If you are wondering why this is reposted, please consult the author notes at the bottom of this page.

Apologies to everyone for my mistake.

***

-The Light Ahead-

TheGreekDollmaker

Chapter 1: Part 3

Cold Fear and Abyss

“What the hell?”

Said the killer to the wind.  

A blinding white light separated as it shined through out the empty shackles within the cursed structure. It was a vast and endless hall that crumbled in its isolation, a impenetrable blackness sheltering it from the rays of the sun. The walls stretched up twenty meters high, mostly bare rock or concrete of some kind. Little could I see through it, but the stagnant remains of carcasses, rusted metal following at hand and finally a heavy coat of dust that gave away how long they have been kept untouched.

  The white light was coming from an square entrance, one that had insensibly appeared our of nowhere, bouncing off the walls as it made quite an impression on me. I was confused. The light wasn’t there a couple of minutes ago; Why did it appear now; Has somebody already taken shelter here;

  I was getting quite nervous, made clear by my shaking hands. Or maybe that was the cold; This was quite discouraging for me. The inside of the structure looked already occupied thus trespassing territory here could end me in a lot of trouble. Worst of all, they could be Griffins, searching for me. That wouldn’t be a problem see, but I had quite a tired and fragrant mind. I didn’t want to kill again. Further more the whiteness of the light was unnatural to my tainted eyesight. It did not have the color of any kind of fire, or lamb of any shorts. It looked magical, almost cultivating. It gave me an inner graving to set foot inside the structure just so I can see it for myself. Catching to the eye, as they say.

  But I wouldn’t let the best have of himself. As pleasant as the sensation was I wouldn’t let get distracted from what was at matter.

  Where was the light coming from;

  My nervous stance had disappeared, now replaced by that of curiousness as I took a couple of steps near the colossi entrance. I couldn’t let myself get to excited through, so each effort to get near the blinding light was made with caution.

  I took another look at the source of the blinding light as I tried to move silently through the bones and dust. Despite my best efforts through, I still made quite a racket as I unintentionally stepped on crackling bones, not helped by them echoed throughout the structure. Who ever was casting that light was going to be aware of my presence. Yet as I clinged close to the wall, hoping that the darkness concealed me, nothing showed up. I got closer to the platform, taking note of the higher ground that the light was coming from, yet even with this amount of racket caused by me, nothing showed up. That was good, since nothing would come out of the savory entrance.

  As I neared the threshold, I barely made out a concrete staircase underneath it, covered knee deep in dust of course.

  Just what I need.

  I walked up the staircase averting whatever fears I had by readying up my rifle and preparing to take a look at the blasted source of the light. On the way I kept my back against the dusty wall, hoping that whatever was behind this had not heard me. Maybe If I was lucky it wouldn’t be a Griffin. Hopefully.

  I pause my breathing for a second, trying to pick up any sound clues in the air. I was met with complete silence, only a small, almost undetectable buzzing sound being barely heard. This was for the better, for this meant that who ever was behind this had not been alerted of my presence.

I gripped my tighter due to my shaking hands, trying to suppress the distress inside of me. This was quite stressful and intense.

Maybe I should just do this without wasting any time I thought to my self.

My mind was like a closed system at this point. If I had left it long enough it was bound to corrupt it self.

  My muscles tensed as I took walked into the blinding light. My mind was shrieking for me to go back, but there go no point on doing such a thing right now. I passed into the white barrier separating myself from the darkness, rifle raised to my shoulders to defend myself if the case may be.

Suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks an unexpected, an utterly simple question topping my mind.

  Why is there nothing here.

  I couldn’t fucking believe it.

The light had faded out of existence only to be replaced by darkness that filled the hallway, leaving me standing there like an idiot. The hallway, of course, was just a barren and deserted as the entrance. Knee deep in dust and littered with garbage or debris.

  But I still couldn’t get the over this. The light had disappeared without a trace. I could not even find a source where the light shined from. The walls were bare, dirty and stripped off any color but there wasn’t anything there to suggest such a thing was ever here. I scanned the hallway one more time just to be sure.

Somebody is playing tricks with my psyche. What else lies ahead waiting to fool me?

  Thankfully the hallway had at least a slightly slickly look to it, architecturally speaking that is. The stones were actually made out of stone, one that was of higher quality than that the outside, through not by much. There were even small remnants of nails, suggesting that fabric was hanged from it. The fabric, of course, having decayed into nothingness ages ago.

Yet as I took stand observing that wretched thought came back at me, hitting me like a bullet.

“Somebody is trying to fool me,” I calmly reminded myself

  Ugh, I was not in the mood to have this conversation with my mind again. I would not let my mind rot as it sat there utterly baffled by what was going on around me. I had to deal with it and move on. Intellectually I understood that but emotionally I hadn’t copped with it. I must not let that happen again.

  No time for tears, no time for fears, no time for thought. I needed to act and explore, the sooner I took all of this in, the sooner I would begin to understand this.

  As I escaped from the chains of scrutiny and took another look on the hall way. I realised that it was, understandably dark, but there was this small faint glow that made things at least navigable. I didn’t know what it was, maybe the moonlight here reflected out of someplace, maybe its a lure to trap me in but I digressed. There’s no point trying to understand this world anymore. Everything seemed to be beyond insanity.

  I mustered the courage and walked through the dead cold hallway with my hands gripped on the rifle. On the other end there was some kind of staircase, again filled with dust and crap on it. I sweeped a look for anything of value as I walked up the stairs, but I came up empty handed. Most of the stuff here had been looted or were decayed and rusted beyond relief.

  Just how old was this place?

