A long time ago, thousands of years before the rule of the royal pony sisters, another kingdom covered the land now known as Equestria. This Kingdom was ruled by a single mare who had once used the great power in her heart to unite the three races together for the first time. She was named Nihility the First Queen, she brought forth a golden age of peace that was sadly never meant to last.
Thirty years into her rule a great beast created by an unknown dark magic attacked her kingdom, she bravely stood against this monster, giving her all to protect the ponies she loved so dearly. She unleashed every ounce of her power in the final desperate moments to deliver a final blow to the beast but in doing so, the curse of her power claimed her life. Her death left a void in its wake. The queen was unable to have children and without an heir, there was no clear leader. A power struggle broke out among the lords of the land that divided the races once again. The quarrels and debates turned violent as the lords declared war on one another. They closed their eyes to changing world around them, blinded by their lust for power.
The forest around the queen’s city slowly transformed, the trees twisted into unnatural shapes with snarled, thorn-covered branches. The animals deformed becoming cruel shadows of what they once were, all with the dark smoky eyes of the beast that took the queen’s life. These monsters crept out of the ever-expanding forest, ever seeking a way to sate their unending hunger. Anypony unfortunate or foolish enough to find themselves inside this cruel domain, was never seen again. Their once golden world has turned dark and unforgiving, but only within the deepest darkness can the most brilliant light be found.
Fifteen years after the queen’s death, a small earth pony town sat at the edge of a desert ravaged by war, its once simple homes now burnt to the ground, replaced by tents that housed unicorn soldiers. The only part of the old town that remained was a crumbling food cellar, now converted into a makeshift jail for prisoners of war.
Inside the cellar, a young earth pony mare dipped her sand colored foreleg into a bucket of soapy water. She pulled out a tattered rag then turned to an old stained table and began to scrub. Tears filled her amber eyes as she thought about the last pony that laid on this table. The mare knew she did all she could to save the young pegasus, but that knowledge did not stop her heart from aching nor did it stop the agonizing screams that still rung in her ears.
The mare wiped the tears from her eyes while she brushed her rose red mane from her face. She looked down at the grimy table and sighed. The dark room suddenly filled with light as the cellar door swung open. Two unicorn solders walked down the stairs as they drag a pegasus behind them.
The unicorn in gold armor lifted the pegasus and tossed him onto the table “We caught another one.”
The mare gasped and rushed up to unconscious pegasus with a shout “You don’t have to throw him!” The soldier glared at the mare, his cold stare made her cringe “I-I'm sorry Captain” she said in a quivering voice “I-I didn’t mean to yell at you sir.”
The Captain growled “Just fix him up! The Commander wants him ready for questioning as soon as possible.”
“Q-questioning?” the mare lowered her head and closed her eyes “I-Is that really neces-“
“Just do it, Chance!” the Captain yelled “If you keep complaining like this.” A spiteful grinned crossed his face “I’ll have to report you.”
Chance Looked up her eyes wide with fear “N-no, p-please! I’ll” She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh “I’ll have him ready as soon as I can.”
“Good.” The Captain used his magic to grab a metal shackle off the wall. The chain that came from the shackle dragged the ground as it floated behind the pegasus and clamped onto his back leg “I’ll be back to check on him in the morning” The Captain’s grinned at Chance like a cat grinning at a mouse “He better be ready by then, Chance, or else.”
Chance bowed her head as the unicorns left. She took a clean rag to the pegasus as soon as they were gone. She lifted his left wing as she cleaned his silver coat. His body tensed and began to quiver as her hoof touched his wing.
Chance gently ran her hoof down his wing, she felt a bone broken in two “You poor thing.” she sighed “They really hurt you, didn’t they?” She softly brushed his deep blue mane away from his ear as she leaned in and whispered “I am sorry, but…this is going to hurt.”
Chance wrapped one foreleg around his wing and placed the other at its base. She braced herself, and then she expertly set the bone with one precise tug. The stallion opened his dark brown eyes. He raised his head and screamed. He took a few quick breaths as color faded from his eyes and he passed out again.
Chance leaned in “I'm so sorry” she whispered “I know that hurt but it would never heal right if I didn’t set the bone.” She felt his body shiver as she placed her hoof on his side “Oh, are you cold? Let me get you a blanket.”
Chance walked towards an old cabinet, made from dry splintered wood. The chain cuffed around her leg broke the silence as it rattled across the ground. The cabinet’s rusty hinges squealed as she opened it. She pulled out an old moth-eaten blanket and walked back to the pegasus. A flash of silver chain caught her eye as she wrapped the blanket around him. Chance followed the chain around his neck and found a blue shield pendent with silver wings.
“A necklace just like your mark” Chance said as she removed his necklace “I bet it’s important to you” She whispered to him with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry I’ll keep It safe.” She walked up to the cabinet and pushed it aside. She lifted a small stone from the floor and revealed a small hoof dug hole. She gently placed the necklace in the hole it rested beside several herbs, small stones and a few other pieces of jewelry before she covered the hole with the stone and pushed the cabinet back.
Chance smiled as she walked back to the table “That’s my hiding place” she giggled as she leaned in and whispered “You won’t tell anypony, will you?” She pulled back and stared at the pegasus, her smile slowly faded as eyes quivered “Please” Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell to the cold stone floor beneath her “Please, don’t wake up.”
Chance spread another old blanket on the floor and stayed by his side; she tended his wounds and changed his bandages all through the night. Just as she nodded off, a low moan woke her. She watched the pegasus as his eyes slowly opened.
“Oh” Chance said with a smile “you’re awake.”
