Chapter Five:

Bloody Truths

“Stay quiet and follow me,” I whispered to the sisters. “Something’s going on up ahead.” We had been traveling south-west from that accursed town for two weeks. After the sisters had made a stop in a town named Tall Tale to resupply, we made our way through the Smokey Mountains and entered the unexplored west a few days ago. There were no roads or signs of civilization so far as we had hiked through the dense wilderness making camp in whatever clearings we could, luckily for us, it seemed the beasts that prowled these woods were wary of me and had kept their distance. The sisters crouched and crept behind me as I made my way behind a large overturned tree. Peering out, I saw a large clearing and several caged wagons grouped in the middle. I could see that they were filled with several ponies, but they were unlike the ones I had been informed about. Strangely enough, they almost looked like smaller bicorns without horns. They had the same proportions as the other ponies but had slitted pupils, protruding fangs, and bat-like wings. Iron collars and chains bound them to the floor of the wagon.

“Is that all of them?” Called a creature I assumed was a griffon hovering above the wagons down to a group of earth ponies and two unicorns wearing the same black leather armor as the ones beneath the manor.

“Arachne slavers,” I said quietly in disgust. The sisters' ears perked up, and they found a few holes in the fallen trees' bark to peer through.

“Bat ponies?” I heard Celestia whisper.

“Yeah, boss!” A unicorn responded. The griffon flew down, inspecting the cages.

“More than enough to fill our quota.” He eyed a young bat pony mare with a purple mane and yellow eyes who was crying and shaking in fear. That one.” He pointed a talon at her. The slavers nodded and entered the cage. Once free from the iron ring of the wagon's floor, they dragged her out, kicking and screaming.

“What are they going to do with her?” Little Luna asked quietly from my side. As I watched, one of the unicorns pulled out a large pair of shears from his saddle bag. The other spread her wings with his green magic as the earth ponies restrained her; she screamed and pleaded desperately, trying to get away. “Tenebrae we have to-” Too late a blood curdling shriek filled the air as the shears cut the mare's right wing off. Little Luna recoiled in disgust and anger. The griffon started laughing uncontrollably.

“The cries you slaves make are hilarious.” He approached her, wiping a tear from his eye. “Soon, you’ll wish it was only your wing being the thing cut off.” He started laughing again before grabbing her by the mane and picking her up. “But lucky you, I'm in the mood for some sport, so we’re going to play a game.” He smiled, gazing into her eyes. “I'm going to give you a thirty-second head start to run before coming after you. If you manage to get away, you'll be free with only a missing wing to tell your tale.” Suddenly, he threw her hard against a tree, bruising her side. She tried to stand up, holding her side. “But if I catch you…” One of the unicorns floated over a meat cleaver to him, gripping it in his talons and licking the blade. “I'm going to cut you up into little itty bits before feeding you to that bloodsucker there.” He pointed the cleaver to one of the caged wagons with a sole passenger inside. A dark, almost black bat pony stallion with a bright red mane that appeared identical to the others but was slightly larger in stature; however, the most distinguishing feature he had was the red sclera around his dark purple pupils. The mare tried to run but was caught in the magic of one of the unicorns. “Tsk tsk tsk.” The griffon clicked his beak. “I didn't say start.” He motioned to one of the earth ponies, who held a large wooden club with a ball of iron at the top. “You’ll need to be punished for trying to cheat.” Before the mare could respond, the earth pony swung his club, cracking it against one of her back legs. The sound of bone splintering echoed through the trees, along with another shriek of agony. The mare fell to the ground screaming in pain. “Start!” The griffon, laughing through tears, began counting. “One… Two…”

“Tenebrae, you-” Celestia started, but to my surprise, it was little Luna who acted first. She burst out from behind our cover, firing a few bolts of aura-blue magic at the slavers. Her aim was pretty good; her magic struck the griffon sending him tumbling through the grass along with the unicorns.

“GET AWAY FROM HER YOU MONSTERS!” She roared with what I now know is the sister's Canterlot voice. I would have been proud of the little princess had the magic bolts been lethal, but they seemed to have only had a knockdown effect. Honestly, what a waste of a surprise attack.

“Princess Luna!?” The slaver earth ponies held a look of disbelief as their boss recovered.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't the night princess.” The griffon laughed. “Here to save your little bat ponies?” The unicorns had recovered as well and smiled wickedly as they started to flank her, reading their crude daggers. The earth ponies spread out near the cages with their bludgeons. “Quite a few years too late, in my opinion, but hey, I've never played with a princess before. Now be a good little princess and surrender. It'll make this a lot easier for everypony. I promise to treat you real good!” The griffon licked his cleaver, his grin growing wider.

