Equestria Origins
“Faust”
Written by Jacoboby1
There are many theories as to how the world began. Some say our world Equus came about through some cosmic coincidence. Others believe it to have been the result of a great magician’s work. While still others believe that our world has always existed, never began and will never end.
But I tell you one tale, a tale that rings true. A tale that goes back all the way to our world’s beginning. With a being, known simply, as Faust.
She’s gone by many names in our world’s history. Some call her a goddess, others a cruel and bored being that sought to play with our lives. But here is the tale, and I leave it to you, my dear listeners, to draw on your own conclusions.
Nopony knows exactly where Faust came from, but all tales say she came from the stars. She descended on Equus thousands of years ago. The world was nothing like the lush landscape we know it today as. Instead, it was cold, barren, and lifeless simply floating in space waiting for a star to end it’s existence.
But Faust had another plan for the world. For once she touched down on it; her impeccable magic flowed into the lifeless planet. Life filled the world, trees grew, water’s thrived, and animals came into being. Faust made each plant, animal and landscape to work in harmony with one another. So that the need to take more life than was necessary was not needed.
Faust spent many days finishing her touches on the planet. She created many species with her powerful magic. But, over time, the being came to be lonely. While her animals were never lacking in love for her, their love was purely instinctual. She wanted a being that loved her of it’s own free will.
So she ventured to the highest mountain she created and used her magic to create a great wind. The wind picked up dust and rocks from all the corners of the world. She gathered those particles of earth together and breathed life into them. Thus, a new being was born, it’s name was Draco.
Draco spent his childhood living a happy life with his mother. Faust loved and cared for the being like her own. She treasured his every action, for it was all his choice to love her. Faust spent nearly a decade raising the small being. Until… disaster struck…
Draco was born without taste for meat so that he would not upset the balance of harmony in nature. Instead, Faust tried to get him to eat plants and fruits. While this worked for the first couple of years, eventually Draco grew tired of the plant diet. Draco then left his mother for a time and traveled to see the world she created.
Draco came across a mountain cave filled to the brim with sparkling gems. Draco had no idea at the time, but a dark desire entered his heart. Greed…
Draco eventually found he could eat the gems not just for nourishment, but for pleasure. He found the gems far more delicious than his mother’s fruit. He began to horde the gems, wanting to keep his prize to himself.
Worried that her son had been gone for too long, Faust sent one of her animal friends to seek him. A family of mountain goats volunteered to search for Draco. When they arrived, they tried to convince the being to return home. But Draco’s greed had grown too strong.
When one of the goats accidentally touched the gems he so preciously collected. Draco lashed out in anger; he lifted a nearby rock and threw it at the goat. It was killed instantly. The mountain goats fled, leaving their friend behind in fear of Draco’s wrath. Draco, looking down at what he did and felt no guilt for his action, but pleasure at having defeating a being weaker than he was.
Draco then tasted blood for the first time… and then slaughtered the rest of the goats when his lust for it overcame him.
A lone survivor returned to Faust and explained what happened. Faust fell into a deep rage over Draco’s actions. She flew up to his cave and confronted her son. Draco was there, eating the meat from the goats. Faust held nothing back from her son and declared:
“Because of your greed you have taken the lives of those who are innocent! You will never be satisfied with your horde and your greed will foster hate in others! They will cry for your blood as you take theirs! All you will ever be to other beings is what you are now! A monster…”
Faust then afflicted her first sentient creation with the curse. Draco wailed in pain as his once beautiful face and body turned into that of a monster. Faust was not without love for her first born however. She gave Draco a scaly body to protect himself, and gave him a powerful weapon of fire breath as well as wings so he may fly away. But she kept his monstrous appearance and size so that he would never be accepted as anything else.
Draco, feeling deep regret for his actions, asked one thing from his mother. He asked that she make another like him, so that he would not be alone as he left in exile.
Faust, again feeling love for her son despite what happened, created a mate for him in his likeness. Draco then took his mate and fled far to the south. Faust never saw Draco again and a deep grief entered her heart for three months, and the world became cold and lifeless during that time. That’s why we have winter, for Faust was mourning and she saw no reason to let the world be joyful in her sorrow.
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After her sorrow had past Faust flew to a valley to the east. Her failure with Draco haunted her dreams. She decided that while Draco proved unworthy, another being was not beyond her power to make.
But Faust wanted her new creation to be peaceful. Knowing that Draco’s descendants would one day hunt whatever creation she made, she decided to make guardians.
