Light Fades Fast

Strya strode down the dingy street, heart heavy with worry. She could well remember when the many shops and homes were polished and lovingly up kept. Now, nearly every building was starting to crumble and fade with disregard. She turned slowly down a dark side ally. Stone walls blackened with years of wear lined the narrow passageway between two boarded up shops. Strya strode across the chipping cobbles inundated with muddy runoff.

As she walked onward, the stench of refuse filled her nostrils and she clasp her wings to her muzzle. Several paces before her lay a homeless pegasus pony huddled next to the filth, shivering with the bitter cold. A teal nurse unicorn was arguing animatedly with the elderly pony.

“I keep telling you Silver Wing! Go to the home or I’ll drag you there myself! Honestly, you’re being unreasonable.”

“I ain’t dead yet now am I?”

“You will be if you stay out here much longer. Come on!”

“I ain’t goin’ back there! You’ll just give me some more of that medicine.”

“Well I’ll give you a lot more than medicine if you don’t come this instant!”

Strya chuckled and walked by; that mare was in for a fight. The pegasi of the city had not been able to reside in the clouds ever since they lost control of the weather. Though most left for more prosperous lands, many chose to stay. Truly they were foolish creatures.

As she turned down the street Lsy’s stand rested on, she grew more disheartened. Many years ago she had enjoyed walking down this very street, viewing the colorful displays and friendly faces. Now, each of the magnificent shops were boarded up and ponies huddled in tight groups, whispering darkly amongst themselves. Strya detested such ponies. Did they think hiding in their own world would change their situation? A chill set over her body. Isn’t that what I’ve been doing for centuries?

She started at the sound of two stallions having a fierce argument. With great consternation she watched as a bulky pegasus stallion and Lsy stood, ears back and teeth bared. To the side of the pair stood a very pretty roan pegasus mare flushing violently.

“What are you doing talking up my sister scrawny?”

“I told you, I was just being friendly so drop it!”

“Oh, being friendly eh? Friendly my hoof! My sister doesn’t need your brand of ‘friendly’. I’m not going to stand by and watch her be hit on by some low down earth pony freak like you!”

“Freak?”

“Yeah! You’re the only pony around here with a promise mark. What kind of dark magic did you use to get one anyway? You’re too much of an idiot to get one on your own.”

“Look who’s talking! Your people are so stupid they can’t even figure out how to control the sky. Why you ought to be thanking me for giving her some good common sense.”

“Why you!” The roan pegasus reared towards Lsy. Lsy responded in kind and the pair plunged, bit and kicked furiously.

Strya could not comprehend what had gotten into Lsy’s head. He had seemed like such a calm and level-headed fellow. Why must stallions act like overgrown colts? With a powerful burst of her magic she separated the pair and send them flying into the snow banks.

The pegasus stood, gold eyes wide with fear, “Wahhh! You really are cursed. Run Starlight before he zaps us with some evil magic!”

Lsy stood, ears pinned back and snorted with victory. Wait a minute…who cast that spell? He turned with apprehension and saw Strya glaring at him.

“What in heaven’s name is going on with you Lsy? I thought you had some measure of common sense but it appears I was mistaken!”

“You don’t know the story Strya.”

“Oh do I not? It seems as though you were flirting with some innocent pegasus mare and her brother stepped in to stop you.”

“It wasn’t like that Strya! I honestly just asked her if she wanted to buy some candles. That’s it.”

“Well now, why did you have to fight with that stallion? Why did you not ignore him as you did with that colt the other day? I do not believe he would have fought without provocation. It seems that you wanted a fight, but why?”

“Pegasi are arrogant! They think that they are better than us earth ponies simply because they can fly! Why I’m every bit as intelligent and skilled as they are. So I wanted to teach him a lesson.”

Strya stared harshly at him, “No, you did not teach any pony a lesson Lsy. If anything, you just proved to me why I have not interfered in the affairs of ponies before now. You are the one being arrogant and petty. I would not wish to hear you speak again until you can prove that you are capable of some level of maturity.”

Lsy hung his head low with embarrassment. “Yes Strya.”

Strya huffed with satisfaction and turned to the stand. Using her magic, she took a few candles into her saddle bag and slammed the cover shut. “Come along Lsy. I’ll decide your appropriate punishment soon enough, but for now we must return to the library.”

