Chapter 2

Pain, all I could feel was pain. Not the kind of pain where you’re constantly feeling it and you’re screaming bloody murder but the kind of pain where you can’t really feel anything but it’s still there. I couldn’t see anything, only darkness. So with what little energy I had in me, I slowly opened my eyes and even then it still hurt so fucking much. I felt wet from head to toe so I knew I was in water. From what I remember in my weak and shocked state I was starting to walk home when all of a sudden something rammed into me out of nowhere and launched me over the bridge into the river.

I can barely move, I can barely breathe, my arms and legs won’t listen, there’s something in my gut that’s not supposed to be there, and all I can see is the night sky above me. I can’t even move my damn head so I assume that my neck’s also broken. All I know is that of all the things to happen to me, why this? All I wanted to do was go for a walk and I’m now at the bottom of the ravine being carried to who knows where and my body is a bloody, broken, and mangled mess. I try to move even my fingers but all I got was pained shock all the way up to my brain and a loud gurgling grunt from my mouth that’s most likely full of blood and river water.

I don’t know how long I’ve been drifting, I can’t even tell what’s up and what’s down. All I can do is wait until I somehow miraculously survive this, or just wait until whatever being comes for my soul and guides me to where my late grandparents are. But as I’m thinking about that I can’t help but feel a new yet familiar type of pain…

Sadness and regret.

I start to realize that this might be my end, and I’ve barely done anything yet worth while in my life. I start to think about my career, sure it was a slow pace but I knew I was gonna do something with it and be proud because I was able to make something of myself. I then start to think about my friends I’ve made over the years, there are some I’ve been friends with since high school and some I’ve made along the way in college. I start to remember laughs we shared, the juvenile pranks we pulled on others, our role-playing sessions, and even the parties we went to, and how I’ll probably never see them again.

My tears start to pour from my eyes as I start to think about my family. My relatives who I’ve always enjoyed spending time with during their visits, especially my cousins. I then start to think about my parents and sister…

I’m painfully but subtlety whimpering because of the fact that I’ll probably never see them again. I start to think about my dad and how I’ve yet to prove to him that I was able to get my life back on track, how I became the man he always knew I’d be. Yet now I’ll never get that chance. My sister, my big, smart, admirable sister who was basically my best friend. I won’t be able to laugh with her or tease with here anymore. She’ll be all alone without her brother looking out for her.

Guess you’ll be able to take all the brownies after all sis… I think to myself.

The pain I’m feeling only intensifies when my mother comes to mind. My tears are flowing down my blood stained face as I start to think about her. My mother, my beautiful mother who’s always been there every step of the way. The woman who always told me she loved me every day, every chance she got. She always knew how to make me smile even when I didn’t feel like it. From the day of my birth to before this unfortunate turn of events she’s always smiled for me. When I was crying, she’d always hug me. When I looked for advice, she’d always guide me. When I strayed from the path, she’d help remind me what I do and why I do it. Despite my sometimes unwise decisions in the past she’d always be there no matter what. Now my heart breaks as I start to realize that this night would be the last night I’d’ve ever speak with her. I didn’t even get a chance to have dinner with her and my family.

It seems like hours has passed since my fall and I’m fading in and out of conciseness, but I know I’ll soon fall into eternal slumber soon since I no longer feel any physical pain. I open my eyes slowly again to barely see that I’ve stopped moving. Seems like I’ve hit some sort of river bank, even though I still don’t know where I am. I try to move again but I’m met with the similar result from before and I grunt in pain but only briefly. I so desperately wanted all of this to be some sort of horrible nightmare and be done with it. But to my dismay this was anything but unreal. All I could do now is wait, agonizingly wait for my end.

”…”

…?

”W........l.......ve”

Someone’s there…?

“Do.......yo........nt...........live.........ain?”

Am I imagining or…?

”Do you want to live again?”

…!

All of a sudden a light shines brightly through the trees above me, making me wince as my eyes try to adjust despite the blood making everything still blurry. In front of me, I could barely make out a silhouette of a figure. From what I could tell it was a feminine like figure but I still couldn’t make out who or what it was. She was standing in front of me staring down at my mangled body. She then started to lean down to get a better look at me. She reaches a hand out and touches my chest. For a moment I thought I was gonna feel pain but instead I felt warm. It was soothing, like her very touch was melting the pain away. She then spoke in a way I thought was almost angelic.

