The Hag, the heroes, and a few other things

by Amaranthine Thought

Stonebeak

It was chaos. Absolute chaos, and the fire that burned along the upper reaches was not helping matters.

Changelings ran, panicked and terrified. This had started as a normal defense, something they had dealt with before. Attacks on the hive were not uncommon.

A thousand griffons coming at the same time however, was not. Eager and ready and strong. They swarmed the swarm, but one in particular was terrifying them.

An old griffon who was swinging a sword like it was nothing, cleaving through anything in his path and not even flinching when he was hurt.

It was like a nightmare, and the hive was screaming as griffons hunted changelings down, and killed them, the griffons too large and strong to be defeated by one or even two changelings.

And in the end of it, the hive was burning, every changeling dead, and the griffons were gathered nearby, waiting. Waiting for Stonebeak to reemerge from the hive.

He said that he was looking for something.

Stonebeak cut his way through the hive, hearing the fire burn around him as he carved deeper. He was searching for Hag, and though he didn’t find her, he found something else.

Her bag, discarded, and the crown, half out of it.

He stared for a moment, the worst coming to mind. He went to it, and picked up the crown and bag, looking carefully for any trace of blood.

He didn’t find any. There was no trace of what happened to Hag at all and he drooped.

Had he failed her?

Far…

“What?” he said. Had he heard something?

Very far…

Stonebeak hesitated. He had definitely heard that. A faint whisper nearby.

Wear… it…

He stopped, and then glanced at the crown he held. Were…

Were the whispers emanating from it?

The hive shuddered as it collapsed slightly, the fire burning away the supports. It grew hot, and smoke began curling into the deepest chambers, where he was.

Wear… it…

He stared at it for a long time. And then, slowly, carefully, reverently, he set the crown atop his head.

His vision shifted, and he found himself in a plain of dark grey, mist swirling under his claws. It was empty, but for one thing:

Every dead king that the griffons had ever had. All forty five of them, ranked from the first to the last, and he knew the names of only a few. He stared in awe, and they stared back, unmoving. He tried, but found himself unable to speak. Something stopped him.

The hag has been taken far. one said, no indication of speech visible as he spoke.

To the pony’s kingdom. said another. Each one spoke in turn.

Canterlot, where the changelings gather and conquer.

Save her, save them.

Or it will be for naught.

For if they claim that prize…

Then nothing will stop them. Not even our greatest might.

Cripple them before they have a chance to gain it.

Prove yourself the warrior.

You are already wise.

You already fear the responsibility.

You already fear the failure.

In every other way, you are ready.

But just one last thing is needed.

Just one more battle.

But you must do it alone, and without aid.

In a place unknown.

Against a great many.

Wielding our blade.

Wearing our crown.

Holding your honor close.

Remembering what we once stood for.

Remembering honor even against the honor less.

Fighting with all you have.

Killing any and all who dare to stop you.

Then, Stonebeak… if you prove yourself in this last way…

Then you will have made yourself a glory.

You will have made a foundation for the empire to stand atop.

You will lead them all back to the right ways.

You will rebuild the empire, and make it anew.

You will see your dreams given life.

Or you shall see hope die.

Save her.

Save them.

Save us.

Save everything.

One last battle.

And we will find you worthy.

Worthy to wear our crown.

Worthy to lead our people.

Do this for us.

For them.

For you, and you…

You, old Stonebeak…

You shall be called king.

The griffons outside waited nervously. Most of the hive was on fire now, and it was falling in on itself, the fire consuming it from the inside, and still Stonebeak had not emerged.

“…Should we go and look?” one of the armored ones asked.

“It’s too dangerous. Look at the smoke; going in would be done blind.”

“But Stonebeak…”

With a shuddering rumble, the hive collapsed completely, a great pillar of fire rising as it fell.

The griffon flinched back, and shielded their faces with their wings form the fire and the smoke.

And when they looked again, it was all gone, a burning wreck.

They all stared in shock and horror. It had been a great victory, over an enemy that had troubled them for some time, and troubled their neighbors. It was something to be proud of, something that was finally theirs, and not something long past.

And yet…

The one who had roused them had been taken. The one who rekindled their fire was gone.

A great many of them, most of them in fact, felt weak. Felt like it had been for naught. Many felt like it was worthless to continue.

Until one youth, barely an adult, gripping his perch with a strength to crush the stone, whispered, “No…”

“No!” he yelled, taking to the air.

“No, I won’t let it! I won’t!”

The others turned to see the young griffon flying high, angry and enraged.

He turned to look down at them.

“I will not allow this effort to go to waste!” he screamed. “Even if he is gone, I will not let his memory die with him!”

“He wanted us to make ourselves new! Gave us a chance, dragged us from the pit that we buried ourselves in!”

“Even if he is gone, I shall stand tall! I shall become what he wanted to see, even if not one of you can bring themselves to!”

The others watched. Watched and thought. He stared at them, not one joining him and his fire dimmed. They saw him slow.