The pegasus put his hoof to his head and moaned “My…my head.”
“I'm sorry” said Chance “They gave you quite a bump back there.”
“They?”
“The unicorn soldiers” said Chance
“Unicorns!” The pegasus jumped up, pain shot through every inch of his body and he quickly fell back down with a yell. He looked down at the bandages that covered him “Wh-what happened to me? Where am I?”
“You were captured by the unicorns” said Chance “You’re in the Rose Wood camp.”
“R-rose Wood! N-no I…I can’t be” The stallion rested his head on the table as his eyes began to quiver in fear “I can’t be there. No, not in Dead Wood.”
Chance looked down and muttered “I-I hate that name.”
After a moment of silence, the stallion looked up at Chance “Are…are you the one who dressed my wounds?”
Chance looked up with a faint smile “Yes, yes I did the best I could. My name is Felicity Le Chance. I was the doctor of Rose Wood…before the unicorns…burnt it down.”
“Thank you Doctor Chance” the stallion said with a forced smile “My name is Ace Silverwing.”
Chance raised her hoof “It’s nice to meet you Ace but you can just call me Chance everypony else does.”
Ace reached out and shook her hoof before he looked around the cold, dark room “How long have you been here?”
Chance lied down on her blanket “I was captured when they first took Rose Wood.”
Ace’s eyes widened “That…That was almost a year ago!”
“Really?” Chance let out a heavy sigh “it feels more like three.”
“Has anypony ever gotten out?” asked Ace
Chance rested her head on her forelegs with a somber expression, never saying a word.
After a moment, Ace looked away. He laid his head on the table and wrapped up in the blanket. He reached up to his neck and gasped “M-my necklace!” He looked around the room in a panic “Where’s my necklace?”
Chance jumped up and quickly moved to him “It’s alright.” She placed her hoof on his shoulder “I have it. It’s safe.” She walked over to the cabinet and pushed it aside “I guess I was right” she moved the stone and picked up the necklace then carried it to Ace “It is important to you.”
“It is” Ace took the necklace and held it to his chest “M-my father gave it to me when I got my mark.”
Chance held out her hoof “Then you better leave it with me.”
“What? No!” Ace turned away from her “I never let it out of my sight.”
“Please” said Chance “Commander Havoc likes to take trophies. If he sees it, he’ll take it from you and you’ll never see it again.” She held out her hoof once more “I’ll keep it safe for you.” She smiled as a gentle glow shined in her eyes “I promise.”
Ace hesitantly reached out and gave Chance his necklace “Please don’t lose it. It’s all I have left of my father.”
“I won’t” Chance placed the necklace back in the hole “It’ll be right here if you want it.” She replaced the stone and pushed the cabinet back. She pulled the last blanket from the cabinet. She folded it and placed it at the head of the table “You should get some rest. You look tired.”
Ace laid his head on the folded blanket “Thank you, Chance.”
A genuine smile showed from Chance as she laid down on her blanket and closed her eyes.
A few hours of restless sleep passed and Ace turned onto his side. The sudden jolt of pain from his broken wing woke him and his shout woke Chance.
Chance jumped up “Are you alright?”
His face grew tense as he held his wing “M-my wing. I-It really hurts. Please, can…can you do something?”
“I'm sorry, I have nothing for pain. They won’t even give me what I need to make a splint for you.” Chance picked her blanket up off the floor, shook it then laid it over Ace. She placed her hoof on his shoulder “Close your eyes and try to relax.” Ace closed his eyes tight and shivered as the pain poured through is body. Chance leaned right to his ear and spoke with a voice soft and warm. “Think of your friends and your family. Imagine being with them, far, far away from here, in a place where the gentle sun warms your coat and the lush green grass tickles your hooves as you walk across the soft ground. A cool breeze softly brushes your coat, carrying the fragrance of the most beautiful wildflo-“ She suddenly heard the cellar door unlock. She quickly whispered to Ace “Pretend you’re unconscious.”
Ace looked up at her and began to speak but Chance covered his mouth “Please!” Her eyes filled with fear as she whispered again “Don’t move.” Ace put his head down and laid still.
Three unicorn soldiers came down the stairs. The Captain walked up to Chance, he looked at Ace then to her “Is he ready?”
Chance bowed her head “I-I’m sorry Captain. He’s still unconscious.”
The Captain glared at Ace “The commander won’t be happy but I'm sure you know that by now” He turned his glare to Chance “Don’t you, Chance?”
Chance turned her head and cringed “Y-yes sir, but there is nothing I can do. I’ll let you know the moment he wakes up.”
The Captain stared Chance down “You better, if you know what's good for you. If you anger the commander, he’ll take away your free time, or maybe” the captain flashed a fiendish grin “He’ll rescind your protection order” He leaned in, an inch away from Chance and brushed her mane from her face. He raised her chin and stared at her with hungry eyes “Unless maybe…that’s what you want.”
Chance pulled back and looked at the ground “I-I’ll let you know when he wakes up sir.”
A scowl crossed the Captains face “Humph, fine have it your way.” He turned and walked to the other soldiers, when he reached them he smiled and chuckled “One more thing Chance, just a small test if you will.”
“A-a test, sir?” asked Chance.
“Just a small one” laughed the Captain “To see if you are lying” using his magic, the Captain grabbed the chain connected to Ace’s leg. He grinned and yanked it with all his might. The force snatched Ace clean off the table. He yelled out as he crashed to the ground.
The Captain laughed callously “Oh look, he’s awake.” He pointed to Ace “seize him!” the other unicorns pounced on Ace, overpowered him quickly, and pinned him to the floor.
