The Elder Scrolls: Equestria

“...for a genius thief you really are a stupid girl, aren't you?...”

“You see, the trick is to have somepony else distract your mark while you cut their purse. That way they won’t realize what’s happening, or if they do they’ll blame the pony who distracted them.” I explained to Rose who, for the last two hours, sat on my back listening intently. I already explained the five basic steps to pick pocketing items that wasn't gold (You’d be surprised how much easier it is to steal money) and I’d moved on to gold and jewelry. Meanwhile, Grover trotted alongside us shaking his head.

“You’re a bad influence.” he said for the twentieth time that morning. I didn't know what his problem was; I was just explaining my trade. “You shouldn’t be teaching her that nonsense. She should be learning something useful. Something she can do to support herself in a peaceful way.”

“Just like you?” I said sarcastically. “You're the most peaceful griffon in the world huh? Nothing like cutting ponies, Legionnaires and changelings to ribbons eight hours a day.” Grover scowled darkly and returned to being silent.

That’s right shut the fuck up.

We’d been walking west along the road towards Timbucktu. I could see the floating mass of clouds once we passed the Applewood’s apple orchard but it was still a day or so away on hoof. Grover could fly there in maybe a half hour but he couldn't carry Rose and myself that distance.

I spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon explaining the various misdirection techniques, the basics of stealth and general situational awareness. She won’t make a very good thief if she trips over a dog sleeping by the stairs.  I did that once and not only was it embarrassing, it was painful.

But I wasn't just teaching Rose about my trade. From the moment we left Applewood I was working my magic. Bending the structure of Celestia’s tracking spell, reshaping it, altering it. And after nearly five hours of solid work, pretending I was watching for dangerous creatures and bandits…

“Yes, yes, yes!” I bounced on all four hooves in glee, abandoning all composure. Rose squealed happily as I bounced around Grover. The griffon watched me first with amusement that turned quickly into concern. After four or five minutes he grabbed me by the shoulders.

“What is wrong with you?” he said. It took a moment to compose myself before answering.

“I was just bored.” I kissed him on the tip of his beak causing him to release me and backpedal several steps.

“You are a very strange pony.” he said with a shake of his head. I smiled mischievously as we continued down the road. I may be strange but at least I’m free! Oh sweet sexy freedom! Her royal highness couldn't track me anymore so all I had to do was ditch Grover and I would be set. Rose and I could take the road all the way to the Smokey Mountains then head past Canterlot to Trottingham. Then we could hop a ship to Prance. Sweet freedom, here I come.

“There it is.” Grover said darkly. “We shouldn’t take the young one with us. It will likely be very dangerous.”

“It would be more dangerous leaving a filly, alone on a dirt road in the desert don’t you think?” That shut him up. I looked up and beheld the floating mass of clouds that was Timbucktu. It was only a short flight away. I climbed onto Grover’s back and locked my forelegs around his armored neck. Rose wrapped her forelegs around my own neck and for good measure I surrounded her in a magic bubble.

I hate flying.

Grover shot into the air like a javelin towards the city. Rose shrieked happily and yelled,

“Woohoo!” she was having such a great fucking time! I on the other hoof felt my breakfast coming back up. Son of a bitch. Grover landed on a cloud on the very edge of Timbucktu and I vomited all over his side.

“Damn it, Silver! Get it together.” he said indignantly, wiping my vomit off his side.

“Sorry.” Not really. I dropped the shield around Rose and tried to remember the cloud walking spell

“Wow. it’s really pretty here.” Rose said as she hopped off my back towards the cloud.

“Oh fuck!” I caught her in my magic just before she hit the clouds. “Rose, don't do that! I have to cast the spell first.”

“I’m sorry.” she said, her ears drooping. Damn it.

“It’s okay, Rose. Just please be careful.” I cast the spell and set her down. The clouds felt like thick silk fabric beneath my hooves as we made our way from the city’s edge towards the palace. Grover stood on his hind legs with both his blades drawn Rose trotted alongside me and I had my life detection spell activated looking for any sign of danger.

But there was nothing. Nopony or changeling was here.

“You never answered my question, Grover.” I said.

“What question?” he asked, looking around the corner of a tavern. Or maybe a shoe store? That horseshoe above the door is a little confusing.

“What is Griffonstone like?” I asked. He didn't give me a good answer before.

“I already told you…” he began but I spoke over him.

“No, no, no. I mean more specifically. What’s it look like? What’s the food like? If griffons only care about gold how come you built a city? And most importantly...how did you meet Sapphire?” he was silent for almost a full minute, checking the doorways of some cloud houses for changelings.

“My kind built Griffonstone as a bastion to protect our gold and jewels from the dragons, with whom we’ve warred with for centuries. The homes are built from the branches of the a massive tree called the Gildagreen. The city rests on the edge of a massive canyon named the Abysmal Abyss; where our cubs learn to fly.

“ Griffonstone sits atop the tallest peak in the Hyperborean Mountains and towers above the valleys below.” he explained. Instinctively, I removed a quill, an ink pot and a blank scroll from my bags and began writing notes. I’d never found a book on griffons before (except how to deal with mercenaries) and what he said was interesting. Huh, a war between griffons and dragons? I’ll get more on that later.

