Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet

Chapters

Chapter 3
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet
Chapter 3

It had taken some convincing for Lord Grendor to agree to search the ruin once again; even Daring wasn’t convinced by her own argument. But, here she was, a week later, on a path just outside the ruins of Featherfield. The griffons who accompanied her were just as displeased as their Lord with searching the ruin for a third time. The fact that they were forced to walk to the ruin, instead of flying, which would have taken half the time, because of Daring’s injured wing didn’t help. Needless to say she had trouble making friends amongst the griffon archeologists and bodyguards that made up her host, except amongst a select few who eventually warmed up to her as they shared stories of their adventures.

They marched in single file down a narrow forest path that was barely wide enough for two ponies, let alone two of the larger griffons, to walk abreast. It was hard to imagine where they walked was once a great mountain valley plain many centuries ago. The noonday sun broke through the clouds just as they exited the dense forest and entered the wide open expanse that contained the ruins of Featherfield. Stones of collapsed homes framed what was once a road that connected the city with the rest of the Griffon Empire. Daring tried to picture herself in the bustling city at its height, of course even if she were alive back then she probably would never have seen the city. Griffons and pegasi had never had the best relationship and had waged several wars against each other throughout history.

As the griffons set up camp Daring wandered the ruins frowning at the fact most of the city had been left unexcavated, their focus had mostly been on the castle and the search for the goblet’s most likely resting places. She wondered what treasures, not just of silver and gold, but of pottery and figurines with stories to tell may lay hidden beneath less than a meter or two of earth. Pulling her note book from the breast pocket of her shirt with her teeth, where folded up within was a hand drawn map from the first excavation team that she laid on the grand in front of her. Studying the map she got a feel for how the city was laid out while rereading her notes for the hundredth time since they had set out on their journey. She was looking for some clue that might tell here where, aside from the castle, the goblet could rest, possibly amongst a king’s ransom in other treasures.

Sealed away behind Grifand’s beak was a line that had stuck with her; it just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the text. Daring studied the map again before rolling a stone on it so it wouldn’t blow away as she wandered the nearby section of the ruins. Since the ruin was in such decay nothing even closely looked like a beak nowadays. She would have to abandon the hope for an easy solution there. Returning to the map she studied the shape of the streets and neighbourhoods looking for a pattern, maybe a griffon’s head where she could look “within the beak”, but there wasn’t anything that obvious.

“Miss Do?” The griffon’s voice broke her concentration so suddenly that she almost jumped, “The camp is all set up is there anything else you would like us to do?”

“Point me in the direction of the goblet so we can get out of here?” The confused look on the griffon’s face caused her sigh and shake her head, “No, nothing for the moment. I’ll need an escort to show me the way in to the castle shortly though.”

“Just let us know when you’re ready.”

Daring wandered the city restlessly hoping she had missed something obvious but eventually gave in that without months of excavations these buildings would tell her nothing more than what they did now. She didn’t have time for months of excavations as the Griffon Lord’s representative on the trip kept reminding her every time that he thought that they were progressing too slowly on their trek to the ruins. Daring decided to take a quick look at the castle when saw that she was quickly losing daylight.

Much of its extremities had collapsed over the centuries and there were large parts that remained unexcavated but the main corridor and great hall seemed to have remained intact and in surprisingly good shape. The setting sun entered through a hole behind and above where the Lord of All Griffons’ golden nest, the one that inspired Lord Grendor’s, would have rested. Daring guessed there would have been a simple glass pane there, perhaps even a stained glass. Looking over her shoulder she saw the remains of what once would have been a counterpart window, now caved in leaving a large gap, which during the morning hours, when court was held, would have lit the golden nest brilliantly.

Daring’s brief tour came to an end as the light became too dim to see anything. She knew that even with torches it would be hard to really observe the room. Returning to her tent she studied her notes again by candlelight before sliding into her sleeping roll where she dreamt of the Ruby of Rumination once again. When she awoke in the morning she wished she really had that ruby, if the rumours of its power were true the thoughts of its bearer become focused and clear, observations more potent, wit sharpened. She could really use that stone right now.

For the next two days she wandered the chamber and city becoming increasingly frustrated with lack of any new evidence towards her theory. The griffon archaeologists began annoy her, or rather she became annoyed with them, so she sent them off to go excavate other portions of the castle with promises of important discoveries. She was never left alone however; there was always at least one of the bodyguards with her. Something told her that rather than protect her they were more there to guard the ruin from her.

For what felt like the hundredth time that day Daring wandered aimlessly around the castle’s great hall. For some unknown reason it kept drawing her back, there was something she was missing here. It bothered her that she couldn’t figure it out. She closely studied scenes where great griffons, whose names were lost to time, were immortalized in carved facades. She had read that these carvings depicted not only great battles, but great accomplishments of griffonkind. It was meant as another reminder of what griffons could accomplish together, and what could happen if they did not. This whole chamber was designed to promote unity of griffons.

The sun poured through the hole where the morning oculus once was illuminating where the golden nest would have sat. Daring moved into the light and tried to imagine sitting in this spot over a thousand years ago. She pulled her pith helmet down a little to shield her eyes from the blinding sun causing her to notice the holes surrounding her once again. There were exactly thirty-six spread around in small groups of three that had puzzled her since she first saw them. The griffons speculated the holes were for thin supports that would suspend the golden nest giving it the illusion of floating in the air. While it was a grand notion Daring hadn’t quite bought into the idea.

Moss half covered one of the holes, annoyed with the latest case in griffon archeological laziness, Daring attempted to clear it away with her hoof. The moss proved to be stubborn so she dug a little harder causing a large chunk of the moss to tear away revealing small carvings underneath. Excited by the discovery she blew into the carving to clear away the soil, revealing it completely. The carvings didn’t look like anything she had ever seen before. Hoping it was only a small piece that would make sense as a whole she began pulling away more moss with her hoof. Her digging eventually revealed a ring of the strange carvings in a ring tracing the inside of the circle formed by the holes. After a moment of puzzling over these carvings it hit her: these were words. It was text in the ancient griffon language!

“Is there a language expert amongst the archeological team?” She called excitedly to the guards at the entrance of the chamber.

The griffons gave each other a puzzled look before one eventually shrugged, “I would have no idea.”

She shot him an angry look, “Then go find out. Now!”

The griffons seemed to take offence at her ordering them around but turned to hopefully find the language expert Daring wanted all the same. Digging at the ground with her hooves she kicked away large clumps of moss from the center of the circle to the edges of the chamber leaving only dirt in crevices she could not dig out by hoof. Her first instinct was to retrieve her brush from her bag when a better idea occurred to her: she could use her wings. It’s not technically flying, so I’ll get to keep my promise yet, she thought with a sly smile before rearing up on to her hind legs then beating her wings in hard, controlled movements. Surprisingly her injured wing barely hurt as she did so; perhaps the rest had done it well after all.

With a few more beats of her wings the area was cleared to reveal a grand carving on the floor. Depicted was the bust of a regal looking griffon, Daring assumed was Grifand, holding a goblet in his claw in a toast. “Beneath Grifand’s beak” rang in her head. Exhilaration consumed her from her instincts paying off once again. She circled the round carving looking it over carefully.

