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Chapter 1:

Bringer of Destruction

Beneath the fields of heaven

-.The final death of the universe.-

TheGreekDollmaker

1

I was thinking...

The one thing that I could have been sure of back then was that I was thinking.

That meant that I existed, in some sense of the word.

Yet my senses seemed to have been paralysed.

I could not see, smell, feel or hear anything.

It’s as if not only the concepts of time and space were absent, but the systems which contain them seemed to be missing.

Or maybe I am missing from them.

Observe and deduct. I could only do that with my senses.

Without them I did not have the power to even understand what was happening around me.

The only thing I could have been sure of was that existed.

I kept thinking, not caring of what crossed my mind so long as my mind was processing thoughts, realising that once thought was taken from me i would cease to exist.

Although my senses may have been paralysed, nothing could make me doubt that I was at least aware of myself, even if this was the state of death.

I started counting numbers. One, two, three... so on, just so I could be aware of my existence.

Until I could not count, nor think, anymore.

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   It was one of those snowstorms whose cold dug so deep into your bones. You would have fallen dead after five minutes, had you not payed enough attention. And to be fair, I was no exception. Left alone with inadequate clothing, I would have frozen to death before I could have even known that I was supposed to get out of there. Had I not dug my self into the cramped and freezing gorge, I would have had to go against an equally cramped and freezing snowstorm. In the end I still managed to pull it through. Even if the air inside the small gorge was still ice cold without any signs of warming up, I knew that if I had any illusions of not freezing to death, my best chance was to rub my body parts against each other and to hope for the best.

   It is not as if I could have foreknown what would have happened to me, neither could I decipher why I find my self here. I only had memories of the void of time and space and then being thrust into the middle of a snow storm like a climber that has gone too far just so he can awe at the prospect of the dangerous. I was directionless, stripped of even the most barest of senses, not able to see, feel or hear anything. I was on my knees, having no idea of what was going on.

   And in a single moment they all came back to me. The tools which I experienced the world with were creeping on me all at once. The surge and numbness I felt from the senses swarming my body was agonising. I could feel the blood cycling through my veins, the air blowing against my hair and exposed body, feeling every gust of it and hearing every piercing shriek it gave. Seeing the cold mist surrounding me and being terrified when I realised I was in the middle of a snowstorm. Feeling like I was a junkie getting his fix. Never in my short memory span had I felt more alive then at that moment.

   I fell face down into the snow. The first sense I regained was the sense of balance. With that also came the sense of temperature. Feeling the unbearable cold creeping into skin, my clothes totally useless against such freezing degrees of cold, I knew I had to do something about it. Picking myself up, I let out an instinctive panicked scream.

“AAAAARGHHH!”

     I tried to take a step forward, panicking since I could not find a way to protect my self. The snow was thick, and each step produced a big hole in the cold powder that covered the ground. I was so desperate that I started using my hands to dig a hole into the ground, but the numbness of my returning senses prevented me from making progress. Both my body and the pain refused to allow me to save my self. The weight of the situation was settling and I did not known what to do. But, even with my blurry vision I still managed to spot something on the ground.

     Shovel.

     It was a shovel.  

     In an instant I realized what I could do. I picked up the shovel and immediately started digging a hole in the snow. At first, it looked like a hopeless last ditch attempt that was too late to accomplish anything. My hands were stiff and senseless due to the cold. The jacket I was wearing wasn’t warming me. My hands were skinny and powerless. The same sensation of life that I was feeling a minute ago was being drained with each second I spent out in the cold. Even when I tried to dig through the snow, I was so powerless that for a moment I was thinking of just lying down and letting my body be blown away by the wind.

   Yet I did not give up. I cannot explain how broken, yet determined I felt at that moment. Pain became my fuel and I burned every ounce of energy I could muster. Maybe this illuminated feeling came from the adrenaline, perhaps it was simply my will, but I finally started making progress.

