The Third Diary

by Nameless Narrator

Remind Me, I Was The Element Of What Again?

[Blazing's Entry]

Crowley's soldiers captured us rather easily yesterday since Rocky was in no position to resist after I, ehm, nearly kicked her head off. I tried to fight but it seems my power comes in surges which go away as quickly as they come. Mistake's guess was that I lack enough control over Harmony's power to allow me to reliably use the other divine forces.

Strangely enough, most of Ironclaw soldiers survived the first attack and Crowley's forces don't seem intent on abusing them which is something I would never expect from an invading force. Speaking of the griffon himself, outside of him knowing who I was he didn't show any interest in me aside from telling me to stay put and don't cause trouble otherwise he would kill the hostages.

I got split from Rocky and locked up in one of the holding cells in the cellars with a trio of overly armed guards watching my every move. I suppose it must have been boring because aside from me scribbling here I've spent all the time by sleeping or lying around thinking, mostly about why the hay I'm still blind.

It seems the flashbang in the mirror world triggered something in my memory-driven body and blinded me completely. Whether or not it's permanent I have no idea but for now I'm stuck in a black world of white outlines, the only positive side being that the vision spell doesn't drain my power whatsoever anymore.

Stuck in a desert fortress, all I can do at the moment is rest and wait for the evil guy to reveal what he wants.

[End Entry]

The barred door to my cell opens as soon as I finish writing into my journal. I am completely and utterly not shocked when the visitor reveals himself to be Crowley, or the silhouette of a griffon with the only differentiating feature to my blind eyes being a set of thin white lines on his face.

I miss colors.

"I believe we need to talk," says Crowley.

"Are you an evil mercenary or my marefriend?" I snicker.

"Neither, young alicorn. I merely wish for my homeland to enjoy the same kind of stability like yours offers. Unfortunately, such goals are against the traditions of the Empire so there is certain... opposition."

"I'm not exactly sure that taking over a GFL fortress can be considered a revolution of some sort."

"Ironclaw was simply the best position to test our new equipment out and recruit those who aren't so set in Imperial ways."

"Do I fit into this in some way or was I in the wrong place at the wrong time as per my usual luck?"

"The latter, I'm afraid. Our observers in Equestria confirmed your death after facing the corrupted alicorn during the Zebrican army invasion. I was unsure whether or not it was you during our first... encounter but some further digging in my notes confirmed the idea."

"Notes? About me? Do I have a griffon fanclub?"

"Yes, it is called the Black Ops," Crowley grins, "You were quite the topic of our discussions at one time. A unicorn who repeatedly rose from the dead and possesses magic resistance capable of stopping the alicorn princesses in their tracks. Getting our talons on you was considered a prime objective at the point."

"Now you've got me, so what?"

"Well, our sides have changed recently so I'm not under orders to strap you to a table and tell a group of scientists to test the limits of your body. However, in light of my change of allegiance I would like to ask for your help."

"If I refuse?"

"I will personally shoot every single survivor of Ironclaw garrison starting with the minotaur who came with you through the portal."

"You DO realize that not even that will make me do whatever you want if it means putting far more ponies and griffons in danger of some crazy warlord, don't you?"

"You are mistaken about my goals. Let me ask you few questions."

"No military secrets, not that I know any."

"Why do you think Equestria has such a strong position despite it being such a weak military force?"

"As far as I know you griffons need our magic and natural remedies to cure the uninhabitable parts of your Empire. Zebras need our gems to fuel the infrastructure capable of delivering precious water throughout the continent. The rest... honestly, I don't know. I'm not too huge on politics and diplomacy."

"You are actually correct. Equestria doesn't export massive industrial engines or landscaping equipment but there still are untapped veins of resources which every country in the world would want. With that kind of interest, if it weren't for one pony then Equestria would have been torn to bits either by us or some other superpower, one pony granting the weak inhabitants peace and forcing us to trade rather than take by force."

"That's no secret. Princess Celestia, if pushed far enough, could wipe all life on the planet out."

"Exactly, and yet she's never threatened to use such power for the benefit of her ponies."

I shrug.

"Well, she's immortal. She's seen where threats and wars lead so she can choose the road to a better future than conquest. Plus, her power allows her to shrug off those who aren't that smart."

"And what if griffons had the same opportunity?"

"What?"

"What if the Griffon Empire was led by an immortal ruler as well? Someone who could grow into Celestia's wisdom, someone who would be more willing to embrace future rather than rot, locked in traditions and pointless customs."

