Blaze the Pony Tale

The Point of No Return was the most infamous prison in all of the Griffon Kingdom, so named for any and all criminals sentenced to life in prison, and The Point was well known for its perfect record; none had ever escaped in the many decades since it was constructed in the most desolate corner of the Griffon Kingdom, far away from any settlement, surrounded by leagues of barren wasteland. Every prisoner wore collars engraved with glyphs that could be remotely activated by the guards to incapacitate any griffon or other prisoners that dared to cause trouble or showed even the slightest disrespect to the guards. No inmates with outside privileges who could fly didn't dare to, not only because the sentries were equipped with repeating crossbows and deadly accuracy, but the collars would causes them to literally drop like stones if they flew so much as one meter outside of the prison's walls. The meals were subpar, with only the most behaved getting anything decent to eat, and sometimes meals were even revoked for a few days to weaken the troublemakers with hunger to make them more compliant.

Despite it being a griffon prison, there were a few non-griffon inmates too, like a few ponies of different types, a minotaur, parrots who'd been imprisoned for pirating the Griffon Kingdom's coastal communities, some zebra marauders, and even a few dragons who'd attacked, thinking the Griffon Kingdom would be easy pickings. Although The Point housed offenders who were meant to be locked up for life, external factors sometimes forced the warden's talons into releasing certain inmates (almost always a non-griffon) into the custody of foreign authorities.

However, the current MIP (Most Infamous Prisoner) was Gar, former Lord of Griffonstone, finally brought to justice and sentenced to The Point of No Return by the brother he'd long hated. Not only that, as if destiny itself had chosen to rub salt into the wound, said brother was now King Godric, First of His Name, King of the Griffons, Lord of Griffonstone, High General of the Sky Knights, Sovereign Ruler and Protector of the Griffon Kingdom.

For so long the throne had been just out of Gar's grasping talons, infuriatingly empty, but in spite of his kind's intense frugality, the ancient laws had quite literally been written in stone by the first griffon king, Grover himself, that only the worthy could assume the throne in the event of no proper heir. Gar had taken that to believe that if he could find the lost Idol of Boreas then the griffons would surely deem him worthy and the throne would have been his. But no... that meddlesome unicorn prince, along with that colorful trollop and her pudgy pink friend, had gotten involved, exposed him, and then that cursed griffoness, Gilda, had proposed Godric become king, an idea that was met with a rousing cheer from the citizens of Griffonstone.

Gar had been given a trial where he had no way to bribe or sway the judge, jury, or witnesses, resulting in him being found guilty of a list of crimes that could reach from one end of the Hyperborean Mountain Range to the other, his wealth was seized, and now here he was, condemned to languish within these cold stone walls, simmering in his hate. His old employees, Wotan and the thieves guild, had been imprisoned along with him, but Wotan wasn't as receptive to Gar as he was before, likely blaming the fallen lord for his own imprisonment, and the guild members had followed suit.

For months Gar had trudged the long days away in prison, trying to think of ways to escape, worm his way into the guards' favor, recruit fellow inmates. All he got for his efforts were disappointments, revoked privileges, and a black eye and bruises, along with no small amount of humiliation. The prison was locked down tighter than Fort Flox, the guards were dedicated to their duties and so were insulted by Gar's attempts to bribe and flatter them, and whatever reputation he'd enjoyed had long been lost so none of the other inmates took him seriously, laughing and mocking him at best or he got used as a punching bag at worst.

As he lay in his cell, Gar was beginning to think this really was it. All his lying and cheating, scheming and killing, had just been to leave him here in this hole deep in the bowels of The Point of No Return. Well, given where he was, it seemed appropriate.

Little did he realize, his luck was about to change...

...for outside, standing on a cliff, overlooking The Point, a unicorn pony, garbed in a velvet cloak of wine red, gazed down with an arrogant smirk.

The Break of Dawn sailed through the cloudy skies that encircled the Hyperborean Mountains. Inside the airship's lounge, Princess Twilight Sparkle was going over the message sent to her and her husband, Prince Midnight Blaze, from their friend and ally, King Godric of Griffonstone.