Chance ran up “Stop you’re hurting him!” Her back leg suddenly yanked out from under her and she rose into the air.
The Captain grinned as he looked up at Chance “Aren't you cute hanging upside down” He pulled a brass key from a pocket in his armor and tossed it to one of the soldiers “Unlock his leg and take him to the Commander.”
“No, please!” yelled Chance “He’s not ready yet! He’ll kill him!”
The Captain laughed at Chance “How sweet you are, worrying about that pathetic bag of feathers, when you should be worrying about yourself.” He stroked her cheek “You lied to me Chance, that’s your third offence, consider your protection gone.”
Chance spit in the Captain’s eye “You’re disgusting!”
The Captain growled as he wiped his eye “And your mine! I’ll be seeing you tonight, Chance!”
As the Captain walked away, he released his magic. Chance fell hard to the floor. She slowly got up and limped to the furthest corner of the cellar. She sat in the corner. She closed her eyes and covered her ears. She hummed a song but her song was not enough to silence the horrible sounds that came from outside. She still heard the first crack of the whip and Ace’s first agonized scream. She pressed harder on her ears and hummed louder as tears poured down her face. No matter how hard she pressed or how loud she hummed, she still heard the cracking whip, the horrifying screams and the Commander’s fanatical laughter.
After countless screams and untold time, everything went silent. Chance uncovered her ears and wiped her tears away as she tried to stop her body from shaking. The Captain opened the door, dragged Ace down the stairs and threw him on the table, all the while he never once looked at Chance.
The Captain locked the chain around Ace’s leg and turned away “Havoc’s had his fun, he’s yours now.”
Chance ran up to Ace, his eyes closed and his body was shaking violently. She immediately tended to the gashes down his back. She tried everything she could to clean his wounds. While she worked, Chance glanced nervously at the Captain, who stood motionless with his back turned towards them.
Just as Chance applied the last bandage, the Captain turned his head slightly and glanced at her before staring at the floor “As…as punishment for lying, the Commander has restricted your free time to twice a week.”
Chance cautiously looked up at him “A-and my protection.”
“Is still on” The Captain quickly turned and glared at Chance with one eye the other swollen shut “I don’t understand why Havoc insists on protecting you!” He stomped around the table pushing Chace back, staring her down with a snarl “You! You are nothing more than a pile of earth pony garbage!”
Chance slowly looked up to the Captain’s eye “Y-Your eye, did…did Havoc do that?” The Captain turned away. In Chance’s mind a voice shouted ‘He got what he deserved’ but in her heart another voice spoke softly and that’s the one she listened to. Chance walked to the cabinet and opened a drawer, she unsealed a small jar and dabbed a bandage in a light green ointment. She walked up to the Captain and raised her hoof “H-here.”
The Captain looked down at the bandage “What's this?”
“It…it’ll help reduce the swelling.”
The Captain turned away from her “I don’t want your pity.”
Chance moved in front of him “It’s not pity, I'm a doctor and.” She looked up at him with kind eyes “and I just want to help.”
The Captain stepped back, his mouth open as he stared at her “I…I just…why? Why would you help me?” He closed his eyes for a moment then sighed heavily and shook his head “No, just…just leave me alone.” He walked towards the door passing Chance “I-I don’t need your help.”
Chance folded the bandage; she placed it on the table and sighed. She turned to Ace, he was still unconscious and his body still quivered in pain. Chance placed her hoof on his shoulder, leaned in and whispered “It’s a warm spring night, you’re on top a hill staring at the sky. The moon is brighter than it has ever been and the stars have never seemed so clear. The one you love most wraps their hoofs around you, holding you tight as a cool breeze blows through, carrying a song from far away.” Chance hummed a slow beautiful lullaby in his ear while she gently stoked his mane. As she hummed, he began to calm, his quivering slowed and in time, stopped as he drifted off into peaceful slumber. Chance wrapped her blanket around him, protecting him from the chill of the desert’s night, before laying on the cold floor dreaming of somewhere far away from the bitter stone that surrounded her.
As soon as his wounds started to heal, the soldiers dragged Ace outside to the Commander, who opened his old wounds and added new ones. This pattern repeated for weeks, the whip cracked, the commander laughed, blood fell from Ace’s back, tears fell from Chance’s eyes, he writhed in pain and she hummed her sad song.
After one session, Chance tended to Ace’s wounds, and hummed her song in his ear. A small smile appeared on his face “You…have a…beautiful voice” he said between labored breaths.
Chance gasped and stepped back “I…I thought you were unconscious.”
Ace opened his eyes “Please” he took a labored breath “Don’t stop.”
Chance blushed and smiled as she leaned in, humming her song while gently running her hoof through his mane. While she hummed, Ace drifted off to another world, for a short time his shackles were gone, his pain disappeared and he was free once more. When her song finished, Chance grabbed a blanket and draped it over Ace pausing to look at the bandages and scars that ran down his back. “How could anypony be so cruel. What does he even hope to gain from this?”
“I know what he wants” sighed Ace “The pegasi have a base hidden near here and that sadistic monster wants to know where.”
Chance stared at his back. She closed her eyes and lowered her head “Why…why don’t you just…tell him? Maybe the commander will let you go. Maybe the pegasi will win. Mayb-. “
“You don’t understand!” yelled Ace “I…I can’t tell him even if I wanted to!” he sighed “I-I just joined the Air Force and they captured me on the way to the camp. Only one pony in my group knew where the camp was and they…they” Ace closed his eyes tight “and…he’s gone now.”