  I reached the first floor, and to be truthful I was not impressed the least. Before me was another hallway, smaller in size which diverted into different rooms. The opposite side seemed like a dead end. I could barely make out anything with this darkness, neither did I care. It was still an old barren dump, devoid of interest or of anything I could use. The tricksters through, was probably hiding behind those rooms. Or was he? I truly did not know, but it seemed that he was waiting for me to make my move instead.

  I escalated into another floor, only to be met by the same spectacle. Gray, dusty, deserted, ruined, the best words to describe the rooms. Then I ascended into another floor, and another one, and another one, finally stopping at the fifth floor.

  This one was different. There wasn’t as much garbage in the ground and the smelly air full of dust was less dense. I also noticed between steps an ornate door in the distance, above it a symbol unknown to me but interesting enough to catch my attention.

  Painted above the door was a clawed talon, a Griffin’s obviously, but behind it there was some short of trapezoid scroll with writing unintelligible and obscure . It had also remarkably, survived the test of time for there was little that was missing from the piece and it even had a hint of gold texture on it. I couldn’t be entirely sure about it with the darkness and all but it caught my attention.

In front of the claw it spelled “Νεαπολη”

“Must be important to have that up there.” Oh, this was getting good.

  I begun taking quiet steps through the hallway, already on my way to the door. Whatever anger or prejudice I had about this place had disappeared, replaced now by some excitement. After all this place was cleaner than the rest of the floors, there had to be something of use in here.

  My train of thought got derailed for a moment. I hadn’t realised it but I was sweating quite a lot, the heat probably from my clothes.

Weird, I don’t feel the coldness in the air anymore. I thought to my self.

  I was beginning to feel a little dizzy too, no idea why though.  I stopped halfway through the hallway and took a couple of breaths. Exhaustion was creeping now on me too. I could feel by the pain and strain my muscles were under.

  While I sat there I took a look at one of the rooms, just to be sure that I was not missing anything. Inside the room, dust and concrete was laid out, shredded in darkness with the exception of a single wooden table in the middle with bottles on top of it, just barely out of my vision. Actually they looked more like vases made of clay, with grey painted patterns, square in nature.

  I took another breath as I rubbed my eyes due to the pain. Taking a look back, it seemed that even my senses were beginning to mock me. I couldn’t even focus on the bottles without having my eyes strained. I even thought that some of the disappeared into the darkness. I wouldn’t be surprised through, It was probably my mind doing it deliberately, to keep me at distance from insanity. This state of borderline exhaustion was sapping out whatever energy I had. Then again, this may be the consequence from the encounter I had an hour ago.

  I headed to the door next to this one. I stood still and gazed at the dark gray door for a moment before rising my hand to push it open. The feel of the door was strange and grotesque. There was nothing aesthetically wooden about the door, only signs of its decomposing. The door opened and made a small grudging sound. The inside, of course, was unimpressive. Again, there was dust, debris and the skeletons of the dead, through here they looked in better condition. Not sure if the armor is that rusted or not, but I was not relying on those.

  Shifting my view to the rest of the room I noticed some short of desk with objects made of metal on top of it. I moved closer and got a better look at the metal. I was beheld with armor that was rusted beyond relief from an age long ago.

Damn, I hope there’s some better stuff on the other room.

  I hoped so.

  I mean, I didn’t exactly have  any other plans other than to stay in this place for the night and not die. At the very least I could prepare a fire with the torch from before, maybe find something flammable and keep out any animals out of my reach. It would be risky but who the hell would notice it. The Griffins were probably still scared shirtless from my last encounter. Thinking about that I felt amused, even through I knew deep down that it wrung my heart.

  I also noticed a bookshelf, cleverly hidden in the shadows in the east side of the room. It looked filthy and there was a lot of dust in the selves, along with a couple of rotting books, some in better conditions than others. I moved closer to inspect, only to be confused when I noticed a specific book. It was infinitely better in terms of condition, that was undeniable. In fact, it looked like it had not been here for a long time. That was beyond strange. What misfortune soul would leave such a perfectly fine book here? or was this place more recent than I could fathom.

  Picking it up, I took a look at its cover. It was a hard leather cover, that was for sure. It felt fresh compared to the other books in the shelf. It really was recent. The cover also depicted a Griffin, sitting on the capital of a column, its head lowered and looking down while its claws covered up its face. It was painted magnificently and looked quite melancholic.  

  On top of the Griffin was the title

  “Δια πυρος και σιδηρου”

  Couldn’t understand what it meant, but it looked quite fascinating. I took out my backpack and put it in. I’ll give it a look just before sleep. Scanning the shelf once more, I found nothing of interest. Most of the other books had vastly decomposed and the pages were too filthy for the contents to be read.

  I retreated from back to where I came from, this time heading for the “golden door” as I liked to call it and opened it. No doubts, no hesitations this time. There was no point in delaying this any more.

  As I pushed the door open I was slightly relieved to see a room not choke full with dust and littered corpses. The room was circular in nature, a few barren walls with some sort of worn and discolored fabric, hung and forgotten by time. There were desks littered around in the middle and there were bookcases on the west and east ends of the room. There was even a carpet or two littered around the floor. Thank goodness for that, I could use those for sleep.

  Taking a complete view of the circular room, I also noticed that there was a enormous crack on the wall, no doubt those catapults that I theorised. It was catching to the eye since moonlight illuminated from there, sparing me of the greyness of the place with its dark blue undertone. This was also a perfect place to sleep for the night since the air was cleaner with the connection outside.

I moved towards one of the desks to check for anything useful. I took everything in mind.

Lets see, a broken quill, dust, some burned out paper, dust, decomposed bones, broken vase, dus- wait? Whats this?

