The Terrarian Warby TheFabulousWhaleChaptersPilotTravelersInformationAdventure's BeginningThe First StepsPilotChapter I Pilot The breeze gently caused Jayk's white feathers to sway, it was soothing enough to put him to sleep, so he closed his eyes. He sat on a branch that almost camouflaged with his brown fur. It erected from beneath his bedroom window, and he pondering the question of what he was going to do for his 18th birthday. Going for a walk in some unexplored forests or lounging about at home were his two best options. Jayk lived in Concordia, a large tree that served as the capital of Cervidas. For a place as important as a capital, nothing interesting commonly happened here. The only eye-batting occurrences would be any shady travelers that arrived once or twice a day. Interesting enough, a large wooden cart was rolling its way towards the tree. It was being pulled by two animals who bore ragged brown cloaks that barely went halfway down their legs. Jayk heard the sound of its squeaking wheels and glanced down. He examined the two newcomers, who were now talking to the armored guards at the entrance to the city. It was a zebra and an abada, both of them were from Zebrafica, a prairie country south of Cervidas. "Zebraficans..." Jayk mumbled to himself, shaking his head then resting them on his claws. "Happy birthday to you..." A voice emitted from the window. "Happy birthday to you..." Jayk lifted his head and looked at the window to his bedroom. A female deer stood just behind the curtains. It was his adoptive mother, Brisk, and in her hooves was a cake with a candle shaped like the number 18. "Happy birthday dear Jayk, happy birthday to you..." She sang with a soothing voice. Jayk smiled and climbed into the window. "Thanks, mum." Brisk pushed some pencils aside on Jayk's "workplace" and set the cake atop a rough sketch. She then flipped off the light as Jayk tossed the curtains shut. The candle illuminated their faces and parts of the bedroom. "Where's dad?" Jayk asked, quickly glancing at the door. "He-" She paused. "He's very busy with work, being the captain of the Royal Concordia Guard and all..." Jayk shook off the feeling that it was a lie. His mother was one of the most honest people in town. "Don't worry about him." Brisk said. "Now, don't forget to make a wish." She motioned towards the candle. Jayk stared at it. Eighteen years. It's been that long since he was born. Born as a gryphon, not a deer or elk. Not that there was anything wrong with being different, Gryphons had their share of abilities. The only problem was the fact that he was a carnivore. Carnivores weren't too welcomed in lands that sheltered Herbivores. Jayk thought for a moment, then blew out the candle. "You're getting too old." Brisk said, giving Jayk a hug. "Here's your gift from me." She reached for a small package atop the shelf above his desk. Jayk began to rip away at the green leaves that wrapped around a small white box, in it was an amulet. The was made up of a small red ruby embedded into an octagonal golden frame. "Lord Argon and I picked that one from his personal treasury." Brisk said. "It's nice, thank you." Jayk placed the accessory around his neck and gave Brisk another hug. "I think I'll go see him now." "Who? Argon?" Brisk asked. Jayk nodded. "He gives us a tour of the underground on our 18th birthday, remember?" "Oh, right... Well, before you go, Gunther also has a gift for you." "Down at the pub?" "Yeah, be careful though, a trading caravan just arrived and the traders looked rough." "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Jayk quickly sliced a piece of cake with the provided knife before his mother brought it back into the kitchen. As Jayk munched on his cake, he threw on his leather saddlebags and filled them with his items. A sketchbook, some quills, a pair of goggles, a canteen, and his favorite Daring Do book was all that he needed. "I'll be back later!" Jayk yelled behind him and opened the front door to his house. Author's Note Short chapters = Less time needed = More chapters written. I hope you enjoy. Or not. Whatever. TravelersChapter II Travelers Jayk closed the door behind him and began to march down the stairs towards the base of the tree. The entirety of Concordia was built around the insides of a large tree. On each ring were plenty of buildings ranging from residential homes, commercial shops, and governmental offices. Spiraling down the insides of the tree was a staircase in which Jayk began to climb down. He passed by multiple Deer and Caribou on the way down, some of them giving him dirty looks. He was used to it, by the time he reached maturity, the residents began to trust him more. But they knew he was still a meat-eater, and sooner or later they believed he was going to crave the taste of flesh. Jayk neared the bottom layer and spotted two familiar figures. It was the traders from Zebrafica. They were arguing over what looked like a small red amulet with a unicorn head and a pair of wings. Jayk reached the ground floor and swiftly made his way to the pub. Pretending to not show any signs that he was interested in the shifty drunks, Jayk sat nearby their table, close enough to listen. "Alicorn amulet, one of a kind, worth a hundred bits." The zebra said, somewhat drunkenly. He took a sip from the large tankard in front of him. The elk that sat on the opposite side of the table stroked his beard. "What's the catch?" The zebra shrugged. "There may or may not be an unknown enchantment placed on it." "And you have no idea what it is?" "Trust me, it's a great bargain." The elk thought for a second. "Fine, I'll take it." He reached into a satchel that laid on the floor next to him and pulled out a small money bag. The duo shook hooves and exchanged goods, storing them away for later use. The abada that earlier arrived with the zebra entered the pub and took the elk's seat. "Howdy, Jayk!" A voice gruffly yelled, startling Jayk. "What the- Oh, hey Gunther." Gunther was Jayk's only real friend. A pronghorn who grew up with Jayk the night the gryphon arrived at Concordia. Gunther placed a silver platter in front of Jayk. On it was a small pizza topped with mushrooms and olives, a large tankard filled to the brim with warm apple cider, and a blueberry muffin. "Dig in, mate." Gunther said, leaning back in the chair next to Jayk. "It's on the house." "On the house, eh?" Jayk said. He grabbed a slice of pizza and took a bite out of it. "Thanks." "It's nuthin', don't worry about it." The duo sat in silence as the gryphon feasted on his birthday dinner. A mother deer and her child trotted up to the bar and rung the small bell. Gunther excused himself and marched up to the counter. "How can I help ya?" He said, folding his front legs on the counter. The mother smiled. "I heard this place has the best muffins in town." Gunther nodded. "Indeed we do, ma'am. Unfortunately, we're all sold out until next fall." The mother's foal started to tear up and stutter. "B-but I wanna m-muffin!" He