The young prince stood before the large double doors that led to the throne room that once belonged to his mother and Celestia. His body was tense as he prepared himself for the fight that would determine his fate. The one behind these doors was responsible for the deaths of his parents, and the death of a once great nation. Memories flooded his mind from when he was just a colt, the memories of the attack that orphaned him and killed a country. The memories served to fuel his hatred further, submerging him in a sea of rage and adrenaline.
In his mind he once more saw his father felled by the gryphon invaders, stabbed in the back while engaged against two foes. The murder of Princess Celestia by the gryphon king, as she tried to negotiate an end to the violence. His mother, Princess Luna, as she hurriedly raced down the castle with him and shoved him into a secret passage, telling him that she loved him and to not turn back no matter what. Coming to the end of the passage and emerging in the blinding sunlight, a safe distance away from the castle. Watching his mother fight and slay hundreds of gryphons in her great wrath over the deaths of her sister and spouse, before being felled herself. The finishing blow being delivered by the gryphon king himself.
He clenched his jaw as the last memory receded, grinding his teeth in anger. After witnessing his mother’s death, he went into exile. He was an enemy of the new gryphon state and hunted after. He found his way to the then infant rebellion, and became its leader as he was the rightful ruler of Equestria. Under his care, the rebellion flourished and grew strong, waiting to strike and destroy the gryphon empire.
After thirteen years, the rebellion had spread to practically everypony in the former land of Equestria. Then they rose up, attacking their oppressors and fighting for their freedom and for what was lost so long ago. Now, chaos was rampant as the pony rebels engaged their gryphon oppressors throughout the country simultaneously. Unprepared, the gryphon army was obliterated and fractured, the ponies finally having their revenge by uprooting the tumor that plagued their country for over a decade. Now though, it was his turn for revenge.
Inhaling a deep breath, the young alicorn slammed his weight against the doors. They flew open with such a great force that they crushed two gryphon guards foolishly trying to brace them shut. One hundred of the gryphons’ best soldiers awaited him, their king sitting on the throne in the back, screaming at them to kill him.
Before the soldiers could react, his horn glowed as he shot off a wave of deadly crescent blades. The magical blades cut through flesh, bone, and armor. The first two lines of soldiers fell down dead, many cut into halves. As their blood began to form a crimson pool on the floor, the dark alicorn prince leapt into the room, wing-blades at the ready.
The remaining guards charged and encircled him. Using magic and his wing-blades, he fought ferociously. He received several wounds, but he recklessly disregarded them and continued to fight. He had nothing to lose and he fought like a mad-pony to show it. For what can be more dangerous than a foe who has already lost everything?
After several minutes, the bloodied and bruised prince emerged victorious, crushing the skull of the last soldier underneath his hoof. He advanced toward the throne, trotting through the immense sea of blood and broken bodies he had created. The gryphon king sat rigid in his throne. His face was plastered with fear and his talons dug deeply into the arms of his stone chair. This living apparition of death terrified him, and he could only stare as the alicorn stopped a mere yard in front of him.
“Who are you!? What do you want!?” The gryphon king screamed. “Let me live, and I’ll give you anything you want! My wealth, my kingdom, anything!”
“Who I am matters not, but if you must know, I am your death. The vengeance of those you have slaughtered have motivated my hooves and guided my actions. By your actions was I orphaned, and by doing so, you spelt out your own demise. The moon was my mother, and her pale light will dance with great joy upon your bones.”
“You!” The gryphon king cried with despair, his eyes widening with fear.
“Yes, me. The Prince of Darkness has come to reclaim his rightful throne, and avenge the deaths of those you massacred.”
The dark alicorn pulled a sword out from the litter of bodies, and held it before the king with his magic, presenting the handle to him.
“Will you fight and die the death of a noble soldier, or will you cower and whimper in a corner like the pathetic dog you are!” He challenged.
The king grasped the sword and swallowed his fear. “To the death then.”
The prince leapt on the offensive immediately, relentlessly attacking the old gryphon. Never giving him an opportunity to attack, the gryphon king could only defend against the furious pair of wing-blades as they yearned for his blood. Soon, the sword was knocked out of his grasp and the prince withdrew his wing-blades. Using only his hooves he mercilessly beat the gryphon before him, throwing out kicks and jabs. The king tried feebly to defend himself, but was beaten to a pulp.
Beaten, bloodied, and cut, the king fell to the ground exhausted and defeated. His opponent stood over him menacingly, drawing for the first time, the sword that was on his side.
“You see this blade?” The alicorn prince said to the old gryphon king. “‘Twas my mother’s, but now it is mine. A fitting end that it should be the blade to taste your vile blood.”
Wheezing, the gryphon replied, “This isn’t over! My son shall avenge me, just as you avenge your mother! We’re the same you and I, two ambitious individuals taking advantage of the situations that presented themselves to us. Mark my words boy, one day you shall be old as I am and my descendants shall spill your blood as a repentance for spilling mine!”
The prince leaned in close to the old king and whispered into his ear. “We may be similar, but I won’t make the same mistake you did. This time, there won’t be anyone to avenge you. This is for my mother, my father, and for Equestria!”
With that, the dark prince brought down his sword upon the gryphon’s neck, severing the head from the body. With the deed finally done, the prince bellowed out a large war cry in triumph. Revenge was his and he relished in it. He had avenged his family and his country. No longer would he be haunted by the nightmares of terrifying memories and of unfulfilled vengeance. Now, he could rest easy, knowing the spirits of the dead were now at peace.
Just then, another gryphon, the prince, entered the room. He called out to his father as he closed the side door he used to enter and bolted it shut.
“Father! It is no use! There are too many of them and they have breached the castle, what should we d—” He stopped as he looked around the room he was in. Blood and bodies covered the entire floor. Near the throne stood a solitary alicorn, sporting blood covered wing-blades and clutching a sword in his mouth that dripped more of the crimson liquid. Below this figure was the decapitated corpse of the gryphon king.
“NO!” Shouted the gryphon prince at the top of his lungs.
The dark alicorn turned toward him as the gryphon prince charged head-on. As they came within striking distance, the gryphon prince blindly lashed out with his sword, exposing himself. The alicorn prince sidestepped his foe and slashed him across the chest, then stabbed him through the heart. The gryphon fell down dead, and the alicorn cantered slowly out of the throne room, to go tell his subjects of their victory.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a small and young gryphon laid on the top of a chandelier in the throne room, quietly sobbing. As she wept, the seeds of hatred and revenge planted themselves firmly in her mind. She vowed to do anything to avenge the deaths of her brother and her father, no matter the cost.
Author's Note
Just a quick one shot I thought of today. Thoughts, questions, or opinions on this story? Leave them below, and I'll get to them as soon as I can.
Also, it would be great if you guys could alert me of any grammar/spelling mistakes. Thanks in advance!
