Golden Sunset

August 16th, 1051, 9PM

Grover was a griffon nearing his elder years, working in the logging industry had both strengthened his build and taken a toll now that his prime was behind him. It was now almost 35 years since his stake in history had ended. A lineage not wiped out, but instead relegated to irrelevance. The life of a monarch in just a few months was turned into that of a simple lumberjack, and the stallion that made that change was now so distant that Grover barely remembered his colouration, let alone more specific details about him, he only saw Golden Morning once after all.

He thought of his life on his porch, pipe in claw, with a book on a side table beside him, reminiscing about the royal duties he was so sure were his destiny. But now as he looked at the sunset the irony of his life was as clear as it could ever be, and yet a smile adorned Grover's beak, what did his own royalty matter to him anymore? He couldn't even remember his own father, all he could now do in enjoy what he had to the fullest, his wife, his children, and his humble yet satisfying work.

Grover was of course not ignorant of the wider world, what little he kept till today from the chaotic years of his 2 regencies was an appreciation for literature and learning, however superficial it seemed here deep in rural Longsword, he was still curious, though as he himself got older the world itself seemed to mature with him, conflict still erupted, blood was still spilled, but there was nothing that compared to the 1010s, the age of truly massive conflict was seemingly behind them all.

The sun had set as Grover reminisced about his life, and only when the gentle chill of night made itself known did he retreat into his humble home, a wooden building with 2 stories, a fine living, though now that his children left to study and work in The Heart much of the space was rendered superfluous. He entered the house with a soft smile adorning his beak, when he was young he felt cheated, but with so much time behind him the simple life he led proved to be more satisfying than he ever imagined as a mere teenager.

After the initial affair of his placement in the village even Golden Morning's propaganda machine stopped paying him much attention, he was the last triumph the empire needed to rise, and half the point of his humbling was for him to become a regular citizen, unremarkable, almost forgotten.

And now that he was back in his abode the thoughts of the past melted away, Grover had more than enough to live with in the present, and the distant past could be discarded, it had little left to do with the current him, he was a simple griff with a loving pony wife, Winter Blossom, and that was all he needed.

August 19th, 1051, 3AM

Grover awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, brought out of a dreamless sleep by what to him seemed an unexpected sound, he could not place it, he knew neither where it came from nor the reason it came to be, but this was his house, and he was sure that if anycreature were to find the origin it would have to be him. He left Winter Blossom laying in bed, there was no need to wake her, it was not the first time something harmless awoke him, but he had to always make sure that everything was in order. Opening his bedroom door quietly as to make sure not to wake his wife, Grover came out into the corridor on the first floor and headed towards the stairs. But as Grover's claws hit the first few steps he heard something again, the muffled sounds of a careful walk, getting closer.

Intrusion, likely by multiple creatures considering the amount of muffled taps he heard, Grover felt fear and adrenaline surge through him, but at the same time as he wanted to run and reach for a weapon of any kind he was also paralyzed, all he could do for a few seconds was to stare at the L-bend in the staircase, and those moments of inaction were all that was needed for a dark figure, cloaked in shadow to emerge. A Griffon, a visor covering his eyes with a sickly green glow coming from the eyepieces. This distorted the face to an extent where determining the Griffon's emotions was nearly impossible, especially considering the state of sheer terror that engulfed Grover's mind as he saw a glowing magical assault rifle held by the intruder. Both knew the other had seen them, and those unnatural lenses seemingly drilled into Grover, all the while he himself stood still as if turned to stone.

“No sudden moves friend” said the griffon in a quiet tone. “We're not here to hurt you.” His rifle was still pointing to the floor, and a seeming smirk emerged on his beak, he turned his head slightly and spoke, this time to his yet unrevealed comrades. “I've got him, he's already up... And scared shitless”

The intruder chuckled and turned towards Grover again, but before he could open his beak Grover spoke “What is this? What are you here for? Why...” Grover was then interrupted by the Griffon in front of him moving further up the staircase and responding.

“You'll get your answers soon, now I would prefer if you cooperated and went downstairs. It's a lot better for you than the alternative.”

Grover glanced towards his bedroom and gulped before opening his beak again, only for the griffon in front of him to cut in again. “Your wife will be safe too, just come down the stairs and there will be no trouble.” He gestured with a claw towards the staircase, signalling Grover to move, and after a deep breath, the order was followed, and the ageing griff went down his own staircase looking as if it led to the gallows.

The Darkness downstairs was just as thick, however it was pierced by more glowing objects, more visors, more crystal powered weaponry. Griffons and ponies, even a diamond dog, Grover counted 7 intruders in total as he was directed to his own dinner table where the dog silently sat, looking at the griff before her with a satisfied expression, at least she didn't wear those night vision goggles like her compatriots, so her face was easier to decode even in the dark. As Grover was led to the table and sat down she spoke “Well if it isn't Grover the 6th in the flesh, how different you are from the photos I saw of you. Truly you are an Emperor of the people, living as a simple hard-working labourgriff.” Grover looked at her in astonishment, it had been long decades since the last time he was referred to as ''Emperor'' but this diamond dog said so not just seriously, but with reverence. He remembered that look, it brought him back to the imperial palace, it was like that which he saw on Benito's face, the captain of the guard, the most loyal of his staff, it was back, clear as day, 40 years since he last saw it.

Grover's thoughts were racing, and a picture was quickly assembling itself in his mind, were they trying to restore the Griffonian Empire? That was mad, Golden Morning, while old, had kept his regime's grip on most of the continent rock solid. Were these mutineers?! What did they expect to happen were they somehow to get him to Griffenheim?! The diamond dog continued to stare at him, and considering his current state, she knew very well what he was thinking. “Emperor, the situation is not as you think it is, you are coming with us, so is your wife, your children have been secured in The Heart and are safe. We are taking you to a site in Lushi for safekeeping because you won't last long here, you will also be briefed on the current goings-on on site. And most importantly, we are glad to have you back.” A genuine smile came across the dog's face as she stood up. “Somecreature go wake the Emperor's wife, explain the situation and get her down here, we are leaving in 5 minutes” she barked the orders at the soldiers still in the room, many seemingly enamoured by the visage of the old Griffon they came here to catch. The dog turned her head towards Grover again and said, “The name is Clara Grauler, my Emperor, we will be talking quite a bit once we get you to Lushi.” Grover simply sat dumbfounded, his life was about to change irreversibly, forced to leave his home behind and again captured by troops of who's intentions he could not be sure, it was all the worst parts of 40 years ago coming back in a cruel irony. Soon after his wife was led downstairs by a Pony soldier and both Grover and Winter Blossom were packed into the back of an APC, and for the entire long drive south they stayed almost completely silent, holding each other in legs and claws, determined to not be separated.