“You said your ‘cubs’ learn to fly in a canyon?” I asked stopping to dip my quill in ink. Rose climbed back onto my back and then onto the back of my head for good measure.

“Why would they fly in a canyon?” she asked, quietly. Grover smiled and continued,

“The naturally strong wind currents of the Abysmal Abyss are perfect for helping our cubs learn to fly in the most adverse conditions. I started when I was two and ceased training when I turned ten.” When he was two… like two years old?! Holy fuck, Grover. I wrote it down anyway. I’ll file that away for later.

“As I was saying. Uh… where was I? Ah, yes. My kind has no government only a set territory for each ‘Pride’ or family. Once a drake selects a mate they bear three cubs and once they reach the age of five they are on their own. After that the parents are free to do whatever they wish.” Really? I facehoofed. Fucking Griffons. Again, I wrote it down.

“What do griffons eat, Mister Grover?” Rose asked sweetly from her perch on the back of my head. Besides dead rats. Fucking nasty!

“Mostly Hyperborean salmon, cod and sturgeon. They basically infest the rivers and lakes in the mountain range. I know you ponies are vegetarians but fish is different... and that’s Griffonstone in a nutshell.” he finished lamely.

“What about Sapphire?” I asked as we rounded a corner onto a street stretching towards the palace. The nape of my neck began to tingle as we walked closer to the palace. Where is everypony?

“Who’s Sapphire?” Rose asked curiously.

“That’s Grover’s girlfriend.” I said, bumping my flank into his. Rose blushed brighter than Grover.

“Is she pretty?” she asked shyly. Damn right!

“Yes, young one. She is very beautiful.” he said longingly. Rose giggled and bounced up and down.

“Rose, please stop.” she stopped bouncing and began apologizing profusely.

“Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry!”

“It’s okay. Just don't bounce on my head please.” I said, starting to feel a little guilty. “ It’s not that a big deal...oh no…” we reached the steps leading up to the door of the palace, where two white coated pegasi were lying dead.

I wrapped my tail around Rose’s eyes before she could see them. She doesn't need to see that again. I followed closely behind as Grover stepped through the door, both blades ready. What greeted us inside was without contest the most horrific thing I'd ever seen.

The bodies of dozens, no, hundreds of Pegasi filled the throne room of the palace. They were two and even three deep in some places. The walls were covered in scorch marks, cracks and gouges. Among the Pegasi were dozens of changelings. Most looked like they were killed with swords or knives but a few had arrows sticking out of them.

“Damn.” Grover said quietly. I however was not quiet. “Damn it, Silver!” I vomited the rest of my stomach contents across the floor by Grover then turned tail and galloped right out of the room.

“What happened, are you okay?” Rose asked shyly. Not really, Rose. Holy shit.

“Yeah, I'm okay. Just ate some bad flowers is all” Wait, why did flowers come out? I didn't even eat flowers!

We waited at the bottom of the stairs for a little over an hour while Grover searched the palace. I tried telling him that my spell wasn't showing any signs of life but he wanted to be sure. How he could stand being in there with all those corpses I don't know. Meanwhile Rose and I were doing something normal; picking locks.

“Good job, Rose. That was thirty seven seconds. Not bad at all.” I pulled a lock I...found and a lock pick for her to practice with. Considering that she was an earth pony, thirty seven seconds was very impressive. She's a natural.

“You're a natural, Rose.” We are going to have some fun.

“You should not be teaching her that!” I jumped at Grover's voice. The steel clad griffon stood behind us holding several burlac sacks in his talons.

“Whatcha got?” I asked. Didn't think he was one to loot corpses but he was a soldier. He probably did it all the time when he was fighting the Legion.

“Healing potions, magic potions and food.” he dropped the sacks by me and I immediately opened them up. I was expecting the motions and celery stalks, but I definitely wasn't expecting the bag of gold coins.

“What's all this?” I asked while Rose climbed around in the bag of celery. Grover looked over his shoulder with a curious little smile.

“Potions, and food. I was certain I told you that.” he turned and trotted down the street towards the edge of the city. “You coming?” he shouted back. I smiled, shook my head and lifted Rose and the bags onto my back. How about that.

Now that we weren't constantly looking for changelings I had a chance to get a better look at the city. It looked a lot like Canterlot. (Except for the clouds) Almost all of the buildings had tall pillars by the doors and just like the palace there were dead pegasi in the interiors. Needless to say for Rose's sake (and my stomach's) we stuck to the street.

We reached the northern edge of the city, where Grover looked towards the horizon.

“Trot is just over twenty miles. We can be there by night fall if we start now.” he said in a tired, almost sad voice.

“Why should we go there?” I did not feel like trotting twenty miles in the wrong direction...then again, if we do go that way it would take us closer to Trottingham.

