Alicorn Guardby Azvameth RoseChaptersThe ChoiceStars AlignThe day they cameThe ChoiceWriting down in every space of the papers before him, Marco selected what could be donated. Being at the age of twenty-three, pretty much everything was usable. Save for the thing he needed to function as a person, his brain. According to the doctors, he had around six months before losing his grip on reality and motor functions. Therefore, he had two choices: one, ask for euthanasia and have his organs harvested for a terminal patient that could be saved; two, live his next six months and then turn into a lunatic strapped to a bed. Letting out a sigh, Marco watched the papers authorizing euthanasia before him. Live six months well-lived, or allow someone to have a chance to live? Fuck this. The world is weird. He mumbled while lazily reaching for the euthanasia papers. After placing his signature, Marco reached for the button to call the nurse. She came right away. With the papers in hand, she quickly left the room before a second nurse came in. "I'm going to anesthetize you now. Then, we will take you to the operation room where we will administer an injection so you can rest," She said in a caring tone as Marco simply closed his eyes and waited for his conscience to fade into nothing. "Can you hear me?" An unfamiliar yet warm voice called out in the dark. It sounded weak, however, it was clear in tone and speech. "Yes," Marco replied while his body felt off. It was as if something was missing. "I'm glad. I managed to link us at the last moment. A moment longer, and you would have passed on," The voice said as Marco tried to trace the voice to its origin. However, all Marco could see around him, was darkness. "You, did you prevent my death? Why would you do that? That's a horrible thing to do," Marco replied while trying to get a feel for his body, which seemed weightless. "Forgive me, but it seems I have confused you. I still have some time. Therefore, allow me to clarify. You have died. One cannot survive without one's heart. What I did was remove your soul from the river of death and move it elsewhere. We are in the lay in between. A pocket space without anything but void. In essence, I made you pass on. It's just that you are not in the same cycle as before," The voice explained while Marco felt himself moving. However, he couldn't feel his legs. "But, why would you do that? And why me?" Marco inquired while twisting himself around in the void. "Allow me to elaborate. I am responsible for weaving life into my reality. There are many of my kind who possess unique abilities. My husband, for example, is the keeper of prophecies. His foresight allows him to see the future of anyone, but himself. And he saw my future, I was fated to have two fillies. However, agh!" There was a brief pause from the voice. Did it just say it would have fillies? No, that can't be right. "Sorry. There is something else happening right now. But, I still have some time left. As I was saying, I was destined to have two fillies. However, as soon as I got confirmation of being pregnant, my fate changed. I would lose my life after the birth of my first child. I could not bear that fate. I would not stand idly by as the future of my baby was taken away from her. Therefore, I committed a taboo. I used my powers to meddle with fate and alter my story. I will now perish after the birth of my second baby, ugh!" The voice was cut off once more. "I still need to brief him. Hold on!" The voice spoke as if it was in pain. "Ok. I, I'm ok. Because of my actions, a child that shouldn't have been born will now be born. The world itself will be at odds with her. And to make things worse, as punishment, my firstborn might be hurt as well. Moreover, Fate made a move to prevent me from having even my firstborn. My sickness shouldn't have been this bad. And that's what brings us to you, the one that allowed me to trick fate once more. I hadn't intended for you to serve these two purposes. But, your soul was the closest one I managed to latch onto and pull over here. You are dead and you're not from this world; so, Fate can't have a hold of you. Moreover, the body that received your organs was a gate that replaced my original organs once they were in place." "So, is this a way to thank me? Can, can I at least say goodbye to my family? I don't care if they can't hear me. It's just something that I need to do." Marco inquired as the voice seemed to be cut off once more. But there were no grunts this time. "I know this is unfair. Your world is a mess and some are given an early loss without reason. But out of the thousands of candidates, you were the one that I managed to connect to. Moreover, you were kind enough to give me more time. You've given me so much, and I need to ask more of you. I am truly sorry. Please, protect them." "I have no other choice, do I?" There was no response. "Hello? Can you hear me?" "YES! Listen, my time is up. I can't keep this up much longer. Please! Help them! I beg of you!" Suddenly, everything went white. Memories of his name, family, and life disappeared. He could remember math, reading, biology, history, and other subjects too, as well as a few first aid lessons. It was a knowledge he didn't know the source of, but it was there. That much was a fact. But, that would have to wait. Because, that soul, was falling asleep. I leave this to you. My husband will know what to do. I can't give you knowledge of who you were. This is all I could save. Please, protect my daughters. Closing the book his wife had handed to him, Sors looked back at his resting wife and their sleeping baby. Many questions flowed through his mind. But only two managed to reach his lips. "Is this what you chose, Faust? How far did you take this?" Author's Note Thank you for reading! This story will be a bit more serious. I hope you enjoy it! Stars AlignBusting open the door, Bella Arte tackled her husband. This caused them to fall off the couch as she had a huge smile on