To my esteemed friends, Prince Midnight and Princess Twilight,

Griffonstone is in peril. My brother, Gar, former Lord of Griffonstone, has done what no griffon has done before - He has escaped our most secure prison, The Point of No Return. Not just he, but almost every prisoner was unleashed, and while we've made strides in recapturing a few (none of whom were affiliated with my brother), Gar and his followers have been at large for the last two weeks in spite of the Sky Knights' efforts to track them down and recapture them.

Escaping from The Point was thought by many griffons to be impossible, but alas no prison is infallible. While the prison could not be broken out of, there was not enough security to prevent one from breaking in.

I am disturbed to say, that the escape was made possible... by a Unicorn pony. This unicorn infiltrated the prison, completely undetected, and once they had found their objective, plainly Gar, they used their magic without restraint to facilitate his escape, as well as all the other prisoners. Most likely to serve as distractions for my knights and other agents.

The unicorn displayed formidable power, wielding magic in the form of seething fire and blinding light. While many guards were injured or otherwise incapacitated, thankfully there were no deaths. Alas, with Gar on the loose, I fear for my kingdom. Whispers have reached my ears, whispers that my brother is conspiring with his old colleagues, as well as any unsavory sorts among griffonkind. The fact my knights and other agents have been unable to track him down leads me to suspect the unicorn helps him still, and if this escalates, I fear our two nations could become at odds. Worse yet, unless I can stop Gar and put him back in prison, I truly fear that the Griffon Kingdom could be torn apart by whatever he may be scheming.

Midnight, Twilight, it is with utmost sincerity that I request your aid in resolving this matter. My knights are stretched thin, tracking down escaped prisoners and keeping law and order, and while I trust my staff I cannot say with absolute certainty that one or more of them may be compromised. My sons, Horus and Doran, are among the few in my inner circle I can safely say that I truly trust, but we are not enough. Please... help us. I await your response.

All my best wishes,
King Godric, First of my Name, King of the Griffons, Lord of Griffonstone, High General of the Sky Knights, Sovereign Ruler and Protector of the Griffon Kingdom

Twilight was concerned, not only for King Godric, whom she had come to respect and care about as a good friend, but for the griffons of his kingdom. She'd heard the whole story form Blueblood, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie after their return from Griffonstone. How Gar had arranged for Rainbow Dash to die in the Abysmal Abyss and even had the griffoness she'd been with killed to silence her. She'd heard more of Gar from Godric, and felt sympathetic to the griffon, wondering how the brother he had grown up with turned out to be such a contemptible creature. Twilight couldn't imagine her own brother turning out in a similar manner.

Yet Godric's message did give Twilight deeper cause for concern. A unicorn had broken the most secure griffon prison wide open, allowing for every prisoner to escape. Godric was right; if this wasn't resolved, if the situation worsened, there was no telling what could happen.

Twilight found herself missing Spike even though she knew she was right to leave him in Lunaria with Faerie Tail and Twinken. As reassuring as his presence would have been, he was safer away from this whole situation. Though his magical firebreath would make sending and receiving messages quicker, she knew she could replicate the magic herself.

"Twilight?" Twilight turned to see Midnight approaching, coming over to join her in the lounge chair next to hers. She was dispirited to see her husband's warmth was underlined by a distant chill, his expression all business, before saying, "Griffonstone is in sight. We'll touch down within the hour."

"Good," Twilight sighed softly before floating the message over to Midnight, "King Godric is very concerned about this situation, and so am I. Why is he asking for our help two weeks after his brother's escape from The Point of No Return?"

"A nation that can't handle its own problems looks weak and incompetent, especially where their leadership is concerned," Midnight responded as he looked over the message again, "I wager... he wanted to handle it himself, but the situation has grown beyond his control. Not to mention this unicorn that broke the prison so wide open that every prisoner inside got out."

"Midnight..." Midnight regarded his wife as Twilight looked concerned, "He described this unicorn as being powerful, making use of fire magic. Could it be...?"