“You really think a bunch of scum like you can best an alicorn? You're a fool for thinking I'll simply surrender just because you asked.” How amusing little Luna seems to have gotten lost in the moment and forgotten about us.

“Oh, I know you will because if you don't.” He signaled to the earth ponies where one dragged a small filly out of the cage, holding his bludgeon to her neck, ready to snap it with a twist.

“You would use a child as a hostage!?” Luna seethed. It was interesting to see that both sisters could harbor such burning hatred in their eyes. I've stayed idle long enough.

“Ha, they're just products, and we can always find more.” The griffon started to laugh before being cut off by a blood-choked scream. In the blink of an eye I had teleported behind the earth pony who held the filly. My blade shoved through the back of his head, exiting through his mouth. I lifted his corpse up and threw it against the closest slaver, the force knocking him against the cage rendering him unconscious. I gripped the remaining earth ponies in my magic and snapped their necks before rushing the unicorns. They fired bolts of magic that pinged harmlessly off my helmet. My horns impaled the first through the chest as he tried to jump away. I threw it aside as the second had rushed me, slashing his dagger at my face. I grabbed the blade with my teeth, biting down, shattering it. I braced my front hooves and spun my body around to kick the very surprised unicorn. The force of my buck crumpled every bone in his body, nearly tearing him in half as his lifeless body went flying across the grass. “Oh fuck this!” The griffon took off as fast as he could into the air, dropping his cleaver.

“As if I'd allow you to escape.” My horns glowed, and red lighting erupted from them, crackling through the air towards him. He didn't even get a chance to scream as he turned to ash billowing through the air.

“Red lightning?” I heard Celestia whisper from somewhere behind me. I turned to face her. She had started making her way towards me as Luna went to the mare, sobbing and holding her destroyed knee.

“Is something wrong?” I asked her, and she cleared her throat.

“No, I've just never seen or heard of a red-lighting spell before.” I walked past her towards little Luna.

“I see.” As I approached little Luna, she turned to me with tears in her eyes.

“Tenebrae, please, we have to help her!” I lowered my head examining the injured bat pony who seemed to be too lost in her pain to notice me.

“Fine, it’ll be a simple fix anyway.”

“Simple!? Tenebrae she has a shattered knee and severed wing. How is that a sim-” My black aura lifted the severed wing and enveloped the stub it was sheared from. In an instant, fresh nerves, blood vessels, and sinew wove over the protruding bone, reconnecting the wing to the body and sealing the wound as if it had never happened.

“Incredible.” Little Luna said quietly, observing my work. Once the wing was done, I moved onto the mare's knee. Within my black aura her leg moved back into proper position as the bone mended. In a few moments, the mare's injuries and pain were gone. The mare stopped crying and stood up slowly in disbelief; she gave a few flexes of her reattached wing and softly stamped her back hoof. She finally seemed to notice us; she shrunk back a little at the sight of me but fell into a deep bow when she saw Luna.

“Your majesty!” I turned to little Luna.

“I was not informed about a fourth species of pony, tell me what purpose do these serve?”

“They are Thestrals,” Celestia answered, trotting up behind us. “Most commonly referred to as bat ponies, they are mostly nocturnal and feed on fruit mainly. As for purpose, well…” She looked away with a hint of shame. “They don't really have one since the majority left after my sister's banishment, and the few who did return after her own serve as her guard… or work in factories.”

“Banishment?” I asked, confused, but before Celestia answered, little Luna interrupted.

“We can talk about that later. Right now, we need to free the rest of them and see to any injuries.” She looked back down at the bowing bat pony.

“Very well, little Luna, Celestia tend to the frightened filly while I free the rest.” With that, I walked over to the unconscious earth pony and searched him for the cage key. After rummaging through his saddlebag, I found it. “I’ll deal with you in a moment.” I quickly bound him in magical restraints just in case he woke up. The thestrals seemed a bit scared when I approached but that quickly faded as I opened the cage and started removing their collars and chains. Once they were out, cheers and cries of joy filled the clearing, along with most of them going to bow to little Luna and thanking her as if she was their savior, but I didn't mind. These thestrals seem to have a deep affinity and sense of loyalty to the young princess. I'll have to ask about that at a later time. I started heading towards the last cage, the one that held a solitary prisoner the griffon had referred to as a bloodsucker, however I was stopped by two of the thestrals on my way over to it.