“Miss Do?” A shy voice broke her concentration, “You sent for me?” Daring hadn’t even heard the griffon enter the chamber.

“Yes, come here.” Daring waved him over excitedly then pointed at the writing circling the carving of Grifand, “Can you tell me what that says?”

The griffon muttered to himself as he walked around the carving slowly, sounding out the words he read. After several tense moments he looked up at Daring, “It looks to be an earlier form of griffin dialect, but luckily it’s similar to enough to work with. If I had to hazard a guess I would think what it basically says is: ‘Let all griffons who are united in peace and prosperity among our kind pledge themselves and drink deep from the cup of peace.’”

Daring mulled it over for a moment, “You’re certain that’s all it says?”

The griffon shook his head, “Not at all, as I said that was a rough translation. I’m kind of guessing on a few words actually.”

Daring sighed. I’m so close, what’s missing? She wandered around the carving again as the words ran through her mind. ‘Let all griffons who are united in peace and prosperity among our kind pledge themselves and drink deep from the cup of peace.’ What could they mean exactly? “What words were you guessing on?”

“It’s not so much the words as it’s how they were used. But where it says: ‘pledge themselves’ could also be read: ‘join claw with claw’. You see because in the ancient times joining claws was considered pledging a griffon’s self and-”

“Quiet a second.” It was there before her, she just couldn’t fit the last piece.

Her eyes wandered over the whole scene. The bust of Griffand surrounded by the text and the support holes. Why would they hide this carving? Even if the nest was suspended it would be hard to see. Her eyes found deep gouges in the stone floor just beyond that she had discounted to wear and tear over time. The gouges seemed to form a circular pattern. I’ll bet they didn’t suspend the nest, the nest was placed just beyond the carving where those gouges are. So, what are the holes for then? She looked at the holes, thirty-six holes, in a dozen sets of three. A dozen sets of three! The twelve!

Frantically she searched the room for something she had seen earlier, she found it in a carving she had studied briefly several times before. It depicted twelve griffons gathered in a circle, one claw forward, around the goblet. It had been right in front of you the whole time Daring! How did you miss that? Excitedly, she snapped off a thin piece of root from a large tree growing above the ruin with her teeth, before returning to the carving in the center of the room. Placing the root into the hole she initially felt some resistance, but with a little more force it moved. Putting even more effort behind it she felt the hole give way and a soft click resonated throughout the chamber. Daring looked excitedly at the three griffons in the chamber, “Get everyone in here now! Hurry!”

The several minutes that it took to gather up the entire team of griffons felt like an eternity to Daring. She was relieved to see that they had the dozen she needed plus a couple to spare. “Twelve of you stand around the carving in the center of the floor.” No one moved. She didn’t have patience for reluctance right now, not when she was so close, “Let’s go! I don’t care which of you it is I just need twelve of you here now!”

Slowly a dozen griffons volunteered themselves and stood around the carving of Griffand. Daring adjusted them so they were each centered on a set of the holes. “Good, now I want each of you to place your claws in holes in front of you.” She growled at them when they hesitated once again, “Do it! This is what we came here for! We are so close.”

It was the linguist who was to first press his claw into the holes. The clicks that arose seemed to embolden the others. One by one they placed their claws into the holes, the air filled with the sound of clicking. There was a moment of tense silence as the last griffon pressed their claws in and nothing happened. Suddenly a loud thunk resonated throughout the room just before the carving of Grifand rotated slightly, sunk a few centimeters and slid to the side all on its own, revealing a shallow pit beneath.

Daring shoved two griffons aside in her rush to the hole. Unsettled dust, that made it nearly impossible to see inside, was cleared away with few firm beats of her wings to reveal a chest set in the center of a ring of individual carvings that Daring didn’t recognise. “The marks of the old clans!” she heard one griffon gasp behind her.

Daring gently hopped down into the hole and approached the chest. Deep inside she knew that it should be a griffon in the pit about to open the chest, but she was too caught up in the moment to care. The old latch resisted momentarily as she pried at it with her teeth before opening, allowing the lid to open with a groan. Whatever material that had lined and padded the chest lay in colourless rags at the bottom surrounding a dusty goblet made of bronze. A griffon's claw served as the stem holding the drinking vessel in place, inlaid on either side was a bolt of ruby meant to signify the power of unity.

Daring had been so focused on the relic that the commotion above her remained unregistered on her consciousness. “That’s close enough, Daring Do!” came a voice that snapped her back to reality just as she was about to pull the goblet from the chest with her muzzle.

Looking up, a griffon who glared down upon her dominated her view; it was one of the bodyguards. Daring looked around the chamber to see that three other griffons, including one of the archaeologists, had donned iron gauntlets on their claws that increased the length and lethality of their talons by a significant factor. The two bodyguards had also donned helms that covered the tops of their heads, a sharp extension curved out from the tops of their beaks. The griffon above her only wore the gauntlets.

“There’s no need for this,” She spoke calmly, “I am fully intending on turning the goblet over to Lord Grendor.”

The griffon’s loud laughter took her by surprise, “That’s where we run in to a complication, Miss Do. For my employer would not appreciate it ending up in Grendor’s hands.”

Daring was truly confused now, “Your employer?”

The griffon nodded, “Yes, Emperor Golfreid, true emperor of the soon to be renewed Griffon Empire, whom I serve as a faithful and loyal subject.”

Daring wasn’t even aware of such a griffon, “The Griffon Empire is long dissolved, how can there still be an Emperor?”

“You foolish pony, it was never dissolved, it was buried and hidden away. But, for generation after generation, century after century it has waited for its chance to rise again. We've embedded ourselves deeply within normal griffon society, learning their secrets; positioning ourselves for the time when we could strike and take the empire back!” He became more impassioned with every word, “Now that the goblet is rediscovered that time is now! It shall be a symbol for those loyal to the Emperor to come out of hiding to reclaim what is rightfully ours!”

“And once your empire is restored what then? Have you forgotten what happened the last time the empire was in power?”

The griffon shook his head, his voice turning to venom, “Don’t worry pony, we have not forgotten the slight that your Princess showed us all those years ago.”

Daring was outraged at the oversimplification, “Slight? The Griffon Empire attacked Equestria and was beaten back after a long and bloody war.”

“And subsequently forced to dissolve into a weaker lordship under the rule of fool after fool, who was backed by an even weaker council. The slight has not been forgotten by the empire and will be returned in full.”

Daring gritted her teeth, “You’re mad. You're talking about causing unneeded bloodshed after so many years of peace. That’s the exact opposite of what this goblet represents! You would pervert its meaning by using it as a symbol to your cause!”

“No Miss Do, we would make it a symbol of what mighty griffons can do once they are banded together against a common enemy. Equestria shall be an example to all!”

Daring’s growing hatred for this griffon poured into her words “You disgrace this chamber and the goblet by simply being near it!”

The griffon sighed, “You are being dramatic. Now stand aside and let me take what is rightfully the Emperor’s!”

