The Refining Fire

Forge sat alone, looking down at the boiled potatoes and slice of rye bread he had been presented with. He remembered the sarcastic though respectful jabs that Mokosh, Svarog and Swift Song exchanged about the quality of the food that only Svarog was capable: bland though filling. However Forge couldn’t find it in him to take a bite of the meager meal, as his mind loomed instead with how his friends treated him.

Had he done something wrong? And if he did, what did he do wrong?

“You’re going to need to eat some point, Forge!” Mokosh called out, “And why are you so far away? I didn’t think asking you to give me some space would afford me ten metres.”

“I’m…” Forge couldn’t think of a good excuse, instead throwing something out: “I’m not hungry.”

“Aw, it can’t be that bad!” Svarog responded.

There was a silence that followed, Forge kept looking between the three ponies that were now watching his every move. It was very evident that something was troubling him, and they knew precisely what it was. Mokosh shook her head before she muttered something to Svarog and Swift Song, before she walked carefully toward Forge. The unicorn leaned against a crate that Forge sat by, looking toward the hole they were digging.

“Look, it’s easy to tell you were troubled by what just happened.” Mokosh flatly said, “But that’s a problem that’s going to continue, there is no getting out of it.”

“Why?” Forge asked, “Aren’t we doing something good? Why does it matter if I’m working with you all?”

“I’m going to tell you a secret, Forge… I hate attention, and that is the reason exactly why I wanted everything to just be small and simple.”

Forge looked up to Mokosh confused… but then he remembered what Celestia and Luna had told him last night about how Mokosh was. She wanted to be forgotten after all the good she had done, but he didn’t understand why. Was this why? Because the people who once were her admirers turned against her? They judge her?

“Why?” Forge finally asked.

“Because Forge…” Mokosh sighed, “when you marinate in that glory, ponies start thinking higher and higher of you. They make some things up to add a bit of flavour to a story, and in the end that is what it becomes… a story. And make one mistake, step outside what they expect you to do and instantly it falls to pieces. You become the baddie at that point, to the point where it’s best to just be forgotten.”

“But…” Forge struggled to understand.

“But?”

“But everypony makes mistakes! Why is it so bad if you all make one mistake?”

“Because heroes aren’t supposed to make mistakes… and, I just wanted to do one simple thing: I wanted to help… because, well… I lost everything. We all did.”

Forge looked down to the dirt under his hooves as Mokosh trailed off. It made him uncomfortable to think about and realise that anypony had been wronged… and did nothing to deserve it. Mokosh for how difficult she was to read was kind and compassionate when it came down to everything. Svarog was hearty and cheerful, managing to shrug off the burdens of his work despite the load. Swift Song was courageous and stood up for the weak, no matter the situation.

To think they had lost everything but yet retained their resolve to do what was right and be the justice that Equestria required during these times was… inspiring.

That was it. If they were inspirations, their faults couldn’t exist! That was exactly what Forge thought the first day he met Mokosh, he thought that everything that was great about her must’ve been a lie based off of the way… she treated him.

“I-I’m sorry…” Forge quietly said.

“What was that?” Mokosh asked, “Speak up!”

“I’m sorry…” Forge said louder, “I didn’t realise… this feels really, really bad…”

“Chin up, Forge.” Mokosh responded, “It ought to take more than a few mean words to put off you! I know that more than any other pony!”

She did.

“Thanks, Mokosh… but these are my friends! I can’t just let that go!”

“You're not the one letting go, Forge…” Mokosh sighed, drawing something in the dirt with her hoof, “in fact, always remember to never let go… keep those moments, because in the end it is what helps define who we are.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to tell you a story, Forge…” Mokosh said, emphasising the shapes in the dirt, “there was once a group of friends that were looking for a long lost treasure. Each of them came from a place where they didn’t have too much, but they wanted to make sure that a lot of ponies could live in happiness. On the way, they had to face scary challenges: scary spiders and giant dragons, and each obstacle they overcame. One of the ponies however was carried away in greed, believing that the strength he possessed set him above others.

“The friends started to become troubled, because this little pony kept forgetting a valuable lesson: that they had been working together to do what they did. He kept on forgetting and boasting in his power, so much so that in the end that’s all he wanted. He didn’t care about his friends anymore, and as the journey continued he saw them as competitors… he saw them as villains.”

