Chapter 1: A life well lived
I looked closely at the artifact, as the wagon went along the path. It was some sort of dagger. The handle was wooden, with a steel blade with some kind of un-known symbols on it.
"Hey Storm," One of the ponies pulling the wagon said "why don't you stop looking at that shit and help us pull the fucking wagon?!"
"Because," I said setting the knife back in the case of artifacts "that isn't my job. My job is to help transport the items, while evaluating them. Not pulling a over sized cart."
I heard him grumble. I just sat against the wooden wall, and began to think about why the Mages would want crap like this. They always give me the same bullshit. "You're to young in you're studies to understand, Storm. Now go get me more useless crap"
I smiled at the thought, as I looked out the small window across from where I was. The sun was starting to go down. It was truly the best part of the day. The orange light stained the sky, as the dark began to creep in and take it's place. I ponder on why anyone would fear darkness. It might hide the horrid things that lurk during the night, but it's just amazing. You can just look out and wounder what's out there, what other ponies are doing, or if somepony else is looking out asking the same questions.
I sat back and felt my eyes begin to creep shut. We were to be home by tomorrow morning. If I was to meet the mages, I should do it wide-awake and ready for anything. So rest wouldn't be a bad idea.
My eyes slowly closed and I fell asleep. My dream was....uneasy, to say the least. I dreamed of a unicorn mare. She had a purple coat, and blood red eyes. She just watched me, waiting to strike. She looked to her left and what she said next stopped my heart.
"The storm has ended"
A loud scream threw me from my sleep.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" One of the ponies pulling the cart yelled
I heard the clatter of the armor, from the guard that was stationed with the wagon. Not soon after that the sounds of swords clashing together could be heard. I quickly grabbed the dagger from the chest, and opened the wagon door.
The first thing I saw was some un-known Pegasus on top of the guard. They were fighting, and by the looks of it the guard was loosing.
Not thinking I ran at the Pegasus and tackled him off the guard. He looked surprised, but soon enough that expression turned back to anger. He started to punch and kick at me, doing everything in his power to get me off. Not thinking I slammed the dagger into his hoof, making him scream. I ripped it out and jammed it in his neck. The scream was drowned out by the choking of blood.
I stood up and stepped back, looking at what I did. I'd never killed before. I didn't move. I just looked at the dead pony. He may'ave been a raider, but he could'ave been a raider with a family. Just trying to help them. And I just killed him.
"Storm!" The guard shouted at me "Hurry up! We need to go before more show-" He was cut off by a crossbow bolt going through his head.
"CELESTIA'S SUN!" I yelled falling back in fear.
Behind the dead guard was a unicorn pony. His fur was red, with matching eyes.
I watched as the pony walked to the dead guard, and yanked the bolt from his head. The sight of such dis-respect for a pony angered me. I began to scoot back to the corpse behind me. He didn't seem to notice me. That or he just didn't give a shit. I looked at the dead pony. His eyes were still open, and a small stream of blood ran down his face from his mouth. I closed my eyes with my hoof.
"Sorry about this, mate" I whispered to the corpse as I reached for the dagger and pulled it from his throat. The blade was stained with blood, as well as the handle. I took the blade and held it with magic.
The unicorn was going through the saddle bag of the ponies that pulled the wagon. I wanted to show him how it felt. To be killed with no warning, to not know the feeling of valor, or respect.
I quietly came up behind the failure of a pony and held the knife up. I leaned into his ear, and whispered "Enjoy the afterlife, you rat."
He looked up but right as he did I jammed the knife into the back of his head. I slid it out and jammed it in again, twisting it this time.
"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL!" I heard from behind me. "ADDRESS YOURSELF AT ONCE!"
"Storm!" I yelled turning around "Storm Darkheart! I'm a Mage from Canterlot!"
I looked up only to be greeted by my beloved home. Then a feeling of fear came over me. Who would be brave enough to stage an attack this close to the castle?
"Well Storm, you're a lucky one." The guard said "What was in this Wagon?"
"Relics," I said "I was sent to retrieve them from the ruins."