"Okay, if you want my completely honest opinion... I think it would be terrible. Ponies aren't a warlike species like you. Griffons actually being united is a terrifying idea."

"That is where I must disagree. This land is the dying proof of how wrong you are. Ponies are capable of much greater destruction than griffons thanks to magic, magic which doesn't deplete resources, magic which doesn't destroy the economy, magic which allows them to triumph against technology requiring logistics, blood, and sweat."

"Ponies are peaceful, we only wage war when we defend ourselves."

"Really? You sit here, in the desert in the middle of a strip of moderate climate land of the Empire, and you can say that?"

It takes me a while to understand what he means. It's something I know but about which I've been thinking the wrong way around. Yes, there are spots of deserts in the Empire left by dessication spells after the great wars. Yes, those spots are in areas which should be lush and green. And yes, there are also natural deserts because the Empire spans a continent much larger than Equestria. The point is that while parts of the Empire are ruined even after so many centuries of help, diplomacy, and disaster relief there are no such places in Equestria.

"Ponies attacked the griffons first?" I try to wrap my mind around the concept.

"Of course," Crowley rolls his eyes, "According to our history books we had enough trouble keeping such a large area pacified under the rule of the first Imperial families and your pony nobles were afraid the conquest would spread to Equestria. The unofficial reason was of course that our technology, while clunky, would give them the power to resist the rule of Celestia and in their folly break the land up just to satisfy their hunger for power. The nobles riled the population through media to call for a preventive strike against the Empire consumed by its own little inside wars and Celestia couldn't stop the unanimous voice of the brainwashed masses without using force. Thus she allowed the catastrophy known as the great wars to happen. As you know, we lost pretty badly in a direct confrontation but your nobles realized the problem with ruling such a large piece of land - direct fight wasn't the problem. The guerrila warfare was out biggest strength, the ability to survive with nothing and still break the necks and supply lines of the occupants. That is what finally stopped the conflict. No matter how much magic was thrown at us there still was resistance. You couldn't trust a single living griffon to not slit your throat at night because yes, we are a warlike species but that does not mean we like war. We just fight until we win when we have to. The motto of the current ruling family comes from that time and it's a simple one - Victory or death. In the end your nobles learned there wouldn't be a single griffon left providing them with inventions and technology to challenge Celestia for power if they kept going and they gave up, offering help in return for future chance to get the technology to defy Celestia once again to satisfy their greed."

I'm not sure what to say because, no matter whether Crowley is lying or not, I still don't know where I fit in and what the reason for the history lesson was.

"Why do you think having an immortal leader would help then? Even Celestia wasn't able to prevent the wars."

"True, but she was able to say 'Stop, this has gone far enough'. If we had someone of such standing then we wouldn't have been fractured and weak from internal struggle when the wars came and we could have resisted."

"Turned the tide of war and destroyed our land in the same way we did with yours, right?"

"Why do you think an undying griffon wouldn't have the same foresight as an alicorn?"

It's difficult to get rid of the concept of griffons as ruthless and brutal warriors but once I manage to subdue it at least a little I realize I don't have an answer.

"Alright, I see your point. Where do we fit in though?"

"Simply put, I want to take over the Empire and become what princess Celestia is to your Equestria."

Aaaand here comes the crazy.

"I've dealt with one dictator seeking immortality already. Don't blame me if I'm not too keen on cooperating."

"Should I remind you of the shooting everyone part?"

"Should I remind YOU the last guy who wanted the same thing you do actually tried to take over a mind-controlling artefact and would have succeeded in doing so while executing every single pony in front of Celestia if I wasn't there? I'm sure this falls into the 'kill whoever you want and then I will rip your head off' category."

"I assure you I seek neither world domination nor bloody conquest. My plan to take over the Empire is far more subtle."

"Nope. You're now on my 'less sane than me' list."

"Fine."

"Huh?"

"I said fine. It's not like I expected to find you here in Ironclaw. Your refusal simply means that a random and completely unexpected way to make my victory easier is temporarily closed for me. My plan was set in motion way before you came in."

I don't like the sound of temporarily. On the other hoof, Crom solved the smuggling problem. This seems to be an internal problem of the Griffon Empire.

This is NOT my fight.

"Let's say, just as a theory, I succumbed to my desire to go home sooner and helped you. What would you make me do? I presume you're smart enough to realize there won't be any killing on my part other than me destroying you if your answer is wrong," I bluff, partially.

