The Equestrian Scrolls: The Lost Queen

Once again I was floating in darkness. I hate this feeling, I really do. But that being said, the differences between what I am used to and what I'm experiencing now, is one major thing...well, two things. One is that I'm surrounded by water, that's a new feeling, but not much of one. The major difference I'm talking about is the unbearable pain my body is going through. It permeates every nerve that makes up my being.

I knew what pain was and how it felt but I never knew what it felt like. And that is the most likely the reason I woke up when I did.

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I gasped, then started choking as water entered my lungs. Fluttering my eyes opened I looked around, but everything was very blurry... It was also very dim, a soft light was shining down from above. So seeing wasn't that much of a problem but a murky cloud of blood surrounded me. It took me a second to tear my mind from that fact before trying to get my bearings.

It took me precious seconds to find which way was upward. After all, the force of the water had me cartwheeling in every direction. It also didn't help that my body hated me. Everything that was me felt on fire. My head struck against something hard which drew me back to my current problem… no pun intended.

Grinding my teeth and refusing to breathe in any more water, I flailed my hooves, trying to reach the surface to find air. My left hind hoof screamed in pain as I jostled it. I could feel it at an odd angle, and every time I made a slight movement with it I heard grating sounds of bone on bone. What a wonderful handicap for my first time swimming.

Slowly, I swam up trying to reach the top, it was at that moment my lungs started to burn with an intense heat. They were demanding air and I had nothing to give them.

'Oh sweet Luna, please don't let them punish me.' the burn increased twice over in response to my plead.

I coughed and took an involuntary breath, which just made me cough harder. I could see the surface of the water. Knowing that air was only so far away made me push my body to the limit.

The force of the water was fighting me every inch of the way. It was trying to drag me back down to the mud, so it could ensnare me like webs would a fly.

'No! No! No!’

Grabbing at my magic, I started shoveling as much as I could into my body. With a flood of strength, I shot forward. Soon after, my head broke out into blessed fresh air. I started gasping and coughing, then gasping again as my lungs demanded relief from their burning. My head swirled as I started taking in my surroundings, it was hard going but I slowly started to gather my thoughts.

Moving rapidly down a wide river, I saw on one side was a range of mountains that spanned far into the sky. On the other was patches of sparse forest. There were also several river banks along my way.

‘Perfect. Just what I need.’

As my gasping had eased to a heavy panting, I continued to funnel magic into my limbs. Paddling forward, I made my way towards the bank. I growled as pain flared throughout my body again. I dug my forehooves into mud and gradually hauled myself out of the powerful currents. After that, it was an easy task to move myself farther onto dry...er earth.

‘Well this isn't boring,’ I groaned, rolling over and staring for a few moments into the leaves above. It was only a few moments later, the pain across my body decided that they needed more attention. I closed my eyes and sighed with exhaustion. It took me only a thought to let the magic flow into my injuries. It started stitching me back together. After a few minutes of feeling my body repair itself, a different thought occurred to me.

‘How much magic do I have left?’ Looking inward, I saw the last dredges of my magic go into my wounds. The magic strengthening my body evaporated and it seemed that it naturally strengthened my body, because my body started to shake from all the abuse it had suffered in the last day. But something more abundantly clear made itself known to me: it also naturally reduced pain.

I let out a gurgling scream that sent birds scattering from the nearby trees. Pain flared throughout my body, making my body thrash in protest. Something was in my throat suddenly and I started to cough hoarsely. I vomited roughly all over myself and my mind went into hysteria as I tasted blood. My whole front became covered in dark greenish blood. Sobbing uncontrollably, my body continued to thrash and twitch against my will.

'I need to make it stop.’ I said to myself. ‘Make it listen! I will not die! I got out of the egg and It will be a cold day on the sun before I die so soon! NOW MAKE IT LISTEN!’ My inner voice roared, snapping me out of my sobbing.

I apparently have no sympathy for myself.

Forcing myself to carefully roll onto my front, I slowly curled in on myself. I bit down hard on my hoof and focused on that pain first. My mind slowly checked off what was hurting. Right forehoof, left hind leg, barrel, neck, and head. Those held the most torment for me, everywhere else felt like tiny cuts and bruises in comparison.