Daring narrowed her eyes, “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Without warning she grasped the goblet in her teeth, spread her wings and shot up in to the air. She barely tucked her wings in tight to her body in time as she passed through the narrow, intact oculus and into the sky beyond. She was exhilarated to be flying once again, it had been too long. Hearing the wind once again rush past her, whipping through her mane consumed her to the point that she could have easily forgotten that she had a priceless artefact in her mouth and was more than likely about to be chased by angry griffons. A quick glance over her shoulder to see two griffons rise into the air, one of which looked like to be the leader who she had talked to a moment before, confirmed her suspicion.

She didn’t know where to fly to, the incoming griffons blocked her path to High Hall, which was too far away anyways, and there was nothing but ocean in front of her. Ocean! An idea struck her and she flapped her wings harder towards the expanse of water. She wasn't exactly sure where this idea was taking her but, heading out to sea seemed like a good idea for the moment. Checking behind her again revealed the griffons were closing fast on her. Months of disuse were causing her wings to become tired already and slowing her down.

Within minutes the griffons were upon her, slashing with iron clad claws and snapped with sharp beaks. Deftly, she dodged their attacks by swerving side to side, diving then steeply climbing. Her injured wing screamed in exhaustion and pain, but she ignored it, knowing that she had no choice but to press on. One of griffons surged closer, Daring snapped her tail at his eyes over and over until it hit home. The griffon fell back as he cried in agony, clutching his eye. The other griffon, which Daring recognised the leader, clawed for her flank; she cut above him, driving her hooves into his face.

With a scream of pain the griffon leader fell back. “You can’t keep this up, Daring Do! I know how hurt your wing is, it must be begging for relief right now!” He screamed after her angrily.

He was right. It was taking an incredible amount of effort to raise and lower her wings each time. Dejected she stopped and turned to face her adversary. “You’re right!” she called as loudly as she could and still keep the goblet within the grasp of her teeth.

The griffon leader stopped in front of Daring, keeping his distance, “A pony of reason! Now hand that goblet over and we may forget about this little chase and let you go free.” He held out his claw expectantly.

He wouldn’t let her go free, she knew that. But, she still held the goblet, with it she had the power in the situation, “I don’t think so,” the shocked look on the griffons face almost caused her to laugh. Instead Daring forced herself to be stern, “I can’t let you take this and pervert it’s meaning. I would rather it be in the depth of the sea forever.”

“You wouldn’t! That goes against all you stand for Daring Do! You long to preserve treasure. You have just discovered a long lost relic and you would condemn it to the seas forever?” The griffon shook his head, “No, I don’t think so.”

“No?” The griffon’s terror was almost visible as she let the goblet tumble from her mouth only to catch it in her hooves a second later, “You don’t know me at all. My desire is to uncover history and bring its story to the masses. This goblet may not be my history, but it tells a story none the less. I would rather it lie at the bottom of the sea than be used as a corrupted symbol for power and ill gotten glory!”

The griffon glared at her, “Do it then! Drop it in to the sea and lose your only bargaining chip! I can see the strength in your wing is fading; you had better make your choice quickly.”

He was right. She could feel herself losing a little more altitude with every second she stalled trying to come up with a plan. She glared at the two griffons across from her, then down at the goblet in her hooves and the sea beyond it. Could I really do it? Could I really drop such a precious item into the water below? I have no choice, I have to.

She steeled herself with her choice, reluctantly beginning to open her hooves, when a shadow on the water caught her attention. She looked up for the source as a griffon dove out of the glaring late morning sun and slammed into the back of griffon leader’s companion. They plummeted towards the sea clawing and biting at each other until her rescuer spread his wings, almost instantly stopping his descent, letting his opponent crash into the water below.

The imperial griffon leader was suddenly upon her, having taken advantage of the distraction to close the distance between himself and Daring. Daring backed away, kicking at him as he grabbed for the goblet when a second griffon drove his paws between her assailant’s wings. The imperial griffon let out a shriek of pain before turning to lock into combat, kicking and clawing at the other griffon.

“Flee Miss Do! The path is clear!” her rescuer called.

Daring didn’t waste a second, flying as fast as she could manage towards the shore, hoping to find renewed strength within her exhausted wings. As hard as she tried to stay aloft she could see she was steadily losing altitude. Clutching the goblet to her chest she pushed herself to remain in the air, the promise of the steadily approaching shore the only thing keeping her aloft when suddenly Daring cried out in agony as her right wing seized, giving out only meters from the shore. In a moment of clarity amongst the instant panic she curled her body around the goblet just as she slammed into the water. The sense of flying overcame her for a moment before slamming against the waves again and again as she skipped across the water. Water abruptly tuned to sand as she crashed into the beach, causing her to topple head over hoof until finally coming to a stop.

Every part of her body ached, her wings especially. Shakily she stood, giving her head a shake to clear her vision, immediately she knew something was wrong, something was missing. Where’s the goblet!? The realisation that it wasn’t with her sent her into a panic as she quickly searched all around. Did she drop it in the water after all? Daring hobbled towards the beach, crushed at the thought of losing the goblet after all, when a glimmer at the water’s edge caught her eye. There, laying in the sand, with gentle waves lapping over it, was the goblet.

She was overcome with joy at the sight of the bronze relic. Daring pulled it from the sand before carefully inspecting it, to her profound relief it was undamaged. Gently she picked it up in her mouth beginning to limp her way towards where she thought the ruins of Featherfield may be when shadows darkened the sky above her. Placing the goblet on the ground she turned to face the threat. With a sigh of relief she saw it was only her two rescuers, “Miss Do! You’re alright!”

“Alright is a relative term, but alive, thanks to you.” She gave her best grin but gasped when the stepped closer. Blood was dripping from wounds all over their bodies; one looked like he may have lost an eye. “You’re both wounded!”

The lead griffon dismissed the severity of it with a wave of his claw, “Nothing that cannot be mended.”

“Where are the imperial griffons?”

The griffon with the wounded eye let out a laugh, “The cowards ran after a brief scuffle. I suspect however that this is not the last time we see them.”

Daring shook her head, “I don’t think so either. How did you manage to get free from the ruin?”

“After you left and they gave chase Grommand attacked one of the guards they had left. Gralypse,” the lead griffon indicated the one with the injured eye, “and I took advantage of the situation to give chase ourselves. Fools thought that only two griffons could contain even the softer archeologists.”

Daring smiled “Perhaps the other two have fled as well then.”

“I hope at least one traitor remains so that we can question him.” Gralypse snorted in disgust.

The lead griffon nodded in agreement, “Shall we get back to the camp Miss Do?”

“I would love to but I can’t fly, heck I barely walk.”

Gralypse stepped forward, “It would be our honour to carry you back to camp Daring Do.”

Daring was shocked by the offer but, after a moment of hesitation she agreed to be carried. Back at camp the party took stock of their injuries, Gralypse turned out to be worst. The only griffon with medical training, barely more than first aid, helped bandage their wounds. One of the traitor griffons had indeed been captured. He had been bound tightly with rope and vines so he could not move which he complained about it until they tied his beak shut as well. After a day of rest in the camp Daring felt well enough to travel back to High Hall, insisting on flying back under her own power. The griffons did not complain about the frequent stops to rest her wing during the journey.