She gathered all of the strongest predators in the world together. She stated that the animal that proved strongest would earn the honor of guarding her creation. The two contestants would battle each other until they were worn out. Faust took no pleasure in the fights, but they had to be done. She wanted the best to guard her creation.
Days went by as predator after predator fought for the honor. The battles were often long and lasting for several hours as many animals were simply too stubborn to surrender.
It all came down to two predators, an eagle, and a lion. The two began their fight which would last for days. The lion had great strength and could protect itself from most attacks that the eagle could give. But the eagle’s wings made it so the lion could barely hit the bird. The battle was a stalemate that lasted for almost a week. Neither animal would give in, nor was either gaining a decisive edge over the other.
Faust finally had enough and declared it a draw. She decided that since both animals showed great prowess she would combine their species into one. This way, the guardian would have the great speed of the eagle, and the power of the lion.
The result? The griffon was born.
Powerful, strong and filled with pride in it’s abilities, the griffon was ready and willing to guard Faust’s new creation. Faust was overjoyed and crafted a mate for the griffon. She then gave dominion of the mountains surrounding the valley to them. The griffons flew to the high mountains and multiplied.
A year would pass as Faust worked hard on her creation. The Griffons eagerly awaited their champion and were quite excited when Faust was nearly done.
Faust had decided to fashion the new being after herself. Drawing on the beauty of an animal from her own world she combined the grace and body of the animal, the wings and power of the griffon, and her own magical power. The result was Alula, the first Alicorn.
The griffons were not expecting Alula at all. By stark contrast to them, she was small and rather frail. The griffons were outraged; they expected to be servants to a great leader or strong warrior. Instead they, “Were guarding a child barely capable of guarding herself!”
The griffons, in their rage, decided to declare themselves the dominant race of the world. They rushed at Faust in the hopes of killing Alula and taking what they saw as their true right. Faust easily overpowered all of them and declared with white hot fury:
“I gave you your strength in the hopes you would use it for good! Now it will never be enough! You will fight each other in the vain hope that one of you will be the strongest! But it will not last, for others will come and prove themselves stronger! Your history will be forever written in blood!”
The curse afflicted the griffons and their fiery tempers turned on one another. The griffons turned the valley into a war zone as their pride refused to admit that they were wrong. Faust took Alula and fled with her far to the east. The Griffons to this day fight their endless wars to prove their strength.
Blood will only pour on more blood as they say.
Faust took Alula and settled her down in a verdant forest. The forest was rich and filled with life for the young being. She dubbed Alula an Alicorn, in the ancient tongue of Faust's world it meant “Pure”. Alula lived a happy life among the trees without worry of conflict outside.
Faust taught her creation how to use her magic not only to protect herself, but to heal the world as well should conflict arise from it. Faust loved Alula dearly, but Alula desired a being like herself. Faust created Everfree, a male Alicorn to watch over and protect her.
The two beings fell in love with one another and gave birth to many children. Faust, satisfied that the world was in good hooves, returned to the stars. The Alicorns soon created a prosperous kingdom stretching from the forest to almost the entire world.
The Alicorns ruled many parts of the realm, using their great strength and their powerful magic to build cities where once entire forests stood. They lead peaceful lives without much conflict, and any fights that occurred were resolved amicably. They were governed by two rulers endowed by Faust before she left with a special task. Two Alicorns, one of the sun, and one of the moon, would raise and lower their celestial bodies every day and night.
The Alicorns also discovered great power on their own, in the form of the science of Alchemy, a powerful technique that had the ability to alter the properties of an object and reforge it into something new. This power allowed buildings to be reconstructed in seconds. It allowed weapons to be forged even out of the basest material.
The Alicorns lived in almost perfect harmony, but everything changed when the dragons came. Seeking to expand their empire beyond the mountains, the dragons swooped down and slaughtered the apathetic Alicorns. At first the alicorns were terrified, having neither witnessed monsters nor had experienced the horrors of war.
But the Alicorns were nothing if not resourceful. They quickly forged weapons and built armies to retaliate against the dragons. While the Alicorns had great weapons and magic at their disposal, the dragons were powerful creatures who could resist a number of spells.
It seemed like the stalemate between these two powerful races would last for centuries.
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Five centuries to be precise. Soon Alicorns fought not because they knew why but because they were told to do so. The reasons for the war left the memory of the Alicorns. None remember anymore why it started, for that is the cost of war.
One day, a powerful alchemist proposed a way to gain an edge over the dragons. He presented the king at the time with an idea. Using Alchemy, they would use the abilities of a rare insect known as the Changebeetle, which had the ability of perfect camouflage, and use it to alter alicorns to have the ability.