her face. "Duellum! He is awake! Our son woke up!" Her husband's ears perked as he stared at her, begging for confirmation. "It's true! Our little Lumen opened his eyes! He is alive!" As skeptical as he was, Duellum stood up like lighting. Rushing out of the room, he ran across his house's hallways as if his life depended on it. He had to confirm it. Hours of labor and the colt had been asleep for six hours without any signs of waking up. It had to be a miracle. There was no other explanation for that. His son was alive! Duellum burst into the room before hopping over the baby's crib. Laying inside it, a colt alicorn stared at him with wide sapphire eyes. A wide smile formed on his face while looking at Duellum's harsh, and often referred to as an intimidating if not outright scary, face. Escaping his eyes, Tears rolled down Duellum's face as the Lumen giggled while he tried to reach for Duellum's face. Dark Purple mane turning pure silver at the end of the strands. Constellations are floating in his mane, Grand Horn, South Hoof, Ursa Minor and Major, and many more. Smooth silver horn with black lines growing thicker the closer to the base. Wishing star on his flank with a wide circle around it. His covers are behaving weirdly. An unnatural presence that attracts things to it. The power of the stars. My colt is a shepherd of stars, a keeper of gravity. Coming closer to Lumen, Duellum allowed his son to touch his muzzle. The little one did so with both his tiny little hooves before blowing a raspberry with a chuckle. Duellum, keeper of war could no longer hold the tears. Sobbing with a delighted smile on his face, Duellum allowed all of his worries wash away. He would need to change the sheets of the crib after all those tears, but it didn't matter at the time. All he needed and wanted was right there, smiling at him. "Nobody would believe me if I told them you were crying over a baby," Duellum heard from the room's entrance as he climbed down the crib. "Who cares about that?" Duellum shot back while glancing over his shoulder. "Our son just came back from the brink." "I love that duality of yours, you know?" Bella said before nuzzling Duellum's neck. "Says the mare that can turn a slaughter into a spectacle, fencing and swordplay can be considered forms of art, right?" Duellum said while resting his head on Bella's head. "Don't you forget it," Bella replied with a snarky tone. There was a moment of silence between them as they watched the little one play with the stars floating out of his mane. "I need to make a painting of him once we can get him to model. These constellations are stupendous. Is that the wishing star behind his ear?" "And on his flank. That ought to bring folks to him to make wishes. Hard to believe his mane was pitch black a few minutes ago, right?" Duellum said softly as he watched the colt's mane flow inside the crib. The little one had its eyes fixed on them the entire time as he kept the cutest smile on its face. "Duellum, is, is Lumen crying?" His wife said. Duellum leaned closer to the crib, the colt's eyes were filled with tears. But, he wasn't making a sound. "Is he happy?" Duellum heard from his wife as he looked closer to his son. "Not quite. He is feeling a lot of things, I think. Reading emotions isn't my department. If we were dueling I might have been able to sense something more. But, as far as I can tell, it looks like he has a lot in that little chest of his," Duellum replied while extending his hoof to wipe off the tears. Duellum felt his heartstrings playing a delightful melody as the little Lumen rested his head on his hoof and closed his eyes. Things would be so different from that point on, Duellum was certain of that. Gently removing his hoof, Duellum and Bella walked away from the crib before closing the door to the room. "Did you make a wish?" Bella asked while they trotted down the corridor. "I know I did. The wishing star only appears once a year." Quietly walking by his wife's side, Duellum placed his wing over her, bringing her closer. Before answering, he looked over his shoulder at the door where his son slept peacefully. "I have nothing left to wish for. I have everything," Duellum replied softly as he nuzzled his wife. "Gentle beast. It cares not for titles or creed. Aligned only to those he wishes to protect and keep," Bella mumbled back as they continued down the hall. "Fierce Beauty. Burning flame hidden beneath delicate sheets. Tamer of beasts, and bringer of beauty," Duellum said with his best effort to match his wife's words. "That's a B plus for effort," Bella replied with a chuckle. My name is Lumen Astrum. I was alive once in the past. I mean as, before this life, that is. I know that now. Here, on my fourth birthday, my father received a gift meant for me. Wrapped inside it, laid this book. Father told me that the one that gave me this was none other than Sors, Faust's husband. There was a letter attached to this book. It basically explained that, that this book would become a part of me. Moreover, it will keep a record of my life until I die. The book is now stored within my mane. Father read this book before me. He knows that, that I'm not his son. But, he didn't say a word about it. He handed me the book with some of the pages filled in by him before walking away. And from what I can tell, either Faust or Sors filled in the ones before that. I, I've never seen either of their penmanship, therefore, I can't tell them apart. I can't blame him for walking away like that. He's been living a lie for four years. And I can't blame Sors for not delivering the book to me when he came either. I can't help but feel sorrow at the response, and the truth around my birth. I just hope we can be friends again, father. Sorry, father. I wish the stars would align so that you could have your son back. I swear, I never wished to rob you of your son, of your family. I'm sorry for mother as well, for I have also deceived her apparently. I know that neither of you will