//------------------------------//
// Prologue (New) 
// Story: Echoes of Another Realm 
// by Bossypants 
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1000 Years Ago...

"Come on, come on!" Gilheart breathed, his powerful wings folding as his paws hit the cobble path. The sounds of clashing swords and the anguished cries of the dying filled the air, punctuated by the roars of magic and the thunderous hoofbeats of charging soldiers.

The griffon's heart hammered in his chest as he darted through the fire and chaos, the stolen scroll clutched tightly in his talons. He spared a glance over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Queen Daybreakers radiant mane ablaze with celestial fury, and the dark, ominous figure of Nightmare Moon wreathed in shadows. The two soared through the air, their magic colliding and creating a vortex of colour. A house far beneath them was annihilated from the ensuing shockwave, and the ponies on the ground took that as a sign to fight harder. 

Using the battle as cover, Gilheart weaved through the fray, dodging spears, arrows, and magic whistling through the air. The parchment he carried was a prize coveted by the royal tyrants, its secrets capable of reshaping the destiny of entire kingdoms. He had to get the paper to his people, for it was their only hope in finding a way to break free.

With a defiant screech, Gilheart spread his wings and launched himself into the sky, the scroll safely tucked beneath his feathers. He soared above the chaos, determined to deliver the prophecy to those who could decipher its cryptic words, and perhaps alter the course of history itself. He did not account for a midnight blue Alicorn to fly past him, her body smoking as she crashed outside the capitol walls. 

Gilheart froze when the second Alicorn Queen dove past him, but sharply pulled up upon catching sight of his hovering form. Her magnificent wings beat through the air as she slowly approached him, a deep scowl on her face.

Gilheart's breathing began to pick up, and his pupils shrunk to pinpricks as a magical pressure seemed to slam into him. Simply being in the presence of the goddess was enough to make his arms quake and his wings to feel like lead. He felt sweat on his brow, but was frozen stalk still as the pony got closer.

Her horn lighting in an ethereal golden glow, Gilheart's heart nearly stopped as he felt her magic searching his entire body. He gulped when her scowl deepened, and the parchment was slowly lifted from beneath his lightly padded armour. 

'shit, shit, shit... how can I get out of this!' Gilheart began to panic. If the queen found out what exactly he took, she would surely destroy his people! 

A beam of pale blue energy smashed into the unprepared queen, causing her to grunt in pain as she was thrown back towards the castle. The parchment slipped from her magic and began to fall to the earth. Gilheart didn't waste a second before he was diving. The wind whistled in his ears as he plummeted downward, his heart racing with adrenaline-fueled urgency. With lightning reflexes, Gilheart extended his wings and angled his descent, aiming to intercept the falling parchment before it could be lost to the chaos below.

The ground rushed up to meet him as he streaked through the night sky, the wind whipping past his feathers. With a desperate lunge, he snatched the parchment from the air, his claws closing around it with a sense of triumph.

But his victory was short-lived as he felt a surge of magical energy behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Nightmare Moon, her eyes blazing with fury as she bore down on him with lethal intent. He saw her lips and didn't hear her words, but knew she had growled out 'Griffin'.

Fear surged through Gilheart's veins, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. He banked sharply to the left, narrowly avoiding a blast of dark magic that scorched the air where he had been just moments before. The smell of ozone and the sound of an explosion filled the air.

With the parchment safely secured beneath his armour, Gilheart angled upward, aiming for the safety of the clouds above. But Nightmare Moon was relentless in her pursuit, her shadowy form closing in rapidly. It was then he realized he wasn't going to make it.

'I am sorry, König, I have failed.'

Just as it seemed that all hope was lost, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the night sky. Gilheart shielded his eyes as a beam of golden energy streaked past him, striking Nightmare Moon with the force of a thunderbolt.

The dark queen recoiled, her horn powering up as she turned to continue the battle with her sister. With his pursuer distracted, Gilheart soared upward, leaving the chaos of the battlefield behind him.

As he disappeared into the safety of the clouds, the weight of the mission pressed against his chest, a reminder of the perilous journey that lay ahead. But Gilheart was undeterred, his determination unshaken as he flew ever onward, guided by the hope of a brighter future for his people.

