Chapter 2: Fortunes and Destinies

*Crack*

That was the only thing ringing in Tyl's ears, the sound of bloodied leather cracking over skin. The pain was merely a thought... It had been so long, he didn't care anymore, and there was nothing that he could do. He was chained to the wall like a painting, his body strapped by cold chains.

The basement was dark, even for him, it was stingy. A series of rusted water pipes ran along the ceiling, dripping corrupted brown water onto the stone floor.

"We can do this all day you know.”, rung a baritone voice through the room. Tyl's slowly looked up, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

The red stallion unicorn turned to his side and nodded again, a tall masculine stallion swung the whip through the darkness, cracking violently against his stomach, forming a bloody trench. His body rocked violently, he forced his head onto the wall as he screamed in pain through gritted teeth.

The unicorn trotted forward, his mane coming into view, the color of fire and fury. He leaned in, smirking at Tyl's, looking down to his beaten and bloody body as if a fine work of art. He reached a hoof forward and pressed it into one of his many wounds, pressing hard into it, causing Tyl to shake and whimper in pain.

"I'm going to ask again...", he said coldly as he pulled and strikes him in the stomach, Tyl grunted and groaned as the air left him. He gasped and panted for air as the unicorn merely watched him. "Where are the other colonies?"

He cocked his head at Tyl, watching his expressions closely, watching the heavy quivers of his body, the bloodied fur that spilled down him as if some beautiful thing.

The unicorn sighed and looked back to his associate, the stallion in the darkness handing him a. Gleaming butchers knife. He brought it back and lifted Tyls head with the sharp blade, staring into what seemed into his very soul.

"I wonder how much you're worth...", he mumbled to himself. "What do you think boulder?", he asked.

The stallion in the dark chuckled deeply. "I hear their eyes fetch a fine price as Christmas decorations.”, he said.

The unicorn chuckled and ran the knife down his neck to his belly. "I'm sure he'd also be worth quite some bit as dragon meat."

The knife moved to his wings and scraped them gently. "I hear your leather is quite valuable.”, he cooed coldly.

Tyl coughed heavily, his body quivering heavily. He pressed the knife into his wing, splitting the leather slowly, blood seeping from the wound. Tyl jerked and clenched his teeth hard.

"I think it's time for a makeover.”, he whispered softly.

Night he her head hung low, standing in her small bedroom. Hers was much like the others in their house, her own room with her own touch of decorations, small stars dotted the ceiling, glowing dimly next to a crescent moon hanging over her dark blue bed. Her father trotted back and forth angrily, he breathed heavily as he tried to must some sort of speech.

"You could've been hurt.”, he began, his voice full of worry.

"I know...", she whispered back shamefully.

"And not to mention the damage to Miss Chanels stand.”, he droned on, pacing back and forth nervously. "What am I to do with you Night?", he asked out loud.

"Let me off?", she suggested hopefully..

Her father chuckled and looked down to her. "You have too much of your mothers stars.", he said as he ruffled her mane. He sighed and stepped back. "I don't think I can though."

Night groaned. "But dad!", she complained but was swiftly silenced by him raising his hoof.

"No buts, you're going to have to be punished for this..." He continued.

"She could fix the stand.”, said an amused voice. Nights mothers trotted through, she was wearing an almost glowing white cloak that ran over her body, only her front hooves visible as she walked in, the hood on the cloak down, crumpled on the back of her neck.

"I'm sure she and her friends can do Chanel a kindness by fixing up the old stand.”, she explained, giving Night a quick wink. "No pony was hurt and the stand only fell over and lost a nail or two, I'm sure that will be punishment enough."

He looked back to her, thinking the punishment out in his head. "But what about the lost merchandise?" He asked.

She stifled a laugh and looked at him oddly. "I've known Chanel ever since I was a girl and never.... Ever has she made a major profit from her...? Perfumes.”, She grinned.

He sighed as she approached, letting her ruffle his mane. He pulled back and narrowed his eyes at her. "I hate it when you do that.”, he whispered.

She let out a laugh and kissed his nose lightly. "I'll take her to Chanels, I'll be at the Sepulcher for the evening... I'll see you when I get home.”

He sighed and nodded. "I'll see you later… Night.”, he spoke out as she turned away from him.

“Yes?”, she asked.

“Stay out of trouble.”

"Pull.”, the fiery maned unicorn chuckled to Boulder.

Boulder pulled and twisted heavily on the metal pliers within Tyls mouth, clinging onto one of his fangs. Tyl yelled in pain, the chains crashing and clanging against the stone wall. Tyl held his eyes shut tight as it felt as if his very gums were being torn out.

Boulder pulled harder and suddenly jerked backwards, the tooth coming loose in the pliers as he stumbled back with a slight grunt. The sharp tooth was dripping with blood, Tyls mouth slowly filled with the liquid, spitting it onto the floor and splattering it a crimson red.

"F-Fuck you!”, he stuttered, blood dribbling down his lip.

