//------------------------------// // Act 4.3 // Story: Echoes of the Ancient // by Wandering Axioms //------------------------------// 4.3 “I will bring you back...” An environment such as this was more his speed. Lieutenant Cadmus had escorted Aiden and company to a tavern called the Night’s Banner. It was a small little inn, nestled into one of the back alleys of the city’s common district. Inside there were only a few griffins; the bartender, two waiters and a waitress, a few lone patrons, and a small band of off duty guards gathered around a wooden circular table, drinking and talking, occasionally a few bursts of laughter coming from them. Upon entering the Night’s Banner, all the heads turned towards whom had just stepped beyond the entrance’s threshold, like something out of an old time western film. Aiden could never make sense of those little scenes in the old movies, however. Why was it that whenever the main character entered the bar, all the heads turn towards him and they just stared for a few seconds? Did the audience not already know that he was the protagonist? Regardless, Aiden pushed the thought out of his mind with a barely noticeable shrug. The main difference here was that their stares were mostly justified, given the fact that one of their officers had just walked in with four foreigners and a strange ape creature. Their stares remained fixated on the Equestrians for a while, especially the member of the elite Solar Guard and the unicorn mage. The guards at the table seemed to be focusing more on the three pegasi, while the others eventually turned their gazes towards Aiden. Any sound that was previously making its way through the room was now replaced with silence. Cadmus looked over his shoulder to his small group of visitors. He motioned his head towards the bar. “Don’t let any of them get to you,” he whispered to the ponies and the human. “We rarely get any foreigners in this city. Some of them have never seen an Equestrian before.” “Are they always so suspecting?” Tempest quietly whispered as he and the other three ponies sat awkwardly in the chairs that were obviously meant for griffins, although Aiden didn’t have much trouble making himself comfortable in one of them. The bartender seemed to be wary, deciding to have the Lieutenant’s order first. He seemed to be an older griffin, judging by lacking a familiar glow that was in the younger ones’ eyes. “How can I help you, Sir Cadmus?” He asked the Lieutenant, seemingly trying to keep from making eye contact with his foreign company. “I’ll have my usual mead,” Cadmus replied with a smile. He quickly pointed a talon at the ponies and the human. “Don’t worry about them; Princess Celestia has come all the way from Equestria to meet with the King and his Parliament.” “A meeting after all these years?” The bartender asked. “For what?” “Beats me, Saffron,” Cadmus replied. “I was just told to give these four a small tour of the city until the actual meeting was ready to proceed, which I imagine would be quite soon.” Saffron hummed as he turned to the racks of various alcoholic beverages behind him, pulling out a clear bottle with a pale orange liquid in it. “Here you go,” the bartender named Saffron handed the bottle to the Lieutenant, who in turn reached into a satchel around his “waist” and pulled out five silver coins. “Thanks,” he said as punctured a single talon into the cork of the bottle and popped it out with ease, flicking it into a nearby corner carelessly. Saffron seemed as though he didn’t mind at all. He raised the bottle to his beak and took a sip, a smile soon overtaking his face. He turned to his visitors. “You guys want anything?” He asked before taking in another gulp of his mead. “I’ll pay!” He said while waving his bottle slightly. “No thank you,” Night Step politely declined, as did the two pegasi guards. Cadmus turned to Tempest Runner, who shrugged briefly at the offer. “I’ll take a mug of hard cider, I guess,” the Solar Guard member replied. Saffron nodded and pulled a wooden mug out from a space under the counter. He then proceeded to fill it with a sweet smelling, foamy liquid from a large barrel on the counter behind him. “What about you?” Cadmus asked Aiden. “You want anything?” Aiden turned towards the griffin officer for a moment before looking back at Saffron as he rested the now full mug of cider on the counter space in front of Tempest. The young man looked around and rubbed the back of his neck for a second. He shrugged. “I guess I’ll have what Tempest is having,” he said quietly. Saffron nodded as he filled a second mug with the foamy liquid, passing it to the human afterward. Cadmus paid the bartender with six more silver coins, who later went on to serve other patrons. Aiden looked into the mug of cider curiously before taking a small whiff of it. He nodded to himself as his nostrils caught the noticeable scent of alcohol. “Yep, it’s there alright,” he thought to himself with another shrug. He brought the cusp of the mug to his lips, drinking in a large gulp of the cider. It certainly had the taste of normal apple cider, the only main difference being the familiar burn of the alcohol following the liquid down his throat; it was slightly stronger than hard cider that he was familiar with. He only barely suppressed a shudder as the alcohol took it’s effect, taking another large sip to try and numb its sting. He wiped his lips of some remaining foam before turning to Tempest. “How is it?” The pegasus asked. Aiden gave a small nod to respond at first. “It’s not