*****

"König, König Gerhurst!" 

König Gerhurst IV stood from his throne. The anticipation nearly had him fly down to meet the messenger himself, but he knew that would be bad for what little of his image remained. He gestured to the guards to open the doors to the great hall, and couldn't help but let a smile appear on his beak as his infiltrator rushed through the entrance. 

Wings beating furiously, the Griffon, who he knew was Gilheart stopped at the base of his throne and bowed. His body was covered in sweat, and he was breathing hard, but he otherwise seemed unharmed. Gerhurst's smile widened when Gilheart reached behind him and presented the piece of parchment. 

"Your highness, I have retrieved the artifact." Gilheart spoke.


"Thank you, Gilheart. You have done your country proud. Hand the scroll to scribe Gren." Gerhurst watched as the young griffon handed the scroll to the selected scribe. Gren was a trusted advisor of Gerhursts, and he knew that the balding Griffon would keep the scroll safe. The scribes were a very secretive bunch established by his late grandfather, and were well versed in espionage and secrecy. 


"König, father--"

KRACKOOM!!


The doors at the end of the hall exploded, their wooden frames splintering and cracking from the intense heat. The two guards at the door were instantly crushed into a paste, while multiple others began to advance from their stations near the sides of the room.


König Gerhurst leapt in surprise before his eyes widened in terror. His limbs began to shake, and his vision seemed to tunnel.


Queen Daybreaker strolled into the room, her horn lit. The guards advancing towards her were instantly vaporized with a few blasts of magic, and the only sound heard throughout the hall was the clip clopping of the tyrant Queen's hooves. She approached the throne at a steady gait, and Gerhurst shivered as she smiled at him. Her teeth were sharp like needles, and her eyes burned with the fury of a thousand suns. Her hair waved in a mesmerizing pattern, as if it were trying to hypnotize the Griffon king.

Finally, she stopped at the base of his throne. Even with his added height, her head came up to about his chest. He gulped when her gaze drifted across the massive throne room, and a quiet tsk was given with a shaken head. 

Faster than Gerhurst could blink, his son was on the ground, screaming. His feathers smoldered, and his skin seemed like wax. Gerhurst could only watch in horror as Queen Daybreaker unleashed her wrath upon his son. The flames danced around the young griffon, engulfing him in a fiery inferno that seemed to consume his very essence. Gerhurst's heart shattered as he watched his heir writhe in agony, his screams echoing through the hall.

"Stop! Please, stop!" Gerhurst cried out, his voice choked with despair. But Queen Daybreaker merely laughed, her cruel eyes alight with sadistic pleasure.

"Your son was a criminal, Gerhurst," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "He conspired against me, against my crown and my rule. His treachery cannot go unpunished."

Gerhurst's world spun as he struggled to comprehend the devastation unfolding before him. His son, his flesh and blood, writhed in agony at the feet of the tyrant queen, his life hanging by a thread.

"Please, spare him," Gerhurst pleaded, desperation etched into every word. But Queen Daybreaker paid him no heed, her gaze cold and merciless as she continued to revel in her power.

With a final burst of flame, Queen Daybreaker extinguished the fire engulfing Gerhurst's son, leaving behind only charred remains. The young griffon the now lay lifeless on the cold stone floor, his skull staring up at his father.

Gerhurst's heart shattered as he crumpled to his knees, his world collapsing around him. His only son was dead, and it was his fault. Tears poured down his face as he could only stare at the ashes and bones.

'What did I do to deserve this?'

As Queen Daybreaker loomed over him, her triumphant smirk sending chills down his spine, Gerhurst's claws balled into fists. A rageful screech erupted from within him, and he swung at the monster standing before him. His fist was wrapped in a golden hue and stopped before he could even get close. Gerhurst struggled to move his arm, but it was a lost cause. He looked up at the solar tyrant with defiance. She merely chuckled. 

"Gerhurst, Gerhurst, Gerhurst, is this truly how you would treat your Queen? I am disappointed."