The unicorn laughed loudly and lifted his chin again with a hoof. "Such vulgar language!”, he commented loudly, laughing as he did. "This is going to need a different approach... Hello... My name's Blaze.”, he said with an evil grin. “You're going to tell me what I want to know.”

"Stop looking so down”, Nights mother urged as they trotted along. "It's not like you're being banished."

"It might as well be...", Night mumbled. "Miss Chanel smells funny..." Night’s mother let out a laugh and nudged her gently.

"Don't be so mean to her, she's the one that I get my perfume from... Not that I use it but...", she laughed, putting a small smile on Nights face.

They continued to trot through the smooth and rounded tunnels, the darkness easily seen through with their luminescent eyes. They saw the stand, broken down still in the market place. Night’s mother leaned down.

"C'mon... I've got something else for us to do.”, she whispered in her ear mischievously. She pulled her aside and took her away from the market place, leading up through a different tunnel, giggling gently as she did.

"Where are we going?", Night asked in the confusion, dragging behind her mother.

"Oh you'll see."

The tunnel soon began to steepen and they climbed higher and higher. It was only when Night saw the small bright stars on the tunnel ceiling, did she begin to suspect something. Her eyes darted across the many constellations which covered the ceiling, glowing a light silver, the orange flames soon dimming and causing her to raise a suspicious brow.

With a glance her heart soared and she saw that the flames were not dimming but we're in fact changing colour, the path ahead she could see each set of torches becoming a brighter and brighter purple.

They soon emerged and came out to a large opening, a set of cut marble steps leading to a large metal door, half a crescent moon adorning each one to make the full image… They were at the Starlight sepulchre… The colonies most ancient building.

The blood continued to dribble down his lips, both his fangs torn out and lying in a small silver bucket. Blaze trotted around the groaning Tyl, running a hoof across his black leather wings. "Feel like talking now? I'd just love to know where the other colonies are!", he said with cold enthusiasm.

Tyl spat at his face, the bloodied saliva hitting him in the forehead, running down it slowly. He sighed, unflinching; he wiped his face clear and looked at him sadly. "I guess you really are just an animal...", he muttered as he stepped away.

He smiled slyly and looked to Boulder, giving a short nod. "I will cleanse you of your impurities." He said in a low growl. Boulder picked up the gleaming knife once more and moved up to Tyl, placing its sharpened edge on his wing and casting his gaze back to Blaze. "Make it slow.", Blaze cooed.

Boulder grinned and nodded as he slowly pushed down on the knife, letting it split the leather and send out a stream of oozing blood. Violent thrashes and pained whimpers escaped Tyl as he tried to escape. "I will break you...", Blaze whispered in his tuffed ears. "Oh and Boulder... Don't forget the ears this time...", he commanded with a small shiver. "There wasn't enough blood on the floor."

Spiraling pillars and purple flame, the entrance was something of wonder, every engraving... Every single slab of stone was cut perfectly... Over a thousand years this cavern had stood in the very heart and peak of the mountain they sheltered themselves under. The large doors were a gleaming white, two halves of a crescent moon that stood over six meters tall. They said that the door itself was made of moonstone.

Night stared in awe at the ancient entrance, her gold eyes like saucers. Her mother laughed at her. "And I get to see it every day”, she teased. She nudged Night gently forward and took a step forward.

Night gulped and moved forward slowly. "Am... Are we going in? Am I even allowed in?", she asked, somewhat terrified of the idea.

"Of course silly... As long as we're not caught.", she whispered with a wink. "Now come on.", she urged as she continued forward, moving up the warm marble steps. Night hesitated before quickly chasing after her, her heart thumping loudly and her own hooves feeling jittery.

The doors were pushed open gently despite their size, creaking loudly. Night poked her head through eagerly, greeted by a magnificent hall, pillars running either Side, all having an engraving, all different and all telling some sort of story. The ceiling held huge chandeliers, purple flames adorning each candle and casting their ancient hue across the room. Many doors lined the sides of the rooms between the pillars. A large stone stage rose from the opposite end, a small pedestal sitting at the front.

The door opened just wide enough for the two of them to squeeze through. They quickly closed the door behind them and they both looked at each other with giddy smiles on their faces. Night was quickly scooped up by her mother and placed on her back, the white gold cloak she wore felt like velvet.

She began to trot to one of the pillars, her hooves echoing gently through the hall. She smiled as she came up to the pillar. Night peeked over the top of her head and stared at the engravings that spiraled up the pillar, showing small ponies, large clouds, the stars and the moon and at the very top a portrait of Luna herself, carved perfectly

"Whoa...”, se gasped as she stared in awe.

"Do you know what this is Night?", Night shook her head gently and looked at her mother.

"This is the whole history of our colony... Across every single pillar."

