The Oracle Infiniumby TwiWonderfillyChaptersChapter ZeroPrologueBounded - Part 1Bounded - Part 2How to Awaken a DragonLeap of FaithAbsenceBlast from the Past - Part 1Chapter ZeroThe Oracle Infinium Project - 10 August 2015 For the artist, a friend I wish to impress. And to my trusted non-brony friends and colleagues at the University of Melbourne, this chapter is for you. This story is rated T for Teen for mild swearing and suggestive themes. The gore tag includes war, descriptions of blood, violence and murder. All aspects of the story are safe for work. "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." - Douglas MacArthur Perhaps you have seen it in a story, somewhere familiar and dear to you. Or perhaps not…. you have not seen it.... No matter.... ⟡∮⟡ I believe it is called Equestria. A land inhabited by creatures brimmed with magic. Along the magical land inheres ponies of all shapes and colours. The unicorns, gifted with magical abilities from their horns, yearn for knowledge and magic. The pegasi, high to the sky they go with their wings and grace. The earth ponies, wings and horns they lack, but the strength of true hearts they possess. Above all are the alicorns, special as they are with their horn and wings, govern Equestria and the surroundings in harmony. Celestia and Luna, sisters who govern the day and night reside in Canterlot, Equestria's capital. Cadance, the princess of love, resides in the Crystal Empire north of Equestria. Twilight, harmony’s magic and Celestia’s prized pupil, forever living in solidarity. And lest we forget Flurry Heart, prized daughter of Princess Cadance and heir to the Crystal Empire. I remember it like it was only yesterday…. The Crystal Empire has long been wretched by the tyrant king Sombra. With Celestia and Luna’s accord, the slaves of the Crystal Empire were slaves no more; the tyrant banished to the abyss of the frozen north. The Crystal Empire afterwards lived in a state of purgatory under Sombra’s dark memories, so easily forgotten. All has changed since Cadance took charge. The empire has lived in harmony. But with harmony comes disparity. Long has Sombra yearned to return, and with the aid of a mysterious unicorn by his side, he overthrew the Crystal Empire, plunging it back to darkness, the empire that has always was. Equestria falters with a war of a cause, an innocent cause. Eventually, a nameless unicorn shall rise from the ashes. One who is nameless, forgotten and exiled. Ever-seeking purpose. With it, another unfortunate soul shall emerge. A pegasus with a dark fate and an even darker past from the forgotten kingdom of the West. Forever without hope…. Forever without light…. Undeserving to rule.... Underserving to be loved.... As Equestria trembles at its own peril, the two shall bring their testament to do what is right. Soon will they learn the magic of regret, for another menace shall unearth from the pegasus' domain. A menace so unforgiving, filled with vengeance and hatred, the bane of kingdoms. The darkest age of ponykind will usher, and the princesses shall go without thrones. Soon they will learn regret, for the deeds they have done shall carry their burden of responsibilities. For that is his fate, for it has been written by the lost pieces of the prophecy, the prophecy I withhold and endear: The Oracle Infinium. Author's Note The story will revolve around the alternating perspectives of two main characters. (Eg. Chapter 1 will be in A's POV, Chapter 2 will be in B's POV, Chapter 3 will be in A's POV, etc.) The story will be told in first person unless specified in the prologue and special episodes, where the story will be narrated in third person. PrologueOracle Infinium - Light of the Unlit With the downfall of night And the dawn of day A shadow shall gather its might And hundreds upon hundreds it will slay When the sun never emerges And the moon never rises From torment it bloomed From hatred it will consume Bearing vengeance from times of crude And only by pristine heart it will be entombed A deliverer with the brightest light of day Capable of illuminating any somber In the time of absolute disarray A destiny it must encumber To subdue the malicious umbrae And sentencing the foul beast into eternal slumber ⟡∮⟡ War has plagued Equestria. For months, it has waged war against the Crystal Empire with the sole purpose of liberation. The Empire is led by no other than Sombra. Months before the war, he and a mysterious unicorn overthrew the royal family. The father died, while the others take refuge in Equestria. He has been capturing and enslaving ponies from both places to create his own army. Princess Cadance is now seeking refuge in Canterlot castle. The trigger for the war was the attempted assassination of Princess Celestia and Luna by the mysterious unicorn in Canterlot. The Equestrian offensive has begun. The war has caused famine, poverty, and casualty to Equestria. Slowly, the Equestrian army is dwindling by quantity and the Empire’s victory is almost certain. In a peaceful night, where no sound of war can be heard, Luna stood on top of a balcony of her room; looking downwards to the ground. She reminisced about Sombra, and every second of it causes her mouth to frown and her eyeballs to transform from snow white to icy blue. The balcony started to shake. She hated Sombra for every second of her life, for making the lives of other ponies miserable and nearly killing her; but then she calmed down and proceeds to walk through the hallway. She knew that she is not only a war-torn alicorn, but also a Princess of the Night, and she can’t let her anger for Sombra get through her main duty, though it is hard as she has to see Equestria’s army growing thin as war wages on. In the peak of midnight in Canterlot castle, Princess Luna is doing her daily midnight walk. She frequently does her daily midnight walk to calm herself, especially after what happened in the balcony. She is walking down a hallway to prepare to enter ponies’ dreams when she received the smallest yet one of the most painful of headaches. "A vision...?", she muttered. ("But this vision isn't like any other.... This one is frightening, and yet a horrifying sight to behold.") Luna, believed that the vision is only a minor hallucination, shook her head aimlessly. The hallucination disappeared. She continued on her midnight walk for a few minutes. It is peaceful, the sound of silence and the cool wind of night helped her prepare to see the dreams of others. During her midnight walk, however, the same vision, the one she considered a hallucination, appeared again. (“What in Equestria? Why is my head hurting so much!?”) She held her head in pain. Her headache not only reappeared again, but the headache became stronger. “Is this a....?” She tried to shake her head aimlessly, hoping for the “hallucination” to disappear. It didn’t work. Her shaking only made her headache worse. Her daily midnight walk is interrupted by her headache, and it seems to get worse every time. She walked slower and slower until then, the headache started to get worse that she had to stop walking and cover her head with one hoof. And on that night, the new moon came to a complete halt. As the pain worsened, she started to use both hooves to contain the pain, but the pain kept getting worse. At the same time, the petty “hallucination” becomes clearer, to the point it constituted as a vision. “Is...is this real?” Luna asked herself of her vision. As the vision started to get clearer, she foresaw upon a faraway kingdom destroyed by a dragon. Princess Luna gasped and stressed foreseeing its coming. She wanted to warn her sister Celestia of this inevitable disaster. She knew that her sister must be sleeping by now, and bothering her sleep is the last thing she wanted to do during her shift. But this night is different, and she knew duty calls her to wake Celestia up. As she trotted through the castle hallways and passed the foyer, she felt like something's bothering her sight. She used to enjoy her usual midnight stroll throughout the castle interiors, reminding her of her homecoming along with the wind's gentle breeze. This time, it's different; she can't relax and trotted with increasing speed. ("That's strange.... I can't calm down. Is someone watching me? Was it the cold wind?") As Luna thought of a rational reason while approaching Celestia's bedroom, Celestia opened the door with the most worried of expressions. She seems to be gasping for air, as if she is having a heart attack. "Sister? It's rare of you to be awake at this time of night. Is something bothering you?" Luna asked. “I'm sorry. I might be thinking too much tonight trying to find a way to defeat Sombra; I should probably head back to sleep. I was just trying to fetch a glass of wa-" Luna had only been looking at Celestia with contempt, as if time stopped for a brief second. ⟡∮⟡ “You’re not doing a good job in lying about your nightmares to the Princess of the Night.” It’s as if she knows Celestia too well. Celestia couldn't help but sigh. She intended on keeping onto herself to not cause panic, but she decided to tell her nightmare. "Alright, you caught me. I just had the worst of nightmares about.... a dragon. However, this one's different. It's fierce, with skin as dark as the moonless night sky, destroying a kingdom with nothing to remain.” Celestia looked up to the sky when telling her nightmare. “It’s nothing to wo-” "You're not the only one who foresees the same story, sister. At first, I was thinking I hallucinated a bit during my shift. It seems that it's not a hallucination nor a nightmare, sister. It's a vision." Celestia looked shocked when Luna explained the vision, assuming that Luna did not have a nightmare, considering the fact that Luna is awake. Celestia then lets out a sigh, and her head looked down to the ground to remember days gone by. "I was afraid what I foresaw were to be true. Long have I not foresaw something that is inaccurate. I'm afraid we must act; It's coming. We need to have our guards stationed throughout all outposts in Equestria and-" "Calm down! Don't you remember, sister? We have a war against the Crystal Empire, and Sombra is not letting his guards down easily, literally and figuratively. I'm sure Cadance wouldn't want this. We must remain vigilant and remember the fact that winning this war is vital in Equestria's future. Our civilians and guards are enslaved there!" "Then we must wait!" - Princess Celestia justified. "Wait? For what!?" "The better question is who, sister. We need to prepare the Elements of Harmony, and those 6 should better be ready for the battle of their lives. It's not something we two can handle." "Are you sure they're up to the task?" "No matter how big the challenges they face, they must stand strong. Besides.... they're our only hope." ⟡∮⟡ Celestia gave a determined glare to Luna as Luna trembled slowly in her hooves on the floor. The two marches on to the foyer to have an emergency meeting, though Luna kept on trembling, as if she is tired from a long walk; her face shows worry from the vision. Celestia looks vigilant, calm, and collected, yet inside she trembles, not truly sure what to say in front of the solar and lunar guards about the imminent threat. While waiting for the guards to reach the foyer, Celestia looked at Luna worriedly. She approaches Luna and slowly put her hoof on Luna’s shoulder, trying her best to comfort her sister. “Sister, what must we say to them?” “I will handle this,” Celestia said while exhaling lots of air. “It’s best if you take a lit-” “No, sis. I’m fine. I can take the pressure,” replied Luna. She knew her sister is worried about her, and she purposely lied to calm her sister down. Celestia then released her hoof from Luna’s shoulder, knowing that her sister lied, but pretended to be calm after hearing her answer. Celestia looks at the window in the foyer. She walks up the stairs and mumbles. “What am I going to say to the guards? Must I tell them the truth?” She questioned how to spread the news. In less than 10 minutes, Luna managed to be calm, at least, on the outside; Celestia has decided on what to say to the guards; and the solar and lunar guards marched and established positions in the castle gardens, across the foyer. "My dear guards, a presence of great evil is approaching our beloved land. Even with our maximum war efforts against the Crystal Empire, I'm afraid that tackling this.... this creature would be impossible, as he is slowly taking over our land and destroying it.” Celestia speaks with sadness when talking about the creature, but midway in her speech, she gave a brief pause. “However, I have faith in our efforts of our army, and I believe that for Equestria's sake, we will fight for freedom and rescue our fallen comrades. I want every one of you to march to the front lines near Equestria's northern borders and push on. The fate of Equestria is in each of your hooves. Do your part, and I will do mine." Her speech caused an uproar, not from dissonance or complaint, but rather in high spirits. The guards cheered on, raised their weapons, and they are prepared to do more than their current maximum effort to prevent the Crystal Empire from conquering Equestria. Luna looked as if she is happy, but her heart is in an array of confusion. She looked at her sister, looking towards the floor. After a few minutes of cheering, the guards leave the garden to give their efforts to protect their beloved kingdom and rulers. After that, Luna approaches to Celestia. “What-” “I’m sorry, sis, but it must be done as we need them in high spirits to defeat Sombra.” Celestia spoke with regret over her immediate change in her speech. They started marching towards the castle spire. “I can understand your decision. It’s very hard to decide whether to be truthful or to give them spirit. But surely we must at least tell them that we will take care of the new-” Celestia looks toward Luna with a serious look, causing Luna to look down, feeling that she must have said something wrong that might have hurted her sister. Celestia then looked calm and regretted scaring her little sister, when her sister has no intention of hurting her decisions and feelings. “I’m sorry, Luna, but this must be a secret between both of us and the Elements of Harmony.” The two tried to calm themselves, though Luna became increasingly worried about the dragon. As they marched on, Luna started to tremble from her fear and warned Celestia once more. She knew it's a very unpleasant situation, one that will prevent her from sleep during the day, at least today. The two marched and gazed upon the sky and the new moon in the castle spire. Luna always had bad feelings with the new moon, as if something bad is going to happen. Tonight, however, the sky seemed darker than usual with barely any stars visible. She knew how bad its coming means. Luna panicked and gazed upon Celestia's eyes. Celestia noticed how panicked Luna is and attempts to reassure her. “I shall make sure that the Elements of Harmony are prepared for the incoming threat.” "It’s not whether if they are prepared or not. I’m worried that they will fail.” Luna still shows doubt towards Celestia. “We can’t win this fight if we doubt them, Sister. We must have faith.” Celestia added. “Good night, Sis.” She yawned and immediately walked to her bedroom. She must have been very tired from the meeting. Luna appears to be calm after her sister’s reassurance, but her thoughts are still doubtful about the Elements of Harmony being capable of defeating the dragon. She looked to the new moon and she mumbled in her thoughts. As Luna look into the dark sky, a beam of light suddenly appeared out of Celestia's bedroom, turning night to day in a flash. It was only for a split second, but it was a magnificent sight. Luna asked herself: "Why did she....?" ⟡∮⟡ The bell at the spire tolls.... Perhaps you've seen it.... Yes, indeed.... What is it, sister? What is it that you seek....? A mere fraction of hope.... or perhaps a desire of an inevitable disaster....? The safety of our own personal refuge.... the disharmony that strikes us? The harbinger of light.... the emissary of darkness.... The origin of disaster.... a pony undeserving to rule.... Such is the intertwined fate of two ponies in one. ⟡∮⟡ Sister.... Hearest thou my voice? Author's Note As an ESL speaker, I have more than just a doubt that this fanfic will be an excellent one, or even grammatically correct. This is my first fanfic and experience in writing a story. Bear with me as I continue writing these chapters that I put my feelings into. Each original character has been made with unique dark pasts and experiences. Any constructive criticism is appreciated! Please do give your thoughts on the comments and help us improve. You are also more than welcome to suggest any ideas for the story. Bounded - Part 1 This is the life I have to go through. Am I going to stay here for eternity living like a slave? I don't know what's worse, the fact that I am caught and enslaved to extract crystals in the nearby mine with minimal provisions, or the fact that I couldn't recall who I am, or who I was. "H-hey.... W-wa... up....!" . . . "H-hey.... W-wake up.... we haven't much time!" Voices.... it's been so long since I've heard voices when everything is dark. I'm hearing all these voices from nowhere but I can't seem to respond; my body is paralysed. I wanted to respond to whoever is talking to me. The voice is feminine, and she sounds awfully familiar; someone that I ever.... "W-why.... aren't.... responding....?" I couldn't help but only listen to what she's saying; for some reason, I can't talk, and I can't move my body to respond to her. She seems to be resembling someone I know.... The vision that I'm seeing, the remnants of her voice start to reappear in sight. As the vision starts to get clear, the fragments of my perception start to form a mare. Her body colour is of pure lavender, and she speaks to me in the most caring of ways. She seems to be worrying about me, about something that I'm supposed to do.... "W-we don..... time, Te...." As time passes by, my body becomes more numb, my visions start to blur and my hearing becomes