When the day of the wedding came, every noble griffon invited showed up in their luxurious clothing. Noble emblems were visible everywhere, and many wore armors, with gold or gems used as decorations. To Smolder, almost everycreature looked weird at best and silly at worst.
Almost.
“I must say, that is not how I expected to visit Vedina, being invited to royal wedding.” Graf Hermann Meyer, ruler of Haukland said to Smolder, looking around the slowly-filling cathedral. Unlike almost everycreature else, he was wearing an old Griffon Empire uniform, although with the Empire symbols replaced with Haukland’s. He was sticking out like a sore claw among the armor-clad and richly-decorated nobles, and he seemed to enjoy it.
“Having second thoughts? Wanna go find another crazy priest?” Smolder teased him. “Or maybe you want to challenge Lady Ember to a duel?”
“No, thank you, I’ll pass.” Hermann took a sip out of a small bottle. Smolder wondered what kind of alcohol was in there. “She’s the first reasonable politician I’ve seen in my entire life. I like her.”
“Yeah, Lady Ember is pretty cool.” She looked at the bottle. “You sure you want to drink right now? Isn’t it, I don’t know, rude or something?” Indeed, some of the nobles looked with disapproval at the drinking griffon.
“It’s just water.” Seeing her disbelief, his new friend sighed and put the bottle under her nose. Indeed, she could smell no alcohol.
“Huh.”
“What, you think I’m some kind of drunk?” Meyer took the bottle back and took a sip. Then he showed her a second, smaller bottle hidden under his uniform. “The stronger stuff is for later.”
Smolder just shook her head. She was slightly worried that her newfound friend might actually have a drinking problem, but it was not a time for that. Besides, she wasn’t really sure how much of it was real, and how much was just the rebellious griffon enjoying the shocked looks he was getting from the nobles around, in addition to some being shocked by the uniform he was wearing.
Of course, the students themselves were wearing their best clothes. Rarity, as usual, did an amazing job, and everygriffon was impressed. Some even asked them where they got their clothes; Sandbar was pretty sure Rarity was going to see a lot of new orders soon, this time from outside Equestria. It wasn’t that the griffons didn’t have good tailors, but she had an advantage in technology and magic used. And besides, it was something new and exotic.
The entire grand cathedral was already full. The only griffons left outside were the two guards in ceremonial armor, making sure no one would interrupt the ceremony. Sadly, the newest dragon ally of the Princess wasn’t here – and Smolder was disappointed about that, partly because she would like to talk to her, and partly because imagining the reaction of these stuffy nobles at seeing an actual, grown-up dragon was hilarious.
Speaking of stuffy nobles, Prince Ondska was also here. She expected him to look fuming after his recent(and very deserved, in her opinion) humiliation, but instead the griffon seemed almost unnaturally calm. Not that he wasn’t angry. He looked at the her friends occasionally, and they could all see a cold hatred radiating from him, but he kept it in check, probably not wanting to interrupt the wedding (or just not feeling confident enough to challenge any of them to a duel again).
King Wingstrom was also here. Too adapt at hiding his own emotions, only few could see how emotional he was inside, seeing his daughter happily married. To everyone else, though, he was a stoic, proud monarch. Godsword, legendary blade passed from King to King since the beginning of Vedina, was at his hip. It was supposedly a powerful magical relic, invincible in battle, but these days it was used as a symbol more than a weapon.
Smolder looked away from the king as, finally, the ceremony started, with all guests in attendance and the massive wooden door closed behind them. If anyone asked her, she really wasn’t that big on long, boring things like that, but she knew it was important for everycreature here. Besides, after the wedding, there would be a great feast, and princesses promised some tasty gems there!
Of course, deep inside, she actually enjoyed it. Dragons didn’t really have weddings like that, and this ceremony was fascinating. Also very romantic. And with both Princesses in these amazing wedding dresses… she caught herself thinking about how nice it would be to have a wedding herself, one day.
Silverstream was weeping quietly (trying to not interrupt the ceremony), tears of happiness flowing freely. Yona was equally happy, although not crying, and Sandbar was enjoying seeing his friends happy. Gallus was a little stressed one of his friends would do something weird at the last moment, but in the end he was also enjoying it.