Tyl thrashed and screamed wildly as boulder pressed a bright hot metal rod into the joints that once held his wings, burning the gaping wound to seal it. He shook violently, teetering on the edge of consciousness, the pain far too much. The smell of burnt flesh and fur was strong in Tyl’s nose, like the smell of charred wood… Just… Greasy. He gagged and held his eyes shut as boulder went from one missing wing to the other, sealing his wounds with what felt like fire from the pits of hell itself. Soon the burning sensation stopped and all he could feel was the mind numbing pain that followed.

“Hey.. You’re starting to look normal.”, Boulder snickered as he put the rod onto the ground, looking at his handiwork

“K-Kill me…”, Tyl mumbled painfully as he bordered consciousness. Boulder raised an eyebrow and moved his head in.

“What was that?”, he asked almost stupidly.

Tyl looked up slowly, every inch of his body aching from the small movement as he glared. “Kill… Me…”, he growled through gritted teeth.

Boulder laughed and smiled at him. “Boss says I have to keep you alive.”, he said with a hint of displeasure in his voice.

“D-Do it… O-Or aren’t y-you t-tough enough?”, he choked out, spitting out another ball of blood, trying to provoke him.

Boulder merely glared at him. “You talk to much.”, he said as he grabbed the knife from the small table beside him once more. “Boss told me to get rid of the ears anyway.”, he grinned with a shrug as he went over, pulling hard on one of the ears and swinging the knife at the base of the ear, slicing it clean off.

Night rode on her mother’s back happily, looking up in marvel of the huge pillars of history, keeping silent as she merely enjoyed the sight.
“The birth of the moon… The creation of the stars…Luna and the first bat ponies…”, Nights mother said, listing off the many stories that spun their way around the pillars. They soon passed most of the pillars and soon came closer to present day where a black pillar sat. Nights smile faded and a feeling of worry filled her as they approached.

“What’s this one?”, She asked quietly.

“The war of sorrow.”, Night’s mother said shamefully.

“What happened then?”, Night questioned curiously.

She sighed and gestured for Night to jump off and sit down. She sat down with the small filly and she looked up at the huge pillar. “It was our first war… Where Luna asked us to help her take her throne back…”, she said sadly. “We lost… And with no one to protect us… Our soldiers weak and Luna banished…we… We built these caverns underground… to keep safe from the likes of normal ponies.”, she recited with a small hint of remorse.

Night slowly looked up at the pillar looking at the carvings of Luna fighting alongside their soldiers in what looked to be a violent battle… The pillar showed her banishment and her place on the moon… The last image was the caverns.. Being built by the ones touched by Luna. She backed away uncomfortably.

“Well... Enough of that... I wanted to show you something Night.”

“Ohhh Boulder!”, Blaze sung happily as he trotted down the stairs. “Is our little friend ready?”, he asked.

Boulder nodded and looked back to Tyl, unlocking the clasps around his hooves, letting him fall to the ground with a loud thud, landing in a puddle of his own blood and puke.

Blaze smiled at the sight and trotted up at the earless… Wingless and fangless bat pony… Tyl shook violently in pain, his eyes wide open. “I’m going to ask again… Where… Are… The Colonies?”, he asked calmly as he knelt down and rolled his head to the side so he was looking up to him.

“N-North…”, he choked out painfully, his voice uncharacteristically high.

“There’s a start. Where?”

“U-Under the m-mountains"

"Fan-fucking-tastic!", he shouted enthusiastically.

The doors opened slowly and a cool breeze blew through, Night watched attentively and saw flakes of white snow pour through the door. Her eyes widened and she gasped loudly as she quickly looked through the door excitedly.

The balcony was coated with the white powder, the view of the white misty clouds, reflecting the silvery moonlight. She sped out excitedly, skidding through the snow, looking up and chasing some of the falling snowflakes with her tongue, spinning around in circles and crashing onto her flank. Nights mother gave a soft giggle and trotted over.

"That's not what i wanted to show you."

She trotted past her and to the edge of the balcony, placing a hoof on a medium sized telescope. It was carved from wood and had golden rings at each extendable joint. Night bounded over excitedly and looked at it in awe.

"Think of it as an early birthday present.”, she said with a grin. "Go on! Take a look.", she encouraged as she pushed the telescope down, making it shorter.

Night eagerly looked through the lens and to the sky above her. The moon filled her view and it was as if she was looking at Luna herself, every crater that formed on the moon.
She turned the telescope around and the dark blue sky greeted her, the millions of diamond stars in the sky seemed even closer and grander than ever before.

"Wow..", she whispered as she continued to gaze into the heavens. A blazoned comet soared by and it was as if she could see every constellation.

It was out of nowhere... Her flanks suddenly felt warm at the snowy peak. She looked back to them and was blinded by a bright light and she backed away, giving out scared yelps.

"Whats happening?!”, she yelled out in fear. Her mother smiled and merely watched as her daughter spun around, freaking out over the small scene. There was one final giant flash and the sparkling image of stars spotted her flank, all connected by white lines. Her eyes widened and she stared in amazement and excitement. She grinned excitedly as she looked at her new cutie mark.