The Elder Scrolls: The Battle for Gryphus

by Urimas Ebonheart

Chapter 2

Before I start teaching Dash any magic, I clean myself up and wash the blood off my face.

After three minutes, I'm washed and I head over to the infirmary to check up on the two pegasi that took a hit from the dragon.

I walk over to the unicorns that are healing them. "How are they?" I ask them.

The one on the right speaks up. "They'll live, but they both suffered a broken bone. Private Fleetwind here suffered a broken wing and a broken foreleg," he replies while his horn is glowing.

I sigh as I notice the broken limbs aren't healing at all, I pull out my last two potions and walk over to the pegasus mare, she has a pink coat with a light blue mane and tail. I pop open the bottle and bring it to her lips.

"Here, drink this. It'll fix your wing and leg," I tell her. She sits up and drinks the potion, just a few seconds pass as her wing and leg heals.

She flaps her wing a few times with a growing smile on her face. "Thank you, sir," she says and salutes with her newly fixed leg.

I give her a smile back and turn to the other injured pegasus, it's a stallion with black fur and a dark blue mane and tail, his left hind leg is in a cast.

"Alright, your turn," I say as I make my way over to him.

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't accept it, you'll need it more than I do," he replies.

"You sure? I don't mind you having it." He shakes his head.

"I'll live and I can still fly, I'm not totally useless yet," he jokes and chuckles.

"Well, okay then. Just relax and get some rest." He salutes and lays back down, Fleetwind though stands up and stretches her legs.

"Thank you again, sir. I'll go back to my post now." I nodded in reply and leave for my room.

Back at my cabin, I see Dash already looking in the book with wide eyes, she turns to me with a sheepish smile and drops the book on the bed.

I smirk and shake my head, I sit on the bed and open the book to the page on how to find your magicka.

"Alright, we'll start by teaching you how to feel for the magicka within you." Dash sits next to me, looking at the book.

"So, close your eyes and clear your mind, try to focus for a flow of energy or magicka within you, mostly around the chest or heart area. Once you do that, try to focus it to a single point, like a hoof or your wings," I explain to her.

"Erm... I'm not that good at clearing my mind," she admits with a scrunched up nose.

I chuckle and she thumps my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, just try and relax and feel for a flow of energy."

She sighs, lays down, and closes her eyes. I spend two minutes looking through the spell book for fire spells. I come across the basic fire spell called Flames.

Flames.

Not very strong but also doesn't drain magicka at a fast rate, perfect for beginners in the school of destruction. The caster points his or her palm at their intended target and sprays a gout of fire in a cone area in front of them for three metres.

Below is the instructions on casting it, but being inside a wooden cabin is not an Ideal place for practising such a spell, I'm pulled from my thoughts when Dash screams, I look at her to see her wings glowing a light cyan, she flaps her wings as if she's trying to get it off, the glow disappears but she still looks freaked out.

"Dash calm down, it just means you've found your magicka," I tell her and stroke her mane to calm her down.

She starts to calm down and relaxes. "I'm fine, just wasn't expecting the light show," she replies with a light blush.

"Alright then, so, what spell would you like to learn first?" I ask her.

"Hmmmm, are there any weather spells?"

"Errr, not sure, but there are lightning spells."

Her eyes light up and she asks me for one so I flip through the destruction spells for it.

Sparks.

The spell Sparks is a continuous spell just like Flames and Frostbite, your magicka will slowly drain as you maintain this spell.

The caster points his or her palm at their target and blasts out a steady stream of electricity at their foe, small forks of lightning spray out randomly in a small area in front of the caster but at a high rate, this also drains some of your opponents magicka as well.

Again the instructions on how to cast the spell are below.

"So let's start with this one," I say. She nodded her head repeatedly. "but we'll have to do it away from the ship so we don't damage anything." She agrees and we both head up onto the deck.

"Captain!" I call out and a gruff dark brown minotaur with a really fancy blue coat and white hat steps down from the wheel area.

"What can I do for you, sir?" he asks.

"Me and Dash are going to fly on ahead for a bit and practise some magic, I take it you'll keep going straight?" I ask and he nodded. "Alright then, we won't be long." And with that, we both fly off ahead for a good ten minutes. We both land on a cloud and face towards the mountain.

"Alright, let's see here then." We both look at the instructions again.

To cast the Sparks spell you need to point your palm at your target and guide your magicka to the palm of your hand, then picture electricity discharging everywhere in front of you from your palm. Don't try to guide the electricity as there is a big chance of zapping yourself in the process.

I point my right hand out towards the open air and gather my magicka to my palm, I imagine small bolts of lightning spraying out and I discharge my magicka {95%}.