unclear. The voice.... the voice is changing. Everything is dark. I probably have the longest sleep that I have ever experienced, but other than my thoughts, everything else felt weak. It’s as if somepony has given me a huge beating before. I can’t seem to open my eyes immediately. I did open them for a fraction of a second, seeing the dark walls of emptiness before closing my eyes again. Yet, something is bothering me. Why do I feel so weak? What happened to me? And- “W… up!” I hear a distant voice. My eyes slowly opened, where I can see something brown. I don’t know what it is as the sight is too blurry and too dark. I can only see a little light across the wall. ⟡∮⟡ “D… ma… again… Wake Up!” Somepony yelled at me. “Yikes!” I screamed in shock. I jump immediately from sleeping position and tried to stick on my landing, but I immediately stumble after landing. As I land harshly, dust form around me. I guess my legs aren’t warmed up yet. “Stop horsing around, slave!” Somepony starts to appear small behind the dust, but it slowly gets bigger. As dust settles down, the pony once covered in shadow turns into a pony with dark grey armour. I can assume he is an earth pony as it lacks wings or horns. He also seems to be carrying whip. “Gah!” I scream in pain as he whipped me in the body. “Follow me, slave!” He leans on me and yells beside my right ear. I can feel my right ear popping from the loudness of the sound. I rub my ear to make sure it returns to normal. “Be lucky the leader of the shaft died days ago! Just one mistake and you’ll be in the torture room if he’s here!” I immediately stand up and follow the guard through a roadway. It was dark; brown trees surrounds me and the guard. I’m confused about the current situation. Why should I follow him? I think he might be helping me, but his speech proves otherwise. I can only follow him as I have no clue where I am. Everything here seems dark and bleak. All I can hear is the sound of howling of an animal and the blowing wind. We walked for minutes and all I could think of is what was I doing here in the woods? While following him, I turn to my body, where I see that there are no whip marks around my body. I become confused about it. I thought to myself, whether the whip was not really that bad. I do not notice other ponies nor do I notice that my surroundings have become at times, darker, the other times brighter. I bumped into something soft and I look at the guard that he has stopped moving. I look around and without noticing, the surroundings have become slightly brighter, yet it smells like someone burns coal. I look around and I see a pickaxe and a minecart in a rail, there are also many different rails where I’m at. What am I supposed to do here? “Here’s your workplace. Get a pickaxe and start moving!” He yells at me again for the third time in the row, while pointing at a pickaxe. Annoyed, I start to dash to his flank, hoping to hurt him by kicking him. However, a spear fly passed me from my left. It missed me, but it nearly strike my mane. “Oh, crap!” I became scared at the possibility of death. “Don’t even think about trying to hurt the guards. Doing so will lead you to the torture room, and let me tell you this: It’s not a fun game.” Another pony appeared from the outside of the shaft, wearing the same dark gray outfit like the guard. He slowly walk to the spear, where it is stuck on the ground. He picks it up and leaves the shaft. I panicked at the fact that a spear nearly stabbed my head. The fear causes me to immediately get a pickaxe and start mining, but the guard stopped me before mining. “Wait…” he stops me from mining; he puts a hoofcuff on me. “And don’t even think of leaving this place.” He then leaves the shaft, leaving me here. I look around and a white crystal, stuck in a wall in a room filled with nothing but poor light, attracts my attention. I try to trot, but these shackles becomes uncomfortable. It nearly tripped me, but I regain my balance. I slowly walk towards the crystal where I can see a reflection of myself, a white unicorn with a maroon mane. “Who is this pony? I don’t know him… I don’t know… who I am?” My body freezes when I couldn’t tell who I am. I slowly move back as I try to remember a figure or anything that happened to me before, but in my mind is only darkness, void, empty. I don’t know what but I can’t recall anything, not even my name. I turn around and see a shadow walking through a rail from the left. It seems to move slowly, and I can hear him panting. A pegasus of amethyst green colour appeared, looking exhausted from whatever his activities are. He seems to be sticking his tongue out. “Excuse me but where am I?” I shouted to gain his attention. He jumps in fear, and look at me. “Please… don’t talk…” he warns me about something. “Sombra has captured me and placed me in this damned mineshaft. I-” He looks as if he has seen something shocking. “Hey! No one told you to stop moving!” From a distant, a voice from the cave can be heard. Then, the ground rumbles from somewhere. “What!? Please don’t…” He shivers in fear after hearing the guards. His legs are too shaky to the point where he couldn’t move. I see three guards moving towards him from the right and starts beating the crap out of him. I don’t see it clearly, but I think the poor pony coughs out blood after being punched in the guts. “Please! Stop this! Help!” He cried weakly, as if someone is choking him. It was the worst pain I could ever imagine. He is helpless in the face of many guards, and he is beaten up. Then, one of them releases the rope and the other begins to bring him away from me to the right. “Please! Stop this- *mmph*” He screams for help, but the other guard that unties him starts to shut his mouth with his own hoof. He then starts getting dragged by two guards, while the other one looked at me fiercely; his white eyes pierces through mine and frightened, I immediately turn around and walk to grab the pickaxe. “Keep working if you don’t want to end up like him.” ⟡∮⟡ When I start mining, I use my magic to levitate the pickaxe, but it immediately falls to the ground. I did it multiple times, but the effects are the same… it falls. From the crystal reflection, I can see that my aura is black. I feel so pathetic for not being able to use a simple spell, but I try to levitate the pickaxe again, and this time it works. After that, I start to mine, fearing on the same fate of the other pony. I keep on mining for hours straight, taking crystals and put it to the cart before repeating the process again until the cart is full. Few hours later, from my work, I have mined crystals and put it in the cart. The cart is a quarter full, which is a good thing. It appears that the guards have left this place. Suddenly, I hear hoofsteps. The same pony appeared from the right, but this time, battered, whip scars surrounds his body and his neck draws out blood. I try to say something, but I don’t want him to be in trouble again, and then, I notice that he wears a golden crown above him. What happened to him? I start working again after noticing the shadows of the guards. 20 hours has passed, or maybe, a month… I don’t know. Being forced to work in the mine shaft has exhausted me to near death. I decided to sleep, until somepony whippped me. “Agh!” “Nopony rests until they bring the crystals to the deposit room!” It’s the same pony again while he points out to the cart. I can tell despite the guards being covered in armor from his voice and the whip. “Nopony tells me what to do!” I launch towards him, but I fall immediately. I can’t seem to move, struggling as without water or drink, I don’t have energy to move at all, let alone attack him. He scoffs at me and immediately turns back on me. He doesn’t even care. I then return back to the cart and seeing that it is already full, I decided to push the cart around the mine. “To deposit the crystals, go to the left and follow the rails, then pull the cart back to where it belongs!” I push the cart and followed his directions. I notice that the trail from where I am is very short, well… relatively. Then, while walking, I see many rails in a huge room coming from different tunnels. I feel like my head is hurting from the amount of rails. In this huge room, many guards overlook this room to view any suspicions. I see ponies pushing and pulling the cart towards one tunnel, which is supposed to be a place for deposit. I walk through the deposit tunnel, where the light begins to enlighten the shaft. It appears that I reach the deposit room. The guards then tumbles my cart and forces three earth ponies to take the crystals to their own cart. The process was long, but it has to be done. Then, after they’re done, I was forced to bring the minecart back to the rails, while I see the three earth ponies walking to somewhere while bringing a cart. I look at the tunnel and there are earth ponies waiting to bring the crystals to god knows where. It was a tiring moment. I pull the cart towards the place I work, then decides to rest. It was a very exhausting moment, but then… “Wake Up!” Somepony screams. “What!” I jump out of my position and stand up. It feels like I closed my eyes for only a few minutes. “Start working! Here’s your meal and drink!” He throws leftovers and water to the ground. In panic, I lick the ground to fill myself. The taste is awful and disgusting, but instincts tells me to accept my fate. While licking the ground, he leaves the place. “Hahaha… such a lowlife!” His sound fades as he moves away from me. This is the life I have to go through. Am I going to stay here for eternity living like a slave? I don't know what's worse, the fact that I am caught and enslaved to extract crystals in the nearby mine with minimal provisions, or the fact that I couldn't recall who I am, or who I was. Bounded - Part 2 I know that beam of light means something, and I have to know what. But right now, I have to keep mining and scavenge remains of food if I want to live. So far I've been mining in this god-forsaken place for days. Every morning, the guards find me and escort me back to a certain city to gather for some sort of.... ceremony? I wasn't sure, but what I know is that every single day, we have to bow to this.... king. This particular pony, dark grey with black mane, wielding a red cape, fears me to my very bones. Perhaps it is he, the embodiment of pure darkness itself, showing no intent but true evil. Every day, we see one slave brought to a huge pedestal where an executioner decides to chop the head of one poor soul with his axe. "This is what happens for ponies who does not do what they're supposed to do!" Every slave couldn't help but bow. Wouldn't want to see another pony gets their head executed in the same day.... If I'm the least productive, I'm going to die.... I can't afford to let that happen.... Tonight is another time to mine as the guards escort me to the crystal mine along with a few ponies that met the same fate as I did: forced mining in the midnight. As usual, guards are present both in the front and back. Personally, I think they're overreacting, because they think hoofcuffing me isn't enough. Suddenly, the pegasus next to me whispered as he suddenly trotted faster than I expected. He was dark blue with a grey mane, but fortunately doesn't look intimidating. "Hey, you there. Why are you slowing down? Come on, we shouldn't let these guards assume we're doing something suspicious. Wouldn't want to get dragged to the torture room, would you?" I didn't know what to respond, but I trotted faster before the guards in the back knew I was slowing down. The last thing I wanted to end up is the torture room, especially after what happened to the last pony that I’ve seen. "Finally awake to your senses? Good. I'm Moonlight Zephyr, by the way. What about you?" I was hesitant to share about my memory loss, if it was a memory loss anyway. However, I had to whisper and tell him something. "I.... actually don't know. I'm afraid there's nothing about me that I remember. I couldn't recall where I came from, nor what my name is. I only believed that I hit something sturdy. Perhaps that is the reason I have memory loss in the first place." "Oh.... I'm sorry to hear that. Me, I was a lunar soldier, under Princess Luna's commands to fight against the Crystal Empire. While my squad was on the patrol for any enemy troops, we were led to one of their ambushes. We tried to fight back, but I was captured. I doubt the rest are even alive by now. I guess I should be grateful I wasn't killed." Those details kept my head spinning for a few seconds, as I did not know a single thing he said. I didn't want to ask back, but judging by the long distance to the mines, I guess indulging myself in knowing more wouldn't hurt. "Sorry... what? Lunar soldier? Princess Luna? What are you talking about?" "Never heard of them? I guess your memory loss is more severe than I thought. Our beloved land Equestria is at war against the Crystal Empire ever since Sombra took control. Unfortunately, the war isn't going well, as his troops are advancing and conquering territories little by little. I was supposed to return to Canterlot and report to Princess Luna, but you know how I ended up...." As we walk closer to the mines, Zephyr gulped and looked up to the sky. He seems to be recalling something, or perhaps he's thinking about his memories? "This place used to be a haven, you know? I used to come and visit my relatives here back when Cadance was still ruler of the Crystal Empire. Now, she's seeking refuge in Canterlot under Celestia and Luna. This place is a mess...." he continued. “But those days are long gone. My relatives were never heard from again ever since Sombra took control. That is why I enlisted for the lunar guard: to avenge their deaths. I will see to it that Sombra is put down to justice." ⟡∮⟡ Cadance? Now where have I heard of this name before.... It feels oddly familiar, but there's nothing I can remember from there on. Have I met this pony before? Unfortunately, all my memories seem bleak. I don't know what to respond.... "Cadance?" I replied. "So she used to rule this place?" "Oh, brother.... Probably the best ruler of the Crystal Empire! Was, before Sombra's reawakening along with his troops got her guard down. Her husband fought valiantly to give time for Cadance to escape but.... he was never heard from again." I let go of my eye contact with him for a second and thought to myself: All this information is a lot of history to be known. Perhaps in the future I might recall who I am and who I am meant to be. Perhaps only time will tell. Although, now that I think of it, did he mention something about Sombra being reawakened? "Wait.... Sombra's reawakening? How could he possibly be reawakened? And who’s Sombra I’ve been hearing about?" "Heh, beats me. However it is, we need to make sure that his wrongdoings are judged and him banished back to where he belongs.... And to answer your question about Sombra, he is a fallen king responsible for starting the war between the Empire and Equestria, for deaths, abuses and slaveries of all ponykind. He needs to be put down to justice." As he finishes his last sentence, he stomped his hoof to the ground. As he gave a determined stance towards what he said, I gulped in fear. I don't know what to respond, but it seems like this war against the Crystal Empire seems to be a bigger deal than I thought. As I looked back to see the guards convoying me to the mines, a bad feeling suddenly struck upon my mind. This horror.... it's not the worst. No, there must be a reason why he is even awakened in the first place then. I need to know more about what's going on.... perhaps I can recall back to what happened back then in that city.... every day, it was a dark and harsh time to see one pony die in vain. I need to know.... who am I, and why was I here? ⟡∮⟡ "This Sombra.... is he the one that wears a red cape during this executional ceremony that we are supposed to bow to? The one that stands next to the executioner and in front of the military....?" I tried to ask Zephyr. "Hey, shut up back there!" the guards at the front turned their head on me and releases a whip that is ready to hit me at any second. I felt intimidated by it and decided to trot faster as I feel like I'm losing pace. Zephyr suddenly reached to me closely while the guards at the back weren't looking. "To answer your question, yes. He's the damned pony that brought us here in the first place. Someday.... someday he'll die by my hooves, and by my hooves alone...." he whispered ever so faintly. He suddenly grew cold, with a murderous intent, perhaps reminiscing of his fallen relatives. ⟡∮⟡ Suddenly, the night sky became bright for a second as I saw a huge beam of light coming from the south. ("A beam of light....? No, it couldn't be just another beam of light. This one's really bright, as bright as the distant sun!") I thought to myself. Me and Moonlight Zephyr gave a huge gasp. "Did you see that?" I asked Moonlight Zephyr with a clueless facial expression. "That beam of light.... it can only mean one thing.... That light-" Before he continued, I suddenly came to the realisation that I reached the mine's entrance. Two of the guards suddenly pushed us inside with force and split us up through different channels of the mine. Worse, they even locked the mine shut. I know that beam of light means something, and I have to know what. But right now, I have to keep mining and scavenge remains of food if I want to live. For days I have waited for rescue to come, but no one ever came.... Perhaps the gods have put me into a bad fate. How to Awaken a Dragon I wasn't wrong when I was born without a horn. I wasn't wrong when I was treated unjustly by my parents. I wasn't wrong when they banished me out of Lonsdale. The entire populace will now rue the aberration that they have created: ME. They will regret they sent me here. How to Awaken a Dragon. Step 1: Complete the Oracle Infinium. Step 2: Kill my little sister. Step 3: Put her blood in the pages. ⟡∮⟡ I felt it like it was yesterday. I was born into a family of alicorns in Lonsdale. Everything here seems really great. I had all the ponies greeting