Lord Grendor was shocked to hear of the betrayal upon their return to High Hall but, declared himself in Daring’s debt for what she had done to bring such a sacred relic to him. She was declared no longer a menace to griffonkind, but still needed to give warning if she was entering their land. Grendor went as far as to invite Daring as a guest of honour to the anniversary banquet, but she declined longing to get home to Canterlot and knowing full well there would be little on the menu that would appeal to her. The next morning Galiffe escorted her to the train, riveted by the tale of her journey and swearing to finish the excavation of Featherfield.

The train ride did her good. By the time she arrived back in Canterlot she was still sore, but it was barely a labour to move anymore. Her first stop was to the museum where she told Dusty all about the adventure and sudden return of the Griffon Empire.

Dusty shook his head in disbelief at the end of the tale, “The Griffon Empire, if they’ve come back like you say that bodes ill for Equestria. I suspect that Celestia herself will want to hear about this news, I’ll make arrangements for you to speak to her.”

The princess! In all of her time in Canterlot she had seen the princess many times but had never spoken to her personally, “It would be a privilege; I just wish it were under better terms.”

Dusty nodded, “As do I. Now, there’s the matter of you breaking your promise to me.”

Daring gave her mentor a shocked look, “Now hold on old colt, I only did what I needed to protect that relic.”

Dusty nodded, “True, but a promise is a promise.” Daring huffed preparing to argue her point when she was cut off before she could begin, “As punishment: I want you to relax for at least a week. No planning adventures, no poring over maps and tomes, in fact you are banished from the museum all together! Try to just relax. Perish the thought you treat yourself to a spa day while you’re at it.”

It took all her effort to hide her grin as she put on a look of hurt, “That’s just unfair.”

Dusty let out a sigh of resignation, “I know, but a mentor must be stern with his pupil.” He managed a stern look before they both broke out in laughter, “Come, before you start your punishment let me show you something.”

He led her towards the back of the museum where they had been building the new exhibit in her absence. The room had been transformed into an ancient temple. Displays of pottery and jewelry that had been recovered from similar areas were displayed around the room. In the direct center, with a beam of light shining down from above, was the Sapphire Stone. It glimmered radiantly in the light.

Dusty smiled at his protégé, “The exhibit opens in two days, and I will let you break your punishment in order to be there, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She grinned, “You’re getting soft in your old age.”

Dusty grinned back, “Perhaps I am.”

Daring took in the sight of the Sapphire Stone glimmering in the light. The artefact reminded her why she did it. Why all the planning, frustration and pain was worth it in the end. The call of relics like this, the call of history itself, was deep in her blood. Despite her mentor’s orders she already was planning her next adventure. History was calling to her and that was a call she never denied.

Daring Do shall return in her next adventure: Daring Do and the Gambler’s Gold

Chapter 1

Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet
Chapter 1

The ground trembled as the volcano came alive all around her. It shook so forcefully she was almost knocked from her hooves. Bracing, she managed to keep some semblance of balance. Every fibre in her body screamed for her to run away from this place, but she just couldn’t. There, ahead of her, sat upon a tall pedestal, was a large ruby, placed inside a setting of gold and onyx, that glimmered brightly even in the low light of her torch at a distance. The Ruby of Rumination. The only thing that stood between her and the artefact that she had been chasing, for what felt like most of her life, was a narrow, cracking walk way that seemed to be weakening further with each tremor of the volcano.

She wished she could save herself the trouble and just fly to the ruby but her wing was still recovering from her incident during her adventure to find the Sapphire Stone. With a deep breath she eased one hoof on to the unstable walk way, testing its strength before committing herself fully to the task ahead. Cautiously, she crossed the walk way one carefully placed hoofstep at a time. Smoke belched from cracks in the floor of the pit several meters below her, announcing the nearby presence of the magma beyond the thin layer of stone. She regretted looking over the side.

She swallowed down the fear that was threatening to consume her and urging her to run. Steeling her resolve to her task, she once again placed one hoof in front of the other when another solid tremor rocked the volcano causing the pathway to crack and give way beneath her. Panicked, she sprinted forward only to have the path in front of her collapse.

As the tremor subsided she found herself stranded on an island, which had once been a support column for the now collapsed pathway, in a sea of rising magma. She struggled to find a way out before noticing that the columns formed a chain of islands that would lead to either safety or the relic; the jumps were each well within her ability. Crouching low she prepared to jump to safety when it occurred to her that she was almost there. Looking over her shoulder the Ruby of Rumination glowed brilliantly in the light cast by steadily rising magma. A few more jumps and it would be hers.

Cursing her foolish choice as she made it, the pagasus turned, braced and leapt. She easily made distance and landed in the center of the pillar but, her hooves scraped along the uneven surface as they refused to find any traction causing her hind legs came out from under her and slide off the edge of the column. At the last second she caught herself with her forehooves and beat her good wing as she pulled herself back onto the pillar with some effort. Before she could begin doubting the sanity of her choice she crouched and leapt to the next platform.

She had made it! One more solid jump and she would be there. This jump was the furthest but not beyond her skills. She steeled her courage one more time then leapt for the final platform that held her desired object. As soon as her hind hooves left the pillar she knew she was going to be short. A scream escaped her throat as she beat her good wing frantically trying to get any kind of lift from it. It was all in vain as the magma rushed towards her; the heat began to scorch her coat before she even reached the pool.

Daring Do awoke with a start in her bed. It took her a moment to realise she was safe in her bed. With a sigh of relief she sat up and held her face in her hooves. That ruby again, She thought, it’s been in my dreams for months. She allowed herself to ponder what the dream could mean for a moment then shook away the thoughts. After slipping from the bed, she stretched tall; spreading her wings wide but gave a sharp gasp as her right wing cried out in sharp pain. At least that part of my dream was real. I would have preferred the ruby.

It had been weeks since she had returned with the Sapphire Stone but her wing was still on the mend. The doctors told her it would take time and to just be patient. Be patient, they may as well have asked her to never fly again. If there was one thing that could compete for her love of archeology and treasure hunting it was flying. It was something the earth pony doctor would never understand. She had begged the unicorn nurse to cast a spell and make it better, but the nurse had only looked offended at the proposition. Thinking back, it might have been the way Daring didn’t so much as ask as demanded.

A quick glance out the window told her she had over slept. She was due to meet the Canterlot museum curator around the time she was just now crawling out of bed. He had sent her a letter yesterday with the vague message that he had an important job for her and she was glad for it. She had been becoming increasingly more restless while remaining stagnant during her recovery, hurt wing or no hurt wing she needed to get back on the road again. Adventure called to her and she was only too keen to answer. After checking herself in the mirror, and deciding she was presentable enough for whatever the curator had to tell her, she stepped out into the bright Canterlot afternoon.

She was lucky enough to have a home all to herself just a few blocks from the museum so the walk was quick and only interrupted as she stopped to buy an apple from one of her favorite vendors. Flanking either side of the main staircase that led to the large, marbled building were statues of Celestia and her sister Luna that had, according to legend, been banished to the moon after an attempted coup. The statues, that were supposedly from the ancient castle that the sister alicorns occupied before Celestia moved her seat of power to Canterlot sometime after the banishment of her sister, were easily four times the size of the largest pony. The two statues never ceased to move her; both were beautifully crafted and didn’t show a day of the thousand plus years of their age. It made her wonder if there was unicorn magic used in the crafting. It wouldn’t have been the first or last time it happened, well perhaps the first.