"Let me go, vile witch! I will... I will..." He tried to come up with a threat.

"You will what? Watch your city burn? Watch your citizens die? I like that idea, don't you?"

König Gerhurst IV found himself being floated through the air against his will. As they approached one of the windows facing Aviarya, Gerhurst's face once more fell into despair. He saw the fires rising, he could hear the bells ringing. Legions of Pegasi dropped explosives and projectives from above, unicorns launched their magic into the city, and Earth Ponies trampled civilians underhoof. His own soldiers tried to fight back, but it was useless. He could see the standards near the edge of the city. It was the Queen's primary army.


"Quite the sight isn't it? Your new capitol will be Griffonstone, as Aviarya will be razed to the ground. You will step down as king, and I will place somepony, or rather, grif, of my choosing in power. Your bloodline is gone, and your kingdom will never show defiance towards Equestria again." Gerhurst stared at the the Queen in horror.


"You're a monster, a demon!" He shrieked. He knew it was futile to get her to stop, and could only watch as his citizens were massacred. Daybreaker chuckled.

"No, I am a conqueror. You know the stories as well as I do. If it weren't for that damned tree, myself and my sister would have moved off this heap of rock you call home by now. But no, harmony had to trigger my sisters power early, and I had to stop her from destroying our plans! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FAR THIS SETS US BACK??" 


Daybreaker seethed, and the floor beneath her began to melt into a molten slag. Gerhurst cringed away, the magic surrounding him acting as a shield. The Queen gave a huff before shaking her head.

"Whoever is in charge of that tree sent out a prophecy. It is useless to us now, even though your son stole it. I will stop this from happening, for I am a goddess. No being can challenge me, especially not measly mortals such as yourself. Would you like to hear the prophecy, good Gerhurst?"

Her voice was sickly sweet, and Gerhurst shivered as he stared into her eyes. Behind her sneer, eyes, and facade of a Queen was a monster, a demon. He knew the stories, as did all Griffon's. Upon the departure of Megan the teacher, two beings came from the stars. They came under the promise of freedom and protection, but instead ruled with an iron grip. No grif was free, for freedom meant death. One day, they would be saved, and Megan's successor would throw down the tyrant sisters. He did not respond to the Queen's question, but she didn't seem to mind and instead began to speak.


"From the folds of the aether, a hero shall fall, With the strength of Titans, and the gods' own control. Upon two legs, the breaker of chains, secrets unfold, and evil's grip furthers its hold. 

Through the mists of time, a journey shall ensue, A tale of heroes, and legends anew. With each step, a challenge to fate's decree, A new path is forged; an enshrouded destiny.

But beware the trials, the tyrant's roar, For in the shadows, danger lies in store. Friend, Foe, a courageous soul, bear witness to The Lightbringer, The world's saviour from the Demon's hold."

Daybreaker smiled before dropping Gerhurst from her magic. He felt the air leave his lungs as he hit the ground, and his eyes closed on instinct. He heard a noise, then a flash, and upon opening his eyes, he found nothing. The Queen was gone, and he was alone in the throne room. He scrambled to his paws, intent on joining the fight outside, but a motion caught his eyes. He watched in mute horror as Daybreaker appeared far above the city. There was a deathly silence, as the Equestrian's were gone, and all that remained were the survivors of the attack.


Silently, a beam of pure magical energy descended from on high. Gerhurst fell to his knees as everything outside his castle was vaporized. There was no screaming, no cries of pain. Nothing but the destructive beam of light that solidified the tyrants hold over his people.

Gerhurst bowed his head in shame. It was all for nothing. They did not deny the Equestrian's the prophecy, and instead their city was razed. In that moment, Gerhurst lost all hope. He could only pray that when the time came, his people would be saved. 

However, looking up at the Queen, he did not know how it could happen. She was to powerful. She was a goddess of death and carnage, and she could not be stopped. 

The magic stopped, and Gerhurst was left sitting in his castle, helpless to watch as she flew back east with her legions. Nothing remained except the reminder that she was the one who controlled this world.

Daybreaker could not be stopped, and König Gerhurst IV began to weep.