Rise and Fall of Dark Rise: The Origin of the Headless Horse

The first few days of their journey were uneventful. The late winter snow continued to fall steadily and the three unicorns took turns using their magic to clear it from the path and keep the wagon from getting stuck. They passed out of unicorn territory fairly quickly and before long they were among minor earth pony towns.

Some nights they would stay in at the occasional inn, wherein Ledger would take the opportunity to entertain the patrons and earn a few extra bits whenever he could, while Everstar and Dark watched alongside the crowd. The pony was a master of intricate magical design. He would bend light and air to create spectacular images before the crowd’s eyes.

Other nights they would be lucky enough to find a local that would take them in for the evening. On those nights Everstar would insist on helping with the cooking while Dark would clean up after the meal, in show of their appreciation. Before everypony went to sleep Ledger would use his illusion-craft to put on a small show for the homeowners.

Of course, there were also nights they spent camping. They were cold, but Everstar knew a few spells for keeping the camp warm and dry, and Ledger provided his skills to keep the camp safe. Dark felt a little left out. The only spells he had ever focused on were those that furthered his work with the celestials.

A couple days had gone past since they had seen the last home. It was the night before their journey into the earth pony territory was to be completed and their camp was set alongside the snow covered road high in the mountains. Pine trees littered the landscape. “I’m already starting to miss home,” said Ledger, holding his hooves out to the fire as he and Dark watched Everstar stir the pot placed over it. “A warm bed, a fire in the hearth. Even an inn would be better.”

“A hot meal,” Dark continued for him with a small laugh.

“Exactly.”

“We have warm food,” countered Everstar.

“Warm slop, more like,” Ledger muttered so she couldn’t hear him. Dark caught it and chuckled.

Everstar glared at them from the other side of the fire. “What?”

“I said ‘it’s delicious,’” he responded coyly.

“That’s what I thought.” Everstar tapped the ladle on the side of the pot and glanced skyward.

Dark followed her gaze. The light from the moon and stars penetrated the clouds overhead and was made brighter by the snow on the ground. If not for the falling snow, they would be able to see some of the peaks around them and down into the valley that they were preparing to descend into the next morning.

“Seems the pegasi thought they would have one last ‘hurrah!’ and make wrap up that much more of a pain,” she continued.

“More water for the crops we’ll be negotiating for,” said Dark, eyeing the pot over the fire. “When is that stuff going to be done? I’m starving.”

Dark's constant duty of tending to the celestials alone each day, coupled with the journey from Aethon, had been taking its toll on him; he felt hungrier, as well as more tired, than normal. He found himself wondering how, in times past, the great rulers had been able to continuously raise the sun alone, or, once they had accomplished the feat, did they pass the duty onto to their subjects? Surely it would be impractical if they had done it alone their entire reign, spending their lives chained to the needs of the celestials.

“Another few minutes,” replied Everstar as she stirred. “Are either of you getting excited for our meeting with the earth ponies?”

“I’m excited to get this behind us,” said Ledger.

Dark shrugged watching the pot. The cold of the trip and the work involved had already somewhat dulled the experience for Dark. He still wanted to show these simple ponies what he was capable of, but he was beginning to wonder if they would even understand the gravity of what he was doing, and if they did, would they believe he wasn’t being helped by the other unicorns? To Dark’s knowledge the earth ponies did not have a way of telling who was using a spell or when.

“Hardly the attitude of a diplomat,” Everstar chastised him. “I, for one, am excited.”

“Care to elaborate?” Dark asked after watching her stir the pot for a few moments. His stomach was starting to rumble and idle chit chat would at least keep his mind off of it.

“Well, while I worked with Referendum we never actually got to see any of the other tribes’ communities. I’ve been involved in the last two delegations. We hosted one at Aethon, and the other… the pegasi hosted us in a forest camp below one of their cities,” she said, disappointment in her tone. “I think it would have been amazing to see what their architecture was like… See how they lived among each other in the sky…”

“It’s clouds,” Ledger countered flatly. “Not much architecture to be had if you ask me.”

Everstar shot him another glare for interrupting her. “Well, this time I will get to see another tribe’s city. It may be a poor substitute for the Cities of the Sky, but it’ll be a far step above a camp.”