“But why?” Forge asked, “They were friends?”

“Because he forget those moments and focused only on what was happening then. You need to learn to look at what has happened before, Forge.” Mokosh sighed, “Either we choose to focus on the bad, or we look for the good. If we forget the good, then naturally we lose sight of who we are. What we are.”

Mokosh’s hoof fell below a fourth pony she drew in the dirt, as Forge’s heart pinged with something he didn’t quite understand. Mokosh chuckled lightly, “Now, wipe that stupid grin off your face! We’re meant to be serious!”

“I thought you said I’d never--”

“I’m just making a suggestion that it’s possible! That is, if you don’t give up first!”

The two laughed.

‘Stargazer.’

He had to remind himself that was his name now.

His third name.

Past lives didn’t work out too well for the stallion that was walking aimlessly through the streets of the royal city. ‘Stargazer’s cloak kept his identity hidden for the most part, as he wandered through the darkening streets of the moonlit city. He shouldn’t even be here, it was too close to a place where if he was seen? Well… he didn’t want to think about the consequences of that. The pony pushed the door open into one of the pubs he could find, looking around quickly.

Not much of a crowd, a few ponies in a corner playing cards and the tender of the establishments wiping a stain that wouldn’t disappear. ‘Stargazer’ smiled as he approached the bar, sitting at it as the pub owner looked up at him for only a moment.

“What’ll it be for you, mister?” The bartender asked.

“Cider…” ‘Stargazer’ responded, “as cheap as you have, I’ve only got a few bits to spare.”

“If that’s true, mister, I’ve got something on the tap… can’t promise it’ll taste to pleasant.”

“Doesn’t need to be!” ‘Stargazer’ laughed, “Just need something for the thirst, and I’ll be out of your mane…”

The bartender pushed over a mug that foamed with the cheapest cider he could give to the strange pony. ‘Stargazer’ took it and managed a few sips of the substance, coughing slightly… the bartender wasn’t lying, it truly was an unpleasant drink. But he paid for it, and he wasn’t going to let something he paid for go to waste. The bartender looked away to continue to wipe the bar, as ‘Stargazer’ shot a glance toward the group playing cards behind him.

They weren’t paying attention.

‘Stargazer’ turned back toward the bartender: “It’s been some time since I’ve been around these parts, I was hoping to make the festival but… didn’t happen.”

“Yeah?” The bartender asked absentmindedly, not really paying attention.

“What happened? Anything?”

“The Barons came… a lot of ponies weren’t expecting that.”

‘Stargazer’ raised his eyebrow.

“Ah, really?” The strange pony asked.

“They’re saying that they’ve been making demands, upsetting the Sisters…” The bartender continued, “a really nasty bunch, they are.”

“Yeah, I heard… but who’d expect the Barons to be showing up? I thought they wanted to keep to the shadows, and ignore the going on’s with the Princesses and the other ponies…”

“Nopony was expecting it, even crazier yet is that there are rumours that the Sisters may be rallying the Iron Order again.”

That caught his attention. ‘Stargazer’ attempted to suppress his smile, opting to take a swig from the bitter-tasting cider to correct what could’ve been a slip of his disguise. Setting the mug down, the strange pony chuckled in as normally as he could. He rested back in his seat, “Wow… I didn’t know they disbanded! I thought they were off doing what they’re known for doing!”

“You’ve been gone for a really long time, then.” The bartender replied, raising his eyebrow, “That happened months ago.”

“I’m a traveller, a nomad persay!” ‘Stargazer’ corrected, “I went out to see Equestria a bit more, really beautiful place… you’ve been outside?”

“I think my travelling days are over, mister.”

‘Stargazer’ set down the mug he was drinking on, having finished it completely before he rose from his seat. Pulling a pouch of golden bits, the strange pony tossed it onto the bar as an exceeding amount of coins rolled around. It was a very, very generous tip… it would have easily been enough to pay for all the drinks in the establishment many times over, the bartender immediately picking up on the discrepancy.

“Keep the change…” ‘Stargazer’ threatened, turning on his hoof before he headed outside of the doors of the establishment.