Chance tucked the blanket around Ace “So all this is for nothing?” Ace nodded his head. Chance walked in front of him and smiled “You stay nice and warm. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
Chance headed towards the stairs “I'm going to talk to the Commander.” She knocked on the door. A soldier’s voice came from the other side “What do you want?”
“I want to take my free time, sir.”
“Hold on” responded the soldier “I’ll get the Captain.”
After a few minutes, the door opened and the Captain walked in “It’s a little late at night for your free time, Chance.”
Chance bowed her head “I'm sorry to bother you sir, but I want to speak with the Commander.”
The Captain looked at her through anxious eyes “A-are you sure about this?”
“Yes, sir.”
The Captain pulled the key out of his pocket “Alright” He sighed as he unlocked her leg “Just do us all a favor and don’t make him mad.”
They walked outside. Chance looked up at the sky. The barrier that made the camp invisible to the outside distorted the night sky, turning the twinkling stars into blurry smudges. Chance looked at the ground and sighed. The Captain walked up to her “Come on, get moving, Chance. I want to get back to my tent.”
The Captain escorted Chance to The Commander’s tent, he waited outside and she walked in nervously. A large dark blue unicorn stood at the far end of the tent with his back turned. His eyes focused on a ruby necklace. His gold jewel incrusted armor shined in the light from the oil lamps that hung around the room. A golden sheath covered in jewels hung along his side with a matching sword.
Chance looked down at the ground, her jaw quivered as her mouth opened “Umm…C-Commander Havoc, sir.”
Havoc turned around with a large smile “Ahh, Felicity my dear. It is so wonderful to see you. What can I do for you?”
Chance kept her stare fixed on the floor as the quivering in her jaw spread across her body “I-I came to t-talk to you sir, about Ace Silverwing.”
Havoc lifted his hoof to his chin “hmm…Ace Silverwing? Ahh…you must be talking about the young pegasus in your care. What about him, my dear?”
Chance cringed down, nearly lying on the floor “I…I don’t think he knows where the camp is, s-sir. He…he told me he was captured before he learned its location.”
Havoc looked down at Chance “Do you believe him?” Chance closed her eyes tightly and nodded. Havoc showed a gentle smile “My dear, are you afraid of me?” He extended his hoof “There is no need for fear. I won’t hurt you, I give you my word.”
Chance looked up at Havoc’s gentle smile and his kind, golden eyes. She reached up, grabbed his hoof and slowly stood. Havoc’s gentle smile instantly turned wicked. He pulled back his hoof. A malicious glare flashed through his eyes as he slapped Chance to the ground. He walked up and stomped on her side. She screamed and tears poured from her eyes as Havoc crushed her into the ground. He leaned to her ear “You are far too trusting” he grinded his hoof into her side and growled fiercely “My dear!”
Havoc threw his head back and laughed then glared down at Chance with a grin “You hopeless little fool. You actually believed me, and you expect me to trust the judgment of one so easily deceived.” He gently pet her mane “He is lying to you my dear. He knows where the camp is.” A vile grin flashed across Havoc’s face as he pushed down on Chance’s neck. She gasped for air as he growled into her ear “And he will tell me or he will suffer until he takes his last breath!”
Havoc released her neck after a few moments “But don’t worry my dear, I know your ignorance cannot be helped and you are still useful to me.” He laughed wildly “Why if it wasn't for you, my new toy would have broken weeks ago.” He glared down at her “However, you did question my judgment.” Using his magic, he dragged Chance into the air and hung her by her forelegs. His eyes turned as cold as her stone prison as he stared at the terrified mare “Now what kind of example would I set for my soldiers if I let a prisoner question me without punishment?”
Chance shut her eyes tight and prepared herself but all she felt was a hoof softly stroke down her side as Havoc sighed “But you are fortunate, my dear. I’ve had my fun for the day and I am quite tired, so I’m just going to restrict your free time to once a week.” He snatched her to him and stared at her, face to face "But do not mistake me, I am very upset with you. Tread carefully, Felicity. If you become more trouble than you’re worth, I will be forced to remove your protection and let my soldiers pass you around like a cheap bottle of wine!” He put his hoof on her cheek his eyes and smile showed a false kindness “And that would just break my heart.”
Havoc lowered her to the ground “Now, now stop your sniveling, my dear.” He smiled as he wiped away her tears “It makes you look pathetic.” He turned his back to her “Now get out of my tent before I change my mind.”
Chance kept her head down as she backed out of the tent. The Captain glanced down at her. He quickly turned away when he saw her bloodied mouth “C-come on, Chance I’ll…I’ll take you back to the cellar.” Chance stopped and tried to wipe away her tears with little success as they neared the cellar door. A hoof extended in front of her and held out a handkerchief. Chance looked up at the Captain’s face, his eyes turned away, his mouth tight and a small blush crossed his cheeks she smiled as she took his gift “Th-thank you Captain.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m just returning the favor.”
Chance wiped the tears from her eyes “But I haven’t done anything.”
The Captain walked by her and mumbled under his breath “Yes you have” he pointed towards the guards at the door. The guard bowed and unlocked the door. The Captain led Chance in locking the cuff around her leg. He turned to walk up the stairs but stopped halfway and turned his head to look at the wall “Chance…I-I'm sorry” He quickly walked out the door before she could respond.
Chance smiled weakly and lied next to the table. Her mouth hurt, her side hurt, her heart hurt, the cold stone underneath her sent a chill through her body and all she could do is curl up and cry. She suddenly felt something drape over her, she looked up to see Ace as he covered her with his blanket “Ace! You should be lying down; you’ll open your wounds.”