bad,” he said. “I’m not that much of a drinker, but I’ll admit that I kinda like this.” Aiden took another sip, the sting not as powerful this time. He placed the mug back on the bar, having had enough of the bittersweet fluid for the moment. Aiden looked around the small tavern, looking at the griffins simply drinking and talking with one another. It seemed as though that this was simply how they passed the time on a Saturday morning on which there was nothing better to do, other than gossip about the visit of a foreign leader. While Aiden was spacing out, it seemed that Night Step had struck up a conversation with the Lieutenant. “So what is life like here in Gryphonia?” The mage asked. Cadmus shrugged slightly before taking another sip of his mead. “Well, every morning I report to the barracks and ensure that the troops are ready for their daily patrols through the city.” He paused for a brief moment before continuing. “I typically make my morning route through the interior city streets around the King’s Palace and the Parliamentary Hall. After a lunch break at noon, I go on patrol again through the North District, and around five o’clock I return to the barracks and Lieutenant Eva takes over for the evening.” He took another drink from his bottle. “I return home for the night to my family, I play with the kids, I eat dinner, I go to sleep, I wake up; rinse and repeat. That’s a regular, pleasant day for me.” “So what would be an irregular, unpleasant day?” Tempest Runner asked as he finished his cider. “Today,” Cadmus quickly replied with a smile. “I’m kidding; while I agree with the irregular part, you all seem like honest folk, and despite from what some xenophobes and bigots might say, the King tolerates visitors to his country.” He raised the bottle to his beak and drank again. “You said you had a family,” Aiden began. “Doesn’t everyone?” Cadmus asked in a joking manner. This comment got a few chuckles out of the others. “I’m just messing with ya, friend,” he said while gently nudging Aiden with his elbow. “Yeah, I have a wife named Selene; we’ve been married for about seventeen years now. And I also have two kids; our son, Garrett is sixteen, and our daughter, Gilda just turned eight.” “Those names sound surprisingly human,” Aiden thought to himself as he took another small sip of his cider. “What about life in Equestria?” Cadmus asked. “Surely things are more interesting for you down South than up here?” Aiden thought quietly for a moment; indeed, interesting would be an understatement for how active his life had become over the past few days. Tempest however, answered for him. “It’s not so different from here,” the pegasus began. “Except it’s warmer, of course. Really, for us an average day is standing perfectly still on one side of a door, waiting for our shift to end. We either return to our barracks, or our homes for some of the guards who live in Canterlot.” Tempest ended his explanation as he rested his chin on the bar. Cadmus nodded in understanding took another sip of his mead. Aiden hummed to himself, always meaning he was deep in thought. “What about you...” Cadmus paused, pointing at the human, trying to remember his name. “Aiden, was it?” The young man nodded in the Lieutenant’s direction. “How is life where you’re from?” Aiden blew a few strands of hair out of his face before answering. “Probably not as exciting as you might think in another world,” he replied. “I get to travel most of the time, which isn’t bad, but my average day involves piles upon piles of paperwork,” he paused for a second. “Where’d you travel?” Cadmus asked, pushing his bottle of mead forward, seemingly finished with it at the moment. Aiden bit his lip for a moment, knowing that most likely the griffin Lieutenant, as well as Tempest and Night Step, wouldn’t have the faintest idea of the places he had been, such as the Iberian Republic, Quebec, or the Western Expanse. Still, this would not stop him from humoring the idea, and it would seem rude to simply reiterate his first answer. Aiden drank more of his cider; this time, the sting of alcohol was absent. Then he spoke. “Most of my adventures led me into the Western Expanse, which bordered my home country, the Second American Republic. The Expanse was mostly a barely habitable wasteland, with small pockets of civilization hidden throughout. Just about every single time I went out into the Expanse, I had my team with me.” Aiden paused to drink more of his cider, knowing that what he would have to explain would arouse memories he would rather leave in the depths of his mind. “Like I need a reminder that my six friends from my old life are all in bodybags...” “Team?” Tempest asked. “You had a team?” Aiden sighed and nodded. “Yep,” he replied. “There were six; seven if you include me. I was the leader; Alexander Reyes was our engineer, David Bern was our medic, Mary Willis was the explosives technician, Emily Bennett was our special operative, Leon Caine was the marksman, and Logan Somers was in the intelligence department.” He went to drink from his cider again, only to see that the mug was now empty. He sighed again, thinking to himself. “Fuck it.” “Hey, Saffron,” Aiden called with a snap of his fingers. The bartender griffin turned towards the human. “I’d like another round,” he said, pointing his left index finger down at the empty mug before him. Saffron nodded and took a second mug out from under the bar, quickly going to fill it and placing it in front of Aiden, ready for consumption. “Thanks,” he whispered to the