"One of the two assailants that attacked Starlight's old village?" Midnight nodded in trepidation, "The thought crossed my mind as well. If this unicorn and that one are indeed one and the same, it means Catrina is potentially involved, and that... is disturbing in and of itself."

"King Godric's concerned that this whole situation could escalate," Twilight fretted, "and the idea that Equestria and the Griffon Kingdom could become hostile-"

"It's up to us, Godric, and the Sky Knights to make sure that doesn't happen," Midnight said in determination, "But first things first - We'll speak with King Godric and his sons and advisors once we reach Griffonstone. Remember, Twily, patience yields focus."

"Patience yields focus... I like that. Where did you hear it?" Twilight smiled a bit, feeling a little better by her husband's assuring words.

"Godric taught me, that as long as you are patient, then focus will come easily," Midnight smirked as he stood up, "Let's have a quick meal, it'll do us good and give us energy that we're gonna need. For whatever lies ahead..."

Twilight stood up to follow him, but she couldn't help but notice how Midnight didn't pause for her to catch up. Usually, he did so they could walk together. Sometimes he'd even tease her with a rump-bump and they'd laugh. In spite of the assuring words and sensible suggestion, Midnight was all business at the moment.

But then... how can I blame him? thought Twilight as she followed her husband to the galley.

Griffonstone had come a long way since the coronation of their first king in over a hundred years. Godric, the Sky Knights, and all their closest allies had worked overtime, restoring Griffonstone to its full glory. It'd taken no small amount of hard work, organizing, and negotiating with builders, farmers, merchants, and such, but Griffonstone, as well as the rest of the kingdom, was coming along nicely.

Gone was the decrepit architecture of the various buildings, structures, and housing. The streets had been cleaned and cleared of dirt and debris, the shops were proudly displaying wares, delicious smells from the eateries and food carts filled the air, and even the castle was well on its way to the full restoration of its regal splendor. There was still work to do, of course, and the knights and guards patrolling had to be vigilant for any arguments and signs of hostility, keeping peace and enforcing the authority of the king's laws.

It hadn't been easy, far from it. The griffons had been greedy and miserly for generations, and that wouldn't completely disappear overnight. There were still some bad eggs, hustling, haggling, and trying to "earn" a little extra coin here and there. While various eyries, communities, and towns around the Griffon Kingdom had had these problems, Griffonstone had been the worst.

Thankfully, with their community being restored and built back up, the griffons of the royal capital were slowly but surely becoming more pleasant and prouder of their nation than being stingy and selfish. Cleaner streets, more comfortable housing, better goods, all of it helping to inspire and uplift the spirit in the community and its locals.

The Break of Dawn landed upon a platform that had been constructed specifically for airships, this one built next to the castle. As the Harmony Guard disembarked, they saw half a dozen griffons in attendance with one in the front, a griffon they were amicably familiar with, for Doran had come to personally welcome them, smiling with relief to see his two good friends come down the gangplank.

Doran was large for a griffon (though those who knew him knew that some of Doran's bulk came from his hearty appetite in spite of his sticking to his training regimen. It worked yet he never seemed to shed the extra pounds). His lion pelt a brownish-red with a golden sheen while his head was covered with gleaming golden feathers, and his eyes were the blue of a nice summer day. He wore a regal sash of blue edged with gold, signifying his status as a prince, but not heir apparent. Though they could see Doran was happy to see them, Midnight and Twilight couldn't help but notice how tired Doran seemed to be.

"Presenting their Royal Highnesses, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Prince Midnight Blaze," announced Lyra Heartstrings, the head of the Dawn Division of the Harmony Guard.

"Welcome, my friends, it raises my spirit to see you, though I wish it was under better circumstances," Doran gave a regal bow of respect, which Midnight and Twilight returned kindly.

"It's good to see you as well, Prince Doran," Twilight replied with a kind smile, "and it is our honor and pleasure to offer our aid to you. What else are for friends for, after all?"

"When all is said and done, we're gonna have to host a Silverbolts event right here in Griffonstone," suggested Midnight.