ever read this. But, but I hope with all my heart that we can stay together. Like we always been. But I'm not your wishing star anymore, am I? I can't remember why I cried quietly at my birth. I can't recall from where I know so much about things that none of us are close to understanding. And based on the entries on this, I never will. Because they are all the luggage that made it through with me. Now, well, we know why I never acted my age. But, at the very least, I can say with certainty that I loved both of you with all my heart. Regardless of who I am. You two were, ARE my family. And I will NEVER forget you. The alarms are blaring outside. A storm must be on its way. Too many of them have been happening as of late. Author's Note Ok! Second chapter! Thank you so much for reading! Please, Let me know what you thought of it in the comments! The day they came"Fa-," I choked on the words as I approached the stallion I once called father. I was uncertain about how to refer to him at that moment. My mind still in a haze due to the revelation I had a few moments ago. How would I refer to Duellum, the keeper of war? The father of the body I had forcefully inhabited. My half-greeting was enough for him to notice my presence. However, he stared out the window as the alarm bells rang violently in the distance. I could care less about the approaching storm. I could care less about the possible damage another wave from those Windigoes could cause. They have been causing trouble for years, and it never came close to doing anything significant to Everlight Castle. All I could care about at that moment was my father's gaze. His gaze was intense and intimidating. His mere presence made my blood run cold within my veins. I hated it. I despised that fear with a burning passion. For the past four years, I had stared at that same expression and felt safe, happy, serene, and prideful. Now? Now, all I could feel was fear, anxiety, regret, sorrow, and solitude. One moment, that was how long all of it took. That is what it took to destroy what we had been building for four happy years. Duellum didn't look at me. His stern expression stayed on his face as he turned away from me with a simple order. "Follow me," Duellum ordered while trotting down the halls. I didn't answer, but I complied. Father led me down the halls while I kept some distance between us. I didn't want to force him to stand near my presence. The news was too fresh, and the emotions probably too strong still. Mother appeared down the halls, she had her armor on. The fine piece of Mythril armor with expertly crafted rings and plates fit her in such a way that an untrained eye or someone who didn't know who she was would assume that the armor was purely decorative. Fools are the ones that can't see the many forms that art can take, and those fools fell before her, Bella Arte. Mother had only used that armor on a few occasions, such as an official meeting with Sors and Faust. And the alarm bells were never enough to have her put it on. I knew something else was happening, without the shadow of a doubt something else was happening to the city. Or, perhaps, it was somewhere nearby? In either case, that didn't matter. All that mattered to me at that point were them. Looking at me the same way she always had, Mother whispered something into Father's ear before rushing to hug me. Her eyes were filled with tears as she kissed me on the forehead and stroke my mane a few times. Sobbing uncontrollably, mother pressed her hooves against my cheeks to make me look at her. "Be good, ok?" Mother said softly as her voice cracked. I nodded slowly before getting hugged once more by Mother. Suddenly, she took a deep breath and rushed off, but not before looking over her shoulder at Father. Giving him a nod she moved her mouth without saying a word. I think I saw her say "I love you," before running away. Turning back to Father, I watched as his emotionless face followed Mother until she disappeared down the corridor. "Come," Father said stoically as we rushed through the house. Lighting strikes, howling winds, strange whistles followed by thunderstrikes and what sounded like fireworks, and ponies shouting started to sound outside of our home. Father had begun to pick up the pace, the building began to shake. Vases toppled down the tables, splattering on the floor as small pieces of rubble fell from the ceiling. The columns shook as cracks crept their way into their bodies. Fear grew in my heart as the shouts from before abruptly shifted into horrendous screams and sounds of metal clashing. Unconsciously, I forced myself to run head-to-head with Father. That was when he entered our family's vault. I hesitated to enter that place, which I had been forbidden to set hoof in, but Father shoved me inside before using his magic to replace the valuable-looking items inside with weapons and other things that didn't look as valuable. "Take that saddlebag!" Father ordered while pointing at a black saddlebag with silver buttons. Obeying him promptly, I brought the bag back in my mouth as father pulled out a sword big enough for him from a stand using his magic. "Put this on your mane, quickly!" Father said while trying to place the sword inside my mane. The sheath's tip entered my mane before being pushed back with a great deal of force. "I-I can't," I said meekly as Father huffed and strapped the blade on my back before securing the saddlebag. It felt surprisingly light for its size, however, I still felt its weight cumbering me a bit. Tapping twice on the panel where he had taken the sword off. Rations, waterskins, and a third bag came out as the stand opened up like a crate. Father quickly shoved the items into the saddlebag before rushing off to the central stand. That stand had his weapon, a sword that, according to him, was a gift from the dragons after he helped keep the war fair between their clans, ultimately creating the title of Dragonlord among them. Ironically, his intervention allowed for peace to settle in. Father secured it on his back before tapping twice, then once, then trice, and then pressing the stand. A winding sound came from the stand's base as it retracted and opened up to a chest. Father opened the chest and pulled out a common-looking book. He didn't hesitate to fling it into my mane before gesturing me to follow. I complied as we silently crossed the corridors. The torches and gems illuminating the halls had been extinguished. An eerie cold air filled my lungs as I quietly followed Father. I was afraid, I could hear the sound of a strangely disturbing wind howling across the house. Suddenly, Father stood still and gestured me to stop. I could see him looking around for something, I simply cowered beneath him as the howls slowly grew closer. "RUN! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" Father ordered suddenly. The sudden scream made me freeze as the howls grew loud and I saw them. Gigantic horses made out of wind and snow storming towards us. My legs trembled as my eyes widened and I stopped breathing. Jumping in front of me, Father hit me with a kick to the chest that sent me flying back and forced me to breathe once more. As soon as I impacted against the floor, I rushed through the halls as the sound of my father's screams filled my ears. I could hear them behind me, howling at me as I ran through the halls. I knew that house like the back of my hoof. But, at that moment, all I could think about was running. The weight of the sword slowed me down and unbalanced me. The items and saddlebag didn't help much either. I tripped almost every turn I took. It must have been a miracle that saved me since I somehow ended up at the porch we used to take off from home. Ignoring all of the steps I had been taught to take off, I leaped over the railings and gained the skies. The extra weight caused me to lose balance. My wings managed to keep me aloft, but I wasn't as fast. And that was when I saw it, the entire city burning beneath me. Other alicorns locked in battles, horrendous screams echoing all around me. "DI-IE!" I heard from above me as a pegasus soldier lunged at me with a spear mounted on his side. I would have died if not for Sors's intervention. As I stood there in shock, Sors intercepted the pegasus with a magical beam. The impact had enough force to send him flying through the roof of my home. "Where is Duellum?!" Sors inquired as he quickly pulled me closer with his magic. In my panic, I didn't answer. "WHERE IS YOUR FATHER?!" Sors persisted as his eyes turned white, and his voice grew louder. "I-Inside! He was fighting the Wendigoes!" I stuttered before noticing that Sors was looking behind me. "Sors! They breached the inner areas. They need to take the path to the mountain." Father said from behind me as another loud sound occurred. This time, however, it wasn't the howl of the wind or the screams of the ponies. A shining beacon came from the sky as it illuminated us. The clouds from the storm spiraled in the sky opening the way for the warm light to pierce through the battles and smoke to reach us. "Celestia! Take your sister and stay with Lumen!" Sors ordered as he and Father stood in front of us. "Lumen! Take them away from here! Just fly as fast as you can! Take them to the mountain plates! And then run! Don't stop at nothing!" Father ordered as he spread his wings casting a shadow over me and the other two fillies that were there with me. "But, father! I?!" "Save yourself, son! Please!" Father cried as I saw his eyes tearing up while he glanced at me. "JUST GO!" He cried with his eyes turning into the same sea of white as Sors. Turning away from him, I looked at the two fillies before pointing at the direction we had to go. The alicorn with a white coat and pink mane nodded before carrying a little blue one away. I did my best to fly away. However, I ended up being slower than the fillies because of the extra weight. Father must have packed enough for the three of us. As I continued my escape, I glanced over my shoulder, only to see my Father and Sors flying directly into the beacon of light. And then, there was a huge explosion that sent me flying towards the fillies at high velocity. All of us crash-landed into snow at the edge of the mountain plateaus. I ended up hitting my head when we landed, and I am unsure of how long I stayed unconscious. But, I do know this, when I woke up, the two fillies were sitting on the edge looking over a pillar of smoke and fire. I limped towards them as my right front-leg got twisted in the landing. The white one had her wing wrapped around the little blue one. The white one was also about as tall as me. Looking at the base of the column, I saw the remnants of the castle burning within the smoke as they slid down the mountainside. Our entire lives, quickly disappearing into a pile of rubble and flames down the mountain. And for a good while, the three of us just sat there. We were kids, what were we supposed to do? Father had told me to run, but, run where? There was no place to run to. "Tia, when can we go home?" The little one said as the white one simply pulled her in closer. "Where is papa? Tia? Tia? Why are you crying, Tia? Don't cry, Tia! Papa will come for us. He always does!" There was no response from the older one. She simply turned her back to me and hugged the little one as tightly as she could while sniffing and sobbing. Meanwhile, I looked up at the sky and watched the clouds drift away. It was a clear sky filled with stars, nothing could obstruct the view. Nevertheless, it was a horrible day for it to rain. It was a horrible day for the rain to hit my eyes. And because of all that water pouring into my eyes, all I could see was a blurry mix of blue and silver above my head. The day they came to our homes, not a single drop of water came from the skies. Author's Note OK! Thank you for reading this! I do appreciate that you took your time to check this story! Please let me know what you thought of it in the comments! Happy new year!!!