Small bolts of lightning discharge everywhere in an ninety degree arc at a steady rate, but only for a metre and a half{80%}, Dash looks on in awe as I stop the spell after a few seconds {70%}.

"That, was, AWESOME!!!" she yells. "Alright! My turn!" she then says clearly excited and has another look at the book.

"Remember, it's about a force of will, just imagine it and it'll happen," I tell her. After a few seconds she closes her eyes and spreads her wings, they start to glow and small static sparks appear on them.

She frowns as a small discharge of electricity sprays out a short one metre, but it's a start.

She stops and pants. "Wow, that's harder than I thought." She flops back onto the cloud and I chuckle.

"Yeah, first time I cast a healing spell I over did it and passed out, so not bad for your first ever spell." She chuckles as well. For the next five minutes we continue to practice the spell {25%}, she manages to extend the range to two metres now and I manage a full three metres.

The airship arrives and we both head back on board. For the rest of the day, I examine my new bow, read a book about griffon culture, and chat with Dash as she tells me what's been happening in Ponyville after I left.

Twilight has started her research into new spells she got from Celestia but never told the others what they were, Spike has been helping her with it and has been hanging out with the CMC more, Pinkie has been acting strange with a new set of pinkie sense combos but couldn't figure it out.

Rarity and Fluttershy continued their routine and nothing new was going on there, Applejack is happy that the timberwolf problem is gone thanks to me.

Even Diamond Tiara has toned down her bullying by a lot, I'm not surprised after what I did to her, maybe she sees what it's like on the receiving end now.

We both say goodnight and I remove my armour and get ready for bed. Luckily my cabin was big enough for a minotaur so the bed was large, after a few minutes I fall asleep.

My eyes open to the white void of the Dreamscape once again, I instantly react by conjuring my armour and greatsword at the ready while looking around.

I spot the stone statue of Sheogorath and walk over to it carefully, I tap it with my sword a couple of times and nothing happens. I breath a sigh of relief and look to my left, I jump back as I find myself face to face with a smiling Luna.

"Hello, Dear. So how's your trip so far?" she asks as a table and cushions appear.

I make my armour and sword vanish as I relax. "Good so far, although Dash decided to tag along," I reply.

She raises an eyebrow at that. "The Element of Loyalty followed you?"

"Uh-huh, she wanted to make sure a friend of hers in Gryphus was safe, and why did you refer to her as the Element of Loyalty?" I ask.

"Don't you remember? Twilight and her five friends represent the six Elements of Harmony, Twilight is the Element of Magic, Applejack is the Element of Honesty, Rarity is the Element of Generosity, Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness and Pinkie Pie is the Element of Laughter," she replies.

"And what's so special about that?" I ask again. A lunch spread appears on the table, fruits, pies, confections of many kinds with juice or tea to drink.

I take a glass of apple juice, a cupcake, and a slice of blueberry pie.

"Alone the Elements are useless, but together they can banish and cleanse any darkness or evil, like the time I told you when they were used against me when I returned from the moon and removed the darkness within me as well as sealing Discord over a thousand years ago," she finishes and takes a sip of tea.

Oh now I remember, sounds like they're quite handy, I'll have to see it for myself someday.

I then remember the attack on the griffin village. "Oh as soon as we got to the border a dragon was attacking a small village, we managed to kill it before it destroyed everything. Though, there was a number of deaths from the village." Luna gets a sad expression from the news, I don't tell her about me breaking my arm though, I don't want her to worry.

"So what's going on at the castle? Hows Moonbeam and Tala?" I ask and bite into the pie, it was very delicious, but that was probably because we're in the Dreamscape and everything is made to be perfect.

"Not much, Moonbeam was upset you didn't say goodbye but understands you had to go, Tala is bonding pretty well with Moonbeam and even the castle staff are taking a liking to her, another airship arrived to take Hammerhoof back home... Although Blueblood is acting more and more strange, the guards are hearing him talking to himself nearly every night since he's been in his cell." She replies.

That doesn't sound good. "You don't think he's communicating with someone do you?" I ask.

"That's impossible, apart from a small air vent only a small bird could squeeze through, the cell door is the only way in or out," she replies.

I frown, I've seen a few things while here, it's possible someone is using magic to talk to him. Before I could say more a red mist appears beside Luna.

"Ah, seems our time is up, but I hope we can meet again tomorrow night," she says with a smile.

She walks over to me and gives me a kiss. "Sure, I'd love that," I reply. "Oh! Next time you're going to tell me why Sheogorath is still here," I say pointing to the statue.

She nodded and steps through the mist, I look back at the statue and notice a staff poking out from behind it, I walk over and pick it up.

It has three faces on the top with wide open mouths, it looks like it’s made from a smooth black stone but is very light.

