Dawn of Midnight

‘And they are gone into the halls of time!’

-Declaration by an extravagant wizard after casting his excretion spell.

In modern times, Griffonstone, and the eponymous kingdom it is the capital of, are synonymous with degradation and precarity. The once great and proud kingdom fell to, vulgarizing, a lack of faith in the ruling house in the aftermath of the loss of the ancient chalice that had been utilized by the first of the imperial line to found the Griffonian Empire – the first of its kind, having united nearly all Griffon nations under the rule of one. An Empire that, if no turn of faith would occur, was itself on the verge of total collapse.

Though blaming the reason on simply the loss of the Icon of Boreas was childishly putting the myriad of problems that had come to plague both Kingdom and Empire. The loss of such an icon served only to represent what is rarely associated with the Griffon: dedication of belief.

While associated with the gathering of wealth above any means and asserting their position in whatever theater they find themselves in, faith guided and still guides the entire race. Be it of political or religious belief, they, more than any other, are willing to defend their belief.

Beliefs differ from region to region, but most of the Griffons were united by the belief in their three main deities: Boreas, Eyr, and Arcturus. The first gave the Griffons the concept of the value of a nation, wealth, and having a friend. The second gave them the concept of family and camaraderie. The third taught them and gave them the means to defend themselves. Each branch ruled by an archon since times immemorial. With the gradual decline of Griffonstone and the rise of the Empire, the archons were dispersed, their unity questioned by worried voices.

Even still, Griffonstone was not the first capital of the Triarchy.

Nestled on an elevated plateau on the western mountain range to Griffonstone, abandoned with time following its sacking by a weird alliance of Griffon and the non-Equestria aligned Pony tribes, declared holy ground by the three Archons with any reconstruction prohibited, Anih was “the City that Was”.

Two figures strode the strewed ruins of the City of a Thousand and One Temples – an impressive name for a village of fewer than one thousand inhabitants. Little was left of those one thousand temples except lone standing arches and walls without a house or temple to call its own. Few relatively intact buildings remained still, with only one, standing on the edge of what was once a central plaza, appearing to have lost nothing of its majesty.

The two figures continued toward the nature-conquered gardens of the Royal Palace. No roof existed and only a few columns protruded out of the long grass growing between the pavements. The rulers were never truly the Archons, though they held near unparalleled temporal power, it was the King of Anih that ruled the city, acting as a mediator between the Archons. With time, the position had morphed into a symbol of the unity of the Three and an integral part of the Triarchy.

And with this, Luna concluded her brief retelling of Anih. And the winds raged stronger, penetrating the confines of the ancient palace with a freezing breeze, heralding the upcoming night.

Eufrimia and Luna tucked their heads instantly. Eufrimia took her orange mane and wrapped it around her neck. The foal that she once was had shed all the vestiges of her early life. Her fur was of a light-dark color, with a strip of white descending from her ears, passing by her a sharp jawline, towards her wingless back – some of the Thestrals had lost their wings in the return to sanity. She possessed small, almost unnoticeable fangs and clear, intensely orange eyes that Luna liked but always seemed to divert her gaze from.

‘Why wear all of this?’ bitterly asked Eufrimia, pointing out the thick clothes Luna had insisted they both wore for their trip – Eufrimia’s first outside Equestria. Her father would have joined them, sticking closely to his only child and the only one the tribe had remaining. For all had found themselves infertile with no cure for it.

‘Because it’s more fun this way,’ Luna answered pleasantly, raising her head back.

‘Being cold is not fun, though…’

‘It is, for me.’ Luna kept her smile. Eufrimia winced, reducing the glow of her orange eyes, feeling almost infuriated by her blissful smile. This whole concept of fun Luna had always felt awkward and out of place for her. Her almost constant denial of utilizing her powers for simple amusement when it could have been far simpler and more convenient to use them.

She could see the reasoning behind it, but Luna’s not-so-hidden constant sarcastic tone put doubt on how much she could reason about Luna’s attitude. Eufrimia almost gave up trying to decipher all that swirled in her self-made mother’s mind; her natural mother had died before the curse. Perhaps simple instincts, but the level of care Luna presented to the girl was more than she did for any of the tribe. Eufrimia’s decision went against her father’s wishes, so both he and Luna rarely spoke in turn. But for Eufrimia it was never about designating Luna as a mother figure to her, rather it was abandoning her real name to the one she had introduced Luna to first. While in front of her, Luna would keep calling by the name the corrupted child had given, with the father alone Luna referred to Eufremia by her first name. Eufraty Miaalmas suspected it was the only reason he had not seethed completely against Luna.

