Author's Note

So this will be my first ever story, Also quite new to this site, If you have any questions or criticism, allow me to welcome such things. Advice is quite needed for future authors.

Chapter 1: A New Town

Life, a river that keeps flowing till it merges into the sea, nothing to stop its continuous flow. Though the feelings of a despairful stallion walking in the Everfree Forest concede him otherwise. He didn't mind the warnings given to him about this dark and mysterious forest, though he felt a bit of caution built into him. He took out a canteen from his duffle bag hanging around the stallion’s neck, taking a nice swig of water and putting it back into the bag. His red eyes scan around the forest, it was very quiet and dark, even though he entered in the afternoon, which confused him, but still continued forward. His gray coat blissfully moved to the breeze of the Everfree, while his buzzed up brown mane and medium-sized tail did the same. He continued to trot, in a rather peaceful manner, until something struck his mind in a flash. He visioned seeing something...a rather distant figure that showed his blonde mane with blue stripes, his green prideful eyes, and a warm-felt smile. The stallion closed his eyes to continue this thought no more, but he felt nothing but glumness from the vision. "I'm so sorry, mate...." He said in a rough Austallian accent, looking down in complete guilt and sorrow. "I wish I could have gone back....Ah really do...."

Suddenly, he heard something from the bushes, resulting in him to get in prepared fighting stance. He has been in the Equestrian military for most of his life at the age of fifthteen, though he felt like he should've stayed longer. He moved cautiously away from the bush, not wanting to interact with it, since it will only cause trouble and he has already seen enough of that. A bit of sweat had streamed down his head as to not knowing what might be behind this damp, bushy area, suddenly he heard a crack underneath his hoof, realizing he stepped on a stick. The bush started to move more rapidly, like it was an alarm clock, ready to buzz the living hell out of your ears. Then......he heard growls and two green glowing eyes coming from the darkness of the forest."Aw, hell....." He stated as he started to run away from the sight of timber wolves. Unfortunately, these wolves gave chase to the stallion, wanting something tasty for those splintered, wooden sharp teeth. The stallion looked back to see two giant tree monsters moving at a rapid speed as they started to gain on him.. He sure as hell did not want to go down, not like this! He continued to run, trying to lose them by going through obstacles to slow down the timber beasts. What he did not know was that another one came from his side and swiped at him. The pain was unbearable, the sharpness of the claws of a wooden claw felt like a sword going through his body. Despite his agony, he continued to run while the one chasing him got caught up in a big bundle of trees blocking its way. He stopped to look back to see if anything was following him, and saw nothing but the blackest night. He examined his scratch, though not having a good view of his wound, he figured he will still live, but needed to bandage it quickly. He quickly looked into his duffle bag trying to find his medical kit, when he spotted his Equestrian military commanding outfit. It was a black stealth vest with a black leather jacket underneath it,though it’s been awhile since he once wore it, it smelled like a newly fresh piece of clothing taken out from the dryer. The outfit gave him the memories of the military, and how he was a private, and now a commander.

He sighed as he whispered to himself, "Things would've been easier with you, eh, Izzy?" while looking up at the sky, with a depressing look on his face. "If only Adalric was still here...." Finally, he found his medical supply pack and grabbed a lengthy bandage to wrap around himself. He started to wrap around his bleeding side as it made him wince a bit in pain, but continued to stop the bleeding. He closed his supply kit and put it in his duffle bag....running into the uniform again. He stared at it for quite some time, wanting to forget, but couldn't. He took a breath and took out his uniform, sliding his front hind-legs into the sockets of his outfit that he once wore proudly. After that, he continued to walk, it seems like an eternity, but he couldn't rest in this dangerous area, he felt no need sleeping knowing that there are hordes of timber wolves and many other creatures he does not know about. He spotted something in the distance, which seemed to be a large object, he went to get a closer look at it to realize it is a cart of a random selection of colors, not sure what to think of it. He got closer to it, inspecting if it indicated anything to his whereabouts. "Aye you!" A voice was heard. "What ya think ya doin' near our cart?!" The stallion looked behind him to see three other stallions, with the same color as the wagon. The stallion positioned himself in caution "Listen, mate.....I am not looking for trouble, but I do hope to get directions to a nearby town..." The gang captain looked at him for a few seconds and then finally said "Well why didn' ya say so? Ponyville is just behind that cart...though I do hope you know that the only way to access there is to pay up 100 bits to the Kings....," The stallion rolled his eyes. "You've gotta be bloody kidding me..." A buff-looking gang member looked at him with a serious look. "Oh, he ain' kidding, bud, now fork it over," He demanded, lifting his bat and pointing it towards him. "Or we will force ya too!" The stallion looked at all three of them getting closer with devious looks on their faces, but the stallion wasn't flinching from this. "All you gang ponies are alike..." He drops his duffel bag. "All talk and no bite..." A smaller-looking henchman growled at him "You hear that, Tim!? He makin' fun of us!" Said the short one with a stubby mustache. "Let’s pound 'im!" All of a sudden one of them charged at the military stallion, who seems to have been smirking when he got closer. The short one tried to buck him in the face, but was soon dodged and retaliated by a powerful jab to the jaw, knocking him out. The other two hesitated, but soon both of them ran at him to collaborate their attack.

He found this easy to get out of, so while one was trying to throw a wide swing with his left hoof, and the other swinging his bat to his right, he jumped up in the air, barely missing the bat, and kicked them both in the chest knocking them down. He quickly got onto one of the gangster ponies and broke his back hind leg. A loud yelp was heard and soon became a quiet whimper. The stallion looked at the other member, quivering in fear from the sight of a big masculine pony who took out three of his members at once. As he tried to run for it, he slipped and fell back to the floor. Not knowing what was gonna happen next, he felt pressure on his head, realizing that the stallion had his hoof on his head, giving pressure.

"L-listen, pal, I was only doing what I w-was told!" The gang pony stammered. "I-it’s just business!" The stallion looked at him with fierce eyes. "Well, ain't that apples, eh, mate? Perhaps you won't be getting any paycheck soon, lad," He said sternly, the gang pony staring into the feared eyes of his attacker. "P-p-please.....L-let me go! I won't charge ya, I promise!" The gang pony said in a shuddering and fearful tone."I appreciate it, mate, although I do believe you 'ave to take a nap" He says so as bucking the stallion in the face, knocking him out cold as a rock.

He wish he didn't have to do that, but what choice did he have? Someone threatened his life, he will not stand down and kiss the floor for mercy. After all that ruckus, he passed through the cart that was blocking his path, continuing his walk in the wilderness. It took him awhile to walk, due to the gruesome pain in his side, he took little to no break to catch his breather. Finally, he started to see some light from the other side of the forest, which caused him to walk a little bit faster than normal. At last, he found the sun, and there was no longer trees, but flowers at the end of it. He noticed a cottage to his left, wondering why anyone would live near such dangers, but it didn't matter once he started walking past it. He ran into a sign that introduced him a few blocks later:

Welcome to Ponyville!

It stated in large black words as he stopped to look at the village from afar. He didn't know if this is a worthy spot to stay, but he needed something to keep his mind off of things, especially these nightmarish visions he sees every turn he goes towards. He then took one step past the sign. Soon, it shifts away from the stallion walking into Ponyville, showing a dark figure in the entrance of the Everfree Forest, with a dark blue mask that resembles a skull, who soon began to walk in the opposite direction, fading into darkness.....