On the Run [Closed] (Dated)

Steel heard a loud thump from upstairs. He felt something else however. He could feel the griffons glee as he hoped to scare any ponies inside. And the shocking disappointment that the ponies weren't in the room. He assumed that the griffon could feel his feelings as well. Alright, let's play hardball. he thought, and quickly began thinking panicked thoughts and fearing the worst. He turned to the others. "What was that?" he said quickly not seeming like himself. He turned to the others, and put a hoof up to his mouth. "I think I should go upstairs and investigate..." he said, nervously. He went up the tunnel before anyone could stop him.

Those crafty mice, thinking of spoiling Vengeance's just rewards! The vermin would squeal before he slit their throats. Thy still had not arrived outside to see his gift! Such effort was put into it. The eyeballs of a griffon are particularly flavorful, which is why he left them in. It would do well for the ponies to have a final meal before they die. Vengeance hugged himself in joy. Oh, their faces would light up in glee at his gift! His special note for them would be appreciated as well. All the little mousies should get invitations before the succulent mummies and daddies let them out to play. And the children! Walking candy, with tender muscles and juicy flesh. Unlike these specimens. A stringy smith, rank with fear. A crafty Pegasus, smelling of sweat and machine grease. A green unicorn, smelling of the sewers, and books. And a worn out Pegasus, smelling of charity and blood. He hoped the Pegasus appreciated one of his gifts; after all, he gave him the first meal of tonight.

Worrying away at a discarded rib, Vengeance looked around. All that remained of the three griffons were snapped bones, some cartilage, and the kidney stones of the larger one. Picking these up, he began to juggle them, along with some vertebrae. Waiting was an art Vengeance had mastered; after all, what else was he to do while his weaker half was in control?

Mega blinked a few times after hearing Steel's words, pushing her glasses that had slipped down her muzzle in surprise back up. She was about to speak up, but eyes the sword and began thinking. She quickly realized what he must be doing after remembering the screeching that came from the sword her eyes had locked into. Not giving herself to think any thoughts about the topic, she quickly started to force her own frightened and nervous thoughts into her head, starting to shiver a bit in place. "Alright, but please be careful." She replied, staying in her spot as she kept up her nervous act.

Rationale kept his eyes on the door as the other colt put his sword against the door. He knew that his particular predicament could probably kill him, but despite all of this, he wasn't really scared. His books were nearly gone, and all he had left was the knowledge in his head. He cared about his life, and the life of Equestria's citizens when the griffins were pushed back, which is why he was in this rebellion in the first place. Now as he focused on the griffin who aimed to make food out of all of them, his horn glowed with a dark brown energy, as it readied a table behind the opening of the door.

In the griffons beak, a note rested. One would have to pull very hard, with magic or otherwise, to release it. Inside is a crude drawing of four mice.
Scrawled in what appeared to be blood, was childish writing.

little mise, com out to play? I promis not to hurt yoo

Steel had to keep his act up. If the griffon thought he was fearful, he'd be more likely to attack. He brought the sword with him, in case the griffon attacked early. When he saw the pole embedded in the door, along with the three griffon heads, he almost threw up. What a sick bastard to do that to his own kind. he thought, honestly. He then returned to his quick an panicked thoughts. He dropped the sword so he could retrieve the pole. He picked it out after some finagaling, and saw the letter. He read it with disgust. He hoped the sane griffon wouldn't do this. He took the spear and lobbed it across the room, making sure anyone looking through the door would see it fly into the other wall.

Vengeance continued to juggle. Cracking his neck, he dropped the kidneystones and vertebrae, and tried to make a sculpture with the bones. As he was halfway done, he felt a feeling of....

Oh you think you are sooooo clever mice?

Zweihander had felt a small bit of satisfaction from the unicorn. Just a small sense, but it was there. He could also tell the whelp hated his gift. He would make a special toy out of him... a new toy, that wouldn't scream like the last two did. They wouldn't stop, so he tore their heads off. But that broke them, and you couldn't fix the yummy toys. But, Vengeance was hungry. And that was all that mattered. And did... did the unicorn have the sanity in his magic? Bad idea.

Spreading his wings, he thought of everything he had done to the two griffons, in complete visceral detail. Satisfied, and more than a little hungry, at the torments he had inflicted, he sent his memories straight into the unicorns feeble mind.

He hadn't been trained for this. The griffons thoughts entered, and it was disgusting, gory detail. He saw the griffons rage, and how he had destroyed them quickly, then began picking apart the pieces. It was disgusting. While these thoughts and visions entered his mind, he was entirely defenseless. He knew the the griffon would be on him at any moment, opening the entrance even further, and drag him out into the open. Unless the griffon haulted his attack, he was a sitting duck.

Rationale felt it again, the internal attack on his mind. He felt a migraine immediately start up in his head and he bit his lip. So much pain flooded through his head, and he dropped the table that he was levitating. He was defenseless for a small amount as well, and he took a few steps away from the door and placed his hooves over his head. What was the migraine alleviation spell? He couldn't remember, and it was crippling him.

Zweihander acted quickly. Going into a swift glide, he crashed into the dazed unicorn. Picking him up by the neck, he threw him into a wall.

Steel snapped almost instantly into alertness. The griffon holding him by the throat, he could barely breathe. His thoughts were quickly slipping into actual chaos. The griffon held no sanity in his eyes, no regret, nothing but pure bloodlust. He had to think now. What was the plan?! What was the plan? he asked violently, then suddenly remembered. The Sword! he thought and picked up the sword with his remaining energy. He felt something touch his behind, and he shot the sword flat on his back, and let it lie on the griffon...