I shrug as I make a small house appear and enter. It's a small house with one room, a bed in the middle with some other furniture around.

I place the staff on the table and lay on the bed, I close my eyes and drift off to dreamless sleep.

Over the course of three days I practised spells with dash and even some of the other guards, I've re-learnt the Telekinesis spell again as well as the Flames spell, Dash has gotten the hang of the Sparks spell and can shoot out a rapid volley of lightning bolts up to three metres away now.

Two unicorn guards learnt the Flames spell, three earth ponies learnt how to cast a self healing spell, but just barely, and a pegasus guard learnt the Frostbite spell, the other Guards just couldn't find their magicka flow.

Fleetwind has also been visiting me more often after I healed her leg and wing. She repeatedly thanked me, apparently there's a high chance that once a wing is broken, the odds of it being flight worthy again are really low.

Food supplies were getting low and Razor Beak threatening to take my head every time I walked past his holding cell was starting to grate on my nerves. Two whole kegs of mead are already gone, I've allowed the others to have one mug a day same as me so everyone gets a fair share.

I've also spoke with Luna two times during those three days. On the first night we spent a rather fun night together and were both satisfied, she also told me that Sheogorath's statue won't budge but seems to be completely sealed, even Discord visited to look at him in disgust. On the third night, she told me that she and Celestia are getting more concerned about Blueblood, the guards reported that last night that he laughed like a madman.

I told her to keep a constant watch on him, I think something very wrong is going to happen soon, she agree'd and left.

I wake up to find Dash right in my face. "GAH!" I yell and bolt upright, in the process I head-butt her right in the forehead. She flies back onto the wooden floor, we both groan from the blow and clutch our heads. "By the Nine!.. Ooooh... Dash, what are you doing in here?" I ask her while rubbing my now red and slightly bumpy forehead.

"DUDE! That bucking hurt!" she yells as she sits up. "The Captain wanted me to tell you we're getting close to the next town, we're stopping for supplies and some info," she tells me while rubbing her own forehead with a hoof.

"Now get your rump up and get ready... By Celestia that stings..." she mumbles as she walks out of the room.

I get out of bed and equip my armour, sword, bow, and quiver.

I head to the kitchen area and grab a bite to eat. After a quick breakfast I head up onto the deck and meet the Captain.

"How much longer till we get there?" I ask him.

"About another twenty minutes, the wind ain't doing us any favours," he answers.

"Thank you," I say and head to the front of the ship.

In the distance I can see a town with a small fishing dock next to a large lake, it's surrounded by a log palisade. I can't see anyone from this distance but I can see boats moving on the lake and some sort of caravan convoy leaving the town.

Five minutes later a pegasus lookout shouts out. "BANDITS INCOMING! PORT SIDE!"

I instantly draw my bow and look over the right side of the ship, a flock of around fifty griffins swarm towards the ship.

"All Crew to battle stations!" the Captain orders through a funnel connected to a wire.

The guards race onto the deck with weapons and armour equipped ready for battle.

I can tell these are not the kind of people you want to socialize with, they have fur or leather armour equipped and are carrying rusty looking blades and worn out bows.

I notch an arrow and take aim. After a few seconds, I shoot and I'm shocked, the arrow flies off into a griffon's chest near instantly, the arrow looks like it splintered and no longer usable as the griffon falls out of the sky.

I take four more shots but only two hit, I put the bow away and draw my sword, the griffins are about twenty metres away now as I jump onto the railing and spread my wings in an intimidating manner.

A few of the griffins stop mid air, clearly not expecting a skeletal looking creature on the ship, the rest stop once they see the forty guards plus five minotaurs behind me.

The face plates on my helmet Slide back again as I inhale. "FUS RO DAH!" {75%} I shout out as the blue wall of force slams into half of them and blows them back as thirteen of them fall to the ground unconscious or dead.

"ATTACK!" I yell out as the face plates side back into place, the pegasi jump overboard and chase down the remaining griffins.

A loud bang is heard as the balloon bursts open and starts deflating. "Reel the balloon in now! Switching to propeller mode!" the Captain yells out.

The balloon is reeled in with a machine as four propellers spring out at each corner of the ship, the ship shakes as the gears start spinning and the ship stops falling, the balloon is stowed away and the ship continues forward. About three hundred metres away on the other side of the ship are three small airships with a cannon on each, although they look very simple compared to our ship.

"RETURN FIRE!" the Captain orders through the funnel, three loud booms are heard as three cannonballs are sent from the left side to an enemy ship, two shots connect and shatter the enemy ship’s hull, unfortunately the griffins just fly off as the ship falls.

'GET DOWN!' Solnara warns me, I duck down in time to see a large crossbow like bolt soar past my head. I look over the railing to see two ballistas aiming at the ship hidden through the trees.