The ChoiceWriting down in every space of the papers before him, Marco selected what could be donated. Being at the age of twenty-three, pretty much everything was usable. Save for the thing he needed to function as a person, his brain. According to the doctors, he had around six months before losing his grip on reality and motor functions. Therefore, he had two choices: one, ask for euthanasia and have his organs harvested for a terminal patient that could be saved; two, live his next six months and then turn into a lunatic strapped to a bed. Letting out a sigh, Marco watched the papers authorizing euthanasia before him. Live six months well-lived, or allow someone to have a chance to live? Fuck this. The world is weird. He mumbled while lazily reaching for the euthanasia papers. After placing his signature, Marco reached for the button to call the nurse. She came right away. With the papers in hand, she quickly left the room before a second nurse came in. "I'm going to anesthetize you now. Then, we will take you to the operation room where we will administer an injection so you can rest," She said in a caring tone as Marco simply closed his eyes and waited for his conscience to fade into nothing. "Can you hear me?" An unfamiliar yet warm voice called out in the dark. It sounded weak, however, it was clear in tone and speech. "Yes," Marco replied while his body felt off. It was as if something was missing. "I'm glad. I managed to link us at the last moment. A moment longer, and you would have passed on," The voice said as Marco tried to trace the voice to its origin. However, all Marco could see around him, was darkness. "You, did you prevent my death? Why would you do that? That's a horrible thing to do," Marco replied while trying to get a feel for his body, which seemed weightless. "Forgive me, but it seems I have confused you. I still have some time. Therefore, allow me to clarify. You have died. One cannot survive without one's heart. What I did was remove your soul from the river of death and move it elsewhere. We are in the lay in between. A pocket space without anything but void. In essence, I made you pass on. It's just that you are not in the same cycle as before," The voice explained while Marco felt himself moving. However, he couldn't feel his legs. "But, why would you do that? And why me?" Marco inquired while twisting himself around in the void. "Allow me to elaborate. I am responsible for weaving life into my reality. There are many of my kind who possess unique abilities. My husband, for example, is the keeper of prophecies. His foresight allows him to see the future of anyone, but himself. And he saw my future, I was fated to have two fillies. However, agh!" There was a brief pause from the voice. Did it just say it would have fillies? No, that can't be right. "Sorry. There is something else happening right now. But, I still have some time left. As I was saying, I was destined to have two fillies. However, as soon as I got confirmation of being pregnant, my fate changed. I would lose my life after the birth of my first child. I could not bear that fate. I would not stand idly by as the future of my baby was taken away from her. Therefore, I committed a taboo. I used my powers to meddle with fate and alter my story. I will now perish after the birth of my second baby, ugh!" The voice was cut off once more. "I still need to brief him. Hold on!" The voice spoke as if it was in pain. "Ok. I, I'm ok. Because of my actions, a child that shouldn't have been born will now be born. The world itself will be at odds with her. And to make things worse, as punishment, my firstborn might be hurt as well. Moreover, Fate made a move to prevent me from having even my firstborn. My sickness shouldn't have been this bad. And that's what brings us to you, the one that allowed me to trick fate once more. I hadn't intended for you to serve these two purposes. But, your soul was the closest one I managed to latch onto and pull over here. You are dead and you're not from this world; so, Fate can't have a hold of you. Moreover, the body that received your organs was a gate that replaced my original organs once they were in place." "So, is this a way to thank me? Can, can I at least say goodbye to my family? I don't care if they can't hear me. It's just something that I need to do." Marco inquired as the voice seemed to be cut off once more. But there were no grunts this time. "I know this is unfair. Your world is a mess and some are given an early loss without reason. But out of the thousands of candidates, you were the one that I managed to connect to. Moreover, you were kind enough to give me more time. You've given me so much, and I need to ask more of you. I am truly sorry. Please, protect them." "I have no other choice, do I?" There was no response. "Hello? Can you hear me?" "YES! Listen, my time is up. I can't keep this up much longer. Please! Help them! I beg of you!" Suddenly, everything went white. Memories of his name, family, and life disappeared. He could remember math, reading, biology, history, and other subjects too, as well as a few first aid lessons. It was a knowledge he didn't know the source of, but it was there. That much was a fact. But, that would have to wait. Because, that soul, was falling asleep. I leave this to you. My husband will know what to do. I can't give you knowledge of who you were. This is all I could save. Please, protect my daughters. Closing the book his wife had handed to him, Sors looked back at his resting wife and their sleeping baby. Many questions flowed through his mind. But only two managed to reach his lips. "Is this what you chose, Faust? How far did you take this?" Author's Note Thank you for reading! This story will be a bit more serious. I hope you enjoy it!