bartender, although he doubt that Saffron could hear it. He quickly turned to Cadmus with a raised eyebrow. “Sorry about this, but, uh...” he gestured towards the new mug, foaming at the rim. Cadmus interrupted as he went to pull out more of his silver coins from his pack to pay for the drink. Aiden stared, surprised for a moment, before thanking the Lieutenant for his generosity. “So,” Aiden said after a large gulp from his second mug. “What is it you want to know?” “What were your teammates like?” Tempest asked. “Did you consider them actual friends, or more like acquaintances?” “Eh, more like close friends with some of them, Alex and Logan in particular, but that’s not to say that I didn’t start to really like the others.” Aiden paused, looking down into the small cup of hard cider in his right hand. “So, what was this Alex like?” Tempest asked. “You said he was an engineer?” Aiden nodded before taking another sip. “He was pretty good with electronics, and he had quite a fascination with digital technology, most of which stopped working after the Great War over a century and a half ago on my world.” He paused for a moment, looking over at Tempest. "In short; he was all over any piece of broken handheld machinery like white on rice.” He gazed back into his mug. “David was one of the youngest, and had only very basic first aid training when I first met him. Over the years, he learned more from some of the best doctors on the East Coast, and last I heard, he was thinking about applying for one of the universities up in New Brunswick.” Aiden brought the mug to his lips; its contents were now depleted to less than a third of what it was. Tempest and the others seemed to look at him with concern. Aiden finished with his second mug, and clumsily snapped his fingers again for Saffron’s attention. Cadmus appeared hesitant to pay for Aiden’s third helping of hard cider, likely fearing what a wasted ape creature would do. But the presence of other guards seemed to be enough to reassure him. “Mary was kind of a rough and gruff girl, but I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a trait I liked about her.” Aiden began as he downed a fourth of his new mug of cider in a few short seconds. He shivered and smiled, showing his teeth in satisfaction. “In fact, when I met up with her on our last assignment, she showed me a ring on her finger, saying that she was engaged to her sweetheart,” he sighed, cupping his hands in his chin. “Kind of a shame for me,” he whispered. “I was actually considering telling her how I felt...” he immediately paused after saying this, holding up his left hand. “Or no...wait...” He picked up his mug with his right hand and drank from it again, an unsure look on his face. “Maybe it was Emily I had feelings for?” He shrugged, chugging down the remains of his third mug. “Ah whatever,” he said with a chuckle. “Doesn’t matter anymore; I’m the one who’s living right now,” he let out the smallest of hiccups, enough to rouse the attention and concern of his company. “Alright,” Tempest said, gently forcing Aiden’s hand down, causing him to let go of the mug. “It’s only noon, buddy, no need to get hammered just yet,” he said in a joking manner, earning a glare from Night Step. “Way to show your concern,” the unicorn muttered. Aiden meanwhile, pulled himself away from the bar and nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “You’re right, I shouldn’t drink too much before the *hic* before the summit.” “Speaking of which,” a feminine voice from behind the group began. All heads turned towards a female griffon standing at the entrance. She too had the feathers on the top of her head dyed a deep crimson, much like Cadmus, possibly an indication for a position in leadership. She scowled at the Lieutenant. “I was sent by Ambassador Lamia to ask for your immediate presence at the summit.” “Ah, Lieutenant Eva,” Cadmus chuckled nervously after throwing a look at the slightly tipsy human. “We were just, uh, on our way!” “With one of the witnesses half wasted?” She asked as she approached them. Cadmus stuttered before his counterpart pointed an accusing talon at him. “You know that I’m obligated to report you to the Commander for things of this nature, Lieutenant.” She said, noticeably upset at Cadmus’s blunder. She approached closer, and spoke softly, casting a glance aside to ensure that none outside the conversation were listening in. “His Majesty and the parliament are waiting for things to proceed, we just need the three who were present at Taotras to join them and the Princess.” “I’ll ensure that they will arrive at the Parliamentary Hall within an hour, give or take,” Cadmus replied with a nod. “Depends on how long it takes for the lad here to sober up.” He finished, giving a subtle gesture to Aiden. “I’m right *hic*...right here, Lieutenant,” Aiden replied. “I can tell, Mr. Marsh,” Cadmus replied with a soft chuckle. He turned back towards Eva and nodded. “I’ll ensure that the three of them get there within half an hour.” Eva frowned and turned to leave, muttering something that none of them could quite make out, though they were certain it was an insult of some kind. As the doors of the Night’s Banner closed shut behind her, Cadmus sighed heavily. “Sheesh,” Aiden whispered. “Someone certainly *hic*...certainly doesn’t fuck around.” Night Step jabbed the human in the ribs, lightly. “Aiden, could you please take it easy on the swearing?” The mage pleaded quietly. “We’re going to be meeting with royalty; the Princess might not mind hearing it from you, but