Dark hadn’t thought of it like this. To him, this had just been a task that would enable him to prove his worth to Sunblaze and allow him to show off his abilities, not an adventure in and of itself full of new things to experience and explore. Perhaps he was selling it short. He shivered. “That stew done yet?”

She brought the ladle up to her mouth and sipped from it, smacking her lips. She nodded and began filling bowls. “Perfect.” The bowls floated across the fire to where Ledger and Dark sat. They took them and began eating.

“Mmm, warm slop,” said Ledger, after taking a bite, his tone dripping in sarcasm.

“Oh, quit your bellyaching,” Everstar said as she filled her own bowl. “It will keep your stomach nice and warm on an evening like tonight.”

“Tastes delicious,” said Dark around a mouthful. It honestly did, but he was so hungry anything may have tasted such.

As he ate, he glanced into the darkness around them. He couldn’t help but marvel at Everstar’s and Ledger’s spells. Snow continued to fall, but within the camp’s border none of it touched the ground. Each night Ever had provided them with dry ground, once he and Ledger had cleared it of snow, and then she put up a spell preventing the snow from falling there. She was truly something else. If not for her, Dark expected he would be even more worn down. Then, after she had finished her preparations, Ledger would go around the perimeter and set wards to prevent anything from entering the camp uninvited.

Dark became fascinated with each of their spells and started making an effort to join them as they worked, asking questions about each and even attempting to place them himself. With a couple nights of practice he was able to get the hang of drying the ground, but the spell that kept the snow from falling in camp was beyond him.

The wards were equally tricky. Each night, while Everstar was prepping the evening’s meal, Ledger would go over them with Dark. The weaving of the spell became easy enough, but he was having a hard time bringing his focus on what should be allowed to enter and what should be denied. Earlier that evening his attempt had sent Ledger soaring into a snowbank beyond the camp’s edge, which left Everstar fighting fits of laughter. The incident ended practices early.

The evening wore on; friendly jabs were made and laughs were had. With the meal finished, the trio decided it would be best to turn in early. Tomorrow would see them meeting their earth pony escort, and soon after in Canterville, the home of the Chancellor. The fire was doused, the wards were checked; the camp was set for the evening and they retired to their beds.

Around him, Darks companions began to fall asleep, the nights silence broken by their snores. He lay in silence staring up at the ceiling of the tent, once again thankful for Ever’s spells. She had shown them a trick to keep the tent warm; something extremely simple she had learned as a foal from her father. All you needed were a few rocks and something to hold them in, then you heated the rocks and they acted like a heater through the night.

He focused his thoughts and closed his eyes reheating the rocks again. His mind was restless and wouldn’t permit him sleep. It had been a long trip so far, and tomorrow it would become more than just a journey. Tomorrow he would have to prove he was the diplomat he had been spending so much time training to be. It was a combination of nerves and excitement. Eventually a fitful sleep did take him.

Dark awoke with a start. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t remember what he had been dreaming about, but something had made him jolt and he found himself suddenly wide awake. It was dark out still, but lately it was always dark out when he woke up. The day can’t start without me, he thought to himself with a self-satisfied smile as he pushed his blanket off and went to the tent’s entrance, poking his head out. He looked skyward; it was snowing harder than before. Dark sighed with annoyance, closing his eyes.

He needed to see the stars. In his mind he focused on a minor sight spell that would place his point of vision above the clouds. When the spell was woven he opened his eyes again, looking around him at the sea of white. The moonlight shined brightly off the clouds making it look as if he were sitting in an endless meadow piled with snow. He glanced up to the stars and studied them a moment. Judging by their position, he still had several hours before he had to raise the sun.

He sighed and yawned again, releasing the spell. Suddenly he was back in the camp, his head poking out of the tent. He ducked back inside and retied the entrance before holding a hoof over the heat rocks. They were mostly cold but the tent was still warm enough. He focused on the spell pattern again, but only heated them about half as hot as they normally would. No need to make it too hot, he thought to himself. But… better to wake up warm than cold.

As Dark stepped back to his bed he realized something. Ledgers bed was empty. Dark’s brow furrowed. “That’s odd,” he murmured under his breath, turning back toward the tent’s entrance, staring at it for a moment before going back and untying the flaps. The outside world was devoid of movement. He stepped out into the frigid evening and went to the edge of the camp where fat snowflakes continued to fall in a deafening silence.