me each day every time I walked through the main streets. The ponies here seem to be enjoying every second of their lives doing their daily work. Everything was fine, except for one thing: the love I deserved from my parents. The moment my little sister, Bright Star, was born was the moment that I realised that the love you get from your parents could not be much simpler: what makes you special. No matter what I did, my parents would love my sister more, every single day. They story-tell her every night, bring her to the park at weekends while I sit around in my room and ponder. I guess having both wings and a horn really paid off for her. What made me hate them more is due to the fact that no matter how talented I am, or how hard I try, they never seem to care for me due to me being.... a pegasus, not even being the greatest flyer in Lonsdale would change their minds, nor pulling out a void breaker consistently. Last week was my little sister's planned coronation to be Lonsdale's next heir to the throne. I was angry to hear that I did not receive my rights as a first-born. There was only one logical thing to do to set things right: convince them to choose me by force. What turned out to be a peaceful negotiation - parent and daughter turned out to be a reckoning. I disrupted the coronation by destroying the boutiques and decorations around the throne room, causing massive panic to the citizens. Guards come in to try and stop me, yet in spite of my flight being capable of harming ponies by ramming them, my parents are much more powerful with magic by their side (and their wings). I am now here, banished to the unknown, with nothing except a pony-made knife I created from my survivability. ⟡∮⟡ Yesterday.... Yesterday was the moment that I set my eyes to something of pure evil. I set my hooves in the peak of Mt. Apocalyptus after living my damned life in the woods. As I delved deeper into the cave, my hooves began to tremble at the unknown, but I kept on walking until the edge of the mountain. I was disappointed at seeing nothing there until fires are lit from torches when I must have stepped on a stepping stone. Once the fire was lit, I saw a slumbering dragon. It's huge, with scales as dark as night and wings dreaming of vengeance and fear. To that moment on, my eyes were attracted to it, as if an unknown force have led me to awaken this dragon. Suddenly a voice came to my mind. Its whispers are unclear and ominous. "Seek the piece.... to take back what's yours. Down in Altzein beyond its den...." I didn't know where the voice came from nor how it came to my head, but it gave me something: hope - a dark hope that I can achieve to satisfy my vengeance. "Seek the Oracle Infinium.... awaken it from eternal slumber...." They have made a grave mistake when they put me here in the first place. This is the task that I must fulfil, and it's not merely a task. It's my destiny - my destiny to take back what's mine and show them I wasn't wrong. I wasn't wrong when I was born without a horn. I wasn't wrong when I was treated unjustly by my parents. I wasn't wrong when they banished me out of Lonsdale. The entire populace will now rue the aberration that they have created: ME. They will regret they sent me here. The time has come to set things right. After delving through countless ruins, I have finally found the pieces buried beneath the pillars. At last, the Oracle Infinium. Such that it says: Oracle Infinium - Waking Darkness Shall Blood Smudge the Paper It Shall Awaken the Dragon's Power But, Wrong Blood in the Paper Turns Vapor Read Carefully to Attain the Right Offer The Blood of Purity Recherché for Everybody Attributes of Trinity Or More, Full of Uncertainty I tried to decipher the rhyme. "Blood of purity....?" I thought to myself. "How am I supposed to find that....?" The long hours of pondering have made me curious enough to think about all the possible mythical beasts alive. I searched around the corridors of the ruins for drawings, clues, runes.... After hours of thinking, I thought to myself: "Why didn't think I of this!" I'll just give my sister a surprise. A bloody surprise. It's time to put my knife to use. I can't believe that the knife that I'm going to use would be useful to not only survive but also to kill. To kill somepony I hoped I could love. ⟡∮⟡ Today is the day I will have to assassinate my little sister. I enter the castle through my room before sunrise. Walking down to the throne room was excruciating and tedious, as I have to sneak through the hall, knocking anypony out cold when they see me before bringing them to my room. I believe I knocked out around 20 guards and maids in the hallway alone. After that, I sneak through the foyer and into the throne room. While everypony wasn’t looking, I immediately hide by covering myself with a cloth behind the thrones, which may hide something for the coronation. Then, I looked behind and see a stained glass with a yellow alicorn and violet mane, with a strand of pink hair. There, I muttered myself: "I can't believe it..." My little sister is on her coronation?! Oh, the drama.... What a good day to die, isn't it? I hear trumpets, which means the coronation has started. Then, I listen that a door opened. I immediately turned around and look through the cloth. By doing so, I saw a pink alicorn and a smaller yellow alicorn, both in royal dresses, walking from the door, slowly to the throne. As the visibility of them is reduced as they get closer to the throne, I see the door closing and hear locks at the door. I realised that the guards are now on full patrol. I have no choice from now on. I can't turn back. The guards are now in full patrol around the castle and the entrance is now on lockdown. No one can get in and out of the castle during her coronation. Perfect, another sign of my parent's love and care for my sister that they just HAVE to make everything secure. My father is now saying his rites: "Ponies of Lonsdale, the time has finally come for a new ruler to take the throne. As the tradition continues, we will begin our coronation to present the first born as the new princess of Lonsdale." First born?! She's not the first born.... I am.... I can't think straight. I am shedding tears through my very eyes, and now I can't figure out if I'm supposed to be sad or angry to hear this. One thing must be done, and it's to finish her and take back what's mine. "Through our ancestors long-gone, we, the citizens of Lonsdale, present the rites of passage for our kingdom's first-born to inherit the crown. May our kingdom thrive forever and ever with our new princess. Princess-" At this moment, I get out from the cloth, reached out through the back of her throne and grabbed her by her neck. I drag her from her parents and away from the throne room while slamming the door shut. She cried for help, panicking, as I dragged her while flying towards my room. “Help!” She panicked. She attempted to slow me down by flying in the opposite direction, but my superior flying skills, strength, speed, and a much more developed body trumped her futile attempts at resisting me. After entering my room, I immediately locked the room. Nopony shall know what happens. "Hey! Let me go! Who are you? I demand you to let me go at once! Your princess orders you!" she said while panicking. She looked around my room and see ponies lying around. She immediately freaked out at seeing dead ponies. “Did… did you-” she is startled at “death” itself. I interrupt her before she finished. “No, they are just unconscious,” I replied. Then I get back to the topic. "And Princess!? I think you know who deserves that title in the first place!" I growled at her. "S-sister....? Why are you doing this?!” She panicked while at the same time, confused about why is she at fault. "Don't ask me why! You know what you've done. You've stolen everything that I had. All my hopes and dreams and my right as a first-born crushed just because.... just because I lack a horn! You know what you should've done? Convince those parents of yours to decide what's rightfully just! I should've become the princess, not you, you spoiled brat. You brought this on yourself now." I'm ready to pull out my knife attached from my right hoof when all of a sudden, huge bangs are heard from the door. I try to listen to what they are saying: "Stop whatever you're doing, intruder! You have just committed a huge criminal offence in Lonsdale. By the name of the king, show yourself!" I whisper softly to my little sister, thinking about how much attention she has received ever since she was born. I give her my last kiss goodbye in her neck. "You realise how much love and care you had all these days? Well, it wouldn't matter anymore if you're dead!" "Y-you.... you're insane, sister! W-what are you?" "I am Cimmerian Raven, first born of Lonsdale and true heir to the throne." I immediately thrust my blade to her, but then she cried, begging for mercy. “Please, sister… let me make it up to you… I’m- *scream in pain*” she cried, hoping that asking for forgiveness may change my mind, yet with a single thrust, I strike her down with my knife to her neck. She let out a huge shout of pain and misery that can be heard from outside. As she spends her last breath, the door breaks down. Guards with spears are in position, aiming at me with full caution and stern. “Princess!” A guard scream after seeing a lifeless body. Then, the guards are horrified at the sight of ponies lying around. "Stop right there, criminal scum! You have committed crimes against Lonsdale and her citizens. Come with us peacefully and we will execute you painlessly." The guards shouted to me as I think of a way to escape. It seems like there's.... 10? No, 20 guards surrounding me, each with a serious stance. I see a stained glass on the roof of my room and.... ("WHAT?") I thought to myself. I can't believe that they even made another stained glass design for my little sister! The same picture like the one in the throne room, except her wings becomes shiny and she has a halo above her. Immediately, I took the blade out of her neck and rushed to the rooftop by flying, creating a void breaker the moment I took off from a standstill. The entire castle shakes with tremor, and all the guards fall down with hooves covering their ears, perhaps deaf in the process, which now I think of it, is probably the most fortunate scenario that can happen in a void breaker. As I take off to the skies and bypass each of the guard keeps, I dodge all the incoming arrows shot at me. The sky is red as blood as I fly west to the sunset, back to Mt. Apocalyptus, where that dragon slept. ⟡∮⟡ As I arrive, I immediately take my sister's blood from the blade and smudge it along the Oracle Infinium. I cover one of my eyes with my hoof and let out a huge sinister laugh. The time has finally come to show them who I am! Suddenly, a dark ray emerges from the piece that tears the sky apart. The sky is suddenly as dark as the night sky, and the sun turns black with rays of white. As it happens, two alicorns, both pink and blue, approach me from behind. "Raven, stop this. You don't know what you're doing!" he said. "I know what I'm doing, and I'm doing it to show that I am the rightful successor of this petty kingdom! I'll show you two how I felt when I was cast away, so you will all know my suffering! All this time, you never treated me like your own daughter, as if I'm not special enough to gain your attention. This time, I WILL show you how special I am!" Suddenly, a huge earthquake shook the mountain, and a huge roar is heard from my back. It's true.... It has finally awakened. Now is the time that I can finally show them my pain, for they will know how I felt. As I feel the heat coming from my back, I immediately fly up to the horizon. "Raven, look. It's not what you-” Before they are able to continue their apologies, a huge fire incinerates them both. A loud scream was heard from both of them as they were incinerated. All that remains were ashes. The dragon suddenly flies towards Lonsdale, or that is what I hoped. But what actually happens is that its eyes are suddenly looking at me with a huge glare, ready to attack. I suddenly tremble in fear as it decided to breathe fire to me. My wings seem to be paralysed. I can't seem to fly. I fall down the mountain to a huge forest, unconscious. The last thing I see is that the dragon is flying towards Lonsdale. Unconsciously I thought to myself before I faint: "What.... have I done....?" Author's Note Void Breaker is Cimmerian Raven's signature technique, an aerobatic manoeuvre characterised by a black and white ring that expands from the void breaker's occurrence, leaving a deafening shockwave to the ground. This multiplies the flyer's speed threefold, leaving a dark wake in its path. Leap of Faith I've heard those ponies who mentally gave up after being enslaved are enlisted to Sombra's army, brainwashing them in the process. What happens in the mines, stays in the mines. There's nothing that I can do now. Thinking won't solve anything in the mines, only work does. I can't recall when was the last time I see the light. Judging by the amount of times I've slept in this cavern, it feels like I've been here for 7 days, scavenging for scattered food remains that were left from the previous slaves. I haven't heard of Moonlight Zephyr in a while, and even after these days, I can't seem to find him anywhere. Is he gone? Or perhaps he's been enlisted to Sombra's army? I've heard those ponies who mentally gave up after being enslaved are enlisted to Sombra's army, brainwashing them in the process. What happens in the mines, stays in the mines. There's nothing that I can do now. Thinking won't solve anything in the mines, only work does. Even so, I don't get paid for this, not even food! What have the gods placed me into? I used my magic to pick up the pickaxe and mine for amethyst. Tomorrow is the time when the guards are going after me to take what I've mined, and if they find out I didn't mine anything, I'd be as good as dead.... An hour has passed. I suddenly hear voices.... no, a scream, in fact. The sound seems oddly familiar. Could it be Zephyr? Could he be needing my help in his time of need? I have to go there, stat, for not only he might need my help, but also I have been living in this caverns alone as if my mental health is degrading bit by bit. A company is always helpful. As I approach the nearing voice of the scream, I happen to see a light, so bright that it's pointing towards the outside. My eyes feel like they are burnt with a thousand suns, but what made me couldn't care less, is that I'm approaching the exit. I should mark this place as an attempt to escape in the future. The voice seems to become clearer, although now that I think of it, it doesn't sound like Zephyr.... it sounds like- "WHAT IN TARTARUS IS THAT?" A guard? I think that's a voice of a guard. I should probably go back.... but then again I'm curious to see what's going on. I hide in the nearby stalagmites while eavesdropping to what the guards have to say. "Is it a bird? Is it a pegasus? No, it's really big and it's coming towards us!" a guard screamed. "YOU IMBECILE! THAT'S A DRAGON APPROACHING US! GUARDS, POSITIONS!" another guard shouted. The second guard seemed to shout louder and the voice seems like a warcry. What is he planning to do? In the meantime, I think to myself: a dragon? What's a dragon doing here? And what the hell is a dragon?! "IT'S COMING TOWARDS US! STAY ON YOUR GUARDS. DON'T JUST STAND THERE, KILL THAT THING!" he shouted again. The curiosity of what's going on and the fact what a dragon is makes me want to go outside to check it out. I leave the mines only to see cinders. Also, I see fields of fire while thinking about why the exterior seems hotter than usual. ⟡∮⟡ As I try to think of a rational reason why, an obvious fact suddenly came to realisation. The dragon burnt those guards! Yikes, I have to get out of here now! I want to retreat back to the mines and seek refuge. This dragon seems like the big deal! I walk slowly backwards to avoid any fireballs that are thrown towards me. Suddenly another voice is approaching from the inside. Now, this one, this one sounds too familiar to be true. It has to be- "Hey, you there, Chip! Come on, we need to get the heck out of here! Princess Luna won't give us another chance!" I stop for a moment and wait for Zephyr before he is beside me. Wait… did Zephyr just called me.... Chip? Is that my name? Sure, Chip seems like a good name. It has a good ring to it, but.... how did he know my name in the first place? ⟡∮⟡ As he approaches me, a sudden tremor shakes the cavern walls apart. I start to lose my balance, and so does Zephyr. I can't think straight. The dragon must've flown over and let out a typhoon in his wake! When he reaches beside me, I ask him how does he know my name. "Wait how did you know my-" "Now's not the time for asking questions! Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's get out of here for pity's sake!" As we try to run away from the shaft, these shackles keep us from trotting. We both keep falling, then get up, then the process repeats, but we don’t know exactly how to release these hoofcuffs. Halfway through the entrance of the shaft, we nearly accept our fate to die, until I use my magic to destroy our shackles. “Hold still!” I told him. He held still while I release a black magic blast to destroy the hoofcuffs. The intensity might be only as intense as candle light, but the intensity is enough to destroy the hoofcuffs. I do the same to mine before we dash towards the exit. Upon reaching the exit, we look up and see this “dragon” from afar approaching the mines in the air. “Oh, god! That’s a freaking dragon!” Zephyr screamed in panic. “Well… Wait… what about-” “No time. If we go back to save them, we’ll die immediately!” Zephyr yelled back when I tried to give a suggestion of saving these ponies. “But-” Zephyr let out a huge pause and gave a serious look. Time feels as if it slows down, yet the ever-increasing temperature of space proves otherwise. “I know.” Zephyr knew what was about to happen. He hated to sacrifice others for himself, but if I think about it, we won’t survive the fireball. Begrudgingly, we both trot away from the mines. ⟡∮⟡ As we trot further away from the mine, I see a huge waterfall falling straight down. Gulping in fear, my body seems to be paralysed looking at such force of nature. Thankfully, the dragon didn't see both of us, but I can't say the same to those in the shaft. The dragon let out a huge roar and spits out a huge fireball towards the cavern, and a huge beam of fire is spitting out from the entrance. There's no time to waste. We need to get out of here! Now, as I see my surroundings, there is no other way besides.... down. Zephyr seems to be in position, he seems to be ready to fall. "Ready?" Zephyr said. We both jump at the same time. As I fall down through the roaring waters, I can't see Zephyr anywhere. How did he.... disappear? I looked up in the sky while falling to see that Zephyr is floating in the sky.... no, he's flying. Crap.... "ZEPHYR!!!!" Zephyr seems shocked to think that I would jump from that height. He must've thought that I was ready to be carried up by him. I see him rushing downwards while trying to save me. However, he decided to stop rushing as he hears a huge splash. From what I've heard in the waters, I hear him saying: "Death........ height........ rush........ Canterlot........". The voices are unclear as I begin to faint. Damn it.... The last thing I see is him flying away with a huge explosion and landslide coming towards him. My vision starts to blur as I drown. The water is slowly consuming me while I feel lifeless.... . . . Absence ”I am.... Cimmerian Raven.... the first born of Lons..... no. The first born of nothingness." I mutter to myself as I sit upon my fallen throne. The place here feels so.... warm and cozy. As if I'm back in my bed in Lonsdale snuggling in my favourite plushie. Wait.... something isn't right. Lonsdale? Wait, is Lonsdale.... mum?! Dad?! I suddenly woke up screaming and panicking out of the seemingly unfamiliar bed, only realising that I'm not in my bedroom, but in somepony's! "You're awake, I see?" a strange creature resonated from afar. As I look at my surroundings, I see masks, spears, potions lying messily on the shelves. I hear somepony spilling out gibberish incantations. Yeah.... this is not my bedroom. "Wh-whoever you are.... show yourself! Where am I?" I panicked. As I start to search my surroundings, a shadow suddenly appeared beside me. I panicked and started to grab the closest weapon I can get. A.... stick? I feel my heart starts to beat faster as he nears me. "Heh, so this is what Lonsdale's first-born can do? Showing a sense of fear in herself. And on one moment you summoned the embodiment of fear itself." "Finally! Some acknowledgment! But how do you know I-" "I am the one who helped your mother deliver you here. As you can see, I'm a doctor. I know who you are, Raven...." How could she possibly knew that I summoned a dragon? Has the news reached this far? I question her as I started to get curious about what I did back then. "Wait. How did you know about me summoning a dragon? Were you-" "Well.... A few days past I saw a dragon up in the sky and lest it was heading towards east. The moment I visited Lonsdale all I can see were.... cinders. Nopony should have survived, but you did." "Lonsdale is.... gone? You mean everyone died?" As I hear the part about Lonsdale being in cinders, my mind starts to blur with confusion. Was I expecting everypony to die because of what I've committed? I suddenly feel dead on the inside as my heart stops beating. As if I'm missing something; something dear. "Well, if you want to see yourself, then by all means be my guest. I guess only two creatures living alone in this land would mean all the easier to survive." The doctor replied with a glare while adjusting his glasses. I immediately trot with full speed as I leave the hut only to find a dense forest. Trees were brimming with greenery, only to see the skies are as dark as smoke giving a trail. The only possible lead on where the dragon is heading is to follow that trail, heading east to Lonsdale. From there I can finally see what has happened. The truth and consequence of what I've did. Once a thriving kingdom of commerce, Lonsdale is now a shade of its former self. Trees and fields of grass were burnt. The sky is grey as smoke. The marketplace that I used to buy my favourite plushie is now torn and ruined. The park that my parents used to take me before my sister was born has its grasses dead. The rivers are polluted with ash. The castle is now nothing but a pile of ruins. The spirit of Lonsdale is now forgotten and gone. Only one thing still remains: my father's burnt crown for my sister beneath the piles of broken marble. I wanted to wear that crown. I thought that summoning that dragon would bring me to reign. Now, I am reigning over a kingdom of nothingness. There's nothing for me to rule but forgotten cinders. "I am.... Cimmerian Raven.... the first born of Lons..... no. The first born of nothingness." I mutter to myself as I sit upon my fallen throne. Tears are dropping through my eyes as I start to regret my actions. I look down to the ground and see the pile of marble I'm sitting on. I suddenly recall the days where the castle was in full glory. What was I thinking? Planning the end of the world? That dragon isn’t going to stop here.... it’s going to devour the rest of the world! I feel so helpless now. No.... I have to make things right. It's bad enough that I have to suffer because of my consequences, but I can't let the world suffer my burden. I quickly rush to the port and gather as many materials as I can to follow that trail of smoke through sea. The only way to travel, is by boat. Wait a minute.... I just realised something! I can't make a boat! Seriously, what's a royal pegasus thinking about! Now I start to think way over my head. To travel the sea.... yes, definitely need a boat! I trot back to the doctor's hut and hope that he has knowledge on boat crafting or the sort. "Hey, doc! I need to know how to make a boat. Do you have any idea how?" "Remind me why you need a boat?" "To cross the sea.... duh?" I start to get annoyed as the doctor tries to stall time. Is he not going to cut to the chase? "Why would you need to cross the sea?" she replied with a concerned expression. "To reach where the dragon went! East!" The doctor suddenly let a huge sigh and facehoofed himself while saying: “Raven, remind me what were you born with? Please tell me a pegasus born of royalty has at least decent common sense....” "Wait, what do you mean I don’t have common sense? I’m born with these wings, as Lonsdale’s fastest fly-.... oh.... OH YEAH! Thanks, Doc!" I suddenly blush and let out a nervous smile. He doesn't seem to be impressed as he raised an eyebrow. Unable to bear this embarrassment, I rapidly skedaddle out of the hut and into the port where I am in the position to fly. Towards east, in the afternoon, the perfect time when the wind will guide me. After hours of flying, a huge chunk of land seemed to get closer and came to my vision. Finally! I thought to myself. My wings are starting to get sore after all these flying. As the land starts to get closer, I feel like dropping instantly to the sea as I can't feel my wings anymore. As I see my surroundings, I see a colourful city brimming with life. This place is very different compared to Lonsdale. There are no fancy marble buildings or stone walls. There are city lights everywhere! The city is also mostly inhabited by ponies. "WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS PEGASUS" a signboard came into my vision as I got washed to shore. That's quite an original name, I thought. The city here seems lively with buildings scattering around the area with inhabitants rushing around the commercial premises. As I eavesdrop to some of the ponies’ chatter, I can surprisingly understand what they’re talking about. Hm, they speak the same language as I do. Looks like Lonsdale and wherever this place has a lot in common. However, now is not the time to relax and celebrate. Is the dragon here, I wonder? As I begin to ponder while walking, I happen to stumble upon some sort of a restaurant. This restaurant's different though. It has a lively setting with a podium and a counter with.... fancy bottled drinks? My eyes are stuck to the podium, thinking that this is a perfect way to warn the inhabitants of an upcoming disaster! "Everypony! I need your attention! I am Raven, ruler of Lonsdale!" I look at my surroundings only to see ponies give me a confused expression. One of them seems ready to rebut. "Lonsdale? Never heard of that before in my life!" A shady grey pony replied to me. He looks like he's wearing some sort of black coat. His black mane seems to be standing out. Quite the appealing pony, I thought to myself. "Look, that doesn't matter! A dragon is approaching this place and it's going to burn us all! You need to get out of here!" An awkward silence fills the room for a brief second. Then, a sudden burst of laughter surrounds the place. "Ha! Don't make us laugh! A dragon is going to burn Las Pegasus? That's the most absurd thing we've heard since somepony winning the jackpot twice in a row at Gladmane's!" "You don't understand! I saw it burning my entire city to cinders! If you don't escape now, you're all going to be dead!" "Look, kid. Equestria's always fine as it is, maybe except our war with the Empire. Let me be real honest to ya, kid. You're tired. Ya need to relax and enjoy yourself at one of the resorts out there." The ponies laugh at me while I try to warn them about the dragon's coming. I gulp in nervousness but on the flip side, I have to tell them somehow! Suddenly the guards approach me confused on what seems to be going on. Perhaps all they heard was me screaming that is audible to the entrance. Wait, they're coming after me? Are they going to detain me? "Guards, this pony is blabbering nonsense! Get’er out of here!" The grey pony said to the guards. As I see the guards try to hold me, I try to resist and fly, to no avail. My wings are too tired to fly, and my body seems to numb to resist. My visions start to blur as they drag me out of the restaurant. "Geez.... I mean Las Pegasus has a lotta strange and crazy ponies but this pony’s just over-the-top." He said. The guards then hoofcuff me ever so tightly. Then, they proceed to blindfold me. Has the world gone entirely mad?! I felt my body being thrown to a carriage. It seems to lead out of town, but I can't be sure since I'm too tired to even look out my surroundings. I need to rest. I curl up to the floors of the carriage and fell to a deep sleep. Gods know where they are taking me. Blast from the Past - Part 1 Suddenly some of the ponies looked at me with a huge glare. They are giving me a stern expression with frowns as cold as the winter night. In the distance I see ponies running away the moment they look at me. That's.... weird. Have I even done anything to make them do that? Some run in fear, others give me a deadly look. "H-hey....! W-wake.... up!" It's.... it's that voice again. I know that voice somewhere.... it's the same voice I've heard from the woods. It must be her! "I t-told you.... times.... W-why won't.... wake.... up?!" What is she trying to say....? I am awake! Am I still sleeping? I tried to respond her, to no avail. Once more, my body feels useless and numb. "I-it's coming! Please.... w-wake up...." The voice started to get clear until it starts to fade away again as my hearing starts to deafen once more. Who is that pony, and why is she always there? "Y-you must stop.... Te.... re...." I don't know what's happening.... What is happening?! "Gah! The water's really cold! What's happening?!" As a huge gush of water splashed through my face I immediately woke up from what seems to be a room of sorts. It's filled with oddities, capes, fireworks? And I thought for a moment the last time I was awake was the time that I fell from a huge waterfall, and now I am in some room while a pony just had to splash more water after I drowned. As I woke up I saw a blue unicorn with an icy blue mane, I think? Whoever, she is, she seems pretty nice. I mean, she just saved my life and all.... "Huzzah! You're awake! Welcome to the Great and Powerful Trixie's Domain!" "The Great and Powerful T.... what? Where am I?" "Well, only by my superior grace and stroke of luck I so happened to find you in the nearby rivers. Now that I saved your life, you can have the great and powerful privilege to work for me! Aha!" Pointing her hoof at me. With a great usher of pride she speaks with a very confident tone. She seems to be looking at me as if she's excited to have someone to work for her. Okay, I take it back. She seems to be quite of a jerk now that I think of it. "Alright, T.... whatever you are. Just tell me where I am. I need answers, and I have no interest to work for you just because you happen to find a unicorn drowning downstream." I asked impatiently. "Ugh.... It's Trixie!" She let out a huge gasp and frowned. "And you're in Ponyville." She continued. "Uh.... Ponyville? What kind of place is that?" I ask while trying to think how original the name of the place is. Thinking about the name of the place makes me chuckle a bit. "Well, only the place where you want to have nopony seeing how great and powerful you are in a show! But everything changed when they finally see how great I am in pulling a stunner! Then again, how come you didn't know this place? Have you been struck by memory loss or something? Heh." She let out a sarcastic smile and laughs. "As a matter of fact, I DID have memory loss." I replied straightly. The moment I tell her about my memory loss, she suddenly show a gust of sympathy coming from her face. She suddenly turns her sarcastic smiley face into a worried one. "Oh? You have memory loss....? I-I'm sorry to hear that...." Trixie replied. "Hey, you know what? I'll let you the privilege of walking around town with the greatest unicorn in Ponyville! What's say you?" She continued and smiled. Before I get to continue and pack up she suddenly turns her face back to me with an excited expression. "Oh you know what? Maybe you can meet my friend! I'm sure she knows how to get your memories fixed!" ⟡∮⟡ As me and Trixie walk through Ponyville, I was introduced by her to many of the local residents. She showed me around the marketplace, where most of the residents come to buy their groceries. "That one's Big Mac. He's the hardworking pony in town who mostly produces the local apples around town. I've heard he's pretty close with Cheerilee. Not sure, though." she points her hoof towards a red stallion with a green apple as his cutie mark. "Say, I really appreciate what you're doing to me right now. The residents here seem like really nice ponies. I can get used to living here." I replied. "Well, if you have a house that is. Meanwhile, you can stay at my caravan and make yourself at home!" she let out a smile filled with smug. The least I could do is to smile back and thank her for letting me stay in her place. Suddenly some of the ponies looked at me with a huge glare. They are giving me a stern expression with frowns as cold as the winter night. In the distance I see ponies running away the moment they look at me. That's.... weird. Have I even done anything to make them do that? Some run in fear, others give me a deadly look. Trixie seems to lead me to the outskirts of town into.... a hospital? Why would she bring me to a hospital? Should I tell her I'm not sick? "Oh, and if you're wondering why we're going to a hospital, it's because the friend I wanted to show you is in there. It's not because you're sick!" She suddenly turns her head around and winks at me. Suddenly, I feel confused on how she know what I was thinking. I trot along to the entrance of the hospital and follow her to her friend's room. Upon reaching the room, her friend greets her with the most welcoming expressions. "Well, hiya, best friend!" Trixie waves at her. "Trixie! It's nice to see you here! And you've brought a friend?" Starlight asks with a smile. I think that's my cue. I'll just enter the room and greet her like- "Huh....? You?! MURDERER!" Starlight shouts. "Whaaat? As if I, Trixie Lulamoon, would murder-" "No.... not you.... HIM!" she points out with a fierce grim towards me. "Wait.... what? I'm not even a murderer! I don't even know how I got here in the first place!" I try to clarify myself while the other doctors seem to give a glare at me. ⟡∮⟡ Meanwhile, at the entrance of hospital, I see a purple unicorn carrying flowers walking by. She seems to be accompanied by two guards on her back. Is she on a formal meeting with somepony? No, she has wings. A winged unicorn? She seems to be coming towards me. Is she planning to- "Starlight, I've got a present for you! I think you'll like...." she suddenly stops and drops her flowers and she changes her sweet and cheerful expression to an aggressive one, looking at me. "Y-YOU....!" I'm starting to question what's going on. I swear, this is getting really confusing. She suddenly let out a beam of magic aiming towards me. As I can't find a place to dodge nor hide, I was blasted outside through the walls as she lunged towards me with her wings and let out a huge spark from her horn. It seems like a magical hoofcuff. Great. Wherever I go, I get arrested for no reason. At least this time I get to be conscious. I guess that's a plus. "I'll see to it that you face Celestia's judgment, murderer!" she says while she stomp her hoof towards my body. "Hey, let me go! I didn't even do anything! I just got here!" "That's funny for you to say. You can say all you want in Canterlot. Anything you say can and will be used against you! Guards, take him out...." As I struggle to move from her magical hoofcuff, the two guards are approaching me while the winds blow through the fields of soothing grass. I try to use my magic to break myself free, to no avail. The last thing I can see are the fields of Ponyville grass and the bright blue sky. The place looks so much better than the Crystal Empire. My visions aren't straight. I feel really weak. What do they want from me?