Strya led the way among the crowded streets, Lsy following close behind. The normally talkative stallion had kept silent the whole way and Strya was beginning to worry. Was I too harsh? Well, he was being an imbecile. However, it has been centuries since I spoke to another pony for more than a few minutes. I need to be more cautious or I will lose the only assistant I have.

“Tell me Lsy, have you ever considered leaving Sarapona?”

Lys started with surprise at hearing the city’s proper name. “What? Of course not!”

“Why is that?”

“This place, however horrible is my home. Everything I know and love is here. Besides, I wouldn’t like to live in Equestria.”

“Truly? Is there something the matter with Equestria?”

“No, not in any specific sense. I understand it is in a lot better shape than this city and its people are happy. However, I would not wish to live in a country whose leader abandons cities as she sees fit.”

“Did I not tell you that Celestia had her reasons for her abandonment?”

“You did but I still do not believe that it justifies what she did.”

Strya chuckled softly, “I agree fully with you Lsy.” She halted in front of the massive oak doors leading to the library. “I will continue to investigate any potential spells. In the mean time you ought to learn what you can about any legends regarding our mysterious darkness.”

Lsy nodded in agreement and the pair went their separate ways.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

None of these books help! Strya slammed the moldy tome shut with a decisive thud. She had already scanned through over a hundred similar texts. One would think that after all these years some pony would have found this darkness. Unless, Strya’s mind drifted back to the powerful blast of magic that had tried to push them off the cliff. Unless they did discover it.

But why did they not die? Surly I would have been summoned if some pony fell off of a cliff. Why, Lsy’s own light would have faded after a fall like that if I had not stopped it. No, that creature, whatever it is knew I would come for them. It knew I would have connected the pieces one day. So in order to stop me, it let them live.

I met these ponies, all of them before. Why over all these years did they not ask me or warn me about that beast? Unless, it had threatened them to keep silent. Threatened to kill or harm their loved ones. They could not have known enough about me to trust I was not somehow in league with the creature. Strya stamped her hoof, sickened by the very thought that any pony would connect her with something so evil. She must tell Lsy what she had found.

When she found Lsy he was lying on the cushions in front of the grand circular window. He was so intent upon reading that he did not notice her approach. Strya could not help but smile at the stallion’s dedication to his task. She nickered softly to get his attention and he smiled back at her.

“Strya, you won’t believe what I found and where I found it!”

“I have learned much as well Lsy.” Strya settled herself next to his steel grey side and leaned to look at the cover of the book he had put aside. “Lsy, are you seriously suggesting this book holds the answers we seek?”

“Oh yes most definitely.”

Strya looked incredulously at Lsy and regarded the cover more closely. Evening Star’s Fantastical Picture Book of Magic Creatures, was emblazoned with shimmering gold letters on the deep green book front. “Lsy, this is a book written for fillies and colts. How is this helpful?”

“Because it describes in exact detail the very creature we have been searching out!” Lsy grinned and flipped the book open. “I’ll read it out loud so you can focus on the words.”

“Away in the Bitterhoof Mountains lives a most dangerous beast. Of my tale take heed for it will spare you much pain indeed! His home is a vast cave, carved from the face of the earth. Of his form I will tell for it does not bode well. Alone he lies, dark as pitch in which no light can fix. Of his form no pony knows and it would be best to leave him well alone. He’ll talk sweet and slick, but don’t believe his tricks. His breath is death and with it he sweeps happiness on its feet. So heed me this day when I say that it is him that makes our lives this way. For no pony can live at peace under the shadow of this beast.”

Strya stared at the page with wonder. The small illustration showed only a dark cave with a pair of fierce yellow eyes glowing bright. Realization dawned as she pondered the words. “Lsy, who wrote this book?”

“Some pony called Evening Star. Strange name isn’t it? I wonder if it’s a pen name.”

Strya gulped, remembering her meeting with Evening Star some eighty years earlier. “Lsy, I spoke with Evening Star before I took him. His final words did not make sense to me at the time. But now…I see he was trying to warn me about the beast.”

“Warn you? What did he say?”

“He asked me if I had a foal. When I told him I did not, he frowned and said, ‘That’s a shame. I so hoped you would read my story to them. Would you do me the honor of reading it? It’s full of wonderful and dangerous creatures. Some closer to home than others…’ I thought it odd that a pony on his deathbed would worry so much about some book he wrote years before. After I released him, I tried to find the book but could never find it.”