Ocellus was worried. Even with waves of pure love emanating from both Princesses, she had a bad feeling. Like something bad was about to happen, something really bad.
Truth be told, she wasn’t the only one. They all knew that there was a high chance of something happening during the wedding. It was no coincidence that it happened so shortly after their summer adventures, and they discussed and prepared some plans just in case. But still, Ocellus had a really bad feeling about all this, even if for now everything seemed fine.
As she once again looked around, trying to find anything unusual, the griffon priest continued his prayer. “Boreas, grant them wealth and fortune. Eyr, bless their families so they would continue their ancient bloodline.” For some reason, the priest hesitated after that for a moment, but then he continued. “Arcturius, look upon their courage and strength, and be proud. For they are truly Your worthy heirs. None dare to challenge them in their right to rule…”
“I disagree.”
There was a moment of silence, and then confusion, as everyone looked around. Prince Ondska stood up, claw on the hilt of his sword. “I challenge your right to rule, Princess Lycklig.”
“Prince Ondska, behave yourself!” King Wingstrom said, also getting up. He may be old, but he definitely wasn’t going to just sit there and watch someone insult his daughter. “What are you thinking? This is a disgrace, interrupting a royal wedding like this. You will be disgraced forever, you and your heirs!”
“The only griffon remembered as a disgrace will be that traitor, Lycklig.” Ondska said coldly. “Princess Sköldsvärd should marry someone capable of bringing Vedina to a new age of glory. Not some weakling who can’t even defend herself. Lycklig has no right to marry her, and I will prove it. According to our ancient law, I challenge her to a duel!”
“This law wasn’t used for hundreds of years.” King said angrily. “And I am the King of Vedina, so if you want to challenge anyone, you should challenge me! Guards, remove Prince from the cathedral!”
Four griffons approached the rebellious prince, weapons drawn. It didn’t help them at all. The prince moved first, with unnatural speed and strength. His blade cut through the necks of two closest guards in one swift motion, before they even managed to bring up their swords to block the attack. The other two managed to block the next swing, but it almost threw their weapons out of their claws. The sound of blades clashing with unnatural force echoed painfully within the cathedral.
Many nobles jumped up, panicking, as the other two guards tried to stop Ondska. Some griffons drawing their own blades, but most were just too surprised to do so. Silverstream looked in shock at blood pooling on the floor. Gallus drew his blade, but stood back, realizing very well that he had no chance of fighting someone like that. Smolder observed the prince, feeling a weird sense of déjà vu, while Yona tried to find a good spot to have a straight line for charging.
Ocellus looked at the fight in shock. She could feel it now. “No…”
“Ocellus?” Gallus asked, worried.
Before she managed to answer, the prince effortlessly killed the rest of the guards. Worse, few knights among the crowd – Ondska’s followers - actually drew their weapons, and threatened everygriffon else to sit down. Somegriffon tried to bang on the door and call for help, but no one answered, and the doors refused to open.
“Evergriffon. Please sit down.” Ondska said, and his voice was different. It was so cold, it felt like the air in the cathedral actually grew colder. It drew out all other sounds for a short moment. “No one else needs to die today.”
The aura of Death spread among the guests. It was fear incarnate, the feeling of dying suddenly flaring inside every one of them. Most griffons just sat there, paralyzed with fear, unable to fight even if they wanted to. Some panicked and again tried to open the door. Worst were the others, who managed to resist the fear, only to succumb to a much stranger feeling.
It was the siren call of death. The calm feeling that everything was already predetermined, and nothing matters. They would all die, eventually. Why fight it? These griffons who could not resist this feeling just sat there, no longer caring about anything. Just watching.
Princess Sköldsvärd fell to the ground, holding her head in fear. She could see it now. The vision of her kingdom falling. Vedina turning to icy wasteland, abandoned and destroyed. It was inevitable now. She caused this, she lead her people to…
“Darling.”
The future ruler of Vedina looked at Lycklig. The griffon somehow managed to resist the fear and the calm, and was now standing next to her, holding her claw. “Lycklig?”