"I'm sure my people would greatly enjoy that," Doran agreed though he could not hide the troubled look in his eyes, "but we'll have to hold off on such discussions. My father awaits you both in the throne room. Please, follow me."

As Doran turned to lead the way, Midnight and Twilight had a quick word with their guards, instructing Lyra to inform Skywyrd to keep The Dawn prepped and ready, just in case, while ordering Avalanche of the Dusk Division and a few other Harmony Guards to follow.

The walk to the throne room didn't take long, and it gave Midnight and Twilight the chance to see Griffonstone, albeit from a distance, was looking better in spite of a subtle dread hanging over every griffon they saw. The throne room looked grand and proud, clean and restored to its full glory, and several griffons surrounded the largest griffon there, King Godric.

Godric was a mighty specimen of his species, tall and strong, with a plumage of golden brown feathers and tawny golden fur while the feathers on his head were steely white, his eyes the color of molten gold. He bore scars, one over his beak, another resembling claw marks raking from his throat to his left shoulder. He wore a shimmering black sash, hemmed with gold, across his chest, from his right shoulder to his left hip, pauldrons that seemed ornate yet bore telltale marks of having experienced battle, were strapped to his frame, and a crown upon his brow that had once been the Idol of Boreas until it was melted down and reforged into a crown worthy of the new king of the Griffon Kingdom.

Though he seemed composed, Godric's tail twitched every now and then as he listened to his advisors and regarded their reports, until his eyes lit up at the sight of his son and visitors. He raised his wings, beckoning silence before dismissing his advisors and stepping down from the throne with a troubled smile.

"Midnight, my old squire, and the fair Twilight, welcome," Godric gave them a respectful bow, which they kindly reciprocated, "in light of recent events, seeing the two of you brings a great comfort to this old veteran's heart."

"Oh, come now, my old master," Midnight smirked while saluting the regal griffon with the Sky Knight salute, by thumping his right hoof onto his chest, right over his heart. "You're hardly into the middle of your fourth decade, still plenty of years of action ahead of you."

"Argh, if only more of that action was more practical than political," Godric chuckled awkwardly before giving Twilight a warm look, "Twilight, my dear, you look as radiant as ever."

"Your Majesty, King Godric," Twilight smiled as she stepped forward and gave the king a warm hug, "It truly is wonderful to see you."

"Aye, were only it during happier occasions," Godric sighed when they parted, and the griffon looked around, "I... notice your fine assistant is absent."

"I decided it was best that Spike be left behind," Twilight nodded, sounding melancholy about it, "Given the situation, I believe it would be safer for him."

"As much as I would have enjoyed young Spike's company, I must agree," Godric nodded, "A moment, if you please?"

The two alicorns shared a confused look and noticed Godric politely gestured them back. They obliged, standing beside Doran, and watched as Godric pressed his talon upon a symbol carved into one of the stone tiles in the floor. Upon doing so, a circle of arcane characters lit up, and said circle rose into a stone table, displaying a holographic image of the Griffon Kingdom.

"Wow! This is remarkably similar to something we have back in our own castle," Twilight gazed over the magical display, "I was aware griffons have their own form of magic, but... I think this is the first example of it I've ever seen, not counting griffons being able to walk on clouds."

"Unlike you ponies, who can wield magic at will," Godric nodded, "we griffons utilize magic via glyphs, which manifest magic by utilizing ambient mystical energies, as well as other mystical sources. Different glyphs have different magical effects, and by combining the glyphs in exact ways, we can produce more advanced magical effects that are more powerful than glyphs could make on their own. Like words forming a sentence."

"Also, you can learn the Art of Mana Wielding, enabling you to use magical abilities fueled by your own mana," Midnight pointed out. "Like the Mana Shield, Sensing, Channeling..."

"Yes, which is why griffons are able to learn to walk on clouds as pegasi do, by channeling our mana to certain parts of or even across our entire bodies," Doran nodded before his father waved his talon through the display and willing several red points to light up.