The king, following the wishes of his advisors, dismissed the idea as too risky. Believing Alicorns to be pure, the king decided he would not alter his people to win a war. The alchemist, named Voidera, was crestfallen that his idea was rejected. Although he continued to research, he lacked the funds to continue his venture.
That all changed with the king’s daughter. Her name was Starbright, she was a princess who was in love with Voidera, and desired to see his creation through. She convinced her father to lend Voidera the funds necessary to research his project. The king, not wanting to disappoint his daughter, agreed.
Voidera spent many months working on a means to emulate the Changebeetle’s ability to camouflage, and research made great progress in illusion magic. He discovered many spells that had the ability to hide one’s appearance or bestow complete invisibility. All the while, Starbright lended a hoof in his labs. While Voidera appreciated the company and assistance, he did not return the feelings Starbright held for him.
It all came to a head when Voidera announced his engagement, not to the eagerly hoping Starbright, but to another alchemist Voidera loved since he was a child. Starbright was heartbroken, and came to feel that Voidera used her for his own ends.
She entered his lab, and in a blind rage, began stroking his hard earned research. Her magic accidentally set of an explosion in the lab, and when the dust was settled Starbright wasn’t the beautiful alicorn she had been. Her once gorgeous pink coat had transformed into black chitin like an insect’s, her once glorious wings took on that of a type of flying insect, and her very body had transformed.
You know this species today as a changeling...
Starbright, while enraged and irrational over what she became, discovered she had gained the powers of the changebeetle, but she was more evolved than the simple insect. On Voidera’s wedding night she snuck into his bride’s room and murdered her while she was getting ready for her husband. Fearing she would be caught she hid the body and used her powers to transform into Voidera’s new wife.
Voidera came in to see his smiling mate, overjoyed at the sight of her, he spent the wedding night with her. All the while, the alchemist had no idea his true wife was being hidden in a closet. Starbright tried to keep up the illusion as long as possible. But Voidera, during the bouts of passion, kept calling his mate’s name.
Starbright couldn’t stand it! It should have been her name he was crying! Not the dead one’s!
Starbright’s magic failed her and she revealed herself to Voidera. The alicorn was shocked and terrified at her appearance. Starbright desired, lusted for Voidera. Her horn glowed and her feelings of jealousy and lust drained the very love from Voidera.
He was little more than a hollow husk by the time she finished.
Upon his death Starbright paid witness to a grand sight. Before her stood Faust, enraged over what she had done decided to curse her.
You shall desire love as food! Your lust will never end! Thousands of lovers you will have but none will ever satisfy you! You will be hated and despised for what you have done this day! For none will ever truly love you ever again!
None of Starbright’s lovers would ever fill the hole she felt after murdering her beloved. She retreated underground, shunned by the world above and by her own father. She laid numerous eggs from the numerous stallions she lured into her fatal web. But none, not one of them could ever fill the dark void she put in herself. She would never feel what it is to love again. She would die, dreaming of her love.
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Years would pass as Starbright’s tale was forgotten in wake of the continuing war with the dragons. The land was forever scarred by the centuries of war. Both sides felt the toll on their homes.
Everything changed one day however, when fate decided to bring two beings together.
A prince of the dragon lands named Gol’dren was flying along a different path than normal to reach his home. He disobeyed his parents despite their warnings over not entering the alicorns lands. He ventured there anyway, his curiosity over the strange beings getting the better of him.
As he entered the lush landscape that was the alicorn lands he heard a wondrous voice. He discovered an alicorn princess in her tower, singing away as she sat alone. Hiding in the forest around the castle Gol’dren listened to the princess day and night. He dared not approach out of fear he would terrify her.
One day however, the princess, whose name was Amalthea, caught a glimpse of something in the woods. She decided to venture into the forest to investigate what manner of creature lived there. She too ignored the warnings of her parents.
She wandered the woods, trying to find the creature. Gol’dren tried everything in his power to remain hidden. But Amalthea figured out the creature had to be attracted to her singing. She sang a song out into the woods, Gol’dren was unable to turn away from the wondrous voice she had.
Finally, he had the courage to reveal himself to her. Amalthea was surprised by the dragon, unlike the terrifying and gigantic beasts she was told in stories, Gol’dren was small. He was actually about her size and appeared more nervous than fearsome.
Gol’dren explained who he was and promised not to bother Amalthea anymore. But the princess wouldn’t have it. Instead she began asking questions of the young drake. Where he lived, how he lived, if he had any friends. She showed curiosity rather than fear.