   I was digging a hole where I could fit myself. Like a small cave to be exact. I knew I did not have enough time regardless of how much my almost superhuman will to live was. I was still bound by the laws of reality. If my actions were not quick, my internal systems would start shutting down, and lead to my eventual death.

   With this fact urging me on, my work sped up, the cave taking shape as I put more effort into it. I was removing shovelfuls of snow, and the results looked promising. Taking a moment to inspect my work, I realised that the hole I dug was big enough for me to fit inside. Barely.

   But I did not waste anymore time with it. Once it was big enough, I threw my body inside the small cave, covering the entrance with snow so I could finally feel the freezing air stopping. And while the weight of the cold weather did not diminish and the air was still freezing cold, I still felt some warmth inside of me. I had managed to save my guts despite the fact that I shouldn’t be able too. This sensation that I felt was more warm to me then the heat my body felt.This sensation that I felt was more warm to me then the heat my body felt. It was the warmth that the elements got collected in, the warmth that is achieved only by pushing yourself to limits unknown.

        It was at this time that I again felt how good it was to be alive.

        But while I was stumbling around in the cold, darkness all around me, placid, quiet. I felt that sense of achievement leave as soon as it came. My body was wrecked, pure and simple. My senses were returning fully, making the consequences of my actions known. I was shaking in pain, letting out small shouts of agony, while trying to stay as still as i could.

       I could only wait, as slowly the air around me started to warm up. In time, the cold dead weight of the snowstorm retreated, the clothes I was wearing finally providing some protection against the cold. And as i was waiting there, shaking in shock, finally letting my mind work again.

       The hyperactive processing that turned on once my instincts took over, was finally dying down. No longer on overdrive, I let out an agonising sigh before letting my senses take over.

       In the darkness of my shelter, I realised I could now think.

***

Sitting there, stuck in a small uncomfortable hole, I started recollecting what just happened in the last twenty minutes or so. I managed to cramp my self in the cave I dug, before of which I was on my knees with all of my sense paralysed in the middle of a snowstorm. Not only that, but in a convenient fashion, I could not think of any clear memories of anything before the experience with the void. I begun fearing the worst about what had happened.

   It wasn’t that I was a wuss or anything, but the thought of wanting to be disposed by somebody gave me the chills. Maybe I was part of something bigger, an important person, wanted dead by somebody, captured and thrown in the middle of a snowstorm to freeze to death. Being direct and killing me may have been too much of a risk. I was feeling compelled to let that awful thought out of my mind, and maybe I should have. It was bringing a fear to myself that I did not want to experience right now. My mind got preoccupied searching for what the biggest and most common fear was in people like me. Maybe it was the thought of being wanted dead by everyone, maybe it its the fear of everything being hopeless, going against something and then learning you cannot fight or defeat it.

“Yet again, maybe this is all just a joke.” I said to my self.

   Maybe a joke played on me by somebody. Maybe it was a joke I was playing on my self.

   I took my mind off of all of this. It was straining my head just simply thinking about it, especially after being paralyzed of all of my senses. The good thing was, though, that the numbness of my senses had almost retreated completely. I could even feel the moisture in my mouth.

   Taking the time to find a more comfortable position I felt an obstruction on my back. It didn’t dawn on me that i had been wearing anything other then a jacket and some pants. Thankfully light was still radiating from the entrance, just enough for me too check what I was equipped with.

   I saw the handles of a bag pressing against my chest. On the handles were 4 other bags, while in the middle a strap was connecting the two handles. Taking off the strap I removed my bag which turned out to be a backpack with a rifle strapped on. I couldn't identify what kind of rifle it was, neither did i have such worries. I would check it when the snow storm died down.

   I set the backpack down and lay my head on it. Within fake thoughts and illusions of happiness, I had let a small thought escaped my mouth before been taken in by sleep.

        “Why have have I befallen with such terrible fate.”

Outside the hushed wind was blowing, increasing its fury so slowly.

