Sunny: Could you tell me more about the stories of this ancient place?Bray turned his head towards her, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Bray: Sure. This was a sanctuary of sorts...but not for ponies, mind you. It was a refuge for creatures abhorred by them: cows, bulls, donkeys... beings the ponies considered inferior.

Sunny frowned, feeling a strange weight in the air as Bray spoke.Sunny: That... I didn't know that.

Bray paused dramatically, pointing the flashlight at a rock formation that looked like a collapsed archway, like the entrance to something much larger.

Bray: And then, there was him. His voice lowered, almost to a whisper. You've heard of Grogar, haven't you?The name echoed in Sunny's mind like a distant, almost familiar echo.Sunny: Grogar... my father mentioned that name once. It was an old story, but hardly much is known about him.

Bray: Smiling broadly, as if enjoying his ignorance. That's because ponies like to bury the truth, hide it behind bedtime stories. Grogar wasn't just a story, Sunny. It was real.Sunny gulped, the reddish glow on the horizon seeming to pulse more intensely with each word from Bray.

Sunny: And what... what does Grogar have to do with this place?

Bray: This temple was his domain. This is where he gathered those like us, those the ponies despised, to form his army. But the ponies, as always, could not tolerate something they could not control. They banished him, erased him from history, and with him, the hope of those of us who live in the shadows.

Bray paused, his gaze riveted on Sunny, assessing her.

Bray: And now, you're here, in their territory, walking on their ruins. How ironic, don't you think?Sunny: Bray... what do you mean?Bray: Simple, my dear little friend: I have a story for you.Bray took a deep breath, and then began.Bray It began like this. In a far and forgotten place, where wild animals lived, there was a young ram, shunned and hated by his own kind. He was

different, and his own despised him for it. For years he endured their scorn, but one day, fed up with it all, he went into the forest looking for something else, something that would accept him as he was. It was there that he found the creatures that the world calls "monsters". Beings feared and hated by all, just like him. Although they were fierce, he saw something else in them: loneliness, suffering... a need to be accepted. Grogar, as that young ram was called, offered them food and shelter, treating them as if they were his own children. And they accepted him as their leader, their protector.

Bray: However, *his voice lowered a little, full of contempt* the ponies saw that as an aberration. Grogar, with our help, built this place: the Temple of Tambelon. It was a refuge, a sanctuary for all those who were rejected by the pony society. Here, Grogar and his "children" lived in peace for a while. But, as always, peace never lasts.

The alicorns, who ruled at the time, became aware of Grogar's growing power. They saw his dark magic as a threat and his sanctuary as a danger to the balance of Equestria. So they confronted him. It was a fierce battle, but in the end, they managed to exile him. Sunny Exiled him where? Bray To a place between worlds, a limbo where time does not move forward. There they locked him up, far from his children, far from home. Bray paused, his gaze lost in the reddish glow that lit the path.

Bray Grogar was trapped there for thousands of years, but he didn't forget. When he finally managed to escape, he wasn't looking to destroy Equestria... at least not at first. All he wanted was to get his children back, the only creatures who had accepted him. But the ponies, once again, got in the way. Sunny What happened next?

Bray With a dark smile.* That, dear Sunny, is something you'll have to find out for yourself. The reddish glow of the forest seemed to intensify, and a strange noise, like a distant murmur, began to fill the air. Bray We're close. Get ready. Sunny What are you talking about, Bray? Bray Do you believe in monsters, Sunny? Do you think they're evil and dastardly beings by nature... or just creatures rejected by the world?

Sunny Confused. I don't know... I never thought of it that way. Bray With an enigmatic smile* You're about to find out. Come with me.

Bray advanced towards a large stone archway, partially covered by vines and moss. As they crossed it, the air seemed to grow heavier, charged with something indescribable. In front of them, on the walls of a vast room, were old paintings, weather-worn but still legible.

Sunny: *wondering* What are these paintings? Bray They are portraits. Images that tell stories, kept through time. Sunny approached one of the larger paintings. It depicted a young mare with a gentle gaze, surrounded by a warm,

luminous aura. Beside her stood a somber figure, clearly recognizable as a young Grogar, with a serene and protective expression. Sunny Who is this mare? Bray Oh, she... She was a very close friend of Lord Grogar. Her name was moonshine Grogar cared for her with devotion, for she was suffering from a serious illness that had no cure. He used his magic to keep her alive, to ease her pain. But when the alicorns exiled him, he could no longer protect her. Without his help, she passed away soon after.

Sunny noticed that Bray's usually mocking voice now seemed tinged with sadness. Sunny How tragic... Bray That event left a mark on him. A wound that never healed. Sunny looked at another painting, this time showing

Grogar surrounded by strange creatures, some terrifying, some simply curious. Sunny And these creatures? Bray They are his children. The monsters he adopted, cared for and loved as family. Sunny Pointing to a donkey in the background of the painting. Wait... is that you? Bray Nodding proudly.Yes. I was one of his children too. He gave me a purpose when no one else did. Sunny stepped back a little, processing what she had just heard. The images, Bray's stories, it was all starting to come together.

Sunny Bray... what are you looking for by bringing me here? Bray With a serious look. I want you to understand, Sunny. Grogar's story is not that of a villain, but of someone who fought for his own.The reddish glow began to fill the room, and a strange echo echoed off the walls, as if something ancient was awakening. *Sunny Looking at Bray with a confused expression* Wait a minute... that name, Lumina... it's kind of familiar. I think it... Was from an ancestor of mine. *Bray: *His face turns serious,

his eyes shining with an intensity Sunny hadn't seen before.*

An ancestress of yours? *She stands thoughtfully for a moment, as if the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit together.* That... that changes things. Before Sunny could fully process what he had said, a strange shadow crossed the ground, and the air became heavy, as if something supernatural was about to be unleashed.

Sunny: *looking around, her voice trembling* Bray... What's going on? Suddenly, a deep, deep voice, full of ancient power, boomed through the walls, causing the floor beneath his paws to vibrate. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, like an echo that cut through time and space.

Voice: *roaring loudly* Maybe Grogar wasn't quite gone... The sound echoed with such force that Sunny had to cling to a nearby pillar to keep from falling.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and the atmosphere became thick, charged with a palpable, dangerous energy. Bray I knew it...

Slowly turning to Sunny* This place... these ruins... they're not empty. Sunny With a trembling tone of voice.* What... what does that mean? What's going on here? The voice boomed again, closer now, as if it was right behind them. *Voice* I've waited so long... Sunny looked at Bray. The reddish glow in the room seemed to have intensified, bathing everything in a hellish light. Bray, however, looked fascinated, as if he was waiting for this moment. Bray You're about to find out, Sunny. Grogar never left... and if you listen carefully, you will realize that his power never disappeared.* Voice Now almost whispering, but filled with an indescribable strength. I'll be back, and this place will be mine again...

Sunny Murmuring, her voice almost a whisper.It can't be...