cried. Jayk looked at his muffin, feeling bad for the child. It may be his birthday, but not giving the muffin to the child would just be selfish. He lifted the muffin and tossed it into the air several times. "Hey, kid." He said, holding the muffin out with his claw. "Take it." The foal walked over and carefully took the baked good. "Thank you." Jayk smiled and took a sip of cider. "Eat it like it's the last one ever." The mother thanked Jayk and the duo left the pub, one with a mouthful of muffin. Right before they stepped out, a seductive whistle echoed throughout the room. "Now that's a deer!" The zebra trader yelled after the mother. She gave him a disgusted look and trotted out the pub. "Oi," Gunther said. "Get off her back!" The zebra stood up and walked over to Jayk's table, dragging his abada friend behind him. "You guys should learn to mind yer own business." He said, leaning on the table. "You should learn to have some respect." Jayk said. The trader narrowed his eyes. "Well, if it isn't the meat-eating bird I've heard about." "Braig!" The abada said. "Enough of this nonsense!" Her horn glowed yellow and the same aura enveloped Braig. He was dragged back to his table, grumbling. She returned with a disappointed look on her face. "I'm sorry about him, he hasn't been making his average amount of money lately." "Visitors like him are always dropping in." The pronghorn replied. "Name's Gunther, this is Jayk." The abada bowed her head. "Arlene. It's not everyday we see a gryphon around these parts." Jayk nodded. "My adoptive parents found me as a baby, floating in the river. At least that's what they told me." "That's unfortunate, never meeting-" "Hey! Bartender! Get me some mead!" Braig yelled, hitting the table. As Gunther got up, Arlene motioned him to sit down. "He's had enough." "I heard that!" The trader said. "Get me some mead!" "You're not gettin' anything!" Gunther yelled back. Braig's chair screeched as he stood up and marched back over to the table. Arlene began to force him back with her magic, but Braig continued without trouble. He leaned towards the two friends. "Get me something to drink." "No." Gunther said. "That's it!" Braig lifted his left hoof to throw a punch, but was caught off guard when Jayk shoved him into another table. "Get outta here!" Jayk managed to say before being tackled by Braig. The duo continued to fight until two guards managed to pull the drunk traveler off of the annoyed gryphon. A larger figure approached Jayk and examined him. It was Lord Argon, ruler of Concordia. "You're late," He said. "Come with me." Author's Note Well, that guy is a dick. Also, their names are totally not from a video game. InformationChapter III Information Lord Argon continued down the stairs while Jayk followed behind, wiping his bloody nose with a cloth. They were making their way to the underground cave of the city. "I trust you were not attempting to skip this tour?" Argon asked. "I was considering it." "But you didn't?" "You can thank that trader." Argon sighed and turned a sharp corner. Jayk did the same, but almost ran into Argon. They were now standing in front of a simple metal door, on it was a sign that read Members of the Royal Order Only! Jayk expected some sort of special lock to appear, but was met with an anti-climatic push of the door. "Holy Horseapples..." Jayk mumbled as the door swung open. Beyond it was a large rocky cavern with ornamental carvings indented on almost every rock. Along the sides of the long tunnel were fancy lanterns that lit up most of the dark cave. At the end of the cavern there was a pulsating light, almost bronze in color. Argon pushed by Jayk and began to slowly walk towards it. "This is the Hall of Arbor," Argon stated. "It is here in which our city is powered. Our ancestors built their homes above this ancient cave, not knowing it was here. It was only a matter of time in which a seed was planted directly above that light that shines before us. The Earth Crystal." Argon approached the light, which was emitting from a small brown octahedron. Inside it was a large swirling cloud of the same color. As Argon began to talk about the Earth Crystal again, he noticed that Jayk was examining the walls instead of paying attention. Argon approached Jayk and did the same. "What's this?" Jayk asked after a moment of silence. Argon looked at the spot Jayk was pointing at. It was a large group of cervidae running angrily towards a large group of gryphons. Both were bearing armor, wielding weapons, and being lead by their respective king. Argon took a deep breath. "Well..." He said. "It was called The Battle of Stellar. About ten years ago, Concordia's Lord during that time had a daughter named Stella. For her 7th birthday, she and her guards went on a trip to Gryphus, the capital of The Gryphon Kingdoms. She was only supposed to be there for a week, but never returned. After days of frantic searching, the Lord grew angry with the Gryphons. He gathered a company of fighters and battled those who were thought responsible in the middle of Equestria. Soon after it ended, the news of Stella's death spread across Terra, sending Concordia's Lord into madness. He was no longer fit to rule, and was kicked out of the city forever." "And what happened afterwards?" "The incident was forgotten by most, but we still do not see eye-to-eye with the Gryphons. You see, Jayk, that is why-" "-I've always been given the cold shoulder." Jayk sighed, then turned towards the Earth Crystal. "Continue the tour." "No," Argon said. "I think you would like to know more about your arrival." Jayk glared into the crystal. "Yes. Yes I do." "By now, I'm sure you know that you're not from here." Argon said. "Obviously." "It was Gunther who found you in a river at Shattered Hoof, south of Equadoe. He got the attention of a nearby citizen, who so happened to be Brisk." "I take it that it wasn't easy to keep me here." Argon nodded. "Everyone in the council was against it. They wanted to either send you to Equestria, or kill you." "Clearly, both of those weren't an option for mum." Argon nodded again. "She managed to influence the council to rethink your fate." "I suppose you know nothing about me before my arrival?" Argon shook his head. Jayk grabbed his mother's amulet and held it in front of him, processing the information. It may not have seem like much, but to Jayk, it was indeed a lot to take in. The duo sat quietly, observing the swirling clouds within the crystal. The silence was broken when the only door clicked shut, emitting an echo throughout the dimly lit cave. Argon turned to the entrance. "Who's there?" No response. "Answer me, newcomer." He said, menacingly. The two lanterns closest to the door quickly flickered out. Argon motioned to Jayk to duck behind the pedestal that held the Earth Crystal. A floating ball of fire appeared between Argon's large swirling horns. It split in two and each half floated over to an unlit lantern. Besides Jayk and Argon, the room was empty. "It