The low light of the museum’s interior made it hard to see for a moment as she left the bright daylight. As Daring walked slowly through the museum to let her eyes adjust she passed by countless artefacts of unknown age from all over Equestria and beyond. Several of the more prominently displayed items were things she had retrieved, or helped retrieve. Each one held a memory for her, an adventure that helped shape her in to the mare she was today. Normally she would spend a few moments with some of her favorite items, but she was running late and didn’t have time for self indulgence.

A simple barrier sequestered a temporarily restricted area of the museum where an older, grey maned earth pony with a deep brown coat was supervising the instalment of a new display. His cutie mark was a cracked tablet with inscriptions that Daring had spent hours observing trying to decipher. Every time she was caught staring she was told to leave it be, that the markings were just gibberish, but something told her there was something hidden there in her friend’s flank.

“Later than usual, Daring Do.” The stallion called without looking away from his work.

“I’m sorry old colt. Slept in a bit today, I had a restless night.”

He shot Daring a dirty look, she grinned in reply, “How many times have I told you not to call me ‘old colt’?”

Daring couldn’t hold back the laugh, “Too many times it seems, and it still hasn’t worked. If you would just accept it Dusty it would make both of our lives much easier.”

The stallion simply snorted in response, he knew that arguing with Daring on the subject would get him nowhere. Instead he changed the subject, “I suppose you’re wondering why I called you here so urgently.”

“The thought had crossed my mind.”

He nodded towards a note laid out on a nearby table, “Have a look at that.”

Daring gave her friend a curious look then approached the note to give it a quick read. Immediately, she read it again more carefully, then once more just to make sure she had indeed read it correctly. She gave Dusty a curious look, “The griffons?”

He nodded, grinning at the perplexed look on her face, “The griffons. They have requested you specifically to help them find a legendary, long lost artefact that they have been unable to find on their own.”

“Why me? I thought they wanted nothing to do with me after the incident with the Wind Stones.”

Dusty shrugged, “Who knows, maybe they’re getting desperate. Word has it that the Griffon Lord wants a big showing for the fiftieth anniversary of his coronation, and whatever it is they’re after is to be the centrepiece.”

Daring gave the letter another quick read, “They don’t specify what exactly they’re after though.”

“No, they’ve remained extraordinarily tight lipped, or tight beaked in this case, about what they seek. But, rumour has reached me that it’s nothing short of the legendary Goblet of Twelve.”

Daring was shocked but gave her friend a skeptical look, “The Goblet of Twelve? The Goblet of Twelve?! The same goblet that the first Griffon Lord passed around at the ceremony that united the twelve griffon clans into what is Griffonholm today.”

Dusty nodded, “The very same, or so the rumours suggest.”

“I though they lost that after the Discord event when their first settlement slid into the sea.”

Dusty shook his head, “That’s a common misconception. There was a nearby port city that was destroyed that shared a similar name, but not the capitol itself. But there’s always the distinct possibility that the goblet was stolen or smuggled away for safe keeping with the fall of the empire. Either way, the griffons are taking all of these rumours very seriously but have hit nothing but dead ends. That’s where you come in.”

“When’s the anniversary celebration?”

“In less than a month.”

She gave Dusty a shocked look, “Let me see if I understand this. They’ve been looking for this long lost artefact for Celestia knows how long and they think that I may be able to find it in less than a month?”

“Your reputation for finding hard to find artefacts does precede you apparently.”

She grinned at the older stallion, “I had a good mentor, what can I say? What happens if I don’t find the Goblet in time?”

Dusty shrugged, “Probably shame and humiliation for years to come, on top of the hate you’ve already incurred anyways.” He laughed at the shocked look on Daring’s face, “I kid. I, however, would be more concerned with what happens if you do find it in time.”

“And that would be?”

“Restoration in the eyes of the griffons, for one. But, I know you and the thrill of holding an artefact that has not been touched for millennia is its own reward to you.”

Daring let out a sigh of resignation, “You know me too well old colt. I’ll book passage on the train later today.”

Dusty gave his friend a sly look, “It’s already done; you leave in the morning.”

Daring shook her in resignation, “You knew that there was no chance I would say ‘no’ didn’t you?”

“There was never a doubt in my mind that you would go. Now, go home, get your things ready and rest up.”

“You know I need little more than my hat, my bags, and my natural talent.”

Dusty laughed at his former protégé, “Not to mention your modesty. Now get going, perhaps when you get back from your trip this display will be set up and ready to be unveiled.”

Daring looked around the room for the first time since she entered, “What’s being set up in here anyhow?”

“Why, the Sapphire Stone of course. We’re building a whole display around it.”

Daring chuckled, “I really look forward to seeing it then.”

Daring turned to leave when Dusty’s voice called out from behind her, “Oh, and Daring?”

She looked over her shoulder at her old mentor, “Yes?”

“I know how hard it’s for you, but promise me to stay off that wing, the doctors have told me that they’ve seen you cheating with your healing process and that it will only prolong the time it takes to heal properly.”

Daring let out a deep sigh, “Just for you old colt, just for you.”

Chapter 2

Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet
Chapter 2

The train ride to Griffonholm, set deep within the mountains north-west of Equestria, took most of one day; the ride to the griffon capital of High Hall took another half day. It had been many years since Daring had entered the griffons’ mountains and to see them again made her happy deep inside. Daring admired the splendor of these mountains and valleys, but the cities the griffons had built in the walls of the mountains’ high peaks were beyond impressive.

The mighty city of High Hall came into view as the train rounded the final bend. The griffons had carved marvelous buildings with great facades out of what had once been plain cliff faces. High Hall itself was carved into the upper half of four mountains; they had begun on a fifth since she was last here, all interconnected with rope and wood bridges. The bridges were mostly for visitors and young griffons, the adults choosing to fly from mountain to mountain.

Daring pulled on her bags and trademark pith helmet as the train pulled into the station at the base of the main mountain known as Royal Peak. Stepping off the train she took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air then, by habit, spread her wings to take off towards the museum which housed the griffon Department of Antiquities before the tinge of pain in her right wing and the promise she had made to Dusty reminded her that she was grounded. With a sigh of resignation she walked towards the tourist check-in which she knew would lead to the lifts up into the city proper.

Below Royal Peak was a small village in itself that catered to visitors and tourists. She had never been in the village before, having never needed to go through it, being able to just fly to her destination. Within the main strip she found griffons selling touristy items and food beside ponies who sold Equestrian fruits and vegetables, at marked up prices compared to back at home, alongside animals from all over the world. Daring struck up a conversation with a pony vendor, who she bought some carrots from, when she noticed the two griffons paying extra attention to her. Not just in the normal fan recognition she would get from time to time, but in a way that told her meant trouble.