Stars AlignBusting open the door, Bella Arte tackled her husband. This caused them to fall off the couch as she had a huge smile on her face. "Duellum! He is awake! Our son woke up!" Her husband's ears perked as he stared at her, begging for confirmation. "It's true! Our little Lumen opened his eyes! He is alive!" As skeptical as he was, Duellum stood up like lighting. Rushing out of the room, he ran across his house's hallways as if his life depended on it. He had to confirm it. Hours of labor and the colt had been asleep for six hours without any signs of waking up. It had to be a miracle. There was no other explanation for that. His son was alive! Duellum burst into the room before hopping over the baby's crib. Laying inside it, a colt alicorn stared at him with wide sapphire eyes. A wide smile formed on his face while looking at Duellum's harsh, and often referred to as an intimidating if not outright scary, face. Escaping his eyes, Tears rolled down Duellum's face as the Lumen giggled while he tried to reach for Duellum's face. Dark Purple mane turning pure silver at the end of the strands. Constellations are floating in his mane, Grand Horn, South Hoof, Ursa Minor and Major, and many more. Smooth silver horn with black lines growing thicker the closer to the base. Wishing star on his flank with a wide circle around it. His covers are behaving weirdly. An unnatural presence that attracts things to it. The power of the stars. My colt is a shepherd of stars, a keeper of gravity. Coming closer to Lumen, Duellum allowed his son to touch his muzzle. The little one did so with both his tiny little hooves before blowing a raspberry with a chuckle. Duellum, keeper of war could no longer hold the tears. Sobbing with a delighted smile on his face, Duellum allowed all of his worries wash away. He would need to change the sheets of the crib after all those tears, but it didn't matter at the time. All he needed and wanted was right there, smiling at him. "Nobody would believe me if I told them you were crying over a baby," Duellum heard from the room's entrance as he climbed down the crib. "Who cares about that?" Duellum shot back while glancing over his shoulder. "Our son just came back from the brink." "I love that duality of yours, you know?" Bella said before nuzzling Duellum's neck. "Says the mare that can turn a slaughter into a spectacle, fencing and swordplay can be considered forms of art, right?" Duellum said while resting his head on Bella's head. "Don't you forget it," Bella replied with a snarky tone. There was a moment of silence between them as they watched the little one play with the stars floating out of his mane. "I need to make a painting of him once we can get him to model. These constellations are stupendous. Is that the wishing star behind his ear?" "And on his flank. That ought to bring folks to him to make wishes. Hard to believe his mane was pitch black a few minutes ago, right?" Duellum said softly as he watched the colt's mane flow inside the crib. The little one had its eyes fixed on them the entire time as he kept the cutest smile on its face. "Duellum, is, is Lumen crying?" His wife said. Duellum leaned closer to the crib, the colt's eyes were filled with tears. But, he wasn't making a sound. "Is he happy?" Duellum heard from his wife as he looked closer to his son. "Not quite. He is feeling a lot of things, I think. Reading emotions isn't my department. If we were dueling I might have been able to sense something more. But, as far as I can tell, it looks like he has a lot in that little chest of his," Duellum replied while extending his hoof to wipe off the tears. Duellum felt his heartstrings playing a delightful melody as the little Lumen rested his head on his hoof and closed his eyes. Things would be so different from that point on, Duellum was certain of that. Gently removing his hoof, Duellum and Bella walked away from the crib before closing the door to the room. "Did you make a wish?" Bella asked while they trotted down the corridor. "I know I did. The wishing star only appears once a year." Quietly walking by his wife's side, Duellum placed his wing over her, bringing her closer. Before answering, he looked over his shoulder at the door where his son slept peacefully. "I have nothing left to wish for. I have everything," Duellum replied softly as he nuzzled his wife. "Gentle beast. It cares not for titles or creed. Aligned only to those he wishes to protect and keep," Bella mumbled back as they continued down the hall. "Fierce Beauty. Burning flame hidden beneath delicate sheets. Tamer of beasts, and bringer of beauty," Duellum said with his best effort to match his wife's words. "That's a B plus for effort," Bella replied with a chuckle. My name is Lumen Astrum. I was alive once in the past. I mean as, before this life, that is. I know that now. Here, on my fourth birthday, my father received a gift meant for me. Wrapped inside it, laid this book. Father told me that the one that gave me this was none other than Sors, Faust's husband. There was a letter attached to this book. It basically explained that, that this book would become a part of me. Moreover, it will keep a record of my life until I die. The book is now stored within my mane. Father read this book before me. He knows that, that I'm not his son. But, he didn't say a word about it. He handed me the book with some of the pages filled in by him before walking away. And from what I can tell, either Faust or Sors filled in the ones before that. I, I've never seen either of their penmanship, therefore, I can't tell them apart. I can't blame him for walking away like that. He's been living a lie for four years. And I can't blame Sors for not delivering the book to me when he came either. I can't help but feel sorrow at the response, and the truth around my birth. I just hope we can be friends again, father. Sorry, father. I wish the stars would align so that you could have your son back. I swear, I never wished to rob you of your son, of your family. I'm sorry for mother as well, for I have also deceived her apparently. I know that neither of you will ever read this. But, but I hope with all my heart that we can stay together. Like we always been. But I'm not your wishing star anymore, am I? I can't remember why I cried quietly at my birth. I can't recall from where I know so much about things that none of us are close to understanding. And based on the entries on this, I never will. Because they are all the luggage that made it through with me. Now, well, we know why I never acted my age. But, at the very least, I can say with certainty that I loved both of you with all my heart. Regardless of who I am. You two were, ARE my family. And I will NEVER forget you. The alarms are blaring outside. A storm must be on its way. Too many of them have been happening as of late. Author's Note Ok! Second chapter! Thank you so much for reading! Please, Let me know what you thought of it in the comments!