must have been a-" "Watch out!" Jayk yelled. Argon barely managed to jump out of the way when something landed in the spot he was just standing in. It was a caribou, cloaked in entirely black clothing. Only his sapphire blue eyes were visible underneath the dark hood. It reached for the Earth Crystal, but was staggered by a magical projectile. It growled and charged at Argon, who was charging up another, more powerful, spell. Argon was tackled to the floor, he wasn't as good with hoof-to-hoof combat then he was with magical combat. Jayk watched from behind the pedestal, not knowing what to do. Argon and the cloaked elk continued to fight around the room, both of them clearly growing tired. They ended up standing face-to-face with each other, staring each other down. "Who are you?!" Argon yelled, charging up another ball of energy between his horns. The cloaked Caribou slipped his hood off, revealing a face familiar to both Jayk and Argon. "Dad?" Jayk whispered, peeking out from behind the pedestal. "Markus?" Argon said, taking a step back and slightly diminishing his magic. Markus smirked, then charged at his opponent. As Argon fired another projectile, Markus performed a swift dodge underneath it, spun around, then kicked his legs into Argon's face. The kick was strong enough to launch Argon into the wall, and cause a loud cracking sound on impact. Jayk gasped quietly as Argon's head slumped. Markus chuckled, then brushed his cloak with his hooves and began to walk towards the Earth Crystal. Jayk took a deep breath, realizing that he needed a plan. His father just knocked out the Lord of Concordia, and he was defenseless, hiding behind a slab of stone. Markus approached the Crystal and examined it, admiring its glory. "Buck it." Jayk said, extending his wings. As Markus was about to grab the Crystal, Jayk swooped into the air, then tackled Markus to the ground. "Get off!" Markus yelled, throwing Jayk to his side. Both of them scrambled to stand up, then ran at the Crystal. Jayk barely managed to grasp it before we was blinded by a bright light and propelled across the room. Before passing out on the ground, the last thing Jayk saw was Markus wrapping the Crystal in a brown bag and leaning down to give Jayk a pat on the shoulder. "Don't come looking for me, Jayk." He said. "You're better off here, clueless to what is about to unfold." Author's Note Ooh, stuff happened. Definition of "horseapples" --> Adventure's BeginningChapter IV Adventure's Beginning Jayk groaned. He wasn't in the cave anymore. Instead, he was in one of many comfortable white beds that lined the hospital's main hall. Next to him sat his mother with tears in her eyes. "Where am I?" asked Jayk, lifting his head. "You're in the hospital." Brisk replied, wrapping her hoof around Jayk's claw. "You hit your head pretty hard." "What about... Lord Argon!" Jayk said, jolting up and looking around the room. "Where is he?" Brisk ushered Jayk back under the sheets. "He's in his personal recovery room. He suffered a bad concussion and lost a horn." Jayk sighed. Everything that happened to him recently made his head hurt more than it already was. He and his mother sat in silence for a couple minutes. "What happened down there?" Brisk said. "Both of you were found unconscious and the Earth Crystal was missing." "We were attacked and robbed." Jayk paused. "By an elk..." "Did you see who it was?" Jayk thought for a second. "I think it was... dad." Brisk took a step back in shock. "Th... That's not possible." "I know, he's supposed to be finding new lands in The Echo." Brisk looked down at her hooves. "About that..." "What is it?" "They were declared missing." "What?!" Jayk exclaimed, quickly sitting up. "Nobody knows what happened. A team of guards is preparing to leave for Equestria. They'll be meeting Princess Celestia, then searching for the missing team." Jayk threw his blanket to the side of the bed and turned his body to face his mother. Brisk stood up and put her hoof of Jayk's shoulder. "I'm going with them." Jayk said determinedly. "No, no, no. You are not travelling all the way to Equestria. You need to rest." Brisk replied, pushing Jayk back into the bed. Jayk ignored her actions and stood up. "I have to, I want to figure out what's going on. Nothing's making sense." "Jayk, it's too dangerous for someone as young as you." "I've been stuck in this place for as long as I can remember, I need to get out there. I want to find dad, and when I do, I'll find the Earth Crystal." Brisk took a moment to think. Then nodded. "You're right. I've kept you here for too long." Jayk slipped out of the hospital bed and gave Brisk a big hug. As he looked over her shoulder, he saw his amulet lying on his bedside table. Brisk noticed it too and placed it around Jayk's neck. He flinched when he realized that the amulet felt heavier than usual. He shrugged it off as just an after effect of his accident. "You should hurry up to the capital." Brisk said. "The guards should be preparing to leave. I'll pack your saddlebags, so don't worry about that." Jayk thanked his mother, then left the room. +=+=+ "As you may already know, The Echo is unexplored land. We may come across anything during our search, so be on your guard. I see ten brave soldiers standing before me, so I expect each and every one of you leaving the unknown territory with at least one of the thirteen missing members by your side." The amber colored moose clad in golden armor walked back and forth along a line of ten silver armored cervidae, giving each of them a stern look. "Any questions?" He said, facing away from the soldiers. "I have one." Someone asked, though the voice was not recognized by the captain. He turned to the entrance of the wooden courtyard where a gryphon stood nervously. "Greetings, Gryphon." He asked. "What is your business here?" Jayk approached the large moose with confidence. "I... Would like to join your expedition." The line of guards began to stifle their laughter. The captain turned to them with an angry look. "Quit your laughing and get going! I shall meet all of you at the entrance." He instructed. The soldiers left before their leader could say another word. Their loud chatter could be heard as they made their way down the large steps. The moose turned back to Jayk and looked him into the eyes. "You must be quite brave to want to come with us." He asked calmly. Jayk nodded. "My father is one of the missing members." "I know," The captain said. "He was a good soldier. But I, Captain Woodstock, will bring him back." "Wait!" Jayk said. "So I can't come?" Woodstock shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous." "I can fly above you! Y'know, keep a lookout for anything dangerous!" "No, Jayk." "I want to see the world, this could be my only chance." The moose stared at Jayk, then took a step back and saluted. "We will be back before you know it." He said, before marching quickly to the stairs. Jayk opened his mouth to say something, but Woodstock was already