Excusing herself from the mare, Daring continued down the strip only stopping to pretend to be interested in a necklace being sold by a zebra, when in reality she was checking to see if she was being followed. She was. Without warning, she took off at a hard lope down the length of the strip, cutting hard down the first alleyway she came across. To her horror it was a dead end.

Cursing her foolishness she desperately looked for an escape. The only thing she could see was up, but with her injured wing she would barely make it over the rooftops, let alone escape two griffons determined to catch her. She hoped that she had made enough distance between herself and her pursuers to escape from the alley. To her horror, before she could make her escape, the two griffons rounded the corner, not looking too impressed with the idea of having had to chase her. She braced herself for a fight.

“Stop right there, Miss Do.” One of the griffons called to her, “There is no need to run.”

She glared at the griffons, “I won’t go down without a fight if that’s what you’re hoping for.”

The griffons gave Daring a shocked look before they looked at each other then burst out in sudden laughter, “Miss Do, we are not here to fight.”

It was her turned to be confused, “Then, what do you want with me?”

“Why, Miss Do,” the griffon chuckled, “we are your escort.”

That answer didn’t solve any of her confusion, “My escort? To where?”

“Why to the Lord’s Hall of course, where else would we take you?”

The confusion was suddenly replaced with anger at their answer, “Why... why were you following me then? Why didn’t you just come introduce yourselves?”

“Well, we thought there may be a good reason you were staying on the tourist strip and didn’t want to pressure you. We assumed you would fly up towards the city proper when you were ready and we would rendezvous with you in flight.”

Daring felt silly now, and more than a bit embarrassed, “I guess that makes more sense than what I had thought was about to happen.”

The griffon laughed again, “Miss Do, we mean you no harm.”

“I see that now. I’ve never needed an escort here before, why now?”

The second griffon, which had been quiet up until this point, cleared his throat, “Because, Miss Do, there are those who do not welcome you into this city after the disaster you caused last time, and we were sent to ensure your safety.”

Daring knew she shouldn’t be but was still surprised at the news, “There are those who still wish me harm after that?”

The second griffon narrowed his eyes, “It took months to repair the damage that you caused and we griffons have long memories. I suspect that if Lord Grendor wasn’t desperate he would see to it that your hooves never touched griffon soil again, nor your shadow darken our sky.” The look in his eyes told Daring he was amongst those that felt this way, “We are also here to make sure you do not break anything else during your stay.”

Daring swallowed, “So, shall we be off to then?”

“Yes, lets.” The griffons spread their wings preparing to take off, but hesitated when Daring delayed to do the same, “Is there a problem, Miss Do?”

Daring looked away and dug at the ground with her hoof before mumbling an inarticulate reply.

The griffons looked at each other then back at her, “I’m sorry we didn’t quite hear you.”

She let out a sigh of resignation, “I’m grounded, my wing is injured and I can’t fly.”

The griffons did a very impressive job of containing their laughter, but Daring saw it there, behind their eyes. The first griffon cleared his throat, amusement still clear in his voice, “Well then, shall we be on our way to the transport lift then?”

Daring sighed again, “Lead the way.”

The lift was a simple platform that was caged on all sides that could take, what looked like, up to ten ponies at a time. Daring was escorted to the front of the long line and given the lift all to herself, the griffons choosing to fly up and meet her at the top rather than ride with her. She tried not to take it as a slight against her. As the lift rose into the air she grumbled inwardly wishing that she had never crashed in the jungle all those weeks ago.

The scene had replayed in her head countless times since the accident. A sudden storm had blown up unexpectedly, the irony of a pegasus being caught off guard by weather was not lost on her. Heavy winds, torrential rain and constant lightning forced her to find a place to take refuge. She had spotted a cave but clipped her wing on an outcropping of rock as she banked too hard rather than circle around for an easier landing. She had panicked, quite simply, and every time she relived the crash landing she saw all the signs of the approaching storm she had ignored and dozens of safer places to land before the cave.

Daring had been reckless, but now was forced to chalk it up to another lesson learned. The only positive was that the more she thought about it, the more she had realised she had gotten off lucky with just a broken wing. It hadn’t helped that it had taken her over a week to get professional medical help, where had to reset the wing and immobilize it for several weeks. The cast had only come off the week before her call to Griffonholm. The sudden jerk as the lift came to a stop broke Daring from her thoughts.

Stepping off the lift she found her two griffon escorts waiting for her ready to lead her down the main thoroughfare. It always impressed Daring the way the griffons’ had built the city without the use of magic, at least any she was aware of. Tall apartments rose above storefronts of griffons hawking their wares of amulets and clothing of all prices and styles. Food stands and cafes were set up near hotels and tourist traps. The deeper into the city they walked the less tourist-oriented the stores and buildings became. Businesses became more utilitarian; food stands became less and less vegetarian and more and more suited to the griffons’ primarily carnivorous diet.

Daring started to automatically turn towards a tall building with a pillared front that loomed to their left and almost ran into one of her escorts when he didn’t. Confused, she asked: “Are we not going to the museum? To the Department of Griffon Antiquities?”

“No Miss Do, his Lordship has requested you to come to him directly.”

Not wasting any time are they? The griffons to either side guided her towards High Hall, the home of the of the Griffon Lord. She had only been inside High Hall twice before, the first was an audience with the Griffon Lord after she had recovered an invaluable relic to request that it go back to Canterlot with her, she was denied with little thought on his part. The other time was when she had accidently unleashed the Wind Stones without fully understanding their power.

The hurricane force winds that emanated from the stones destroyed the front half of High Hall, as well as much of the upper class portion of Royal Peak had been damaged or destroyed by the time she had gotten the stones under control only a few minutes later. She was younger then, barely a mare, and much more brash. The incident had taught her the lesson to not dabble with powerful artefacts she didn’t fully understand first. She didn’t suppose the griffons took much solace in her lesson however.

As the party proceeded closer to Lord’s Hall she couldn’t help noticing the stares she was getting from the local griffons. The paranoid part of her was saying that they were laughing because the word had spread that she was a pegasus that couldn’t fly. The reality, she knew, was actually much worse: they all knew precisely who she was; the one who destroyed their homes and livelihood once, the great griffon’s menace. The angry glares suddenly made her very glad for her escort.

Daring and her escort passed through the vaulted opening into Lord’s Hall, relief at escaping the looks of hatred washed over her. The repairs actually make this place look better than it did before, she thought, I should probably keep that to myself though. The temporary relief she had felt a moment ago vanished as she came before the Griffon Lord. Perched upon his golden nest on a high pillar he glared down at her with such hatred that it threatened to freeze her blood solid. Every step closer to that glare took enormous effort that she hoped didn’t show.

“You darken my doorstep once again Daring Do.” The Griffon Lord’s low voice growled down at her, “Were it not for my deep respect for your Princess I would have you thrown in to the deepest dungeons that my mountains have to offer.”

Daring never knew what the exact deal that Princess Celestia had struck with the Griffon Lord to keep her from being extradited to a griffon prison for the rest of her natural life, but word of her accident had reached Canterlot only hours before her return to the city. Dusty went before the Princess several times over the course of two weeks on her behalf before he came to her with the decision: Daring was banished from ever setting hoof inside griffon lands ever again and being in contact with griffonkind. She was informed that she had been labelled a menace to the security and safety of griffons and would be arrested on sight should she dare break this agreement. Daring knew there were other political agreements that had occurred in order to secure her freedom, but she was never told of them, nor did she ask. But, she was eternally grateful to both Dusty and Princess Celestia for her freedom.