***

          The sound of the wind has calmed down, almost to a small tremor. Light shining from the entrance; it has become apparent that I fell asleep for far too long. I knew that when I woke up half and hour ago, and I haven’t moved a centimeter since then. The air inside the tiny hole had circulated long enough to make me start sweating. Every time I closed my eyes I could feel each drop of sweat rolling down my skin.

   I’ve had been sitting there, in the uncomfortable hole, like a child refusing to get up after its mother informs him that its time for school. I wasn’t feeling tired, neither was I injured. It was simply cowardice on my part to face the real world, pending instead to be howled at in my only shelter.

   I attributed this cowardliness to my fear of the unknown. I would have to face reality and whoever or whatever wanted me here. I remember coming to conclusions my self yesterday about the nature of my circumstances. I wasn’t robbed of my weapon and equipment. I was robbed of my memories and experiences. Remembering what i said to my self before falling asleep last night.

“Why have have i befallen with such terrible fate?“

But who has time for tears?

I crawled out of my shelter, taking whatever I had with me, ready to face the unruly beast that was mother nature. Freeing the entrance and letting my eyes adjust to the morning sun, I stand up, taking a good look of my environment. I should have been more shocked by what I had seen.

   The sun rays hit my eyes drawing my attention to the dawn of the new day. The morning sun piercing the morning sky and the light covering around the mountains in the distance. My consciousness escaped me for one moment as it perceived this to be a product of dreams. I couldn’t blame my self for thinking this was an illusion, my whole body was screaming that this was a delusion. I even went so far as to slap my self, just in case I had accidentally fallen asleep again in the hole.

   Surrounding me were mountains from which the likes I had never seen. They were like stone giants. They looked like they had a life of their own, alive and breathing. The snow covered behemoths, towered over me, some shooting upwards higher then clouds. Snow lay everywhere, with the exceptions of a few stones and boulders that stood clean.

   After the initial reaction, I finally heard my mind’s complains and noticed that there was indeed something wrong with the whole picture. As much as I found it aesthetically pleasing, there was a certain property of the sun that I could not pin point, that made my mind screamed foul merely a couple of seconds after witnessing it.

   The cold night time air was finally retreating, being replaced by a cool hush wind that was perfect for traveling. I had not forgotten about the bags, so I settled down near a rock to try and find anything of use.

   All in all I had a five bags on in all, four of them near my chest holding magazines for the rifle, with a backpack. Removing the black and grey backpack and opening it I find that I was dropped here prepared. I had medical supplies, MREs, some leather gloves, a holstered knife and a wallet.

      “Wait, a wallet?“

   I rushed to open it in hopes of finding anything that can give me information. But no, cruel is such a fate that has befallen upon me. There’s no money or credit cards. Damn. The wallet, instead,  contained some kind of ID card with only a picture of a man, no older then twenty.  The rest of the information left blank or scribbled out with a marker.

   The person in the question was a long haired pretty boy with a dumb grin on his face. He had brown eyes, one or two zits on his face, and he was shaved, all in all unremarkable, yet familiar. More so then mere familiarity, it was a face I I had known for a long time. He had the same characteristics as me, minus the dumb grin on my face.

“Must be me. God do I look like a dork with that grin.“ I thought.

   I took the knife out and check remove it from the holster. Its surprisingly sharper then I thought. On the handle there are 3 letters engraved on it

   “ END “ it spelled out. “How meaningful.”

   After holstering and strapping my knife to my jacket there was only one last thing for me to check on. The rifle. I hadn’t gotten a good look the first time time but now I could see what kind it was. The gun was, as I were familiar with, a “naked” M4. I called it naked because it had been stripped of the receiver, the sight had been broken and the stock was pretty beaten up. The magazines, I observed, were also in a worn state too and I doubted that the strap would hold up for much longer.

   I had nothing else to do now. Taking another look at the distance I let the cool air blow against my face. A fresh breeze hits my face, letting some cold wash my body, while I stand there, motionless.