“Hey, um, mister, thank you for saving us. Those slavers would have taken us to Hammer-Hoof if it weren't for you.” Spoke one of the two thestrals, a pale blue stallion with a light golden mane and tail. He had slitted sky-blue eyes which looked at me with gratitude and a bit of fear.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to be sold off and be a slave for the rest of my life while my foals grow without a mother to raise them.” Spoke the other, a short purplish mare with a blue mane and short-cut tail. Both were standing in my path and blocking the way to the cage that contained the last prisoner. Underneath their slitted pupils and words of thanks I could see the uneasiness they both had.

“Yes, you're both very welcome. Now, why are you barring my path to free your fellow?” I asked with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

“Ah well… are you sure about freeing him? I mean, he is a Bloodthirst.” The stallion tried to muster a convincing smile behind his fragile confidence.

“Bloodthirst? I’m not familiar with that term, but then again, this is my first time hearing about you, Thestrals, as well.” They both looked a little confused.

“They’re dangerous!” The mare suddenly burst out. “There are stories about their kind eating the flesh of equines and sacrificing other creatures in perverse blood rituals!” The mare’s body began to tremble. That is when the bloodthirst inside the cage let out a genuine but bitter laugh.

“Your worries are understandable, fruit-eater, but my kind does not eat the flesh of those with intelligent minds. We 'bloodsuckers' do not encourage cannibalism.” He said casually before smiling at them. I pushed them aside and approached the cage inserting the key into the lock.

“But, mister!?” Cried the two thestrals.

“Do either of you have any evidence or proof that these stories are true? Have you ever witnessed this bloodthirst’ eating another pony or sacrificing them?” They both looked at each other for a moment before softly shaking their heads and looking down. “Then be silent. Your superstitions and bigotry do not concern me.” I opened the lock and stepped in, ducking my head as I approached the bloodthirst to look him in the eye. “If he does turn out to be dangerous like you believe, then I’ll simply kill him like I do all my enemies. Is that understood?” I said as I unlocked his restraints.

“Perfectly.” He replied, rubbing the markings on his hooves from the restraints.

“That's Good. Now tell me what your name is,” I said as he followed me out of the cage.

“It's Red Veil, sir, Red Veil Bloodthirst.” He gave me a proper bow. “Thank you for releasing me. I'm glad some ponies don't buy into the rumors and wild stories about us.”

“I am no pony, Red Veil, but I am curious to know what the difference is between you and the other Thestrals.” I glanced at the two that had tried to stop me from releasing the bloodthirst who now cowered slightly from a distance away. Continuing to eye him with fear and suspicion.

“Of course, it's the least I can do.” Just then, the sisters trotted over to me.

“Is that everypony Tenebrae?” Before I could respond, both Celestia and little Luna noticed the red sclera of the bloodthirst eyes and gasped in surprise.

“By the stars, are you okay? Are you suffering from some kind of illness?” Little Luna said with concern and worry. Interesting, neither the night princess nor Celestia seem to know about this subspecies.

“With the exception of being half-starved by those slavers, I'm in perfect health, your majesties.” He bowed respectfully.

“But your eyes?” Little Luna protested.

“Are perfectly fine, I assure you. I’m a Bloodthirst Thestral. The red sclera is completely natural for us.”

“Bloodthirst Thestral? I've never heard of your kind before.” Celestia said with a curious tone.

“Neither have I.” Little Luna added.

“I had just asked about what the differences between Bloodthirst and normal Thestrals were when you trotted over.”

“Yes, that's correct. I was just about to give an explanation to Tenebrae, was it?” He eyed me curiously and strangely, without fear as most of these ponies do. The sisters sat down on their flanks next to me.

“Continue,” I said.

“Right, my kind are known as Bloodthirsts, a Thestral sub-species who are carnivorous by nature and whose distinguishing feature is our eyes' red sclera. I was taken while I was out hunting for food to bring back to my tribe in Meadow Woods. I was ambushed by these slavers and thrown into this cage, unfortunately the slavers do not fear us unlike the majority of those living near our territory who believe we are vicious predators lurking in the shadows waiting to eat them.” He glanced over to the group of thestrals, who seemed to be having a discussion of their own now that little Luna was occupied.

“How fascinating,” Celestia said, leaning closer to look at Red Veil's eyes.

“Indeed, sister.” Little Luna smirked and looked at me. “Guess you're not the only pony species to eat meat then Tenebrae.” I rolled my eyes.

“Again, I'm not a pony, little Luna.”

“And I'm not little.” She stuck her little tongue out at me.

“Cute,” I said, ruffling her mane with my massive armored hoof.

“Cut it out!” Cried the little princess as she moved to get out of my reach. I turned my attention back to Red Veil.

“That aside, do you know how far we are from Hammer-Hoof?” Before Red Veil could answer my question, we were interrupted by an agonizing scream accompanied by a loud cracking sound. I turned my head toward the source of the commotion.