Daring put on her best grin, internally she was forcing herself to remain calm, “You’re not still mad about that little incident last time are you, Lord Grendor?” Daring regretted saying it as soon as the words were out of her muzzle.

The Griffon Lord vaulted quickly to his feet, his glare darkening, the feathers on his neck bristling with rage, “Little Incident?! Unleashing the Wind Stones’ power and destroying my hall plus the homes of hundreds of griffons in the process is not a little incident you insolent pony!”

Daring knew she needed to get this situation into her control quickly, “Lord Grendor, need I remind you that it was your Lordship that invited me here to his lands today? However, if you have changed your mind, I will leave.”

She turned, took a few steps before Grendor’s voice called out, “Wait,” she could tell without looking how much effort it was taking the Griffon Lord to not simply allow her to leave, “I called you here for a reason, pony... Miss Do.”

She allowed herself a quick grin but hid it before turning to face Lord Grendor again, “And what is that reason exactly? Every pony and griffon has been less than informative on the subject.”

Grendor sat once again in his perch, the look in his eyes telling Daring that it was a great effort to say what he was about to, “As you may or may not be aware the middle of next month is the fiftieth anniversary of my coming to power.”

“I am aware of this, yes.”

“I am in need of something grand to celebrate the occasion with and I thought that to be able to display a relic of significant importance will achieve the desired effect.”

Daring pretended to be only mildly interested in what he was about to tell her, but she was becoming more and more giddy at the idea of being able to be on the hunt again, “Go on.” She said calmly.

“What I am after, Miss Do, is the Goblet of Twelve. Are you familiar with it?”

The old colt was right! She pretended to think on it for a moment, “Is it not the goblet that is said to have been drunk from by the original dozen griffon clan leaders during the coronation of the first Griffon Lord?”

Grendor seemed genuinely shocked that she had the answer, “Your knowledge of antiquities never ceases to amaze me, Miss Do. As troublesome as you are, you are still amongst the best at what you do; that is why I was forced to call upon you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Do we know where the goblet might be?”

“If I had that information I would not be calling upon you, now would I?” Grendor glowered, “In fact the only reason why you are here is because my Director of Antiquities insisted upon it and I saw no better option.”

“Once again I will take that as a compliment.” The old griffon that took care of the museum and Daring had always gotten along very well. Even after the Wind Stones incident she would receive anonymous letters with tips to certain relics in writing that looked suspiciously like his.

Grendor sighed deeply, “The only thing we do know so far is where it is not. We have searched countless ruins where it was supposed to be and I am near ready to assume it lost like the stories say. Reluctantly, I am willing to try you as my last hope.”

“You expect me to be able to find a relic that you are about to declare lost in under a month? That’s a tall order, even for me.”

“Are you saying you won’t do it?” He seemed almost pleased by that idea.

“I didn’t say that. I enjoy a challenge. I will need some things however.”

“I have already arranged for a team of griffons who will follow your command and all the supplies you will need.”

“I am glad to hear that. But I will also need access to the archives, including maps and tomes from around the Discord event.”

“Those are some of our most precious items, pony. What makes you think I will allow you free access?”

“If you want any chance of me finding the goblet, this is what I need. Your teams have come up empty so I will need to start from scratch. Give me what I request and a few days to prepare myself in study and it will at least give me a slim chance to find the relic.”

Grendor still seemed hesitant but after a moment of thought he gave in, “Fine, but I will not allow you unrestricted access on your own. Galiffe, the Director of Antiquities, will be in constant supervision of you.”

She restrained the sudden delight she felt, instead answering in a resigned tone, “I can agree to that.”

“Then we agree. Send word when you are ready to leave, be sure to keep your deadline in mind.”

“I had better get to work.”

The Griffon Lord dismissed her with a wave of his claw, Daring was only too happy to leave his presence. The quick journey to the museum passed by in a haze for Daring as she tried to recollect everything she knew about the Goblet of Twelve. She was disappointed with herself in her limited knowledge of the relic so tried to come up with a list of books and other items she may need to even have a chance of finding the griffon’s goblet in under a month.

As she entered the museum the relics on display drew her in as they always had before. The collection had grown significantly since her last visit; perhaps the search for the goblet had been beneficial to them for that reason alone. She stopped to study a set of griffon armour, like her pegasi ancestors the griffons had developed a society of great warriors. The two races had clashed many times throughout history in violent and often bloody battles. The conflicts eventually faded into terse peace after the alicorn sisters took rule of Equestria.

“Daring Do, it has been far too long my little pony.” a voice called from behind her. Daring had been so absorbed in the armour that she hadn’t heard the older griffon sneak up on her. He was smaller than most other griffons, his feathers looked more dishevelled and less preened than was normal for a griffon, but he was a pleasant sight to Daring as she turned.

She gave him a wide smile “Galiffe, you old griffon, it has been too long.”

“You look well, Daring. Your adventures have not taken a toll on you by the looks of it.”

She shook her head, “Except for a banged up wing I am very well, and you?”

The griffon shrugged, “I have my moments.”

“Well you must be in one of your good moments then, because you look as good as I remember you.”

He laughed, “Thank you young filly, now come. I hear you have a lot of work ahead of you and I am at your disposal as always.”

With a wave of her hoof she indicated for the griffon to lead the way towards the rear of the museum where the workrooms waited. As they walked Daring couldn’t help notice he still walked with a limp in his right paw. “The leg still bothering you Galiffe?”

“I hardly notice it anymore, but yes it seems to always be at least a little bit sore at all times nowadays.”

“How did you get the injury again?”

“Haven’t I told you this story a dozen times?”

She grinned, “Indulge me.”

Galiffe shook his head, giving a soft chuckle, “Your mentor and I were wandering an old tomb, you were probably still a little filly trying to find herself at the time, when we broke through to an ancient chamber that had been hidden behind a cave-in of a tunnel we had been excavating for over a week. The chamber was unlike anything we had seen inside the ruin up to that point and it was easily most impressive mother lode of artefacts that either of us had ever set eyes upon. The sheer amount of history packed within that one chamber was astounding.” Daring’s eyes were riveted on the old griffon as he told his tale, “We took our time, carefully observing each of the relics without disturbing them until we reached a simple statuette on an altar of its own. I thought it was a goddess of some kind, Dusty thought it was perhaps an alicorn, so, to settle the argument, I went to take a closer look. As I pressed my claw on to the first step of the platform the altar was set upon it sunk into the floor and the next thing I knew I had an arrow lodged deep into my flank. Luckily, any poison that had been on it had long since lost its potency, however I did have some feverish dreams for the next week. Your mentor carried me out of that ruin and to the camp on his back. Not a short trek I should mention.”

