Chronicles of the Protectors

Entry 583-

Today marks the 200th anniversary of the date that the world changed.  It was 200 years ago today that the decline of magic began. My mother told me as a filly that magic was outlawed a few years after her grandmother's sister, my great, great aunt, took part in the war that spawned the ban.  I was raised in the ban, having to practice my magic in private.  I suppose that it was the ban that made me want to learn all about the art of magic.  My grandmother told me that her mother and her aunt had a friend like me once, a long time ago.  Their friend, as they told me, had a cutie mark and skills in magic, just like me.

Thinking of which, it's been about ten years since I've seen my mother.  About that many years ago, the guild, Degnemico, began locking up any Unicorn they found.  I was apart from my mother when Degnemico raided our town. I was captured, but I don't know what happened to my mother. The last I heard, she escaped, but I can't be sure.  I haven't seen the outside in ten years. If I recall, it was about ten years ago that the Princesses were overthrown and exiled by Degnemico.  The last I saw of the sky before I was locked up was it frozen in a constant state of twilight, as the sun would no longer rise, and the moon would no longer set.

I've no idea when, or even if, I'll get out of here.  All I can hope for is that someday, any day, a time may come when magic is no longer outlawed and feared, and Equestria can live in peace again, like in the stories told by my grandmother...

The mare trailed off as she wrote, her eyes seeming to review the words over and over again; A recollection of what she knew of the outside. A chronicling of the decline of magic.  She couldn't help but allow a smile to creep over her face when she read over the final paragraph.  'Equestria living in peace again.' She thought, 'If only...'  The mare was sprung from her trance as a pegasus guard approached the bars.

“Here ya go.” The guard said gruffly, looking down at the mare before him.  Her coat was a pristine white, only slightly dirtied by the jail cell holding her.  Her mane was a curly light purple color, her sharp eyes a calming teal.  The guard noticed how through all of the cutie marks he's seen, not once has he come across one like this mare's.  Her cutie mark was of a blue, four sided diamond, illuminated by a sparkling teal shaped aura in the form of a six pointed star.  The guard recalled how he could probably recite this unicorn mare's appearance in his sleep, having seen her so often for so long.  He slid a tray of what the prison calls 'food' beneath the bars and is quickly on his way, however, not before muttering under his breath: “Unicorn scum...”

The mare dragged the tray closer and began to eat.  Having been fed nothing but the same sorry excuse for food twice a day for five years, the mare had come to be used to the taste of the gelatinous mass that was her only sustenance.  'They only feed us enough to keep us alive...' She thought, 'I suppose they don't want to just kill us, so they're acting only one step above that.'  The mare soon finished her meal and kicked the metal tray over to the bars, listening to the familiar rattling as it skidded across the cold stone ground.  The noise attracted the attention of the familiar guard, who arrived quickly to collect the tray.  As he bent down to pick it up, something strange caught the mare's eye. Something she had not seen in too many years.

A strange dark brown aura began to shine on the ceiling above the guard.  As the aura grew more intense, the ceiling began to crack, making way for a large boulder to fall from the work, landing square atop the guard's head.  He offered only a grunt as he fell forward, slamming his face into the bars and dropping the tray in the process.  From one glance, the mare could tell that the guard pinned against the bars was either unconscious or dead. Either way, she was sure he wouldn't be a problem anymore.

Her vision was snapped to the wall behind where the guard was standing.  In her amazement, the wall began to crumble slightly, offering way for a maroon unicorn stallion to step through, his horn glowing the now familiar dark brown.  His deep brown eyes focused on the mare in the cell.

“Magia Sperare?” He asked, sounding quite rushed, his voice deep and stoic.  The mare nodded quickly in confirmation.  Without another word, the unicorn stallion let loose a singe bolt of magic, destroying the lock on the cell entirely, allowing the door to swing freely.  “Follow me.” The stallion commanded.  Magia quickly joined his side as they ran through the halls of the prison.  Magia took one last look back at the guard she had grown so accustomed to being harmed in such a way. She honestly couldn't care any less.

Turn by turn, the duo rounded the halls of the prison, not once encountering a guard. Magia figured that whoever this unicorn was, he must have created a diversion before moving in.  Her thoughts on this matter were quickly shattered, as they rounded one final corner, before being faced by seemingly hundreds of prison guards, each holding some form of weapon, save for the guard captain, who stood out in front, speaking to the pair.

“Surrender yourselves now, and no harm shall come to you!” He shouted, his voice holding a stern yet commanding tone.  Magia noticed the unicorn stallion glance back at the stone wall behind them and begin to illuminate his horn.