“We must warn the ponies in the region of the threat. Perhaps General Secretariat could spare a few divisions to exterminate them.” I looked into his golden eyes and saw something I hadn't noticed before. They looked so... tired. The way Grover moved when he was fighting showed strength and vitality. But he looked like he wanted nothing more than to go to sleep.

“That's a plan alright,” I jumped onto his back and threw my forelegs around his neck. “Giddyup Grover!” he raised an eyebrow (Whatever) at me.

“Excuse me?” I didn't have time for this. I leaned over and kissed him right on the beak, even used my tongue a bit.

“Ahh!” he jumped and slipped right off the edge of Timbucktu.

“Woohoo!” How can she find this fun!? Rose should have been a Pegasus...Idea! I'll just find a spell to change an earth pony into a Pegasus. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Grover leveled out about halfway to the ground and I'm proud to say I managed not to puke on the way down. But the landing wasn't too pleasant, the impact jarred me down to the bone.

“Don't do that again.” he said angrily, dropping me to the ground and catching Rose by her tail. Oh, so he catches her. Okay I would have caught her too.

“Whats the matter?” I asked sarcastically. “You don't like me?” I fluttered my eyelashes at him and saw Rose blush beside me. “Don't you think I'm pretty?” Grover looked at me blankly while Rose giggled and climbed onto my back.

“Let's get going, shall we?” he said simply. He turned away and trotted down the road without another word.

“I guess he doesn't think so.” Rose returned to her perch on the back of my head.

“Don't worry,” she began sweetly. “I still think you're pretty.” Damn! I think my brain just broke a little.

“Thank you, Rose.” she smiled brightly. I removed the lock and lock pick from my bags and floated them to her. “Here, keep practicing.” It'll give her something productive to do anyway.

We followed the road for about an hour and no matter what I tried I couldn't draw Grover into a conversation. I asked him about Sapphire and he ignored me, I asked him if he he thought I looked okay and he ignored me! Can you believe that? He just didn't want to talk. At least, until I asked him about fighting.

“So...you can turn a Manticore into a shishkabob. Wanna tell me where you learned to fence?” I asked.

“Why do you want to know?” What a stupid fucking question.

“Grover, you killed a fucking Manticore by yourself. I may just be a 'sneak thief' but I appreciate real skill when I see it.” his gaze softened and he sighed deeply.

“I presume you're going to keep bothering me until I answer. Am I right?” I nodded firmly. “Fine, I'll tell you. But get that life spell of yours up, I don't want to be caught off guard.”

“Yay, story!” Rose said excitedly as I turned on my spell.

“I was instructed in the art of Venti by my teacher, Master Gunther...” he began.

“What does 'Venti' mean?” Rose interrupted. I was curious about that too. I'd studied plenty but not much to do with griffons. But that wasn't my fault! There were no books on griffons.

“'Venti' means 'as wind'. It is a sword style that only the most agile of my kind can master.” he explained, pride in his voice. “I trained under Gunther for twelve years and when my tutelage was complete he had transformed me from an undisciplined cub to what I am today.” Twelve fucking years!?

“Wow. That explains so much.” I said sarcastically. “When was the first time you killed someone?” The question had been nagging me ever since I read it in his journal. It was before he came to Equestria so probably another griffon...oh! What if he killed his teacher? That's sounds like a griffon thing to do.

“Never you mind.” he said simply, his expression turning to stone. After a moment his beak broke into a sly smile. “Besides, it's your turn.” Damn. He's got me there.

“Alright. Story time is extended.” Rose bounced happily on my back before blushing and apologizing.

“Don't worry about it, Rose.” I turned to Grover. “What do you want to know?” Grover rubbed his beak in thought then clicked his claws together.

“You know how I learned to fight, why don't you tell me where you learned magic.” Nice, exactly something I didn't want to talk about. But...a deal's a deal.

“Alright. When I was a filly my parents taught me everything they knew about magic...” It wasn't much either. My parents (bless them) were idiots. I learned some household stuff and how to light the fireplace. That's was all I got from them. “but once their vast surplous of knowledge was exhausted they hired a tutor out of Arcadia.”

“Arcadia huh?” Grover said, sounding...wow. Did he sound impressed? “You were tutored by a pony from the Mage's College?”

“Yeah, actually. How did you know about the College?” I asked. Didn't think griffons cared much about magic. I mean, they couldn't use it.

“I've been through Arcadia a few times. I have to say, you don't seem as haughty as some of the unicorns I've met...” he scratched his head then added. “for the most part anyway.”

“Ha, ha. Your comedic brilliance knows no bounds. Can I continue?” he nodded and Rose raised her hoof. “Yes Rose?”

“Why didn't you just go to the school?” she asked, dropping my lock and lock pick into my bags.

“My parents wanted me to go to Celestia's school in Canterlot. They would have gotten a tutor from there but the school didn't have any available.” I explained.

“Oh. Okay.” Damn, she is just adorable.

“So my teacher, Miss Strudel, disciplined me in dozens of magical techniques. She taught me everything from practical application to magical history...and just what is so funny?” Grover stopped in the middle of the road holding his beak shut, trying not to laugh.