Then one cried out, “We shall try!” The rest nodded, making a choice.

“We shall remember!”

“We can change!”

“Time is all we need!”

“Together, as one!”

“Together… together, we shall try.”

They all agreed. Knew what to do, despite not really saying it.

None of them had the fire to lead. Not one had the strength to bear that burden.

But not one of them dared to go back to their old life. Even if it might never reach the old glories, they would change.

Clean their lives, rebuild their towns. Spread the word, and make everything ready.

And then they would wait.

Wait for one who could lead.

One who could bear the burden.

One who they would live and die for.

One who would bring them to glory.

One who could inspire them to great acts.

A griffon, strong and wise and proven.

One who they could call king.

---

Stonebeak stirred, and opened his eyes. He was high up on a peak.

He didn’t know how he arrived there, but he saw the crown lying on the ground in front of him.

He stood up, and before he did anything else, he placed the crown on his head. Then he looked, feeling the kings watching him.

Far below him, he saw a city. A castle, and it swarmed with changelings. Like a dark fog, they littered the sky and ground. He knew that Hag was inside that swarm.

He reached, and felt the sword on his back. He pulled it free, and readied himself. No armor. an old griffon. One against an uncountable swarm.

He knew what he had to do.

He took flight, and roared his greatest roar to the air before diving toward the swarm.

Comments

[Isshiki Kotonashi]

This has my attention.

[Jacktank10]

Well that escalated quickly

[Wolfren]

Odelally! Onward to victory!
Whoop, this one really has my blood a-boilin', must be my German blood.

[Shadowkeeper]

I absolutely love this story! Hag is such a great character; I love how you made her strong, but not overpowered. I also enjoy the bonds between her and the other characters of this story.

That being said, there is one thing that has me confused. In the first arch of this story, Hag was tasked to find happiness, honesty, and magic. I assumed that meant she only broke those elements and therefore only needed to replace those elements. I also believe there are multiple times where it is stated that the tree of harmony still has the other elements attached. The problem comes with the Undying Loyalty arch. I don't recall Loyalty being one of the elements that was destroyed, yet that is the second element she gets. I am assuming that Magic is next, especially because of the arch's title and how this seems to be the finale of the story. At first I thought that all the elements were destroyed, but there are too many instances where the characters indicate otherwise.

A final thought I have is about the spirits in the elements. Every time Hag broke an element, a spirit was freed. If the other elements aren't broken and Hag doesn't break them, does that mean they are still trapped against their will, or do they want to be in the elements. The happiness spirit seemed happy to be freed, but I can't say that all of them were truly imprisoned since I don't know how the magic and honesty spirit felt about being freed.

[Amaranthine Thought]

8393559

...

I thought I had fixed that. Seems I missed it.

So first point: I tried and failed to think of something to represent honest, pure honesty, and decided to change it to loyalty. I had thought I had changed it, but apparently not. My bad. I'll fix that. (I need to get someone to read these things before I go and make them. That should have been fixed before the second arc even began )

Second point: the spirit freed is not of happiness. In fact, happiness was chosen specifically because of my intent.

The spirits are the antithesis of the element binding them. I hinted at it, but the 'happiness spirit' is a windigo, or a spirit of hate. Loyalty bound what was effectively betrayal, the second spirit, get it? The spirits Hag freed are not good things. Just like her home spirits were not good things. They are merely... natural things.

As for magic, that was the only one not binding a spirit. Because it can't bind that spirit.

Said spirit is Discord. Magic binds the elements together, and acts as the harmony that makes them function. Discord is the spirit it should bind, but he is too much to be permanently held like the others. Magic to make it all work: chaos to take it all apart.

I hope that answers you concerns, and if it doesn't, PM me and I'll try again. I will get to editing.

O.K... I think I got them all.

[Shadowkeeper]

8393930
Oh, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing up the confusion. I just skimmed through the first and second arc of the story and I believe you got made all the changes as well. As for the spirits, that really was a clever idea; I just wish I was able to put two and two together. I do remember the first spirit being described, but since it was so kind to Hag and it told the second spirit to be more grateful to her I had dismissed the description and just accepted it as the spirit of happiness. Heck, I thought the second spirit was just angry that it was freed and that it's placement in the element was its intention.

[REDACTED99999]

8393930
Woah! spoilers XD But I agree with ShadowKeeper, I thought the spirits represented the thing inside. I thought that was why they couldn't fight the elements when they attacked Hag...
Anyways! I knew it! You did not get all the places it says honesty instead of loyalty. I knew it was honesty, then she found loyalty, and I was like what? But when I went back to read the chapter where the tree gives her the quest, it said loyalty, so I thought I just misread something somewhere. I can't say for sure where, though, but it definitely said honesty when I read it a couple of days ago (I've been binge reading this story... so good)
Any anyways, looking forward to next chapter :) Why do you only have 38 likes? Have another!

[Crystonian]

Oh this is badass. The rebirth of the Griffon Empire.