okay??"
What was happening?? He was doing so well, he didn't show any pain or any problems!
The chains now that he saw closer were completely scarring his father, bruises and sores showing on the parts he used to pull.
'Oh my god... Why all this effort?? He never showed any pain or any sign of discomfort! He should be fine! He has to be fine!'
But his eyes didn't lie, his father was hurt, he has suffered and scarred himself forever just to carry that weight on his back.
Why? Why would he go to such lengths? And why he never asked for help? Why he did all of it alone?
"Dad?" He still didn't answer.
He wasn't moving, he wasn't even breathing. He didn't make any movement.
"Father, please answer me! Please!"
The only answer little grover got was his father slowly sinking the same way he had come out, from the sea of blood that stained them.
In desperation, the little boy desperately tried to hold his father, a futile attempt not to lose him, to have him at least a little longer with him.
It was just a dream, but he couldn't just let it go, nothing mattered at that moment.
But he was too heavy...
He could only watch in utter shock as his father was swallowed up into that endless crimson river. His form slowly sinking through the ground.
"YOU HAVE TO GO RIGHT/LEFT! RIGHT!/LEFT!" The screams of the two continued even though their father had already lost all his strength, even though he had completely disappeared in the sea of blood.
'Just stop...'
His screams just continued, dominating the scene that previously remained in total silence. Grover closed his eyes and tried to cover his ears.
"Stop...."
But his request was totally ignored, being muffled before those beings who simply refused him to give a voice.
"STOP!" With a huge scream, the waters around him vibrated with the rumble of his voice, small waves forming and completely cutting off the roars of the petulant beings that irritated the little heir.
Finally, the silence he didn't know he would miss came once again.
But now the eyes of the beings left the location where his father had disappeared and were now firmly fixed on the boy. With Hungry eyes.
He took a step back, his utter irritation having been replaced by fear.
In his hatred, he had totally forgotten the size of those beings, and that of his father. The only thing able to fend off such beasts was no longer there.
"You, you turn to my way." Both spoke in unison, in tones of finality.
"N-no! Enough of that!" He tried to argue, getting up on two paws and pointing his claw at them. "Don't you have enough already?? They already took my father, the only thing he was carrying... whatever that coffin holds!" Grover threw his claws to the side in utter defiance. "I'm not going anywhere!"
The beings flapped their wings in silence, glaring at the boy, who held him in defiance of the beings who seemed to have forced his father to follow a fixed path, not giving him a choice.
Not giving him freedom.
"You don't have a choice." They continued. "Your destiny was predetermined the moment you were born."
Something tugged at his claw.
He jumped in fright but didn't move.
Glancing quickly at his right claw, he could see a chain tangling around his wrist. He tried to pull it free. A futile attempt, seeing this, he tried again to pull it off with now his other claw.
Behind him, a new chain would come out of the bottom of the sea of blood and intertwine with his other claw and completely thwarting his attempt to free himself. He was trapped.
"Arrgh...! What is this? From where-" Grover followed the metal chains to their source, following them all the way to his back.
His pupils dilated as the realization hit.
The Coffin.
He was the next workhorse, like his father.
"N-no! I-I don't want that!" He tried to reason with the griffons who just watched him with a smirk on their beaks.
"You don't have a choice." They repeated once more, as more and more chains bound him. "Follow our path, come to my side!"
"P-please... I don't want to..." But he was once again ignored. Like every time he's tried before, and failing once again to have his voice heard.
"DO IT GROVER!" They started screaming, just like before with his father.
"No no no no!"
"GROVER!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"GROVER!" He jumped up. Glancing quickly to the side of him in surprise, finding Proteus in his military/religious clothes with a disapproving expression. "I've been waiting for you for over half an hour for our daily sparring match."
He looked around in confusion. He was in his room, lying on his and his father's bed.
"O-oh... I'm sorry uncle, I couldn't wake up..." He tried to come up with a quick excuse, letting out a crooked smile as he scratched his head, for Proteus this was a sign of nervousness or embarrassment at being caught sleeping too much. . But actually Grover was scratching his head with his claws in an attempt to calm down while disguising his fear with nervousness.
"I'll be up soon... I slept really badly today..." Grover chuckled nervously.
Proteus wasn't buying it. "Arcturius helps the early riser! Don't shame the gods with your laziness boy!" He poked Grover's forehead with his indicative claw.
"I'm sorry uncle.... It was just one time.... Forgive me?" He looked at his uncle with puppy eyes as he grabbed his blanket under his head. Giving him an absolutely adorable appearance.
This time it was Proteus who got a nervous look, opening and closing his beak wordlessly as he crossed his claws. 'Dirty blow Grover, using your cuteness as a weapon.'
They stayed like that for a few moments, staring at each other. Neither one wanting to back down.
But Proteus gave in, letting out a frustrated sigh but gathering his composure, puffing out, and keeping his claws crossed over his chest. "You are lucky for the mercy that the god of war has bestowed on me!" He said boastfully in an exaggerated way causing Grover to break out in a sweatdrop as he held back a laugh. "If it was just anyone, I would have made you do 6 runs around the palace without a break! But since you asked nicely, I'll go easy on you."
"Thank you Uncle-" He let out a 'Yelp' in surprise as he was roughly pulled by Proteus and gave the smallest one claw hug while he laughed extravagantly.
"Yes! Be grateful brat!" He chuckled as Grover kept his face buried in the Knight-Priest's rough but comfortable cloak.
He slowly removed his claw from the smaller one as he turned to leave the room. "Get changed! We have to check your stance in combat-" The Archon was startled by the heir to the empire lacing his claws around himself and keeping his face buried in his cloak.
"Could it... stay like this? Just a... little...?" Archon's gaze went soft and he returned the hug to the smaller one.
"Of course your majesty, of course." He patted the smaller one on the head as he held himself in the embrace. 'Poor thing... He must be desperate for attention after so many weeks away from his father...'
The Emperor was working like a convict the next few days after his son's birthday, he left early in the morning, most of it before his son woke up and only returned when he was already asleep. The little one must have been desperate for affection.
At least that's what Archon thought. Not knowing in the turbulence that the minor was going through, with all the doubts that dominated his mind and fear. Afraid with the meanings of his dreams.
'Gods.... Why....? Eros and Gabriela are good people...' He thought as he tightened his embrace. 'I'm sure... It's the truth...'
What Grover didn't know is that in that moment, he was lying to himself.