“N...nothing...your teacher's name was what exactly?” he asked, looking like he was on the brink of a stroke.

“Miss Strudel.” Grover nodded and waved for me to continue.

“Anyway, after my tutelage was complete I went to Canterlot and joined up with the Guild, enjoyed three years of profits and good old fashioned fun before Celestia's goons forced me on this stupid fucking quest!”

“'Good old fashioned fun'.” the griffon said sarcastically. “You mean, 'robbing everypony you met'.” Not everypony!... well, maybe not everypony but I did rob a lot of ponies. Almost everypony in Canterlot at least once. Almost, not all.

“At least I didn't kill my marks.” that shut him up. His expression darkening immeasurably. Seriously what's his problem? He's killed Tartarus knows how many ponies, rams and maybe even other griffons. You'd think he would be so sensitive about it. If I ever push him too far... That settled it. The next time I get an opportunity Grover's going down. He was alright as far as griffons go but he was just too dangerous.

“Why did you start stealing if your parents wanted you to go to school?” Rose said curiously. Grover's scowl disappeared and his face turned as curious as Rose's.

“The money is better.” I lied. It was none of their business. Maybe I'll tell Rose when she's older but not Grover.

“You're lying.” the griffon said simply.

“And you're two steps from being turned into an orange, so watch your step bird boy.” he smirked and trotted ahead of us. Smart ass.

We traveled all day and then into the night. I would have rather stopped and made camp but Grover wouldn't have it.

“We need to warn the city.” he said, over, and over and over again. I didn't really understand why he cared. His journals said that Celestia would help him if he helped her defeat Grogar. Not that cunt Chrysalis. But I couldn't do anything about it. Until something killed him or hurt him bad enough that I could I was stuck with him. Rose didn't seem to mind the walk though. She was sleeping on my back.

The orange brilliance of the sun was just coming over the horizon when we reached the outskirts of Trot and I have to say; I've seen a lot of things but I've never seen a full blown war before.

Hundreds of Royal guards alongside hundreds of other ponies in steel armor were fighting changelings just outside of the tall white walls of Trot.

“Holy shit...” I've been in more than a few fights over the course of my life. The only ones where ponies died were after leaving Canterlot...or rather, the only times I'd ever had to kill anypony anyway. But what was happening before me wasn't a fight, I'd never been scared in a fight.

But this, this was terrifying.

It was like Grover times a thousand. Royal guards and changelings cutting each other down. Blood, bodies and body parts littered the fields surrounding the walls where the remaining fighters hacked away at one another. The wounded from both sides lay strewn between the fighters and the dead, moaning in pain. In the center of the battle was a massive pony statue made out of wood with changelings pouring out of it. It was just, brutal. How did Grover go through this for two fucking years!? I looked at the griffon. His face was hard and cold as steel. His eyes were filled with fire and pure rage.

“We have to get down there!” he drew both his blades and unfurled his wings, ready to fly into the fight. But there was something...unusual. I could feel it.

“What's going on?” Rose asked sleepily, standing up on my back.

“Damn it Grover you're not going down there!” I surrounded the three of us with a force field just as Grover lunged forward. He slammed into my shield, swore explosively and spun his blade towards my throat, stopping it less than an inch away.

“Drop the shield! I need to get down there.” he said sternly. Rose peeped, dropped from my back and hid behind me. Her eyes filled with fear.

“No you don't.” Which was true, he really didn't. “Look up, Grover.” he reluctantly looked to the sky above us and his eyes widened. Plummeting out of the sky above us was none other than Princess Celestia herself. She was surrounded by a dozen ponies in blue and gold armor. But Celestia herself wore no armor, and held no weapons. She was armed only with her magic and wore only the crown and necklace she was wearing when she talked to me in my jail cell. You'd think she changes her outfit once in a while.

Suddenly, Celestia surrounded herself in a cloak of bright orange flames. Her horn glowed bright gold and every hair in my mane stood up at once. I could feel her magic, and it was powerful. More powerful than I imagined was even possible.

“Fuck.” I said as she cast the most powerful spell I had ever witnessed. She landed in the center of the battlefield and beams of bright red and orange energy erupted from her horn in every direction. Unnatural screams of pain echoed across the battlefield towards us. Rose's ears and my owned flattened against our heads, while Grover's scowl darkened further.

And just like that it was over. Every changeling on the battlefield fell to the ground twitching, their bodies pierced by numerous beams of energy from Celestia's spell. Instead of blood the creatures wounds leaked ashes.

I could already smell it.

“Don't you dare!” Grover said backing against my magical barrier. If there was anything left in my stomach I would have puked but there was nothing. It didn't prevent my face from turning green though.

“Here.” Rose said through the canteen in her mouth. I took it and drank deeply.

“Thanks Rose.” I said, hoofing the canteen back to her. I dropped my shield and Grover tried to go for the battlefield again. But I had an idea. “Wait, Grover.” he stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder.

“I should go instead.” his jaw dropped almost comically and his brow furrowed.

“Why?” he asked, his expression turning suspicious. Okay Silver, time for the good stuff.