The day they came"Fa-," I choked on the words as I approached the stallion I once called father. I was uncertain about how to refer to him at that moment. My mind still in a haze due to the revelation I had a few moments ago. How would I refer to Duellum, the keeper of war? The father of the body I had forcefully inhabited. My half-greeting was enough for him to notice my presence. However, he stared out the window as the alarm bells rang violently in the distance. I could care less about the approaching storm. I could care less about the possible damage another wave from those Windigoes could cause. They have been causing trouble for years, and it never came close to doing anything significant to Everlight Castle. All I could care about at that moment was my father's gaze. His gaze was intense and intimidating. His mere presence made my blood run cold within my veins. I hated it. I despised that fear with a burning passion. For the past four years, I had stared at that same expression and felt safe, happy, serene, and prideful. Now? Now, all I could feel was fear, anxiety, regret, sorrow, and solitude. One moment, that was how long all of it took. That is what it took to destroy what we had been building for four happy years. Duellum didn't look at me. His stern expression stayed on his face as he turned away from me with a simple order. "Follow me," Duellum ordered while trotting down the halls. I didn't answer, but I complied. Father led me down the halls while I kept some distance between us. I didn't want to force him to stand near my presence. The news was too fresh, and the emotions probably too strong still. Mother appeared down the halls, she had her armor on. The fine piece of Mythril armor with expertly crafted rings and plates fit her in such a way that an untrained eye or someone who didn't know who she was would assume that the armor was purely decorative. Fools are the ones that can't see the many forms that art can take, and those fools fell before her, Bella Arte. Mother had only used that armor on a few occasions, such as an official meeting with Sors and Faust. And the alarm bells were never enough to have her put it on. I knew something else was happening, without the shadow of a doubt something else was happening to the city. Or, perhaps, it was somewhere nearby? In either case, that didn't matter. All that mattered to me at that point were them. Looking at me the same way she always had, Mother whispered something into Father's ear before rushing to hug me. Her eyes were filled with tears as she kissed me on the forehead and stroke my mane a few times. Sobbing uncontrollably, mother pressed her hooves against my cheeks to make me look at her. "Be good, ok?" Mother said softly as her voice cracked. I nodded slowly before getting hugged once more by Mother. Suddenly, she took a deep breath and rushed off, but not before looking over her shoulder at Father. Giving him a nod she moved her mouth without saying a word. I think I saw her say "I love you," before running away. Turning back to Father, I watched as his emotionless face followed Mother until she disappeared down the corridor. "Come," Father said stoically as we rushed through the house. Lighting strikes, howling winds, strange whistles followed by thunderstrikes and what sounded like fireworks, and ponies shouting started to sound outside of our home. Father had begun to pick up the pace, the building began to shake. Vases toppled down the tables, splattering on the floor as small pieces of rubble fell from the ceiling. The columns shook as cracks crept their way into their bodies. Fear grew in my heart as the shouts from before abruptly shifted into horrendous screams and sounds of metal clashing. Unconsciously, I forced myself to run head-to-head with Father. That was when he entered our family's vault. I hesitated to enter that place, which I had been forbidden to set hoof in, but Father shoved me inside before using his magic to replace the valuable-looking items inside with weapons and other things that didn't look as valuable. "Take that saddlebag!" Father ordered while pointing at a black saddlebag with silver buttons. Obeying him promptly, I brought the bag back in my mouth as father pulled out a sword big enough for him from a stand using his magic. "Put this on your mane, quickly!" Father said while trying to place the sword inside my mane. The sheath's tip entered my mane before being pushed back with a great deal of force. "I-I can't," I said meekly as Father huffed and strapped the blade on my back before securing the saddlebag. It felt surprisingly light for its size, however, I still felt its weight cumbering me a bit. Tapping twice on the panel where he had taken the sword off. Rations, waterskins, and a third bag came out as the stand opened up like a crate. Father quickly shoved the items into the saddlebag before rushing off to the central stand. That stand had his weapon, a sword that, according to him, was a gift from the dragons after he helped keep the war fair between their clans, ultimately creating the title of Dragonlord among them. Ironically, his intervention allowed for peace to settle in. Father secured it on his back before tapping twice, then once, then trice, and then pressing the stand. A winding sound came from the stand's base as it retracted and opened up to a chest. Father opened the chest and pulled out a common-looking book. He didn't hesitate to fling it into my mane before gesturing me to follow. I complied as we silently crossed the corridors. The torches and gems illuminating the halls had been extinguished. An eerie cold air filled my lungs as I quietly followed Father. I was afraid, I could hear the sound of a strangely disturbing wind howling across the house. Suddenly, Father stood still and gestured me to stop. I could see him looking around for something, I simply cowered beneath him as the howls slowly grew closer. "RUN! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" Father ordered suddenly. The sudden scream made me freeze as the howls grew loud and I saw them. Gigantic horses made out of wind and snow storming towards us. My legs trembled as my eyes widened and I stopped breathing. Jumping in front of me, Father hit me with a kick to the chest that sent me flying back and forced me to breathe once more. As soon as I impacted against the floor, I rushed through the halls as the sound of my father's screams filled my ears. I could hear them behind me, howling at me as I ran through the halls. I knew that house like the back of my hoof. But, at that moment, all I could think about was running. The weight of the sword slowed me down and unbalanced me. The items and saddlebag didn't help much either. I tripped almost every turn I took. It must have been a miracle that saved me since I somehow ended up at the porch we used to take off from home. Ignoring all of the steps I had been taught to take off, I leaped over the railings and gained the skies. The extra weight caused me to lose balance. My wings managed to keep me aloft, but I wasn't as fast. And that was when I saw it, the entire city burning beneath me. Other alicorns locked in battles, horrendous screams echoing all around me. "DI-IE!" I heard from above me as a pegasus soldier lunged at me with a spear mounted on his side. I would have died if not for Sors's intervention. As I stood there in shock, Sors intercepted the pegasus with a magical beam. The impact had enough force to send him flying through the roof of my home. "Where is Duellum?!" Sors inquired as he quickly pulled me closer with his magic. In my panic, I didn't answer. "WHERE IS YOUR FATHER?!" Sors persisted as his eyes turned white, and his voice grew louder. "I-Inside! He was fighting the Wendigoes!" I stuttered before noticing that Sors was looking behind me. "Sors! They breached the inner areas. They need to take the path to the mountain." Father said from behind me as another loud sound occurred. This time, however, it wasn't the howl of the wind or the screams of the ponies. A shining beacon came from the sky as it illuminated us. The clouds from the storm spiraled in the sky opening the way for the warm light to pierce through the battles and smoke to reach us. "Celestia! Take your sister and stay with Lumen!" Sors ordered as he and Father stood in front of us. "Lumen! Take them away from here! Just fly as fast as you can! Take them to the mountain plates! And then run! Don't stop at nothing!" Father ordered as he spread his wings casting a shadow over me and the other two fillies that were there with me. "But, father! I?!" "Save yourself, son! Please!" Father cried as I saw his eyes tearing up while he glanced at me. "JUST GO!" He cried with his eyes turning into the same sea of white as Sors. Turning away from him, I looked at the two fillies before pointing at the direction we had to go. The alicorn with a white coat and pink mane nodded before carrying a little blue one away. I did my best to fly away. However, I ended up being slower than the fillies because of the extra weight. Father must have packed enough for the three of us. As I continued my escape, I glanced over my shoulder, only to see my Father and Sors flying directly into the beacon of light. And then, there was a huge explosion that sent me flying towards the fillies at high velocity. All of us crash-landed into snow at the edge of the mountain plateaus. I ended up hitting my head when we landed, and I am unsure of how long I stayed unconscious. But, I do know this, when I woke up, the two fillies were sitting on the edge looking over a pillar of smoke and fire. I limped towards them as my right front-leg got twisted in the landing. The white one had her wing wrapped around the little blue one. The white one was also about as tall as me. Looking at the base of the column, I saw the remnants of the castle burning within the smoke as they slid down the mountainside. Our entire lives, quickly disappearing into a pile of rubble and flames down the mountain. And for a good while, the three of us just sat there. We were kids, what were we supposed to do? Father had told me to run, but, run where? There was no place to run to. "Tia, when can we go home?" The little one said as the white one simply pulled her in closer. "Where is papa? Tia? Tia? Why are you crying, Tia? Don't cry, Tia! Papa will come for us. He always does!" There was no response from the older one. She simply turned her back to me and hugged the little one as tightly as she could while sniffing and sobbing. Meanwhile, I looked up at the sky and watched the clouds drift away. It was a clear sky filled with stars, nothing could obstruct the view. Nevertheless, it was a horrible day for it to rain. It was a horrible day for the rain to hit my eyes. And because of all that water pouring into my eyes, all I could see was a blurry mix of blue and silver above my head. The day they came to our homes, not a single drop of water came from the skies. Author's Note OK! Thank you for reading this! I do appreciate that you took your time to check this story! Please let me know what you thought of it in the comments! Happy new year!!!