Ace slowly laid down next to her with a light groan “Y-you’ve been taking care of me this whole time. Now it’s my turn to take care of you” Ace slid a folded blanket in front of her “Come on, lay down and get some rest.”
Chance smiled shyly “A-alright” She laid her head on the blanket and closed her eyes.
Ace leaned to her ear and whispered “It’s a warm spring day. We’re in a meadow, surrounded by the most colorful flowers you’ve ever seen. A breeze blows through, filing the air with dandelion seeds and the smell of apples from a distant grove. The birds in the trees and a babbling brook sing together creating a soft symphony that dances through the grass.” Ace put his hoof around her and hummed her lullaby in her ear. Chance slowly drifted away and for the first time in a long time, she dreamt of something other than the cold stone around her and the tormented screams of those she once knew.
Weeks passed and Chance noticed something strange. An entire week went by and Ace was not questioned a single time, this had never happened before and it made her worry. Late in the day, the Captain and his soldiers came in they carried a pegasus mare and a young colt. The colt was too terrified to move but the mare kicked, screamed and fought with her all. The soldier slammed her to the floor and cuffed her leg. The other soldier turns to captain and lifted the colt off the floor “Sir, should we break his wing too?”
The Captain quickly turned to the soldier “Of course not! We’re not monsters, besides he’s too small to fly yet, just let him go, but check his saddlebag first.”
The soldier rummaged through the colts bag “Sir, there’s nothing but toys and this.” He held up a translucent white crystal. When Chance saw the crystal, her eyes immediately opened wide.
The Captain took the crystal and examined it “Hmm… Nothing but worthless trash” He tossed it back in the bag “Give the kid his toys and get out.”
The soldier put the colt and the bag on the ground “You want us to leave you sir?”
“You heard me” The Captain walked into the far corner of the room and shouted “Get out! That’s an order!” The soldiers bowed then quickly left. The Captain looked at Chance “Come here. I have something to tell you.”
Chance slowly walked up to him “Y-yes ,sir.”
The Captain bent down and spoke quietly “Havoc told me he’s getting bored with Ace and now that he has these new captives. He…he’s ordered for Ace to be executed tomorrow night.”
Chance stepped back, her body quivered as the color drained from her face “No…no, no!” She rushed up, dropped to her knees and grabbed the Captain’s leg “Please, stop him please, please I'm begging you, you can’t let him do this.”
The Captain closed his eyes and turned away “I'm sorry, Chance. There’s nothing I can do. If I try to stop him, he’ll just bury us both in the same grave. I just wanted to give you time to prepare yourself.” The Captain pulled his hoof away, turned and left without saying another word.
Chance stayed on the ground motionless and breathless. Ace walked up to her and placed his hoof on her back “Chance? Are you alright, what did he say to you?”
Chance stood up, her mind raced as she looks at Ace, she closed her eyes, her somber expression changed as a fire ignited in her chest. Her eyes opened and burned with Intensity “We’re going to escape tonight. I have a plan” She walked over to the young colt she bent down and smiled gently “Hello, my name is Felicity Le Chance. What's yours?”
The colt backed up against the mare’s chest; she wrapped her hoofs around him and held him close “His name is Snow Drifter; he’s my little brother, and…I'm Autumn Rain.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both” Chance’s smile grew “Snow, I saw the crystal in your bag. It was so pretty, can I see it again please.” Snow Drifter looked up and smiled, he reached into his bag then gave Chance the crystal. Her eyes lit up as she examined the crystal. She smiled wide and even let out a small giggle “I can’t believe it. It is, it really is potassium nitrate.”
Chance held the crystal up to Ace and beamed a bright smile “It’s potassium nitrate!” Ace stared at her quite confused. Chance shook her head “Umm…Salt peter, it’s salt peter and it’s the last ingredient I need.” She walked up to the colt “Snow can I have this pretty please. I can use it to get us out of here, to get you and your sister home.” Snow looked up at Chance and nodded. Chance smiles and quickly hugged him “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much. You’re a miracle.”
Chance ran up to the cabinet, she pulled out a mortar and pestle, she pushed the cabinet aside and grabbed several things out of the hole. She spread them across the table. One by one she ground up the objects “let’s see, charcoal, sulfur and salt peter, if I get the mixture right” Chance poured a small amount of this powder on to the table. she picked up a piece of flint and struck it. The spark spread across the powder. The powder burst into flame as it let out a large amount of smoke.
Ace coughed and backed as he fanned the smoke away “W-what was that?”
Chance picked up a blanket and tore a square off of it “It’s black powder. I used to use it to make smoke bombs.”
Ace looked over her shoulder as she poured most of the powder onto the cloth “Why does a doctor need smoke bombs?”
Chance chuckled “Well, I wasn’t always a doctor. You may not believe me but when I was little, I was a thief.”
Ace laughed “You’re right, I don’t believe you, you’re way too kind to be a thief.”
Chance turned and smiled at him “When I was little, me and my family lived in a town ruled by a greedy unicorn.” She ripped a thin strip of cloth from the blanket “He would take all the food the earth ponies worked so hard to grow.” She ground the rest of the powder in to fine dust “My father and mother belonged to a group of thieves that would steal food from him and give it to the needy.” She carefully poured the fine powder onto the strip and twisted it, pushing the powder into the cloth “My parents were captured one day and after the rest of the group broke them out of prison, they decided to move here to protect me.” Chance placed her homemade fuse into the pile of powder then pulled the corners of the cloth up and tied them together. She held up the bag and smiled “I learned a few things while I was there though.” Her smile disappeared as she stared at Ace “Ace, do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.”