“No offense Grover but you are not subtle,” I said, snapping my tail at one of his armored plates. “You stay here with Rose while I scope out the situation.”

“You really think you'll be able to sneak around through that?” he asked, pointing at the field surrounding Trot. That's just insulting.

“Grover, I once stole all the valuables from a noble's bedroom while he was having a three way with two of his maids...with the candles lit.” I finished by adding. I wasn't lying either. Ah, memories.

“It appears that all the changelings are incapacitated. Why don't all three of us go?” That was not an option. That bitch Celestia would put a new tracking spell on me and alert Grover to my efforts. I'd never be able to get away.

“I don't think Rose should go and see that, and I'm more confident in your abilities to protect her from danger than mine. And to tell you the truth Grover...I'm scared.” I whispered the last two words to him with just the right amount of fear in my voice. His eyes softened and he looked at his claws. Dumbass.

“If the enemy is beaten what are you afraid of?” he asked, concerned. Damn I'm good.

“If all three of us go down there, Celestia will know about Rose, and that royal bitch will send her to an orphanage. I've seen the Canterlot orphanage, it's not pretty.” It actually felt really weird to be telling the truth about so many things. And if I was honest with myself, I was afraid she'd take her. Fucking Sun Butt, thinks she knows whats best for everypony. “Just let me go Grover. Alright?”

“Alright,” he said grudgingly. His eyes narrowed to slits and he tipped his sword towards me. “I don't have to remind you what happens if you run, do I?” I smacked him upside the head with my tail and pointed at Rose.

“That's insulting, and you know it. I'll be back soon.” I turned to Rose and floated four things from my bags. The lock and lock pick, a belt and finally, a short dagger. “Just in case. Grover can show you how to use it.”

“Please be careful, come back.” she said, sounding worried.

“Don't worry Rose. I'll be back.” I nuzzled her cheek, nodded to Grover and trotted down the hill towards the battlefield. Alright, a little pallius mixed with...silentius? That should do it. I breathed deeply and began to cast my spell. The spell I had in mind was difficult but not too difficult. If Celestia could fry an entire battlefield I could do this. My spell bent the light around me and muffled my my hooves.

Hot damn I am good!

I galloped as fast as I could towards the edge of the battlefield, and slowed down once I reached it. It was even worse up close. The remaining ponies were all either badly injured or so covered in gore that I couldn't tell if they were hurt or not. If I had a spell to get rid of nausea I'd use it. Mental note; find anti nausea spell.

I weaved between the Royal Guards and steel clad ponies of Trot heading towards the center of the field. Directly in the center of the battlefield, among dozens of dismembered bodies and body parts stood Celestia and her Pegasi guards. She stood in front of a particularly large changeling who, like the others, was covered in burned holes all over her body and wings. The creatures writhed on the ground before Celestia's hooves, hissing and barring it's fangs. I stopped a couple yards away and crouched low to the ground.

“It's over Chrysalis,” Princess Celestia said, outrage in every syllable. “You must be punished.”

“Do your worst. You are nothing without the dark one, and you know it.” Chrysalis mocked. Celestia's expression darkened terribly and she brought her hoof down on the creature's back, pressing her against the ground.

“You and your minions will spend the rest of eternity at Mount St Hoof.” she leaned down and whispered, “you will never see my sun again.”

“Just kill me you coward.” she said, almost pleadingly.

“That wouldn't be a punishment. It would be mercy.” with a flourish she gave a sharp kick to her head and knocked her unconscious. The nearby changelings that weren't dead or unconscious hissed at the Princess.

If I learned one thing that day, it was that I never, ever, wanted to get on the wrong side of her horn.

“Auntie, I believe that the thief may be in the area.” Princess Ambrosia landed near Celestia. Unlike the Princess of the sun Ambrosia wore full body armor painted to match her coat and hair. “The spell was disabled about a day's trot from here and the map indicates she was heading in this direction.” HA! Knew it.

“There's no need, Ambrosia. I have full confidence in Grover. His ambition won't allow him to fail. It's too important to him.” Celestia said confidently.

“What does he expect you to do once we destroy Grogar?” Ambrosia asked, inspecting one of the dead changelings with almost sickening fascination.

“He expects me to reward him with something that will help his race rise above their current state. And in exchange he has proven the most valuable asset I've ever had.” She looked over the assembled Royal Guards and steel clad ponies with growing sadness. “So many lives wasted. Every soldier we lost today is a soldier that won't be taking the fight to the Legion.” she looked down at Chrysalis, pure disgust on her face.

“Why don't you just kill her, Aunt Celestia?” Ambrosia asked, looking down at Chrysalis with even greater contempt than her aunt.

“It is a fitting punishment for her and her entire race to starve to death inside a volcano, I think. Don't you?” Wow. I thought starting to crawl away from them. The strain of keeping the spell going was starting to make my head hurt. That's pretty fucked up for Celestia. I didn't think Celestia had it in her to be that harsh. But she was hundreds of years old, who knows what she did.

