Author's Note
Author’s note: The following story is written in Free Verse, which does not require meter, rhyme, or other traditional poetry techniques. In fact, it has a violent allergy to such techniques. If you find yourself trying to extract some sort of pattern out of the words or syllables, stop it. You’ll just make the story break out in a rash, and have to use its inhaler. And those things aren’t cheap. If you’re really looking for poetry that rhymes, read Horizon’s Thou Goddess or even Of Apples and Roses and Thick Purple Proses.
Relax. Read. And enjoy.
Love Call
As found in the Crystal Archives by the archaeology team led by Princess Aurora and Prince Obsidian in the year 6795 A.L. (After Luna) Written in Eohippian on plates of beaten orichalcum, this has been called the first record of the end of the Great Schism and the beginning of The Golden Era of Reunion.
Love Call
I rise to meet the winds on uncertain wings
driven by the hammering call in my breast
before which all my power is like snow in the breeze
driven whence the fates desire
Love has a magic beyond all other powers
a sword with two blades, both sharp and bloody
wounding with cuts that will not heal
and leaving shards of destruction in its wake
This love beyond all has pierced my heart
like the sharpest blade of purest ice
I bleed into the frozen wind as I fly
North, away from where my heart desires
I dare not look back, for my will is weak
my blood burns with desire to stay
filling my body with a fire that will not die
each beat of my wings is like a blow
each breath purest agony
Ribs that once touched others, warm and loved
they ache with the cold that will not leave
but the eyes, those haunting eyes, are worst
they haunt with glints of color when I least expect
filling my empty days with endless dread
and my sweaty nights with frustrated lust
no longer can I sleep beneath their passionate gaze
nor attend my subjects’ needs in the light of day
Surely I am stronger than their magic touch
woven into horn and gaze until I was lost
captured unwary and laughed at by all
except one
The touch of their fire does not weaken as I fly
through the endless days and nights
northward, always north
to oblivion or salvation
and away from my burning heart’s desire
To the top of the world, where magic fails
Beyond the mountains of glass
Far past the ice-choked seas
Where no mortal soul can tread
There I shall find ice to quench this endless fire
a world’s worth of pain drowned in emptiness
I cannot yield to the sweet song of my heart’s call
but must drown it until the voice no longer sings
The howls of the Windigo grow strong
and ice begins to wreath my tired form
slowly at first, then more as their howls increase
pale ghosts in the shadowed clouds, drawing near
I should surrender to their icy clutches
allowing their chill to consume my fire
as they circle in the windy sky
living snowflakes bringing the death of sleep
Fire fills my body at their embrace
a chill knife that cuts old wounds
fury consumes me, that they would dare touch
what I want so much from another
My rage consumes the beast, frost maned and icicle toothed
blown to red mist at the thoughts of my love
a haze of fragrant steam that passes behind
and raises screams of fear from its kind
Another and yet another burst into bloody mist at my touch
shrieks of pain and terror from those who do not understand
red destruction is what they bring to others
until a few survivors learn under my tutoring and flee
Onward I fly, ignoring the screams that fall behind
my love brings death, my death should I fail
still, I feel the unceasing call of my love pulling me back
to abandon my quest and surrender to fate
The wind remaining freezes solid in my throat
and my limbs are as grey stone
by the time I see that line of ash
that splits our fertile lands from sterile nothingness
Equestrian magic touches every leaf and rock
permeates the soil and air, the living and the dead
making all under the sun dance to its happy tune
as the hidden piper plays his unholy reel
That deadly song now fills my heart
with a rusty blade that saws away at my will
I must not yield to its siren call
to flee to the beloved one who has cut me there
and placed a seed of their desire within
I land upon the frozen soil of this barren place
and stare out into the featureless abyss ahead
in a line of darkness within reach of my hooves is nothing
for the magic can not pass beyond it
within that land of darkness and void
the magic chains on my heart will loose
and I shall once again be free of love’s deadly call
as I was before
The sensation of those passionate lips brings pleasure to my loins
with memory of that magical horn, glowing warm with desire
and the eyes, ever the eyes, deep as oceans
all shall be washed away
into nothingness
leaving only me
free
With wooden limbs and frozen hooves, I step forth
into a chill that makes this ice seem warm
the magic hisses as it leaves me
there is cold without its touch, like stone
and with it goes my life
I stumble back, heaving my body across the line
into the relative warmth of ice and snow
but the spell which binds me remains
wrapping my heart with a heat undimmed
The spell is stronger than my soul
more powerful than my life
stronger than death
and I must dance to its macabre tune
Into the frozen air, I rise again
heading south to where I must go
as the warmth returns, my heart rejoices
I shall be rejoined with my love
even though it means my death
Windigo snarl at my passage, their thoughts of revenge
but they keep their distance, rage held back by fires of love
they track my path with jaws open wide, howling their fury
until the growing warmth of the land leaves them behind
Other voices call, lost and fragile souls of their own