Eufrimia had been reunited with her father after New Year. But like most of her tribe, he was more aloof, more apprehensive, and fearful of venturing out of their hold within the castle’s empty dungeons. Other than her and Luna, everyone else had been prevented from entering. The Thestrals could venture out at their hearts' content, but few ever did beyond the confines of the castle. Of them, only Eufrimia’s father had traveled truly but never out of pleasure, though he cherished every moment spent with his daughter.

Luna continued to add on the history of Anih and the region to distract Eufrimia from the cold.

‘It was once part of the great Arantigan Empire.’

‘What happened to it?’

‘It fell,’ Luna said, like stating the obvious to a petulant student. She could not blame Eufrimia to think so; after all, Equestria stood still. ‘Nothing that should surprise you. Anih, however, is relatively more recent. As I said, the Archons used to call it home before taking Griffonstone for a home. It was during our time, not prior – just to reiterate.’

‘Yeah, yeah… It’s old. I get it.’

‘Hm,’ Luna agreed. She pointed to the horizon. ‘The “trade” “city” of Sisia still exists, perhaps we will visit it after finishing here. Usually, pilgrims stay there instead of resting in one of the “hotels” and inns of current Anih.’

‘A little odd.’

‘Yes, it is,’ she laughed. ‘But, hey, it is expensive here and the people are not very polite either. Plus Sisia has some amazing gardens… And a quick road to the Fortress of Oblivion!’ Luna cried the name out.

‘Damn!’ laughed back Eufrimia. ‘What happens there? Dark magic? Those things from your early reign imprisoned there? Deranged writers?’

‘Nope! Just a prison… for bandits and the occasional usurper – which is basically the same but with a more fashionable name.’

‘Not wrong. So torture is implied?’

‘Wrong! Well, the wind currents are so horrendous that flying is practically wanting to die there, but otherwise, for having been a prisoner there once, it was alright.’

‘They imprisoned one of the Princesses of Equestria and did not notice!?’ Luna proudly nodded. ‘And why were you imprisoned?’

‘I am very good at disguising myself.’ She nudged Eufrimia. ‘As for the reason why: I stole water and was pestering a local herder by playing around with local wolf packs. They were very cute. And her dog was very cute too.’

‘You seem happier here.’

‘Without doubt due to the pure air and lingering smell!’

It had rained the day prior to their arrival and the air still retained that distinct smell. Turning her head toward the partially demolished wall, opening to a cloud glimmering in the distant light of the setting Sun. It extended in length from the bottom of a distant valley to its flat upper edge. From its side, a rainbow appeared shyly on the cloud’s right. Its colors dissipated behind a nearby peak covered by eternal snow. She had never witnessed such a site. Then again, it had been a long while since she had taken this much notice of the landscape around her.

Maybe the work of Cloudsdale, she laughed to herself.

‘By the way, mom,’ Eufrimia tapped Luna’s shoulder, ‘what was before you two came?’

Luna got up without a word said. Getting to a pile of fallen blocks, she began adjusting the fallen red-colored rocks, playing to rearrange them for visitors that would never care for their emplacements. She shuffled them around for a minute or so, maintaining a smile that yelled fake ever louder.

‘So?’ asked Eufrimia, calmly.

‘I don’t know,’ her tone dropped to a dour one. ‘I – we – never cared to know. Not that it matters, we have time to uncover the past more thoroughly anyways. You and I perhaps…’ she trailed off.

‘You will have time. Not me.’ Eufrimia made it sound as much a jest as she could.

Luna clenched her teeth. ‘You have to remind me. I don’t want to know,’ she almost ordered.

‘Oh! It’s a joke! Just stop being so dour.’

‘Let’s go to an amphitheater or something. I don’t care.’ She enveloped the bag Eufrimia was carrying with blue energy, levitating it as she walked away from the young mare.

Shit, cursed Eufrimia. She’s angry.