“Yes but why would he have not warned you directly?”

Strya proceeded to tell Lsy of her theory behind the beast and he seemed in total agreement with her. Together they lay in silence, thinking of the implications of their discovery.

“So what now Strya? Is there a way to deal with such a horrible creature?”

“I…I would not know Lsy. I might be able to conjure up a spell but it will take time.”

“You can make magic? That’s amazing!”

“Oh, it is nothing special I can assure you Lsy. All alicorns are capable of formulating spells. Unfortunately, I do not specialize in dark magic. It will be difficult, but I believe I can do it.”

As they walked back to Lsy’s stand, Strya was finding herself cheered. They now had a direction with which to pursue the curse. And, given a little time she was confident she would develop a suitable spell. Lsy did not seem so confident however and hardly spoke. “What troubles you Lsy? We are well on our way to solving this!”

“I suppose. I know you feel confident about your magic but Celestia herself said she could not defeat it. Even if you do have an amazing spell you will need backup. I know you chose me, but how can I possibly help you? I’m just one earth pony!”

Strya laughed at Lsy. “I have already told you that you earth ponies have far more power than you give yourself credit for. Remember your detection of the darkness? You noticed it well before me. If it had not been for you, we might have both been pushed off that cliff.”

“Yes but what use is a detector? It’s not like I can conjure up a sword or something is it?”

“Lsy, do not trouble yourself so. You are an integral piece to solving this mess. Besides, I would rather have you by my side than any unicorn or pegasi in this place.”

Strya noticed a group of ponies in a small square and trotted up the ally to investigate. She smiled as she watched a group of ponies celebrating a marriage with lively dances. The whole street seemed to be enjoying the festivities along with the happy couple.

Strya gazed with envy as they performed the familiar songs, some of her favorites. There was nothing in the world she loved more than dancing. She trotted to Lsy, a glint in her eye, “I have found your punishment. I want you to dance with me.”

“Dance? With you Strya? Well…alright but it’ll be pretty weird.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’re invisible! It’d look pretty silly to see a stallion dancing by himself wouldn’t it?”

“Well of course it would be. However, I do not have to be invisible.”

“You don’t?” Lsy regarded Strya with a look of dumbfound amazement. “You mean all this time I’ve been talking to myself when you could have been visible?”

“Of course. I simply choose to remain unseen for obvious reasons. But-” Strya stood tall before Lsy, flicking her mane back playfully, “-for today I’ll oblige you.” With a faint blue light from her scythe, Strya’s body changed before Lsy’s eyes. Her horn and wings vanished and both hers and Lsy’s promise marks faded.

“You turned yourself into an earth pony and erased my mark?”

“Do not be ridiculous Lsy! It is illusion magic, your mark is still there. Besides, I was an earth pony myself once.”

“You were? But how did you become an alicorn of all things?”

“That is a story for another time. For now we dance!” The little mare tugged at Lsy’s hoof and the pair trotted into the square.

Strya had danced thousands of times but never had she had a partner as wonderful as Lsy. His movements gracefully matched hers and he led with such gentleness that Strya weightless. Her small stature often made it difficult for her partner to maneuver but Lsy was ever cautious and did not tread even once on her dainty hooves. Strya smiled brighter than she had in centuries and began to lose herself in the moment.

By the end of four songs, the entire square had taken notice of the pair and smiled and gave calls of encouragement to them. They backed off on the end of the fifth song and allowed Strya and Lsy to finish up the dance. The pair flushed and bowed as the ponies cheered with delight.

Grinning the bride trotted forward, “That was some wonderful dancing you two! Tell me, how did you learn to dance like that?”

Strya beamed back at the mare, “Many years of practice!”

“Wonderful! Thanks for the show you two!”

With that Strya tugged Lsy’s hoof and they made their way back to the alley. She carefully retrieved the scythe and trotted down the cobbles. After they had gone a good way she turned and undid the spell. “Thank you Lsy. I must admit that was the best dance I have had for many centuries! I will say I am surprised at your skill. Who taught you?”

“My mother, she is a traveling ballerina.”

“I see. Well you are every bit as graceful as her I am sure.”

Lsy flushed and pawed at the ground. “Might we get going?”

Strya smiled and shook her head, “No, you go on ahead. I must concentrate on forming the spell. I will contact you again soon enough Lsy. You have my word.” The little mare spread her wings and flew off gracefully into the night.