Chance placed her hoof on Ace’s cheek “Then if you know where the pegasus base is, I need you to tell me.”
Ace held her hoof “I'm sorry, Chance I really don’t know where it is.”
Snow stood up “I know whe-”
Autumn quickly covered his mouth “Quiet!”
Chance walked up to Autumn and put her hoof on her shoulder “I know it’s hard to trust somepony you just met but I’ve been a prisoner here for over a year now and I just want to get out. I'm on your side; I just need to know where the camp is.”
Autumn pushed Chance’s hoof off her shoulder “Why? Why do you need to know where the camp is to get us out of here?
“There’s no other town for miles” said Chance “we won’t make it if we just blindly run out into the desert. If we don’t have somewhere to go then there’s no point in escaping.” Autumn looked away. Chance moved in front of her with a kind smile and gentle eyes “Please, you can trust me. I just want to get you and your brother home.”
Autumn closed her eyes “The…the camp…” she sighed heavily “the camp is to the South, Southeast, hidden on a cloud…b-between the mountain peaks. It’s not far, we could make it there in an hour, if those-those monsters!” She looked down at her twisted wing “Didn’t break my wing.”
Chance hugged Autumn gently “Thank you! Thank you very much. I’ll take care of your wing after we get to the camp. I need you to be strong until then” She turned away “Just please, I need you to trust me. I promise, I’ll get you out” She walked up to the table, took the smoke bomb, tied it under the base of her tail, and hid it in her hair. She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door “I need to speak with the Captain.”
A soldier called back “You’ve already had your free time this week, Chance.”
“I know” Chance called back “but this is urgent, please get him.”
After a few minutes, the Captain swung open the door “This better be good, Chance.”
Chance bowed her head “I need to speak with the Commander, Sir.”
The Captain shook his head “Not going to happen, Chance. Don’t you remember last time? He’s not goi-”
Chance interrupted him “I now where the pegasi camp is.”
The Captain’s jaw dropped as he stared at Chance “H-how?
Chance looked back at Autumn then turned to the Captain “I…I tricked them into telling me.”
Autumn jumped up and yelled “How dare you! You lied to me, you heartless witch!” Chance lowered her head as the constant venom that flowed from Autumn’s lips, struck at her heart.
“That’s enough!” yelled the Captain. He pulled the key from his armor and unlocked Chance’s leg “I guess you really did trick them.” The two of them walked out the door before it slammed shut.
Autumn stewed in her anger. Ace walked up to her “Hey it’s alright. I don’t know what she’s doing but” He put his hoof on her shoulder “We can trus-.”
Autumn smacked his hoof away and screamed at him “Don’t touch me! She just sold us out you fool!” She held Snow Drifter close as she hung her head “I'm so sorry. What…what have I done?”
They sat in silence, until the door opened. Chance and the Captain walked down the stairs. He cuffed her leg “Congratulations, Chance. As soon as the camp is destroyed, you’re free to go.”
“It’ll be so nice to be free” Chance batted her eyes at the Captain “but I do have a small problem, Captain.”
“And what’s that?”
“Well, you see, Captain” Chance rubbed her hoof across his chest “Once I'm free, I have nowhere to go” She brushed her neck against his “And you’ve been so nice to me recently.” She walked beside him the whole time she caressed her body against his “I was thinking I could stay with you” She walked around him as she pressed her side against him “And maybe” She let out a cute giggle as she rested her head against his neck “Thank you, for your kindness.”
The Captain looked down at Chance, his eyes were as wide as the grin on his face “That’s sound good to me” He lifted her chin and stared into her eyes with a hunger “But why wait, when you can come back to my tent and thank me tonight.” He reached for his pocket.
Chance quickly grabbed his hoof “no! I-I mean” She paused for a moment then reached up to his chin, her eyes half lidded with a small sweet smile “I-I can’t tonight. I'm so sorry, my Captain but I have a patient with a broken wing. As a doctor my patients must come first.” She slowly slid her hoof down his neck and across his chest “You do understand, don’t you? Let me take care of her tonight.” She leaned in and whispered “And I’ll take care of you tomorrow.”
The Captain’s grin nearly splits his face in two “Alright, you take care of her tonight” He turned and walks up the stairs “And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Once the Captain was gone, Chance wiped the sweat from her forehead “That was close.”
Ace stared at the ground as he walked up to Chance “You…you didn’t” He looked up and stared at her with hesitant eyes “You didn’t tell him…did you?”
Chance laughed “Of course not. I told him the camp was to the northwest.”
Ace stomped his hoof “Then what the heck was all that about, rubbing all over the Captain like that, saying that you’ll take ‘care’ of him tomorrow?”
Chance flashed a confident smile. She flicked her tail, a flash of brass flew through the air. Chance snatched the key with a grin “I just needed to get close.”
Ace’s jaw dropped “Is…is that? Wow! I guess you really were a thief.”
Chance unlocked her shackle with a giggle “I told you so.” She unlocked Ace’s “But we have to hurry.”
Chance unlocked Autumn’s shackles. Autumn looked down at her “I-I'm sorry, Chance for all those things I said.” Chance looked up with a kind smile. Suddenly voices shouted from outside “Fire! Fire!”
Chance rushed over to the cabinet and quickly shoved it aside. She reached down than ran up to Ace. She smiled as she put his necklace on him “Can’t forget this.” Ace smiled gently at her. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek “It’s time to go.”
Chance unlocked the door, she cracked it open and saw all the soldiers surrounding the commanders tent as smoke poured from it. She looked back at the others “Okay let’s go.” They snuck out the door than one by one ran for the edge of the camp, with Chance at the rear. As they ran past the barrier, Chance looks back and saw nothing but empty desert. Suddenly pain shot through her leg as the sound of snapping metal rung out. She screamed and fell to the ground. She looked down and saw a rusty trap digging into her leg.