'Thanks for the warning,' I tell Solnara.

'You're welcome, I may not be able to help you fight, but I can at least watch your back,' she replies.

I smile knowing I'm in good hands, but the real trouble is how these bandits got weapons like these, not even the bandits of Tamriel had such weapons.

I jump overboard and head down to the ballista, I avoid another shot as two pegasi guards follow behind me.

Upon reaching them, the guards attack the griffins manning them while I hold my left hand out and cast the Flames spell. Fire spews out engulfing both ballista and burns them to smouldering piles of burnt wood within a few seconds {80%}.

One of the griffins goes down from a spear thrust into his head, but the other lands a hit on the pegasus guard leaving a deep cut on his foreleg. I tackle the griffin away and order the other guard to take the injured one back to the ship for treatment, while he's taken away, I hold out my left hand again and cast the Sparks spell.

The griffon tenses up as electricity courses through him {60%}, I stop as he's nothing but a smoking heap on the snow.

With the ballista problem sorted, I fly back up with my sword in hand.

{100%} {100%}

I look around and spot a griffin in tougher looking armour and barking out orders to the other griffins. 'Must be the Leader,' I think to myself.

'I agree, maybe he has some information on him, this attack doesn't seem random, not with the weapons they're using,' Solnara suggests.

She has a point, they could be taking orders. More cannon fire goes off as a propeller on the ship is hit, but another one of the enemy ships is shot down as well.

I take off towards the leader, the unicorns from the ship are firing off bolts of magic at the griffins flying too close to the ship, looks like it takes three or five shots to take down a griffin but so far they're landing hits.

I reach the Leader and he spots me, he swings his rusty looking sword and I parry it, I follow through but he flaps away.

{100%}

Over the next minute we're trading blows and dodging each other’s swings, fortunately a pegasus guard slams into the griffin's side causing him to spin out and making him drop his blade.

I catch him before he falls and slam the pommel of my sword onto his head knocking him out. I sheath my sword and wrap my arms and legs around the griffin and fly up to the ship with a guard covering me. I then deposit the limp griffin onto the deck.

I walk over to three of the earth pony guards. "Place this griffin into a cell, I'll question him later, make sure he's tied up thoroughly," I order them and they comply.

The deck is suddenly attacked as twelve griffins land on board, I draw my sword and perform an uppercut on the first charging griffon, cutting through his flimsy armour and cleaving him in two.

The earth pony with a mace on the end of his tail swings it around and slams it into the face of another griffon, there's a sickening squelch as the griffon's beak is ripped off.

Two of the other earth ponies unfortunately gets hit by arrows in the head, one bounces of the mares helmet but the other stallion gets hit in the eye and collapses, I switch to my bow and take shots at the griffin archers, four of them go down but the fifth one hits me in the head, the arrow bounces off the dragon bone barely leaving a tiny scratch, but it was enough to disorientate me.

A Griffon pounces me and starts swiping his talons at my head, the helmet holds together easily and I reach out and grab both his arms by his wrists.

I inhale and the face plate retracts. "Fus RO DAH!" {75%} I shout his head snaps back and he's sent hurtling off the ship.

The plates slide back and I stand back up, one of the minotaur's grabs a griffin with one of his massive hands and swings a huge hammer with the other which rips the griffon's head off.

I see Dash standing guard by the staircase that leads below deck fully outfitted in guard armour as she electrocutes a griffin trying to get past her.

Four ponies are laying on the deck bleeding, but most of the griffins are taken out, the last of the griffins flee as the the remaining guards cheer. After it's all over, the ten injured ponies and one minotaur are sent below to the medical team, unfortunately, three ponies lost their lives during the battle.

I frown as I head below and aid in the healing of the injured {25%}. Once that was done, I head to the holding cells, I walk past Razor Beak who growls at me and stand in front of the cell holding the griffin bandit.

{57%}

I step inside and grab him by the throat with my right hand, I slap him hard with my left in the face and he jerks awake.

He growls but I tighten my grip causing him to choke.

I get into his face and stare at him through the visor of my helmet. "You're going to tell me what I want to know, or you'll be facing a fate worse than death," I tell him, my voice dripping with malice as my left hand lights up with static as I get ready to cast the Sparks spell.

His eyes widen as he looks at my hand.

"So... who sent you?" I ask. I then notice something tucked away in his armour.

I pull it out to see it's a sheet of paper. I read it and my anger rises. "Oh that son of an frost troll!" I put the paper in a pouch and punch the griffin between the eyes knocking him out again.

I walk over to the next cell and hold the paper in front of Razor Beak’s face.

"You and I need to have a little chat."