The Chronicles of Equis: The Moons Vengeance

They say History is one of the greatest, but also one of the most fickle teachers we have.  That the records of past deeds, true or not, define who we are in the present, and what we shall be in the future.  In fact some of these tales have the power to hold sway over thousands of minds, years after they were originally conceived.  Some stories are lies, some are truths, most are somewhere in-between, but a truly great tale can always inspire others to reach heights they never thought to reach before, or submit them into following a path of another's choosing.

I shall tell you of such a tale.  It is a tale quite familiar to me, for I have spent nearly a life time. piecing it together and chronicling it here, within this book.  For years I have pondered its passages, studying every line, committing each word to memory.  Perhaps now, in the telling of it, I shall at last find the answers I seek.

Our tale takes place in the sweeping emerald plains and high blue mountains of the Kingdom of Vael on the continent of Equestria.  The land itself is bountiful and inspiring, vast areas of fertile farmland mixed with scattered forests and guarded by near impassable blue mountains, known locally as the Unicorn Range.

For centuries this land was home to our people, the Ceffyl, or to outsiders like the Griffi and Minotars, the 'horse people', (also called 'Ponies' by the Canii, or Diamond Dogs as they call themselves, due to the fact they often try to capture us as slaves and use us as a heavy work force in their diamond mines - I'm glad to say they often fail due to their general incompetence).  Ever since the three kingdoms of the Teron Republic, the Hudau Kingdom and Cumlui Empire banded together to form this kingdom of Vael, we lived peaceful lives, free, proud, and strong in bond to family and friends.

Until the day a creature known as, 'The King of Shadows', came to Vael.  A creature like none we've ever encountered, this monster came down on Vael like a deadly disease, his armies of Canii and Minotars sweeping down from the mountains like the shadows he claimed to rule over, burning entire villages to the ground, razing our strongest forts, and his agents dividing us against ourselves.

The war lasted 3 years, and the scattered peoples of Vael suffered terrible losses.  Defeat seemed inevitable.

But in our darkest hour, two siblings, a brother and sister, came forth from the wilds, bearing artifacts empowered by the holy light, and demanded a meeting between all the remaining leaders of the Vael peoples.  Though at first skeptical, the desperate leaders of the now divided kingdom were eventually convinced of the siblings worth when they exposed one of the King's spies on the council with the power of their artifacts.  They proved themselves yet again two days later when they faced down one of the King's top generals, along with two legions of the King's armies with barely a legion of Cumuli and Teron soldiers.

Now proven and tested, the siblings persuaded the council to put aside their differences, and unite once more against the King of Shadows.  Driven by a new hope and sense of purpose, the horse people rallied behind their new heroes.  The combined might of the kingdom and the siblings proved more than a match for the King's Generals, who had counted on the division, and wariness of the Vael people.

Victory after victory came for the armies of Vael, until at last they pushed their foes back, towards the very capital of the King of Shadow's Empire, the Citadel of Yar'ak Rhul.  It was there, on what would be known thereafter as the Plains of Sorrow, that the two armies met for the last time, the deciding blow waiting to be struck.

As luck would have it, the forces of Vael moved first.  With the light of the siblings ahead of them, now named Solaris and Luna in honour of the light they wielded, the armies of Vael quickly took the walls, storming through the Citadel tearing down every slave pit, every torture chamber, freeing everyone who had suffered under the kings heel from their chains before descending on the tower of the King of Shadows himself.

But evil is not so easily destroyed, or fooled, as this entire siege was revealed to be a trap.  The elite of the Kings army, had yet to reveal itself up to this point, but now the armies of Vael would see why he was called, the 'King of Shadows'.  Before their disbelieving and terrified eyes, the bodies of the dead, both ally and enemy began to rise, and the shadows came alive, wrapped themselves around the aforementioned corpses, and transformed them into black armoured creatures of corruption and decay, and proceeded to attack their former comrades with a unworldly vigor, hunger for blood burning in their now cold, blue eyes.

Then, the King revealed himself.

A faceless monster armoured in smooth black plate, wielding a massive poll-axe, his face hidden behind a tight fitting helmet, only his eyes, the same burning blue as his undead servants, gave any indication there was a face underneath that mask, he came down on the two siblings with a single minded resolve.

As the remnants of the Vael army fought against this fresh wave of undead, the three combatants fought across the battlefield, Solaris and his mighty Longsword, Light-bearer, parrying every blow of the massive poll-axe, but never quick enough to make a counter attack before the King brought down his fel weapon down on him again, and again.

Luna attempted to aid but was engaged by a swarm of undead knights, forcing her on the defensive as she attempted to break through the pressing multitude to aid her brother.

Meanwhile Solaris and the King continued to duel each other, the King forcing Solaris away from the field and into his fortress, closer and closer towards his inner sanctum, were Solaris' powers began to weaken as the Light was slowly overpowered by the darkness.

Luna managed at last to break through her assailants and raced towards the Tower, determined to aid her brother.

And that was the last anyone saw of Luna that day.  What happened in that tower, no-one can say, for none but Solaris witnessed it, but all anyone knows is that when the battle seemed to be at its lowest point, when all had lost all hope in victory or survival, Yar'ak Rhul was engulfed in a blinding light, almost as bright as the Sun itself, and the tower, along with all the undead, vanished, without a trace.

The only one to emerge from that Citadel of darkness was the Sun Knight Solaris, battered and bloodied, clutching the artifacts that Luna had carried, with a worn face full of sorrow and loss.  Luna's body was never found, nor any remains of the King of Shadows or his Empire.  But since that day, the moon carried with it a permanent scar, a black shape of a fair maidens face, resting peacefully on its white surface.

To this day, Solaris has refused to speak of the events that transpired in that Citadel to anyone, even his closest kin, and no one will probably ever know.  But Solaris did not go unrewarded for his efforts.  By decree of the council of Vael Solaris was elected King of Caer Vael, and would guide its people for as long as he lived.  It took some time, but Solaris would grow into a Mighty and Benevolent King, gracing us with long years of happiness, prosperity and peace.

But that dear reader is not the end of our tale.  It is, but the beginning.......