“I can tell you do not wish to die, but I cannot save you from your current situation. So at this very moment you have one of two choices. Either you accept your fate and you may pass on to the world beyond or I can send your soul to a new world with a new yet familiar body. But heed this warning young youth, this will be your one and only chance.” She says calmly.

I was confused and scared that this being of light showed up out of no where, angry and upset that my end was nearing and even this unknown entity couldn’t do anything about it, but I was strangely hopeful and happy with what she had just offered me. I didn’t want to die and just let this be my end so I considered accepting her offer. But that would also mean leaving everything I’ve ever known behind and ending up in another world. I wish I had more time to think about this but my body and conciseness said otherwise. My eyes were getting heavy and my breathing was laboring more than it already was. I’m surprised I managed to stay alive this long but I had little time to dwell on it. So I summoned what strength I had left into uttering something I’d probably regret later on…

”I......................want...................to..........................live..............”, I croaked.

The figure then rose up and continued to stare down at me. The light behind her started to shine more brighter and soon I couldn’t see anything except white and what little I could see was her but barely.

“Very well, young youth. Embrace your new destiny and live your second life to your fullest extent.” She tells me.

After that I slip more and more into unconsciousness and it feels like I’m being lifted up into the air until all the white in my vision becomes black…

3rd POV

The figure’s right arm is held straight out and a small orb of flickering light rises from the body of the young man. As the orb leaves the body, the young man then takes his last breath, succumbing to his wounds and passing on. Or so it would seem. The figure then turns her hand upwards and extends it. The orb drifts away from the lifeless corpse of the young man. It hovers just above the figures hand, flickering like a lit candle. In her hand is the still active soul of the young man known as William Saber. The figure then uses her abilities to lift Will’s body from the ground with her left arm and levitates it over to her. Her hand shines with a pure white sparkling aura and William’s body begins to glow dimly but is then encased in light. After a few moments, the light dims and his body now healed of all damages but also, according to her offer to Will, is different in many ways but is still the body he was born into.

The figure then takes her hand with the young man’s soul and brings it closer to the body. The soul then slowly and gently re-enters the body making it glow once more. After a few minutes of patiently waiting, a deep breath is drawn from William as he begins to breath again but is still unconscious. With his altered body now repaired and his soul where it should be once again, the figure the lifts her left arm out again and her hand starts to glow. Suddenly, a crack in mid air appears. The crack starts to spread in mid air until it shatters, creating a portal to who knows where. But the figure knows all to well where this portal leads to.

After all the preparations are completed, the figure starts to levitate William’s unconscious body through the portal. But just as he’s about to make contact with the swirling vortex he stops.

“Oh dear, it seems I’ve almost forgotten something important.” She says.

The figure snaps her fingers and a piece of paper and a vial of strange looking liquid appear out of thin air. She takes both items and places them in William’s pocket.

“I do hope that you prove me right, young youth… For you now are my worlds only hope.” She sighs.

William continues to float towards the portal and is now through with his head first, then his torso, his hips, legs, and finally, his feet. As soon as the last part of his body enters the portal, it repairs itself in midair. Soon it vanishes as though it was never there to begin with.

The figure then looks up to the still night sky, where the moon has started to begin it’s decent so the morning may start. In the distance, there were voices of other humans calling out for something or someone. The figure turns towards the voices and frowns pityingly.

“One day, I hope you all can forgive me for what I have done. But I know that one day, you will all see each other again and be in each other’s embrace.”

The figure returns her gaze to the sky and closes her eyes.

“I wish you luck on your journey, young youth. You will definitely need it, as The Equestrian Guardian…”

And with that, the figure vanishes, leaving only the sound of the flowing river, the crickets still chirping, and the voices still echoing throughout the area…

Author's Note

Yet another chapter, wanted to get a little more on the emotional side. But now comes the true challenge of my story, life in Equestria… Wish me luck!