A Hardened Warrior

Chapter 13 - Everything Dies, Part 1/3

The ponies and griffins had already gone back to their homes. The griffins dropped their usual hostility with the ponies to rejoice with them, and offer them shelter for the night. After all, those who are confronted with death, usually had a wider range of views. Tonight was their night to celebrate, but not Rodericks. Tomorrow would be the day for them to mourn the lost. Not his.

Finding a suitable tree to climb up into, he reached a stable branch, one that could support his weight.

’You miss your friends. Don’t you?’

‘...’

’Believe it or not, I once had friends as well... Mortal friends... When they died, I became this monster. I feel that... through you, I can change. I can better myself.’

‘You already have. Continue seeing things this way, and perhaps...’

’I will let you rest. You’ve earned it.’

Roderick slowly drifted off to sleep...

Waking up, still in the tree where he remembered he fell asleep, Roderick jumped out of the tree. Falling a decent 30 feet of so, he landed with a giant thud. He sank up to his neck in soft mud.

’BWAHAHAHAHAH’

‘Glad to see you find this funny. Mind helping me?’

With a bright flash of midnight blue colors, he was standing on the edge of the mud pool. The very same one that wasn’t there the night before.

‘How long did I sleep’

’A night’s worth.’

‘Then how the hell did this get here?’

’The air is moist here, I’m sure you were just walking upon solid earth last night, and there may be a water pool underneath.’

‘I see...’

’Shall we go?’

Without another word, he set off to what looked like a massive playground for mega earthworms. It was the ‘homes’ of the griffins that live here. A sad sight to see, when something can’t be afforded the luxury of owning even something as simple as a farming cottage. Even if the land was scorched, most likely from the dragons that roamed here.

Cheers were heard from the griffins and ponies that he passed by. He noticed something horrid last night. A lonely child. He was going to help guide that child. No matter the race, nothing sentient and young should feel so alone. Dragons were no exception.

Listening for possible crying, Roderick scanned the many holes in the mountain as he passed them by. Until he found it. A crying griffin, too small to fly, or find its own food.

“Hello, little one.” Nightmare’s voice didn’t echo this time.

“H-Hi...” The griffin managed to get out, after a few sniffles.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes...” more sniffles.

“Who did you lose?”

“My mommy...”

“She is not entirely gone, she lives with you, in your heart.”

“Why can’t those stupid diamond dogs all just die?”

“They do what they must to survive. Just as you do, as well as I. Do not pursue revenge. Revenge is a dark, and lonely path. Make friends, and live. Live for your mother, and father. Do not just survive. Live well... or you will come to regret it.” After giving the young one a lecture, and some food to eat, he left.

’Very touching... I hadn’t a thought you were so good with children.’

‘I’m not.’

’...’

‘Which way is the capital?’

’Further east.’

‘Then let’s be off, the sooner I can get there, the sooner I can relax, and request help.’

’What are your true intentions?’

‘You will see in the times to come.’

Night had fallen upon Ponyville again, and Twilight was still awake, writing a letter to her mentor about her progression of finding Roderick.

Dear Princess Celestia,

We still haven’t managed to find the human, I feel that it’s safe to assume he’s no longer in the Everfree Forest. On a side note, a few ponies who had gone missing came back yesterday. They’d been ponynapped by diamond dogs and offered as food to dragons or enslaved to dig for gems. They came from the Dominion, and had been rescued by a tall, bipedal ‘thing’ in armor.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle

Spike sent the letter as per usual.

“I wonder if Applejack was right... if he really did beat Nightma-” Her thoughts were cut off by an immediate response.

My Star Pupil,

If the human has gone to the Dominion, then all we may do is wait and prepare. I will send guards to the border to monitor. I’m beginning to question how much influence Nightmare has upon it. He is alien, and as such, we do not know his capabilities. In all likelihood, however, we must remain vigilant. Rest and gather your energy, Twilight.

Your Eternal Princess, Celestia.

“So even she doubts Nightmare...”

Roderick had stopped to relax a bit at the base of a mountain that stood as high as Pike’s Peak, fourteen thousand feet. He’d been walking for a day and a half, awake this time. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened last time.

’Were at the base of the city. It’s up this mountain.’

‘I’ve always hated mountains...’

’why?’

‘Well... heavy objects and hills don’t usually agree.’

’I see... I’ve never experienced the... inconveniences of such things.’

‘Of course not. You can fly.’

He began the silent, and slow walk upon the mountain. It may as well have taken him another day, bar a few hours. Night had fallen, and day had risen. What they found surprised Roderick, he expected nests, like birds camped in a tree, but this was a city. Tall buildings, streets, shops... everything Ecclesia had. Except the patriarch and the holy buildings.

He was approached with spears and claws by several griffins.

“Who are ya? What’re ya? ‘N why ya here?” asked the griffin in front of him.

“Name’s Roderick, I’m a hero, and I’m just visiting...” He’d been used to interrogations like this when he was younger, before he meant something to someone.

“Whad’ya mean ‘hero’?”

“I help the helpless...”

One of the griffins whispered ”I think this is what those others that came in yesterday were talkin’ bout.”

“Can’t be...” His attention turned back to him. “Were ya the one that saved the prisoners from the diamond dogs?”

“Yes.”

...

“Let ‘im through.”

The group of griffins returned to their posts, on the corner of the streets. All but one, the griffin that spoke to him, and let him in.

“So... why’re ya really here?”

“To help. With anything. Got anything suitable?” Roderick asked with a grin.

“Yeah, why don’t I take ya to the mayor then.”

“That’d be very nice.”

A/N: Shorter chapter than before, felt like giving you a cliffhanger. multiple parts to this will come, just be patient. Writing this over the weekend.

Also, forgot today was monday, sorry for the late release.