Very few know the secret to hope. And very few should, or it might end up in fears grasp.
-Charlie Gondaver
Everyday now, fear haunts me, I cant get away from it. I keep fighting and fighting but it is to no avail, fear has gotten into my life, and I have no reason to doubt that it will corrupt me. But I am done running, its time to make my stand, this will be one hell of a fight.
Earlier that day:
I knew I was running out of time, I couldn't help but feel scared for my life. I couldn't keep the fear away, it scares me. Why? why would this happen to me? a boy of 14 years old? I asked myself, though I didn't know the answer, I did know sitting there moping around wouldn't help my situation. So I got up and headed of. I was tired of running, I wasn't running from the armored ponies anymore, they gave up their chase a while ago, why, I did not know. I should have been their top priority, but I wasn't, at least not anymore. I don't know if they just got tired of chasing me or if they just didn't see me as a threat anymore. But that is not what mattered to me then, it was the fear still chasing me that got under my skin. Though it was gone for now I knew it would return soon enough.
There it was again... that feeling... fear, though I never felt it this strong before, I knew something was up, I was getting more fearful by the moment. I couldn't keep doing this, so I decided to end it, though not there, not then, if I was going to fight I at least needed to see what I was fighting, I knew where a few fields were they would be good to fight in. But something in the back of my mind told me to keep running, to go and get some kind of help, maybe Princess Celestia would help. Though, as soon as that thought entered my mind I shook it out, "No" I said. "This is my fight and my fight alone". And with that I started a mad dash to the open field not to far from where I was. I was in good shape, I could make it there without losing much of my breath.
Once I was in the field I turned towards the woods I now lived in. Before I lived in a cave on the edge of the forest, but now I lived a bit deeper into the woods. (Just to clarify, the protagonist does not live in the Everfree forest.)
I waited and waited for something to come out of those woods, I always kept a hand in my pocket holding onto the orb for dear life. The orb for some reason, I still did not understand kept me from losing all my self-control and I was able to keep a level head. The orb had power, a good power , for it always brought me comfort and hope, even now. I very well knew that I may have to use the orb in the battle I was waiting for. Though it never came, I waited and waited for something to happen but all I was doing was wasting time I could have been using to catch some dinner, or maybe go by Applejacks and get some of her delicious apple pie. Oh I could taste it already, I could imagine me savoring the taste, lolling it in my mo- SNAP. Whatever that noise was it knocked me out of my daydream. I looked all around to try and find what made that noise. There was nothing, but I mean nothing. I just now noticed that there was no noise at all, it was still midday, the birds should have all been singing their merry little songs, but there was nothing. Fear started to rise up in me once again as I looked around in a stupor.
"I like what you are feeling now, friend." a voice said directly in front of me. I raised my club, preparing for any surprise attack.
"Who and what are you?" I asked.
"I am, what you fear." It said, making a hissing noise as it stepped out from the shadows. It was like what I killed before, a hooded figure, only this hooded figure was of a man. It had a large cloak, and two bony wings that jutted out from its back, and was at least two feet taller than me.
"What do you want?" I asked, standing up tall so that I was only a little shorter than it.
"I want, what I want, and if you give me what I want then I will go away."
"And what exactly is it you want?" I asked, stepping back a little out of fear.
"I want you to be... AFRAID!!!" The creature said, screaming at the top of its lungs. Its scream was so loud it forced me to cover my ears, and even then it was still very loud. Though even with its loud screech of horror, it did not get what it wanted, not from me. It may have scared me some yes, but it hardly made me back down.
"NEVER!!!" I screamed. "I will never fall into fears grasp while air still flows through these lungs."
"Then I suppose that I will have to take the air out of those lungs." With that said, the creature vanished into thin air. It was then that it came to be, the orb, it was in those moments that the orb glowed brighter than it had ever before, even brighter then when it brought me to this world. I tried to pull the orb out of my pocket but before I could something from behind me knocked me face first into the ground below. I struggled to my feet as I stared into the emptiness of my foes face. It was at that moment that I knew what I had to do, without further ado I brought the orb out of my pocket and brought it eye level with the creature. It started to back away slowly, to slowly for me, so I moved in closer, confidence growing in each step. Then all of the sudden I found myself knocked back to the ground, the creature moved with such speed, even faster than me with the orb by my side. But I knew I could not let myself get scared, I just had a feeling that if I was afraid than it would give it power over me, and God knows that's the last thing I want. I got back to my feet quickly. to quickly for the creatures liking as it hissed at me. With one hand I brought the orb back up, and once again the creature backed up a little and charged me, but this time slower than before, slow enough to deliver a punch to its gut sending it flying backwards. After that I think the creature had enough, as it ran away back into the woods from where it came. Though happy I won the battle, I was not satisfied that it was not dead, though I now had a pretty good idea on how to kill it.
