Lyric entered the remote village after journeying for days without another in sight. The rainy season had apparently arrived in this part of the land, muddying the roads and slowing her travels. She sighed in relief at the thought of finally having some dry shelter, and at the fact that the rain had stopped momentarily, before glancing around for anypony who might call this place home. There was a cluster of small stone houses with thatched roofs but not a soul nearby. She began to wonder if the villagers had left for someplace drier until she spotted a fire in the distance. Trotting towards it, she saw that everypony was gathered around a large bonfire, and she tapped the shoulder of a stallion on the edge of the crowd.
"Yes? Can I help you?" he asked her when he saw her cloak and the large cloth-wrapped bundle on her back. He was unsmiling, his eyes drawn.
"I am sorry to bother you," she said, stepping back slightly, uncertain of how she would be received, "but I am a traveller and was wondering if it would be possible to take shelter here for the night. My name is Lyric."
He was quiet as he looked her up and down. "Wait here. I'll get the elder," he said, and disappeared into the crowd.
Lyric took the large bundle off of her back and opened it to examine its parcel as the stallion returned with a pony who could only be the elder. She had a wizened face lined with age and was dressed in a large green cloak decorated with golden leaves. A small filly trotted at her side.
"Greetings, traveller," she hailed in a voice that was strong despite her age. "I am elder Amber Leaf. You are?"
Seeing that her lute was unharmed by the weather, Lyric rewrapped it in the protective cloth and bowed. "My name is Lyric, elder. I am a travelling bard who is hoping to take shelter for the night in your village."
"You may stay, Lyric, but forgive us for not welcoming you properly. We have just experienced a loss and are currently in mourning."
"I am so sorry. I had no idea," Lyric told her.
Amber Leaf shook her head. "There is no need to apologize. How could you have known?"
At this, the filly spoke. "Grandma... what happened to Grandpa? Where did he go?"
Tears fell down Amber's cheeks as she knelt to look her young granddaughter in the eye. "Grandpa is not with us anymore, dear. He's... His soul has left this land."
Now the filly's eyes filled with tears as she asked again, quieter this time, "But where did he go?"
Amber sighed and stood. "I don't know, Summer, and I wish I did."
"Um... Actually," Lyric spoke up, "I might have the answer for you, if you'll allow me to share it. Though I must warn you that this tale does not have a happy start."
Amber looked to her granddaughter and saw the filly staring up expectantly at Lyric. She then returned her own gaze to Lyric and nodded. "Please, go on. Perhaps it will bring us some peace of mind."
Lyric bowed once more and seated herself before her audience of two. Her thoughts briefly turned to her instrument as she considered taking it out to play, but this was a somber occasion and a somber tale. She felt that, for once, music was not fitting. She took a breath and began.
"Long ago, before the Royal Sisters came into power, creatures of chaos freely roamed these lands. Where we now see peace and prosperity, there was nothing but sadness and fear for the ponies who lived here then. The forces of good and the forces of chaos were constantly at war, and one pony was determined to see it end. His name was Starswirl the Bearded."
The little filly cried out, "I know who he is! Did he make all the bad guys go away?"
Lyric smiled. "In a way, he did. But not at first. You see, he knew that he needed to find somepony worthy of taking care of these lands who would also be strong enough to cast the evil creatures out."
"But why didn't he do it?" Summer asked.
Lyric's smile became gentle. "Because Starswirl was still young at this time. He was not at his full power, though history shows us that he grew to be a great Unicorn. He felt that he would not be the one to defeat the dark forces, but his mind was set on his goal.
"At the time, Starswirl knew a Pegasus mare named Halo. She was quite a bit older than yourself, but she had not yet gained her cutie mark. Starswirl knew that his friend wanted an end to the chaos as much as he did, and thought that perhaps she could find her purpose during the journey. When she was asked, Halo accepted Starswirl's offer to travel with him right away."
"And did they find the Princesses and make everything better?"
"Hush, child, and let Miss Lyric finish her story," Amber softly chided before she turned back to the bard.
"It's alright," Lyric said with a grin at Summer. The filly reminded Lyric of herself when she had listened to her parents' stories. "Starswirl did eventually find the Princesses, but not until quite a while after this tale.
"At first, things were quiet for him and for Halo, save for a few near encounters with the creatures. But what they saw one day utterly horrified them and shook them to their cores.
"It was nearing sunset on this day of their journey, and all had been well with no signs of trouble. But when they came to the edge of a valley and looked down below, only death lay before them for as far as they could see. Starswirl gaped, and Halo froze at the sight. A great battle had taken place that day between the good ponies of the land and the forces of chaos, and the losses were heavy.
"Halo flew over the land while Starswirl picked his way over the ground. Both could see many slain Changelings on the battlefield and ponies of all kinds amongst them. When Halo saw tents at the other end of the valley, she landed at the edge of what appeared to be a camp. The wounded were still being carried off of the field by the living and relatively uninjured, and she immediately started tending to them.