As I tip hoofed through the remains of Royal Guards, dead changelings and unconscious ones I thought of what I heard. Like I thought, Celestia knew the spell was disabled the instant I did it, and just as I guessed, Grover was sent to stop me from running. But looking around at the field of charred changelings I couldn't help but wonder why Celestia didn't put a stronger tracking spell on me. I mean, I am good, very good. But if she could take out an entire battlefield like that why didn't she put a stronger spell on me? Or, even stranger; if she had that kind of magical power why didn't she just kill Grogar and his armies. She should have. Unless... he was even more powerful than Celestia.

The very thought sent a chill down my spine that the corpses around me couldn't hope to match. If she couldn't defeat Grogar on her on without much power then she needs to use every card in the deck to win. And that includes Grover, the intensely motivated and highly skilled griffon warrior, and me; the best magical security breaker in Canterlot.

As I made my way back towards the treeline I checked every corpse I came across for anything valuable, and hot damn did they have some good stuff on them. Mostly potions but a fair few had a good sized sum of gold on them. I stopped near an two dead Guards and an injured stallion in steel armor.

“Please, help me.” I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down at my hooves. Eyup, definitely have a problem; I could see them. “Please...help me...stop the pain.” reluctantly I turned to the stallion and dropped onto my stomach. If Celestia or that orange maned cunt sees me...

The stallion looked at me pleadingly with one eye, the other had been slashed out. There was a changeling horn stuck in his chest, right where his heart was. It was astonishing that he was still alive.

“Please, help me.” he asked again. But, I couldn't. I knew some pretty impressive spells, and I would be lying if I said healing wasn't apart of my curriculum, but I didn't know anything that could fix a hole in somepony's heart. Hell, I doubted I could lift him off the ground, and I was confident that if I tried any more advanced magic Celestia would be able to feel it.

“I-I can't help. Sorry.” I started to turn away but his hoof gripped my shoulder.

“Kill me. I can't do it myself, just do it. I'll give you everything I have, please, it hurts so much.” his eyes were filled with tears and every word echoed the agony in his expression. It would really be kinder to kill him now than just leave him here. Who knows how long it would take for him to bleed out with that horn in his chest.

I thought of the perfect spell too. It was a simple one, levitation. I'd just increase the pressure on his throat until he stopped breathing. Just a few pounds of pressure and his pain would end. Or maybe something else would work?

My horn glowed bright silver as I strained to cast one final spell. After a minute or so of concentration I single silver orb burst from the tip of my horn and floated down onto his chest. His body was surrounded with a silver aura and his face relaxed into an almost stupid grin.

“Thank you.” he said, closing his eyes. He wasn't dead, it didn't feel right to kill him like this. All I did was remove his ability to feel pain. He could just go to sleep and never wake up.

“You're welcome.” without another word I crawled towards the edge of the battlefield and when the cost was clear I made a break for the treeline as quickly and quietly as I could.

“What happened?” Grover asked when I emerged from the pushes, loaded down with dozens of potions, a few choice weapons, a dozen bottles of ale and hard cider and two full suits of steel pony armor. I would have taken the Royal Guard armor but that stuff was hard to sell. Rose galloped to me and hugged my forelegs.

“I was so worried, I thought something happened to you.” she said, wrapping all four of her legs around my forelegs.

“Nah, I just did a little shopping.” I turned to Grover. “Celestia took care of those changelings like they were nothing.” I told him about her spell and the sheer amount of raw power that went into it. I also told him about what she was going to do to Chrysalis and her changelings. (I left out the part about them looking for me of course)

“Seems a rather fit punishment for that disgusting creature,” he said spitting on the ground. “my only grievance is that I was not able to inflict retribution upon that creature myself. I suppose you talked to the Princess?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” I told him dismissively. “she's not staying long. Just going to talk to the remaining soldiers and have the Royal Guards sent to the western front. We should probably get moving if we're going to get around them. Fewer questions and all that.” Damn I'm good!

“Smart move. We'll move through the forest until we reach the western road. That will take us straight to Whitetail.” he said with a nod. “Do you need to rest? You like exhausted.” No, no. Of course not. I just walked all day and night carrying almost eleven thousand gold coins, a few short swords, food, water, and a filly to get to a blood bath just in time to see Celestia magically bitch slap an entire race into submission.

“I'll be fine, but Rose will have to walk for a few hours. Then we'll make camp.” as an afterthought I added, “And you're going to carry this stuff.” I slung my extra bags onto Grover's back who, to my amazement, didn't even strain from the extra weight. Damn. I am making it a priority to get him into bed before getting rid of him. As strong and agile as he was he probably knew a few good positions. Made me wet just thinking about it.

We followed the treeline to the road and walked for maybe an hour before I collapsed. That invisibility spell took a lot more out of me than I thought it would. We made camp by the road, just on the edge of the Whitetail Woods. At the rate we were moving we'd be in Whitetail in three days. Something I'd much rather avoid. The bits Celestia was offering were great, but what if she was lying? What if she decided not to pay me and just have me jailed?

At Grover's insistence we rested all day and that night too. He wanted me to be in top shape for infiltrating Whitetail. I didn't complain, I was so sick of walking I could have stayed there for a week. Alas, it was only for the night.

