Gilda didn’t remember exactly when she fell asleep but that must have been when she laid on the bed for the doctor to examine her. He said they would give her something to put her out for a while so that they could work. Apparently, she was plenty hurt, despite only feeling tired.

Grunhilda stayed with her, and a pair of their ‘revolutionary’ companions too. Apparently, they didn’t trust the doctor with her. She just wished they stopped staring at her like she was a damn treasure or something.

But the point was that she was asleep and that allowed her to peek into Ghadah’s world once more, as she immediately recognized the familiar oneiric atmosphere of her past self’s memories.

She recapped what had happened the last time she peered into Ghada’s life. Their conversation with King Grover went poorly. Things seemed to have gone downhill from there, to say the least, and Ghadah’s agitation evidenced that they hadn’t improved in the trip back home.

She sat with one of her sisters by the open archway to the meeting room in His Grace’s palace. Each had their swords on their backs, and they stood silently, watching, guarding the entrance to His Grace’s quarters, pretending they weren’t there.

Her sister had her eyes forcefully closed into a fearful grimace and she quivered so much Ghadah and Gilda feared she was about to break down into a crying fit.

Not that she did much better either. Ghadah herself barely held together and Gilda didn’t think that the fearsome warrioress that danced with swords that melt through steel would ever be afraid of something. Even in death she roared fear into the hearts of her torturers.

But she did fear. She dreaded the scene they witnessed, and even if she did her best not to, her eyes kept shifting to the side against her will.

It was a luxurious room in the palace, made of the same stone and iron she had seen before, richly illuminated with oil lamps at the walls and it had a long hexagonal table made of iron legs and black marble for top, but that was barely relevant with all the golden cloths, goblets and plates filled with expensive foods and drinks.

A wide-open window in the stone structure let in the fading daylight and the dry desert air.

But her eyes weren’t on those. They were on the large griffon that sat on the stone floor and endured the fearsome, furious onslaught of raging words the great white and black griffoness had unleashed on him.

She stopped after a while, breathing noisily and ruggedly. Her chest expanded and contracted frantically. She held Her face in Her black paws and even She, the great white and black, most powerful and exalted creature, struggled to control Her nerves.

The big, but not quite as Aya Harpyia, griffon in front of her simply sat on his haunches and stared down, his wings sagged from his sides and showed from under his purple cape.

She had never seen Emperor Grigor I or any of his children in such a dejected pose, such a defeated expression.

The black iron crown was on his head but all the power he typically exuded were reduced to a few trinkets wore by a griffon that had lost all his majesty. A sword laid in the floor in front of him. The emperor’s unbreakable Harpy’s Might. Made of the truest clear steel with a black hilt shaped into the form of open griffon wings and a griffon’s mouth that spit out the blade.

The noble and fair Empress Geneviere sat at one end of the table and held the edge as though she feared she might fall through the floor if she didn’t. Her pink eyes fixated on her golden plate which held a generous portion of roasted meat, potatoes, and tomatoes. The spiced aroma dissonated gravely from the situation.

Grigor finally reached for the sword and held it in his paws, frowning as he spoke slowly. “I will do anything you ask of me. But I cannot kill him.”

The taller griffoness stared into him with the intensity of a raging storm.

“He is like a brother to me, and I cannot bring myself to kill him.” His voice was full of guilt and shame. “I am sorry.”

“I gave you everything!” She screeched, her paws closed tight in fists. “Everything!”

But she didn’t relent after speaking and her voice slowly broke down into tearful sobbing. “I gave you your race! I gave you the world! I chose you to destroy our ancient enemy. I gave you my Children! I gave you myself!”

“My empire would be nothing without my vassals, and you have taught us that yourself.” He spoke sadly. “I will try to bring him back in to our fold and then we will destroy the Dawnbringer. If not, I will destroy her myself and prove to him that his faith in her is folly. Then, perhaps, you will forgive me.”

“You cannot!” She yelled furiously. “You need the support of your race. There is no magic in the world that can destroy that abomination otherwise. You must punish Grover and win back the hearts of his supporters! I demand it!”

He lowered his head again and stared at the floor, holding the sword to himself.

Her reaction stole the air from Ghadah’s lungs and her sister by the door squeaked out a gasp.

It was one of those moments when time stopped, and Creation witnessed.