   Once the moment was over, I took a look at the nearest mountain peak within walking distance. I noticed a small mountain top, perfect for me to inspect from higher ground. I strapped on my backpack and took off.

***

I had been walking for about 3 hours. My jacket was holding back well against the cold and the leather gloves kept my hands cold for the time being. I was on lower ground where I appeared from so my first goal to get to a high enough place to spot any roads or signs of civilization.

“Great, I am almost there.”

        I take the final tiring steps before taking a turn near a boulder. I wasn’t shocked when I saw that there was only snowy mountains.

“ Fuck my life this is going to be hard, the mountains just continue going on forever! How the hell am I going t- ”

At that point things started to go downhill, both metaphorically and literally. Off in the sky two brown dots were approaching from one of the mountain sides. At first I thought they were birds but they were bigger then that, and sun light reflected off their bodies. I feared for the worst and I panicked, trying to run for cover. One of the brown dots stopped to inspect the area before both of them heading off to my exact position. As they landed I took good look at them.

   “ This... cannot be the same planet as the one I know and love. “

   There a couple of feet away are two humongous half-lion, half eagle... what was the name again, Griffins? Wearing armor, no less. I was at a shock, like this was either the best joke played on anyone or a nightmare coming true in real life. I even thought for a second to give my self in so I could be filled in the situation and then a good laugh. They wore gold-plated armor, they had huge claws as big as my both of my hands combined, they had human like emotions for the love of god. I was not prepared back then for something as absurd as that.

 “Και την στον διάολο είναι τόσο σημαντικό Αρίστη?”  exclaimed the first griffin.

“Φωρτεα! Σου είπα είδα ένα πλάσμα από τους μύθους μας!”  remarked the second one with an angered tone.

   And now they were looking around for me.

   This was no joke. Either stories came back to life or I was sucked into one of them. I thought hard on my next move. I wasn’t dealing with scraps of rug here, I was dealing with two, angry sounding, armor wearing myths. They looked like they could rip my body in half with a single swipe from their claws.

“Κοίτα πίσω από τις πέτρες, θέλω να το πιάσουμε σήμερα.” that sounded, like the second one.

Not good.

One of them was getting closer from what I could hear. It was also at that point that my instincts took off. 

 As if the world it self had stopped I was standing behind a boulder, motionless.

 In the midst of the unknown and despite my intentions, my body was overtaken by fear.

 Fear of the unknown, fear of what could be dangerous.

Like all humans I was an animal. Left to my own accord with no discipline I acted like one.

The griffins were closing in one, of the letting out an intimidating slow taunt.

“Aποκάλυψε τον εαυτό σου θηρίο, θέλω να δω τη γεύση έχεις!”  the one closer to me daringly exclaimed with a commanding voice.

   My body was in a state of panic. I had regarded the confrontation with the same fear and anger I comforted monsters. The griffin’s taunts only helped to reinforce that. I knew that my could have been intentions could have been more rational. But as time time seemed to slow down to me, while I was trying to find a way to scare them off, the illusions of this having a possible happy outcome was tiny at best.

   Sweating like hell, yet remaining motionless I took note of my weapon. The griffin’s steps could be heard from here. He was probably a couple of meters away from the boulder. I was no wolf, so in an attempt to scare them off I took my rifle of my back, readied it, and set it to burst fire.

 *Chink*

 “Κάτσε, το άκουσες αυτό!“ said the nearby predator cautiously.

   I pulled the trigger, three rounds escaping the chamber, hitting the snow were the Griffin was approaching. Warning shots, I had thought to my self.

   The griffins had been puzzled and at guard, I knew that from the silence that overtook for a couple of seconds. They did not know what sorcery was this, neither did they want to risk learning it the hard way. Those warning shots did not seem to scare them off so I resorted in a more intimidating solution. I continuously started shouting at them in my language.

 “COME ON, AND I WILL RIP AND TEAR YOUR GUTS OUT!“.  I shouted with the most intimidating voice i could muster.