  I picked up a small sheet of paper, a little burned off and liquid spilled on one side. It also had traces of blood on it, along with a weird texture to it giving away how old this thing was. But there was something interesting written on it. It brought a smile to my face to say the least.

This will make things just a little bit easier.

 This will make things just a little bit easier.

Le map

***

Jackpot!

How fucking great is that; A perfectly preserved map, found beneath a mountain of dust. Its a miracle this thing hasn’t dissolved into nothingness.

I can’t really understand the language but at least this gives me a clear view of where I can go and what I can do. Now, I have a tactical advantaged over the over sized turkeys. HA!

Oh, how good does this feel. I feeling like I’m Inside a furnace, but damn does this thing bring a smile to my face.

Ugh, pain, so excruciating , yet wonderful. I’m just going to put my rifle down and enjoy the pain. What a thrill, Ha ha ha...

What is madness. What does it seek. The opiate of my foolish mind is madness. How lovely. It is incomprehensible to those that do not experience it, or that do not know about insanity. They are weak spirited. For if you keep telling them that they are insane and at one point they will start thinking they are. Aren’t they? AREN’T THEY?

They are...

They....

Don’t wait.

Destroy.

Destroy the gods.

Destroy them.

                         They are escaping.

                                                          The children are dying

                                                        Crucified on the balconies.

                                                      Colorful                Very

          red blood                good

DON’T WAIT.

Sing the song that will end the earth

Sing the song that will free his hollow soul

Sing it with your hands                                        

Friend of despair and sorrow.

                    Mourn your sickness.

Child of luck and punishment.

He is dead.

He is

Fuck....

WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING.  Have a gone insane? I am raving on an on about nothing. I need to lie down yet... yet... Maybe I’ve gone under, or my mind has finally broken... Something influencing me to be like this. Maybe that’s why this place is left like this.

Oh fuck, I never knew of this. Its coming back again. I can hear the words after midnight. It never crossed my mind.

Never should have gone into this place... Oh, it hurts... Forgive them...

The patriots who breath half air half ether.

Above the remains of those that let you breath.

Those will still remain to see.

Within their expressions of

        solace and shrieks of torture

Those will still remember

as they rise to their slow

movements of repulsion

They will scream

you will hear a voice wet

to the bone.

Cease like the  others before you.

Time to die.

***

  He sits on the edge, glancing around the room, then bringing the rifle near his chest. He is deep inside the structure, hidden away under a desk, trying to keep his lunatic thoughts under control. He has realised, late as it is, that he is in deep danger. Now, something is coming from him from the halls. He couldn’t hear or see it. The only thing he heard was the fearful screams of children. Off in the distance, unhuman footsteps, slow and methodical, each step making his ears hurt.

  He rose his head and he tried to focus on the entrance. He couldn’t for his sense had been disturbed, thus making everything he saw appear disturbed too. Objects changing in size, things appearing and disappearing. He rolled his eyes rolled back in his head while a single image of a faceless figure looked at him, holding the skinless body of a woman.

  The image persisted even as he closed his eyes. He couldn’t remove it from his mind. He couldn’t even feel his body anymore, only seing that faceless anthopomoid twisted figure looking at him. Even with no features it felt like it had eyes. Even with no mouth it felt like it was smiling. And smiling. And looking.

  He opened his mouth but no sound came out of it. He looked behind the figure and saw a playground, off in the distance a huge shadow of an object outside his view was cast.

  The figure opened his mouth and the ground shoke.

  The playground vanished into oblivion.

  The woman had degraded into nothingness

  The voice of that with no soul spoke

“ ι wιll ςεε you ιn τhε roαd of ςongs jυsτ βεforε dαwnυnτιl τhεn ι wιll βυry τhε dεαd who yoυ hεvε gorgεd wιτh woυndςι will gιvε a βlαnκετ τo τhoςε thαt yoυ hαvε glαncεd ovεr

αwαιτ for mε ατ mιdnιghτι wιll ςεnd yoυ τo τhe ιnfinιτε ρlαnε whεrε τhε clocκς αlwαyς ςhow mιdnιghτ

mιdnιghτ

τhις pιllow of mεmory wιll only αwαkεn α τhousαnd ςταrvιng ςouls

τhεy wιll βe αwαkεn ιn the mornιng

ι wιll βε onε of τhεm

wε hυngεr”

  Only the sound of Ecstasy was heard.

  When it stopped so did his rumbling thoughts. His eyes went back to normal and he noticed everything was silent. The almost undetectable buzzing had stopped, no steps in the distance, no children screaming, no everything. Everything was quiet now. That thing had disappeared. Now he could see the dusty room around him as he sat under the desk with his hands clutched around his face. He was sane again.

  Or so he thought.

  Something was in the air. Again, he could not hear or see it, but he could feel it. It was creeping around him, just waiting to devour him. He didn’t hesitate and pulled out his rifle, emptying a couple of bullets around the room in a vain attempt to kill it. It was fruitless. Whatever is out there could not be touched by material goods.

  He felt it move around the room towards the moonlight shining from the crack. It danced in the light as it changed form into something that could be seen. Slowly it enveloped the light coming from the crack and manifested it into some kind of black hole as the human stared dreamily into it.

  He tried to get up and run, but the black hole moved faster than any object he had never seen and entered his body through every hole in his skull.

  He grinned, his body becoming immobilised as his facial features got planted behind his skin, becoming featureless. He didn’t tremble like before, he didn’t shake. His body started being stripped of flesh, muscle and sinew before turning pitch black, blending with the darkness. It dug inside him, right down to his bones turning them into liquid. It filled his veins and turned all of his blood into vomit as his heart pumped it throughout his body.  His organs burned into crisp and they exploded. He felt all life drained from him as he stood there.

 He opened one of his seven mouths and screamed.