The Harpy slapped the Emperor and left three angry red marks on his face. The smack echoed in the room and resounded in Ghadah’s soul so loud Gilda felt it herself. His crown bounced on the black marble and its clink echoed too, like a bell that announced doom.

The great white and black griffoness let out a furious and at the same time sorrowful cry as she grabbed the sword from him with a vicious scowl in her face.

Then she closed her striped black and white wings around herself, and she was gone with the flash of lightning.

At the same time, it all happened so fast Ghadah was left stunned. She was there the moment before, and then, in the next, she wasn’t anymore.

Days passed by in a rush of panic and Gilda watched through Ghadah’s eyes as many of her sisters left the temple city and numberless griffons abandoned everything. Emperor Grigor became obsessed with earning back The Harpy’s favor. Numberless slaves were sacrificed, and even loyal soldiers. Countless tall pony cities were brutally raided, but no amount of offered gold and gems surrounding burnt bones and hearts brought Her back.

Many remained loyal, however and Loremasters, as much as Swordmaidens, never left his side, even if their magic faded slowly. The former rallied griffons back to him and the latter hunted down dissidents.

Gilda supposed that also added to the anger griffons had of the Swordmaidens in the end.

Until one day The Emperor met with Grigor in the desert.

Ghadah laid in the shade with her sisters and the Emperor sat at his throne with his children and his fair mate when Grover met him under the sun, clad in bronze armor. Facing the might of Grigor’s empire and his desperate bid to regain The Harpy’s favor, The Traitor King tried to dissuade the Emperor with his few meager soldiers that the Empire was doomed to fail in a changing world.

He begged, but he was alone, and his voice didn’t reach to Grigor.

Despite that crushing blow that almost toppled the Empire by itself, the world all but belonged to the Emperor, and Grover’s rallying went unheard.

The diamond dogs were subjugated, and they worked the iron mines of the Empire until the day they died. The free ones that remained didn’t have the strength to raise arms.

The hippogriffs were broken, and they dreaded his name. The heir princess and prince were his property, and their parents could not save them.

The yaks hid in their mountains and could not escape King Sombra, even if they had the heart to help the griffon king.

The Saddle Arabians and the Kirins paid tribute and they feared too much for their existence: they could be eradicated on a whim if they failed to provide satisfactory homage.

The brave zebra warriors from the savannah gave their youth in hopes that they would be spared and every mother grew numb to the fear that their children might be chosen.

Centaurs and minotaurs hid in their corner of the world and thanked the heavens they had nothing the Emperor wanted.

The dragons paid for their lives with their rich gems while the buffaloes prayed to whatever god they believed the griffons wouldn’t take a liking for their flesh.

Changelings hid in their city and minded their own business, watching from a distance.

Grover stood alone in front of the Emperor in the middle of his desert.

But there was one who came.

Ghadah didn’t fight in the desert. As the faithful guardian she was, she and her sisters escorted the Emperor and his family back to Aen Hader and they waited. The surrounding cities were sieged, and they wouldn’t assist in the defense of the holy temple city when the time came. But her sisters would guard the imperial family and His Grace’s soldiers under her father’s command would guard the city’s walls.

Despite it all, the Emperor was still a brilliant strategist and his strategy was sound. Their enemy was pressed into dividing their forces and siege the surrounding cities or they would be flanked when the faithful came to the rescue of the Holy City.

The stage was set then. Aen Hader, the Harpy’s Holy City would repel an assault from a single enemy force and once they had prevailed, the Emperor himself would lead the relief to the other cities, one after the other and they would end that insubordination.

Grover would understand there was nothing for griffons other than the Allmother. And the Emperor would offer Her the Dawnbringer’s heart.

And then all would be right with the world again.

The night grew old and Ghadah stood next to her father in the battlements. Two of her sisters were with her and the walls lined with her father’s brave griffons. The wind smelled of the desert’s sand and the proximity with the others chased away the nightly chill.

The sun peeked from the top of the dunes and her piercing griffon eyes made out the shapes of pegasi and their flapping wings in the sky. She squinted. One of them carried a tall fluttering banner. Purple field and a winged numeral. The Equestrian number one.

“Scouts… First Auxilia Alae in shades of purple…” He father squinted too, with a frown and spoke grimly. “The First Battlehorn Legion.”

