Colours of Life

“Woahh… what is this place,” Loyal asked.  “It’s the Hollowed Oak.”  “Why do they call it that?” “I thought you were smart?” “I am! But why is it called the Hollowed Oak.” “Because it’s haunted…” Al-mi’raj said with a smirk on his face. Loyal quickly scurried behind the little bunny trying to hide from the spookiness in the tree. “Ah… you can go in first.” “With pleasure!” As they entered the hollowed oak Loyal quickly came to forget about it being haunted and was amazed of how beautiful the interiors looked. Loyal gasped at all the magnificent decorations on the ceilings and the carvings on the walls. The carvings were spread across the whole wall of the oak, they seemed to show ponies farming. “What are the carvings about?” Loyal wondered. “They show the history of this forest.” “What Everfree?” “Yep! They tell how the forest came to be.”  “Wow that’s amazing!”

The walled was covered in sketches and carvings of the history of the forest from the very beginning to even to the very end. Loyal stared at one section of the wall and looked at what was happening, engravings that seemed to show ponies living in the forest. Loyal wondered if ponies really did live in the forest and if so what happened. But then she noticed that something about the forest seemed different, it was full of happiness. Flowers bloomed and the sun had gleamed through the slits of the tree tops. Ponies were prancing and dancing with little fillies amazed with the wildlife. Was life really like this, did it bring such happiness? What happened? Loyal needed to know.  “Al-mi’raj what happened to the forest, it was full of live but now it’s gloomy and spooky?” Al-mi’raj was surprised that Loyal did not know about the phenomenon. “You were never told about Star Swirl the Bearded?” Loyal was unsure who Star Swirl was, but he did vaguely remember that Twilight dress as someone like that name at Nightmare Night. “Is he the pony who wore that ugly dress thingy?” “Yes the one with the ‘Weird dress thingy!’ Mind you he was one of the most powerful wizard ponies there are to be known to pony! He made the amniomorphic spell and developed more than 200 spells!” Stunned by the aggression he gave towards Loyal, he was lost for words, not knowing of one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. “Well still, it doesn’t answer my question, what happened?” “Loneliness.” “Loneliness, how does that got to do with anything. Plus wouldn’t he be one of the most popular ponies out there?” “Well not quite so much! He was outlawed as an evil sorcerer, he was rejected. Dangerous to those near him, potentially able to ‘change them.’” “So wait your saying the town left him to defend for himself?” “Yep, had nowhere to go. Although he seeked revenge for those who wanted him gone. And that let him to tempering with dark magic, causing un-natural things to occur.” “And let me guess he used dark magic to destroy the forest.” “Ahh… no, not initially he only wanted the ponies gone, but of course dark magic is uncontrollable, even in the most masterful hands like Star Swirl himself. Saying that, he did attack the village, but the power grew out of his control being released in a massive burst of magic causing a curse on all who entered the forest.” “The forest was cursed?.” “Well yes, even the creatures within it, they mutated into malicious creatures and the tree grew weary and dull.” “But what happened to the ponies in the village?” “Well you can see that for yourself.” Loyal looked down the wall looking for what he mentioned. As he studied the wall he saw something horrifying, it was the destruction of the village. Buildings were blustered with mould and disgusting critters, roof thatch was caving in and windows were masked with a thick layer of dirt. “And of the ponies?” Loyal asked, as he studied the carving even more. Al-mi’raj was silent for a brief moment as he too was thinking about the past. “Some changed to animals, others became monsters, or today they are now called legends.” “You mean like the Headless Mare.” “Ah huh…” “The ones who came animals, what happened to them?” Al-mi’raj sighed for a moment as a tear shed from his eye. He was too depressed at the moment to reply back to Loyal’s question. “Well… what happened?” Loyal was gazing at Al-mi’raj to see why he wasn’t answering. Then he noticed his face was towards the ground and wasn’t showing much happiness as he showed when we first entered. “Al-mi’raj are you alright? Al-mi’raj, come on bud talk to me.” “I don’t feel like it right now, just a few memories have come back to me.” “Like what? Come on you can trust me if it’s something personal it’s fine with me. It won’t alter how I look at you now.” “And how’s that?” “A cute Bunny!” “Well that’s comforting!” Al-mi’raj had a smile come back to his face. “See look! Now your smiling!” “No I’m not!” “Oh yes you are you cooty wooty bunny.” Loyal giggled as he gave the baby tone to him. “I am not cute!” “Oh yes you are! Look! Your itty bitty ears and you fuzzy wuzzy nose! It’s just utter adorableness!” “May I remind you who knocked you out back in the forest?” Al-mi’raj yelled in his angered tone towards Loyal. “Okay, Okay! I’ll stop for you…” agreement went between them. “…you itty witty bunny.” Al-mi’raj was angry now, but he knew that Loyal had done nothing wrong as he knew the fact that he was cute, but he didn’t want to admit it.