"About four months ago, shortly before your successful escape from our forces after the Golden Sands incident, we started having trouble with a spike of nomad raids coming seemingly from nowhere and the Black Ops was tasked with figuring out whether it was a set of random coincidences or whether someone was directly trying to divert our resources in some direction. All these incidents culminated into your escape on an airship from our Empire and disappeared shortly after.-"

Hmmm, did the Nightmare have trouble looking for me or something?

"-I feel I piqued your interest."

"Just a little. Is there a chance that... whoever was looking for me and found me at Golden Sands tried to look for me elsewhere?"

"Exactly. We routed quite a lot of these insurgencies and there were no traces of anything unnatural until your case. Our final report stated that someone put these rebels to use for their own goal which, as later revealed, was finding and killing you."

"You know quite a lot about me."

"Yes, which is why I'm here talking to you instad of having you locked up and waiting for you to escape and stab me in the back. I was in the group of soldiers tasked with extracting you from the unit that found you in the desert and bringing you to the Holy City for... examination."

"Vivisection."

"Quite likely, yes. I was wounded by a strange changeling during your escape from the tavern and as I felt my blood trickle away a voice began talking to me, a voice promising me life and power if I agreed to hunt you down and kill you."

"Eeeerm."

"I refused."

"What?"

"My loyalty, even now, lies only with the Empire. I would much rather die a good servant than live as a traitor to my principles and obeying shadow voices didn't feel good. I knew I did the right thing when even our non-fatally wounded soldiers dropped down after your death. Something took them over, made them immortal, and then disposed of them when it didn't need them anymore."

"You Black Ops are way more informed than I expected."

"I pieced things together over the next months. I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified to my bones when the voice spoke to me but I'm glad my loyalty prevailed over my survival instinct. What happened later was more confusing though, I started forgetting things. I had my notes about the incident which I wrote immediately after it happened and what I wrote down didn't coincide with things I remembered. One of the notes spoke of a blue sphere which would give me the promised power and immortality hidden in Equestria and within that note I found a way to start fulfilling what until then was just a dream. The dream of Imperial stability and peaceful future."

So he's the bastard who cut Crom's hand off. As I look at the new prosthesis in place of his right arm I cut off by shattering the mirror during our escape to Antares' temple I wonder if there is something about the whole karma thing.

He catches my look.

"Yes, agent Cromach and I had a little of a run-in in Canterlot and yes, I know about your relationship. I know a lot about your history and, being an ex-member of the most powerful organization in the Empire, I know a lot about ours. Enough to, with the help of forbidden texts, find out about the connection of this-"

My black world brightens with shimmering blue flames I recall from our encounter spreading through his fur and feathers. So, Nightmare's power gained through... doing something with a frozen phoenix egg, omelettes maybe?

"-and someone called Void, as written in a diary of a griffon gone mad with power which felt fairly similar to how I feel now. The journal spoke of the death of our hero of legends, your friend Cromach's namesake actually, and a small group of changelings who later stoped the spread of the power similar to what I hold now in my talons. Now, I've been talking a lot but our roles should be quite the opposite. It is obvious you know what I'm talking about, I can read pony expressions at least that much."

"You... are in a lot of trouble, ex-agent Crowley," I stand up from the bed and spread my wing bones. Feather by feather, my blackfrost wings form from them. The trio of soldiers outside aim their guns at me but don't shoot when Crowley raises his arm, "I bet your power feels similar to this. Touch it."

Carefully, his talons touch my outstretched wing and he shivers.

"No, not... completely," he takes a deep breath, "Mine feels like raw power, wild, uncontrolled, and spread. Yours feels sharp, crisp, and, forgive me for using such simplistic expression, evil."

I can't stop myself from laughing. He's holding Nightmare's power and feels I am the evil one?

"Good one," I say when I calm down, "That just shows it's already gaining control over you. You see, the voice which promised you immortality was a god ponies call Nightmare. As you can imagine, it's not a good guy. My power is shaped by me from what I absorbed when you set me on fire and ruined my perfectly mopped floor. I've been fighting against the deity for most of past year and thus it's making your senses tell you I am the villain here which is hilarious."

"So, you know how to control the power inside me."

"Control is a strong word but yes, I suppose."

"That makes things a lot easier. Teach me how to do it."

"No."

"You are starting to test my patience."

"What? You want to bring your shooting threat again? Fine, do so. If the power gets loose then EVERYTHING dies. Do you even realize what everything means? There will be some resistance but even that will fade. I saw the world devoured by Nightmare once and I will do anything to prevent it from happening here even if it means letting every single minotaur, pony, griffon, zebra, changeling, and whatever else is serving in this fortress get executed in front of me."