“It’s the Arcani…” One of the soldiers next to them gasped and murmurs spread like a miasma of fear. “The siegecasters!”

“Good…” A deep voice drew Ghadah’s attention and every head snapped to the stairs that led up to the battlements. The Emperor, clad in his black armor and cape walked among them, his iron crown in his head and a northerner axe on his back. “The good thing about those cursed pokeheads is that we always know what family they come from.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that old crone, Matriarch Grimoire after one thousand years just resorted to kidnapping her descendants into her bedchambers.”

The soldiers laughed and his presence made them calmer. Her own father breathed easier. But Ghadah… She couldn’t help the thought that it was all for nothing because he had driven The Harpy away. She hated herself for her thoughts, but she couldn’t hide them from Gilda.

Yet Gilda disagreed with her, but before she could organize her own thoughts the sun grew brighter as it peeked out from the dunes.

It wasn’t the sun.

It was a mighty beast. Alabaster and covered in light as though she had decided to wear the sun itself for armor. She walked on the sand with her wings spread and covered in sunlight, carrying the day under her wings. Behind her a wide line of monstrously large unicorns covered in green and golden armor followed. Long banners fluttered above them. Purple fields behind numbers and the six-pointed star of the house which produced the recruits for the First Battlehorn Legion.

The ground shook under their armored hooves and the sun shied in her radiance, rising above as it was itself her battle flag.

“They will try to breach the walls!” The Emperor cried. “And they will attempt to assault the city… They will regret it.”

“We will resist!” The spoke again, angry. Raging. “And our brothers Children of The Harpy will come to assist us once they have breached the siege in their cities.”

“We will defeat the Arcani.” He roared and they banged shields and spears. “And I will cut up their matriarch for dinner!”

Ghadah was numb though. She frowned at his every word, as the sun shone brighter and the Dawnbringer’s horn shone brighter still.

Pure light exploded in a dull blast and Ghadah woke again several cubits from what little remained from the wall, rubble everywhere. Massive battlehorns in green and golden swarmed the main street and their curved swords cut stunned griffons that fell from the wall with complete disregard for their armor before they rejoined in formation. When the griffons also reformed, she saw shield against shield when the Emperor’s Golden Guard finally gave them pause and stabs were exchanged.

Pegasi flew overhead and griffons dueled with them above the ground in the clear blue sky.

Ghadah stood to see the Matriarch of the Great Herd bring the sun with her into the walls.

“Stop them!” She heard the Emperor cry and soldiers responded above the clashing of shields. “Kill them all! We will prevail!”

Her sisters followed him and threw themselves against the battlehorns that surrounded the white winged unicorn. Older creatures that wore purple capes above their armor. The Emperor pounced over the fray with a flap of his wings, at the Dawnbringer that stood and watched him.

Ghadah’s throat closed, and her eyes stung. Dying was all they would be doing there, and it was his fault!

Gilda suddenly found herself under the darkening evening sky. A red tint took over it and she was alone. Ghadah wasn’t in her mind anymore. Nothing remained of the wall and there was no fighting, only the broken ruins of mudbrick griffon houses and the iron remains of obelisks and towers.

The palace was gone with its black iron and so was the great pyramid. The wide plaza where the sacrifices were offered was defiled with the lesser pyramids gone. Only their foundations remained. The slave quarters was reduced to one or two walls that still stood.

Maybe it was the way Ghadah lost her heart at those events, but it hurt Gilda. The Allmother had told her that griffon souls were what mattered, not the Chancellor’s money. But they had to kill so many griffons just to turn that city over to their side. And it was such an ephemeral thing… Maybe her problem was that she didn’t understand military strategy or something, but at least they didn’t destroy the city. There were still griffons living in Thunderpeak, unlike Aen Hader.

She took some of the sand in her paw. Cold and lifeless when it should be warm from staying the whole day under the sun. Stupid dreams and their metaphors.

Movement drew her attention. The great white and black griffoness sat in the sand that covered the remains of the great central pyramid and she stared down at a broken crystal cup.

Gilda approached slowly, one paw after the other. Respectfully.

“Is this a vision? Am I dreaming?” Her words sounded so stupid as soon as they left her beak.

“No…” The Harpy sounded so sad. So… Mortal. “I am.”