gone. He stood in the empty courtyard for what seemed like hours. His only chance to go and see the lands beyond his home was now only a dream. A dream that'll never come true for years to come. "That Woodstock is such a drag, isn't he?" A voice emitted from the capital building behind Jayk. Jayk turned to see Lord Argon closing the main doors and limping towards him. He was missing an entire horn, in a hoof was a crutch made of fancy wood, and white bandages were wrapped around his head. "I heard the whole conversation, and he's right, the world is dangerous. Not to mention unknown lands like The Echo." He said, quietly. "I know, but-" "He shouldn't have stopped you from going out there, it is what your heart desired." "Yes, but-" "Then go! See the world! Save your father!" Lord Argon began to push Jayk to the side of the treetop. They pushed through the leaves until the light green colours opened up to reveal a beautiful sunrise. They were on a branch at the top of the tree, high enough to see miles and miles of land. Most of it was dense forest that surrounded the large clearing of ground in which Concordia stood. But past the forest was nothing but fields of grass, a few scattered trees, and an ocean in the distance. "This is amazing." Jayk said, clearly in awe. "This is where your journey begins, Jayk." Lord Argon said with a smile. Jayk turned around to see his mother carrying a pair of saddlebags packed full of supplies for the travels. "Mum! How did you know where we were?" Jayk asked, giving her a hug. "Your father and I used to come here all the time when we were younger." She said, putting the luggage on Jayk's back. Jayk stared into her eyes. "I'm going to bring dad back." Brisk smiled and gave Jayk an even bigger hug, then at down to watch her son achieve what he wanted to do for so long. "Jayk," Lord Argon said. "That group of soldiers are going to be walking all the way to Fawntaine, taking a boat to Gallopfrey Island, then arriving at Fillydelphia. They'll be meeting another group of soldiers under the order of Princess Celestia in Canterlot, then will be heading to The Echo." Lord Argon took a breath. "You, on the other hand, will be flying straight to Seaddle, taking a boat to Stableside, then staying in Ponyville until Woodstock and his men leave for The Echo. From there, I want you to follow them, but stay out of their sight." Jayk took a second to mark points on a map that was supplied, then thanked Lord Argon for the info. He took a couple steps to the edge of the branch and looked down, he was able to spot Captain Woodstock by the shining golden armor he bore. "Oh!" Jayk said suddenly, then turned to Brisk. "Say goodbye to Gunther for me, okay mum?" Brisk nodded. "I will." Jayk gave her one last smile, then jumped off the branch. Author's Note Now we're getting somewhere! Remember: I'm using my edited version of Vikonaut's "Equestria and Beyond" for the setting! (I'll upload mine to deviantart eventually.) The First StepsChapter V The First Steps Jayk soared through the sky with glee. He had never been this high up in the air before, only making this flight so much better. As he flapped his wings to pick up as much speed as possible, he examined the beautiful scenery. He was already past the forest that surrounded his home and was now soaring over plains of grass and few trees. As he watched a small wooden cart being pulled down a single path in the field by an even smaller figure, Jayk hadn't noticed the flock of geese that flew towards him. As the gryphon collided with the first bird, he panicked and lost control of his wings. He tumbled down into a nearby tree, hitting almost every branch in it, and landed miserably in the patch of dirt below it. Raising his head, he could see the cart that he saw before approach him. The owner was Arlene, the bodyguard of Braig. "That was quite the landing." She said, sarcastically. "Hello, Arlene." Jayk replied, sitting up. Arlene removed the harness that wrapped around her body, then proceeded to help Jayk up. "I heard about the missing explorers and how you wanted to go with the search party." Jayk nodded. "My father disappeared with them." "I heard. And though I've never actually been to The Echo, they aren't wrong about the dangers there." "I know, but I needed to get out and see the world myself." "I understand." Arlene paused. "But this is getting too sappy, how's your wings?" "My left one hurts." "Okay, hop in the cart." +=+=+ The wheels of the cart squeaked with almost every full spin. Jayk sat on a pillow wrapping bandages around his wing, while Arlene was easily pulling the light cart. "So," Jayk said. "What happened to Braig?" "He's heading back to Zebrafica. I've had enough of him and decided to make my own way to Seattle." "I thought you were his bodyguard." "He's paranoid when it comes to traveling. The worse thing we encountered while heading to Concordia was a harmless spider. He almost fainted at the sight of it!" Arlene said, having a quick laugh. Jayk chuckled as he tied a small knot into the bandages and cleaned up after himself. Jayk sat in silence for a bit, realizing that he's actually on his way to a whole other continent. "Hey Arlene, have you ever been to places other than the island we live on?" Jayk asked, peering over at the cart puller. Arlene shook her head. "I haven't really thought about it. I've made quite a living as a trader bodyguard around here." "Well, at least you've been to many places. Even if they're all on an island." "True, but it doesn't mean I've been everywhere. The world is a big place, we'll never uncover all the mysteries." Arlene took a second to process what she had just said. "Why do all our conversations turn really sappy?" She asked. The duo continued their travel to Seattle without any breaks, hoping to reach the seaside city before night. As they reached the top of a hill, their destination emerged in the distance. "There it is! If we run, maybe we'll make it before it gets too dark!" Jayk exclaimed. "It's still hours away, and the sun is already on the horizon. Let's stop here for the night." Jayk sighed, then nodded in agreement. Most of the dangerous creatures on Terra were nocturnal, but only partially aggressive. Meaning they would only attack if provoked by other animals. This makes it safer for travelers to only venture out during the day, and stay in one location during the night. Arlene moved the cart behind a tree, then placed down a large, thick quilt, a thin blanket, and two pillows. As Jayk slipped under, the quilt emitted a burst of warmth into his somewhat chilly body. "Wow, this feels good!" Jayk said, adjusting himself to the makeshift bed. "My mother made it for me when I was younger. She put a spell on it so that the temperature of the quilt changes depending on the weather around it." Arlene said with a sigh. She turned to Jayk, expecting to hear a kind reply, but he was already fast asleep. Author's Note Another horribly short chapter. Fun Fact: The quilt is based on a blanket that I have. It's always mysteriously warm...