    I reasoned that when comforted with unknown danger the beasts would choose to flee.

     Big mistake.

    From above i noticed a shadow looming over me. I had forgotten that they had wings.

    I quickly tried to point the gun on the incoming griffin, but I was unsuccessful as the beast pounded me to the ground. I felt every bump in the ground, trying to avoid hitting my head as much as I could. The beast was holding my body down, and i waited for the agonising blow that would drain me of my life.

   A new wound digging it self atop of my body.

   In my mind, a single thought  topping all others over my soul. One that was flowing through  

every living being including them. I wanted to live.

   Silence.

   Nothing came. Nothing.

   It didn’t take the time too kill me. It simply stared, with those eyes that spoke of more then puzzlement and confusion. It was a look that he could not fantom my existence. He got a good glance at me before it spoke

“Έ...Ένας... Άνθρωπος!?” it exclaimed, with a tone of immense fear and bewilderment.

   I ignored him. The thought was now materialising, and I would not waste any chances of getting cut in pieces by them.

   I might have been powerless and at the mercy of the predator for a moment but I found my chance in his silence. I freed one of my hands before removing my knife off my holster. Faster than the griffin could anticipate I pulled the knife before stabbing him in one of its wings. It screamed, but its screams were muted by my boot colliding with his face, kicking him a couple of meters away from me. Quickly, I picked my self off the ground, adrenaline flowing through my system. But I did not forget about the other griffin.

   Like the first one the second griffin immediately rushed to pound me, but he noticed me raising the rifle. Pulling the trigger he heard the same three sounds he remembered before, coupled by the three holes in the snow. It took a step back, wary of what his next actions should be. Seems that the realisation stroke him that I can harm him with the black object.

   It now observes.

 “Ο, πόσο θα ήθελα να σου κόψω τα πόδια σου.”  the beast exclaims in its language after seeing his comrade down, rage filling his voice.

   I hadn’t noticed in the heat of the moment, but they spoke a different language than mine. They weren’t mere beasts, they were intelligent. Of course they were, it was obvious. They wore armor and they had the same emotions like me. If I were to trust my judgement, they were warriors, and if they are warriors, their blood is boiling for vengeance right now.

“I need to get the fuck out of here.“ I concluded.

   A couple of meters away a injured griffin shouts of pain started increasing. Both from the physical pain and the realisation that his wings had been injured. The second griffin was smart. He realised that I could seriously hurt him with the rifle so he changed his priorities. Taking a couple of steps at first near his fallen pal, all the while cautiously watching my next act. I didn’t move. I was no sadist nor psychopath neither did I want to kill anyone, so I took a step back. Then another step and then another one, all the while facing them, before fleeing down the side of the snowy mountain.

   As I was leaving the area I heard behind me the Griffin talking to the injured with a reassuring voice.

“Ηρέμησε Φωρτέα ! Όλα θα πάνε καλά“

   He must have noticed the knife jammed into his wing, because the last thing I heard from them had the voice that betrayed of horror and rage. The short of voice which is heard in the presence of fear and death.

   It was one solitary word...

“Οχι...“

***

   Off in the distance I escaped the scene of the battle.

    I was shaking, and not so much because of the pain, the cold or the fading adrenaline, but because of the consequences of my actions. I wasn’t merely dealing with mythological creatures anymore, I was dealing now with warriors, that have their own armor and weapons and possibly their own society. I assumed that they had such concepts of vengeance, their faces betraying a plethora of emotions. They will try hunt me down, they will try to put down the monster that crippled one of their members.

 Realising that and I begun to slow down. Thoughts were cycling my mind.

“You could have not fucked this up!“ one thought popped in.

“All conflict is based on fear and miscommunication.“ another one tumbling over the last one.

   Where I liked it or not I had doomed my self in a fate where I only have two solutions. I could either give my self in and hope for mercy on the part of my captors or flee as far away as I could possibly could. Thankfully, In a couple of hours the sun would settle down and I will be have plenty of time to think.