He scratched his chin with his hoof. Then nodded to the other guards. Two of them began to take the Wagon to the city and the others began to collect the bodies.
I was escorted directly to the Mages, for a status report. So not only did I have blood on my hooves, but now I have blood on my hooves AND I get to set a meeting with the council. At 4 in the morning.
I stood in the council room, still with the blood of the raiders on my fur. About 3 minutes later, the Mages all gathered in the council room. To my surprise they had a guest. The fucking princess of the sun!
"Sit down Storm." The head Mage said to me from across the room. I sat down and waited for what's next. "Did you recover the items?"
I took the dagger from my saddle bag and set it on the table. It was covered in blood.
"There was an "interference" on our travel." I said, hoping it would exuse the mess. The Mages looked at the princess and the princess looked at the head mage. "I hope you understand"
"Of course." The head Mage said "Was that the only item you got?"
"No," I said "The royal guards have the rest. They were in the wagon"
They did that weird thing were they all look at each other, like they're talking telepathically or something.
"Where were you attacked, Storm?" Princess Celestia asked me. It was the first time I was confronted by a royal figure, let alone the fucking princess of Equestria. Needless to say, I was a little aw-struck
"Um. R-Right outside the city, your majesty." I said hoping I didn't sound like a total moron.
"Blasphemy!" The head Mage shouted "No raider within' miles of here would be so stupid to attack so close!"
"Well believe it!" I shouted standing up "It fucking happened! And everypony else from the group is dead, thanks for woundering!"
The Mages all looked at me in shock, including the princess. Being a Mage meant setting rage aside for a better cause. An out-burst like that was not good.
I looked at everypony in the room and then stopped my gaze on the Princess.
"Your majesty," I said trying to re-gain some hope "forgive me, for my outburst." She just gave a slight nod and looked back to the head Mage.
"I'll tell the guards to put up a better defense." The princess said "The last thing the city needs is for Raiders to think we've gone soft."
"Storm, can you tell us what the raiders looked like?" The head Mage asked
I thought back at the two that I took down. One was a Pegasus, with full body leather armor. There wasn't much that stood out about him. Then there was the unicorn. His armor had metal plated shoulder pads, and a leather body armor. From the slight glimpse I got from his bandanna that was around his neck, there was a unicorn horn with pegasus wings attached to it. That's the symbol for Fallen Angels.
"They were Fallen Angels." I said. Everypony in the room shot a glare at me after those words left my mouth.
"Don't be a fool, Storm!" One of the small time Mages yelled "The Fallen Angels are mages just like us!"
"They're Mages from the Desert lands!" I yelled back "They were probably after those items like us!"
The room broke into argument, with some arguing about the Fallen Angels going Savage, to others saying I was just to Aw-stuck to know what I saw.
"ENOUGH!" The head Mage yelled making everyone go into a silence. "Everypony that isn't part of the third council, LEAVE THIS ROOM NOW! Except you, Storm."
Half the room got up and left. It gave me more room to think without all those idiots arguing.
"Storm, if you're right about the Fallen Angels going savage then we have a major issue." The head Mage said. "Are you sure, that's the symbol you saw?"
"I can prove it. The guards have the bodies." I said, feeling my eyes begin to droop. The princess and the Mages talked back and forth to eachother as I began to slip into sleep.
I looked around, still in the dark dream from before, the mare was there again. But this time she spoke more.
"I see you're blood-free slate has been stained. There is a new color to your eye, a new change in your life. The end of you will come soon enough. Then you'll be with us, forever.
I snapped away to see everypony looking at me. I felt my cheeks begin to blush, as I looked around
"Storm, you really should go home and get some rest. you've come a long way and'ave been through a lot tonight." The head Mage said looking at me.
I nodded and stood up.
"Thank you for having me, your majesty" I said to the Princess
"Thank you for attending" She said back
I smiled and walked out of the council hall and into Canterlot. The sun still wasn't up so I had a few hours to get some sleep.
I began the walk home. I knew I'd have to tell the families, of the ponies that died what happened. It would be the first time I'd have to deliver news like this but I felt it needed to be done.