She let the broken glass fall to the sand and it just sat there, lifeless.

“I brought you here to see you.” She explained, her eyes down towards the sand. “Dreams are the only way… But I have my nightmares too. It brought Ghadah’s memories to you. Or vice-versa. It matters not. What you saw was the beginning of the end.”

“You gave up on them…” Gilda didn’t mention it as an accusation. It was confusion that drove her soft words. Curiosity.

But The Harpy didn’t like hearing that at all. She lowered her head and she scowled, but she didn’t raise her voice, or otherwise threaten Gilda. Instead, she spoke patiently. “You are not prepared to understand.”

“No.” Gilda insisted, perhaps against her better judgement, but The Harpy also said that she is important, and that her defiance was refreshing. They were supposed to have some sort of relationship. “No! I killed griffons! I participated in conspiracy! I made my situation even worse than it already was and it wasn’t because I had no choice! I don’t know if I’ll ever forget killing that dude in the corridor, in front of that kid! I’ll never forget that kid! I chose to be on your side! You gotta be straight with me!”

For a second, she feared she had spoken too much. That she might have pushed the other too far. She was a dumb mortal with memories from her past life and she talked to… A Goddess? What that what She was? Was that what Celestia was? Luna too? What did that even mean? Before that whole mess she had gotten herself into that sort of thought wouldn’t even cross her mind!

But The Harpy didn’t seem any angrier than she was before. Instead, she kept her stare down at the sand. “I need My Children. Your faith in me makes me more powerful. The more intimate our connection, the more powerful I should become, and in the same measure, the closer you relate to your ancient ancestors, and the closer you become to me, the more you are capable of channeling my magic.”

“That was why the Empire had so many mating laws, rituals and ceremonies.” She sighed. “They were meant to disconnect from the mundane, tap into the extraordinary, come closer to me. It was an expression of power, having my attention. A manifestation of status.”

“Why didn’t you rule the Empire then?” Gilda cocked an eyebrow. “Like the pony princesses?”

“After I had manifested upon the world of the living, I was disgusted with what My Children had become. He was the first that reminded me of what you were supposed to be. I loved Grigor. I wanted to give him everything, but I could not give him an heir. I mated him to one of my best Swordmaidens. You were always the most beautiful and alluring, and Geneviere was a gift for him. Skilled, intelligent, wise, and beautiful. And capable of bearing his offspring.”

Okay. Supposedly that was important for an emperor.

“My soul was not meant to inhabit the realm of the mortals.” The Harpy explained, sitting and putting her paws over her stomach. “It lacks the magical mechanisms to sustain the soul of an infant and my body reflects that. My womb is as barren as the Hader.”

Well, sure. That all made sense… But still… “Ghadah blamed Emperor Grigor, but you were the one that abandoned them!”

But Gilda regretted her words. The Harpy didn’t have enough griffons on her side anymore, and even Grigor’s unshaking faith in her probably wouldn’t have made him powerful enough to do whatever and actually kill the princess. Apparently, just killing certain beings dead wasn’t enough. Which made sense, with that talk of the world restarting, souls being reborn that Geneviere shared with Ghadah.

“Where does that leave us?” She finally talked again after some moments of introspection The Harpy had allowed her, merely watching, and letting her think

“Exactly where we were before.” She spoke plainly. “You must reach Griffindell so that you may tap into your full potential. Learn what you can along the way and rest assured that if anything, I will have you under my wings and not Celestia nor Luna will reach you.”

Gilda did the best not to show anything, but so said the being that had left her precious empire to crumble and be destroyed because her plan flopped. What would keep her from doing the same again?

Still, the thing that remained on Gilda’s mind was the loss of life. The stare on that kid’s face when he begged he didn’t want to die. What of those in the roof Gilda channeled The Harpy’s magic to kill? She did things she didn’t even know she could, and she didn’t even give them a chance to surrender. She truly had embraced what The Harpy asked of her, and so had Ghada, but what was left of that vision was the despair that dawned on her when she saw the Empire was done because She had left them.

The Lord Protector was right. There was no coming back from that, much less after that fight.

At the same time… They shot at her. What was she supposed to do? It was also her first time in that sort of situation. Before all that mess her life had been thrown into, she had never been in a situation where killing another griffon was needed to save her own life.