After a while I managed a point at the end of my club to spear the creature, if I could get it down long enough to do any real damage that is. The whole time I was messing with my weapon I could feel the the creature around me, studying me and my weapon. Then all of the sudden it was gone, in the blink of an eye it was gone. I had an uneasy feeling about it though, but I took it as my chance to get some well deserved rest, even if it wasn't quite sunset yet.
When I was sleeping I dreamed for the first time in quite a while in this world, though it was more of a memory really, but still a dream. I dreamed of my parents, how they destroyed my childhood, how they argued all the time, how my dad would get drunk, and my mom would get high of of whatever kind of drug she would use at the time. I dreamed of the day I heard the gunshot... then, nothing, I dreamed of me running away from home and finding the orb, I dreamed about the first day that I arrived in this world, only to be thrown in prison for a long while.
When I awoke I found myself in the field I slept in, though nothing had changed I felt the creatures presence again. I knew it was time to finish this.
From out of nowhere the creature appeared sitting on top of a rock, i drew the orb and the creature immediately stood up. "I see you like my little toy I got with me." I said in a mocking tone.
"Do not fool yourself child, it may have an effect on me but it is not enough to stop me." With that said the creature teleported behind me and shoved me to the ground again.
I rolled away from the creature only to be caught up to quickly and get a nasty bite on my forarm I brought up to defend my face. I screamed in pain, while at the same time bringing up the orb in the other arm and punching the creature time and time again. The creature eventually let go, it retreated a few yards away. I got up trying to balance myself when the creature came forward again, punching me in the stomach sending me sprawling backwards. The creature wouldn't let me recover after that, it sent punch after punch after punch to my face and body. I dropped the orb and club out of all the pain I was receiving, but I managed a lucky upercut to the creatures jaw. it was then that I realized what the creature was. The force of the punch I delivered to the creatures jaw sent its hood back, leaving me staring into the dead eyes of a human skeleton. "What are you?" I asked taking shaky breaths.
"I am, fear." The creature said. "the thing you have been running from for so long."
I used this time of talk to regain some of my strength and inch closer to the orb that was lying on the ground beside me.
"Why? why do this?" I asked, getting very close to the orb.
"Did you not here my name?"
"Just because Fear is your name does not justify your acts." and with that said, I made a quick role for the orb. Upon grabbing the orb, I looked up at the creature just in time to defend myself from its charge. Though the creature delivered a staggering hard right hook to my face, I delivered a harder jab with my right hand, sending Fear back a few feet onto the ground. Then with one final effort of strength I reached for my club that was sitting on the ground right next to me. I brought the club up and lunged at Fear smashing it into the ground before it could get up. But I knew I had to finish the job. I brought my club back into the air and delivered a fatal blow to fear's body, but before I could do that, it sent its long bony and pointy fingers into my side. But I did not let up I held myself there, next I lowered the club onto Fears head, smashing its skull into the ground. But the strange thing was, when I killed Fear I noticed that its body started to vanish, not vanish literally, but turn into dust. I could not explain it, but i didn't care then, I fell back onto the ground hard, I was tired, I was bleeding, I was bruised and battered... I was dieing. Before I passed out however, I managed to see one last thing, a white figure swooping down onto the ground next to me. And with that, I blacked out.
When I awoke, I found myself in a hospital bed with a heart monitor and a IV on both sides of my bed... and a pounding headache. "Doctor its waking up" Someone said from across the room. I tried to focus my vision but it was no use, my vision was blurry, to blurry to see anything that wasn't next to me. However I could see colors, colors that I knew, I knew what they were, who they were. It was the first color that approached me, a white color and very tall, it was then followed by a smaller yet still very tall dark blue creature, and behind them were six other figures. They all stopped at the foot of my bed. I sat up, my vision was slowly starting to clear, and I could make out their faces.
"Hello again, Human." The tall white one said with a bit of sorrow in her voice.
"Hello again, Celestia." I then asked. "Was it you who brought me here?"
"Indeed Human. But before we go into that I want to ask you... what is your name?"