Chapter ZeroThe Oracle Infinium Project - 10 August 2015 For the artist, a friend I wish to impress. And to my trusted non-brony friends and colleagues at the University of Melbourne, this chapter is for you. This story is rated T for Teen for mild swearing and suggestive themes. The gore tag includes war, descriptions of blood, violence and murder. All aspects of the story are safe for work. "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." - Douglas MacArthur Perhaps you have seen it in a story, somewhere familiar and dear to you. Or perhaps not…. you have not seen it.... No matter.... ⟡∮⟡ I believe it is called Equestria. A land inhabited by creatures brimmed with magic. Along the magical land inheres ponies of all shapes and colours. The unicorns, gifted with magical abilities from their horns, yearn for knowledge and magic. The pegasi, high to the sky they go with their wings and grace. The earth ponies, wings and horns they lack, but the strength of true hearts they possess. Above all are the alicorns, special as they are with their horn and wings, govern Equestria and the surroundings in harmony. Celestia and Luna, sisters who govern the day and night reside in Canterlot, Equestria's capital. Cadance, the princess of love, resides in the Crystal Empire north of Equestria. Twilight, harmony’s magic and Celestia’s prized pupil, forever living in solidarity. And lest we forget Flurry Heart, prized daughter of Princess Cadance and heir to the Crystal Empire. I remember it like it was only yesterday…. The Crystal Empire has long been wretched by the tyrant king Sombra. With Celestia and Luna’s accord, the slaves of the Crystal Empire were slaves no more; the tyrant banished to the abyss of the frozen north. The Crystal Empire afterwards lived in a state of purgatory under Sombra’s dark memories, so easily forgotten. All has changed since Cadance took charge. The empire has lived in harmony. But with harmony comes disparity. Long has Sombra yearned to return, and with the aid of a mysterious unicorn by his side, he overthrew the Crystal Empire, plunging it back to darkness, the empire that has always was. Equestria falters with a war of a cause, an innocent cause. Eventually, a nameless unicorn shall rise from the ashes. One who is nameless, forgotten and exiled. Ever-seeking purpose. With it, another unfortunate soul shall emerge. A pegasus with a dark fate and an even darker past from the forgotten kingdom of the West. Forever without hope…. Forever without light…. Undeserving to rule.... Underserving to be loved.... As Equestria trembles at its own peril, the two shall bring their testament to do what is right. Soon will they learn the magic of regret, for another menace shall unearth from the pegasus' domain. A menace so unforgiving, filled with vengeance and hatred, the bane of kingdoms. The darkest age of ponykind will usher, and the princesses shall go without thrones. Soon they will learn regret, for the deeds they have done shall carry their burden of responsibilities. For that is his fate, for it has been written by the lost pieces of the prophecy, the prophecy I withhold and endear: The Oracle Infinium. Author's Note The story will revolve around the alternating perspectives of two main characters. (Eg. Chapter 1 will be in A's POV, Chapter 2 will be in B's POV, Chapter 3 will be in A's POV, etc.) The story will be told in first person unless specified in the prologue and special episodes, where the story will be narrated in third person.
PrologueOracle Infinium - Light of the Unlit With the downfall of night And the dawn of day A shadow shall gather its might And hundreds upon hundreds it will slay When the sun never emerges And the moon never rises From torment it bloomed From hatred it will consume Bearing vengeance from times of crude And only by pristine heart it will be entombed A deliverer with the brightest light of day Capable of illuminating any somber In the time of absolute disarray A destiny it must encumber To subdue the malicious umbrae And sentencing the foul beast into eternal slumber ⟡∮⟡ War has plagued Equestria. For months, it has waged war against the Crystal Empire with the sole purpose of liberation. The Empire is led by no other than Sombra. Months before the war, he and a mysterious unicorn overthrew the royal family. The father died, while the others take refuge in Equestria. He has been capturing and enslaving ponies from both places to create his own army. Princess Cadance is now seeking refuge in Canterlot castle. The trigger for the war was the attempted assassination of Princess Celestia and Luna by the mysterious unicorn in Canterlot. The Equestrian offensive has begun. The war has caused famine, poverty, and casualty to Equestria. Slowly, the Equestrian army is dwindling by quantity and the Empire’s victory is almost certain. In a peaceful night, where no sound of war can be heard, Luna stood on top of a balcony of her room; looking downwards to the ground. She reminisced about Sombra, and every second of it causes her mouth to frown and her eyeballs to transform from snow white to icy blue. The balcony started to shake. She hated Sombra for every second of her life, for making the lives of other ponies miserable and nearly killing her; but then she calmed down and proceeds to walk through the hallway. She knew that she is not only a war-torn alicorn, but also a Princess of the Night, and she can’t let her anger for Sombra get through her main duty, though it is hard as she has to see Equestria’s army growing thin as war wages on. In the peak of midnight in Canterlot castle, Princess Luna is doing her daily midnight walk. She frequently does her daily midnight walk to calm herself, especially after what happened in the balcony. She is walking down a hallway to prepare to enter ponies’ dreams when she received the smallest yet one of the most painful of headaches. "A vision...?", she muttered. ("But this vision isn't like any other.... This one is frightening, and yet a horrifying sight to behold.") Luna, believed that the vision is only a minor hallucination, shook her head aimlessly. The hallucination disappeared. She continued on her midnight walk for a few minutes. It is peaceful, the sound of silence and the cool wind of night helped her prepare to see the dreams of others. During her midnight walk, however, the same vision, the one she considered a hallucination, appeared again. (“What in Equestria? Why is my head hurting so much!?”) She held her head in pain. Her headache not only reappeared again, but the headache became stronger. “Is this a....?” She tried to shake her head aimlessly, hoping for the “hallucination” to disappear. It didn’t work. Her shaking only made her headache worse. Her daily midnight walk is interrupted by her headache, and it seems to get worse every time. She walked slower and slower until then, the headache started to get worse that she had to stop walking and cover her head with one hoof. And on that night, the new moon came to a complete halt. As the pain worsened, she started to use both hooves to contain the pain, but the pain kept getting worse. At the same time, the petty “hallucination” becomes clearer, to the point it constituted as a vision. “Is...is this real?” Luna asked herself of her vision. As the vision started to get clearer, she foresaw upon a faraway kingdom destroyed by a dragon. Princess Luna gasped and stressed foreseeing its coming. She wanted to warn her sister Celestia of this inevitable disaster. She knew that her sister must be sleeping by now, and bothering her sleep is the last thing she wanted to do during her shift. But this night is different, and she knew duty calls her to wake Celestia up. As she trotted through the castle hallways and passed the foyer, she felt like something's bothering her sight. She used to enjoy her usual midnight stroll throughout the castle interiors, reminding her of her homecoming along with the wind's gentle breeze. This time, it's different; she can't relax and trotted with increasing speed. ("That's strange.... I can't calm down. Is someone watching me? Was it the cold wind?") As Luna thought of a rational reason while approaching Celestia's bedroom, Celestia opened the door with the most worried of expressions. She seems to be gasping for air, as if she is having a heart attack. "Sister? It's rare of you to be awake at this time of night. Is something bothering you?" Luna asked. “I'm sorry. I might be thinking too much tonight trying to find a way to defeat Sombra; I should probably head back to sleep. I was just trying to fetch a glass of wa-" Luna had only been looking at Celestia with contempt, as if time stopped for a brief second. ⟡∮⟡ “You’re not doing a good job in lying about your nightmares to the Princess of the Night.” It’s as if she knows Celestia too well. Celestia couldn't help but sigh. She intended on keeping onto herself to not cause panic, but she decided to tell her nightmare. "Alright, you caught me. I just had the worst of nightmares about.... a dragon. However, this one's different. It's fierce, with skin as dark as the moonless night sky, destroying a kingdom with nothing to remain.” Celestia looked up to the sky when telling her nightmare. “It’s nothing to wo-” "You're not the only one who foresees the same story, sister. At first, I was thinking I hallucinated a bit during my shift. It seems that it's not a hallucination nor a nightmare, sister. It's a vision." Celestia looked shocked when Luna explained the vision, assuming that Luna did not have a nightmare, considering the fact that Luna is awake. Celestia then lets out a sigh, and her head looked down to the ground to remember days gone by. "I was afraid what I foresaw were to be true. Long have I not foresaw something that is inaccurate. I'm afraid we must act; It's coming. We need to have our guards stationed throughout all outposts in Equestria and-" "Calm down! Don't you remember, sister? We have a war against the Crystal Empire, and Sombra is not letting his guards down easily, literally and figuratively. I'm sure Cadance wouldn't want this. We must remain vigilant and remember the fact that winning this war is vital in Equestria's future. Our civilians and guards are enslaved there!" "Then we must wait!" - Princess Celestia justified. "Wait? For what!?" "The better question is who, sister. We need to prepare the Elements of Harmony, and those 6 should better be ready for the battle of their lives. It's not something we two can handle." "Are you sure they're up to the task?" "No matter how big the challenges they face, they must stand strong. Besides.... they're our only hope." ⟡∮⟡ Celestia gave a determined glare to Luna as Luna trembled slowly in her hooves on the floor. The two marches on to the foyer to have an emergency meeting, though Luna kept on trembling, as if she is tired from a long walk; her face shows worry from the vision. Celestia looks vigilant, calm, and collected, yet inside she trembles, not truly sure what to say in front of the solar and lunar guards about the imminent threat. While waiting for the guards to reach the foyer, Celestia looked at Luna worriedly. She approaches Luna and slowly put her hoof on Luna’s shoulder, trying her best to comfort her sister. “Sister, what must we say to them?” “I will handle this,” Celestia said while exhaling lots of air. “It’s best if you take a lit-” “No, sis. I’m fine. I can take the pressure,” replied Luna. She knew her sister is worried about her, and she purposely lied to calm her sister down. Celestia then released her hoof from Luna’s shoulder, knowing that her sister lied, but pretended to be calm after hearing her answer. Celestia looks at the window in the foyer. She walks up the stairs and mumbles. “What am I going to say to the guards? Must I tell them the truth?” She questioned how to spread the news. In less than 10 minutes, Luna managed to be calm, at least, on the outside; Celestia has decided on what to say to the guards; and the solar and lunar guards marched and established positions in the castle gardens, across the foyer. "My dear guards, a presence of great evil is approaching our beloved land. Even with our maximum war efforts against the Crystal Empire, I'm afraid that tackling this.... this creature would be impossible, as he is slowly taking over our land and destroying it.” Celestia speaks with sadness when talking about the creature, but midway in her speech, she gave a brief pause. “However, I have faith in our efforts of our army, and I believe that for Equestria's sake, we will fight for freedom and rescue our fallen comrades. I want every one of you to march to the front lines near Equestria's northern borders and push on. The fate of Equestria is in each of your hooves. Do your part, and I will do mine." Her speech caused an uproar, not from dissonance or complaint, but rather in high spirits. The guards cheered on, raised their weapons, and they are prepared to do more than their current maximum effort to prevent the Crystal Empire from conquering Equestria. Luna looked as if she is happy, but her heart is in an array of confusion. She looked at her sister, looking towards the floor. After a few minutes of cheering, the guards leave the garden to give their efforts to protect their beloved kingdom and rulers. After that, Luna approaches to Celestia. “What-” “I’m sorry, sis, but it must be done as we need them in high spirits to defeat Sombra.” Celestia spoke with regret over her immediate change in her speech. They started marching towards the castle spire. “I can understand your decision. It’s very hard to decide whether to be truthful or to give them spirit. But surely we must at least tell them that we will take care of the new-” Celestia looks toward Luna with a serious look, causing Luna to look down, feeling that she must have said something wrong that might have hurted her sister. Celestia then looked calm and regretted scaring her little sister, when her sister has no intention of hurting her decisions and feelings. “I’m sorry, Luna, but this must be a secret between both of us and the Elements of Harmony.” The two tried to calm themselves, though Luna became increasingly worried about the dragon. As they marched on, Luna started to tremble from her fear and warned Celestia once more. She knew it's a very unpleasant situation, one that will prevent her from sleep during the day, at least today. The two marched and gazed upon the sky and the new moon in the castle spire. Luna always had bad feelings with the new moon, as if something bad is going to happen. Tonight, however, the sky seemed darker than usual with barely any stars visible. She knew how bad its coming means. Luna panicked and gazed upon Celestia's eyes. Celestia noticed how panicked Luna is and attempts to reassure her. “I shall make sure that the Elements of Harmony are prepared for the incoming threat.” "It’s not whether if they are prepared or not. I’m worried that they will fail.” Luna still shows doubt towards Celestia. “We can’t win this fight if we doubt them, Sister. We must have faith.” Celestia added. “Good night, Sis.” She yawned and immediately walked to her bedroom. She must have been very tired from the meeting. Luna appears to be calm after her sister’s reassurance, but her thoughts are still doubtful about the Elements of Harmony being capable of defeating the dragon. She looked to the new moon and she mumbled in her thoughts. As Luna look into the dark sky, a beam of light suddenly appeared out of Celestia's bedroom, turning night to day in a flash. It was only for a split second, but it was a magnificent sight. Luna asked herself: "Why did she....?" ⟡∮⟡ The bell at the spire tolls.... Perhaps you've seen it.... Yes, indeed.... What is it, sister? What is it that you seek....? A mere fraction of hope.... or perhaps a desire of an inevitable disaster....? The safety of our own personal refuge.... the disharmony that strikes us? The harbinger of light.... the emissary of darkness.... The origin of disaster.... a pony undeserving to rule.... Such is the intertwined fate of two ponies in one. ⟡∮⟡ Sister.... Hearest thou my voice? Author's Note As an ESL speaker, I have more than just a doubt that this fanfic will be an excellent one, or even grammatically correct. This is my first fanfic and experience in writing a story. Bear with me as I continue writing these chapters that I put my feelings into. Each original character has been made with unique dark pasts and experiences. Any constructive criticism is appreciated! Please do give your thoughts on the comments and help us improve. You are also more than welcome to suggest any ideas for the story.