my family, those of my blood and mind
they shall not restrain my flight
nor delay my final destiny
The wind whips past my face in endless streams
and I am blind to earth and sky
the desire that burns in my heart guides my path
making the miles melt before my wings
The mountains rise up before me, glass and glitter in the sun
pale shadows of warmth, reaching for me with blades of crystal
protecting that which I now seek, each of us slaves to our masters
acting as puppets without will of our own
Their crystal spires grasp as I pass by
sharpened stone spines and razored edge
a futile grasp at one who flies above
until I am past, and they resume their endless guard
I see it now, the place where my life will end
as a hive, filled and swarming with warm life
they hate me all, but I do not care
the drones rise up with spear and hoof
cast down by my power as I fly on
so close to my destination
I will not fail
The blades that fill my heart cut again as I land
seeing my love who stands with another of love
those eyes who once could only see my own
now cast their powerful gaze away
even as the love drags me forward
towards love certainly turned to hatred
What would I give to again see those eyes filled with my reflection
those hooves, so soft and gentle upon my body
the caress of that horn, and the magic within
It shall not be, for that time is lost
but still I must try
Once I commanded thousands, and the wind shook before my power
now I am only myself, cold and ugly on the floor under their gaze
even the smallest of drones is larger
on my belly like a worm, I abase myself
dragging myself forward, I beg and plead
as I crawl
At their hooves, I collapse in agony
staining the carpet with my tears
unable to speak for the longest time
until I feel a familiar touch from each
resting upon my shoulder
Their blazing anger has cooled
justified rage, embers burnt to ash
it would be more merciful to be slain
than to endure this torture
as love once again cascades down
and my heart trembles from its power
Their eyes do not look as I feared
with hatred and bitter spite
but each warm gaze envelops me in love
that melts the ice in my heart
and forces out the words that I must say or die
Princess Cadence. Shining Armor. Please, forgive me, my love.
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
Addendum: Through annotations discovered in this document and additional research, the archeological expedition uncovered a hitherto unknown section of the Royal Crystal Crypts, collapsed under thousands of tons of rubble from the Cataclysms of 2751 and 3050. Several years of careful excavation led the expedition to a small crypt marked with the sign of the Lost Crystal Empire, and several hundred well-preserved bodies of royalty from that era. In the center of the crypt lays a single large sarcophagus, inlaid with protective spells and runes, that the expedition has been unable to open.
However, there is an inscription on the lid that has been translated as follows:
My name is Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings
Look upon my resting place, ye Mighty, and have hope
Once I viewed love as something to be taken
Wrested away from others less deserving
No greater monster could I face than myself
Stealing that which I could not earn
Destroying that which I could not conquer
Even the touch of death, I did not fear
I dared to stretch forth and steal a goddess
Taking her mate into my own embrace
In my hubris, I danced before the Sun
And flaunted my deed in her place of power
For one moment, I had risen to the sky
Victor of Sky and Heart, Queen of all I surveyed
My minions reigned supreme over our foes
And the world was my oyster
How far do the mighty fall from grace
From what heights do they plummet
One moment, Queen, the next, dust
Less than nothing, a bug beneath a hoof
Only one thing did I take from my folly
A fire in my heart, ignited by desire
Pain that could not be endured by mortal flesh
The last indignity of my defeat
My heart was wrapped in its infernal embrace
Shattered shards yearning to be reunited
That which I shattered, in turn broke me
Driving me back to the one I had struck
In mortal fear, I fled my inescapable fate
Wishing only to rid myself of this curse
But this fire could not be put out by ice
Only burning brighter as I tried
Defeated and broken, I returned to my victims
Begging forgiveness in vain for my crimes
I did not expect to be blessed beyond measure
Love given freely in exchange for love in return
Crushing defeat turned into victorious triumph
Two hearts opened wide to one in need
Through the years, our children became as one
Spreading across the land and bringing peace
Love conquers all, and conquered, I was victorious
Let that be the lesson that you take from our tomb
One heart in three bodies, together forever
Weak no longer, but strengthened by our love
For those who come after we have gone
Far from here, to the Shadowlands of legend
Take with you our wisdom as you leave this place
And return to your homes, changed for the better
Let our example guide your path
Let our children guide you into the light
Let your hearts open to those in need
And above all, let the magic of love flow through you
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
Inscribed into the stone above the doorway into the ancient tomb are a few simple words. Visitors pause on their pilgrimage to read and meditate upon them before entering the crypt, heads held low and voices hushed in respect.
By order of Princess Aurora and Prince Obsidian, The Tomb of the Founders shall forever more be open to all, be they Pony or not. The example they set through their lives has made us what we are today, and should be cherished by all, regardless of their lineage or race.