“I promised you… that I will share your burden.” Lycklig said quietly, but in the unnatural silence everyone could hear her. “We can do this. Together.”
Sköldsvärd looked at her beloved, and suddenly felt the visions of death and darkness disappearing. She stood back up, not letting go of Lycklig, and defiantly looked at Ondska. “You dark magic will not help you here. Begone! I already denied you before, and I do so again.”
Prince was visibly surprised by it. “You think se can help you? You will guide Vedina into ruin! We need a strong ruler, someone who can face the Empire, not… this!”
“Yona thinks prince really stupid.” He heard from behind. He turned to face the speaker, and to his shock saw the six foreign guests – and the graf of Haukland – standing defiantly among the paralyzed guests. “He thinks strong are weak, and weak are strong. Is prince blind or stupid?”
“What?” Ondska was too shocked to move, he just stared at them.
Smolder sighed. “Well, Princess just resisted your myyr or whatever, and you totally failed to do that. If you ask me, that is actual strength.”
“His name is Maar, and you are not worthy of speaking his name.” Ondska coldly answered.
“Whatever. I’ve seen one of you guys already. Get lost, or you’ll end up like that one.” Smolder fearlessly said, although in truth she was nothing but. Last time one of these guys almost managed to get her and Hermann, despite them having the element of surprise. She avoided looking at Hermann sitting close to her, knowing that he is making his own plan right now and not wanting to draw attention to him.
This was enough of a shock to make the priest snap out of his fears. “Maar? You’re a heretic!” The priest shouted, holding his holy symbol. “Boreas will curse you for this!”
“You are a heretic, priest, not me.” Ondska didn’t even look at him. “But you will learn the truth, soon. As for you, Smolder, and your friends. The stupid yak. The cowardly murderer of a changeling. An earth pony. And a stupid hippogriff. What a sad sight.”
“Murderer? Dude, you’re even more delusional then I thought, but alright. If that’s how you want to play it.” Smolder walked away from the sitting nobles, and closer to her enemy, making sure to not accidentally get bystanders hurt once she attacks. They made it easier by moving away from both of them, no one willing to stand up to the crazy griffon for now. “What did you think would happen, that we would just surrender and run away?”
“Of course not. I was going to kill you all anyway.” Ondska said emotionlessly. “My lord demands it, and so shall it be.”
“Nah, I don’t think so.” Smolder realized something. “Wait, is that why you were so focused on Ocellus? Is your muur or whatever angry that she ruined his plans?”
“You will see Maar soon. His might is unending, and his power is untold.” Ondska said coldly.
“Crazy griffons and arrogant princes first.” Smolder answered, charging.
In the next few seconds, everything happened at once. Smolder stopped before reaching the prince, getting his attention, while Yona charged from behind. One of the knights tried to get up and help, but only ended up being attacked by one of Ondska’s loyalists. Somegriffons tried to open the door, but failed again. The guards outside did not react to pleas for help.
They planned it all. There was no way their stay in Vedina would be peaceful, and the students were ready for it. Smolder charged Ondska, but she was mostly a distraction. Yona charged him from behind, while Gallus swung from above. Sandbar jumped next to the insane griffon, ready to buck him with all his strength. Silverstream stayed back; she wasn’t any good in a fight. She, like Ocellus, had a different role.
In the end, their combat preparations mattered little. Ondska was not surprised by them, he knew exactly what was going on and his unnatural speed and strength were more than a match for his attackers. He grabbed Yona with one claw and threw her at Gallus, both of them tumbling to the ground and hitting the wall. Sandbar almost managed to buck the griffon into the wall, but Ondska was too fast and pony’s attack only hit the air. Moment later, he was also thrown on a pile of his friends.
Smolder took a deep breath, ready to unleash her fire, but she was too slow. Ondska jumped forward, and punched her into the ground. She whimpered and tried to get back up, but the insanely strong griffin stomped her into the stone floor and she gave up on that idea. If she wasn’t a dragon, she would be dead by now, and she wasn’t going to break free just with pure strength. She needed to come up with a plan.