Getting past the still-in-use aqueduct, Luna sat down and made upon her talent. It had become a mundane thing for Eufrimia, it had lost its impressiveness to her. She would have vastly preferred staying around to talk with Cherry Aurora, a servant’s child with no particular future entailed to her except inheriting her father’s position, rather than staying with Luna. Once she did and Luna worried sick about her absence. Luna had found both mares simply discussing whatever book Cherry had chosen to study as part of Eufrimia’s attempt at teaching her literature. She turned out better than her, and the Thestral felt inferior by it. Though her father had taught her to not let jealousy be the defining feature of her life, the gnawing feeling did not subside completely. However, in discussing the deeper meanings of writings, Eufrimia prided herself on being unsurpassed. And it was during one of her tirades that Luna came to liberate Aurora from what had started about flowers to the existentialism of investable decay – somehow.

Luna had been worried, yes, but that factor had not been the one taking Eufrimia to see the Alicorn rise to the Moon. When the Princess had come barreling in, Cherry’s demeanor… shifted. Not in the way expected for a servant meeting with its master, but rather something more…existential. Looking at Luna directly was an effort. Presenting excuses for an error that wasn’t hers was an even greater effort.

At that time, Eufrimia thought only Thestrals like her were immune to whatever aura Luna emitted. But a brief trip to the south of Equestria proved her wrong. The unease was universal.

Luna could attune it, and she had done so many times effortlessly. But Luna wasn’t exactly the most diplomatic of individuals and without that… thing, she had to pour more effort. The slight effort, for she still was an Alicorn, but enough to tire her.

‘So it is here everything Griffon was born?’ Eufrimia tried to soften the tense atmosphere.

‘Uhm,’ Luna nodded. ‘It is one of their oldest settlements. If not the oldest. Though more on Griffon's history can wait. Understand I don’t feel like reciting it at the moment.’

‘Not that I would complain hearing you ramble.’

Luna loudly grunted, clearly signaling a certain agreement in the wind, trying to concentrate on her task.

Suddenly, the wind took up speed, racking its harsh coolness upon the open plateau. Luna continued her walk unbothered, but Eufrimia was halted nearly instantly. Instinctively, she closed her eyes; little did the Thestral know that the sky started clearing, revealing a shy Sun.

Eufrimia felt something gently grabbing her; still with enough force to push her wholly to who-knows-where as she felt her body lightening and flying above the ground.

‘Are you okay?’ worried Luna, frantically inspecting Eufrimia. ‘Does it burn somewhere?’ Eufrimia did not answer at first, still shaken by the experience. ‘Answer me, Eufi!’ her voice edged on an order.

‘Yeah…’ She opened her eyes to a night sky and Luna’s eyes searching for any sunburn.

‘You’re dizzy.’

‘Something you did. You tell me.’

‘I had to rush you behind this wall.’ She did not elaborate further. ‘Are you okay besides that? And sorry about it.’

‘Nothing hurts. The Sun was weak, no worries. Everything’s fine.’

The wind returned again with a vengeance, taking in its thralls Eufrimia’s mane; Luna’s remaining in its ever-waving state, unbothered by the elements.

‘The wind is strong,’ smirked Eufrimia.

‘Hm. You will get used to it,’ said Luna, still somewhat vexed. ‘We can make this visit a yearly habit if you want?’

‘I don’t mind. But I would prefer dad to come with us next time… Maybe we can plan it for my birthday or something.’

‘Whatever you like. If it makes you happy – that is most important to me.’

‘By the way, I’ve never asked, nor noticed-’

‘Surprising,’ she laughed a little, helping Eufrimia to get up.

‘Yeah,’ she giggled. ‘But never have I heard you mention you celebrating your birthday – not even your sister’s if she celebrates hers that is.’

‘…’

‘You do know when you were born, right?’ Something in Eufrimia told her that the lack should be accepted as such and the question never had to be uttered in the first place.

‘I don’t remember.’ Eufrimia let the solemn silence sit. She knew and stayed with Luna ever since she could remember, but never had the atmosphere felt so… opaque. ‘My sister and I used to celebrate it when we were little – if you can fathom how long it was.’ Her lips twitched. ‘Eventually, we… just mutually agreed to no longer bring it up. And the rest vanished; we no longer brought anything out like this. There is no point in it.’

Now, Eufrimia felt truly bad. ‘Not the only thing you’ve stopped bringing up,’ she muttered. Luna did not hear her as she blankly stared at the stone floor.

