The Wolf and the Unicorn

Deep below Canterlot, buried under untold tons of stone and earth was the Canterlot dungeon.  Down many dark corridors, past dozens of cell doors, at the base of the pit lay a massive wooden door set into the stonework.  Thick bands of cold iron and steel crossed the wooden edifice, securing it from physical damage.  The perceptive eye would silver lines tracing across the broad surface and onto the walls beyond.  Strange silver lines that looked very similar to the ones used to protect a certain cottage at the edge of the Everfree forest.

Within the darkened chamber lay a giant wolf.  Bound both hand and foot by chains crafted by the finest smiths in Canterlot.  The individual links dwarfed the hoof of most ponies.  With the enchantments imbued therein, each link cost more than an average pony would make in a year.  Different metals, different tempering, all forced together by untold magics for only one purpose.  To hold any creature that posed untold threat to Equestria.  The elite of the Royal Guard stood watch over this chamber on the orders of Princess Luna herself.  Two pairs of soldiers stood on either side of the door, both within and without, watching the beast tirelessly for any sign of revival.  For days they watched as it lay there.  Today of all days, the beast stirred.

A rough pattern of hoofbeats on the door told the guards outside to summon help.  A few moments later, a Pegasus guard tore down the hallway, wingtips brushing the soot caked walls with every wing beat.  Only two levels to go to be outside the magic exclusion zone.  Two levels and a unicorn could summon the Princess.

A short while later, the creature managed to sit up and lean against the wall of the pitch black room.  Even with his enhanced vision, there was no sign of anything except the shackles around his limbs and the cold stone walls of its cell.  A very familiar voice came forth.

"Where the fuck am I?"

Words that were met only with silence by his unseen observer.

"Seriously, if I ever get out of this cell, I am going to kill those damn caribou."

Pain exploded across my mind as something hard smashed into the side of my face, throwing me to the ground.  A voice I never expected to hear again spoke, dripping with utter hatred.

"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HIM?"

As I opened my mouth to speak, I was hit again and again, driving me closer to the damp stone floor.

"WHAT ARE YOU?"

It could have been the head injury, but I would swear that I could see stars in the darkness.  They flowed and flickered like the lights of the damned.  Somewhat suitable considering my circumstances.

"Why did you take him from me?"

The blows were coming softer now, even her voice was getting weaker, choking with emotion.

"Why... why did you make him leave me?  Why are you tricking me?  Why?..."

I could feel the next blow coming toward me.  Hoping my timing was right, I grabbed her hoof an instant before it connected and dragged her weakly fighting body to me.  With every tug more of her appeared out of the darkness that fogged my vision.  Dark fur, blue eyes deep enough to drown in, and a starry mane that would make you want to float in space for an eternity.  It was my Luna.  Against her will, I pulled her as close as the shackles would allow.

"I'm sorry love.  I am so very sorry.  I have no idea what happened or even why I am here.  I'm so sorry."

For quite some time the only thing that could be heard from that cell was the sounds of a goddess sobbing.

Some time later the door opened and the Princess led the unshackled beast forth.  To say the guards were stunned was an understatement.  One look from Luna crushed any opposition to her will.  As one, the guards fell in around the duo to walk them to the next checkpoint.  The dim cell was quickly lost from view.

Luna was oddly silent as we walked, but considering the massive gap in my memories, let alone the fact that I was very different led me to the fact that I was missing something vitally important.  The damp tunnel made traveling irritating at the very least.  There was an odd feeling that made my skin just itch down here.  Thankfully, the further I got from that damn cell, the more it faded.  In the distance the tunnel opened out into a large room with several guards in it.  Seeing the Princess and other guards with me, they relaxed slightly.  I only tensed up when I saw a figure sitting on the edge of a table.  One word screamed in my mind.  Draconequus.  The words came to mind unbidden, yet were spoken in my voice, unwillingly.

"Hello, dear brother."

He just laughed and cocked his head at me quizzically.

"Tell me you aren't going to be using that old trick with your voice.  Especially on me.  We've been through too much, you and I."

I wracked my brain trying to figure out what the hell the strange creature meant.  Let alone that fact that I called him brother when I was a single child.  Those thoughts were quickly dispelled as he walked up to me with a grin on his face and an arrogant swagger in his step.

"Oh, I get it.  You really don't know what is going on.  You are still disconnected and detached.  Here, let me help you with that."

Before I could say another word, there was a flash of light in his hand as fingers snapped against each other.  The same hand that I quickly found imbedded in my head.  I tried to scream as the pain drove itself into me, but there was nothing I could do as my body seized and shook.  After a moment, everything faded to white.

I stood in a white room.  Soft white that seemed to go on in infinity in every direction.  The only contrast to this was the two figures in the room with me.  Discord, in his usual chaotic way decided that dressing in a tuxedo with a matching top hat and monocle would be suiting the occasion.  The figure next to him was just as confusing as figure out what Discord was made from.  It looked like the body of a Pegasus but with the talons and head of an eagle.  The word hippogriff came to mind from mythology.  Either way, it was quickly forgotten as they spoke.

Where Discord's speech was erratic and almost like William Shatner in a way, the new creature spoke fluidly, eloquently in a melodic voice.

"In this place, an eternity can pass without the ending of a heartbeat.  My name is Themis.  Like Discord, I am one of your brothers as well.  Though they are not here currently, you also have many sisters in the order of the gods.  Next to Mother and Father, we are the eldest.  I am sure you have many questions, but our time is short for now.  Discord can only hold the connection for a little longer."

Forcing my stunned mind to the side for now, I tried to make my mouth work, but couldn't find the words.  Thankfully the one calling itself Themis found the words I couldn't.

"If you are wondering how you fit into this, it is quite simple really.  Your memories should be returned when you awake.  To use the modern euphemism, I will "jog" your memory though.  Brother Discord is Chaos incarnate.  He can do anything, anywhere, for any reason.  I on the other hand, am the incarnation of Order in its purest form.  I follow a strict set of rules to keep everything orderly in the universe.  YOU, dear brother, are the god of balance.  Like us, you have fallen under several names over the eternities.  Some of my favorite are from the planet you chose to vacation on as a mortal.  People there called you many things.  Loki, Nemesis, Prometheus, Anubis, even my personal favorite, Lucifer.  Granted the silly humans were rather quick to demonize you in several religions for only keeping the balance of power."

My mind couldn't even wrap around what he had just said, but the damn thing kept talking.

"Yes brother, I just called you quote, unquote, the devil.  You are nowhere near as evil as the stories say.  You give each creature a choice and judge them on their actions, nothing more.  Speaking of judgement, how did it go seeing Father when you died?  It has been an infinity since I have seen both of our parents, and never in the same place."

"I...what?!?"

The white of the room was starting to swirl and twist in motions that were soon to make me lose whatever I had eaten last.

"We'll meet again brother.  Once you find your powers and yourself, we will cross paths.  Until then, be well."

I found myself standing next to Luna and Discord in that dreary underground room, with my mind still reeling from the sheer absurdity of what I was just told.  Only one thought forced itself through the muck.  I turned to Luna and said the one thing that was buried in my mind.  Her eyes bore into mine as I spoke.

"Luna, am I a bad person?"