The Return of Darkness

Twilight Sparkle sat in front of a dead body of a familiar Griffin in front of her on top of the roof of the Lab. Before she could make sense of what was going on, the sound of the Labs Siren went off and a shouting ponies in golden armor came into view. Just as she was about to go investigate what was going on, she was tackled to the ground and a yellow pony began shouting at her with Shinning armor right beside him.

She couldn't make any sense of what was going on around her until her brother shoved a piece of paper in her face. She looked at it in utter confusion. It was in her hoof-writing, but the message was something she couldn't put her head around. Why would she erase her memory of an act that she didn't do? Why would she use a spell that only works on her and her friends? Why is there blood on her hooves? So many questions enveloped her mind just as High Voltage began demanding for reparations for his loss.

"I demand payment for the only pony in Equestria that was capable of uncovering the secrets of scrolls over three thousand years old!" Volt shouted. "Do you have any idea how valuable that Tom was?! He was worth millions of bits! Millions! Do you know how pissed Fancy Pants will be when he finds out that his investment was killed? Well...Do you!" Volt seethed at Twilight. She shrunk back from his gaze as Shining did a few spells to make sure that this wasn't fake, but the expression was leaning towards that his own sister killed a mere child for a reason, he will never know, but judging from Volts shouting. The Griffin could do something that Twilight couldn't and her perfectionist attitude got in the way.

"Why would she do this?" Shining asked Volt. Volt snorted in disgust. "Because my assistant managed to translate an old scroll that the young princess here couldn't. I could feel the utter hate to the young Griffin pouring out of her like a raging river. I bet her hate for Griffins drove her to kill him so that she could take all the credit. And she did it in a way where she can't be charged with the crime." Volt pointed at Twilight. "Get her out of my Lab, she is not allowed back unless she is accompanied by Princess Celestia herself," Volt hissed. "Now then, if you will excuse me. I got to make a trip to Canterlot to tell Fancy that our prize has been ruined."

"BBBFF, I didn't do anything, I swear!" Twilight begged. Shining just gave her a disappointed gaze. "I checked to see if this wasn't faked with spells that Celestia taught me herself. I am sorry Twilight, but you did do this. Sergent, Corporal. Take her to the dungeon for the destruction of High-valued Property."

"Yes Sir," the guards Saluted. Twilight Slumped her head in shame as she was dragged to the prison.

I recovered from the teleport that I got Twilight to use on me before I set the plan in motion. I got her to teleport me to the eastern beach of the Old Kingdom. It was a simple, blind teleport that I knew she could do without a problem, but the problem was how disorientating the spell was on the send-y.

I shook myself to get rid of the sand the was in my fur and took a look around. If I remembered correctly from what I learned from Twilight Sparkle, Griffinstone was the only town where Griffins are free to do as they please, but it was a town of poverty. That word didn't sit well with me, I feel like I had first-hand experience with it, but now is not to look back in my life to confirm my discomfort.

I pulled out a map of the land and saw the location that I was going to. It was roughly a four-day walk to the town...From the station, which is on the other side of a small mountain range. It was a six-day walk if I wasn't to go that route, which was fine with me. I needed some time to myself to figure out something that has been bugging my mind. Some days, I feel like I was missing something, something important, yet, no matter how much I searched for it. I couldn't quite find it, but I knew it had something to do with my mind. I was hesitant to use magic on the subject, but if I meditate, which caused me great joy just thinking about it. I might be able to find a clue to figure out what was missing.

Putting that thought aside for later. I closed up the map and placed it into my hammerspace. I did a quick stretch with my wings, then jumped into the air and went south along the beach to Griffinstone.

I flew until evening without stop. I needed to get as far as I could and quickly away from the island fort. I didn't want to find out that my false murder didn't work. I managed to fly two days worth of walking in just a few hours while following the mountain breeze. This was a great help as it gave me a huge head start if a group of guards was on the chase.

I landed in a small clearing in the forest that bordered the mountain range and the beach. I did a quick look around and found a small cave to make a temporary camp for the night. I pulled out a small, fur bedroll from my hammerspace and pulled out my new knife so that I can hunt for some fresh game. As much as I loved premade food, nothing beats; fresh, bloody, rabbit. which was a thought that didn't make sense to me, as I don't remember when I had a rabbit in the first place.

I left my cave after collecting some firewood. The sun was setting, the cold mountain breeze was ruffling my fur and the feeling of dirt beneath my paws was rather soothing. With my knife over my shoulder, I let my body take over in a way that felt alien. I crawled low to the ground, making sure that I was downwind. I used my wings to glide over the ground in such a way, that I was silent. I weaved through the underbrush like the perfect predator and found my prey within a few seconds.

