The Marrow of the Spirit Book One: Ashes Against the Grain

"And that's all I really have to tell as of now."

Gryden sat in the far end of the Moot chamber with several other figures around him, all leaning towards the young Ranger, taking his story in.

It had to be one of the biggest rooms he had ever seen, with ornate statues of old rulers and other important historical figures lined up all around the walls, with beautiful carvings, mosaics and paintings of Griffon history adorning every inch of the room.

The arches and pillars mingled with the natural rock that jutted from the ceiling and walls. Veins of minerals and ore could be seen in the stone, all converging where the throne resided in the center of the chamber. The Moot chamber lay at the heart of Monolith, and Monolith in the Heart of the tallest mountain of the Empire of the Wind. He had seen many places in his travels for the Rangers, but he was never given the chance to look upon the Capital of the Griffon Empire, let alone the famed Moot chamber.

It was incredible.

"Sounds like you had it rough. We all have." He felt a claw on his shoulder as he looked up to the voice that replied to him.

Before stood a Minotaur, bearing the cloak and armor of an Arkonian Ranger, a small, sad smile upon his face.

"At least be grateful that some of the order made it out alive. The dead litter that land; we could easily be among those poor bastards"

"I know, Rex," Gryden replied with a sigh "It's still a lot to take in though. I mean, all those creatures, all those bodies.....friends and family just.....gone." An image of a strange bipedal creature came to mind. He turned to another figure on his right, a sad look upon his face.

"I miss him, Birch."

Birch Black, son of Bright Steel, and Knight Ranger of Arkon, turned towards the voice that called his face, his own, dead of expression, besides the apparent misery that dulled his once vibrant eyes.

"I...I miss him, too Gryden. I miss them. Cherry, mom...dad." Birch mused, distantly.

He didn't remember much from when he was pulled from the rubble of the gate after the siege of Sanfaran, and what he did recall was....unpleasant to say the least.

For the last two months, he had lingered in a state of shock, talking with detachment, thoughts always leading to the atrocities that he had seen, that he had done. Ever since he was pulled from the wreckage by his sister Summer Isle, his apparent last remaining family member, he seemed a shell of his former self. Where once stood a proud Knight Ranger now was a broken stallion, stuck in a mind frame of past failures, and lost friends and family.

Summer Isle rubbed his back, cooing softly .

How she survived the slaughter of the city was known only to her; even Birch didn't know, and by the pained face that his sister adorned when thinking about it, didn't want o know. She had fared better psychologically than her brother, and for the last two months had to be the strong one of the two as they fled to Griffin Empire. She was worn out by the time they reached Monolith, to the point of being physically ill, but thanks to well timed scouting party of surviving Rangers, she and her brother were rescued from Death's door, and were ushered into the safety of Monolith.

For weeks now, she and her brother were given rooms in the palace at the request of the Prince of Arkon, in order to fully recuperate from the tortuous ordeal they had gone through.

And, though she had been steadily recovering, her brother seemed to only be getting worse.

"It's alright, Birch," She said, nuzzling him softly,"If we made it out, then there may be hope that Cherry and Aggie made it out, too."

Birch said nothing, keeping his gaze fixated on the floor, his blank stare boring holes into the ground.

Rex sighed, before facing Gryden again.

"As you can see, young one, we all haven't fared so great sense this mess started," he said, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to alleviate his already pounding headache, "I've lost family and friends of my own, and have endured suffering that shouldn't have been inflicted on any creature. But, at the end of the day, I'm glad that I still live, if only that it means that as long as I breath, as long as WE breath, we still have a fighting chance at fixing this.....this tragedy."

He looked around at the faces that stared at him, before slumping forward.

"I just wish more of us made it out."

Besides Gryden, Rex and Birch, only 4 known Rangers made it out alive.

Metaphysics: a unicorn, rank of Dominion, and one of the former apprentices to Iron Gates, the Rangers' weapons master. He was stationed at the Ranger's Headquarters when the Minotauri attacked. And he alone, out of all the apprentices and the Master himself, survived the slaughter by crawling through the cities sewers, littered with corpses and other foul things. It was a moment he has never and will never forget. He has since developed a severe case of paranoia, as well suffering from frequent black outs.

Shadow: A griffin, rank of Dominion. He was stationed in the Village of Gale, one of the many Eastern border villages. It was, sadly,  one of the first to be attacked, as well. He personally witnessed the murder of his wife and chick, as well as the burning of the village and it's inhabitants. At the Battle of Licknia Fields, he was captured and tortured for information. In response to his blatant disregard for their questions, they tore his wings off and cut out his tongue before leaving him for dead in small cramped cell with Rex. He was found by other Arkonian Rangers and, along with Rex, left for Monolith following the fall of Sanfaran. Since then, he has learned to move as fast on the ground as we was in the air, but has since become a mute recluse, who displays severe psychopathic tendencies. He often uses torture when killing as of late.

