Chapter 1 - Starting Anew
Brothers of Harmony
(6 AM, 13th of December, 1006 AB)
You arrived on the docks of Equestria, ready to start your new life, after your teacher ruined your old one, six years ago.
You are Cloudy Skies, a light grey earth pony who escaped from New Zebrand after six years of hiding.
You had five friends once, and you did everything together, including and up until learning magic from the great Star Swirl the Bearded.
He was also the one who made them disappear, and still hunted you for six years.
Only now have you gathered the courage to step out of the human-colonised woods and head to the mainlands.
Yes, humans. Humans lived in New Zebrand. The pale-brown coloured bipedal creatures with technology centuries ahead of the ponies but no magic of any kind.
Thirty years ago, the people of New Zebrand exchanged magic with the humans for their wisdom and technology, but mainland Equestria wanted to step in and acquire the humans for themselves.
A large war broke out between the two countries. The resulting casualties were very small for New Zebrand, but the Royal Army ceased to exist.
Celestia was never one for commandeering a war, but this was just a massacre.
While the technology the humans provided aided New Zebrand, there was a quote that they had that gave the ponies forces true strength:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
While Celestia did not know the strength of her own troops or of New Zebrand's, New Zebrand knew themselves and Celestia.
They knew that the Royal Army stood for Harmony, while they stood for Chaos, and they used that fact and applied it to their strategy to win the war.
The Equestrian Royal Army was made up of conscripts, with a strict training program armed with only spears and shields.
Defects that escaped to New Zebrand leaked that information, and they built their own army of volunteers, armed with guns, swords, and little training.
It actually worked, and they slaughtered the entire Royal Army, which is when Celestia surrendered.
"Thanks for taking me here, Distant Lands," you called to the old sailor.
"Anything for a friend of Sunrise Shadow," he replies.
You cringe. Sunrise Shadow was one of the five.
You remember that on the day they disappeared, he turned the sun black as it disappeared from the horizon.
"Okay, I guess. See you," you say, walking off the boat and onto soil.
He raises the gangplank and heads back to New Zebrand.
A sigh of relief escapes your mouth; you can finally stop hiding.
"Equestria. A nation that praise their rulers as deities," you say to yourself, chuckling at the stupidity of such a ludicrous belief.
You took off your saddle pack and opened it:
It had some tinned fruit, a 3 Litre water bag, a pocket knife, and your lifetime savings of bits.
You could buy a house with those bits, easily.
You notice a long dusty leather pouch sitting in the bag.
Looking at it quizzically, you pull it out and open it.
It's your old magic staff, which you received seven years ago from your traitorous teacher.
You hold it in your right forehoof.
It's been with you,
the whole time.
No matter, you think to yourself, trying to take your mind off the painful memories. I never needed it anyway.
You put it back in the pouch and put the pouch back it the saddle pack, before closing it and putting it back on.
You look onto the road ahead; it's long and winding, but clear of obstacles.
"A new land, a new life," you mutter.
You set down the path, ready to tackle any problems that life would throw at you.
But your mind had other ideas, and went back on your past.
(8 PM, 1st of July, 999 AB)
"So, you are all wondering why I called you here today," Star Swirl called down to the six of you, while he descended the staircase of the library.
"Well, yeah," you called.
"Pretty much," Starry Night responded.
"Uh-huh," Record Mixer replied.
"No kidding," Anonymous spat, clearly aggravated. Perhaps he was dragged out of bed?
"Not really. I just want to get this over with," Blood Ruby said.
"Hmm," Sunrise Shadow murmured. He never was one for talking to people.
"Well, not the most enthusiastic group, but they'll do," Star Swirl muttered to himself.
"I brought the six of you here to learn magic."
All of you looked confused.
"How?" you asked. "Sunrise Shadow and Record Mixer are the only two of us who can use magic. The rest of us can't."
"With these," your teacher replied, materialising six staffs in the air.
They were all identical, a silver shaft with a glass ball on the end.
He floated one over to each of you, and placed them on the ground.
You pick yours up with one forehoof, and the glass ball filled with a light-blue mist.
"Coo-ho-hool," you said.
"Guy's this is fucking epic!" Starry Night exclaimed, his glass orb filled with dark-blue mist.
"Hmm, I guess," Sunrise Shadow said, his face slightly less apathetic than before.
His orb was filled with a deep dark purple mist mixed with black.
Star Swirl noticed that and muttered under his breath, "Black and purple. I have not seen those aura colours in over two millenia."
He then speaks up, "Well, I know you're all impressed, but we have learning to do. The six of you have the greatest potential in magic I have ever seen in a long time. You have each have a close connection to each other, which is vital in reaching your maximum potential within the branch of magic I will be teaching you: Occulta Concordiae; the Secrets of Harmony. Now, let us make haste. We have until the Winter Solstice next year to train. When the solstice comes, you must use what you have learnt to perform one of the most difficult magical feats ever conceived: Summon the Elements of Harmony. Now, let us begin."
