To return home
By Skybreeze
Chapter 1
I like this part of my day, the part where I am sleeping. Lying on your belly, curled and feeling the cool, high, pre-dawn breeze. No distractions, problems orresponsibilities. This feeling does not last long as I am smacked violently awake.
“Tarturous’s 12 demons, I was sleeping!” I squawked in a complaining tone as I held a talon to my head. Being a griffin, squaking is something that I normally do, especially when sharp talons are smacked across my face. My name is Gricky…. stop laughing, It is a good name. No, really! It was the name of a great warrior many centuries ago during the age of chaos. Although I sometimes think I could have a better name… ok the name is a bit silly.
The towering figure who hit me now has his talon pointed directly at my beak in anger. He stood tall on his back, dark red haunches nearly hitting the wood ceiling of what is supposed to be my box, or room if you prefer. The yellow talon unfortunately belonged to my dad, who was known as the ‘high chief’ of our kingdom. Kingdom, yeah right, more like a prison in the middle of nowhere. Not that I mind, this was my home. Him on the other claw…
“Fledgeling, do not take that tone with me. You still do not fully grasp how important you are to this village. Need I remind you again what time you are supposed to wake for your duties? The same responsibilities that every chick to elder must follow?”
Duties, responsibilities, work, that’s what he means. Except my work, which is more important than most, at least that’s what he tells me? The work would not be so bad except my actions reflect on the village as a whole. I was chosen as the ‘Chi-ak-nu’ or village representative of my generation. I had no say in the matter. It was decided before I was even born. Not even my siblings got a chance. I have to ‘lead an example’ for those around me.
“I remind you as well that you even made a promise with your friend earlier.” He said as he leaned his yellow and red face closer to my lime green one. That expression in his sharp eyes could kill anything on this tree or even on the island if he wanted to. Not that the talons were any duller by comparison.
“H-how did you find out about that?” I squeaked as I tried to shrink a smaller form. I was much younger being his son but also much smaller. Not young enough that I couldn’t handle a sword and hunt for my own meals, just young by griffin standards. Those meals were the best sometimes. Why couldn’t I just sleep in for once?
“That she covered for you yesterday? Yes I know but I’m the only one other than her. Your combat trainer doesn’t know, yet. It will stay that way so long as you keep your promise. We don’t break them, ever, especially not the Chi-ak-nu.” He said as he narrowed his sharp griffon eyes at me. My father then simply left the room as quickly as he came out the front wooden door. He wasn’t so bad usually and usually left me to my daily routine.
I took a single glance around the space I slept in. Nothing major in my room, it was similar to most rooms in this large tree. It just had a sleeping nest near my window and a large rock near a small hearth on the right corner side. I have the other corner reserved for my daily gear which consisted of some light leather armor for my chest and legs. My sword was also there, it was easily the most valuable thing in the room. The sword is slightly longer than a short sword. It is best used for stabs than slashes for its size. The blade is carved from a special metal that only I know where to find. Completely unique to me, but after today that will no longer be the case. I do owe a debt to a good friend anyway.
My window is wide and carved out as it overlooks the vast, dense southern jungle. With our eyes however we can see all the way to the sea. While the forest is a bit dangerous, the sea however was completely poisonous in this part of the ocean. This is why we hardly ever get visitors, or why we hardly ever leave… I have been told the waters near the equestrian and proper griffin kingdoms are completely safe sea waters. That must be nice.
My room was on the 23rd level both inside and out. I could easily fly up and down the large tree center or outside. Often the griffins living did with little obstruction getting in the way. There were no railings to walk on inside the center chamber save for the ledges that kept the lamps aloft. At the top of the center chamber is a pond suspended in air, we could see through it as well. I don’t really remember what was keeping it suspended up there. Magic wasn’t something griffins thought about, considering we are immune to magic.
With a yawn I decided it was time to get the day started. I give a yawn with my beak and stretch my front talons. Now I fully stood on my four limbs, paws and talons touching the warm wooden floor. I briefly considered getting some breakfast rations at the base of the tree, but then I would run into my dad. He would most likely be there and have some work planned for me. No, getting the ore for my friend’s sword would be much more fun in the long run. I had leftover dried jerky from yesterday anyway that would last me.
After grabbing my armor and supplies I walked to my window overlooking the hot, dense, island jungle. The island was a mess of magical energy similar to the Everfree woods in Equestria I am told. Though I have never been there, I never left the island. Ponies who visit through the single teleport portal near the tree tell me everything on this island is strange, even scary! Here, the weather that moves on its own and animals that don’t talk. I can’t imagine weather being controlled by their pegasi, but I haven’t witnessed it by the ones that visit.
This was my home and to the exiled griffons. I personally didn’t do anything bad enough to cause banishment, but centuries ago our ancestors were a bit too violent. I won’t go into detail, but long story short it came down to all sides not willing to compromise. Those griffins that left had to find a home far out at sea.
We won’t be banished for much longer and that is what worries me. The elders that have visited the griffin kingdoms in the past said it was beyond incredible. They can’t wait to leave once they show that the current generation is capable of being civilized. That’s where I come in by ‘leading an example’. I hope I never see what they see. I can’t imagine leaving this place.
I breathe in the hot morning air as I unfold my large lime green wings. Pushing myself out into the expansive sky, I soar over the island and down the tree. The wind blowing on my face is hot and the smells flow into my senses. It was a mix of wood, other griffins, and many other things from the forest below.