Ace ran back to her, he looked down to the trap and tried to pry its jaws apart but it was no use. He followed the chain to a spike anchored in a stone. With all his might, he pulled but the spike would not budge. He rushed up to Chance in a panic “D-don’t worry, Chance. I'm-I'm going to get you out.”
Chance looked up at Ace with tears in her eyes “Ace you…you have to go.”
Ace grabbed her hoof and held it tight “No…no! I'm not going to leave you!”
Chance looked at Autumn and Snow “Ace they need you. You have to go with them.”
Ace shook his head as tears gleamed in his eyes “No! You need me and I…I need you.”
Chance smiled as a tear rolled down her face “You’re the only one strong enough to fly. You have to go, you have to find the pegasi and tell them where the camp is. You have to bring them back and end this. You’re the only one who can.”
Ace stared down at the ground. He heard the voice of the soldiers coming from the camp as they got closer and closer. He reached up and took off his necklace then put it around Chance. He smiled through the pain “I'm coming back for my necklace” He bent down and stared into her eyes just an inch away “I promise.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers gently “I promise.” He hesitantly turned and ran with the others.
As soon as they were out of view Chance looked up at the night sky. The stars sparkled brighter than the purest diamond. She smiled as tears poured from her eyes “At least I got to see the stars once more.” The sound of crunching sand came from behind her. She knew who it was so she just stared at the sky and waited.
“Well, well what we have here” Havoc kicked the trap with a laugh “It seems we missed one of the old traps. Set by the earth ponies the catch a unicorn and look what it has in its jaws” He throws his head back and laughed wildly “priceless! Absolutely priceless!” He quickly turned the soldiers behind him “You four go after the pegasi. Kill the stallion and the colt but bring the mare back alive. The rest of you prepare our defenses for an assault from above.”
Havoc stared at the Captain “I have a special job for you. I want you to take this pathetic pile of mud and string her up in the courtyard.” The Captain closed his eyes and turned away. Havoc softly placed his hoof on the Captains side “What's wrong Captain, was I speaking to softly?” he stomps down on the Captain, the sand spread out around his body as it brutally slammed into the ground. Havoc bent down to the Captain’s ear and yelled “Allow me to repeat myself, Captain! I said. String! Her! Up!” Havoc stomped with each word his smile widened each time “Did you hear me that time?”
The Captain cringed in pain “Y-yes, s-sir.”
~
Just as the sun began to rise, Ace and the others reached the mountains. Autumn pointed up at a large cloud “There the camp is up there.”
Ace spread his wings and flew up as fast as he could. His heart sank cold and deep into his chest when he reached the top. The only thing he saw was remnants of material and old scraps of armor scattered across the cloud. Ace shook his head “No, no their gone!” He flew back down to Autumn “There’s nopony there, it’s abandoned!”
Autumn gasped “The-they must have moved the camp after I was caught.”
Ace rushed up and grabbed her with a panicked look in his eyes “Where? Where did they move it? Where is the Camp?”
Autumn pulled away “I don’t know! I-I'm sorry. I don’t know where it is.”
Ace stared at the ground his eyes darted as his mind raced. He stood up straight and looked toward the desert “I'm going back.”
“Are you Insane?” yelled Autumn “You’ll just get yourself killed!”
Ace walked forward “I have to go back. I promised her.”
Autumn looked away “It’s suicide” She wrapped her hoof around Snow “If you’re going, then you’re going alone. I'm not going back to that place.”
Ace nodded his head “That’s fine. If you find the camp tell them where the base is.”
Autumn nodded her head “I…I will and…thank you Ace.” She closed her eyes “And…tell, Chance I said thanks to” She looked up at Ace and forced a smile
Ace smiled back “I will.” He spread his wings and took flight.
~
Meanwhile, Chance was in the courtyard hung by her forelegs with rope as she stared down at the stained sandstone beneath her. An all too familiar sound rung out, the crack of a whip but this time the scream that she heard, was her own. Her scream echoed into the empty sky as the whip dug its mark into her back.
Havoc laughed feverishly as he cracked the whip “Yes that’s it! ‘crack’ “Scream for me! ‘crack’ “ Your screams ‘crack’ are magnificent!” ‘crack’“ I love it! ‘crack’ “I love it!” ‘crack’
The Captain walked up behind Havoc “S-sir our scouts have failed to recaptu-“
Havoc growled “Captain!” He quickly turned slapping the Captain to the ground “Can’t you see.” Havoc screamed out “I am busy!” He panted out a few breaths while he stared down at the Captain “But I'm glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He raised the whip to the captain’s face “How did, Chance manage to get your key?” He rubbed the whip across the Captain’s muzzle “You didn’t betray me, did you?”
The Captain cowered in fear “N-n-no sir, I-I didn’t betray you, sir!”
Havoc glared at the Captain, with eyes colder then ice “Then how did she get it? You do know what the punishment for betrayal is, don’t you? And I promise you Captain I will make! It! Slow!”
Chance barely managed to speak “D-don’t. I…I stole it from him.”
Havoc glanced at Chance “Is this true, Felicity?”
Chance nodded her head and prepared herself for the tearing sting of the whip.
Havoc laughed “Well in that case” Using his magic; he tightly wrapped the whip around the Captains neck. A sudden snatch of the whip yanked him into the air. Havoc grinned as he stares at the Captain’s kicking legs “I am truly sorry Captain but you have showed me how ignorant you are.” His icy eyes turned to as cruel as his malicious grin “I have no need for ignorance!”