Bounded - Part 1 This is the life I have to go through. Am I going to stay here for eternity living like a slave? I don't know what's worse, the fact that I am caught and enslaved to extract crystals in the nearby mine with minimal provisions, or the fact that I couldn't recall who I am, or who I was. "H-hey.... W-wa... up....!" . . . "H-hey.... W-wake up.... we haven't much time!" Voices.... it's been so long since I've heard voices when everything is dark. I'm hearing all these voices from nowhere but I can't seem to respond; my body is paralysed. I wanted to respond to whoever is talking to me. The voice is feminine, and she sounds awfully familiar; someone that I ever.... "W-why.... aren't.... responding....?" I couldn't help but only listen to what she's saying; for some reason, I can't talk, and I can't move my body to respond to her. She seems to be resembling someone I know.... The vision that I'm seeing, the remnants of her voice start to reappear in sight. As the vision starts to get clear, the fragments of my perception start to form a mare. Her body colour is of pure lavender, and she speaks to me in the most caring of ways. She seems to be worrying about me, about something that I'm supposed to do.... "W-we don..... time, Te...." As time passes by, my body becomes more numb, my visions start to blur and my hearing becomes unclear. The voice.... the voice is changing. Everything is dark. I probably have the longest sleep that I have ever experienced, but other than my thoughts, everything else felt weak. It’s as if somepony has given me a huge beating before. I can’t seem to open my eyes immediately. I did open them for a fraction of a second, seeing the dark walls of emptiness before closing my eyes again. Yet, something is bothering me. Why do I feel so weak? What happened to me? And- “W… up!” I hear a distant voice. My eyes slowly opened, where I can see something brown. I don’t know what it is as the sight is too blurry and too dark. I can only see a little light across the wall. ⟡∮⟡ “D… ma… again… Wake Up!” Somepony yelled at me. “Yikes!” I screamed in shock. I jump immediately from sleeping position and tried to stick on my landing, but I immediately stumble after landing. As I land harshly, dust form around me. I guess my legs aren’t warmed up yet. “Stop horsing around, slave!” Somepony starts to appear small behind the dust, but it slowly gets bigger. As dust settles down, the pony once covered in shadow turns into a pony with dark grey armour. I can assume he is an earth pony as it lacks wings or horns. He also seems to be carrying whip. “Gah!” I scream in pain as he whipped me in the body. “Follow me, slave!” He leans on me and yells beside my right ear. I can feel my right ear popping from the loudness of the sound. I rub my ear to make sure it returns to normal. “Be lucky the leader of the shaft died days ago! Just one mistake and you’ll be in the torture room if he’s here!” I immediately stand up and follow the guard through a roadway. It was dark; brown trees surrounds me and the guard. I’m confused about the current situation. Why should I follow him? I think he might be helping me, but his speech proves otherwise. I can only follow him as I have no clue where I am. Everything here seems dark and bleak. All I can hear is the sound of howling of an animal and the blowing wind. We walked for minutes and all I could think of is what was I doing here in the woods? While following him, I turn to my body, where I see that there are no whip marks around my body. I become confused about it. I thought to myself, whether the whip was not really that bad. I do not notice other ponies nor do I notice that my surroundings have become at times, darker, the other times brighter. I bumped into something soft and I look at the guard that he has stopped moving. I look around and without noticing, the surroundings have become slightly brighter, yet it smells like someone burns coal. I look around and I see a pickaxe and a minecart in a rail, there are also many different rails where I’m at. What am I supposed to do here? “Here’s your workplace. Get a pickaxe and start moving!” He yells at me again for the third time in the row, while pointing at a pickaxe. Annoyed, I start to dash to his flank, hoping to hurt him by kicking him. However, a spear fly passed me from my left. It missed me, but it nearly strike my mane. “Oh, crap!” I became scared at the possibility of death. “Don’t even think about trying to hurt the guards. Doing so will lead you to the torture room, and let me tell you this: It’s not a fun game.” Another pony appeared from the outside of the shaft, wearing the same dark gray outfit like the guard. He slowly walk to the spear, where it is stuck on the ground. He picks it up and leaves the shaft. I panicked at the fact that a spear nearly stabbed my head. The fear causes me to immediately get a pickaxe and start mining, but the guard stopped me before mining. “Wait…” he stops me from mining; he puts a hoofcuff on me. “And don’t even think of leaving this place.” He then leaves the shaft, leaving me here. I look around and a white crystal, stuck in a wall in a room filled with nothing but poor light, attracts my attention. I try to trot, but these shackles becomes uncomfortable. It nearly tripped me, but I regain my balance. I slowly walk towards the crystal where I can see a reflection of myself, a white unicorn with a maroon mane. “Who is this pony? I don’t know him… I don’t know… who I am?” My body freezes when I couldn’t tell who I am. I slowly move back as I try to remember a figure or anything that happened to me before, but in my mind is only darkness, void, empty. I don’t know what but I can’t recall anything, not even my name. I turn around and see a shadow walking through a rail from the left. It seems to move slowly, and I can hear him panting. A pegasus of amethyst green colour appeared, looking exhausted from whatever his activities are. He seems to be sticking his tongue out. “Excuse me but where am I?” I shouted to gain his attention. He jumps in fear, and look at me. “Please… don’t talk…” he warns me about something. “Sombra has captured me and placed me in this damned mineshaft. I-” He looks as if he has seen something shocking. “Hey! No one told you to stop moving!” From a distant, a voice from the cave can be heard. Then, the ground rumbles from somewhere. “What!? Please don’t…” He shivers in fear after hearing the guards. His legs are too shaky to the point where he couldn’t move. I see three guards moving towards him from the right and starts beating the crap out of him. I don’t see it clearly, but I think the poor pony coughs out blood after being punched in the guts. “Please! Stop this! Help!” He cried weakly, as if someone is choking him. It was the worst pain I could ever imagine. He is helpless in the face of many guards, and he is beaten up. Then, one of them releases the rope and the other begins to bring him away from me to the right. “Please! Stop this- *mmph*” He screams for help, but the other guard that unties him starts to shut his mouth with his own hoof. He then starts getting dragged by two guards, while the other one looked at me fiercely; his white eyes pierces through mine and frightened, I immediately turn around and walk to grab the pickaxe. “Keep working if you don’t want to end up like him.” ⟡∮⟡ When I start mining, I use my magic to levitate the pickaxe, but it immediately falls to the ground. I did it multiple times, but the effects are the same… it falls. From the crystal reflection, I can see that my aura is black. I feel so pathetic for not being able to use a simple spell, but I try to levitate the pickaxe again, and this time it works. After that, I start to mine, fearing on the same fate of the other pony. I keep on mining for hours straight, taking crystals and put it to the cart before repeating the process again until the cart is full. Few hours later, from my work, I have mined crystals and put it in the cart. The cart is a quarter full, which is a good thing. It appears that the guards have left this place. Suddenly, I hear hoofsteps. The same pony appeared from the right, but this time, battered, whip scars surrounds his body and his neck draws out blood. I try to say something, but I don’t want him to be in trouble again, and then, I notice that he wears a golden crown above him. What happened to him? I start working again after noticing the shadows of the guards. 20 hours has passed, or maybe, a month… I don’t know. Being forced to work in the mine shaft has exhausted me to near death. I decided to sleep, until somepony whippped me. “Agh!” “Nopony rests until they bring the crystals to the deposit room!” It’s the same pony again while he points out to the cart. I can tell despite the guards being covered in armor from his voice and the whip. “Nopony tells me what to do!” I launch towards him, but I fall immediately. I can’t seem to move, struggling as without water or drink, I don’t have energy to move at all, let alone attack him. He scoffs at me and immediately turns back on me. He doesn’t even care. I then return back to the cart and seeing that it is already full, I decided to push the cart around the mine. “To deposit the crystals, go to the left and follow the rails, then pull the cart back to where it belongs!” I push the cart and followed his directions. I notice that the trail from where I am is very short, well… relatively. Then, while walking, I see many rails in a huge room coming from different tunnels. I feel like my head is hurting from the amount of rails. In this huge room, many guards overlook this room to view any suspicions. I see ponies pushing and pulling the cart towards one tunnel, which is supposed to be a place for deposit. I walk through the deposit tunnel, where the light begins to enlighten the shaft. It appears that I reach the deposit room. The guards then tumbles my cart and forces three earth ponies to take the crystals to their own cart. The process was long, but it has to be done. Then, after they’re done, I was forced to bring the minecart back to the rails, while I see the three earth ponies walking to somewhere while bringing a cart. I look at the tunnel and there are earth ponies waiting to bring the crystals to god knows where. It was a tiring moment. I pull the cart towards the place I work, then decides to rest. It was a very exhausting moment, but then… “Wake Up!” Somepony screams. “What!” I jump out of my position and stand up. It feels like I closed my eyes for only a few minutes. “Start working! Here’s your meal and drink!” He throws leftovers and water to the ground. In panic, I lick the ground to fill myself. The taste is awful and disgusting, but instincts tells me to accept my fate. While licking the ground, he leaves the place. “Hahaha… such a lowlife!” His sound fades as he moves away from me. This is the life I have to go through. Am I going to stay here for eternity living like a slave? I don't know what's worse, the fact that I am caught and enslaved to extract crystals in the nearby mine with minimal provisions, or the fact that I couldn't recall who I am, or who I was.
Bounded - Part 2 I know that beam of light means something, and I have to know what. But right now, I have to keep mining and scavenge remains of food if I want to live. So far I've been mining in this god-forsaken place for days. Every morning, the guards find me and escort me back to a certain city to gather for some sort of.... ceremony? I wasn't sure, but what I know is that every single day, we have to bow to this.... king. This particular pony, dark grey with black mane, wielding a red cape, fears me to my very bones. Perhaps it is he, the embodiment of pure darkness itself, showing no intent but true evil. Every day, we see one slave brought to a huge pedestal where an executioner decides to chop the head of one poor soul with his axe. "This is what happens for ponies who does not do what they're supposed to do!" Every slave couldn't help but bow. Wouldn't want to see another pony gets their head executed in the same day.... If I'm the least productive, I'm going to die.... I can't afford to let that happen.... Tonight is another time to mine as the guards escort me to the crystal mine along with a few ponies that met the same fate as I did: forced mining in the midnight. As usual, guards are present both in the front and back. Personally, I think they're overreacting, because they think hoofcuffing me isn't enough. Suddenly, the pegasus next to me whispered as he suddenly trotted faster than I expected. He was dark blue with a grey mane, but fortunately doesn't look intimidating. "Hey, you there. Why are you slowing down? Come on, we shouldn't let these guards assume we're doing something suspicious. Wouldn't want to get dragged to the torture room, would you?" I didn't know what to respond, but I trotted faster before the guards in the back knew I was slowing down. The last thing I wanted to end up is the torture room, especially after what happened to the last pony that I’ve seen. "Finally awake to your senses? Good. I'm Moonlight Zephyr, by the way. What about you?" I was hesitant to share about my memory loss, if it was a memory loss anyway. However, I had to whisper and tell him something. "I.... actually don't know. I'm afraid there's nothing about me that I remember. I couldn't recall where I came from, nor what my name is. I only believed that I hit something sturdy. Perhaps that is the reason I have memory loss in the first place." "Oh.... I'm sorry to hear that. Me, I was a lunar soldier, under Princess Luna's commands to fight against the Crystal Empire. While my squad was on the patrol for any enemy troops, we were led to one of their ambushes. We tried to fight back, but I was captured. I doubt the rest are even alive by now. I guess I should be grateful I wasn't killed." Those details kept my head spinning for a few seconds, as I did not know a single thing he said. I didn't want to ask back, but judging by the long distance to the mines, I guess indulging myself in knowing more wouldn't hurt. "Sorry... what? Lunar soldier? Princess Luna? What are you talking about?" "Never heard of them? I guess your memory loss is more severe than I thought. Our beloved land Equestria is at war against the Crystal Empire ever since Sombra took control. Unfortunately, the war isn't going well, as his troops are advancing and conquering territories little by little. I was supposed to return to Canterlot and report to Princess Luna, but you know how I ended up...." As we walk closer to the mines, Zephyr gulped and looked up to the sky. He seems to be recalling something, or perhaps he's thinking about his memories? "This place used to be a haven, you know? I used to come and visit my relatives here back when Cadance was still ruler of the Crystal Empire. Now, she's seeking refuge in Canterlot under Celestia and Luna. This place is a mess...." he continued. “But those days are long gone. My relatives were never heard from again ever since Sombra took control. That is why I enlisted for the lunar guard: to avenge their deaths. I will see to it that Sombra is put down to justice." ⟡∮⟡ Cadance? Now where have I heard of this name before.... It feels oddly familiar, but there's nothing I can remember from there on. Have I met this pony before? Unfortunately, all my memories seem bleak. I don't know what to respond.... "Cadance?" I replied. "So she used to rule this place?" "Oh, brother.... Probably the best ruler of the Crystal Empire! Was, before Sombra's reawakening along with his troops got her guard down. Her husband fought valiantly to give time for Cadance to escape but.... he was never heard from again." I let go of my eye contact with him for a second and thought to myself: All this information is a lot of history to be known. Perhaps in the future I might recall who I am and who I am meant to be. Perhaps only time will tell. Although, now that I think of it, did he mention something about Sombra being reawakened? "Wait.... Sombra's reawakening? How could he possibly be reawakened? And who’s Sombra I’ve been hearing about?" "Heh, beats me. However it is, we need to make sure that his wrongdoings are judged and him banished back to where he belongs.... And to answer your question about Sombra, he is a fallen king responsible for starting the war between the Empire and Equestria, for deaths, abuses and slaveries of all ponykind. He needs to be put down to justice." As he finishes his last sentence, he stomped his hoof to the ground. As he gave a determined stance towards what he said, I gulped in fear. I don't know what to respond, but it seems like this war against the Crystal Empire seems to be a bigger deal than I thought. As I looked back to see the guards convoying me to the mines, a bad feeling suddenly struck upon my mind. This horror.... it's not the worst. No, there must be a reason why he is even awakened in the first place then. I need to know more about what's going on.... perhaps I can recall back to what happened back then in that city.... every day, it was a dark and harsh time to see one pony die in vain. I need to know.... who am I, and why was I here? ⟡∮⟡ "This Sombra.... is he the one that wears a red cape during this executional ceremony that we are supposed to bow to? The one that stands next to the executioner and in front of the military....?" I tried to ask Zephyr. "Hey, shut up back there!" the guards at the front turned their head on me and releases a whip that is ready to hit me at any second. I felt intimidated by it and decided to trot faster as I feel like I'm losing pace. Zephyr suddenly reached to me closely while the guards at the back weren't looking. "To answer your question, yes. He's the damned pony that brought us here in the first place. Someday.... someday he'll die by my hooves, and by my hooves alone...." he whispered ever so faintly. He suddenly grew cold, with a murderous intent, perhaps reminiscing of his fallen relatives. ⟡∮⟡ Suddenly, the night sky became bright for a second as I saw a huge beam of light coming from the south. ("A beam of light....? No, it couldn't be just another beam of light. This one's really bright, as bright as the distant sun!") I thought to myself. Me and Moonlight Zephyr gave a huge gasp. "Did you see that?" I asked Moonlight Zephyr with a clueless facial expression. "That beam of light.... it can only mean one thing.... That light-" Before he continued, I suddenly came to the realisation that I reached the mine's entrance. Two of the guards suddenly pushed us inside with force and split us up through different channels of the mine. Worse, they even locked the mine shut. I know that beam of light means something, and I have to know what. But right now, I have to keep mining and scavenge remains of food if I want to live. For days I have waited for rescue to come, but no one ever came.... Perhaps the gods have put me into a bad fate.