“Grab onto me and close your eyes!” The unicorn stallion commanded loudly.  Magia quickly did just that. She heard the guards begin charging them, and could do nothing but stifle a gulp as she awaited her demise.  Suddenly, she felt the stallion grab hold of her and leap backward toward the wall.  Magia felt something cold and almost moist hug her body tightly.  She felt as if she was being condensed in cold liquid lava.  The strange sensation seemed to feel dry, while offering the illusion of a bubbly moisture pressing in around her.  She realized that her and this stallion were traveling through the stone walls of the prison.  Magia soon felt a cold breeze wash over her, signaling that they were now outside.  She cautiously opened her eyes to see the outer wall of the prison behind them.

The unicorn stallion carefully lowered Magia and himself to the ground.  He quickly jerked his head and began to run, prompting Magia to follow, as she did.  The duo tore across the landscape, as Magia took her first glimpse of the outside world in years.  The ground rolled by rapidly as they ran across the barren landscape.  The earth seemed nothing but dirt and dust for miles, rounding off at mountains just before the horizon.  Not a single existence of life was present beside Magia, the unicorn stallion, and the guards pursuing them.

After running for what seemed like hours, the stallion stopped quickly and pulsed energy into his horn, aiming it at the ground.  Before Magia's eyes a small hole appeared in the ground.  He grabbed Magia quickly and jumped in.  He pulsed his horn once more and brought a layer of dirt above the hole, blocking them in.  The unicorn illuminated his horn, lighting the darkness around them.  Finally stopped and safe, the unicorn spoke up.

“I suppose you desire answers, and I am more than willing to offer them.”  The red unicorn said, looking toward Magia.

“Yeah. Let's start off with your name.” Magia commanded.

“Of course. My name is Duster.  I am a unicorn well trained in earthly magic.” Duster said. He kept his unchanging gaze fixated on Magia, awaiting her next question.

“How did you know my name, and speaking of which, why did you save me?” Magia asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Your mother.  She instructed me to free you and escort you to our safe-house upon her disappearance.” Duster answered.  Magia looked at him, her eyes wide.

“My... My mother?”  Magia asked, a look of disbelief across her face.  “Is she...”  Duster closed his eyes and turned away.

“I'm sorry.” Duster said regretfully.  “We identified the body shortly before I departed.”  He looked over as a tear rolled down Magia's cheek.  Magia clenched her teeth as the tear fell and darkened the dirt beneath.  With a deep breath, she turned toward Duster once more.

“You said 'we'.  How many more of you are there, and what do you want with me?” Magia asked sternly. Duster's expression finally changed, looking concerned about her lack of reaction to the news about her mother.

“There are four others beside myself.  You will meet them when we reach the city.” Duster said,  “We defy Degnemico and all they stand for.  We were prepared to begin our plans just before your mother departed.  In her absence, we need you.”  Magia's eyes widened in surprise as her mouth fell agape.

“You need me? What's so special about me?” Magia sighed, stifling a frown.

“We need your magical ability.  More will be explained when you are introduced to the others.” Duster answered.  Magia noticed his ear twitch as he perked up.  “We need to move. Hurry.”

Duster removed the layer of dirt above them, letting the small amount of outside light into the hole.  The ground beneath them began to rise, bringing them to the surface.  Duster stood close next to Magia as he illuminated his horn.  She jumped as a shard of the ground around them began to rise, separating from the rest of the earth around it.

“Hang on.” Duster said.  His horn let forth a burst of energy, sparking wildly.  Suddenly, the shard beneath them began accelerating across the landscape, levitating just above the rest of the ground.  Magia instinctively grounded her hooves, digging them into the shard, trying not to fall off.  As the landscape sped by, Magia noticed the brown, endless dirt begin to change.  There were small plants, and eventually trees, until finally, they were in an expansive grassland.

Seeing all of this so suddenly caused another single tear to fall from Magia's face.  It had been ten years since she had seen the outside at all, and seeing so much of it now nearly overwhelmed her.  As she took it all in, she and Duster quickly approached a dense forested area.  She looked on in shock as the shard beneath them did not slow, nor did the forest move.  There was clearly not enough space for their shard to fit between the trees.  Magia gulped loudly before looking toward duster, a bead of sweat on her forehead.

“Um, Duster!” She said loudly,  “There's not enough room there! We're not gonna make it!”  She locked her gaze on Duster's face,  staring horrified as his appearance remained unhindered. She jumped as she felt the shard speed up slightly, and she could swear that she saw him smirk.  Immediately before the shard slammed into the wall of evergreens, Magia slammed here eyes shut, awaiting the worst.  She was met with the sound of dirt and leaves shuffling quickly near her.  As she cautiously opened her eyes, she saw the ground before them shifting, pushing the trees just out of the way, spreading a path open for them.

As the forest came to a close, Magia's mouth rest agape once more as she saw the shattered remains of a once pristine white and gold city, laying upon the ground, destroyed beyond nearly all recognition.  Duster brought the shard to a sudden halt before the natural ramp leading into the runis. The sudden shock of the stop forced Magia's grip to come loose, sending her flying forward, meeting the ground a mere five feet from the shard.  As she turned, she saw Duster force the shard into the ground.