Since we were staying there for the night and I took a pretty good power nap during the day I decided to stay up a little later and read one of Grover's journal entries. I guessed that this one was dated about a year after he came to Equestria, from the way his other journal entries were marked.

17th of Crystal Wind, Year 16.

I had the dream again. We were standing in the center of the Crucible, our wings bound and our blades drawn. We struck out at one another with the inexperience and fiery energy of youth. I still remember the surreal feeling of actually being in the dueling pit. There were so many times I went to watch others battle...this was the first time it actually felt real.

Sparks flew around us as we fought. I can still see his face, his eyes. Even as I write. Full of anger, hatred even. He knew it was his destiny to kill me...and I robbed him of it.

Gilgamesh.

I still feel the weight of his body as it dropped to the floor. I remember the feeling as my blade pierced his torso. And I remember the cheers. Every griffon watching the match cheered for me. My victory. I had won the gold. I could even see mother and father in the stands...

They were cheering louder than any of the others.

Then old Gunther came into the pit, unbound my wings and raised my right foreleg into the air. I was the champion, and I had to act like it. The crowd demanded that I bow and celebrate my victory as much as they were. All the while Gilgamesh lay bleeding on the ground. He didn't die quickly, nor was it painless, and I'm the one who caused it.

Upon leaving the arena I retrieved his blade, as was my right as champion of our contest. It didn't feel right leaving it to Gunther, or any other griffon that decided they wanted a new sword. I always wake up after my father congratulates me. It was the only time he ever had.

“You did me proud son, and don't you forget it.”I don't think I ever will.

I think I'm done writing for now.

That is horrible. Not just horrible, that's like Shadowmark levels of horrible. His parents cheered while he killed someone? And I thought my parents were bad. Difference between insanely overbearing and bloodthirsty I guess. Rose snuggled closer to my side and wrapped a hoof around my own. I thought back to Rose's parents and wondered what they were like. Surely they weren't like Grover's, and probably not like my own.

“I'm so sorry Rose,” I whispered and stroked her mane. Maybe I could find a spell to bring them back to life, not like zombies but actually bring them back. “Maybe if I could get into Star Swirl's atheneum...” I wondered aloud. No, that wouldn't work. I'd studied magic for years and I never heard of a spell that could do anything more than reanimate the corpse.

“I can't bring them back, but I don't need to. I'll take care of you, Rose.” she couldn't hear me but it felt good saying it. “I won't let anything happen to you. I swear.” ever since leaving Fetlock I never thought about getting married or having foals but when I looked at Rose I felt something. I felt it in my soul. I just... I fell in love with the little shit.

I looked over at Grover's sleeping form and thought about what I had read. He dreamed about the day he killed someone and wrote it down. He killed 'Gilgamesh'. He said he 'had the dream again'. How often did he have it? Was he having it now? If only I knew a spell that would let me see into his mind. Then I could see what's going on in there!

I stowed Grover's journal in my bags, drank a bottle of ale and took another power map before waking Rose and Grover.

“Want one?” I asked him once we got back on the road, floating a bottle towards him. “You're no fun. What about you, Rose?” I floated the bottle of cider towards her. She sniffed the bottle tentatively.

“Are you sure it's okay?” she asked, sounding nervous. “Isn't drinking bad?”

“Having a drink of hard cider isn't bad. Drinking until you fall flat on your face drunk is bad. Isn't that right Grover?” the griffon nodded and when I floated a second bottle to him her accepted.

“I was five the first time I drank Hyperborean whiskey.” he took a long pull off the bottle and smacked his lips er...beak. “As long as you don't over do it it's fine.” Rose sniffed the bottle once more before gripping it in her teeth and taking a small drink.

“Not bad, huh?” I asked as she hoofed the bottle back to me.

“It's okay, but it tastes weird.” she said trotting beside me.

“Yes it does.” I agreed, finishing my second bottle and tossing it to the side of the road.

“Wait,” Grover said after we'd been walking for almost an hour. He drew one of his swords and turned to the trees on the other side of the road. We were at the very edge of the Whitetail Woods, it just figured something had to happen. I pulled Rose behind me and readied a bolt of lightening.

Grover stepped towards the treeline cautiously, unsheathing his other sword and sinking into his trademark combat stance. But before he could do anything a dozen ponies in Nightstalker armor burst from the trees and swarmed him.

“Get back, Rose!” I pushed Rose towards the other side of the road and into some bushes. “Just stay out of sight!” I turned to cast lightening at anypony who came too close but they weren't interested in me and Rose. They were going for Grover. The griffon managed to cut down three of them before the rest tackled him to the ground and started stabbing at the gaps in his armor.

“You'll pay for killing our brothers and sisters!” a green mare shouted shoving a knife into Grover's left hindleg. Grover snarled and stabbed the mare in the face with his bladed helmet. The other Nightstalkers crowded around him and pulled his blades away, then they began to beat him furiously.

But Grover wasn't going down without a fight. He slashed them with his claws. He sank his beak into all within reach and no matter how many times they hit him he wouldn't go down.