It began with those griffons in Griffonstone! Then those griffons in Thunderpeak. Even Grunhilda had stained herself with blood. And it was all connected to that event in the past.

“What I did… Was that right? I had never even seriously hurt anyone before.” Her throat burned and her stomach had a hole in it again. She swallowed saliva, as though that might lessen the undefinable pain that had grasped her neck suddenly. “Could I have spared that soldier I ran my sword through? I… I spared the others… They shot at me, and I kept going. Could I have endured more? Did they deserve to die because they chose the wrong side in this confusing war? When I know that griffons are afraid of Lord Gilad?”

All the air in the world seemed insufficient to wash away the hurt in her chest, but everything seemed easier to bear when a large black paw, even with her sharp talons, landed on her head and petted so softly her crest.

“Do not let it overwhelm you, Child, but I do not wash away the pain of my subjects. It helps you grow, and it helps you understand that consequences are irrevocable.” Aya Harpyia spoke serenely. “But you can put the blame on me.”

Yes! That was true. She was the one behind it all, but most important, it all had a purpose! It was Her responsibility. She put Gilda to do that. She knew what would happen, and Gilda was merely following Her orders.

Her head cleared and the air came easier as though The harpy had simply pulled those feelings right out of her heart.

“You lack Ghadah’s murderous impulse that she had honed from countless training sessions. All the times that she has taken lives in real battles and in duels; it became routine for her. You are the product of a different time when the Equestrian culture has tamed your instincts.” The Harpy told her calmly, pulling her in and closing Her forelegs around her. Closing Her wings around her, protectively. Hiding her in the dark under Her big, stripped feathers.

It was awkward, another female holding her so intimately. Holding her head to Her fluffy feathery chest, permeated with Her own smell of female griffon. It would be too enticing in another situation.

But Her warmth seeped into Gilda’s tense muscles and relaxed them while she hadn’t even noticed they were knotted up. Her smell brought Gilda a peaceful calm and a sense that it would all be alright. Before she even realized she had held onto the other’s sides, holding her the same way she used to hold her mother.

“Another child, lost in the world, because it does not care when it takes mothers and fathers away too soon.” She cooed. “I am here for you, as you are for Grunhilda.”

“However,” The Harpy spoke curtly. “You killed the Lord Protector in a particularly gruesome way. I found it especially amusing and you appreciated it. You delighted yourself in ending the lives of those griffons that threatened you with a ghastly mental and physical torture. You are one of my own furious angels. The only reason you feel conflicted is your insecurity over your right to end a life for different reasons.”

Yeah… That was right. Her chest was still so warm and soft and it just helped her think straight.

“You do not have the right to contest their choices.” She spoke again and Gilda just blinked at her with what she supposed was the second time she mimicked Grunhilda’s dumb stare, looking up. “They chose to fight for their side. They all knew of the corruption in Chancellor Gail’s government. It is not privileged information and if anything, I would respect their choice and their autonomy to deal with the consequences of such choices. More importantly, you are valuable to me. I would not appreciate it if you allowed them to cause you harm out of your fear to deliver them the dividends of their choices.”

“The ones you spared owe their lives to you and were as lucky as you owe the dead nothing.” She concluded with a severe tone.

The Harpy let Gilda think for a second and that made sense. Not to mention that she couldn’t just let them harm her because she felt conflicted. She frowned. They certainly didn’t. She would think that it would be a good thing to preserve life above all, but she would suppose that The Harpy would say that ‘good’ is another of those words Celestia invented to tell her ponies what to think.

The Harpy didn’t tell griffons what to think, but there were consequences for ‘thinking wrong’. Supposedly, she had the prerogative of saying what was right… ‘Might makes right’ style.

‘Take everything, give nothing’ sounded right.

The Harpy looked up at the horizon where the red sun set slowly. “A particularly clever Loremaster once said that maybe some griffons would best understand the Raptorial Creed in another form: ‘love your own infinitely, hate your enemy infinitely’.”

She stared down at Gilda with that piercing and icy stare of hers. “Other Loremasters, centuries past, have been repeating that version of the Raptorial Creed. It has always been an easy lesson for griffons to learn; it is in your nature.”

“I suppose I am not Ghadah, though…” Gilda let her voice trail off, almost as though she felt guilty of something.

