The Long Road

We made it out of Gull rather quickly, Lone didn't want to linger there with Gilda so close, he made that clear. I kept in step, which was surprisingly hard considering how old he looked. I watched him move, each step was measured, precise, careful. He was much more interesting than I previously considered, sure it seemed that most of his life was behind him, but he was still as nimble as back in his stories.

"Lone...?" My voice came out against my brain urging it not to. The Zebra looked at me. "I was wondering....why did you rename yourself?" A sigh emanated from under the hood.

"I....when I figured out what my father did...I wanted no part of my Pony heritage..'Lucky One' was dead, I changed my name to Lone..." This time he pronounced it how it was spelled: Loan. "It means demon in my native tongue...I altered it. I belong in neither the Pony or Zebra world...My name reflects that now." As per his usual, his voice was explanatory, but not emotional.

"Oh...I changed my name too, you know.." This apparently piqued the interest of Lone, for he looked at me and tossed his hood back.

"What was it before?"

"Sea Foam. My father said I looked like the sea during the dawn..." That made me crack a smile, my father was a kind pony. Fisherpony by trade, and he loved every day of it.

"Why did you change it? It suits you well."

"Well....after I got my cutie mark...I-who would want a doctor named Sea Foam? It makes no sense, so I changed it to drum up business." I remembered that day, when I came home with my new name, my father was heartbroken. I'll never forget the look on his face, the disappointment, the pure sadness.

"Hmm." That was all I got from Lone. He didn't launch into a rant about ponies putting too much stock in names. "I suppose we both are running from who we are." His one eye focused on the ground, as if looking for answers in the dirt.

"So...what kind of travel do we have ahead of us?" I had never been outside of Equestria, heck I've never really been out of Baltimare.

"We'll cross through Equine Pass to get across The Craggy Mountains...it will take a few days. Then we cross the volcanic fields. Then we're into the Zebrahara...straight shot into the Chimeran Wastes."

"Th-The Chimeran wastes...?" I'd heard tales of that Discord-Damned place. It was nearly uninhabitable, at least to most creatures. Acid-spitters, Mongrels, and Chimerans killed most travelers who entered, and cursed those who made it out alive. It was Tartarus on Earth,

"Do not worry, the Spirits will guide and protect us through it." he seemed so sure, so hopeful.

--

"Forgive me, Kaare for my insolence, Forgive me Zera for my murders, and forgive me Nori for my impure intentions.." Lone sat at the base of an ancient shrine dedicated to the spirits of the overworld. The dwellers of the desert came here to absolve themselves of their sins, of their hubris, and of their past.

"You may enter the cave of the wicked, now." The old grizzled Zebra shaman said from behind him. The cave of the wicked was there for those who could not be cleansed by only asking, it was for those who needed divine intervention...he was one of those.

He stood, disrobed, and dropped his weapons. He was left as naked as the day he came into this world so the Spirits may see all the scars he bared, and the marking on his flank. He stepped towards the cave, a feeling of pacifism and calm washed over him with every step he took. Ancient whispers came on the air that wafted from the cave.

He stepped in, the outside world closed behind him, and a light erupted in front of him. It was pure, cleansing....heavenly. It uplifted him, not just spiritually, but literally. It picked him up and drew him in. When the light died down and he could finally see again, he noticed something...he could see...out of both eyes. With a quick inspection, he also realized all of his scars were gone and his wings' plumage was full and actually useful.

"Enjoying your rejuvenated form, Lucky?" He had been so enraptured with his body, that he had not even noticed the thrones sat before him. In the heavenly thrones, the most divine figures he had ever laid eyes upon sat. He fell to his knees in the presence of such beauty. The one who spoke chuckled. "Rise, Lucky." He did as he was told, who wouldn't in this situation? "Do you know who we are..?" There were three figures in thrones, but two empty thrones sat on each side. He knew who they belonged to.

"Y-You are Nori, The Pure. Y-You all have blessed me with your presence." Every spirit before him was just as beautiful as the last, their forms were ever changing and rearranging, they were the most harmonious things in the world.

"Yes, and do not fear us. You have no need to, you are not the traitors, so you can be forgiven." She gave a kind, knowing smile.

"But I do have Equine in me, the blood of sinners..." He looked down, no matter how much he thought about it or tried to get away from it, he was sill part pony.

"Yes, but you have shown that you are not like them, you do not worship false gods, you do not force the world into harmony...you are pure." This time, Kaare The Wise spoke. "You truly are one of our divine children, we see no impurities in you, do we Zera?" She turned her head to the final deity, Zera The Peaceful.

"We only see a child scorned. We saw your plight, and we lead you as best as we could. You finally got what you needed, peace of mind." Zera tapped her chin as she spoke.

"I murdered my father and killed countless others...can I truly ever be at peace?"

"That is something that we cannot decide...." Nori, in all of her purity, only spoke the truth.

"But we can offer our blessing and protection to help settle your fears." Kaare spoke wisely, slowly.

"Keep your heart pure, and your path enlightened, then when you finally come home to rest, you may be at peace. "Zera's voice flowed through the mystic hall in such ways that no words could describe. "But beware, young Lucky, there will be those that wish to do you harm. There will be trials, and there will be falls. We will be with you during those times in spirit, but you will never be-

--

"-alone.." Lone said something, like he was reciting a long forgotten speech, but I only caught the last word...and the look he threw my way.