How to Awaken a Dragon I wasn't wrong when I was born without a horn. I wasn't wrong when I was treated unjustly by my parents. I wasn't wrong when they banished me out of Lonsdale. The entire populace will now rue the aberration that they have created: ME. They will regret they sent me here. How to Awaken a Dragon. Step 1: Complete the Oracle Infinium. Step 2: Kill my little sister. Step 3: Put her blood in the pages. ⟡∮⟡ I felt it like it was yesterday. I was born into a family of alicorns in Lonsdale. Everything here seems really great. I had all the ponies greeting me each day every time I walked through the main streets. The ponies here seem to be enjoying every second of their lives doing their daily work. Everything was fine, except for one thing: the love I deserved from my parents. The moment my little sister, Bright Star, was born was the moment that I realised that the love you get from your parents could not be much simpler: what makes you special. No matter what I did, my parents would love my sister more, every single day. They story-tell her every night, bring her to the park at weekends while I sit around in my room and ponder. I guess having both wings and a horn really paid off for her. What made me hate them more is due to the fact that no matter how talented I am, or how hard I try, they never seem to care for me due to me being.... a pegasus, not even being the greatest flyer in Lonsdale would change their minds, nor pulling out a void breaker consistently. Last week was my little sister's planned coronation to be Lonsdale's next heir to the throne. I was angry to hear that I did not receive my rights as a first-born. There was only one logical thing to do to set things right: convince them to choose me by force. What turned out to be a peaceful negotiation - parent and daughter turned out to be a reckoning. I disrupted the coronation by destroying the boutiques and decorations around the throne room, causing massive panic to the citizens. Guards come in to try and stop me, yet in spite of my flight being capable of harming ponies by ramming them, my parents are much more powerful with magic by their side (and their wings). I am now here, banished to the unknown, with nothing except a pony-made knife I created from my survivability. ⟡∮⟡ Yesterday.... Yesterday was the moment that I set my eyes to something of pure evil. I set my hooves in the peak of Mt. Apocalyptus after living my damned life in the woods. As I delved deeper into the cave, my hooves began to tremble at the unknown, but I kept on walking until the edge of the mountain. I was disappointed at seeing nothing there until fires are lit from torches when I must have stepped on a stepping stone. Once the fire was lit, I saw a slumbering dragon. It's huge, with scales as dark as night and wings dreaming of vengeance and fear. To that moment on, my eyes were attracted to it, as if an unknown force have led me to awaken this dragon. Suddenly a voice came to my mind. Its whispers are unclear and ominous. "Seek the piece.... to take back what's yours. Down in Altzein beyond its den...." I didn't know where the voice came from nor how it came to my head, but it gave me something: hope - a dark hope that I can achieve to satisfy my vengeance. "Seek the Oracle Infinium.... awaken it from eternal slumber...." They have made a grave mistake when they put me here in the first place. This is the task that I must fulfil, and it's not merely a task. It's my destiny - my destiny to take back what's mine and show them I wasn't wrong. I wasn't wrong when I was born without a horn. I wasn't wrong when I was treated unjustly by my parents. I wasn't wrong when they banished me out of Lonsdale. The entire populace will now rue the aberration that they have created: ME. They will regret they sent me here. The time has come to set things right. After delving through countless ruins, I have finally found the pieces buried beneath the pillars. At last, the Oracle Infinium. Such that it says: Oracle Infinium - Waking Darkness Shall Blood Smudge the Paper It Shall Awaken the Dragon's Power But, Wrong Blood in the Paper Turns Vapor Read Carefully to Attain the Right Offer The Blood of Purity Recherché for Everybody Attributes of Trinity Or More, Full of Uncertainty I tried to decipher the rhyme. "Blood of purity....?" I thought to myself. "How am I supposed to find that....?" The long hours of pondering have made me curious enough to think about all the possible mythical beasts alive. I searched around the corridors of the ruins for drawings, clues, runes.... After hours of thinking, I thought to myself: "Why didn't think I of this!" I'll just give my sister a surprise. A bloody surprise. It's time to put my knife to use. I can't believe that the knife that I'm going to use would be useful to not only survive but also to kill. To kill somepony I hoped I could love. ⟡∮⟡ Today is the day I will have to assassinate my little sister. I enter the castle through my room before sunrise. Walking down to the throne room was excruciating and tedious, as I have to sneak through the hall, knocking anypony out cold when they see me before bringing them to my room. I believe I knocked out around 20 guards and maids in the hallway alone. After that, I sneak through the foyer and into the throne room. While everypony wasn’t looking, I immediately hide by covering myself with a cloth behind the thrones, which may hide something for the coronation. Then, I looked behind and see a stained glass with a yellow alicorn and violet mane, with a strand of pink hair. There, I muttered myself: "I can't believe it..." My little sister is on her coronation?! Oh, the drama.... What a good day to die, isn't it? I hear trumpets, which means the coronation has started. Then, I listen that a door opened. I immediately turned around and look through the cloth. By doing so, I saw a pink alicorn and a smaller yellow alicorn, both in royal dresses, walking from the door, slowly to the throne. As the visibility of them is reduced as they get closer to the throne, I see the door closing and hear locks at the door. I realised that the guards are now on full patrol. I have no choice from now on. I can't turn back. The guards are now in full patrol around the castle and the entrance is now on lockdown. No one can get in and out of the castle during her coronation. Perfect, another sign of my parent's love and care for my sister that they just HAVE to make everything secure. My father is now saying his rites: "Ponies of Lonsdale, the time has finally come for a new ruler to take the throne. As the tradition continues, we will begin our coronation to present the first born as the new princess of Lonsdale." First born?! She's not the first born.... I am.... I can't think straight. I am shedding tears through my very eyes, and now I can't figure out if I'm supposed to be sad or angry to hear this. One thing must be done, and it's to finish her and take back what's mine. "Through our ancestors long-gone, we, the citizens of Lonsdale, present the rites of passage for our kingdom's first-born to inherit the crown. May our kingdom thrive forever and ever with our new princess. Princess-" At this moment, I get out from the cloth, reached out through the back of her throne and grabbed her by her neck. I drag her from her parents and away from the throne room while slamming the door shut. She cried for help, panicking, as I dragged her while flying towards my room. “Help!” She panicked. She attempted to slow me down by flying in the opposite direction, but my superior flying skills, strength, speed, and a much more developed body trumped her futile attempts at resisting me. After entering my room, I immediately locked the room. Nopony shall know what happens. "Hey! Let me go! Who are you? I demand you to let me go at once! Your princess orders you!" she said while panicking. She looked around my room and see ponies lying around. She immediately freaked out at seeing dead ponies. “Did… did you-” she is startled at “death” itself. I interrupt her before she finished. “No, they are just unconscious,” I replied. Then I get back to the topic. "And Princess!? I think you know who deserves that title in the first place!" I growled at her. "S-sister....? Why are you doing this?!” She panicked while at the same time, confused about why is she at fault. "Don't ask me why! You know what you've done. You've stolen everything that I had. All my hopes and dreams and my right as a first-born crushed just because.... just because I lack a horn! You know what you should've done? Convince those parents of yours to decide what's rightfully just! I should've become the princess, not you, you spoiled brat. You brought this on yourself now." I'm ready to pull out my knife attached from my right hoof when all of a sudden, huge bangs are heard from the door. I try to listen to what they are saying: "Stop whatever you're doing, intruder! You have just committed a huge criminal offence in Lonsdale. By the name of the king, show yourself!" I whisper softly to my little sister, thinking about how much attention she has received ever since she was born. I give her my last kiss goodbye in her neck. "You realise how much love and care you had all these days? Well, it wouldn't matter anymore if you're dead!" "Y-you.... you're insane, sister! W-what are you?" "I am Cimmerian Raven, first born of Lonsdale and true heir to the throne." I immediately thrust my blade to her, but then she cried, begging for mercy. “Please, sister… let me make it up to you… I’m- *scream in pain*” she cried, hoping that asking for forgiveness may change my mind, yet with a single thrust, I strike her down with my knife to her neck. She let out a huge shout of pain and misery that can be heard from outside. As she spends her last breath, the door breaks down. Guards with spears are in position, aiming at me with full caution and stern. “Princess!” A guard scream after seeing a lifeless body. Then, the guards are horrified at the sight of ponies lying around. "Stop right there, criminal scum! You have committed crimes against Lonsdale and her citizens. Come with us peacefully and we will execute you painlessly." The guards shouted to me as I think of a way to escape. It seems like there's.... 10? No, 20 guards surrounding me, each with a serious stance. I see a stained glass on the roof of my room and.... ("WHAT?") I thought to myself. I can't believe that they even made another stained glass design for my little sister! The same picture like the one in the throne room, except her wings becomes shiny and she has a halo above her. Immediately, I took the blade out of her neck and rushed to the rooftop by flying, creating a void breaker the moment I took off from a standstill. The entire castle shakes with tremor, and all the guards fall down with hooves covering their ears, perhaps deaf in the process, which now I think of it, is probably the most fortunate scenario that can happen in a void breaker. As I take off to the skies and bypass each of the guard keeps, I dodge all the incoming arrows shot at me. The sky is red as blood as I fly west to the sunset, back to Mt. Apocalyptus, where that dragon slept. ⟡∮⟡ As I arrive, I immediately take my sister's blood from the blade and smudge it along the Oracle Infinium. I cover one of my eyes with my hoof and let out a huge sinister laugh. The time has finally come to show them who I am! Suddenly, a dark ray emerges from the piece that tears the sky apart. The sky is suddenly as dark as the night sky, and the sun turns black with rays of white. As it happens, two alicorns, both pink and blue, approach me from behind. "Raven, stop this. You don't know what you're doing!" he said. "I know what I'm doing, and I'm doing it to show that I am the rightful successor of this petty kingdom! I'll show you two how I felt when I was cast away, so you will all know my suffering! All this time, you never treated me like your own daughter, as if I'm not special enough to gain your attention. This time, I WILL show you how special I am!" Suddenly, a huge earthquake shook the mountain, and a huge roar is heard from my back. It's true.... It has finally awakened. Now is the time that I can finally show them my pain, for they will know how I felt. As I feel the heat coming from my back, I immediately fly up to the horizon. "Raven, look. It's not what you-” Before they are able to continue their apologies, a huge fire incinerates them both. A loud scream was heard from both of them as they were incinerated. All that remains were ashes. The dragon suddenly flies towards Lonsdale, or that is what I hoped. But what actually happens is that its eyes are suddenly looking at me with a huge glare, ready to attack. I suddenly tremble in fear as it decided to breathe fire to me. My wings seem to be paralysed. I can't seem to fly. I fall down the mountain to a huge forest, unconscious. The last thing I see is that the dragon is flying towards Lonsdale. Unconsciously I thought to myself before I faint: "What.... have I done....?" Author's Note Void Breaker is Cimmerian Raven's signature technique, an aerobatic manoeuvre characterised by a black and white ring that expands from the void breaker's occurrence, leaving a deafening shockwave to the ground. This multiplies the flyer's speed threefold, leaving a dark wake in its path.
Leap of Faith I've heard those ponies who mentally gave up after being enslaved are enlisted to Sombra's army, brainwashing them in the process. What happens in the mines, stays in the mines. There's nothing that I can do now. Thinking won't solve anything in the mines, only work does. I can't recall when was the last time I see the light. Judging by the amount of times I've slept in this cavern, it feels like I've been here for 7 days, scavenging for scattered food remains that were left from the previous slaves. I haven't heard of Moonlight Zephyr in a while, and even after these days, I can't seem to find him anywhere. Is he gone? Or perhaps he's been enlisted to Sombra's army? I've heard those ponies who mentally gave up after being enslaved are enlisted to Sombra's army, brainwashing them in the process. What happens in the mines, stays in the mines. There's nothing that I can do now. Thinking won't solve anything in the mines, only work does. Even so, I don't get paid for this, not even food! What have the gods placed me into? I used my magic to pick up the pickaxe and mine for amethyst. Tomorrow is the time when the guards are going after me to take what I've mined, and if they find out I didn't mine anything, I'd be as good as dead.... An hour has passed. I suddenly hear voices.... no, a scream, in fact. The sound seems oddly familiar. Could it be Zephyr? Could he be needing my help in his time of need? I have to go there, stat, for not only he might need my help, but also I have been living in this caverns alone as if my mental health is degrading bit by bit. A company is always helpful. As I approach the nearing voice of the scream, I happen to see a light, so bright that it's pointing towards the outside. My eyes feel like they are burnt with a thousand suns, but what made me couldn't care less, is that I'm approaching the exit. I should mark this place as an attempt to escape in the future. The voice seems to become clearer, although now that I think of it, it doesn't sound like Zephyr.... it sounds like- "WHAT IN TARTARUS IS THAT?" A guard? I think that's a voice of a guard. I should probably go back.... but then again I'm curious to see what's going on. I hide in the nearby stalagmites while eavesdropping to what the guards have to say. "Is it a bird? Is it a pegasus? No, it's really big and it's coming towards us!" a guard screamed. "YOU IMBECILE! THAT'S A DRAGON APPROACHING US! GUARDS, POSITIONS!" another guard shouted. The second guard seemed to shout louder and the voice seems like a warcry. What is he planning to do? In the meantime, I think to myself: a dragon? What's a dragon doing here? And what the hell is a dragon?! "IT'S COMING TOWARDS US! STAY ON YOUR GUARDS. DON'T JUST STAND THERE, KILL THAT THING!" he shouted again. The curiosity of what's going on and the fact what a dragon is makes me want to go outside to check it out. I leave the mines only to see cinders. Also, I see fields of fire while thinking about why the exterior seems hotter than usual. ⟡∮⟡ As I try to think of a rational reason why, an obvious fact suddenly came to realisation. The dragon burnt those guards! Yikes, I have to get out of here now! I want to retreat back to the mines and seek refuge. This dragon seems like the big deal! I walk slowly backwards to avoid any fireballs that are thrown towards me. Suddenly another voice is approaching from the inside. Now, this one, this one sounds too familiar to be true. It has to be- "Hey, you there, Chip! Come on, we need to get the heck out of here! Princess Luna won't give us another chance!" I stop for a moment and wait for Zephyr before he is beside me. Wait… did Zephyr just called me.... Chip? Is that my name? Sure, Chip seems like a good name. It has a good ring to it, but.... how did he know my name in the first place? ⟡∮⟡ As he approaches me, a sudden tremor shakes the cavern walls apart. I start to lose my balance, and so does Zephyr. I can't think straight. The dragon must've flown over and let out a typhoon in his wake! When he reaches beside me, I ask him how does he know my name. "Wait how did you know my-" "Now's not the time for asking questions! Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's get out of here for pity's sake!" As we try to run away from the shaft, these shackles keep us from trotting. We both keep falling, then get up, then the process repeats, but we don’t know exactly how to release these hoofcuffs. Halfway through the entrance of the shaft, we nearly accept our fate to die, until I use my magic to destroy our shackles. “Hold still!” I told him. He held still while I release a black magic blast to destroy the hoofcuffs. The intensity might be only as intense as candle light, but the intensity is enough to destroy the hoofcuffs. I do the same to mine before we dash towards the exit. Upon reaching the exit, we look up and see this “dragon” from afar approaching the mines in the air. “Oh, god! That’s a freaking dragon!” Zephyr screamed in panic. “Well… Wait… what about-” “No time. If we go back to save them, we’ll die immediately!” Zephyr yelled back when I tried to give a suggestion of saving these ponies. “But-” Zephyr let out a huge pause and gave a serious look. Time feels as if it slows down, yet the ever-increasing temperature of space proves otherwise. “I know.” Zephyr knew what was about to happen. He hated to sacrifice others for himself, but if I think about it, we won’t survive the fireball. Begrudgingly, we both trot away from the mines. ⟡∮⟡ As we trot further away from the mine, I see a huge waterfall falling straight down. Gulping in fear, my body seems to be paralysed looking at such force of nature. Thankfully, the dragon didn't see both of us, but I can't say the same to those in the shaft. The dragon let out a huge roar and spits out a huge fireball towards the cavern, and a huge beam of fire is spitting out from the entrance. There's no time to waste. We need to get out of here! Now, as I see my surroundings, there is no other way besides.... down. Zephyr seems to be in position, he seems to be ready to fall. "Ready?" Zephyr said. We both jump at the same time. As I fall down through the roaring waters, I can't see Zephyr anywhere. How did he.... disappear? I looked up in the sky while falling to see that Zephyr is floating in the sky.... no, he's flying. Crap.... "ZEPHYR!!!!" Zephyr seems shocked to think that I would jump from that height. He must've thought that I was ready to be carried up by him. I see him rushing downwards while trying to save me. However, he decided to stop rushing as he hears a huge splash. From what I've heard in the waters, I hear him saying: "Death........ height........ rush........ Canterlot........". The voices are unclear as I begin to faint. Damn it.... The last thing I see is him flying away with a huge explosion and landslide coming towards him. My vision starts to blur as I drown. The water is slowly consuming me while I feel lifeless.... . . .