***

“SPIRIT OF UNREST AND SUFFERING, LEAVE THIS WALL OF FLESH AND BOW BEFORE ME. NO MORE WILL YOU FLOW UNDISTURBED THROUGH THE CONFINE OF THIS STONY GRAVE. I AM TERROR. I AM DECEPTION. I AM DEATH.

I WILL BURY YOU WITHIN THE FRUITFUL BLOOMS OF THIS EARTH

I WILL LABOUR FOR THE END OF THIS UGLY TRIFLE YOU CALL EXISTENCE.

I WILL DEMOLISH YOUR VERY FABRIC OF EXISTENCE OUT OF THIS EARTH SO THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER GRAZE THIS PLANE WITH YOUR PRESENCE. YOU ARE ALONE AND I AM YOUR END.”

Don’t enter your grave yet...

“YOU ARE A POISON THAT IS KILLING THIS HAPLESS EARTH. YOU ARE A DISASTER AMIDST THE CLASH OF TWO WORLDS. A MISFORTUNE TO THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. YOU HAVE NEITHER A MIND, NOR A HEART. YOU ARE LOATHED BEYOND THE AFFINITY OF EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT IS INHERITING THIS EARTH. YOUR EXHAUSTED FORM IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE FUMING LEGION THAT IS MY DOMAIN. I AM WITHIN EVERYWHERE AND EVERYONE. EVERYTHING LIVING HERE WILL BE AND IS MINE. EVERY GRIFFIN, EVERY DRAGON, EVERY EQUESTRIAN. FROM THE SMALLEST BUG TO THE COLOSSI TERRORS. ACTION AGAINST ONE OF US IS ACTION AGAINST EVERYONE OF US.”

It is still too early...

“BUT FEAR NOT. I HAVE SEEN THE SHACKLES OF YOUR INSANITY. YOU HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE HAVANA OF YOUR IGNORANCE. THE REALITY WHICH YOU OCCUPY IS NOT THE REAL REALITY AND YOUR HOUR HAS COME. I WILL BRING YOU THE GIFT THAT WILL RID YOU OF YOUR DESOLATION. YOUR BITTER HOUR HAS COME. YOU WILL ASK FOR NOTHING MORE THAN TO FILL YOU WITH THE ECSTASY OF PAIN, AS IT CURES YOU, AS IT BECOMES YOUR ESSENCE AND YOU ARE ONCE ERADICATED FROM THIS WORLD.

COME AND I WILL SEND YOU TO THE HILLS OF ETERNITY.

COME AND THE DISEASE THAT IS YOUR WEIGHT UPON THIS EARTH WILL BE CLEANSED.

COME AND I WILL DROWN YOU IN THE SEA OF BLOOD THAT ENCOMPASSES THE OTHER WORLD.”

Stay just for a little bit...

“ONCE YOU ARE RID OF LIFE AND ALL OF YOU HAS BEEN DRAINED, YOU WILL REACH THE CAVERN OF SOULS WHERE YOU WILL BE HUMILIATED AND STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING. YOU WILL WANDER IN THE PLANES OF THE UNKNOWN BEFORE WALKING THE PATH OF FLESH AND BLOOD, THE HIDDEN LORES, OCEANS OF ABYSSES THAT DWELL INTO THE PILLAR THAT HOLDS THE VERY ESSENCE OF NOTHINGNESS. YOU WILL CLIMB THE STAIRCASE TO INFINITY WITH HATE AND EVERLASTING PAIN AS YOUR FUEL.”

Gaze at what I have become...

“AND JUST BEFORE YOUR FRAGMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS LAPSED AND DEVOURED INTO REALMS OF UNENDING BLACK, YOU WILL GLIMPSE INTO EXISTENCE. YOU WILL WITNESS THE LAWS OF YOUR WORLD BEING SHUTTERED AS YOU LOOK INTO THE GREAT BEYOND, WHOSE POWER SPANS OVER ALL OF TIME AND SPACE. THEN AS YOUR STRIFE IS ENDING AND YOU BECOME A DEATHLESS SOUL, I WILL BE THERE WATCHING. I WILL BE THERE AFTER YOU ARE A LONG GONE MEMORY. I WILL BE THERE AT THE DEATH OF THIS WORLD AND BEYOND THAT. I AM EVERYWHERE. I AM REALITY. YOU ARE ALONE. YOU ARE FLAWED. YOU ARE NON-EXISTENT.”

I... no...

I have control...

No more...

  The black humanoid form straggled and thrusted himself on the desk, violently sliding off the dusty surface and falling down on his sides.

***

There, where people used to be born and they died

There, where the young learned about love

There, in the abyss where they learned about life

There, where they looked up and they only saw concrete.

Concrete. I was looking at concrete.

  I felt like I had a fever and my flesh was burning, like it had been thrown into fire, roasting. I could not hear anything less of pain and gurgled nothingness. My body suffered, like if I had shit out my internal organs and my blood had been sucked out with a straw. What had happened? I now lie face down with one eye open, staring at concrete. I made no attempts to move, for I feared the worst. My body had degraded into nothing more than dust. I was practically dead.

  It took me a couple of seconds to realise that I still was alive and a glimmer of hope sparked through my ephemeral mind. All trains of thoughts stopped at that moment as I used my hands to get up despite the excruciating pain my muscles were under.  I could hear the hollow shells of my bones crackling around as if they had been broken, the muscles of my legs burning as if I hit them with a butcher knife and set wild dogs to chew on them, my whole body growing distant from my mind as instinct took over. All thoughts became secondary as I unhesitatingly sprinted like a shadowy injured beast towards the exit.

  I passed the golden door as thoughts of violence and oppression filled my mind, when I heard a terrified call from behind me.