“You misunderstand me, Child.” The larger griffon shook her head at Gilda. “I do not wish for you to be Ghadah. You and Ghadah are the same under different experiences and I do I expect you to become her. It would lessen yourself. You are dear to me, and also useful being who you are.”

Gilda let her head down again, against Her feathery chest. It was a surprisingly endearing thing to hear from the ruthless being she talked to.

“You spent much time, once Master Gabriel awakened you to your true self, wondering about the fame and privilege your equine acquaintances experienced.” The Harpy pulled her beak up to stare at her. “But when you saw that you were given the same, you reeled from it. You are insecure and that is not a feeling I take pleasure in finding in My Children. Griffons will recognize one who is meek, and I cannot have them pointing fingers at one of my Chosen.”

Whoa… Why did that suddenly sound like a freaking threat?! Gilda failed to produce a proper answer and her beak hanged open.

The Harpy stared gravely at her, eyes on her eyes and she pressed one of her talons on Gilda’s forehead and it freakishly took her back years into the past as though it was her mother berating her because she had done something stupid!

“Taking the lives of griffons that fail to recognize I Am the Allmother is expected of you. It is your privilege to judge them as you feel better.” The Harpy scowled. “But… All that has been given can be taken back.”

“Stop squandering my gifts, or I will give them to one who will make better use of them.”

Right! Message received! Sheesh!

It was all The Harpy’s will and she was to blame if things got screwed.

Gilda let go a small cough as the other relented, but The Harpy had more to say, stepping back and smiling a superior grin at her. “The griffon you killed in front of the young tom you spared was not his father.”

Oh, thank the heavens!

“The youngling is an impulsive and foolhardy idealist, much as teenager griffons tend to be. Anxious to leave from under his parents’ wings, yet inexperienced in the ways of the world. Quick to action and indolent in forethought.” The Harpy explained with an amused grin. “His parents were careful and preferred not to side with either the Chancellor’s loyalists or with Gia’s revolutionaries, but he escaped his father’s home and joined with the loyalists. I will make sure he is properly educated .”

Gee… Little dude messed up. And caught the attention of one he really could have afforded not to. But that would ultimately be good for him.

“You know… I get the thing about privileges… But I’m not cool with the whole slave thing.” Grunhilda came to her mind as soon as that kid left it.

The Allmother plucked a feather out of her forehead, and she yelped. “You are not paying attention, Gilda.”

Yeah! Definitively like her mother!

“I allow griffons to make mistakes and to deal with the consequences of their mistakes.” She explained again, less patient than before. “Her parents should not have left Snow Mountains. They were naive to believe that their presence would be ignored. Grunhilda paid the price for their insolence, as their place was with the Lord of The Black Gates.”

“Fine. Fine.” Insistence seemed a bad idea. “What do I do with Grunhilda then? It’s awkward as all heck!”

“Why, whatever you wish. She is your thrall.” The other grinned mischievously. “Learn about her rights and your obligations to her.”

Gilda sighed and rolled her eyes. “Rights?”

“You underestimate her too much.” The Harpy laughed tersely. “You should remember she understands our new culture more than you give her credit.”

“Why didn’t you take care of her?” She came a feather’s thickness of raising her voice.

“I would not rob her of her own challenges.” She stared at Gilda as though she was stupid and was that was certainly the impression She wanted to pass along. “Regardless, you should not tarry. Leave Thunderpeak and come into Snow Mountains Hold, until then you will still be vulnerable.”

Yeah. There was that too.

“Do not let your guard down. Celestia has agents all the way through to the border.” The Harpy insisted. “You will only be truly safe when you reach Frozenlake. Ensure you talk to Lady Geena. She is one of my Loremasters.”

“I will.” That whole thrall thing still left a bad taste in her mouth, but at least The Harpy looked out for her.

She suppressed a sigh. She really needed to sort her feelings out of Grunhilda.

Finally, The Harpy petted her head again and she yawned. Before she knew she woke up in a comfortable bed. White cotton sheets, a wool mattress and the distinctive feeling of temperature magic keeping the room at a comfortable temperature.

She had a window that showed light snowfall on the outside and Grunhilda was next to her on another bed, also covered in white cotton sheets with one of those hangers for bags of serum and medications above her and stuck to her foreleg as she slept peacefully.