‘We used to have fun together,’ continued Luna, ignoring what Eufrimia had to say.

‘You still do. With me, though.’

‘Yes. And that’s the problem.’

She wanted to yell at her. After all of those years, she singled her as the problem. Grabbing a hold of herself, she remembered to keep herself calm and collected. Her father always said she tends to ask too many questions at the most inappropriate time. At least, she wasn’t embarrassing a friend by doing so. Cherry Aurora had forgiven her, thankfully. Then again, what is so weird asking about the reason why Cherry’s parents had not been speaking with each other when she had made it clear that mentioning them was not particularly welcome.

‘And you,’ she coughed, ‘are too melodramatic for my taste,’ she buried the truth under an amused smile.

Luna returned back with a smile, ‘I am not fun – am I?’

‘Nope!’ It had exited too true for her liking. ‘But it does not mean I want to be separated from you. I like to not have fun. I adore it.’

‘Sometimes I prefer when you were still a throbbing, drooling thing.’

‘I can still become one, but I don’t like the feel of saliva dripping down, you know?’

Luna laughed profusely as she prepared to rise to the Moon.

Heading close to a cliff in the early hours of dawn, offering a view to a great plain where streams ran directly from the mountains above, the profound sound of bells toned in long intervals a weak wind transporting it through the tall grass. A dog barked and the orderly yells of a family of Griffons joined to fill the silence and add their chores to the serene surroundings.

For a long while, no words were shared between the two mares. Sleep was rapidly conquering them but had insisted for Eufrimia to witness Anih at dawn. The temporary spell cast by Luna was fading but just enough to keep enough energy.

Perhaps the herder had noticed them. Luna did not really mind. She knew how disinterested those folks could be in things not directly threatening their animals.

‘Want to eat?’

‘Not particularly. No,’ answered Eufrimia.

‘I’m hungry. Want us to eat now?’

‘If you can’t wait-’

‘I can. But you also have to understand that hunger is a very grievous thing. Particularly for those in my standing,’ she jested.

Eufrimia grinned and jokingly bowed. ‘Excuse me, Princess.’

‘That’s more like it!’ Luna exaggerated.

She presented a piece of plain cake; no frivolity, no weird mixture of fruit, but a barely perceivable lemony flavor. ‘I don’t want one.’ Luna insisted, the bag dangling more aggressively. ‘I said no.’ Luna pushed further. ‘No!’

Not bothering to lower her head, Luna dropped the bag on the floor. ‘I know you like those.’

‘That is why I don’t want one. After a while, they stop tasting good.’

‘I-’ she muffled something. ‘Don’t come to me later for them.’

‘I won’t, fatty.’

‘I’m not fat!’

‘Of course, you aren’t. Those with problems are usually the first to deny them,’ she cackled on the side of her mouth.

‘Don’t do your philosophy on me. I hate it!’

Begrudgingly, Eufrimia took out a cake, splitting it for Luna before offering it back to her. All the while, she had kept a malign expression that made Luna puff. The Alicorn was hungry indeed but felt like dividing her meal with Eufrimia.

‘I wonder if they eat well here,’ said Eufrimia while mashing her sandwich.

Luna closed her eyes and waited with a grimace for the ordeal to end. ‘They eat enough,’ she answered, exasperated.

‘Something’s telling me they don’t.’

‘Then go feed them yourself. I cannot provide anything to them.’

‘Why though?’

‘It is not my place to do so. ‘

‘But you have the powers, and it would not be unusual for you to do so.’

‘I know. It is still not my place to do so, here.’

‘Even if you walk around as a Griffon-’ She taped Luna on the arm. ‘Can you mimic one perfectly?’

‘Of course, I can!’ she boasted in a sudden mood shift. ‘Take a gander!’

She shoved down her cake, grabbed Eufrimia, and forced her down to a ruined building, away from any prying eyes. In less than two seconds, the amalgamation of Pegasus and Unicorn disappeared as it was replaced by the half-feline, half-avian form of a tall Griffon.

‘Ta-da!’

‘Damn. Could’ve confused me if it wasn’t for the obvious colors.'

‘What can I say? I am quite fond of those. I… claw too much to them.’ Luna closed and opened her claw. ‘I claw upon them instead of clawing to-’

‘Stop it.’