“NO, WAIT”

  I did not wait, I run over the halls while setting my rifle to automatic. Just when I reached the staircase, I abruptly stopped and looked behind me while readying my rifle to lay waste to whatever foul... thing, was trying to get me.

  When I turned around I saw the figure of a griffin, its body black, floating in the air near the golden door. I didn’t get a good look at it from that distance but I heard it say something.

“Please, I need your help”

  I did not hesitate for a fucking moment and I immediately fired half a dozen of rounds directed at it. They passed right threw him and hit the door behind. I could tell from the wood shrapnel that fell into the ground.

“No...”

  I put my rifle away and I scrambled to descent down the stairs, hearing the griffins shrieks fill the air. It let out cries, calling out to me to get back. What did this creature think; that I was such a gigantic fool to get near what nearly make me a monstrosity; HA! It was over for him, I would leave this place and seek out someplace else.

 “Please don’t leave me here...”

  Its cries were getting more desperate now. I had sprinted down to the second flour and I was about to descent down to another one but then I had an epiphany.

  Logic set in as my pace slowed down. I felt this was the worst time to actually start thinking about the situation. I should do that after I am out of danger.

  But I could not help my self. The amount of bullshit that was surrounding this was to much. This was vastly absurd in nature.

   A light disappeared, I went insane, I saw fucking some dip shit with no face, I went “Oh god, its full of stars” and some black turd turned me into a fucking inconceivable abomination for a moment. This is beyond madness! this has absolutely nothing to do with reality!

  “Come back! I need you...”

  Each call was getting louder and louder in between. I had reached the concrete staircase where the connection with the outside was. It was nearly pitch dark up to this point but now thankfully I could see the moonlight bouncing off in the snow. I was descending the stairs, contemplating whether or not to simply jump down to save me some time.

  I could not help it anymore through, questions started filling my mind about... everything. This was so absurd and of need of some much analysing that I just started dumping down questions for my mind to answer.

 What the hell happened; why the hell did it happened; why is this place like this? why is there a spirit griffin calling out for my help, right after he tried to do whatever it tried to do; did he cause the images and the disturbance of my sense; if so than why; why did he not finish me when he had the chance to do so; how did I manage to survive, yet alone escape from the spirit.

“Please, don’t leave me alone...”

  That last call hit me hard. Each shriek that the spirit made was full of anguish and despair, calling out to me with great pain in its hard. It confused me as to why this was. Was this even the same thing that manipulated my senses?

  How did I survive? Did that spirit help me against the black manifestation?

“Please...”

  That broken voice made me stop. I had a lot filled into my mind, a lot of uncertainty. If I wanted to find the truth under the mountain of data then I would have to be careful and bold.

  I had stopped beneath the staircase. If I desired I could just leave this rat infested place and take my chances with the flesh and blood griffins. There was no reason for me to risk entering the domain of what was not even alive.

  Yet... I don’t know how I felt about this. Everything screamed at me to just leave, yet... the map. It shows a couple of exits. Maybe I could use those to leave the place.

“No...”

The griffin... he speaks my tongue?

  I glanced over the fact before in my sprint towards the exit. This one spoke my language. I could negotiate with him, hell, he may even help me out by explaining this bullcrap.

  I had to be careful through. I may not have been fully aware of its intentions, but its calling was full grief, almost human in nature. I did not know if it was a trap or not but it sure as hell put up a good show. If it had put up the act before trying to probe my mind I might have been an easier target. Why was it doing it anyways? If it wanted me dead it would have done so already. If it wanted me to get out why is it calling my name?

 I ascended the stairs once again only to hear nothing in return. I prepared my rifle once again as I approached the entrance to the hall way.

“He, Déjà vu”

 I took a peak at the hallway. I could not see anyone so I slowly moved in through it. I felt rugged and tired, the only thing keeping me from falling down was the adrenaline and willpower. Those wouldn’t last long and the pain would start again. My inside still felt like a sack of rotten potatoes and my skin felt broken and burned off.

 As I moved in I noticed something creep off by the edge of the stairs. I took this opportunity and shouted.

“FREEZE” I instinctively called.

  I was met with silence. Agitated, I moved closer to the stairs despite my body’s protest. I swear if this went on for any longer I would collapse right there.

  Thankfully my endeavour was cut short. Turning a corner I was beheld by the presence of the black, now a little transparent, griffin. It looked at me, its facial expressions giving away the emotion of shock, sitting on all four on top of the stair case. I wasted no time and raised the rifle once again despite the weight, and begun shouting.

***

“STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND DON’T SPEAK.” I need to drop the shouting. My throat already feels like it was forced to eat broken glass.

“You came b-”

“NO, SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN TO ME, you will listen to my word as if it is the word of a divine creator, at.all.time. You will only speak when spoken to and you will continue doing so until I see fit. If at any point you do as much as fucking annoy me, I will depart and you will NEVER see me again, is that fucking understood!?” the human roared.

It took him a couple of seconds before he replied back.

“...yes...” answered the spirit. He was obviously taken back by the violent outburst of the human.

“Good... I will ask you questions. I demand answers. First off, who and what are you.?”

“I am Hector, leader of the once great Levéntes, and I am a dead Griffin.” he told him

“Wait, you are dead? How the hell are you still here then?” said the puzzled human.

Hector looked away to hide his distress but turned back to tell him.

“It is a long and eventful tale. It is also the reason why I am here and why I seeked to enter your mind. It is the bane of my existence and I feel terrible for what I have done.” Sorrow seemed to encamp his voice, evident as he had dropped the tone and volume of his voice significantly.

“Shall I tell the tale of my imprisonment?” asked Hector.