   Taking a look behind me I see small brown dot in the sky, fleeing from the direction of the battle. On a closer look, I observed that the unharmed griffin was carrying the injured one on on its haunch. They take care of the injured, meaning that they have surgeons, or at least some kind of healer. Which in turn means they have some kind of society and I wouldn’t be far off saying that they will probably try to inform of everyone in a twenty mile radius of my existance.

  “Things keep getting better and better it seems.” I sarcastically note.

   Taking a mental note of where they were going and looking at the position of the sun I concluded that the current course that the griffins headed of in is in the East. Logic dictates that I shouldn't try to go that way, so I wouldn't. But I came from the West and the altitude was only higher there. This conflict of experience and information baffled me. One thing that was clear through was that I was on high ground, and while it had a great view, the environment was practically dead.

   Coming to a stop, I remembered back at the mountain top that, there were only mountains, as far as I could see. I put my mind to process any other details and I remembered seeing a small structure North of here, before spotting the griffins. I didn't really kno what to do anyways, so I holstered my rifle took off to the North.

   Better buckle up because this will be a bumpy ride.

***

Elsewhere

“Aristi!! What happened to Fortea!?"

“Prometheus you will no believe what I saw! a human, the one from the ancient myths. He stabbed my brother with a dagger before using some kind of enchanted cylinder to scare us off.“

“A human, an Anthropos? Is this one of your old jokes that you are playing on me Aristi!?” he cannot believe what has escaped from his own son’s mouth.

“No, this is no joke father, I saw him heading off to the East to the Abandoned Dens. My brother is now being threated by the surgeons, I am going to visit him “

   The unbelievable had happened and he could not take it. He sat down on one of his bedsteads, trying to contemplate on what to do. The nature of the issue at hand was too much for him to bear, but he must deal with it.

   In the end though...

“By the Wrath of the Gods, if they were not my sons I would not have listened. But try as I can, I am unable to disbelieve what misfortune has befallen amongst us. ORTHEA!! “

A messenger appeared near him.

“Orthea, you are the fastest of messengers I have in my disposal, having transversed distances at speeds that would rival that of Heroes. Inform of the king in the capital that a human, a creature from the tales has entered our kingdom.” He exclaims, despite how much this weights on him.

“I will request that the best of our warriors, the Palatics, be sent to deal with this human. Sent warnings to the furthest reaches of our kingdom that this is a time of great peril. Tell them that this is the time for heroes to rise and combat an evil that is only spoken upon in myths and folklore. Do not waste a single second, do not stop at any obstacle, even if your last breath will be in the giving of the message to the king. Now go Orthea, the sooner you get there, the sooner we can avert this great danger.”

“I will my lord”

And with that the messenger left.

***

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Author’s notes: First fan fiction and to be honest i don’t even know how to describe how i feel about this. i mean, English is not my first language and all but still, this could be perceived very negatively. i am willing to take criticism as i am not willing to be a douche or too stuck up my ass.

Small notes, the griffins are speaking Greek and most of the things here have meaning.

(1): Radio. Whats wrong with that radio. ( Yes, i am making fun of my own fanfic.)

Revision Notes 01: I have completely rewritten the first chapter of my fan fic.

Special thanks to Vanner from Ponychan for tearing my first chapter apart, providing some great constructive criticism ( and for the record, I apologise for what you had to suffer through the first time. I hope this one makes up for that. )

Revision Notes 02: Revisioned it again. This time credit goes Trots McClure for going into further detail on about my grammar and clarifying some points to me about it.

Now I just need to learn how to make this feel like Equestria and not “Griffins in buttfuck nowhere.”

Chapter 2 revision coming soon too.

Copyright: I do not own MLP or any intellectual property of Hasbro. This is purely a fanmade work.

Next Chapter: Chapter 1.2: Burning the Ashes Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 8 Minutes