Absence ”I am.... Cimmerian Raven.... the first born of Lons..... no. The first born of nothingness." I mutter to myself as I sit upon my fallen throne. The place here feels so.... warm and cozy. As if I'm back in my bed in Lonsdale snuggling in my favourite plushie. Wait.... something isn't right. Lonsdale? Wait, is Lonsdale.... mum?! Dad?! I suddenly woke up screaming and panicking out of the seemingly unfamiliar bed, only realising that I'm not in my bedroom, but in somepony's! "You're awake, I see?" a strange creature resonated from afar. As I look at my surroundings, I see masks, spears, potions lying messily on the shelves. I hear somepony spilling out gibberish incantations. Yeah.... this is not my bedroom. "Wh-whoever you are.... show yourself! Where am I?" I panicked. As I start to search my surroundings, a shadow suddenly appeared beside me. I panicked and started to grab the closest weapon I can get. A.... stick? I feel my heart starts to beat faster as he nears me. "Heh, so this is what Lonsdale's first-born can do? Showing a sense of fear in herself. And on one moment you summoned the embodiment of fear itself." "Finally! Some acknowledgment! But how do you know I-" "I am the one who helped your mother deliver you here. As you can see, I'm a doctor. I know who you are, Raven...." How could she possibly knew that I summoned a dragon? Has the news reached this far? I question her as I started to get curious about what I did back then. "Wait. How did you know about me summoning a dragon? Were you-" "Well.... A few days past I saw a dragon up in the sky and lest it was heading towards east. The moment I visited Lonsdale all I can see were.... cinders. Nopony should have survived, but you did." "Lonsdale is.... gone? You mean everyone died?" As I hear the part about Lonsdale being in cinders, my mind starts to blur with confusion. Was I expecting everypony to die because of what I've committed? I suddenly feel dead on the inside as my heart stops beating. As if I'm missing something; something dear. "Well, if you want to see yourself, then by all means be my guest. I guess only two creatures living alone in this land would mean all the easier to survive." The doctor replied with a glare while adjusting his glasses. I immediately trot with full speed as I leave the hut only to find a dense forest. Trees were brimming with greenery, only to see the skies are as dark as smoke giving a trail. The only possible lead on where the dragon is heading is to follow that trail, heading east to Lonsdale. From there I can finally see what has happened. The truth and consequence of what I've did. Once a thriving kingdom of commerce, Lonsdale is now a shade of its former self. Trees and fields of grass were burnt. The sky is grey as smoke. The marketplace that I used to buy my favourite plushie is now torn and ruined. The park that my parents used to take me before my sister was born has its grasses dead. The rivers are polluted with ash. The castle is now nothing but a pile of ruins. The spirit of Lonsdale is now forgotten and gone. Only one thing still remains: my father's burnt crown for my sister beneath the piles of broken marble. I wanted to wear that crown. I thought that summoning that dragon would bring me to reign. Now, I am reigning over a kingdom of nothingness. There's nothing for me to rule but forgotten cinders. "I am.... Cimmerian Raven.... the first born of Lons..... no. The first born of nothingness." I mutter to myself as I sit upon my fallen throne. Tears are dropping through my eyes as I start to regret my actions. I look down to the ground and see the pile of marble I'm sitting on. I suddenly recall the days where the castle was in full glory. What was I thinking? Planning the end of the world? That dragon isn’t going to stop here.... it’s going to devour the rest of the world! I feel so helpless now. No.... I have to make things right. It's bad enough that I have to suffer because of my consequences, but I can't let the world suffer my burden. I quickly rush to the port and gather as many materials as I can to follow that trail of smoke through sea. The only way to travel, is by boat. Wait a minute.... I just realised something! I can't make a boat! Seriously, what's a royal pegasus thinking about! Now I start to think way over my head. To travel the sea.... yes, definitely need a boat! I trot back to the doctor's hut and hope that he has knowledge on boat crafting or the sort. "Hey, doc! I need to know how to make a boat. Do you have any idea how?" "Remind me why you need a boat?" "To cross the sea.... duh?" I start to get annoyed as the doctor tries to stall time. Is he not going to cut to the chase? "Why would you need to cross the sea?" she replied with a concerned expression. "To reach where the dragon went! East!" The doctor suddenly let a huge sigh and facehoofed himself while saying: “Raven, remind me what were you born with? Please tell me a pegasus born of royalty has at least decent common sense....” "Wait, what do you mean I don’t have common sense? I’m born with these wings, as Lonsdale’s fastest fly-.... oh.... OH YEAH! Thanks, Doc!" I suddenly blush and let out a nervous smile. He doesn't seem to be impressed as he raised an eyebrow. Unable to bear this embarrassment, I rapidly skedaddle out of the hut and into the port where I am in the position to fly. Towards east, in the afternoon, the perfect time when the wind will guide me. After hours of flying, a huge chunk of land seemed to get closer and came to my vision. Finally! I thought to myself. My wings are starting to get sore after all these flying. As the land starts to get closer, I feel like dropping instantly to the sea as I can't feel my wings anymore. As I see my surroundings, I see a colourful city brimming with life. This place is very different compared to Lonsdale. There are no fancy marble buildings or stone walls. There are city lights everywhere! The city is also mostly inhabited by ponies. "WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS PEGASUS" a signboard came into my vision as I got washed to shore. That's quite an original name, I thought. The city here seems lively with buildings scattering around the area with inhabitants rushing around the commercial premises. As I eavesdrop to some of the ponies’ chatter, I can surprisingly understand what they’re talking about. Hm, they speak the same language as I do. Looks like Lonsdale and wherever this place has a lot in common. However, now is not the time to relax and celebrate. Is the dragon here, I wonder? As I begin to ponder while walking, I happen to stumble upon some sort of a restaurant. This restaurant's different though. It has a lively setting with a podium and a counter with.... fancy bottled drinks? My eyes are stuck to the podium, thinking that this is a perfect way to warn the inhabitants of an upcoming disaster! "Everypony! I need your attention! I am Raven, ruler of Lonsdale!" I look at my surroundings only to see ponies give me a confused expression. One of them seems ready to rebut. "Lonsdale? Never heard of that before in my life!" A shady grey pony replied to me. He looks like he's wearing some sort of black coat. His black mane seems to be standing out. Quite the appealing pony, I thought to myself. "Look, that doesn't matter! A dragon is approaching this place and it's going to burn us all! You need to get out of here!" An awkward silence fills the room for a brief second. Then, a sudden burst of laughter surrounds the place. "Ha! Don't make us laugh! A dragon is going to burn Las Pegasus? That's the most absurd thing we've heard since somepony winning the jackpot twice in a row at Gladmane's!" "You don't understand! I saw it burning my entire city to cinders! If you don't escape now, you're all going to be dead!" "Look, kid. Equestria's always fine as it is, maybe except our war with the Empire. Let me be real honest to ya, kid. You're tired. Ya need to relax and enjoy yourself at one of the resorts out there." The ponies laugh at me while I try to warn them about the dragon's coming. I gulp in nervousness but on the flip side, I have to tell them somehow! Suddenly the guards approach me confused on what seems to be going on. Perhaps all they heard was me screaming that is audible to the entrance. Wait, they're coming after me? Are they going to detain me? "Guards, this pony is blabbering nonsense! Get’er out of here!" The grey pony said to the guards. As I see the guards try to hold me, I try to resist and fly, to no avail. My wings are too tired to fly, and my body seems to numb to resist. My visions start to blur as they drag me out of the restaurant. "Geez.... I mean Las Pegasus has a lotta strange and crazy ponies but this pony’s just over-the-top." He said. The guards then hoofcuff me ever so tightly. Then, they proceed to blindfold me. Has the world gone entirely mad?! I felt my body being thrown to a carriage. It seems to lead out of town, but I can't be sure since I'm too tired to even look out my surroundings. I need to rest. I curl up to the floors of the carriage and fell to a deep sleep. Gods know where they are taking me.
Blast from the Past - Part 1 Suddenly some of the ponies looked at me with a huge glare. They are giving me a stern expression with frowns as cold as the winter night. In the distance I see ponies running away the moment they look at me. That's.... weird. Have I even done anything to make them do that? Some run in fear, others give me a deadly look. "H-hey....! W-wake.... up!" It's.... it's that voice again. I know that voice somewhere.... it's the same voice I've heard from the woods. It must be her! "I t-told you.... times.... W-why won't.... wake.... up?!" What is she trying to say....? I am awake! Am I still sleeping? I tried to respond her, to no avail. Once more, my body feels useless and numb. "I-it's coming! Please.... w-wake up...." The voice started to get clear until it starts to fade away again as my hearing starts to deafen once more. Who is that pony, and why is she always there? "Y-you must stop.... Te.... re...." I don't know what's happening.... What is happening?! "Gah! The water's really cold! What's happening?!" As a huge gush of water splashed through my face I immediately woke up from what seems to be a room of sorts. It's filled with oddities, capes, fireworks? And I thought for a moment the last time I was awake was the time that I fell from a huge waterfall, and now I am in some room while a pony just had to splash more water after I drowned. As I woke up I saw a blue unicorn with an icy blue mane, I think? Whoever, she is, she seems pretty nice. I mean, she just saved my life and all.... "Huzzah! You're awake! Welcome to the Great and Powerful Trixie's Domain!" "The Great and Powerful T.... what? Where am I?" "Well, only by my superior grace and stroke of luck I so happened to find you in the nearby rivers. Now that I saved your life, you can have the great and powerful privilege to work for me! Aha!" Pointing her hoof at me. With a great usher of pride she speaks with a very confident tone. She seems to be looking at me as if she's excited to have someone to work for her. Okay, I take it back. She seems to be quite of a jerk now that I think of it. "Alright, T.... whatever you are. Just tell me where I am. I need answers, and I have no interest to work for you just because you happen to find a unicorn drowning downstream." I asked impatiently. "Ugh.... It's Trixie!" She let out a huge gasp and frowned. "And you're in Ponyville." She continued. "Uh.... Ponyville? What kind of place is that?" I ask while trying to think how original the name of the place is. Thinking about the name of the place makes me chuckle a bit. "Well, only the place where you want to have nopony seeing how great and powerful you are in a show! But everything changed when they finally see how great I am in pulling a stunner! Then again, how come you didn't know this place? Have you been struck by memory loss or something? Heh." She let out a sarcastic smile and laughs. "As a matter of fact, I DID have memory loss." I replied straightly. The moment I tell her about my memory loss, she suddenly show a gust of sympathy coming from her face. She suddenly turns her sarcastic smiley face into a worried one. "Oh? You have memory loss....? I-I'm sorry to hear that...." Trixie replied. "Hey, you know what? I'll let you the privilege of walking around town with the greatest unicorn in Ponyville! What's say you?" She continued and smiled. Before I get to continue and pack up she suddenly turns her face back to me with an excited expression. "Oh you know what? Maybe you can meet my friend! I'm sure she knows how to get your memories fixed!" ⟡∮⟡ As me and Trixie walk through Ponyville, I was introduced by her to many of the local residents. She showed me around the marketplace, where most of the residents come to buy their groceries. "That one's Big Mac. He's the hardworking pony in town who mostly produces the local apples around town. I've heard he's pretty close with Cheerilee. Not sure, though." she points her hoof towards a red stallion with a green apple as his cutie mark. "Say, I really appreciate what you're doing to me right now. The residents here seem like really nice ponies. I can get used to living here." I replied. "Well, if you have a house that is. Meanwhile, you can stay at my caravan and make yourself at home!" she let out a smile filled with smug. The least I could do is to smile back and thank her for letting me stay in her place. Suddenly some of the ponies looked at me with a huge glare. They are giving me a stern expression with frowns as cold as the winter night. In the distance I see ponies running away the moment they look at me. That's.... weird. Have I even done anything to make them do that? Some run in fear, others give me a deadly look. Trixie seems to lead me to the outskirts of town into.... a hospital? Why would she bring me to a hospital? Should I tell her I'm not sick? "Oh, and if you're wondering why we're going to a hospital, it's because the friend I wanted to show you is in there. It's not because you're sick!" She suddenly turns her head around and winks at me. Suddenly, I feel confused on how she know what I was thinking. I trot along to the entrance of the hospital and follow her to her friend's room. Upon reaching the room, her friend greets her with the most welcoming expressions. "Well, hiya, best friend!" Trixie waves at her. "Trixie! It's nice to see you here! And you've brought a friend?" Starlight asks with a smile. I think that's my cue. I'll just enter the room and greet her like- "Huh....? You?! MURDERER!" Starlight shouts. "Whaaat? As if I, Trixie Lulamoon, would murder-" "No.... not you.... HIM!" she points out with a fierce grim towards me. "Wait.... what? I'm not even a murderer! I don't even know how I got here in the first place!" I try to clarify myself while the other doctors seem to give a glare at me. ⟡∮⟡ Meanwhile, at the entrance of hospital, I see a purple unicorn carrying flowers walking by. She seems to be accompanied by two guards on her back. Is she on a formal meeting with somepony? No, she has wings. A winged unicorn? She seems to be coming towards me. Is she planning to- "Starlight, I've got a present for you! I think you'll like...." she suddenly stops and drops her flowers and she changes her sweet and cheerful expression to an aggressive one, looking at me. "Y-YOU....!" I'm starting to question what's going on. I swear, this is getting really confusing. She suddenly let out a beam of magic aiming towards me. As I can't find a place to dodge nor hide, I was blasted outside through the walls as she lunged towards me with her wings and let out a huge spark from her horn. It seems like a magical hoofcuff. Great. Wherever I go, I get arrested for no reason. At least this time I get to be conscious. I guess that's a plus. "I'll see to it that you face Celestia's judgment, murderer!" she says while she stomp her hoof towards my body. "Hey, let me go! I didn't even do anything! I just got here!" "That's funny for you to say. You can say all you want in Canterlot. Anything you say can and will be used against you! Guards, take him out...." As I struggle to move from her magical hoofcuff, the two guards are approaching me while the winds blow through the fields of soothing grass. I try to use my magic to break myself free, to no avail. The last thing I can see are the fields of Ponyville grass and the bright blue sky. The place looks so much better than the Crystal Empire. My visions aren't straight. I feel really weak. What do they want from me?