“No” the human remarked.

“But I beg of you.” he insisted.

“Remember, If you annoy me I leave. Besides I have other things in mind.”

The human took a big breath and exhaled. Taking this moment he thought something to himself before starting.

“I do not have time for old tales and false prophets for I am tired and broken. I have transversed great distances in the span of days and it has taken a toll on me, both physically and emotionally. I have met many obstacles and hardships, even been driven to kill somebody at the brink of fucking ignorance. You have played tricks on me and have altered my senses, all for a cause I do not know. So now, I must ask, what is that cause; why is it so great that you have nearly killed me;” he spoke in an attempt to mimic the way the spirit talked.

The Griffin looked away again, this time a face of terror and disgust. He turned to the human and exclaimed.

“It was not my intention for things to end up as they ended. I could not foresee what you were made off, that vile and horrible incomprehensive abyss that reduced thought to nothing more than insane atrocities. It was not in my claw, that you have to believe me.

“You still haven’t answered the primary question Hector.” he remarked

“I want to leave this place” he told him

“Why don’t you do so?”

" I can’t” he cried out “You have to believe me when I tell you that I can’t. I have been trapped for over three centuries, left to wander the confines of this prison until some merciful soul finally releases me. For three centuries I have filled my mind with profane thoughts to stave off insanity, to prevent that harsh pain from overtaking my spirit, never sleeping, never eating. I have tried to sway explorers and thrill seekers in order to do my bid, trying to lure them in with tricks and mind plays, the only real power that I have over this earth. When that failed, I fell down to my beak and begged for them to do something, anything. Most of those that passed knew of my deeds, knew of history and either refused to do so or were slain by those that did. I have led many of my kind to death and I am the sole reason for the abandonment of this den. All that, just so one day I will meet some soul that will finally give me my resting place.” he tried to form some tears in his despair but his effort was futile. He may never feel how it is to cry again.

That explained the disappearing light; And this place is a den?

“About that, I experienced a lot of things back on the fifth floor, a lot of insane and absurd things. Help me out on this, and lets take this from the start. Did you try to enter my mind?” asked the human.

“That is true, I did try to enter your mind.” the spirit said as the human shoot an angry look at him ”In fact it is the reason that I can now speak your, albeit strange, Equestrian Dialect. I have learned about your actions, from the early struggle at the mountain top down at the valley of death, and felt what you went through. Thus, an apology on my part is necessary.”

Equestrian Dialect? The flying fuck, I didn’t know they spoke English in this world.

“More then an apology will be necessary. But if it was so that you entered my mind and learned everything that you could of me, why couldn’t you control me. You were able to alter the means which I experience the world, yet not control me?” he continued on with the questions.

“This is what I could not foresee. If you were anything more than another one of my kind, I would have easily taken over your mind, save for a few individuals with training, such as the Palatics. What shocked me was in what a state your mind was. Words cannot describe what resides in that wall of flesh, neither can it be written down.  I am appalled as to what I saw when I tried to take over your body. It was as if I had woken up a sleeping giant that violated everything I ever knew about this reality, even beyond the scopes of my frail mind.” His voice getting louder by the minute.

“If that is so than does that mean you cannot tell me of my past; nor can you tell me of what I am capable off?

“That is not within my goals, neither is it feasible. That part of your brain is simply blocked off. Everything that you have not experienced directly I could not learn off. I could learn of your dialect and your past, beyond that I could do nothing more.”

“Is that the cause; Is that what happened up there? You tried to alter my senses. Why?” he was going on the offensive now.

“I apologise for that, I merely tried to soften my entrance by influencing your environment and sense. It was a way for me to test that you could be “played” with.” he joked

 The human had now eased up considerably, enough for the adrenaline to decrease but not enough to holster his rifle.

“So, the big flying turd was you then?” he asked.

“Indeed, it was the manifestation of my powers. I tried to enter and control your body through that. I apologise for that too. in my hurry to finally escape from this place I thought it was necessary for me to take over your body. A grave mistake, as it turned out. When you spent three centuries staving off boredom through, you are driven to such mistakes.” his voice was getting calmer now, no longer filled with cries of despair.

Three centuries...

“OK, Hector, lets get into the meat of the matter. I felt my body been overtaken by you and life drained out of me. I lost all control, and became merely a shadow of my former self.” he paused and takes a moment to think while Hector watches patiently. He knew what was coming next.

“What happened? That was not me and it certainly wasn’t you. The only thing I heard was that cosmic destroying poison of a speech. While I felt my inside melt and the outside cease to exist, I still heard that voice. All the terrors and monstrosities of this earth paled in comparison to that single beast. It devoured my heart and spit it out, degrading me while it does it. What have you startled Hector? What have you seen?” he said with effort

“I don’t know. I beg for forgiveness for the vile act I have committed but what I witnessed is something no living creature should ever be aware of, let alone house such a thing. I do not know what it is, the only thing I know is that something is beyond the reaches of this mortal world, something that should not be tempered. I do not know what it was that I startled, but I can tell you that you were under the influence of something else, a thing of worship or spite.”

So that explains it. I may not be the master of my body after all

Silence overtook again as both human and spirit look at each other, both engulfed on their own train of thought.

Without a moment too waste, Hector spoke

“Human...”

The fuck? He knows what I am?

“I know such a request is a heavy one and I risk losing all of your trust or respect, but I need to you to do something for me. I am fed up with this existence. Three centuries ago I committed a grave mistake, the reason why I am still chained to this rocky prison. I have spent three centuries waiting for the day that my chapter of life is finally closed, once and for all. I yearn that day more then ever, even with the new shredded light which you have provided me with.” he paused to take a breath, watching the reaction of the human. He was paying attention to him.