"'Water, please...' and 'I don't want to die...' were some of the most common things she heard, and every time she said, 'Don't worry. I am here. I will take care of you.' None of those who had fought in battle had even questioned her or what she was doing there. They were just grateful for the help.
"As she tended to the wounded, Starswirl aided in taking them off of the field and into the medical tents. Both continued this work well into the dark hours, but despite their best efforts, many more were lost in the night.
"Halo finally found Starswirl as dawn neared, and he could see that her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. 'Why, Starswirl? Why does this have to happen? What have these ponies done to deserve this fate?' Her voice was thick with sorrow.
"Starswirl sighed. 'I don't know, Halo, but that's why we must continue searching. We have to make sure this all comes to an end.' Halo could see that Starswirl's eyes were red-rimmed as well.
"'We're just going to leave them like this?' Halo said.
"'Unfortunately, we must, if we want this madness to cease.' Here, he paused. 'However, let us at least stay until they have buried their dead. It would be fitting for us to say goodbye to those we tried to save.'
"Halo agreed, and both began the trying task of helping the ponies lay their comrades to rest. It was long after the sun had risen that this was complete, and the living recited a few words of parting. Halo and Starswirl stood off to the side, silent, as the dead were saluted.
"'What now?' Halo quietly asked of her companion.
"'What?' was Starswirl's reply as he glanced at her.
"'What will happen to them now? They've been buried, I know this, but what now? Will they just be left like this until they are forgotten? Or will somepony take care of them?'
"It was then that a light flashed on Halo's flank, though she was too focused on her thoughts to notice. Starswirl, however, had seen, and gently put his hoof on her shoulder.
"'I think it is you who shall take care of them, Halo.'
"'What?' She turned to face him. 'What do you mean?'
"Starswirl pointed to her once bare flank, and she looked to it to see what had appeared. It was a ring of golden light, her cutie mark. Halo was in awe.
"'But what does it mean?' she asked of her friend.
"Starswirl was silent as he pondered the answer. After a time, he swept his arm over the freshly dug graves. 'These lives have ended,' he said, 'while these are still continuing,' and he pointed to the ponies in the tents. 'It is a circle, and it is one you now have a part in.'
"'I'm not sure I understand.'
"Rather than giving her a reply, Starswirl said, 'Close your eyes.'
"Halo tilted her head, puzzled, but did as he asked. At that moment, she felt magic surround her, and then felt a strange tingling on her forehead. This continued for quite some time, and then the tingling was gone. She opened her eyes and looked around her, but nothing had changed. Or so she thought, until she was led to a small stream nearby. When she peered into the water, she jumped back in surprise, not sure if she believed her eyes.
"When she looked again, she saw a horn on her forehead that was as white as the rest of her coat. She touched it, and found that it was real. She spread her wings, unsure until that moment that they would still be in their proper place. 'I... I'm an Alicorn...'
"'That's right,' Starswirl told her as he stepped up next to her, 'for only Alicorns can exist outside of this realm and live eternally.'
"'And I can guide the souls of these fallen ponies, and any others who need my help finding their way,' Halo said in awe. 'I can create a new realm for them and help them find peace.'
"Here she hugged her old friend. 'Thank you, Starswirl, for everything you have done. I wish you luck on the rest of your journey, and I am sure I will see you again.'
"Starswirl hugged her in return. 'Goodbye, Halo, and good luck to you as well. I know you will help these ponies, and many more to come.'
"With that, the new Alicorn began to fade away, and it is said that as she did, many lights alighted from the graves of the fallen ponies, and also some from those of the Changelings. They all rose into the sky as the still living ponies looked on in awe, and one by one they disappeared as they joined Halo on their new journeys.'"
Amber and Summer were quiet as Lyric finished her tale. Looking among the crowd, Lyric could see that many of the gathered ponies had listened in as well. Finally Summer broke the silence when she stepped forward and said, "Um... Miss Lyric? Did that really all happen?"
Here Lyric fell silent, and she thought for a while before kneeling down to face the young filly. "Honestly, Summer, I don't know. I've looked her up to try to find out more about her, and this is the only story I've ever found. But..." Without realizing it, Lyric put a hoof on her chest where an arrow had once struck her. "...I think I've seen her."
"Really!?" Summer's eyes widened. "What was she like?"
All turned to the bard as they waited for her answer. Lyric's smile was shaky as a few stray tears now fell from her as well. She recalled a coat of pure white, golden eyes full of warmth as they gazed upon her, and a voice that soothed her fears and pains.
"She was so kind, and so beautiful. She told me that she would take me away, if I was ready." There was a pause in the night as she composed herself, willing herself to speak despite the lump forming in her throat. "I was saved before that could happen, and so here I am, telling you the tale and what I know. But even if we don't know the truth," she said, wiping her tears away, "isn't it comforting to think that there is somepony waiting to take care of us all?"