The night wind brushed against his features as he walked quickly toward the city gate… before three winged shapes descended to intercept him. ‘Stargazer’ swore, watching as the two royal guards flanked the Princess of the Moon. He stopped, there was no point to try to resist what was about to happen as the alicorn soon loomed over him, her magical aura seizing the hood he wore before it swung it off.

His green eyes burned with anger, her blue eyes equally so. ‘Stargazer’ couldn’t help but smile, seeing how the alicorn attempted to hold a dignified demeanour.

“How can I be of service, your Highness?” ‘Stargazer’ asked with an insulting tone.

“Drop the act, Yarilo.” Princess Luna interrupted.

The name that was never supposed to be used.

Yarilo shrugged before he pointed with a hoof to the gate, “No, that’s not my name! Not anymore… that’s a forbidden name!”

“You are never to return to our lands. That was explicitly agreed upon. You were to remain a free stallion just as long as you kept to yourself. You get what you want, and the demands of our justice are met.”

“Aw, this isn’t a violation!” Yarilo chuckled, “Some stallion coming in for a drink? How’s that a breach?”

Princess Luna only stared at him. Yeah, she wasn’t buying it… but she didn’t need to. Luna had always had a superiority complex, a belief that she needed to be as much as her sister Celestia. Yarilo always felt bad with how she seemed to loom in the shadows of her sister’s glory, and he knew how dangerous that truly was. She stepped up to him, making sure that she could still look down on him while he defiantly stared up at her.

“This is a violation.” Luna responded sharply, “And you are not going to leave this time. We offered you your freedom to walk as you would, and it seems you wish to mock that.”

“Whatever it may be to you,” Yarilo responded, “there are certain things that concern us both... I heard about the Barons, I know that you and your sister are afraid of what is going to come!”
Luna blinked, “What does this have to do--”

“Please, let me finish! You’re rallying the Iron Order, that is no secret… the Barons will suspect what you’re doing and I’m sorry but the math is clear, kid: you’re going to lose every single time. But if you sacrifice a few of the pawns on the board, you’ll have clear enough sights to strike and put down what threatens you…”

“Sacrifice? Sacrifice who?” Luna demanded.

“Don’t play stupid, you know who…”

Luna stood still, almost as if she was considering what Yarilo was saying.

“You’ve always played by your plans, the two of you… so I only figured it was fair if I share mine, we’re partners in the end of this, right? You go and prepare our mutual friends, and I’ll go see the Barons... we’ll set the pieces up, and when it comes to the end we’ll see them fall. Equestria will rid itself of the Barons, and you will reign supreme!”

“And you?” Luna asked.

“I disappear, I head somewhere and I live my peaceful life free of eyes peering down on me! It is a win-win for us, and in the end the Iron Order gets what it so rightfully deserves!”

“Stop being cryptic.”

“Why, kid,” Yarilo smiled, “it gets forgotten! But there is one catch, let’s keep this between us, yeah? We know that getting the others involved will muddy up the process, and if that happens then Equestria won’t know how to respond!”

“If you really believe I will not be informing my sister of this,” Luna growled, “about how you are here when you are not supposed to be--”

“Then chain me, kid! Then who’s going to be your insider? You won’t have an ear for what the Barons are scheming, and you won’t be able to defend your home… what will become of the night and the moon, I wonder? It will become just another forgotten symbol, to be replaced by something far worse... “

The royal guards that flanked Luna shifted uncomfortably as she continued to peer down at Yarilo. He stood there, praying that the Princess would take the bait and leave it at that. He couldn’t be brought back to Celestia and before those who betrayed him again, who betrayed themselves. Eventually Luna turned back towards the guards, and waved with her hoof for them to stand at ease. Closing her eyes and drawing in a deep breath, she returned her scowl down at Yarilo who sat there smiling.

“So, we have a deal?” Yarilo asked.

“You will be granted your petition. But I shall decide to do with the Iron Order. I expect you to report immediately what the Barons scheme, and should you fail to convince them of their path… then you shall be chained and brought before the Court of Sun and Moon. Am I clear?” Luna responded sharply.

She wasn’t using her accustomed ‘we,’ something that signified something greater to Yarilo.

Good.

“We have a deal.”