Inanna Tal' Zonei: A Bossk, rank of Throne. She is one of the Prince of Arkon's Personal guard, along with Rex, who went with the Prince to Monolith by the time the war had been failing in Arkon's favor. Having fought in several major battles, she was not there to witness the fall of Sanfaran, which claimed her her lover, another Bossk in the Army of Arkon. Arguably one of the best fighters, she now falls into periods of depression, musing over all that has been lost, and how she was not there to save the Stone City and the lover she cared for.

And last, but not least:

Jemenez Crickett: A griffin, rank of Knight Ranger, previous name unknown. Due to his previous state of mental instability following a botched mission before the Arkon/Minotauri War, involving the death of two foals, he was committed to an Asylum that dealt with mentally unstable Rangers, due to random spurts of violence and schizophrenic symptoms (he talks to the two dead foals frequently). By the time the war hit Arkon, and the city of Vril, which held the institution, was sacked, he escaped it ruins, all previous records of him destroyed in those flames, with an eye for murder and mayhem, and a new name in tow, ready to kill any Minotauri who crossed his path. Having escaped the Fall of Sanfaran, he was found by Rex (his insanity deteriorating further) and brought to Monolith. Since then, he is watched closely by his comrades, due his random spouts of violence and his Manic/Depressive attitude.

Rex, himself, is a Minotauri Blood Traitor, one who did not serve the "Emperor" in the Empire of the Horn. Being of the rank of Throne, he was chosen, along with several others, to serve as guards to the Prince of Arkon. But, when war broke out, he was placed on the field to fight along side the King at the Licknia Fields. When the dust cleared from the overwhelming defeat, he was pulled from a pile of bodies and brought to the Minotauri Camp for interrogation. Being a Blood Traitor meant that his torture would be more severe. Besides carving insults in the Minos Language into his skin, his left arm was hacked off with a dull axe, as was per the Ritual of Verdiløs Avskum, and his right eye pulled from the socket.

They were consumed in front of him, as was tradition.

It was only through a raid by other Arkonian Rangers that were sent to acquire a high profile prisoner that he was found and brought with them, (not before saving Shadow from certain death, whom he shared a cell block with).

Once his wounds were dressed and was given enough time to recuperate, he requested that he somehow be sent back to the field, but, after much protest, was ordered to return to the Prince's side, and continue to guard him, while he trekked to the Empire of the Wind, to beg for help from the Emperor and it's people.

And slowly, the news Rex heard of his home became worse and worse. With less than a handful of Rangers, a lost Kingdom, and more and more delayed action, his hopes began to slowly recede, and the burning fire of passion for revenge he harbored slowly seemed to shrink to coals of hopelessness.

"And nothing has still been done regarding Emperor Tenhi and the Prince?" Gryden asked, cocking his head questioningly.

Rex shook his head sadly.

"Tenhi is for war with the Minotauri; that is assured, for one thing. But the Moot Council has yet to decide on any course of action to take as of yet. Tenhi may be Emperor, but the full vote of the Council is needed before any plan of war is to be taken."

"Sadly," Ianna added," That hesitation has cost many lives as of now. Those old fools don't seem to understand that the Minotauri will continue to spread West. Maybe even south."

"To Equestria?" Summer Isle questioned, Birch also raising an eye.

Ianna simply sighed.

"It's a possibility. With those new weapons, they could go anywhere they chose."

A brooding silence engulfed their corner of the room.

"You really think that shit?"

All eyes turned to Jemenez.

The insane griffin ruffled the cloak around him, an unnerving smile adorning his beak. Though calm looking now, his eyes betrayed the madness that engulfed his being.

"No way in a million fuckin years would anybody attack the fuckin Equestrians."

"What makes you say that?" Birch asked, his distant look becoming more focused and sharp.

Jemenez merely crackled his maddening laugh.

"Do you really need to ask? Besides the fact that they'd have to get through this Empire to begin, how about that Equestrians have two princesses that move the fucking sun and moon? I wouldn't fuck with that kind of shiznit. Attacking that place and killing its leaders would leave the world in disarray. Who knows what the fuck will happen!? And that aside, even with their new weapons, Equestria has enough magic to burn the world twice over in a holy fucking ember of light."

His smile faded for the briefest of moments, images of two dead foals filling his mind.

"They'd never attack that kingdom."

"So what are you saying?" Gryden asked, all the others giving questioning glances of their own.

The smile returned.

"Maybe we've been asking for help from the wrong place, guys."