Fortunately, they already had one. And in fact, the frontal attack was just a distraction.
“Everygriffon… please, snap out of it!” Silverstream pleaded to the paralyzed guests. “You can fight it! It’s not real; it’s just your fears, you can break through it!”
“Remember who you are!” Ocellus added, eyeing the combat, ready to change at a moment’s notice. “You are the defenders of Vedina!”
“Are you really going to allow some old rebel to be better than you?” Meyer added.
Prince Ondska had enough of it. He grabbed Smolder and threw her at Meyer with such speed that both of them went tumbling until they hit the wall. “Foreigners have no right to speak for Vedina!” He prepared to strike down Ocellus and Silverstream.
Deep inside his mind, the king of Vedina fought his fear. He almost lost, but then he remembered. His daughter was here. And Silverstream, the young lady, was in danger! “How dare you! In the name of Vedina, I will strike you down, traitor!”
Wingstrom drew his sword and slashed at the rebellious prince. However, the noble just grabbed the incoming edge, and effortlessly broke it in half with two claws. King took a shaky step back, before falling on the floor, looking with disbelief at the broken sword.
“The Godsword of Bruturius.” Prince Ondska said, his voice drowning out all other sounds. “A legendary weapon of the Kings of Vedina. How easy it is to shatter. Just like your so-called Gods, it is nothing but a fable.”
“How…?” King Wingstrom asked, still shocked.
“There is only one true power in this world.” Ondska answered, throwing the broken metal shard on the floor. “Maar has given me His blessing. And unlike your false gods, His power is real. With it, I will guide Vedina to a new era of greatness. One where we do not need to fear the Empire. No, it will be the Empire who will fear us!”
“I… don’t think so.” Smolder managed to say, unentangling herself from Meyer. Her entire body hurt, but she was alive and not staying down. “Don’t you know… your master wanted… to attack Vedina?”
“Lies!”
“Actually, she’s telling the truth.” Evercreature looked at Hermann, who managed to sit up, although it was obvious to everyone he was in huge pain. He continued, wincing as he could feel his broken bones. “Maar, or rather one of his priests, promised me help in attacking Vedina. Actually, I almost did, before Smolder here opened my eyes to my stupidity. I was almost as stupid as you are now.”
“What? No! Maar?” Ondska looked around, confused, before focusing his attention on Smolder. “You are liars! All of you!”
“I… I will not stand for this.” Wingstrom stood up, shaking, but unrelenting. “You can have all the power in the world, but as long as I drew breath, by my honor I will not let you have Vedina!”
Ondska shook in anger. “Why are you still fighting me?! Just give up!”
However, his grasp on everyone around weakened. Prince Stridande was the first to stand up, drawing his sword. “Ondska, your action here… they are a disgrace!”
One of the traitors tried to force him to sit down. It was a big mistake. Prince Stridande, veteran of many battles and one of the greatest swordmasters in Vedina, disarmed his attacker in seconds, kicking him on the ground before addressing the rest of the guests. “Are you willing to dishonor your families like this? Surrendering to Maar? I will not!” He faced Ondska without fear. “You want the throne? You will have to kill me, too!”
“And me!” Count Aluvia also stood up.
One by one, knights, lord, ladies and nobles of Vedina stood up. The rebels tried to force them to sit down, but were quickly stopped by a sudden growl. A massive bear stood in front of them, with huge claws and sharp teeth.
The rebels quickly dropped their weapons.
“How?!” Ondska looked around. The aura of fear was weakening with every moment, and he could see that no one feared him anymore. “How?!”
“This is the power of Harmony.” Lycklig said, amazed. She could feel it, the warmth dispelling her fears. “I can’t believe it.”
“Harmony? Harmony will not save you!” Ondska turned to Lycklig with fury. “You did this! It’s all your fault, you… YOU!”
He charged her with all his unnatural speed and strength. Everycreature in the room jumped towards him, but none could reach him in time. The griffon roared triumphantly, swinging his sword with lethal intent.
Princess Sköldsvärd took a step forward, fearlessly standing up to him. “You will have to kill me, too.” She declared, even as the traitor’s blade stopped inches from her neck.