this is the King of Gryphonia that we’re talking about.” Aiden breathed in deeply and nodded. “Right, sorry,” Aiden apologized sheepishly, another hiccup causing his body to jolt again. “I’ll be sure to tone it down.” “Thank you,” Night Step sighed. Cadmus stood up, beckoning the others with a talon to follow him out. Aiden slightly stumbled after them, the two pegasi guards offering a pair of shoulders to lean on. --- The tunnels of Silver River Mines seemed colder than usual on this day. Griffins and Diamond Dogs alike chipped away at the rock, attempting to unearth, as the name suggests, silver. Various other precious metals such as copper, gold, and iron were also among the profits of the mines and the company that owned it. For a griffin named Klein, this was simply an ordinary day like any other. He woke up and had breakfast in the barracks outside of the mines, then he picked up his pickaxe and immediately went to work down in the depths of Mount Frostfire. The mountain sat by itself in the Basin of Gales, many miles north of the border with Equestria, which allowed for usually temperate climates around the mountain’s base year round. Starting his morning shift like any other, Klein had gotten into his usual position, hacking away at a wall of rock deep within the mine. A Diamond Dog (commonly referred to as Kobosians outside of Equestria), whose name he could not grasp at the moment, stood next to him, also chipping away at the hard rock. What little he did remember of this particular Kobosian was that he came from the city of Anubis, near the natural bridge between the continents of Rodinia and Zebrica. The Kobosians and griffins in the mines typically got along quite well, and open xenophobia was not tolerated. Today, however, the only griffin Klein at all knew was out sick, and he decided to strike up idle conversation with the Diamond Dog to his left. “Same old stuff today, huh?” Klein asked with a sheepish smile. The Kobosian did not respond at first, his right ear reflexively twitching slightly every time a pickaxe struck against stone. “Hmm?” The dog’s attention went to the griffin next to him. This Kobosian was about average size, slightly taller than Klein; his coat was of a pale grey color. “Yeah, sure; whatever,” the Kobosian sighed as he pressed a paw(hand?) against his ear. Klein seemed taken aback by the dog’s cold shoulder. The griffin remained silent for a moment, striking his axe against the stone before introducing himself. “Name’s Klein,” the griffin said with a small smile. The Kobosian shook his head, smacking his right limb into his head again. “Jak,” the dog replied in the raspy voice that was common for Diamond Dogs as he tried covering his right ear again. He winced as though in pain shortly after introducing himself. Klein frowned. “Uh, are you alright, Jak?” The griffin asked, concerned. “Huh?” Jak turned to Klein for a brief moment before turning back to the stone wall in front of them, pickaxe in hand. “Yeah, yeah...I’m fine, it’s just a real annoying headache I’ve had since I woke up this morning.” “Do you need anything?” Klein asked. “I could go to the nurse back on the surface to get you some painkillers, or something.” “No,” Jak answered sternly. “I told you I’m fine.” Klein held a defensive limb up before turning his attention back to his work. The two of them continued chipping away at the stone, just like they did every other day. --- The view of Silver River Mines was more than adequate from this small grouping of trees. No more than a hundred or so meters from the mouth of the cave, the being known as Vanguard sat with his legs crossed as he observed the Gryphonians and Kobosians as they brought a minecart out from the depths, filled with raw copper ore. The mineral’s next destination would likely be the refinery just a few kilometers to the East, not far from Gryphonia’s capital of Stormview. The Forerunner in human form hummed to himself as he rose to his feet. He narrowed his bright yellow eyes to nothing more than tiny slits as he whispered to himself. “This will make for a tedious endeavor.” He began the trek to the entrance of the mines. No doubt, what he was about to do would rouse the attention of Gryphonia’s government, not to mention her military. Not like that would stop him, of course; that much he proved back when Intervention awakened him in Taotras. He certainly didn’t need to wait for them to spot him. A young griffin who looked as though she couldn’t entirely comprehend what she was seeing pointed at him slowly with a shaky talon after simply staring at the approaching entity for several moments. The others around her seemed confused at first; some called her name before others began turning their heads to the direction in which she was pointing. By this point, however, Vanguard had already dispatched one of the few griffins actually armed with a spear for combat. The soldier’s head had been obscenely twisted to an unnatural angle by Vanguard’s hands, making a barely audible crack! ring through the air. Another griffin soldier no more than two meters to the right of Vanguard jumped, clearly startled. All he could do was cuss as he tried to load his primitive hand cannon before Vanguard had an ethereal grip around his neck, crushing it with little effort. At this point, the miners all around were in a frenzy. He knew they would stay out of his way, and he spared them for it. Two griffin marksmen, both armed with loaded hand cannons stood at the top of a watchtower to the right of the cave entrance. One took