I started on those first, mentally checking them over without moving. My mind gradually started to make the pain bearable or at the very least less excruciating. Left hind leg: not fully heal, but also now completely broken. Chest: lungs, just need some more air. I took slow deep breaths trying to solve that particular problem. Neck: small but painful hole, also bleeding profusely though it has stop momentarily thanks to the mud clogging it. Yay for infections. My stomach: small tear,bleeding somewhat. Not sure about my insides. My head: large gash on the top and a cracked horn, probably the least serious injury out of the lot. The pain still tore at me but it wasn't all consuming as it had been moments before.

'Now what?' I asked myself trying not to cry again from the pain.

A crackle went threw the air. It was so unexpected that i made me jump and that sent a wave of fresh pain through out me. I whimpered slightly l lost at what to do. I was injured, bleeding and had three hooves in the grave. I was out of magic and out of time. And it was going to rain, great more water.

The only thing I could hope for is if I'm lucky enough for someone to come across me. And seeing as how my luck has been so far, it would most likely be a bear.

It was then that the rustling of a bush emitted from the side of me. The sound made me groan inward.

'I wanna go back in my egg.

There were soft thumps as something walked over to me, there was also the crunch of someone eating something hard right above me.

"Well, Well. Look what I found," Said a voice with a very unpleasantly cheery tone. "And here I thought I was going to have to spend the next few hours looking for you."

Gradually I turned my head and looked up at the overly offending cheerful fellow. I had no other desire at the moment then to look at the face of the person I was mentally stabbing curentlly.

I stared for a moment before closing my eyes. I'm seeing things. I counted to ten then opened them again. Nope still there.

The creature stood before me a paper bag with colorful rocks in it. Every so often he would grab a handful and toss them into his mouth, then the crunching sound would begin anew. That is not what made me stare. What made me stare at him is that it looked like someone grab dozen different creatures then took one limb from them and threw them together to make this one. If I had the motive I would have tried to guess which limb belong to which creature but between the pain,the exhaustion and now the prospect of being save I didn't really care much.

"Can you help me?" I choked out through a small mouthful of blood. My head started to spin from the effort.

Rolling his eyes skyward he thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I can help you." he knelt down and smiled crookedly at me before adding "But there should be a fair exchange. It wouldn't be fair if just you got something out of this."

My anger rose and I gritted my teeth from saying anything just yet. I didn't want to snap at him. The crunching sound continued as he stayed above me waiting for my answer.

"Fine, you can take anything you want from me." I said through my clenched jaw.

He started to laugh "Oh I don't want anything from you," He ran one finger through my hair and down my face to the tip of my nose before quickly sticking it in his mouth. There was a popping sound as he pulled it out and he started to smack his lips. "Mmmm thaumaturgic type if I had to guess."

All I could do was stare as he tossed the paper bag over his shoulder and rubbed his palms together.

"Abracadabra." he said opening his hands. In between them was a small blue sphere, at the site of it something inside me growled slightly and I couldn't help myself as I moved forward trying to get to it. What ever it was my body knew it wanted it.

He held it to me for a moment before pulling it back "So do You want to accept my deal?" he said flicking his hand and the sphere started to spin around in the air.

"I don't know what it is," I whimpered not taking my eye off it.

"What? Oh sorry it seems I forgot to state the terms." clapping his hands a scroll appeared out of the air with a small puff of smoke. Pushing a pair of glasses that seemingly came out of no where he opened the scroll before giving a light cough.

"The one and only agreement for the terms is that you accept my three gifts." He looked over his glasses at me "Aww isn't that sweet of me,"

I was going to call him crazy but a violent coughing fit over came me, blood spilled out onto the ground from my mouth again and all I could do was nod in agreement.

"Excellent, we have a deal then." he said throwing the scroll and glass into the air. The disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Taking the orb, he set it down right in front of my mouth. "Eat up now and tell uncle Discord how it tasted."

I didn't reply, I didn't even hear him. Even though in the back of my mind something scratched furiously trying to get to the front of my consciousness. I didn't even notice that. All that mattered to me was the sphere with evaporated into a blue smoke. Once again with a slight surge of will I grabbed the smoke and greedily pulled it into my mouth where it was safely stored in my stomach.

Magic flared into life again and I immediately put it to healing my wounds. It was only until after most of the healing was done when the scratching broke free and threw itself into my mind.

Do not trust Discord. He lies, manipulates and cons everyone into doing what he wants. And do NOT make deals with him, it will not end well.

My eyes suddenly focused and was met with the gaze of a grinning draconequus.

"So, what it tasted like?"

'....Oh sweet Luna,' I groaned and buried my face in my hooves as the vague taste of chocolate milk entered my mouth.