The Captain hung in the air. He grasped at the tightening whip as he struggled for even the tiniest breath of air. Just as his eyes started to roll into the back of his head, Havoc crashes to the ground as a silver hoof struck his face.
Ace quickly turned to Chance and tried to free her. Just before he got her hoof free, a whip wrapped around his leg and yanked him to the ground.
Havoc ran up and stomped on him. Over and over his hoof came down with all his might as he crushed Ace into the sand. Havoc leaned down to Ace’s throbbing body with a cruel chuckle “Let me tell you something boy. If you hit somepony.” He bent down to his ear and yelled “Don’t stop until there dead or dying!” He kicked Ace across the ground then walked up to him and let out a heartless laugh “You have to be the most foolish pony I have ever seen. You were safe. You were free.” He stomped on Ace’s back then grabbed his neck and lifted his head to see Chance “And you gave it all up to save her. That worthless pile of mud”
Havoc grinned and shoved Ace’s head into the sand “And to top it all off, you didn’t even get one hoof free. Not only a fool but a pathetic, weak fool.” Havoc drew the sword from his side “The only thing you accomplished is making dear sweet Felicity watch you die."
Chance screamed out “No! No please stop! I’ll do anything you want please just don’t kill him.”
Havoc turned and looked back at her “Anything?” He smiled as he walked up “Let me get this straight me dear, you’ll do anything I want? Give me anything I want?” Chance closed her eyes and nodded. Havoc busted out laughing “You just don’t get it, do you?” He grabbed her by the back of the head and snatched her to him. He leans in and growled into her ear “If there was something I wanted from you, I would take it!” He brought his sword to her face. He barely pressed the tip of the blade against her cheek. He grinned at her trembling then shouted “My dear!” As he raked the blade across her cheek.
Havoc turned back and saw Ace as he slowly rose to his hoofs. Havoc smiled “You’re tougher than you look boy. Come on I’ll give you one last chance to save her.” Ace flew at Havoc striking out with all his strength. Havoc spun to the side and easily dodged the strike “Oh, look at that you missed.” He laughed and gestured for him to come and try again “Come on, boy, you can do better than that.”
As havoc toyed with Ace, Chance struggled against her ropes. The rope loosened by Ace came free and she manages to undo the other.
Havoc caught Ace in the chest with his hoof and slammed him to the ground “Enough of this! I'm getting bored.” He raised his sword into the air. Havoc plunged the blade towards Ace. The blade pierced through a sand colored coat and Chance’s body fell to the ground as the sword protruded from her chest.
Ace screamed and struggled against Havocs unnatural strength. Havoc stomped on him “Oh, will you just shut up!” He looked at Chances body and smiled “I guess I was wrong” he drew the sword from her chest with his magic. The shattered remains of Ace’s necklace fell to the ground. Havoc brought the sullied sword up to Ace’s neck “I guess you’re not the most foolish pony here after all, she is, or was.” Havoc laughed with a twinge of insanity “She gave her life, and all it did was buy you a few seconds so you could watch her die.” Havoc raised his sword “I have to thank you boy! This has been fun!”
A spark of light caught his eye. He looked over to Chance and saw the fragments of Ace’s necklace as they floated above her.
The fragments glowed brighter as they spun. Chance’s body slowly rose into the air. The fragments turned to gold and locked around her neck. The final fragment turned into a heart shaped pink gemstone with a keyhole at its center that matched her mark perfectly. The stone connected to the necklace. Chance’s wounds closed. Her eyes opened and glowed pure white. A brilliant flash of light erupted from her.
Havoc stepped back his eyes blind by the pure light. Ace spun and swept Havoc’s legs out from under him. Havoc’s sword flew into the air. Ace shot up and grabbed the blade. He dove straight at Havoc and plunged the blade through his chest. The cold steel pierced his frozen heart. Havoc growled and reached up to Ace. Ace twisted the sword. Havoc yelled out, he coughed and choked. His golden eyes turned dark and his head fell to the ground.
Ace slowly stood he turned and rushed up to Chance. He grabbed her and held her tight “I…I thought you were dead!” He kissed her and stared into her amber eyes “What happened? What was that light?”
Chance looks down at her necklace “I-I don’t know. Everything was black and cold, but then I heard a soft voice then I felt a gentle warmth and saw a bright light. The voice said “Kindness, let your light shine” then the next thing I knew I was back and I had this.”
Suddenly soldiers surround them. Chance shouted “Ace quickly, fly away!”
Ace spreads his wings lowering his body “Never!” He stared at the soldiers “I'm never leaving you again!”
The soldiers charged but a broken voice shouted out from behind them “Stop!” The Captain pushed past them as he rubbed his sore neck. He stared down at Havoc’s body before he turned to the soldiers “the Commander is dead. As the highest-ranking officer here, I am taking command. Everypony lower your weapons. That’s an order!” The soldiers looked at each other than sheathed their weapons and backed away. “Good, now everypony pack up our supplies and prepare to move out. This mission is a failure and we no longer need to be here.”
The Captain walked up to Chance “Chance, I-I need to thank you. If it wasn’t for you” He looks down at Havoc with fear on his eyes “I might have become just like that monster. I joined his unit five years ago. All that time around him made me forgot what compassion was. I forgot what it was to help somepony, just because you can. Thank you, Chance.” The Captain smiled and laughed softly “And to think you saved me with a bandage.”
Ace wrapped his hoof around Chance “It’s amazing how easily a heart can be changed by a simple act of kindness.”