PilotChapter I Pilot The breeze gently caused Jayk's white feathers to sway, it was soothing enough to put him to sleep, so he closed his eyes. He sat on a branch that almost camouflaged with his brown fur. It erected from beneath his bedroom window, and he pondering the question of what he was going to do for his 18th birthday. Going for a walk in some unexplored forests or lounging about at home were his two best options. Jayk lived in Concordia, a large tree that served as the capital of Cervidas. For a place as important as a capital, nothing interesting commonly happened here. The only eye-batting occurrences would be any shady travelers that arrived once or twice a day. Interesting enough, a large wooden cart was rolling its way towards the tree. It was being pulled by two animals who bore ragged brown cloaks that barely went halfway down their legs. Jayk heard the sound of its squeaking wheels and glanced down. He examined the two newcomers, who were now talking to the armored guards at the entrance to the city. It was a zebra and an abada, both of them were from Zebrafica, a prairie country south of Cervidas. "Zebraficans..." Jayk mumbled to himself, shaking his head then resting them on his claws. "Happy birthday to you..." A voice emitted from the window. "Happy birthday to you..." Jayk lifted his head and looked at the window to his bedroom. A female deer stood just behind the curtains. It was his adoptive mother, Brisk, and in her hooves was a cake with a candle shaped like the number 18. "Happy birthday dear Jayk, happy birthday to you..." She sang with a soothing voice. Jayk smiled and climbed into the window. "Thanks, mum." Brisk pushed some pencils aside on Jayk's "workplace" and set the cake atop a rough sketch. She then flipped off the light as Jayk tossed the curtains shut. The candle illuminated their faces and parts of the bedroom. "Where's dad?" Jayk asked, quickly glancing at the door. "He-" She paused. "He's very busy with work, being the captain of the Royal Concordia Guard and all..." Jayk shook off the feeling that it was a lie. His mother was one of the most honest people in town. "Don't worry about him." Brisk said. "Now, don't forget to make a wish." She motioned towards the candle. Jayk stared at it. Eighteen years. It's been that long since he was born. Born as a gryphon, not a deer or elk. Not that there was anything wrong with being different, Gryphons had their share of abilities. The only problem was the fact that he was a carnivore. Carnivores weren't too welcomed in lands that sheltered Herbivores. Jayk thought for a moment, then blew out the candle. "You're getting too old." Brisk said, giving Jayk a hug. "Here's your gift from me." She reached for a small package atop the shelf above his desk. Jayk began to rip away at the green leaves that wrapped around a small white box, in it was an amulet. The was made up of a small red ruby embedded into an octagonal golden frame. "Lord Argon and I picked that one from his personal treasury." Brisk said. "It's nice, thank you." Jayk placed the accessory around his neck and gave Brisk another hug. "I think I'll go see him now." "Who? Argon?" Brisk asked. Jayk nodded. "He gives us a tour of the underground on our 18th birthday, remember?" "Oh, right... Well, before you go, Gunther also has a gift for you." "Down at the pub?" "Yeah, be careful though, a trading caravan just arrived and the traders looked rough." "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Jayk quickly sliced a piece of cake with the provided knife before his mother brought it back into the kitchen. As Jayk munched on his cake, he threw on his leather saddlebags and filled them with his items. A sketchbook, some quills, a pair of goggles, a canteen, and his favorite Daring Do book was all that he needed. "I'll be back later!" Jayk yelled behind him and opened the front door to his house. Author's Note Short chapters = Less time needed = More chapters written. I hope you enjoy. Or not. Whatever.
TravelersChapter II Travelers Jayk closed the door behind him and began to march down the stairs towards the base of the tree. The entirety of Concordia was built around the insides of a large tree. On each ring were plenty of buildings ranging from residential homes, commercial shops, and governmental offices. Spiraling down the insides of the tree was a staircase in which Jayk began to climb down. He passed by multiple Deer and Caribou on the way down, some of them giving him dirty looks. He was used to it, by the time he reached maturity, the residents began to trust him more. But they knew he was still a meat-eater, and sooner or later they believed he was going to crave the taste of flesh. Jayk neared the bottom layer and spotted two familiar figures. It was the traders from Zebrafica. They were arguing over what looked like a small red amulet with a unicorn head and a pair of wings. Jayk reached the ground floor and swiftly made his way to the pub. Pretending to not show any signs that he was interested in the shifty drunks, Jayk sat nearby their table, close enough to listen. "Alicorn amulet, one of a kind, worth a hundred bits." The zebra said, somewhat drunkenly. He took a sip from the large tankard in front of him. The elk that sat on the opposite side of the table stroked his beard. "What's the catch?" The zebra shrugged. "There may or may not be an unknown enchantment placed on it." "And you have no idea what it is?" "Trust me, it's a great bargain." The elk thought for a second. "Fine, I'll take it." He reached into a satchel that laid on the floor next to him and pulled out a small money bag. The duo shook hooves and exchanged goods, storing them away for later use. The abada that earlier arrived with the zebra entered the pub and took the elk's seat. "Howdy, Jayk!" A voice gruffly yelled, startling Jayk. "What the- Oh, hey Gunther." Gunther was Jayk's only real friend. A pronghorn who grew up with Jayk the night the gryphon arrived at Concordia. Gunther placed a silver platter in front of Jayk. On it was a small pizza topped with mushrooms and olives, a large tankard filled to the brim with warm apple cider, and a blueberry muffin. "Dig in, mate." Gunther said, leaning back in the chair next to Jayk. "It's on the house." "On the house, eh?" Jayk said. He grabbed a slice of pizza and took a bite out of it. "Thanks." "It's nuthin', don't worry about it." The duo sat in silence as the gryphon feasted on his birthday dinner. A mother deer and her child trotted up to the bar and rung the small bell. Gunther excused himself and marched up to the counter. "How can I help ya?" He said, folding his front legs on the counter. The mother smiled. "I heard this place has the best muffins in town." Gunther nodded. "Indeed we do, ma'am. Unfortunately, we're all sold out until next fall." The mother's foal started to tear up and stutter. "B-but I wanna m-muffin!" He cried. Jayk looked at his muffin, feeling bad for