"These spots mark criminal activities and such that have or are occurring in the Griffon Kingdom. My knights and other agents are spread thin, keeping the peace, enforcing law and order, and trying to track down and recapture all of the criminals that were set free from The Point of No Return. Were I not needed here, I would be out there with my brothers-in-arms..." Godric sighed, looking dispirited, when his son came over and placed his talon on his father's shoulder.

"The Sky Knights know you would never ask of them what you are not willing to do yourself, Father," Doran said with a warm and respectful assurance. "They know the kind of leader you are, and that's why they follow you. As do I."

"You have a true heart, my son," Godric smiled appreciatively. Clearing his throat, Godric continued, "As my forces and resources are stretched thin, doing their best to resolve the situation, our efforts to locate my brother and the unicorn that helped him escape have been unsuccessful. Twice it seemed we were closing in, only for one to be a false trail to mislead us, and the second was an ambush that cost two knights their lives while others were injured."

"What about the unicorn who helped him?" asked Twilight. "Have you uncovered anything about them? Their identity, motives, or even what they look like?"

"My son and heir, Horus, has been entrusted the task of personally leading a team to track down Gar and this unicorn," Godric replied with an undertone of worry, "While they've yet to sight Gar himself they managed to confront the unicorn only a few days ago. All they could determine that this unicorn is apparently a mare from the sound of her voice."

"So she spoke to them. What did she say, exactly?" inquired Midnight.

"Not much. Something abut messing with her and they'd get burned," Doran sighed with light frustration. "Simply an arrogant taunt. However, since she continues to elude Horus and his team, she might be justified in vaunting her abilities."

"Meanwhile, there have been whispers amongst the shady and crooked of the kingdom," Godric added in a slightly woeful tone, "Ever since I came to the throne I'd made it a priority to crack down upon griffon criminals and the corrupt griffon nobles that supported them. Many of them were arrested, found guilty in my royal court, and sentenced to The Point. A few in comparison shared crucial information in exchange for leniency and swearing fealty to the crown.

"Still, having overthrown the ways things had been for decades left a bitter taste in the mouths of the criminals and corrupt. I fear that Gar may take advantage of their malcontent and sway them to his side, turning them deliberately against me."

"These wretches have enjoyed being the fat cats in the Griffon Kingdom until you knocked them off their perches," Midnight quipped, spurring a light chuckle amongst them.

"Basically, yes," Godric nodded, followed by a huff, "Unless we resolve this, and soon, I fear the Griffon Kingdom may very well become at war with itself..."

"We are going to do everything we can to make sure that that does not happen, Your Majesty," Twilight vowed to the griffon king, who nodded solemnly.

"...thank you, Princess Twilight," Godric said softly.

"So. These ruffled feathers you spoke of," Midnight brought up, "Do any in particular come to mind? Any you consider the most likely to be turned by Gar."

"The most corrupt lords and barons, whose crimes the knighthood was able to uncover," Godric explained, "I had them prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Several I sentenced to execution."

Twilight had to exercise control, so as not to gasp, however lightly. She knew there were nations that still used death penalties. It wasn't that long ago she recalled Celestia sentencing the former Duke of Business, Buck Cheap of House Avarice, to death and Midnight was the executioner. The difference there was, Cheap had been executed with a phoenix arrow - Instead of truly dying, he was burnt to ashes, from which he was reborn a baby colt, given a second chance to grow up and be a different pony, a better pony. She rather doubted the Griffon Kingdom used phoenix arrows for executions.

"Others I condemned to The Point, to spend the rest of their days locked up, stripped of their titles, wealth, lands," Godric continued. "Only a few of them willingly swore fealty to me in exchange for leniency and any evidence they could offer against the worst of them. There are some griffon nobles who are truly honorable, they swore fealty to me without condition. Even so, the ones who threw the others under the wagon, I can't be completely certain of where their loyalties lie."

"The ones you condemned to The Point will surely have escaped after the unicorn set Gar free," Twilight brought up, "How many are there?"