The two spent the entire day together. They played, talked, and did most things friends would do. The fact they were two separate races didn’t bother them in the least. Amalthea had to reluctantly return home however. But Gol’dren promised he would return when he could.
The pair spent every minute they could spare together. They met in secret and spent those hours in almost pure joy. They cared not for the laws they had broken in both of their lands. They only cared about one another, and the love they shared slowly began to foster.
One day however, Amalthea’s father caught word of his daughter’s visitations into the forest. He believed his daughter to be harboring some kind of dangerous animal. The fool believed her naive and desired to protect his daughter. So, he hid his best soldiers in the woods when he knew Amalthea would try and sneak out.
When the pair met again, her father’s soldiers tried to capture Gol’dren. The young drake fought fiercely to protect himself. Despite Amalthea’s pleas to stop the soldiers were merciless. They forgot their duty to simply capture Gol’dren and tried to kill the hated enemy of the alicorns.
Gol’dren’s parents by pure coincidence decided to follow their son that very day. They wondered what he was doing in that forest that required him to be away for so long. They came upon the scene and were enraged by the sight of their son being attacked like a common animal.
They flew down and laid waste to the soldiers. Their fire burned the once peaceful sanctuary as war took away the one place the couple could be happy.
Gol’dren, freeing himself from the traps that the soldiers put on him, found Amalthea and fled with her on his back. The pair disappeared into the mountains, hiding among them to avoid the war and those who would look down on their love.
Both sides returned to their homes with tales highly exaggerated and made into propaganda. The dragons waved a tail of a foul temptress who ensnared Gol’dren with her song. They used it to rally their brethren to try and seek revenge for their lost prince.
By contrast the Alicorns told a tale to their people of a horrible beast that stole Amalthea in the night. They weaved terrifying tales of what he was planning on doing to her. Soon the Alicorns wanted nothing more than to destroy the dragons they believed defiled their beloved princess.
Up in the mountains however, Gol’dren and Amalthea gave into their love for one another. They became mates up in their mountain home and stayed away from the world. One day, Amalthea discovered herself to be pregnant. The first Alicorn to have a dragon for a mate was to give birth to the first Dracorn in history.
Within months, a young Alicorn was born, but unlike any in history. His coat was black as night, his mane white as snow. He had the same horn as the other alicorns, but his wings were far different. He bore the wings of his father as well as red slitted eyes. Amalthea adored her child and cared for him every day. Gol’dren in turn cared for his wife and newborn son.
It wasn’t long before their paradise was discovered however. Gol’dren’s parents found their son flying while looking for food.
The parents gathered their forces and followed their child in the hopes of killing the alicorn witch that took their son.
Amalthea’s father, who had been tracking the movements of the dragons for an opportunity to strike, got word that the dragons had found their son. Believing his daughter to be a prisoner of Gol’dren, the king went with his greatest warriors in order to follow the dragons and free his daughter.
Gol’dren didn’t notice his family following him home in the clouds. But by the time he reached the mountains he turned and saw his family coming. Before they could call out to him, Gol’dren flew as fast as he could to his mountain home. He hoped to retrieve Amalthea and his son before they would arrive.
But Gol’dren’s parents caught up with him before long. The dragon managed to get inside and warn his beloved of what was coming. Amalthea then hid her child in a small hole in the wall, hoping he would not be seen by the dragons and be safe.
The dragons arrived and saw the pair before they could escape. Gol’dren tried to reason with his family but they refused to listen. They demanded that Gol’dren give Amalthea to them. Gol’dren refused, trying earnestly to make them understand his love was genuine.
It was all for naught however, for soon Amalthea’s father arrived with his soldiers. The dragons, believing it to be a trap, prepared to fight the warriors. Amalthea tried to dissuade her father, but he too refused to listen to his daughter’s pleas.
The alicorns and dragons, fueled by the propaganda and foul stories they told of one another, clashed within the cave. During the battle, Gol’dren came under attack by Amalthea’s father. Before the king could give the final blow, Amalthea threw herself in the path of his blade. She survived the deadly blow, but she would not live for long. Angered and enraged by what happened, Gol’dren attacked Amalthea’s father.
Amalthea, weakened by the blow, tried desperately to crawl over to where her child was hiding. But Gol’dren’s mother, who despised Amalthea, got to her first. Before she could slay the alicorn she held responsible for her son abandoning his kind, Gol’dren left his battle with Amalthea’s father, and threw himself in front of his own mother’s claws.
Both parents were distraught and shocked as they saw the pair bleeding on the cave floor. The battle raged around them as Gol’dren and Amalthea slowly bled out, dying in one another’s embrace.