“Ledger,” said Dark in a whispered call, his breath hanging in the air before him as a small white cloud. Something didn’t feel right. He walked around the edge of the camp until he found a trail of fresh hoof prints. “Ledger!” he called again, not willing to raise his voice higher, as he peered into the trees.

Tentatively, he stepped into the snow. It was almost deep enough to touch his chest so he stayed closer to the trees where it was shallow and kept his eyes on the tracks Ledger had left behind. The night seemed brighter than it should. Dark had to keep reminding himself that the snow made it easier to see, reflecting the little moonlight that made it through the clouds and brightening the landscape. He shuddered and glanced between trees as he passed, nervous of the shadows that lay beneath the pines in the copses of trees. He thought he saw something move in one of them.

“It’s your imagination,” he said to himself under his breath to break the silence around him, then in his hushed call, “Ledger! Where are you?”

There was a thump behind him and Dark jumped and darted forward several steps, a spell forming in his mind in defense as he struggled in the chest deep snow to turn around and see what was behind him. He let out a sigh and muttered a curse under his breath, seeing a bare branch swaying in relief of the weight of the snow that had just fallen from it. “Imagination,” he said angrily and turned back to Ledger’s trail. The more he watched the tracks, the more they seemed sloppy, like their maker was stumbling and oblivious to the deep snow they were trudging through.

He moved under the next tree and stamped the snow from his legs with a shiver; the cold was starting to seep into him. Looking back out from under his cover he followed the tracks with his eyes. They disappeared behind a couple of trees ahead. Stepping out into the deeper snow again, Dark glanced up at the peak above him; sparse speckles of grey stone peeking out against the heavy blanket of snow. He would feel better once they were out of this pass and in the lowlands again. He shuddered and brought his eyes back to Ledgers tracks, trying to focus.

He ducked under a couple of snow laden branches. When he came clear of the trees he finally saw Ledger; he was standing in the middle of a small clearing, staring ahead. “Ledger!” he said, stepping farther from what he felt was the safety of the trees. The other pony didn’t seem to hear him. He crept closer, keeping his eyes around the edge of the clearing; now that he was not amidst them, the trees seemed threatening; anything could be hiding in wait within them. “Ledger!”

Dark’s companion still seemed to ignore him, just standing in the center of the clearing, staring into the night. Dark’s ears laid back as he came closer to Ledger and his eyes continued scanning the trees. Finally, he was close enough to touch his friend. “Ledger?” he said, his voice low, reaching out and nudging the stallion.

Being touched, Ledger finally showed signs of life and, turning his head, his brow furrowed. “Dark?” Confusion dripped from his tone. He seemed to suddenly have trouble keeping his balance and his knees buckled before giving way, sending him sprawling “What’s going on?” he spluttered, the cold entering his voice.

Dark scanned the trees again looking for any sign of movement, his ears swiveling this way and that as he helped Ledger to his hooves. Something didn’t feel right. “I don’t know. We should get back to the camp,” he said wearily.

“Let me check the wards.” Ledger closed his eyes. After a moment his brows furrowed.

“What’s wrong?” Dark asked.

“They have been broken,” he said his eyes popping open.

Darks eyes went back to the trees, expecting something to come for them out of the darkness. “Is that possible?”

“No. Not without me unraveling the weave. Give me a minute.” Ledger closed his eyes in concentration again. It was amazing what this pony could do with his spells. He had told Dark that he had been able to manipulate the sight spell that he and other unicorns used to see the stars to allow him to work magic from that projection. Dark couldn’t understand it himself. “Alright. Ever is still sleeping, and the ward has been cast again.”

There was a sound like a tree branch snapping somewhere in the forest. Their ears perked, their heads turned. “We should go,” said Dark again.

Ledger nodded and they wearily made their way to the edge of the clearing, ears swiveling toward every perceived sound. Dark ducked under the tree branches first and stopped, his eyes wide with fear as he stared at the ground in front of them. The night around them suddenly seemed colder.

“What is it?” asked Ledger stepping up next to him.