the child. It may be his birthday, but not giving the muffin to the child would just be selfish. He lifted the muffin and tossed it into the air several times. "Hey, kid." He said, holding the muffin out with his claw. "Take it." The foal walked over and carefully took the baked good. "Thank you." Jayk smiled and took a sip of cider. "Eat it like it's the last one ever." The mother thanked Jayk and the duo left the pub, one with a mouthful of muffin. Right before they stepped out, a seductive whistle echoed throughout the room. "Now that's a deer!" The zebra trader yelled after the mother. She gave him a disgusted look and trotted out the pub. "Oi," Gunther said. "Get off her back!" The zebra stood up and walked over to Jayk's table, dragging his abada friend behind him. "You guys should learn to mind yer own business." He said, leaning on the table. "You should learn to have some respect." Jayk said. The trader narrowed his eyes. "Well, if it isn't the meat-eating bird I've heard about." "Braig!" The abada said. "Enough of this nonsense!" Her horn glowed yellow and the same aura enveloped Braig. He was dragged back to his table, grumbling. She returned with a disappointed look on her face. "I'm sorry about him, he hasn't been making his average amount of money lately." "Visitors like him are always dropping in." The pronghorn replied. "Name's Gunther, this is Jayk." The abada bowed her head. "Arlene. It's not everyday we see a gryphon around these parts." Jayk nodded. "My adoptive parents found me as a baby, floating in the river. At least that's what they told me." "That's unfortunate, never meeting-" "Hey! Bartender! Get me some mead!" Braig yelled, hitting the table. As Gunther got up, Arlene motioned him to sit down. "He's had enough." "I heard that!" The trader said. "Get me some mead!" "You're not gettin' anything!" Gunther yelled back. Braig's chair screeched as he stood up and marched back over to the table. Arlene began to force him back with her magic, but Braig continued without trouble. He leaned towards the two friends. "Get me something to drink." "No." Gunther said. "That's it!" Braig lifted his left hoof to throw a punch, but was caught off guard when Jayk shoved him into another table. "Get outta here!" Jayk managed to say before being tackled by Braig. The duo continued to fight until two guards managed to pull the drunk traveler off of the annoyed gryphon. A larger figure approached Jayk and examined him. It was Lord Argon, ruler of Concordia. "You're late," He said. "Come with me." Author's Note Well, that guy is a dick. Also, their names are totally not from a video game.
InformationChapter III Information Lord Argon continued down the stairs while Jayk followed behind, wiping his bloody nose with a cloth. They were making their way to the underground cave of the city. "I trust you were not attempting to skip this tour?" Argon asked. "I was considering it." "But you didn't?" "You can thank that trader." Argon sighed and turned a sharp corner. Jayk did the same, but almost ran into Argon. They were now standing in front of a simple metal door, on it was a sign that read Members of the Royal Order Only! Jayk expected some sort of special lock to appear, but was met with an anti-climatic push of the door. "Holy Horseapples..." Jayk mumbled as the door swung open. Beyond it was a large rocky cavern with ornamental carvings indented on almost every rock. Along the sides of the long tunnel were fancy lanterns that lit up most of the dark cave. At the end of the cavern there was a pulsating light, almost bronze in color. Argon pushed by Jayk and began to slowly walk towards it. "This is the Hall of Arbor," Argon stated. "It is here in which our city is powered. Our ancestors built their homes above this ancient cave, not knowing it was here. It was only a matter of time in which a seed was planted directly above that light that shines before us. The Earth Crystal." Argon approached the light, which was emitting from a small brown octahedron. Inside it was a large swirling cloud of the same color. As Argon began to talk about the Earth Crystal again, he noticed that Jayk was examining the walls instead of paying attention. Argon approached Jayk and did the same. "What's this?" Jayk asked after a moment of silence. Argon looked at the spot Jayk was pointing at. It was a large group of cervidae running angrily towards a large group of gryphons. Both were bearing armor, wielding weapons, and being lead by their respective king. Argon took a deep breath. "Well..." He said. "It was called The Battle of Stellar. About ten years ago, Concordia's Lord during that time had a daughter named Stella. For her 7th birthday, she and her guards went on a trip to Gryphus, the capital of The Gryphon Kingdoms. She was only supposed to be there for a week, but never returned. After days of frantic searching, the Lord grew angry with the Gryphons. He gathered a company of fighters and battled those who were thought responsible in the middle of Equestria. Soon after it ended, the news of Stella's death spread across Terra, sending Concordia's Lord into madness. He was no longer fit to rule, and was kicked out of the city forever." "And what happened afterwards?" "The incident was forgotten by most, but we still do not see eye-to-eye with the Gryphons. You see, Jayk, that is why-" "-I've always been given the cold shoulder." Jayk sighed, then turned towards the Earth Crystal. "Continue the tour." "No," Argon said. "I think you would like to know more about your arrival." Jayk glared into the crystal. "Yes. Yes I do." "By now, I'm sure you know that you're not from here." Argon said. "Obviously." "It was Gunther who found you in a river at Shattered Hoof, south of Equadoe. He got the attention of a nearby citizen, who so happened to be Brisk." "I take it that it wasn't easy to keep me here." Argon nodded. "Everyone in the council was against it. They wanted to either send you to Equestria, or kill you." "Clearly, both of those weren't an option for mum." Argon nodded again. "She managed to influence the council to rethink your fate." "I suppose you know nothing about me before my arrival?" Argon shook his head. Jayk grabbed his mother's amulet and held it in front of him, processing the information. It may not have seem like much, but to Jayk, it was indeed a lot to take in. The duo sat quietly, observing the swirling clouds within the crystal. The silence was broken when the only door clicked shut, emitting an echo throughout the dimly lit cave. Argon turned to the entrance. "Who's there?" No response. "Answer me, newcomer." He said, menacingly. The two lanterns closest to the door quickly flickered out. Argon motioned to Jayk to duck behind the pedestal that held the Earth Crystal. A floating ball of fire appeared between Argon's large swirling horns. It split in two and each half floated over to an unlit lantern. Besides Jayk and Argon, the room was empty. "It must have been a-" "Watch out!" Jayk yelled. Argon