Daring had indeed heard the story many times from both Galiffe and Dusty. But, despite the injuring of one of her friends, it was one of her favorites to hear. The griffon and the pony each told it subtly different but no matter which version it always showed the power of good friendship and co-operation, and that was a lesson that Daring tried to take to heart whenever she could. While not everyone she encountered became her friend, she hoped that she would leave a good enough impression that she would be able to count on them in the future and them in her in return.

“The things we do for history.” Daring sighed and stretched her damaged wing reflexively.

The griffon nodded, “I have no regrets because your mentor and I were the first in who knows how long to see those relics in their natural state, and amongst the last before they were catalogued and rounded up.”

In the rear of the museum private study areas as well as restoration tables were laid out for those who were granted access. Daring was shown to the archives where Galiffe granted her anything she asked for without hesitation. Before long there was a large stack of books and maps piled on Daring’s work station.

For several fruitless hours Daring pored the old maps and tomes before letting out a sigh of frustration, blowing her mane from her eyes. Galiffe saw the distressed look on her face then disappeared for a moment to return with a basket of fresh apples and celery.

“I think we could use a break, how about you.” He said after dropping the basket from his beak.

“I couldn’t agree more. I’m about to go cross eyed after staring at the same point on this map for the last half hour.” She leaned into the basket and pulled out a large apple, devouring it in four bites.

Galiffe laughed, “I forgot about what a voracious appetites you pegasi have. So, tell me, have you found any interesting relics since we last met?”

Daring had found many relics, all of them were interesting to her, but some definitely stood out. This gave her a chance to test one of her theories, “Hmm I guess the one that immediately stands out is I came across the Idol of Zebrestia last year.”

It was Galiffe’s turn to be surprised, causing him to choke on the food he had been trying to swallow, “You did?! Was it indeed somewhere within the Hippotigris Savannah?”

Daring nodded, “Inside a small ruin that I almost missed. I gave up hope after traveling two days past where I eventually found it. It was on my return trip that I happened to notice the small, almost completely, overgrown opening.”

“Is it all that the tomes say it is?”

Daring smiled, “it’s beautiful. Onyx inlaid with mother of pearl to form the stripes on the mother zebra feeding her foals below her.”

“I am truly jealous. I would have loved to have been there with you.”

“Well I would have never have even known where to begin if it weren’t for an anonymous tip.” She grinned at him knowingly, Daring was certain that the old griffon was blushing underneath his feathers. The way he didn’t meet her gaze now after being so focused on what she had to say a moment before confirmed her suspicions, “Ah hah! So it was you!”

“I… I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Galiffe stammered, still refusing to meet her gaze.

She continued to grin at him, “Of course you don’t, but I am grateful all the same. I hope one day you can come to Canterlot and I can show you it amongst our beautiful collection.”

“I would be honoured to.”

Over the course of her studying books and maps for the next several days she tried to get a confession from the griffon but, he never gave in. Daring knew with almost certainty that it was indeed him even without admission.

Throughout her days of study her Griffon escort from first day in the city were her constant shadow. They followed her wherever she went, except into the back areas of the museum. On the second day one of them had almost knocked over a clay pot that was from the first griffon settlements and Galiffe had subsequently banished them from the area. Daring was delighted at the outcome. Today, with much protest from Galiffe, they simply barged in. Ignoring the old griffon they marched straight towards Daring. She was propped up on her elbows with her hooves in her mane as she stared at the same point of the map that she had continually come back to over and over again.

One of the griffons cleared his throat, Daring didn’t look up, “Lord Grendor demands to know when you will be ready to leave. He reminds you that your deadline looms near.”

“No, his deadline looms near, not mine.” She still didn’t look up from the map. “I only care for the relic, not the Griffon Lord’s schedule.”

“Need we remind you that you are in his employ?”

Slowly she lifted her head from the map, narrowing her eyes, “No, you do not. You have reminded me of this fact every single time his Lordship has demanded answers I do not have. Which reminds me, what am I getting out of all of this? His Lordship gets an ancient relic and gets to look all fancy as he shows it off, but what do I get in exchange?”

The two griffons looked stunned that she was talking to them in such a manner, “You will be compensated I am sure of that.”

“You are sure are you? Why don’t you go to your Griffon Lord and make certain for me?”

The griffon opened his beak to reply but thought better of it with the look that Daring shot him. “We will look in to that for you, Miss Do.” Quickly they turned and left, seeming suddenly eager to escape her gaze.

Galiffe approached Daring cautiously, “You were harsher than normal with them.”

Daring let out a deep sigh, “I’m just frustrated. I’ve looked over my information dozens of times and I keep getting the same nonsensical answer.”

“What answer is that?”

She pressed her hoof to a point on a map marked Featherfield, “It should be there. But they’ve already checked there twice over and come up with nothing.”

“What makes you think it’s there?”

She pulled over an old tome and indicated a paragraph, “It’s right here in War of the Griffon Clans and the Rise of the Empire: ‘Upon the field where the bloodiest of battles had been waged,’ which is agreed to be where they founded Featherfield, ‘the clan leaders feasted and drank in celebration of their declaration of peace. It was after the meal that the host of this celebration called out for his surprise: a goblet forged from the bronze of each of the clan leader’s blades they had carried to war for so many years previous. Each of those blades had drunk of the blood of fellow griffons and their spirits were now imbued into this goblet.’

“’Grifand, their host who would become the first Lord of All Griffons, demanded that each griffon at his table drink from that goblet so that they would each taste the bitterness of war, drink of the fluid within as a pledge that never would a griffon’s blade taste the blood of another griffon because only unified can griffons become great.’ So on and so forth. The author describes each pledge each griffon makes and the electing of Grifand to Lord of All Griffons and the building of Featherfield.” She flipped several pages, “Finally we come to this: ‘For many years the goblet sat in view of all until enemies within the fledgling empire tried to steal away this symbol of unity. Grifand was forced to seal away the goblet and only bring it out again on the anniversary of the founding of their empire where each griffon in his court would swear his loyalties to the empire once again.’ Hold on, my point is in here somewhere. Ah ha, here we are, ‘Shortly after Grifand’s death the re-swearing of loyalties fell out of favour and the griffon’s goblet was sealed away behind Grifand’s beak where it remains to this day.’

“They searched that whole ruin top to bottom though!” Daring let out a frustrated sigh, “They excavated the old vaults, heck even Griffand’s tomb was opened to see if it buried with him. It just seems to disappear from history after that last line.”

Galiffe looked over the paragraphs that Daring had read to him, “Could it have been stolen?”

Daring shook her head, “I don’t think so. A relic like that tends appears several times again in history if it gets stolen, usually as a symbol for armies to rally around during war, and it never does. But you’re the expert in griffon history, so correct me if I’m wrong.”

Galiffe tugged at the feather below his beak as he thought for a moment, “You’re right I can’t seem to recall it ever showing up again. Even in the wars with the pegasi shortly before the Discord event, and the thousand plus years after it just does not reappear.”

Daring threw up her hooves in frustration, “I don’t know what to do.”

Galiffe gave her a reassuring look, “You're a smart pony, what do you usually do when you’re not sure?”

She shrugged, “I guess.”

“More like you go on instinct, that’s what you should do now.”

Daring gave a resigned sigh, “I guess I have nothing else to go on. I’ll send word to prepare to leave in the morning.”