“Fang Seeker, what are you doing!?” Near the cage was the now very much awake earth pony slaver crying in pain from his shattered knee as a rather angry-looking lavender purple mare with magenta eyes stood over him. Her purple and pale striped mane was splattered with blood; the slaver's own now bloodied bludgeon fell from her mouth as a few others jumped on her to restrain her.

“GET OFF ME!!! She cried desperately, trying to launch herself at the whimpering slaver.

“Calm down, Fang Seeker, please It's not worth it!” The thestrals struggled to keep her down.

“NO HE HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE DID!!! LET ME GO!!! HE HAS TO!!! This Fang Seeker shrieked in a frenzied manner as another thestral joined the pile. Interesting, I wonder if…

“ENOUGH!!!” I boomed as I slammed my hoof on the dirt, causing the ground to shake in the area. The sudden tremor caused the thestrals to lose balance and fall. It frightened the majority of them, but now every pony's eyes were on me as they lay on the ground.

“A little warning would have been nice, Tenebrae; honestly, just how strong are you?” Came little Luna's remark as she and Celestia got back on their hooves and dusted off. I didn't reply as I approached the slaver and the group of thestrals.

“You, Fang Seeker, was it?” She looked up at me, tears falling from her eyes. The look she gave me told me everything I needed to know. “I understand.” I turned my head away from her to grab the remaining crude dagger in my magic that lay in the dirt a few meters away. I brought it closer to my face to examine it. The dagger was made of simple iron and had a basic shape with a mouth guard. I dropped it in front of the defiled thestral. “Take it.” Fang Seeker stared at the dagger that was stuck into the dirt before her.

“Tenebrae what are yo-.” I extended my wing to shush Celestia as she started to protest.

“Quiet princess, I don't expect you to understand, but this must be done.” All the thestrals stared in silence at me and at Fang Seeker. “Take it,” I said in a commanding tone. “Take it and avenge them lest you remain a slave to that memory.” My words seemed to rouse her ire as she stared intently at the dagger, her anger quickly overtaking her tears; she began to seethe and shake with rage. In a cry of pain and anger, she rose, snatching up the dagger in her mouth, and jumped onto the wounded earth pony. His screams filled the clearing as Fang Seeker drove the knife into his chest over and over again as all watched her, some in horror, others in stunned silence. She continued stabbing his lifeless corpse, each stab covering her face and chest in more blood as tears continued to fall. After a few more moments, the bloodied knife finally fell from her maw as she cried away the last of her pain. “Well done, Fang Seeker. You're free, and your family can rest now.” She looked to the sky and whimpered quietly. Little Luna went over and hugged her tightly.

“I'm so sorry… I didn’t know.” She said quietly, embracing the young thestral mare.

“How did you know Tenebrae?” Celestia asked softly as I turned away from the scene.

“Her eyes… I've seen that look before far too often… in the early days especially.” I strode past her.

“Early days?” I heard her whisper but didn't pay it any mind as I approached Red Veil again, who had stood back from the crowd.

“Now then, Red Veil, will you answer my question?” He stared past me for a moment at the scene I left.

“Of course, though, I must say you’re far more… well, draconian than I expected but strangely kind.” I chuckled at that. “I doubt any of us here would have allowed her to take vengeance in such a manner.”

“It needed to be done.” I took a look back as well. “Vengeance has a strange way of making an equine's resolve stronger and can heal even the most broken.”

“I won’t pry, but you sound as if you speak from experience.” I looked back at him.

“Perhaps.” He shook his head in understanding.

“It's about another three days to Hammer-Hoof. You’ll need to cross the Felt Tip River and go west through the mountains.” He pointed his wing north-west.

“Understood.” I started to turn away.

“Wait a moment, please?”

“Yes?” He cleared his throat.

“If I may ask, why are you heading to Hammer-Hoof? And in the company of the twin goddesses no less.”

“Why? I'm going there to kill them, of course, and commandeer a ship for my mission.” His eyes lit up. “Certain circumstances have led to the little princesses wanting to accompany me on my quest in exchange for my help against Arachne in the future.” Just then, a voice came from behind me.

“You’re going to fight them?” I turned to look at the speaker, a young dark purple thestral mare with a white mane and loosely braided tail who was accompanied by a few others.

“Yes,” I answered. They started to whisper amongst themselves for a moment before the mare spoke again.

“You’re clearly very strong and accustomed to fighting but do you truly believe you beat them by yourself? Even with the goddesses' help there are hundreds of Arachne slavers and hired mercenaries.” I laughed, my voice echoing through the forest.