The parents, out of grief or simple guilt over their actions, fought each other. Both accused the other of killing their child. Neither was willing to admit they were to blame for what they did. During all that, the dracorn awoke from his nap...
He came out of his hole, and saw that his mother and father weren’t moving. He wailed loudly, pitifully crying for parents that couldn’t go to help them. That stopped the fight right there as all beheld the strange creature crying over the corpses of the pair. The child wailed in despair, not knowing or understanding why they wouldn’t wake up.
Both sides were repulsed by the creature once they put two and two together at what he might be. Dragons and Alicorns both shouted and cried for the blood of the colt. They had something to vent their anger at, and they used it to great effect. The child was called abomination, bastard child, disgusting creature.
Finally, both parents sought to kill their grandchild.
The colt, not knowing why he was getting yelled at, cried only louder.
That cry, reached the ears of Faust.
She teleported before them, standing protectively over the child. Her mere presence alone was enough to stop their bloodlust in their tracks. Faust cried before them:
You who seek the blood of an innocent! You who cannot see past your own sick hate and anger! You who cannot see that you are to blame for the death of your children! This child was born of love! A love that could’ve stopped this sick and disgusting war! He has done no wrong! He hasn’t harmed you! He hasn’t caused any grief! You’re all just trying to vent your hatred for one another! I am sickened by what Alicorns and Dragons have become! This child will one day destroy this world! Nothing of the world I created will be left! You had your chance! And you squandered it....
With that, Faust teleported away with the child. Without the dracorn to vent their anger to the dragons and alicorns ignored Faust and turned on one another. Soon the Alicorns got the upper hoof and managed to kill both dragon leaders.
Soon, the dragons would lose the war and retreat into the mountains forever. Without their leaders the dragons became little more than hoarding loners. Dragons would soon relegated to mere stories to scare children into obeying.
As for the colt, none knew what happened to him. His story faded from the memories of both tribes. None knew where he went, or what happened after Faust took him. Some say Faust took the child to care as her own in the clouds. Others say the child died not long after he was taken.
What is the truth? That is a story for another day.
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Over two hundred years would pass following the incident, the Alicorn Kingdoms enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity. Furthering their empire to stretch almost all around the world. The time was also one of union and celebration, with the wedding of two very important ponies.
By tradition and necessity both the day and night alicorn families offered a child from each of their families to handle the task of moving the celestial bodies in the sky. Traditionally the task was passed down from father to eldest son. This worked as normal for the Night Alicorn House, as their eldest son Lunard took the role as King of the Night.
He was tall, proud, brave and strong. Stoic and wise the young Alicorn took the task and did it to obey his duty as one of the night. But, fate had different things in mind for the young Alicorn’s partner.
The Day Alicorn House had suffered a terrible sickness at the time. Most of the children were wiped out save a handful of fillies. The eldest Filly, Solara, was the first mare to receive the honor of becoming Queen of the Sun. By contrast to Lunard, Solara was serene, kind, and filled with life. She enjoyed having fun more than courtly duties but took it on herself to fulfill the role placed on her following her brother’s death.
At first, the pair simply performed their duties from their castle home. But over time, Solara decided she wanted to meet her night partner. Lunard was soon visited in his bedroom by Solara as he was going to raise the moon.
Lunard was struck by her beauty and was unable to say anything at first. Solara made the first crack in Lunard’s stoic shell. The young princess was filled with joy at meeting one of the night. It wasn’t long before she managed to pass through Lunard’s shell completely.
Despite protests from both of their houses the pair fell in love with one another. They were soon married and abolished the old traditions. Declaring that so long as one is capable of raising and lowering the sun and moon, their gender should not matter. The houses were not going to protest the new king and queen of the kingdom.
Through alliances and diplomatic deals the pair began uniting the various kingdoms under one banner. During that time, Solara became pregnant with a daughter. She gave birth to her, and named the white coated child Celestia.
Eleven years later, Celestia would gain a sister in the form of Luna. The Alicorn Kingdoms would enjoy their peace for years to come.
But that would all change, when a red star fell upon Elk Grove. That again, is a story for another time though.
You are wondering now, what do I mean to say with this story? I have told many tales here and they should all tie together somehow, right? What I’m saying dear listener, is that no being is truly perfect. All creatures fail and make mistakes, but it is how one moves forward from that mistake that defines them.
Now, who am I you ask? What manner of being am I to know all these things? It is no matter, for in the end, hope will come whether I tell this tale or another.
Thank you listener, for heeding my tale...
Faust