It took me about 10 minutes to get to my house. I knocked on the door a few times hoping my sister was awake. Sure enough I heard the door unlock
"For the last fucking time! I don't want any sweet roles-" She said stopping when she saw me "S-Storm?"
"Sweet roles?" I said laughing "Yeah, it's me.."
She smiled and hugged me. It'd been a month since I saw my sister, due to her being away when I left.
"How are you, Hope?" I asked her with a smile
"Oh, just peachy." She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Every day, I get some asshole trying to sell something, or those pricks from the market flirting with me."
"Oh, please." I said getting an apple "Don't flatter yourself. You weren't the one stuck in some old ruins, looking for a bunch of old useless shit."
She just smiled at that little remark. Her smile quickly turned into a frown
"Storm, is...is that blood?" She asked shocked.
I looked back at her, almost choking on my apple. I can't tell her. She'll get to worried.
"Yeah, uh." I said trying to think of something "There was this jagged piece on the wagon that cut the shit out of me"
She looked at me trying to believe it, but not accepting it at the same time.
"Storm." She said.
"Hope it's alright," I said trying to smile "everything is fine now. Look, the mages need me at my best tomorrow. I should get some rest"
She just nodded and gave me a hug
"Please, Storm" She said to me almost in tears "Be careful. I don't want to have to go to Mom and Dad, and tell them that their son died because of some wild animal, or a bandit.."
"I will," I said "I promise."
I slept perfect this time. No creepy dream, no snapping awake. Just a good night sleep. Then, I woke up.
I looked out the window to see ponies running in a panic and Royal guards running to the castle.
"What the hell?" I asked myself as I trotted out into the front room. My sister wasn't home by the looks of it, so I just left to see what the big deal was. I saw a crowd gathered near the edge of the city. I ran to the crowd to see what they were looking at. I had to push through most of the crowd until I finally got to the front. What I saw next almost gave me a heart attack.
It was a Fallen Angel airship. It was coming right towards Canterlot, and not slowing down one bit.
The Fallen Angels were founded by an unknown survivor of the dark plague. He was put on record, as the only unicorn to survive the illness. He created the order of the Fallen Angels, in memory of his family who were lost to the plague. After his death a young Mage from the group vowed to take control of the Angels. The boy grew old and lost his mind, turning the Fallen Angels into savages. Their new leader, -a unicorn named Hellfire- took interest in artifacts, that were lost in the ruins of destroyed civilization. But we beat them to it.
I watched in aw as the airship came flying towards the castle. I began to back away slowly, then after a few seconds I turned and made an egar dash towards the council hall. Inside I saw the head Mage looking at the Artifacts.
"We're being attacked!" I yelled in fear. He quickly looked up at me, shocked.
"By who?" He asked with a hint of fear in his voice.
"The Fallen Angels." I said out of breath. He quickly stood up and began trotting to the door
"Take the items," He told me "take them and hide them!"
I nodded as I ran to the table and grabbed the items. I noticed that I forgot my saddle bags, and had no were to put the artifacts. That's when I heard a loud CRASH from outside the hall. It was the Airship.
The crash was followed by screaming from the ponies outside, along with the battle cries of both the Royal Guard, and the Fallen Angel soldiers. I grabbed the dagger off the table and waited. I don't know what for exactly, but I waited. The screams and cries from outside sent chills down my spine.
After a few minutes the door was kicked in and soldiers flooded the room all with crossbows at the ready. I just stood, holding the dagger in my mouth. I was afriad. The only ponies I killed, only died from me catching them off guard. But the soldiers here all knew I was alive, and they all knew I was armed. I was fucked and I knew it. It made me feel helpless. It made me angry.
"Wow." The soldier that trotted in last said "This is the only pony they had to guard artifacts this rare?"
"I'm guessing that's what your raiders thought" I said taking the knife from my mouth, with magic. "But where are they?" He looked right at me, almost like he was staring into my soul
"You?" He asked "You killed them? Ha! You couldn't kill a musk rat, let alone a Fallen Angel"
"Oh yeah," I said "he's fallen all right." He pulled his sword and pointed it at me.