‘No – I will claw onto my joke.’

Eufrimia paused to think, contorting her visage to see how the Griffon in front of her would react. To put it briefly: she was disappointed by the lack of originality. But she was too tired to bother extracting more out of her. ‘What are- Those Chan-gelin-gs?’

‘Yes. The Changelings.’

‘Will we go to the Changeling Lands? It would be fun, no?’

‘No,’ she asserted. ‘We leave them alone.’

‘Maybe they can join Equestria, and then the fun would begin. They must have some amazing games with their abilities.’

Luna snorted and smiled patronizingly. ‘We will not force them. I don’t attack for the pleasure it procures. We have united Equestria; those that were not part of the realm or Ponies are not obliged to join. We will never force anyone to join. We will defend Equestria, but never will we force our will beyond those borders. You hear me? Never.’ She turned. ‘Already we have the mantle of Sun and Moon, it should not extend beyond it.’

‘Hm… And dreams,’ added Eufrimia. ‘And you have dreams.’ You just have to add more to the fire, Eufrimia, huh? Fuck you. I hate myself…

‘And I have the Realm of Dreams… And I have the Realm of Dreams…’

‘Okay, okay.’ She tapped Luna with two hooves, making Luna smile for a reason that escaped the Princess. ‘Make me a Griffon. But keep the orange.’

‘You don’t have to tell me twice!’

Luna’s horn peered out from the Griffon form, lighting up with great expectation behind it. As blue light came to cloak Eufrimia’s body wholly, Luna sensed what was a relatively trivial spell – one she had gotten used to casting over the years – taking much effort out of her.

Eufrimia saw Luna’s unease behind the slowly thickening veil. Her eyes shifted endlessly in position, her wings were raised, and her mouth opened and closed endlessly, repeating the spell she had become unsure of its veracity. The more she recited it, the more her she doubted herself. Were those the right words? The right sequences? Why was she questioning a practice done over and over?

Rarely had Eufrimia observed Luna reacting in that manner. But knowing her, the reason for unsureness was simple.

She yelled once. Her mouth refused to move, the words lost in the echo of her inner voice. Gathering all the energy simultaneously dissipating and souring within her, and feeling it would be her last try, Eufrimia bellowed. ‘Do it!’ she managed to get out, getting Luna’s ears to twitch. ‘I’ll be fine!’

For a couple of seconds, nothing changed. Then, like a bright, blue Sun, it ended.

Eufrimia woke up laying on the floor alone. Luna, still a Griffon, was standing, her back turned and their bag hanging on her back.

She turned in place, placing herself belly down. Then she put two… pitch-white claws on the pavement. Startled by the sight, she caressed the black fur. It was as if it could be taken off easily; it was there and wasn’t at the same time. Eufrimia turned her head to see her wings. They were there and she could control them fully. An addition of Luna or simply a part of the spell, the Thestral did not care.

Eufrimia forsook her first attempt; she had wings now, so why not profit from them? Awkwardly, she tentatively rose above the ground through the only force of her wings. But not far enough from the ground for her to not still be able to feel the ground.

Like a child learning how to walk, Eufrimia went toward the familiar things. Like so, she bumped abruptly into Luna, dropping on her claws. She stumbled and fell gently on Luna’s side. The Alicorn barely reacted but turned to face Eufrimia, meeting her red, bright eyes directly. She smirked, edging on a smile, and caressed Eufrimia on the head.

‘See?’ her voice had not changed, but uttering it from something other than her mouth was as exhilarating as it was unfamiliar. ‘You did it!’ Eufrimia hugged Luna.

Caressing Eufrimia’s winged back, Luna told the young mare in a tone similar to the one waiting to be berated for her action, ‘Let’s go to the nearest inn. I am very tired.’

Eufrimia nodded and closely followed Luna.

In a short time, they exited the ruins twenty minutes before dawn. Wanting to see the Sun basking in the ruins, Eufrimia paused, Luna, continuing without her. Casting a full view of the City that Was, Eufrimia noticed Luna had been avoiding the central monument from the start of their visit. She wanted to raise that fact, but her instincts told her to hold on to her words. She might no longer visit the ruins in her lifespan, but keeping Luna tethered to any sort of positive attitude, better let her want to be buried. In the end, it won’t matter; maintaining their relationship was paramount. If broken, nothing would mend it back together.