aim over the edge, whilst the other rang an enormous bell, likely to alert the mines that they were under attack. Immediately, he looked to his right to see three griffins take flight. These griffins were likely emergency couriers, meant to take flight only in case that bell rang, to journey straight to Stormview and alert the King of an attack such as this. Normally, he would have let the three of them go unhindered, but he saw one of them look back at the sight of the Silver River Mines. His eyes seemed to widen in shock at the destruction that the ancient entity had caused in less than a minute’s time. As Vanguard pulled one of the snipers down from the watchtower with another invisible limb, crushing the griffin in the process, another limb shot out from Vanguard’s right shoulder, this one being visible to the griffins and dogs, however. It was long, thin, jagged, and it had a texture and color that oddly resembled something close to obsidian. The griffin had little to no time to react, as he was impaled through the chest by the razor sharp tendril, the limb exiting through his back. One of the other couriers cursed as he and his surviving accomplice flew onward, leaving their companion to his fate. The poor soul at Vanguard’s mercy soon found himself being pulled closer towards the Forerunner, the glassy, razor sharp limb still sticking out of his back, covered in his blood. --- Klein soon felt a wave of uneasiness wash over him. A quiet pulsating sensation seemed to course through the walls of the cavern, through the air, indeed through his very being, the slowly growing intensity of it pecking at his skull. He placed a hand to the side of his head, trying to ignore it. “Can you feel it too?” He heard Jak ask. “That unceasing pulse?” He didn’t wait for the griffin to respond. “That is the drumbeat of destiny, my friend,” the dog chuckled in his raspy voice. Klein tried his hardest to disregard the meaningless rambling, which was easy to do as the pulse grew even louder. At intervals, a soft quaking sensation made its way through the tunnels. “Jak,” Klein whispered as the tremors slowly intensified with the pulse. “You feel that quake, don’t you?” “I do,” he replied, turning completely to face the darkness of the tunnel before them, both of them abandoning their mining equipment. Distantly, just over the tremors and the pulse, the two of them could hear the faint screams of their fellow workers. Some were shouting for help, others simply yelling in terror. A flintlock was fired somewhere nearby, but the screaming did not stop. “What’s happening out there!?” Klein asked, frightened. “The workings of Nazzaro,” Jak said, referencing to an evil spirit from Kobosian myth. After several seconds, the shouts either ceased or were out of earshot for the two of them, although the latter seemed unlikely, as sound could really be carried in these tunnels. It was soon replaced by an echoing tapping sound that resonated throughout the mines. The pulse and tremors continued their patterns as the tapping became progressively louder, sounding somewhat similar to footsteps. “Mercy,” Jak whispered as the footsteps became unbearably close. Klein looked as though he was about to make a break for it, disregarding whatever it was that was causing the screams of his co workers. When the footsteps couldn’t have been any further away than just around the tunnel’s bend in front of them, it stopped, but the pulse and tremors continued. “Providence watch over us,” Klein whispered as he tenderly placed a talon on the ground in front of him. “What do you think you’re doing!?” Jak hissed through his teeth. Klein looked back at him, confused. “Foolish child...” the old dog whispered. “It waits for both of us, merely beyond that turn!” Klein shushed the near frantic Kobosian, approaching closer to the bend of the tunnel in the process. He steeled himself for whatever it was that was waiting for them just around the corner. --- Vanguard raised an eyebrow at the young griffin before him. The old Kobosian further back in the tunnel was pleading for him to flee back down the passageway. The griffin, however seemed to be too frightened to utter so much as a whisper as Vanguard continued staring him down. Vanguard inhaled deeply, causing both of them to tense up, as though he were about to breathe fire upon them. “If you wish to run and hide yourselves away,” the Forerunner began. “I will not hinder your attempts to do so; leave this place now, and I shall spare your lives as I have spared the ones of your unarmed accomplices.” He slowly raised a finger and pointed it down the passageway that lead back up to the surface. “This will be your only chance, however.” The griffin and dog exchanged brief glances with each other before they were running with just about everything they had. Vanguard sighed. “Mother...dearest Mother,” he whispered. “I still fail to fathom their kind...” He turned his gaze down another pathway; one that led even deeper into Silver River Mines, a little smirk displayed across his face. “Now then, if memory serves correctly...” he began the trek into the depths of the mountain. --- This was certainly not a time to try and negotiate with her. Celestia still appeared just as steamed when she heard of Aiden’s actions. The two of them walked side by side down the main hall and into the chamber where the summit would be held, Celestia seemingly trying to put on a neutral expression, whilst Aiden tried everything to avoid rousing her anger again. Hearing the Princess say the words: “I can’t begin to tell how disappointed and how angry I am with you,” was one of the worst things that he could’ve heard from her. She had a right to be upset with him though; afterall, one of the individuals that was to accompany you to an important meeting getting half wasted merely an hour before would put a dent in anyone’s demeanor. Aiden had apologized for his poor choice, hoping that alone was enough to make amends with her, but he could not shake the feeling that the Princess was occasionally glaring daggers in his direction. The meeting chamber of the Parliamentary Hall was about as large as Aiden had expected. The stone that made up the floor, ceiling and walls had a faint green tint to them. There was a large chandelier that hung from the apex of the domed ceiling, its illumination accompanied by the various torches that adorned the walls. At the other end of the chamber was a throne; a regal looking brown griffin sat upon it, a gold crown adorning his head. “King Samran, without a doubt,” Aiden thought as he and the Princess took seats in chairs at their respective end of a polished wooden table, Night Step and Tempest Runner both to his right. The chairs were obviously meant for a pony or griffin to sit on. Rather than make an even bigger fool of himself, Aiden decided that he would rather stand. The King and his parliament eyed the human; some with curiosity, others with suspicion. Celestia cleared her throat, still maintaining a neutral expression on her face. “Are we ready to proceed, Princess Celestia?” A member of the griffin parliament asked as he and the others took seats at the other end of the table. The Princess nodded. “I am,” she said. “Very well,” the same parliament member said. “We will begin with the testimony of Corporal Tempest Runner.” He looked up towards the young pegasus. “Corporal?” Tempest looked to Aiden with an uncertain look. The human smiled and motioned his head in the direction of the foreign government. “You’ll be fine, dude,” he whispered. Celestia looked over to the nervous pegasus, also offering a comforting nod. Tempest sighed before leaning forward and clearing his throat, ready to give his testimony. The griffins and their king continued staring as the pegasus stood up. “My personal evaluation of the events that have transpired in the ruins collectively known to most scholars as Taotras are rather informal, so I ask that you forgive that,” Tempest began. Already, the words which were unusual for the pegasus had invoked incredulous stares from both Aiden and Celestia. The griffins, however, did not respond. Tempest continued. “When my two accomplices and I arrived at the ruins, the most imminent threat that we faced were the ruins automated defenses. These can best be described by our resident human, Aiden Marsh,” he gestured to Aiden, who in turn held a hand up in defense. “Tempest,” Aiden whispered to the pegasus. “May I ask what exactly are you saying?” “You’re a human; you would know more about those machines than anyone else in all of the entire continent of Rodinia.” Tempest replied in a low voice, gesturing to the parliament in front of them. The griffins stared back, waiting for the testimony to continue. It was now Aiden’s turn to speak. “Being more specific on the topic of automated defenses,” he began. “They are forms of defense that do not require an individual to operate them, relying on electronic motion sensors to detect when a trespasser approaches, much like a tripwire or switchplate activates a trap. The primary hazard within Taotras were what we humans call automated defense turrets. We managed to traverse these hazards and reach the center of the ruins with relatively little difficulty.” Aiden felt Tempest’s hoof at his side, which he took as a sign to stop. “Thank you, Mr. Marsh,” Tempest said as he continued. “Just outside of the central chamber, our path was blocked by a door that repelled all forms of known magic. This door was, in fact the reason that Aiden accompanied us on the journey. When Aiden activated a pedestal, the door opened, unveiling the way into the central chamber. Once he passed the threshold, however, the door closed behind him, cutting us off.” Aiden leaned in and whispered into Tempest’s ear. “That was pretty impressive!” He said happily. “You came up with all of that yourself?” Tempest sighed before answering. “No...” Aiden tilted his head and was about to ask who helped him, when he looked over one seat to Night Step. “Oh...come to think of it, a lot of those terms sounded like something that only Night Step would say...” One of the parliament spoke. “And it was at this point that our lost platoon arrived?” “Almost, yes,” Tempest answered. King Samran, who sat silently as the members of his parliament conversed among themselves slowly stood up and spoke for the first time. “And what was it that the human encountered while in the central chamber?” Aiden was about to answer that question, when the doors to the chamber opened, two griffin couriers running in, panting for breath. “Your Majesty!” One of them shouted in between ragged breaths. The members of the parliament immediately went into an uproar at the interruption. Aiden and the others threw glances back towards the doors and the couriers. “Silence!” King Samran bellowed at his parliament, all of whom immediately obeyed. He pointed a talon at the two couriers, both of whom were busy trying to catch their breaths. “What is the meaning of this interruption?” One of them looked up to their ruler before answering. “Silver