NO!YOU WILL NOT HOLD ME BACK SWORD! YOU WILL DIE TODAY!

Holding his claw on the hilt, Vengeance attempted to throw it. Feeling even more of Zweihanders damnable essence flow inside him, he did the last conscious thing he could do. He maneuvered the vocal cords of his body back into its rightful place using specific combinations of muscles, but the fix would not last long. It would only last for a few short minutes.

For the first time in several years, Vengeance/Zweihander could speak again. Instead, Vengeance laughed. Pure, and light sounding, it sounded noble, and refined. Yet, if one listened, they could notice the laughter ascend higher and higher, until it sounded like a cacophony of madness. After Vengeance was subdued, the griffon looked at the smith.

Sounding back to normal, he opened his beak.

"I... I can talk again?" Holding his claw up to his throat, he felt an unsightly bump. Vengeance had use this to taunt him with hope. The "gift" would last barely five minutes. Conviction written on his bloodstained feathers, he stood up. Picking up his sword, only he could see the faint, warm aura surrounding it. Placing it on his back, he maneuvered his way to the secret door, that remained open. He called out;

"It is alright to come out now. Your friend is injured, and has need for your assistance." Kneeling down beside the brave smith, he tapped him to get his attention. "Hello, smith. May I ask your name? My name is Mikael Haldenschloss, princeling of the Haldenschloss Duchies."

After a few long moments of silence, Mega slowly peeked her head through the doorway, unsure of the unfamiliar voice, but deciding to trust her gut in case Steel really had been injured. Her eyes slowly drifted towards Steel's limp body by the wall, not wasting any time before she sprang out of the secret passage to trot over to her friend. "Please be okay, Steel..." She said quietly while laying down next to the unicorn smith.

She glanced up at Mikeal once she remembered him as the griffon that was hunting them for most of the night. Deciding not to question the red all over him, she was just glad that he didn't seem to want to eat them anymore for the time being. With a frown, she turned back to Steel and gently nudged him with her hoof. "I don't know any medical care... We should get him to somepony..."

Steel awoke and was glad to see Mega beside him. Thank god shes alright. he thought. His thoughts quickly turned to his newly speech capable friend. He figured that the origonal soul had been forced onto the sword. "Mikael Haldenschloss, I fear I have grave news. As you may know, due to circumstances yet known, your soul was split and other ones were put in. That laughter from that bloodlusting soul, yiu have a few short minutes, before you return to a persona from before the crazy one. Any information you would like to relay to us about your condition, should be done quickly. I hope we might be able to help you." he said, short of breath. " Mega write down every word he says. We wont be able to hear it again." he said hoping she would do so, allowing him to explain more clearly, after he was done talking.

"I am afraid there is nothing you could do." Mikael looked at the ponies mournfully. Sighing, he continued. "I am fully aware what Vengeance has done. That monster is unable to reason, or even fully remember what he does. And he grows more powerful every waking day. I fear the worst; that he will eventually overwhelm my sanity, and remain in my body. Forever. If you discover that occurs, there is one thing you can do. If you come across me again in my travels, and discover that I am indeed under Vengeance's thrall, send word to Griffon Headquarters. Tell them that "Centurion Prima" is mad as a Prudentate. That will get their attention." Mikael chuckled, then fell into a coughing fit. He could feel his vocal cords breaking after their use; already his voice was cracking.

"There is one thing you should know. My soul was split into three parts; two remain in my body, Vengeance, the monster. Regret, the memories. And in the sword, my faithful Zweihander, is my sanity." His sword shimmered perceptibly to the ponies at that comment. Looking at them sadly, he sagged noticeably. "What I have done to you ponies, and to my own kind was unforgivable, uncondoneable. But, unfortunately, I will get off with little to no consequences." As he said this, he looked them straight in the eyes. He was dead serious.

"What about strengthening the sane part using the powerful other souls? It's dangerous but possible." he said knowing that chances were slim of that happening.

Mega slowly made her way back to her hooves, wincing from the claw wounds on her flank again as her muscles stretched. Without taking an extra moment, she moved over to her beaten up desk and picked up her quill after moving a piece of paper into place. Dipping the quill into her nearly empty bottle of ink, she began writing down Mikael's message word-for-word as requested of her. She stayed silent during the whole moment to make sure she wasn't missing any small bits of the important information they were being given, underlining the instructions they were given in case of the worst case scenario.

"If you find somepony with enough magical prowess in just the right area..." She trailed off, knowing that Steel's plan was a slim chance as well.

"Do not suggest that. It is much too dangerous to me, when there are other, safer options to attempt." Mik- what was his name again? Oh no...

Zweihander felt a shudder wrack his body, as the souls began to split again. Quickly managing to say several words before he bacame mute once more.

"Thank you, ponies." and with that, he flew into the night.

Rationale was ready to attack Zweihander with his previously levitated table, but Zweihander had already completely changed personalities. His psychological readings told him that this griffin had split personalities, but the fact that it came from the sword, he did not know this. He stood his ground when the griffin explained his predicament, and Rationale nodded his head as the griffin flew away. "If only therapy was capable of helping him. I doubt my experience can help." He muttered to himself, before he started to head outside, not caring about the fact that it was 2 AM in the morning.