Unknown Time, Everfree Forest

Clear Spring trembled as she galloped through the Everfree, her sides ached, her breath gasped out of her. A blood trail she tore, open gashes across her flanks. The world was ending, her world was ending. The Sun slowly set as she heard them, behind her, the running Griffins, laughing and hollering.

“Eek!” Clear Spring flinched as an arrow impacted in front of her before she then twisted around into the thicket of thorns. She gasped as she tore though, more and more blood in the air. Her hooves dug into the soft ground as she broke through, the sounds of beating wings behind her.

“Stop Gil, we’re having loads of fun here!” A Griffin cried out as Clear Springs serpentine through more forest. Tears in her eyes, she was sport. The young earth pony gasped as she pressed on, to her salvation, to her village’s salvation.

The bridge, the simple bridge her grandfather built, its planks rattled as she raced across, the Griffins tittering at her choice. The old looming castle that towered over them all. Its walls crumbling, and its gates rotted, it offered no hope.

Clear Spring knew better, she smiled as she heard her blood drip upon the floor. Stairs and routes that she memorized since foalhood filled her as she twisted and turned into the castle. Her hooves being nearly whisper quiet somehow on the old stone, the Griffins cursed and called, the voices echoed around her. Clear Spring smiled grimly, it was do or die, her blood would lead them to her no matter what.

The Earth Pony, barely three years out of fillyhood swallowed as she turned a corner, stumbling slightly at the mouth of a long open corridor. Cracked and dirtied glass flanked both sides, the setting sound casting the stone in a bloody red and orange. Her head span as she gazed upon the heavy stone doors at the end of the hall, a dusty collection of boxes and bags lay there at the foot of them. Offerings and sustenance to her hopes and dreams. Clear Spring felt her hooves go though a sack of rotted apples as she slammed herself into the doors.

Salvation, protection, something lay within, her forefathers all said this. All knew this.

Clear Spring licked her lips as one of the doors scraped open, she clamored to squeeze herself inside. The darkness was pervasive. The light of the setting sun barely making it through the crack of the doors. Clear Spring could smell the dust, the age, and the rotting finery. She felt a soft covering on the floor tear as she dragged herself up, running forward.

The sliver of light fell upon a second set of doors, simpler, made of wood and carved beautifully. Clear Spring felt her heart stop, would this be her salvation. She threw herself against the doors, hoping for them to break open like the stone doors did.

Smack.

Clear Spring gasped as she slid pitifully off, her flanks hurt so much. She felt her muscles burn.

The stone doors slid open, she turned her head back, the Griffins had found her. She groaned as she banged a hoof against the door, the barbarians were whistling amongst themselves. Clear Spring wept.

“HELP ME! PLEASE! HELP! SOMEPONY! HELP ME!” Clear Spring cried as she knelt on her rear legs, she banged upon the doors.

“Hold her down! I’m going to enjoy this!”

“Ack! NO! NONONONNONOOOOOOOOO!” Clear Spring screamed, her hooves bucking about as a Griffin grabbed her mane and pulled her down onto her back. Her rear hooves bucked against the doors as she punched out with her forehooves.

“NO, OFF! GET OFF! SAVE ME! SAVE ME!” Clear Spring gasped, as she felt her forehooves being pushed down and held there. A second beak over her.

“Hey, hey, should we be doing that. The boss said we needed to get her back in one-“

“What the boss don’t know is nothing off our beaks, she fell into the ravine back there and broke her neck. Just watch and learn kid, we can have a bit of fun when we want.”

Clear Spring felt claws pierce her fetlocks, she wailed, the pain nothing but a dull throb.

“SAVE ME OUR LADY! SAVE ME! PLEASE! CELESTIA PLEASE SAVE ME!” Clear Spring closed her eyes and turned her head away.

Pop.

Clear Spring shuttered and tensed as she felt blood spray across her face and a lead weight upon her chest.

“Holy fu-“

The sound of something bursting filled Clear Spring’s ears, her heart sped in her chest. She cowered in terror as she heard wood break, splinter. The weight was off her. Then a roar of a waterfall. The entire world sounded like a waterfall. Then nothing, her breathe, her huffs, her whimpers…someone else’s whimpers.

“Please…please don’t kill me. I don’t want to die.”

Clear Spring bit her lip, was that her. She opened an eye to see a blood-splattered ceiling, she felt the presence of somepony next to her. Clear Spring rolled to her front, her body ached and screamed at her. She looked up.

The Winged Unicorn, Alicorn, Celestia, their Lady, their Salvation, their Duty, Clear Spring gazed upon her Divine.

Celestia’s mane and tail hung limply, her face covered in shadows. Her Cutie Mark dull against a dirty white coat, unshorn fetlocks, and lice ridden fur. A Griffin warrior held his claws against the ring of pure magic around his throat, kneeling before the Alicorn. The crackling ring grew smaller and smaller every moment.

Celestia was a mad beast, and Clear Spring gasped, bringing her hooves to her mouth. Was this truly her goddess?

There was a snap of air, as Celestia turned her head towards Clear Spring, eyes glowing of sunfire. Dead eyes, dead expression, Clear Spring was beneath notice, she was a gnat standing at the foot of a mountain.

“I’m sorry Clear Spring. I’m sorry.” The Griffin Warrior gasped, Clear Spring eyes flickered to him, she knew him, he was kind.

“P-please…please spare him My Lady. He is kind to us.” Clear Spring felt tears flow once again, in fear, she pressed her forehead into the ground. She felt an eternity tick by as a ring of magic wrapped around her throat. IT squeezed. Was this her destiny? Was this Salvation? Death by the hooves of her goddess?

“…You are one of mine.” The ring ripped away from her throat, Clear Spring whimpered. She felt a hoof touch her chin and guide her up to meet the eyes of the Sun.

“…You are mine…” The words, guttural, dry, ancient, emotionless, alien. The uncaring face of Celestia beat down upon her, as the Alicorn studied Clear Spring.

“shii-shii.” The Griffin Warrior kicked his legs weakly as he was dragged over to kneel beside the Earth Pony.

“You…you are now mine.” The voice stated, as if curious, the dryness dying out as a tongue wetted long dry lips.

The ring of magic flashed before the Griffin Warrior stared dumbly at the towering being.

“Bow.”

With that the Griffin Warrior pressed down, exposing his throat and leaning his head to its side in the Griffin style of bowing.

“You…you look like Fresh Spring…where is he?” Celestia asked, her voice delicate and curious, beautiful and divine. Sad and lost. The flat unemotional gaze belied the soft words. Clear Springs felt her heart sore, as her blood dripped down. Her Goddess had saved her…but would that be enough?

Author's Note

The background of this is explained in the description of this story, but I figured I would post more context of this just snapshot short.

It has been ten generations or more since Nightmare Moon's banishment, all those involved had long died, and cultural memory after a devastating event has been rendered damaged and moot. Foreign invaders and petty warlords war with one and other, and the idea of the mare that rises the Sun and Moon is nothing but legend and myth. Remnants of an empire litter the land, but the mythical divinity that ruled such a place is unknown.

Celestia has withdrawn from the world, and with her disappearance, only very few know of her ruined castle. The descendants of loyal subjects, castle staff. The tend to a hallway that leads into a room none have seen out of some vague sense of tradition, perhaps some idea of religiosity. It is the thing that their little community does. That their sovereign stays inside.

So from here, I suppose this is the start of the rebuilding of Equestria after the banishment of Nightmare Moon.