River Mines was attacked, your Grace,” a courier replied. “By what, we do not know; it was creature unlike anything that we’ve ever seen before.” The parliament seemed ready to erupt again, but the King held up a talon, silencing them again. “Take a breath,” the King ordered of his two messengers. They did so, taking a few seconds to catch their breathing. “Now, what did it look like?” “I-it walked on two legs, your Grace,” the second courier replied. “It didn’t look like it had any hair, except for on...it’s...head...” the messenger’s sentence trailed off as his eyes fell on Aiden. The messenger screamed as he quickly cowered away from the table. The other one noticed and soon joined his companion. “There’s another one!” He screamed. “It’s an invasion! Our country’s under attack!” The parliament was in yet another uproar, and not even the King could silence them this time. “What are they going on about?” One parliament griffin asked. “Silver River Mines attacked by another human? One of them could take on all the guards there?” “Preposterous! No creature could possibly be that powerful on its own!” “I should’ve known that the Equestrian’s would only make another attempt to take our country away from us!” One voice stood out amongst the crowd. “Guards! Seize the Princess and the human!” Celestia seemed to be caught off guard by the sudden motion of three griffin soldiers armed with spears surrounding her on all sides with the exception of her front. Aiden almost immediately jumped into action himself, throwing his body in between the Princess and the griffin behind her. He held his left arm across his chest, pulling the sleeve back to the elbow. To his satisfaction, and the griffin’s confusion, the Praemian Thorn was glowing, just waiting to be utilized. Aiden smirked before turning his gaze to the armed guard. “Sorry, buddy,” he laughed as he lifted his arm over his head. “But you’ll have to go through me to get to her!” His eyes fell on the many torches upon the walls, each of which became even more inflamed. The crimson ring of Algat’s River lit up like a Christmas tree, the flames from the torches leaping outward towards Aiden’s extended index finger, the flames dancing in small embers over his head. Like when he first used this power, Aiden felt little of the actual heat. The griffins seemed somewhat surprised by this strange magic, but the three guards still advanced, spears at the ready. “Guess my attempts to dazzle them weren’t quite enough,” Aiden thought with a frown, not wanting to injure the guards. He brought his left arm swiftly down from overhead, making a sweeping motion at the floor about a yard in front of him. The embers descended with the Thorn, impacting on the stone floor. A semi circle of flames rose up from where the conflagrations ended their performance, causing all three of the griffins to jump back, startled. Aiden smiled, glad that he wouldn’t have to hurt them. “Almighty Ra!” One of the griffins screamed as he jumped back, dropping his spear in the process. “ENOUGH!!!” A loud, commanding voice bellowed, seemingly rocking the entire chamber, causing even Celestia to shrink back. All eyes turned towards King Samran, whom was standing up, his eyes glistening a frightening mix of bright red and deep yellow. Aiden half expected steam to blow out of his nostrils. The King turned to his Parliament, breathing heavily as he panned his gaze across them. “Which one of you curs ordered my guards to attack?” The eyes of the King’s Parliament turned to a particularly old griffin in the middle of the row to the King’s left. This griffin still stood tall, glaring daggers at the Princess. King Samran sneered. “Elder Garand,” the King hissed as he left his seat. The griffin named Garand turned his head in his ruler’s direction, not showing surprise that he had upset his King. “Elder, I am certain that I made it perfectly clear this morning that open xenophobia to our guests would not be tolerated.” He paused for a moment to try and get a reign on the anger that was no doubt welling up inside of him. “Would you care to explain why you would order my guards to do so?” Elder Garand remained silent for a moment, still staring at the Princess and her company. “The messenger said it themselves, your Grace,” he eventually replied. “We’re being invaded; Silver River Mines was attacked by one of these,” he pointed a talon to Aiden. “Humans...and it appears that the mastermind is no further than the alicorn sitting in front of us.” King Samran incredulously shook his head. “It is not your position to decide that! The armies of Gryphonia are no longer yours to command!” He paused, still shaking with rage. “Another transgression such as this, and I will see you suspended from your duties, Elder Garand! Is that clear?” “Of course, your Grace,” the elder replied, not taking his hateful eyes off the Princess. “It shall not happen again.” “Good,” Samran grunted as he lifted himself into flight. He landed on the stone floor just in front of Aiden on the other side of the chamber; Celestia and the others turned towards him. “My most sincere apologies for such horrid actions, your Majesty,” he said to the Princess as he turned to her. “But the mistrust from the war many years back between our two countries has yet to be funneled out in the older generation.” “That much is clear,” Celestia let out a sigh of relief. “But none were hurt, so you mustn't blame yourself, King Samran.” The King chuckled to himself softly. “I’m not saying I blame myself; twas that old fool Garand who