“The act which I do not have time to explain has left my body unburied, one of the great breakings of the unwritten laws. My soul cannot rest until my body is finally put to rest, when the final ritual is done and my ashes have been buried. I ask you stranger, please spare me of this curse, I beg that from the depths of my chained heart.” the spirit looked like it was about to cry.

The human trailed into his own thoughts before coming up with a response.

A lot to take in.

Must not act foolish here, danger could be everywhere...

…

The human looked lost as he thought of what to do as the spirit looked attentively from on top of the stairs, praying that he would feel compassion for his mischief.

He heard his voice talking to him

“Spirit of spite and suffering, what have you asked me for is not viable. For the actions of the past overweight the actions of the present. You have lured me into the halls of this den to exploit me and to use me. You have disturbed my senses and my train of thought just so that you can test if I was a good enough target, and then tried to take my body over just so that you can further your own goals and ambitions. You were caught into an abyss of ignorance and you have caused me great suffering. After all that you have the gull, to ask me to waste my time so that you escape your grave prison? I have no reason to obey justice, no reason to follow the rules. It would neither prove or accomplish anything from my side.” shit, I didn’t know I was quite a speaker.

The griffin hanged his head in shame and retreated. The words hit hard, for this was the last chance he had in a long time to pursue redemption.

With those words hitting him harder then an arrow he turned to the human and starts talking.

“...I ... I have brought this upon my self. In my hurry to finally escape and find peace with my self I have bought you suffering and hardship... I have caused you terror and unfairly entered your mind without permission. I never wanted to do this, I just only wanted to finally end the nights of grieving and and emotional pain, end the long stretches of depression, end all of it. To finally live with harmony in my heart and peace in my mind, to find rest. I have caused to much destruction to fully deserve such a th-” he got interrupted.

“I’ll do it”

Silence overtook.

“...P...Pardon me? Hector asked.

“Didn’t you hear me? I will do it. I am not a sadist to watch other people suffer for something that probably does not warrant three centuries of imprisonment.”

Hector looks at the human, his eyes growing larger from the amazement.

“But it will cost you something...”

Hector could not believe it. Had he somehow made the creature of legends pity him? That famed for its putrid nature and barbaric actions? Or is he about to ask for impossible demands?

“Yes, Of course, anything in exchange, but what do I have to offer to you? Everything that I once hold dear is long gone.” the spirit cried out.

“You have more then enough, you have knowledge. I need you to tell me how to get the griffins off my back and find me anything valuable that I can use in my journey.”

“Where do you plan to go?” asked a puzzled hector

“Anywhere but here.”

“I will help you in any way my form enables me too.” he answered back.

“Good... You will tell your tale in the morning. I have more things to say about that too...”

Just as he said that, the human collapsed to the ground. Hector flied over to him in his pitch black form, to see if he is OK.

“Your spells have drained me of all of my energy or some shit like that. Didn't you hear me? I am tired and worn out... I... I just need sleep on the room with the crack. Better air... you see, plus it has the rugs.” He managed to get off the ground and to stay on balance.

The spirit was relieved. Finally, after all those years he had the chance to rest. Waiting for a few nights would be nothing he could not take.

“Think I can reach the fifth flour without falling asleep?” the human joked.

“I cast my doubts”

“Ha...”

“My king, are you sure that we need her?” asked the concerned Ithicus.

The king looked back at the messenger and sighed.

“To misfortune’s end, yes I do, for I trust Prometheus’s judgement more than any other dominus in the kingdom. I have learned over the years to hear his pleads more than any other of my close advisers. If he think that this is a matter for her I can do nothing more than to believe him, even if he is simply enraged over the suffering of one of his own sons. Now Ithicus, leave me alone to reconcile my thoughts. This is no easy task.”  answered King Hesiod.

  Ever since he got informed of the legendary creature wandering around the backbone of the kingdom, King Hesiod has been worried. He has studied Law and Ancient Mythology very well to know of the true horrors and pandemonium these creatures have caused over the course of history. To have one near the grounds of that unburied traitor, Hector, who nearly brought the kingdom to its knees three centuries ago; This was no laughing matter.

  It is why he is about to ask the most capable of the Heroes to get involved.

  It is way past midnight. A couple of hours ago there was a symposium, to honor those that would be sent to hunt down the creature all over the land, a ritual seldom hold before the hunting. Almost always they hold it after the hunt is over, for those that have build posthumous fame. But as the messages started piling that half of Prometheus’s guard was taken out by surprise, tired as they may had been, it was decided by the king himself to hold the ritual before the hunt.

  He was standing on the balcony of his room, looking down on the sleeping capital, Minerva, built on the mountains of Mytikus. The moon of the Equestrian goddess shined down and reflected on the marble. It glowed as it was hit by moonlight, an old trick used by the ancient Architects when building this city.

 Over in the distance, King Hesiod was focusing on the temple of Phonitheia, build many years ago for her acts that saved the Kingdom. It was build on the second highest peak, one that had been unoccupied for it was thought that no temple or theatre should even come close to the Parthenon. Her actions broke that prejudice, thus a temple was built on the second highest peak.

 He took flight as archers took notice from their watch towers, making sure nothing was going wrong. King Hesiod’s Personal guard, the Palatics, were resting after the symposium, for they would be sent out tomorrow to help with the hunting.

 He reached the temple and moved closer to the entrance, passing by the Menervian Columns that were half a plethron tall, whose architectural wonders impressed even the Equestrian Goddess, that he was sent to design their capital city, Canterlot, two decades ago.

  Entering the temple he found it empty, save for a couple of female muses that were residing inside the temple. They slept, lived and guarded the temples after all.He searched for Phonitheia being careful not to wake up any of the muses.