“Help him! They're hurting him!” Rose cried, and she was right. Grover was a tough son of a bitch but without his weapons and room to maneuver he was a goner. I got ready to cast lightening at the Nightstalker closest to me but another thought came to mind. If I hit any of the Nightstalkers the electricity will hit Grover too, but I didn't think it would kill him. But if I hit Grover... Yes, that would work. If I cast the bolt right at Grover's helmet the shock will carry through his body and armor and hit the Nightstalkers! I'll be rid of Grover and the Nightstalkers! No going to Whitetail, no more being a puppet of Celestia's. Just me and Rose living the high life in Prance.

I reared up and prepared to blast them all to Tartarus. One spell is all it would take.

Then the world froze.

Everything around me came to stand still. The Nightstalkers holding Grover to the ground, Grover himself sinking his talons into the stallion next to him and Rose...she was looking right at me. Her face was contorted in absolute fear, tears running down her face. And she was looking right at me.

She was just scared of the Nightstalkers right? She wasn't afraid of me. She couldn't be.

Right?

Then I looked from her to myself. Reared up on my hindlegs, magical lightening crackling around my horn. I was about to solve all my problems. We were going to be free. All I had to do was kill Grover...

Kill Grover? Why? A little voice in my mind asked me.

To get my freedom back! I told her, but she didn't relent.

Grover wouldn't hurt you, why would you hurt him? What has he done to you? It asked.

He's helping Celestia force me to go to Whitetail. If I kill him I'll be able to get away. I have to! Just like the Nightstalkers at the outpost, if I don't kill him Celestia will throw me in jail. I was sure of it. After what she did to Chrysalis why should I be any different? I may not be a freaky changeling but I caused a lot of trouble in Canterlot, why would she actually go through with the deal?

Are you going to light him on fire too? Like the Nightsalkers? I felt my heart sink. I-I did it to keep them away! I had no other choice.

You could have hid behind a shield while Grover killed them. He would have anyway. Or you could have avoided them until Grover and the Guards rounded them up. But I didn't. I cast fire at them...

What is wrong with me? The true horror of what I was going to do hit me like a bottle of cider to the side of the head. I was going to kill Grover; the griffon who came to another nation to fight a war that had nothing to do with him, for a pony princess who said she could help his people. A princess who could help his Sapphire and all the griffons of his homeland. He was risking his life and the future of his people to keep me safe. And I...I was trying to kill him.

Damn it, Silver Scroll! What's wrong with you? I felt tears streaming down my cheeks just like Rose's.

“NOOOOOOOO!!” I blasted the pony closest to me with a beam of magical energy, knocking him off Grover. I pulled a dagger from the sheath on my foreleg and charged into the group, sending beams of energy at the remaining Nightsalkers as I went. Grover had already killed half of them, I could handle the rest. I have to.

“You won't hurt my friend!” and I meant it. Grover may have been a crazy griffon bastard but he was the only person I'd ever met who didn't want something from me. Well... he wanted something from Celestia but that didn't count!

I jumped right into the pile of ponies and stabbed at anything and everything that was exposed. I aimed for the under belly, the fetlock and I even gelded a stallion when he tried to bite my ear. I've been in more than a few scraps, but this was ridiculous. Grover threw a mare off his back and she flew into me, then the two of rolled into the bushes on the other side of the road.

“You stupid bitch, we aren't here for you or your kid. We just want the griffon!” she said kicking me between the hindlegs. Fucking cunt... more tears fell from my eyes as we kicked at each other in the bushes. If could concentrate long enough to cast a spell  I would have killed her already but she wouldn't give me the chance. I reached down and gripped the hilt of the dagger strapped to my other foreleg.

“Bitch.” I said past the hilt as I drew up and sank the knife into her neck. She gasped and blood erupted from her mouth and the wound in her neck, splashing across my face and chest. She pulled it out and rammed it into her neck and chest again and again, until she finally fell to the ground.

“The night will rise again...” she managed to choke out before closing her eyes for the final time.

I don't know how long I stood there, looking at the still body of a mare I'd just stabbed to death. Long enough for Rose to come to my side and pull on my mane until I returned to the road with her. Fuck, my tail hurts!!! Grover waited in the middle of the dirt road next to the dead Nightsalkers. He piled them up just on the side of the road and stripped them of their weapons.

“You alright?” he asked, finishing a healing potion and dropping the empty bottle next to a half dozen others.

“Yeah, I'm fine.” it took me a moment to reply, I could still see her face, and her neck oozing blood. What is wrong with me?

“You mind lighting the pyre?” he asked, gesturing to the ponies behind him. I shook my head.

“No. Let's just go.” I floated Rose onto my back and turned away from the bodies.

“Let's just go.”

Level Up! Combat Magic 75 Sneak 50.

New Perks Added! Light Stepper. Galloping no longer affects your ability to sneak and you don't trigger floor based traps!

Quest Perk: Well Read. Your extensive magical knowledge is the envy of most wizards, spells are now 15% more powerful!