"You're brave to speak to the face of death like that." He said in anger
"To bad the face of death can't fight his own battles." I said looking at the other soldiers in the room.
He nodded to the door and the soldiers began to exit. I was shocked, I thought they were like the unicorn that killed the wagon guard. No honor.
"A fair fight to the death." The pony said holding the sword with magic. I still held the dagger with magic, ready to strike.
Out the corner of my eye was the alchemy table. Somepony left a yellow potion out. Not knowing what it was I grabbed it with magic and threw it at the soldier hitting him in the face
"AH FUCK!" He yelled holding his face "MY FUCKING EYES!"
I jumped on the table and ran towards him jumping with the dagger still being held with magic. He grabbed his sword with his hoof and swung it hitting my side, leaving a large gash.
I cringed at the pain but I still held the dagger. I stood back up and ran at him, he just stood watching. Right I swung my dagger I felt something sharp pierce my chest. It was his sword.
I looked down to see the sword being held by magic. I felt him yank the sword out as I dropped the dagger, and fell.
"Looks like you were just unlucky." He said looking down at me "You would'ave made a horrible Mage anyways."
I began to crawl to the dagger that was just inches away. I got a small grip on it with my hoof and stood up. A large surge of pain went through my body, almost making me fall again. He had his back turned to me as he gloated more. I Limped my way towards him. I guess he heard me, because he turned back only to see me falling on him with the dagger in my hoof.
I half tackled, half fell on him and began to stab at him. I slashed at his chest, cutting deeper and deeper each time. I finally brought the knife up and slammed it down into his heart.
Once I knew for sure he was dead, I dropped the knife and fell over. My vision began to blur as all the feeling I had started to slip away.
"STORM!" I head from the doorway of the hall. I couldn't move to look so I just sat and waited. It was my sister. She ran to me and held me. "Storm! No! Please! Stay with me!"
"Hope." I said. It was all I could bring myself to say. My vision went black. The last thing I saw was my sister crying, as she sat over me.
I felt my eyes fly open as I snapped up. I was in a bed. I sighed in relief, and got out of the bed looking around realizing something. This wasn't my house.
I opened the bedroom door, and ran out tripping down a stair case. At the bottom of the stairs I got back up and looked around. That's when I heard trotting from down a hall on my left. I looked to see two ponies, both with black fur and full red eyes.
They stopped and looked at me. Then looked at each other and smiled. I knew it was time for me to leave. I booked it down the hallway that was in-front of me. The clatter of my hooves echoed throughout the hall. One of the dark ponies teleported in-front of me, close lining me.
He stood me up and held me, almost like a body shield. A unicorn mare teleported in-front of me. It was the same mare from my nightmares
"Welcome, Storm." The mare said "We've been waiting for you."
"Who are you?" I asked, with fear in my voice.
"I am Queen Proxy" She said with an evil smile. I just looked around confused.
"Queen? Queen of what?" I asked
The Noble behind me started to laugh a little, followed by another evil smile from Proxy.
"I'm the queen of the Crypt, the queen of the dead, you're queen." She said in a dark tone. I felt my body begin to slouch and my heart drop. Queen of the dead.
"Am I-" I began to ask. She answered me with a nod. I felt like I was about to puke. "So, what happens to me?"
"Well." She smiled again and turned around. "That's for the Darksouls to decide. There are raiders, rebels, and bandits. Pick your poison. Also, do yourself a favor. Don't die again. For if you do, you will be taken to the void." She nodded to the Noble.
"Close your eyes." The Noble ordered.
"Wha-" I began to say
"CLOSE YOUR FUCKING EYES!" He said throwing me against a wall.
I slowly closed my eyes, and I felt his hoof tap my head. I slowly opened them, to see that I wasn't in the hallway anymore. I was in the ally way, of some town.
I began to walk into the rainy night, when I tripped and fell into a rain puddle. I sat up and looked at the puddle. My reflection began to emit from the water. My fur was now a dark blue, and my eyes were red. Blood. Red.