barely managed to jump out of the way when something landed in the spot he was just standing in. It was a caribou, cloaked in entirely black clothing. Only his sapphire blue eyes were visible underneath the dark hood. It reached for the Earth Crystal, but was staggered by a magical projectile. It growled and charged at Argon, who was charging up another, more powerful, spell. Argon was tackled to the floor, he wasn't as good with hoof-to-hoof combat then he was with magical combat. Jayk watched from behind the pedestal, not knowing what to do. Argon and the cloaked elk continued to fight around the room, both of them clearly growing tired. They ended up standing face-to-face with each other, staring each other down. "Who are you?!" Argon yelled, charging up another ball of energy between his horns. The cloaked Caribou slipped his hood off, revealing a face familiar to both Jayk and Argon. "Dad?" Jayk whispered, peeking out from behind the pedestal. "Markus?" Argon said, taking a step back and slightly diminishing his magic. Markus smirked, then charged at his opponent. As Argon fired another projectile, Markus performed a swift dodge underneath it, spun around, then kicked his legs into Argon's face. The kick was strong enough to launch Argon into the wall, and cause a loud cracking sound on impact. Jayk gasped quietly as Argon's head slumped. Markus chuckled, then brushed his cloak with his hooves and began to walk towards the Earth Crystal. Jayk took a deep breath, realizing that he needed a plan. His father just knocked out the Lord of Concordia, and he was defenseless, hiding behind a slab of stone. Markus approached the Crystal and examined it, admiring its glory. "Buck it." Jayk said, extending his wings. As Markus was about to grab the Crystal, Jayk swooped into the air, then tackled Markus to the ground. "Get off!" Markus yelled, throwing Jayk to his side. Both of them scrambled to stand up, then ran at the Crystal. Jayk barely managed to grasp it before we was blinded by a bright light and propelled across the room. Before passing out on the ground, the last thing Jayk saw was Markus wrapping the Crystal in a brown bag and leaning down to give Jayk a pat on the shoulder. "Don't come looking for me, Jayk." He said. "You're better off here, clueless to what is about to unfold." Author's Note Ooh, stuff happened. Definition of "horseapples" -->
Adventure's BeginningChapter IV Adventure's Beginning Jayk groaned. He wasn't in the cave anymore. Instead, he was in one of many comfortable white beds that lined the hospital's main hall. Next to him sat his mother with tears in her eyes. "Where am I?" asked Jayk, lifting his head. "You're in the hospital." Brisk replied, wrapping her hoof around Jayk's claw. "You hit your head pretty hard." "What about... Lord Argon!" Jayk said, jolting up and looking around the room. "Where is he?" Brisk ushered Jayk back under the sheets. "He's in his personal recovery room. He suffered a bad concussion and lost a horn." Jayk sighed. Everything that happened to him recently made his head hurt more than it already was. He and his mother sat in silence for a couple minutes. "What happened down there?" Brisk said. "Both of you were found unconscious and the Earth Crystal was missing." "We were attacked and robbed." Jayk paused. "By an elk..." "Did you see who it was?" Jayk thought for a second. "I think it was... dad." Brisk took a step back in shock. "Th... That's not possible." "I know, he's supposed to be finding new lands in The Echo." Brisk looked down at her hooves. "About that..." "What is it?" "They were declared missing." "What?!" Jayk exclaimed, quickly sitting up. "Nobody knows what happened. A team of guards is preparing to leave for Equestria. They'll be meeting Princess Celestia, then searching for the missing team." Jayk threw his blanket to the side of the bed and turned his body to face his mother. Brisk stood up and put her hoof of Jayk's shoulder. "I'm going with them." Jayk said determinedly. "No, no, no. You are not travelling all the way to Equestria. You need to rest." Brisk replied, pushing Jayk back into the bed. Jayk ignored her actions and stood up. "I have to, I want to figure out what's going on. Nothing's making sense." "Jayk, it's too dangerous for someone as young as you." "I've been stuck in this place for as long as I can remember, I need to get out there. I want to find dad, and when I do, I'll find the Earth Crystal." Brisk took a moment to think. Then nodded. "You're right. I've kept you here for too long." Jayk slipped out of the hospital bed and gave Brisk a big hug. As he looked over her shoulder, he saw his amulet lying on his bedside table. Brisk noticed it too and placed it around Jayk's neck. He flinched when he realized that the amulet felt heavier than usual. He shrugged it off as just an after effect of his accident. "You should hurry up to the capital." Brisk said. "The guards should be preparing to leave. I'll pack your saddlebags, so don't worry about that." Jayk thanked his mother, then left the room. +=+=+ "As you may already know, The Echo is unexplored land. We may come across anything during our search, so be on your guard. I see ten brave soldiers standing before me, so I expect each and every one of you leaving the unknown territory with at least one of the thirteen missing members by your side." The amber colored moose clad in golden armor walked back and forth along a line of ten silver armored cervidae, giving each of them a stern look. "Any questions?" He said, facing away from the soldiers. "I have one." Someone asked, though the voice was not recognized by the captain. He turned to the entrance of the wooden courtyard where a gryphon stood nervously. "Greetings, Gryphon." He asked. "What is your business here?" Jayk approached the large moose with confidence. "I... Would like to join your expedition." The line of guards began to stifle their laughter. The captain turned to them with an angry look. "Quit your laughing and get going! I shall meet all of you at the entrance." He instructed. The soldiers left before their leader could say another word. Their loud chatter could be heard as they made their way down the large steps. The moose turned back to Jayk and looked him into the eyes. "You must be quite brave to want to come with us." He asked calmly. Jayk nodded. "My father is one of the missing members." "I know," The captain said. "He was a good soldier. But I, Captain Woodstock, will bring him back." "Wait!" Jayk said. "So I can't come?" Woodstock shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous." "I can fly above you! Y'know, keep a lookout for anything dangerous!" "No, Jayk." "I want to see the world, this could be my only chance." The moose stared at Jayk, then took a step back and saluted. "We will be back before you know it." He said, before marching quickly to the stairs. Jayk opened his mouth to say something, but Woodstock was already gone. He stood in the empty courtyard for what seemed