Celestia’s morning sun didn’t blind my view, which was good considering that my eyes spotted a few griffins flying slowly much further down. They didn’t look too good, and in fact looked pretty injured. That wasn’t good. Knowing these griffins, they were too well trained in combat to get injuries like these. I know because one of them was my combat trainer, Gregoric. I frown and quickened my pace to meet up with them.
“Hey Ginger! What happened to them?” I shouted as I flew closer. She was taller than me as well. Her feathers were grey and white while Gregoric was orange with rust tips. Ginger didn’t look too happy but that was understandable. She glanced at me for a split second and returned her gaze to the wounded griffin she was helping carry.
“He hasn’t said yet, he is not making any sense at all. Just weird mumbles and moans are all the sounds he has made. How could this have happened to him?!” she said loudly, practically shouting.
“I have no idea. I just woke up to find you carrying him. As far as I know nothing has been able to injure him with his skills.” I say as I clench the hilt of my sword in my talons. No griffons on this island save for my dad and his brother could even land a blow on him. I can’t even come close to his level of skill. Maybe going to get that ore today might not be such a good-
“No, you still go out and get that ore for me. I need it now more than ever. If you had just told everyone else where you got it we could just stockpile it back at the village.” That hit pretty hard, harder than my dad’s talons to the face. She was right, but at the same time…
“I…can’t tell you where I got it but I will get it for you.” I say as I turn my beak and gazed at nothing with great interest. Her feathers and expression quickly turned to anger and looked like she would rip me if not for the large, wounded griffin in her talons. I have sparred with her, and lost many times. Ginger was just that good.
“Then what are you waiting for? Just go then, and come back in one piece. Don’t go near the northern section of the island.” She said with a huff before quickening her flying pace back to the village.
The northern part of the island, great just my luck again. But if I am right I probably won’t run into whatever he ran into and for good reason. I knew I wasn’t supposed to be there but it was easily the most interesting thing on this island. The endless dark, the cold infinite hole that goes who knows where.
I know what is in there because I search it often at least just a few hundred feet below the surface. Many times in the past explorers who tried to map out exactly what was down there failed. Griffins just can’t handle darkness like other creatures can. They… lose themselves. Even with our expert vision that can see for miles with perfect accuracy, we can see the faintest expression on a creature. But even when dropping lamps filled with red spore dust for light, we still could not see the bottom. It just vanished after a point when dropped in.
The darkness does scare me, infuriates me, but it also excites me. That is why I visit it to find out its mystery, and where my mystery ore came from. As I make my way down the vast dark shaft, seeing the light of day shrink smaller and smaller as I fly down, I mentally count the seconds with perfect accuracy. Forty five point seven seconds is where I found it below.
This spot had what looked like a large tunnel leading further in. No mention about it existing before, it was possible it was recently shaken open. About a short walk I spot I finally notice the change in texture with my talons. It was here, on the ceiling of the cave, my mystery ore that I found. It was very odd, like nothing anyone on the island saw. What was strangest was that it resembled something that was cut by something very large.
It was fairly easy to cut and seemed pretty brittle to the touch in this state. Normally this would be passed for any type of weapon, but the trick was it became extremely different after it was heated. Like it was an entirely different type of metal after it was heated and cooled. I grab a couple of clawfulls of material and stuff them into my pouch hanging off my feathers. No trouble yet but I hope to keep it that way. Elders used to tell us about how this hole reached the depths of Tarturus as young chicks. They stayed firmly in my head as I quickly made my escape.
Flying a short distance from the hole, I perch on a tree with my hind paws. Examining each cluster I give a pass to exactly the type of ore I want and toss the rest. I sigh feeling relieved nothing went wrong for a brief moment. That feeling was quickly lost as I heard a sharp scream close to my position.
The scream was…strange. I knew what it was but I wanted to know why it was there, deep in the forest, alone, and not in equestrian. The scream belonged to a pony. I should leave, find help, find anyone, and tell them about this. A pony couldn’t have survived this harsh, hot jungle alone. If my trainer was injured I don’t know what that thing could do to a pony.
I gripped the hilt of my sword again, and grit my teeth as I flew toward the source of the scream. This was not a smart move at all. I wish I could have stayed in bed. I don’t have to go, but at the same time I have to go. I was the only griffin closest to the scream.
I flew up above the treetops and gazed the fauna around the area. I was able to spot the source of the noise. The pony was light blue with a white mane. I could not tell the gender since I can count the number of ones I have seen on my claw. The pony was also a unicorn, that I knew as much.
Towering over the pony was an odd figure, like nothing I have seen. The oddly shaped abomination looked like some weird bat. Only there were bones exposed and what appeared to be rotting flesh. As I got closer I felt some odd itching sensation all over my body to my feathers.
It was like nothing I have ever felt or seen. I was scared, the pony looked terrified. As I got closer with each second, my head began to pound and my vision blurred. I did the only thing my mind could process in the seconds remaining. I made my decision as I grabbed the smaller pony in my talons and flew as fast as I could away from the creature.
The pony was completely frantic. I could feel its hooves quickly bucking the air in my grasp. I was almost certain we could get away, but I was still feeling it. That itching, blurring sensation all over told me different. It was chasing me, and I was not sure I could get away. This was easily the worst part of my day.