Something in my voice must have told him I mean it because he looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Then help me subdue it."

"I can drain it from you."

"No. In the same way you don't want anyone to die pointlessly I'm tired of Imperial citizens becoming victims to politics and shattered rulerships. Our goals are the same, you just don't trust me."

"No, I don't. I doubt you can resist the incessant nagging eating your mind away over ages. You might keep it chained for centuries but then what? Somepony will have to deal with second Nightmare Moon, one who wouldn't be an outcast but a ruler with powerful army at his disposal."

"And what about you? What makes YOU special and capable of using the power you so warn me about."

It used to be the presence of Discord's power balancing Nightmare's but now? Harmony's power helps but somehow the divine power inside me feels mine, not Nightmare's anymore.

When I can't answer Crowley scowls.

"I thought so. You want power for yourself just like the nobility devouring our Empire. You are just another enemy I must get rid of to grant our Empire the stability it deserves. Guards, move him to the advanced interrogation chamber," his stormy gaze locks with mine which must be simply tired and... sad for him from my realization that Nightmare can't only corrupt those evil but also those with noble ideals. Nightmare can make use of any desire, "Now, don't try to resist, I will get the information out of you. Your only choice in the matter is whether you will bear the burden yourself or with company."

I know that if he wanted he could just speak into his mouthpiece and order the execution of everypony before I could do anything.

That just means he must die before he can do so. I can't allow another Holy Light to arise.

Empowered by Crowley's presence I rip his power from him and as he stumbles backwards thin black shards stab the guards. Crowley will have to be dealt with more thoroughly so I knock him on the floor and aim more blackfrost icicles straight at him. A quick kick to his face gets rid of the headset. It ends here. He will die, his soldiers will die, I will wait for the supply caravan and FINALLY GO HOME!

"Resistance. Execute order thirteen," he mumbles and his voice somehow booms loudly through the fortress before I can stomp his skull.

"NO!" screams a voice and my vision spell shuts down. Stuck in complete darkness, I try to make my magic work but it fails over and over.

"Interrupt order! And who might you be?" I hear Crowley scramble from the floor and charge towards the source of the movement. Headache assaults me with the strength of a physical blow and my legs fail me. Cold floor meets my face.

ARE YOU INSANE?

"My-my name is Mistake. I-I-I can make sure he doesn't bother you b-but, please, don't kill anypony in the fortress."

He'll kill Rocky!

"Abort order," Crowley's voice rings unnaturally through the fortress again.

He'll end up killing everypony if we don't stop him. Give me my magic back!

NO, she's too nice to die! She hugged me!

Are you going to risk all life on Equus just because you got some physical contact?

YOU USED TO BE THE SAME!

"Thank you," Mistake breathes heavily, "Thankyouthankyouthankyou. HEY! What are you doing?"

"You WILL help me, Mistake, my threat still stands."

You idiot!

I can't let him kill her, sorry.

Suddenly, my sight is back completely but I have no control over my body whatsoever. I realize it's not my vision, it's Mistake's.

"Hey, I said I wouldn't let him stop you, not that I'll help you," Mistake, controlling me, takes several steps forward, testing his new body, "This body is mine now. I'll make sure he does nothing stupid but he was telling the truth, your power is deadly and dangerous. I can't help you destroy life."

"WHY DOES EVERY GREEDY CREATURE TRY TO STOP ME FROM PROTECTING MY HOME?" Crowley swings wide and punches me. It feels distant and weak but from my scream I'm sure Mistake felt it more than I would have.

Crowley picks up a working headset from one of the dead guards and mumbles.

"Interesting reaction. Send two soldiers down here to bring the alicorn in for questioning."

I don't know what Mistake did to me but even with him crying in agony from a single punch I'm too weak to take my body back. Him being unused to physical touch made him long to protect Rocky far too much and, unfortunately, if Crowley applies any sort of physical torture I have no doubt Mistake will break and tell him anything he wants.

It pains me to even think it but I hope Mistake suffers so much that his control over my body breaks soon and I can end this before Crowley becomes too powerful. I'm sure Nightmare will accelerate the pace of assuming control since it now knows I'm alive and in direct contact with its new avatar.

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

"Nope. You're now on my 'less sane than me' list."

...who is even on that list anyways?

[Two_Madmans]

9278155
I don't think this is long.