I saw a rabbit, a big brown rabbit with horns. A jackalope. The mutant didn't smell me as I was downwind. I crawled silently, keeping him in my vision. He didn't see me, slowly crawl up from behind like a shadow, but without that spell. I tensed up my haunches, ready to make a pounce. I licked my lips, ready to bit down on his plump neck and taste the blood of a fresh kill. My heart raced as I count to three. 'One, Two, Three!' I shouted internally as I pounced. I bit down on his neck and whipped my neck, snapping his neck, cleanly and without damaging his fur. The rabbit couldn't struggle, couldn't run away. I walked back to the cave with my dinner with a strange fire in my heart and a rabbit dangling from my jaws.

Gilda watched from a distance with her friend Gloria as a little Griffin with a black bandana around his neck pounced on their hunt like a wolf. They watched in horror as the little Griffin snapped his neck so fast that the rabbit in his jaws went limp before it could run or even fight for its life. Gilda felt sick to her stomach as she saw the predatory smile envelop the little Griffins face as he dragged the kill in his jaws to wherever he was going.

Gilda could see that Gloria was absolutely horrified at the sight they just saw. Gilda knew the she was a major pacifist and vegan that hated meat. If it wasn't for the fact that the killer was a child, Gloria would have beat the living shit out of the Griffin.

Gilda sighed, hungry and bored. She didn't like the fact that the White fangs gave her a mission to go to Griffinstone to wait for a package that was going to be delivered there for their cause while the rest of them ran to the Frontier. She had Gloria as a backup if she were to fail, which was something that she didn't expect. Gloria was a lover, not a fighter. Gilda couldn't wrap her head around why they would send a medic to help an assassin on a package with a scroll that is said to be as old as the lost city of Eden.

Gildas' stomach shouted at them, screaming that it needed food. Gilda put away her recurring thoughts, knowing that whoever that little Griffin was, he must have a friend nearby. 'Maybe they got some food?' Gilda thought. She motioned to Gloria to follow as she silently followed the young Tom back to his hideout as a pair of nasty clouds began to fill the night sky.

I gutted the rabbit and expertly slice it up and placed the pieces of meat on a flat stone beside my fire to cook as I skinned the rest of the rabbit for the fur and for the horns. I placed the entrails in a hole outside of the cave and buried it with a turd that I had to pass to cover the scent from predators. When I came back, there were two Griffins waiting for me, wearing light armor and one of them had a short sword and bow.

I gave them an innocent smile and greeted myself. "Hello, how may I help you?" The two girls gave me a smile back, but the one in less armor had a hint if disgust. "Hey, my name is Gilda and this is my friend Gloria. We were heading to Griffinstone when we had to stop to get something to eat. We saw you catch that rabbit which was an awesome kill by the way," Gilda said.

'Should I know her?' I thought. 'She seems very familiar. Though she reeks of White Claw. I got to be careful around her.

"So, is there someone else with you? A little Griffin like you can't be alone," Gilda said causing red flags to go off in my head.

"I'm alone," I replied. This caused both Griffin's to frown. "If you are alone, then what are you doing out here?" Gloria asked.

"I am traveling to Griffinstone. I stopped here to get something to eat and to rest. Why?"

Both Griffin's frown deepened. "Okay, so why are ou heading to Griffinstone?"

I yawned and began to eat my catch right in front of them, they were clearly hungry, which is why they were hunting. I bet I caught their kill right under their nose, causing them to follow me betting that someone older would share, but it's my kill and they need to respect that. I made a quick lie to keep them off of me.

"I am heading to Griffinstone to search for a home away from the ponies. I learned that it was the only place where Griffins can be free, even though it was not very pleasant to live there," I said. "Why are you going there?" I asked them. This question caused them to stiffen up.

"We are going to pick up a package," Gilda said, clearly hiding that is a half truth. Time to make a guess to open up them up more.

"Does it have to do with the Elder Scrolls?" I asked. Thier reaction told me everything that I needed to know. Another one of those scrolls is being taken to Griffinstone to be picked up by the White Claw. They most likely think that this will give them an edge if they could translate it. I can also assume that this scroll would have the most important information that could lead to Eden, where I can begin my search for the Vault. I need that scroll.

"E-Elder Scrolls...What are those?" Gilda stuttered.

"They are scrolls that hold information of the first Kingdom of Eden. I managed to get my claws on nine of them, and I can read and translate them," I said. Both Griffins eyes widened in shock at my half-bluff. I will kill them once I have the scroll, or enslave them to make them my puppets and spies for the White Claws and their stupid cause.

"Okay then," Gilda said as I finished my meal. "Grab him."