"My name? huh, I have not mentioned nor thought about my name in a long time. But I suppose now is better than never aye. My name, is Charlie, Charlie Gondaver."
"Well Charlie, may I ask, what was that strange orb in your pocket?" My old friend, Twilight asked.
"Please before I say anything about it to you, will you give it back to me?"
"If we have your word that you will bring no harm to us or anypony with it." The dark blue alicorn stated.
"You have my word." I said.
"Then, Doctor, bring the orb that the human had with him, please." Celestia said with a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"Yes your majesty, the Doctor said while leaving the room.
"It will be here in a moment, now please tell us what it is." The dark blue alicorn said.
"Tell me first, what is your name?" I asked.
"My name, is Princess Luna."
"Well then, Luna, I cant really explain the orb, it was the thing that brought me here in the first place. It gave me hope in the hopeless times, it let me run faster than any of you ponies could ever hope to gallop" I stated quickly.
"Wait, and thats it?" Twilight asked.
"No not at all, it also gives me power, its what gave me the power and hope to defeat fear."
"Fear?" Celestia said. "What do you mean by fear?"
"Fear was the beast that gave me these wounds." I said sadly.
"I wondered what could have wounded you like that." Celestia said while shaking her head.
"Tell me, what was this, Fear like?" Twilight asked.
"It had the figure of a Human, but it was not a Human, it had a large cloak and two bony wings jutting out of its back, and it stood a good two feet taller then you, Celestia" I said.
Celestia's eyes widened at that comment but soon settled down after the Doctor came in with the orb. "Your Majesty, here is the orb that you requested."
"Thank you good Doctor." Celestia said. "You may leave now."
"Thank you your Majesty." And with that the Doctor left.
"Now remember your promise Charlie." Celestia said in a very serious tone.
"Beileve me when I tell you that I will not use is to evil intent." And with that said, Celelstia nodded and slowly handed me the orb. However, she slowed down even more when she noticed that the orb grew brighter the closer it got to me. "Do not be afraid." I said. " It will not harm you, nor will I." She nodded and then returned to giving me the orb. Once I had the orb in my hand it grew much brighter. Then all of the sudden I felt like new again, the orb was healing me, I couldn't explain it but it was healing me.
All the ponies lurched back upon seeing all the wounds that I had, vanish, leaving nothing but scares as their remains. "What the hay was that?" Applejack said in a very scared tone.
"That my dear Applejack, is apparently a perk to this orb." I said, smiling at what just happened.
"Bu-but how?" Twilight asked.
"I actually don't know to be honest, but I still love it." I said while getting out of bed to get a good stretch in.
Once I was done talking I turned to the ponies who shook in fear, well, excluding Celestia and Luna who looked at me in concern more than anything.
"Well I suppose its time to take my leave." I said while using the orb to teleport to the other side of the room preparing my self for a delight.
"QUICK, ALERT THE GUARDS TELL THEM WE HAVE AN EMERGENCE AT HOOF." Celestia said in a worried tone. Then they all turned around at the same time to leave the room to get the guards, that is when my time came, with one mighty roar I released a loud
"BOO!!!" Then they all fell back on their flanks, screaming, scared more then half to death. I stared at them, chuckling quietly to myself.
"Like I said before, I would never hurt your ponies."
I had been at Canterlot for a long while, a month and a half to be exact. And it was time to be heading home, I got what I wanted, friends, and trust. "Are you sure you want to go back to the life you had before?" Celestia asked.
"Yes, quite sure, living in a cave isn't all that bad, and with all the things that rarity gave me to spice my cave up, I think that I'm in a pretty good position."
"Very well then, friend." She said with some emotion in that last word.
"I promise to come and visit every once and a while, just because I am this worlds protector for now, does not mean that I have to protect it all the time, the orb will let me know when something serious is afoot, or ahoof." We both laughed at that moment.
"Well, here we are." Celestia said while the train was beginning its stop to ponyville.
"Well I have got a lot of work ahead of me." I said. "I suppose this will be it for the time being."
"Indeed, farewell my friend."
"Farewell." I said waving goodbye as she watched me go off into the woods.
"Until, we meet again." Celestia said in a whisper. "Until we meet again" And with that, she trotted of towards Ponyville.
It is so hard to win against fear, yet so easy to overcome it with hope.
-Charlie Gondaver
Author's Note
I just want to let you all know that there is a sequel to this story called A Heart Of Hope Go check it out if you want.