  His search was fruitless it seemed, as she was not residing with the muses. He slowly made his way to the back of the temple where Phonitheia was said to reside. The temple was also the living quarters for heroes. She was bound to be here, after all he was informed that she had not been taken to sleep.

  He walked through the hallways and reached one of the gathering rooms, through more of a huge balcony that had an incredible view of the city below. She found Phonitheia resting on top of a pillowed couch, watching down on the city as she ate grapes brought from the southern fields of Gryphonia.

  He took a minute to recollect his thoughts before taking a few steps into the balcony. As Phonitheia looked back, noticing him, King Hesiod started his talk.

“O, great Phonitheia, great warrior of midnight who you have graced us with your beauty and strength, watching our city like a watchdog not at rest, whose deeds include that of halting assassins at the burden of the kill, to taking down the king of lizards, the Basilisk, to countering the powers of a demi-god exiled from the heavens above. Your feathers have been thought to bring good luck, you are a flower in the middle of a rock with journeys bigger the-” he got interrupted

“Your words are soothing, well-beloved King Hesiod, but spare me the praise. For I know those words come forth with persuasion in mind by an anxious heart. I am honored by your words King Hesiod, but with what rites; what is such deed that need to presented with kind and mild words?” she told him leisurely as she ate grapes, watching the midnight sky.

King Hesiod felt overwhelmed for a moment before continuing

“Well” he started “The sort of deed that needs that aid of the most virtuous to be completed of course. I have not taken this decision lightly O, great Phonitheia, for the sake of whole kingdom may be at stake here. You surely have heard, through rumors and small talk that a creature from ages long ago has breached out sovereignty. As it is the case for the symposium, to honor those that would inevitably fall during the quest” he said.

“Your worries are understandable, King Hesiod, but it is no matter for me to dispel my Oath of peace just so that I get involved with childish footings. Plead all you want, I do not take down myths, I take down gods.” she replied with a clam voice as she took another grape and put it in her beak.

“Indeed, such a matter does not warrant me trying to seduce you to what amounts as a hunt. I would certainly just have send the Palatics, whose shift and brutal nature always solves any wrong doing.”

  She glanced at him.

There is more to this?” she was taken by surprise.

“Indeed. My worries were set when I received news of the human heading off to the Abandoned Dens on Northern Gryphonia. I have the worst in mind.”

  Phonitheia was now on alert. She was no longer sitting on the pillowed couch and had moved close to the king.

  She opened her beak but nothing came out, all but a shore throat it seemed. She took left and right before finally looking back at her King.

“Grant, O King Hesiod, you are startling me, all for a cause that may force me to break the Oath of Peace. There is a reason why I have taken up such an oath, one that I have been keeping for six years. I plead that this task is really as grave as you mention. I do not want to risk death for such an unworthy cause, especially when I have bared the pains of birth” she was getting serious now.

“I know of your pains Great Phonitheia, and I don’t make them lightly. It would be degradeful and depressing if such a thing were to happen “ he told her with an understanding voice.

“Then tell me, are you afraid that the myth will do what you think he will do?”

King Hesiod took a big breath and sighed.

“I received a message from the Dominus Prometheus, the one that you have fought with all those years ago, of an incident involving his guard.”

“I have heard of the bad ill that has befallen upon his sons. My condolences to him.” she informed him

“Tis a shame, indeed, but a more grave and utterly startling incident took place a couple of hours ago. It started when the carcase of a scout from Apotheus’s Guard, Polynices, was found buried beneath snow. In a mad gamble, Prometheus ordered all guards to scout the nearby areas.”

“So, did they find him heading off to the dens” asked a puzzled Phonitheia

“Not at first. It wasn’t until Apotheus’s Guard got taken by a surprise attack by the creature. and was forced to retreat due to the amount of casualties. Prometheus has not as of now deterred me for the reason of his retreat but a arbitrary fact startled me. The myth was not interested in inflicting harm to the Gaurd.” he told her

“He was heading off to the dens, If I may interrupt.”

“Indeed, I fear it may be so.”

  Phonitheia took this moment and sighed. Taking a look on the ground, totally engulfed in her own thoughts as King Hesiod watched patiently. She was getting quite stressed from the dilemma, yet remained stoic during the whole time.

Finally

“King Hesiod” she spoke as King Hesiod stood there.

“Whatever good that may come out of this will be strained in mystery. If such a creature is looking to resurrect the traitor Hector through unborn blood, then so be it. I will hunt it down and I will put it to rest. My oath of Peace has ceased.” she told him.

The two exchanged glances before the King finally answered back.

“I understand... I will prepare the best of the Palatics to take you to Northern Gryphonia at morning. I will inform the people of your departure.” the king remarked and was about to take off when he heard Polytheia talk to back to him.

“If I am struck down, King Hesiod, tell my children of everything I have done. Let my omen be good and not an unhallowed and pointless sacrifice. Raise them with the same mercy and craft as I have tried to do.” she told King Hesiod.

King Hesiod nodded and took off.

-Portrait of a God killer -

TheGreekDollmaker

Author Notes 2/28/12: It took me some time to finish this. Got accepted into Preparations for fine arts, thus I have very little time to work on fan fictions. On the other hand I am getting better with my artistic abilities.

Thats all folks.

Derp.

Author Notes 3/3/12: I depred.

No really, that is the reason why I took down the third chapter. I posted the “uncut version” as I like to call it without taking a look if it was the correct one. I keep different files for different revisions, just in case I do something retarded.

I essentially posted an uneditted, unrefined monstrosity due to mistake.

Thankfully, I have posted the correct version this time, edited for your enjoyment.

Apologies for everyone that was actually looking forth to reading this.