“Those weren’t here when I came looking for you.” Dark pointed a hoof at the paw prints that crossed their old tracks. They were massive, easily five times the size of one of his hoof prints. The hair on the back of his neck bristled and he suddenly felt like he was being watched.

“Think I know what it is,” said Ledger quietly.

“What do you mean?” Dark turned his head towards his friend, but his eyes continued to scan their surroundings.

“It’s an Amarok. It’s got to be. I’ve heard about them before - massive wolves that can manipulate spells. They use those abilities to distract and lure their prey into traps,” he said, his voice hushed.

There was a howl from the clearing behind them. Dark jumped and whirled around trying to see through the snow laden tree branches, his ears straining for any indication of where their assailant could be coming from.

“Don’t trust your ears,” said Ledger. “We need to stay close and watch each other’s backs. We need to warn Ever. Let’s keep going to the camp.”

Dark nodded in agreement and they continued following their tracks. Occasionally a growl or the sound of a branch breaking would make Dark would turn to face what he was sure would be his doom. Ledger would calm him and help him focus, telling him it was only the beast playing with his mind trying to distract him from the true task at hand: staying vigilant.

“If we lose sight of our surroundings we’re as good as dead,” he said.

Finally, they came into view of the camp and Dark breathed a sigh of relief. Just as quickly as his hopes appeared they were dashed. As if materializing from the snow itself, a massive wolf stepped between them and their sanctuary. It loomed out of its surroundings; its menacing stature was seemingly amplified by the ragged white fur that blended perfectly with the falling snow, broken only by two golden eyes. Their gaze seemed as if it could pierce the soul. It pinned Dark to the spot; he was unable to look away.

Ledger nudged him, bringing him back to reality. “Get into the camp,” Ledger told him. “You’ll be safe there. The wards won’t let it in.”

“But-“ Dark began, his eyes moving to his friend.

“I’ll be right behind you,” said Ledger urgently. Something in his tone made Dark think he was lying.

“Led-“

“Go!” yelled Ledger in anger.

Dark was suddenly thrown from the pony’s side. He let out a yelp as he crashed into the trunk of one of the pines at the edge of the clearing. A scream of pain and anguish filled his ears. Dark pushed himself up groggily. He shook his head trying to regain his balance. The scream ended as suddenly as it had begun. He blinked, his vision coming into focus and he looked to where Ledger had been.

Hunched over his friend was the wolf. It dwarfed the pony beneath it. The squelch of flesh being ripped from bone could be heard and Dark’s stomach lurched. Crimson spattered the crisp white snow around the two. The wolf lifted its head, amber eyes piercing the scene towards Dark. Its blood stained muzzle seemed to be grinning, gristle hanging from its teeth. It clenched its jaws and bone snapped between them.

The realization of what was going on hit Dark like a brick wall and the world went red. The wolf never saw what hit it.

Dark took hold of the beast as if it were the sun. The force was immense and the wolf screamed in pain. Dark could feel it fighting the spell, but it was like trying to pry a bone from a dogs grip. He rushed the beast, a guttural, wordless cry bellowing from his throat, and he hurled the beast away from his friend.

It hit a tree with a loud crack; tree and wolf alike toppled into a mangled heap. Dark followed it to where it lay. His rage had taken hold of him as he looked down at the wolf. It stared back up at him, its golden eyes scared, blood covering its now ragged fur. Dark balled all the raw energy he could muster between the beast’s ears. There was a booming thunderclap and its head vanished in a spray of red.

He forgot his anger then. Turning, he rushed to his friend’s side. Ledger lay in a ring of crimson snow, his tan coat mostly red as well. He was dead, probably from the instant the wolf had landed. ”Ledger,” he said softly, tears starting to fill his eyes and he let out a loud cry.

“Dark?” It was Everstar’s voice.

“No,” he said. “Don’t come here!” He didn’t want her to see this. He stood hastily and looked away from Ledger’s corpse to the mare and quickly started toward her.

“What’s going on? I heard…” she trailed off, her ears perking.

He heard it too. Something loud was coming toward them. “Avalanche,” he barked, then more urgently, “get to the wagon!” In that short moment everything became a mad dash. Around them the world began to rumble.

When they reached the wagon they hurriedly climbed underneath it.

“What happened?” Everstar called over the rising noise.

“It will be alright,” was the only response Dark could think to give before the world went dark.