Ondska cursed and took a step back. “Out of my way!” But before he had a chance to do anything, he had to turn around and defend himself. Furious griffons attacked him, with prince Stridande leading the attack. “You will bow to me! All of you!”
A chaotic melee ensued, unnaturally fast and strong griffon facing the elite of Vedina in combat. Ondska lost the rest of his calm, maniacally swinging around and shouting. Wounded and bleeding, he run through the combatants, scattering them to the sides until he reached the door.
“Yona SMASH!”
He unintentionally made a clear corridor for Yona to charge through.
With loud sound of breaking wood, Ondska flew out of the cathedral alongside the remains of the door. He hit the stairs painfully and started rolling down.
The cathedral was placed on a small hill, with beautiful, white stone stairs leading up to it. Prince Ondska hit those stairs on his way, tumbling painfully down. Thanks to his unnatural gifts, he survived, but his humiliation was now complete as he rolled away, whimpering in pian. Yona stood triumphantly at the top of the stairs. “Tell your big meanie god that he is next!”
Two guards outside of what used to be doors took one look at her and dropped their weapons, running away. Cursing loudly, Ondska did the same.
“And don’t come back!”
The cathedral had to be cleaned after what happened inside. However, both Lycklig and Sköldsvärd declared their intent to proceed with the wedding regardless.
In the end, they stood in a much smaller temple in the city, with fewer guests, as the priest finished the ceremony. “… And even when faced with the greatest adversities, you will stand together. Although you have already proven this today, both of you. Not many can say that they exchanged vows in the face Maar, but you did so. May the Gods bless you.”
Lycklig and Sköldsvärd kissed, and Silverstream openly cried the tears of happiness.
Great feast followed, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Memories of the unnatural fear and horror faded, replaced by the lively discussions, warm food and drinks. All of the students drank juice or water, while nobles made toasts with the most expensive wine.
Among the discussions, Prince Stridande was the one to mention more official issues. “I must say, I was worried that no one would accept this marriage. Adopted heir to the throne would mean the end of the royal bloodline. But after today, I think it is obvious that Eyr’s blessing is upon you, despite the… unorthodox situation.”
“Wait, why adopted? Why not have a foal? Uh, I meant, a child?” Sandbar asked. “If I may ask, that is.”
Prince Stridande looked at him with surprise. “I do not know the traditions of Equestria, but how can two women have a child? Illegitimate, for sure, but…”
“Why them being women has anything to do with it?” Sandbar asked, confused.
“Oh, I know! They do not know these spells!” Silverstream said happily.
“Wait, you ponies have spells that can…” Sköldsvärd looked at Lycklig.
Lycklig looked at Sköldsvärd.
They both went very, very red.
“Of course we do! A mare and a stallion, two mares, two stallions, and everypony else. Love doesn’t choose, right?” Sandbar said, shaking his head. “I will ask Princess Cadance to send somepony with the right spell to Vedina. I’m sure she’ll be overjoyed.
“Wait, two stallions? Did you mean…” One of the nobles asked, only to shut up and grew quite red himself when he realized what he said. “I, of course I only asked out of curiosity…”
The students laughed together, soon joined by both newly wed griffons.
In the end, life prevailed in the face of death.
Under the nearby mountains, in a cold, damp cave, Prince Ondska tried to think of something he could do in this situation. He was hiding here alongside the tattered remains of his followers, plotting and scheming. Assassination could work, he thought out loud, he could just…
“It will not.”
Ondska looked around, suddenly realizing he was not in a cave. He was floating in endless darkness, alone. No sign of his co-conspirators. “What?”
“You have failed.” The Voice said, overwhelming in the quiet darkness. “But it matters little. I will find a good use for you regardless.”
“Where am I? What is going on? Maar?” Prince Ondska looked around, confusion giving way to fear. “You promised me! You said I will be immortal!”
“And I have given you what was promised. You will exist forever now, in me.” Maar said, his voice echoing in the infinite darkness.
“Welcome to my kingdom, Prince Ondska. Welcome to your new existence.”
The griffon screamed.
He was alone in the darkness.