Dark Ponies: The Fragility of Souls

My name is Ayrle, that is the only thing I am certain of. I have a family somewhere I am sure, although where or even who they are eludes me. I believe the land I am from is named Equestria, although even that name provokes a harsh shard of doubt to slice through me. I have a talent in magics too, I think. Why else would I be clasping a thin ivory staff, unless I somehow find it useful to use as a mere club. A cold, obsidian dagger rested in a belt attached to my side, a backup in case whatever magic I used was not enough.

A curious man stood beside me, towering high above me as we stood before a beautiful body of silver water, glistening softly in the tranquil moonlight. We had been travelling for as long as my memory spans, meeting just outside the borders of his town. He was clad in tough leather, heavy looking claymore held firmly sheathed against his side, years of battle carved deeply into both man and sword. He had no intention of telling me his name, although he has probably merely forgotten the word. He seemed the type that would be too proud to admit this.

This curse of our does that, slowly draining our memories and passions for life until our souls barely even shimmer and we beg for death. But we will never truly die, no amount of pleading will change this, no amount of swords through our chest will end us. This is perhaps why we are so feared. The authorities have no way of destroying or containing us and no one can understand any of what is happening. The streets have become awash with those slowly but surely falling into a black pit of despair, a sight that only claims more of the poor unfortunate’s souls.

I was broken out of my thoughts by my fellow cursed. He cleared his throat awkwardly, eyes scanning over my form. His gaze washed over my long, fluffy, turquoise hair, tufts poking out at impossible angles before staring straight into my large amethyst eyes, confusion settling deep into his face.

“You’re a pony.”

I rolled my eyes, a lazy gaze returning his stare, my eyebrows held aloft in an incredulous expression.

‘We’ve been travelling all this time, and only now you realise that the violet equine trotting beside you is in fact a pony. You are quite possibly the slowest human I’ve ever met.’

He backed up, startled, his frantic eyes locked distrustfully onto me.

“You can speak? You’re a multicoloured miniature horse that can actually speak?”

‘I can’t speak, genius. I’m from the East.’ I pointed a hoof at an ugly brand burnt deep into my left cheek. The authorities in the lands I was from thought silencing us ‘undead’ would cease the steady creep of our curse. It had not worked as intended, instead adding further despair to the unafflicted as the cursed count visibly grew.

‘I’m a unicorn, that was telepathy. Your human fairy tales are correct; we are an elegant, magical race fit only for the most kingly of souls. You may kiss my hooves in apology now.’

The human scoffed, turning away from me to gaze back over the calm waters, a solemn look upon his face.

“The East, how unfortunate. Someone important to me travelled there, I think. I’ve tried to remember who, but each time, the memory just clouds further.”

His eyes dampened, the light hitting them casting a sad glow upon his hard features. I nuzzled his leg in an attempt to provide what little comfort a fluffy taking unicorn could. He smiled weakly down at me, sighing softly.

“As much as it pains me to say this, thank you, you obnoxiously pretentious horse. I guess my past life isn’t important now. ”

I whimpered softly at that truth, turning back towards the lake beyond us. A harsh wind whipped through the area, forming small ripples on the surface of the water.

‘I’m going to break this curse to make it important again.’ My voice was a quiet determination in his mind. ‘I don’t know how I got here. I can’t remember why I am alone in a world of humans or when this curse even got to me, but I will find out and I will get back home. I’m certain there are ponies that were close to me left wondering where I am, possibly even searching for me. I will return to them.’

I sighed softly, lowering my head, my thick mane hanging low, obscuring my tear-filled eyes from sight.

‘I just hope that they will remember who Ayrle is.’

I felt a hand on my head as the wind picked up, a deafening roar filling the area, the moon’s light shifting to a sickly red glow. I looked up, the harsh light of thousands of fireflies previously hidden away swarmed around us, buffeting us with their tiny wing beats. They circled around the centre of the lake as a door beyond them shuddered opened, shaking the dust from its crevices.

The door was half open when it was suddenly flung open by the force of thousands of souls gushing out, swallowing the fireflies as they enacted their own grim rendition of the circular dance. The water whipped up to spiral with their movements, black waves swirling until the lake had fully transformed into a singular whirlpool.

My breath caught in my throat as I glanced to my companion. He had subconsciously moved to the edge of the water. He teetered gingerly on the edge of our world, staring into the bottomless maw. He glanced back at me, his eyes beckoning me to join him. Without quite knowing why, my legs moved, my hooves against stone the only sound besides the rushing of the waves.

“See you on the other side.”

He grinned at me before throwing himself into the maelstrom. Immediately, my own body followed. Neither of us touched the sides as our worlds were left to rot as a distant memory.