"Of the eleven griffon nobles I imprisoned in The Point, eight remain. One took his own life rather than live the rest of it caged, the other two were killed by other prisoners who had personal vendettas against them," Godric waved his talon through the holo display, bringing up images of the eight mentioned former nobles, before six other images were displayed as well.
"The additional six are the ones who surrendered to my authority and gave testimony against the initial eleven in exchange for leniency. As I said, they swore fealty yet I have doubts regarding their loyalties. Any of them could possibly betray their oaths of fealty if they believe they could benefit from allying with my brother."

"The remaining eight who escaped from The Point however were stripped of their titles, wealth, and lands, but they could still pose a threat," Doran pointed out. "They had ties to criminals and other entities that represent considerable influence, in and out of the kingdom. The only real power they may have left is if those ties are secure enough for them to exploit, but given the fact they lost what power they had, it is possible their allies will not be so willing to aid them."

"Perhaps they won't, but we can't count on that," debated Midnight. "Perhaps they, or even Gar, have already been in contact with those allies of theirs. If you provide me a list of likely suspects, I can spy on them or search for evidence that could indicate what they may be up to. Maybe even clues on where Gar or this mysterious unicorn are hiding."

"Hmm, you'll have to be absolutely discreet in the task," Godric considered, "but I say caution, for even a single misstep could be catastrophic. Make no mistakes, my friends and my son, the Griffon Kingdom very much teeters on the edge of disaster. We should await the return of my son, Horus. His last correspondence with me stated he was following up on a promising lead in tracking down Gar. After I sent my message to the two of you, I sent a summons to Horus as well, so that he might be able to share whatever he may have uncovered. In fact..."

Godric looked towards a nearby clock on the wall, grand an ornate in design, wider than the width of a chariot wheel, the numbers replaced with numerals and the hands pointing out it was half past two o'clock, causing the griffon king to frown slightly, "He should have arrived shortly after noon. I just got so distracted by your arrival that the appointment slipped my mind."

"Horus is usually punctual, but perhaps he is just waylaid, Father," Doran suggested even though there was some worry in him too.

"I remember Horus, he's a cunning warrior," Midnight said reassuringly, "You trained him well, my old master."

Godric sighed, "Yes... but I only hope I trained him well enough, my old squi-"

*KaSLAM*

The four royals all jumped, startled by the sound of the doors into the throne room being thrown open with such force they slammed into the walls, and they looked to see, much to their shock, a large griffon, accompanied and held up by another, as the second screeched, "YOUR MAJESTY! Prince Horus has returned! He- He's gravely injured!"

"My son!" Godric rushed forward, followed by Doran, Midnight and Twilight, the latter of whom conjured a clean mattress and a first-aid kit.

"Quick, set him down, we must-" Twilight started, only for the injured griffon to hack and cough before wheezing.

"Belay that... ACK! My fate is... sealed..." Horus was bleeding from various cuts and there was a few arrows sticking out of his back and one in his haunch. One of his wings was burned bare of its feathers, one of his eyes a bloody mess, his ears torn, and bleeding claw marks raked across his belly. Horus reached up with one of his talons, two of which had been cut off and poorly wrapped in a vain effort to stop the bleeding, "Father, my king..."

"Horus!" Godric clasped his son's talons, unable to hide the horror and pain of seeing his first-hatched this way, "What happened?! Who did this...?"

"Father... we didn't... it came out of nowhere, a-a great... animal!" Horus spoke in a voice raspy yet undeniably haunted and shocked.

"Wha- Animal?! Horus, we don't understand!" Doran was at his brother's side, already starting to tear up.

"Doran, little brother... it's not what it seems, it's not what it seems!" Horus sounded desperate, suddenly grasping Doran's shoulder.

"What's not what i- Horus, we need to get you-" Doran's voice cracked with despair, knowing in his heart it was too late.

"I failed... my team, my friends! Gar... has... won..." And Horus breathed his last, leaving his father and brother speechless and tearful, as the griffon king stifled a sob, pressing his forehead to his fallen son before throwing his head back to release a piercing cry of anguish.