set my guards upon you and your subjects.” His eyes fell upon Aiden, a curious look on his face. “And what of you, my strange visitor? What was that odd display of magic just now?” The young man brought his left hand up, the Thorn still glowing beneath his flesh. “Not entirely magic, your Grace,” Aiden replied softly. “It’s a rare piece of human technology called the Praemph Thmph...” Aiden suddenly found his lips were forced shut by a familiar white aura. He quickly turned his gaze to Celestia; indeed her horn was glowing. She made a motion across her own lips like that of closing a zipper. Aiden nodded, showing that he got her meaning. The aura dissipated, and Aiden could open his mouth again. The King tilted his head, confused. “It’s quite the story, your Grace,” Celestia replied with a smile. A weary smile, but a smile nonetheless. --- The Parliament had been dismissed. King Samran paced back and forth through his personal bedroom, Aiden and Celestia looking on as he did so. The Princess had told her all that she believed was necessary for him to hear: the legend of the Forerunners, Aiden’s arrival here in this world, the concept of the Equinox, and the Praemian Thorn. The whole explanation took roughly half an hour, give or take. The King still paced back and forth, his mind no doubt overwhelmed with what he has heard. The recent news of the attack on Silver River Mines was also taken into account. King Samran sighed, rubbing his temples with exhaustion from thought, and began speaking. “First off,” he began. “These Forerunners ruled over all living things hundreds upon thousands of years ago until they were deposed by the human race at one point with the help of this Praemian Thorn; humans then became the dominant species for the next several millennia before disappearing themselves...because the Thorn seemed to have adverse effects on the environment?” “I know it sounds incredulous, your Grace,” Aiden replied with a frown. “Oh believe me, saying that I am having a hard time wrapping my head around this concept would be the understatement of the century.” He sighed and paused for a second. “Of course, you’ve already shown me that the Thorn’s powers are true. And you say that the creature attacking the mines is not a human, but one of these Forerunners?” “Judging by the description, it is indeed the Forerunner of the Reclamation: Vanguard,” Aiden said as a barely noticeable shudder ran through his body. King Samran tapped a talon against his chin, contemplating on a possible course of action. He grunted softly as he resumed pacing. “Well the workers at Silver River can’t wait,” he whispered just loud enough for Aiden and the Princess to hear. “I believe I should send a detachment to Frostfire Mountain, see at least if there are any survivors.” Aiden tensed up, a feeling of apprehension overcoming him. “They wouldn’t last a second against Vanguard!” He yelled before he had a chance to place a hand over his mouth. The King looked over to him with an eyebrow raised. “I don’t mean to insult your troops, your Grace; I've encountered Vanguard before at the ruins of Taotras, and at the very least, I have some basic knowledge on what he's capable of.” The King narrowed his eyes, more indecisive than offended. “You’re saying that my soldiers might need your assistance at Silver River Mines?” He asked. “I’m saying that your soldiers will need my assistance,” Aiden wittily replied. “From what I know, the Thorn is the only method of actually fighting back against the Forerunners.” Samran resumed pacing back and forth once again, sighing to himself in the process. “Aiden,” Celestia whispered into the lad’s ear. “What is it exactly that you expect to accomplish by going to the mines with the griffins?” “We can’t just sit back and let Vanguard slaughter them like animals,” Aiden replied in his own whisper. “The griffins at Taotras didn’t deserve the fate they’ve been given, and neither did any of the ones that no doubt were killed in the mines.” He paused for a second, looking down at his left arm, and the ancient weapon that rested beneath the flesh. “I’m going to save as many lives as I can,” he spoke even softer; he wasn’t sure if Celestia even heard him. He thought of the team he had back on Earth. “It’s the very least I can do to achieve some form of atonement for their deaths...” Celestia reeled her head back, her lips parted slightly. She definitely heard him. She likely didn’t understand what he meant by that last sentence, but could tell that he intended for it to mean something deep. “What is it that this...” King Samran continued after taking a brief pause for the alicorn and her friend. “This Vanguard individual wants?” Aiden shrugged as he rolled his left sleeve back, the Thorn giving off a faint glow. “I guess I’ll find out once I get there.” --- The crimson glyphs on the walls and ceiling pulsated in correlation with the tremors that rocked the mines all the way to its lowest depths. They illustrated words and thoughts eons old. The ancient door that led into this temple didn’t look quite as old as Taotras, or those of any human ruin. The temple itself, though, was not of his concern. The Cipher rested inside, and it would be his if he and his family were to regain the Seat of Abitrath. He smiled softly as he thought of his rebellious brother, Intervention. “He will be here soon,” he whispered quietly. He chuckled lightly as he lifted his golden eyes to the archway that led into the underground ruins beneath the mines. “The Seam of the World awaits us both...”