like hours. His only chance to go and see the lands beyond his home was now only a dream. A dream that'll never come true for years to come. "That Woodstock is such a drag, isn't he?" A voice emitted from the capital building behind Jayk. Jayk turned to see Lord Argon closing the main doors and limping towards him. He was missing an entire horn, in a hoof was a crutch made of fancy wood, and white bandages were wrapped around his head. "I heard the whole conversation, and he's right, the world is dangerous. Not to mention unknown lands like The Echo." He said, quietly. "I know, but-" "He shouldn't have stopped you from going out there, it is what your heart desired." "Yes, but-" "Then go! See the world! Save your father!" Lord Argon began to push Jayk to the side of the treetop. They pushed through the leaves until the light green colours opened up to reveal a beautiful sunrise. They were on a branch at the top of the tree, high enough to see miles and miles of land. Most of it was dense forest that surrounded the large clearing of ground in which Concordia stood. But past the forest was nothing but fields of grass, a few scattered trees, and an ocean in the distance. "This is amazing." Jayk said, clearly in awe. "This is where your journey begins, Jayk." Lord Argon said with a smile. Jayk turned around to see his mother carrying a pair of saddlebags packed full of supplies for the travels. "Mum! How did you know where we were?" Jayk asked, giving her a hug. "Your father and I used to come here all the time when we were younger." She said, putting the luggage on Jayk's back. Jayk stared into her eyes. "I'm going to bring dad back." Brisk smiled and gave Jayk an even bigger hug, then at down to watch her son achieve what he wanted to do for so long. "Jayk," Lord Argon said. "That group of soldiers are going to be walking all the way to Fawntaine, taking a boat to Gallopfrey Island, then arriving at Fillydelphia. They'll be meeting another group of soldiers under the order of Princess Celestia in Canterlot, then will be heading to The Echo." Lord Argon took a breath. "You, on the other hand, will be flying straight to Seaddle, taking a boat to Stableside, then staying in Ponyville until Woodstock and his men leave for The Echo. From there, I want you to follow them, but stay out of their sight." Jayk took a second to mark points on a map that was supplied, then thanked Lord Argon for the info. He took a couple steps to the edge of the branch and looked down, he was able to spot Captain Woodstock by the shining golden armor he bore. "Oh!" Jayk said suddenly, then turned to Brisk. "Say goodbye to Gunther for me, okay mum?" Brisk nodded. "I will." Jayk gave her one last smile, then jumped off the branch. Author's Note Now we're getting somewhere! Remember: I'm using my edited version of Vikonaut's "Equestria and Beyond" for the setting! (I'll upload mine to deviantart eventually.)
The First StepsChapter V The First Steps Jayk soared through the sky with glee. He had never been this high up in the air before, only making this flight so much better. As he flapped his wings to pick up as much speed as possible, he examined the beautiful scenery. He was already past the forest that surrounded his home and was now soaring over plains of grass and few trees. As he watched a small wooden cart being pulled down a single path in the field by an even smaller figure, Jayk hadn't noticed the flock of geese that flew towards him. As the gryphon collided with the first bird, he panicked and lost control of his wings. He tumbled down into a nearby tree, hitting almost every branch in it, and landed miserably in the patch of dirt below it. Raising his head, he could see the cart that he saw before approach him. The owner was Arlene, the bodyguard of Braig. "That was quite the landing." She said, sarcastically. "Hello, Arlene." Jayk replied, sitting up. Arlene removed the harness that wrapped around her body, then proceeded to help Jayk up. "I heard about the missing explorers and how you wanted to go with the search party." Jayk nodded. "My father disappeared with them." "I heard. And though I've never actually been to The Echo, they aren't wrong about the dangers there." "I know, but I needed to get out and see the world myself." "I understand." Arlene paused. "But this is getting too sappy, how's your wings?" "My left one hurts." "Okay, hop in the cart." +=+=+ The wheels of the cart squeaked with almost every full spin. Jayk sat on a pillow wrapping bandages around his wing, while Arlene was easily pulling the light cart. "So," Jayk said. "What happened to Braig?" "He's heading back to Zebrafica. I've had enough of him and decided to make my own way to Seattle." "I thought you were his bodyguard." "He's paranoid when it comes to traveling. The worse thing we encountered while heading to Concordia was a harmless spider. He almost fainted at the sight of it!" Arlene said, having a quick laugh. Jayk chuckled as he tied a small knot into the bandages and cleaned up after himself. Jayk sat in silence for a bit, realizing that he's actually on his way to a whole other continent. "Hey Arlene, have you ever been to places other than the island we live on?" Jayk asked, peering over at the cart puller. Arlene shook her head. "I haven't really thought about it. I've made quite a living as a trader bodyguard around here." "Well, at least you've been to many places. Even if they're all on an island." "True, but it doesn't mean I've been everywhere. The world is a big place, we'll never uncover all the mysteries." Arlene took a second to process what she had just said. "Why do all our conversations turn really sappy?" She asked. The duo continued their travel to Seattle without any breaks, hoping to reach the seaside city before night. As they reached the top of a hill, their destination emerged in the distance. "There it is! If we run, maybe we'll make it before it gets too dark!" Jayk exclaimed. "It's still hours away, and the sun is already on the horizon. Let's stop here for the night." Jayk sighed, then nodded in agreement. Most of the dangerous creatures on Terra were nocturnal, but only partially aggressive. Meaning they would only attack if provoked by other animals. This makes it safer for travelers to only venture out during the day, and stay in one location during the night. Arlene moved the cart behind a tree, then placed down a large, thick quilt, a thin blanket, and two pillows. As Jayk slipped under, the quilt emitted a burst of warmth into his somewhat chilly body. "Wow, this feels good!" Jayk said, adjusting himself to the makeshift bed. "My mother made it for me when I was younger. She put a spell on it so that the temperature of the quilt changes depending on the weather around it." Arlene said with a sigh. She turned to Jayk, expecting to hear a kind reply, but he was already fast asleep. Author's Note Another horribly short chapter. Fun Fact: The quilt is based on a blanket that I have. It's always mysteriously warm...