In a stray thought she wondered if her friend also dreamed similar stuff, though that wasn’t likely, since Gilda was the weird one with the Loremaster and Swordmaiden gig.

At least she felt refreshed and that sickening tiredness from the fighting was gone.

“Lady Gilda.” Someone said and she found the commander of Sky Sentry coming over to her. “I’m glad you’re awake. I’ll call the nurse to see you.”

“Thanks.” Her voice came out relaxed and she laid on her back while the soldier walked out. She too had one of those thingies stuck to her foreleg, but while it was empty, Grunhilda’s still had some of the pink, shiny liquid inside. Something about magic if she remembered correctly.

A nurse came into the room. An older blue, white, and black griffoness with a nurse’s hat and the commander in tow. Gee, she never asked that guy’s name.

“Afternoon, Lady Gilda.” She said, freeing the access to her vein and plucking it out. “Good to see you well. Your friends nearly freaked out that something had happened to you. It’s gonna be a few busy weeks here in the hospital because of that fight.”

She could imagine.

“Well, it had to happen eventually.” The nurse quickly scanned her eyes over Gilda. “You’re free to go, the doc said. Just be careful. We yanked some fifteen bullets and fragments out of you, and I don’t have a clue how that worked, but they were all stuck to muscle. You still have some bumps and cuts, and patches of fur and feather to grow back.

The nurse gave her a happy smile. “The doc was convinced some crazy magic protected you and the running theory with the staff was that whatever it was drained at your body’s mana, because that is how magical shields work. Me, I don’t ask questions when the northerners are involved. The important thing is that you got back to health with a couple of bags filled with condensed magical flux.”

Probably some Swordmaiden thing she did on instinct.

“Your friend should be up soon. We decided she needed some rest too because she didn’t want to leave your side and was clearly tired. She had taken a few dings too.” The nurse concluded. “Well, good as new. Guess you gotta date with the mayor.”

“Uh?” Gilda hopped off the bed.

“He has barricaded himself in a secure room in the basement of the city hall.” The commander explained. “They’re trying to get him out there right now.”

“Hum… I guess I should be there.” She took a look at Grunhilda, sleeping in her bed. “Can you keep an eye on her for me?”

He nodded respectfully and she left after thanking him. It was a ward in the local hospital, much like the one in Griffonstone. Maybe all of them looked the same, since they were publicly owned, or something.

She frowned to herself, not stopping on her way down the corridor with the many doors. She could hear some whining and some moaning. The place seemed to be near capacity, if it wasn’t full already.

But she didn’t waste time worrying about that. She knew the hospital was not only public property and state administrated, but they answered to the Royal House, all the way back in Canterlot… The mare would eventually find out she was around if they gave her some treatment, there was a patient file.

All of those were likely and The Harpy was right. She had to go as soon as possible.

The hospital wasn’t exactly the same as Griffonstone’s, but it followed a similar construction. She supposed there were only a few ways they could build an efficient hospital, anyways. It also had large wooden doors that did a good job of keeping the cold of outside from seeping into the hall. A security dude opened it for her.

She found Gia outside and on her way in with that Geary guy following her. The green Loremaster flashed her a cheerful smile. “So, you’re up! Hum… You don’t look very well.”

Whatever, she felt fine. She was sure she didn’t look very pretty, but she’d take care of that later.

“Hi, Gia.” She responded as one should to a would-be friend.

“The manor’s soldiers found the secure room in the depot with our money. No resistance there.” She grinned even more. “But we need Mayor Grosster to get it open. There’s a magical lock! Think you can pull the lightning thing again?”

“Why?” Gilda stopped next to her, and Geary explained.

“The lock in the secure room of the depot is special. Some fancy pokehead thing. Probably it was the Chancellor’s guys that set it up. But the one in the saferoom under the city hall is more mundane.”

“We could get a specialist to crack it open,” Gia offered a paw. “But that would take time. We’re in a bit of a hurry. Disrupting the magical lock with lightning magic is going to get the job done sooner.”

Nothing forbade her giving it a shot. “Awesome. Let’s see if it works.”

However, the more she stayed there, the higher the chance that someone she wouldn’t like to see would show up. And she still had to pick up the money Miss Gerdie had told her about in the bank. That sounded dangerous. “But I’m going as soon as we are done.”

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