//-------------------------------------------------------// Drifter -by Sunsette- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue 'I don't have that much time, need-' He growled in pain, blood soaking his already dirty white cape. He clenched the wound and continued to run, coughing small amounts of blood each second. The facility was breaking apart, the cell that was holding it was recently destroyed- but at the cost of my own life. Yet i'm still here, running for my life from the impending doom of the whole facility. At what seem's to be the very same place I took my last long hardy nap, I sighed in relief. I start running toward's the wall and lay my back at it, blood pouring out everywhere- yet I'd managed to survive. My vision was becoming blurrier, the sound of building's rumbling apart still continued. I knew this is where my journey end's, as a scavenger who sacrificed his own life to the being that saved him countless times. 'If i'm not mistaken, I just saw that drifter who gave me this sword-' He was stopped when he started coughing up more blood. 'It's been a good run...' He said softly before drifting into unconsciousness. Starlight sat on top of the emerald green hill's of Ponyville, enjoying her picnic- by herself. Since no one was available today, she mustered up all the food she could find in the fridge and head toward's her favourite spot outside the town. She sighed and took a bite from her fries. It's weird seeing a pony eating regular chip's instead of hay-fries, but she decided to mix thing's up a little, try out new things. She continued gazing at the setting sun, orange light's radiating into the thin blue of the night, covered with thousands of stars. 'Luna's been doing well with the stars...' She smiled and packed up everything, she trotted along the dirt road of Sweet apple acre's that leads to the small town of Ponyville. She hums softly while she trotted along the road. She stopped to see a glimpse of light in the corner of her eye's. She looked behind her only to see nothing, she shrugged and continued walking- Then she heard a cough, a really bad cough. She looked behind her again but this time, saw a creature clenching it's stomach while holding some sort of- Sword? She softly gasped in fear, but muster all the courage she has and walked towards the creature. "H-Hello?" Starlight asked softly, only being replied with more cough's. "Are you alright?" She asked again, though this time the creature stopped clenching it's stomach and relaxed. "Is the pain over? Has my soul and body sleep in peace under the crumbling world?" The creature replied. Starlight suggests with the dark and deep voice the creature has, it must be a male. She started trembling in fear, but she hold firm. "S-Sorry?" Starlight asked again, he coughed again, this time coughing blood that fell unto the dark green grass. Just before Starlight could ask once again, he struggled to stand up. He closely resemble's a manticore though he's too small to be pass as a manticore. He laid his hand on the tree for further support, and after several second's- he stood up. He grabs the sword that laid on the grass and put's it in his emerald holster. He coughs violently again, but manages to keep standing, Starlight was quite impressed to see a creature- whom suggests might've been sick for a very long time, still holding on. He stood in silence and glances at the surrounding landscape. "Finally" he replied, he put his hand's on his waist and took a long deep breath of the air. "Ummmm sir, do you need some place to stay?" Starlight asked, he looked to his right to see Starlight. He gave her a curious gaze and softly poked her on the nose. She was suddenly feeling really flustered by this sudden intrusion. "H-hey, don't touch that!" The creature nodded and sighed softly. "Nice to meet something that won't try to kill me for once" He shook his head, and cough's again. "So ummm mister...?" She waited for a response. "I do not remember my name but Drifter would do so" He replied, earning Starlight a small sigh of relief. "Do you need any place to stay, I'm sure my friend Twilight won't mind" She asked Drifter, he paused for a moment and tapped his chin ever so slightly. "I do need some place to stay to accommodate my wound's, and a nap won't mind" He answered cryptically, though Starlight still clearly didn't get the memo. "So is that a yes?" Drifter nodded in approval. "Well alright then, the place is not that far from here- and everypony is probably in bed right now, so they won't need to panic seeing a mysterious maybe deadly creature walking aside a previously reformed villain" She said sarcastically before giggling a little. Drifter once again only nodded, still clenching the fresh wound he got from Judgement. They walked for 20 more minutes before arriving at the crystal palace. He grasps his head in pain and growl's. Starlight gave Drifter a look of worry. "I-Is everything alright Drifter-" "Yeah I'm fine, just recent trauma" "A-Alright then" She still couldn't get a matter of fact that she was helping a mysterious creature, who have yet to reveal more about himself. Starlight pushed the door softly and revealed the dark halls of the castle, she led him to a disclose location so that he could remain undetected before she revealed him to Twilight. After all this would be a great exercise in trust. She opened a set of door's and revealed the guest room, all clean and pristine. "It's not the best room, but I think you'll manage" Starlight rubbed the nape of her neck, Drifter merely nodded and sat on the chair that was facing outside. "I'm far away from home..." He said softly before grabbing an unknown device, he tap's it lightly and an entire planet seemingly appeared on his hand. "Thank Anubis for her blessing." He puts the device on the desk and asked Starlight if she could leave him alone, Starlight completely gazing toward's nowhere, snapped back to reality and nodded. His mind began to drift once more when he remembered a line from that one monolith he found on top of the northern mountains. Transcended faith immortality...