“I am more than enough by myself regardless of their help.” They started whispering amongst themselves again. Celestia and little Luna trotted over to join us now that the situation with the one named Fang Seeker had settled down. Little Luna's eyes were a bit red from crying but held a certain determination in them.

“He speaks the truth.” She said, standing next to me. “Tenebrae is an exceptional warrior and has already destroyed an entire Arachne operation single-hoofed. I’ve no doubt he can prevail against these despicable slavers again.” Little Luna said with confidence. I don't know why, but her words gave me a sense of pride. Their whispering intensified.

“Can he really?”

“Even against that beast there?”

“The princess seems to think so.” I heard amongst their whispers before the mare spoke up again.

“Then please follow me back to our village.”

“For what purpose?” I asked.

“One of the elders in our village is an escaped slave who worked in the port a few years back and one of the very few to actually escape those Arachne bastards. If you're truly going to attack them, he may be able to provide you with valuable information.” I thought for a moment.

“It could prove to be beneficial since I won't be able to interrogate that earth pony anymore.” I quickly glanced at the corpse's direction. Fang Seeker was surrounded by a few thestrals who seemed to be comforting her nearby.

“We would also like to thank you properly for saving us. We’ll provide whatever supplies we can spare, but I can't promise much.” Little Luna motioned for me to lower my head so she could whisper something to me.

“Please let us accept their offer, Tenebrae; I want to help them as much as I can while we’re here.” She seems to care very deeply for these thestrals. I looked to Celestia, who nodded her approval.

“Very well, little thestral, we will accept your offer.” I looked at Red Veil.

“I assume you’ll head back to your tribe as well?” He nodded.

“Thank you again for your help.” He bowed to me. I think it's best I separate from the group anyway, but I owe you big time, so feel free to drop in if you find yourselves near Meadow Woods at all in the future. I’ll make sure you receive a warm welcome from my tribe.”

“Yeah, a warm pot to cook them in, I bet.” I heard the hushed whisper from somewhere in the crowd. I doubt anypony heard them, but I looked right at them, narrowing my eyes. They saw my gaze and shrunk back a little.

“Understood,” I answered, looking back at Red Veil. He gave a nod before heading off into the forest. “Lead on,” I said, turning my attention to the mare.

~~~

“So your tribe is named Midnight Lotus?” We had been escorting the group we rescued from the slavers for about three hours back to their village named Blossom Heights.

“That’s correct, Lord Tenebrae.” Ever since they found out I was on my way to destroy Hammer-Hoof and that the princesses were assisting me, these thestrals have taken to calling me Lord, which I suppose was similar enough to my actual title, so I allowed it.

“Including your tribe, just how many tribes inhabit this region?” I've been gathering information from the mare with the white mane, whose name I now know is Lily Night-Blossom, since my companions decided to bring up the rear. Celestia has had a strange look in her eyes since we left the clearing and seems to be trying to distance herself along with Luna from me but I was unsure why. Perhaps it had something to do with the banishment they had mentioned before.

“There used to be more than thirty tribes in total, but ever since Arachne arrived, that number has lessened considerably. Some tribes were completely wiped out by them and others had decided to merge for better protection.”

“I see; how many thestrals in total do you estimate remain then?” Lily almost tripped over a mossy rock.

“Why do you want to know that, Lord?”

“I am simply curious what the population of you thestrals is since it seems you're a rarity amongst your pony kin.” I lifted a large boulder with my magic and flung it with ease out of my path.

“Right… well, I'm not sure exactly, but I'd guess a few thousand? Maybe a little over three?”

“I see.” Glancing back, I could see the sisters past the other thestrals lagging a good distance behind, whispering amongst themselves but stopping once they noticed my gaze. Little Luna seemed rather perturbed by something Celestia had said. “Curious,” I said to myself.

“Something wrong, Lord?” I started turning back to Lily, and as I did, I noticed Fang Seeker staring but ignored it.

“No, it's nothing. How much further to your village?”

“It's just ahead beyond the next treeline.” She pointed her hoof forward.

“Good.” After a few more minutes trudging through the woods, we came upon a large wooden gate nestled between a rock face that had been obscured by the surrounding dense forest.

“Here we are.” Lily let out a chorus of high-pitched squeaks. Almost immediately, I saw a few heads poke out from above the gate armed with flimsy bows. They held a look of pure disbelief upon seeing our little group but, after a moment, let out a few squeaks of their own, signaling for the gate to be opened.

“Sister!” Cried out a smaller, ashy thestral who rushed out from the opened gate, all but flying into Lily’s embrace.

“Moon Dust!” She yelled in excitement at her sister's embrace as she knocked her to the ground.

“You’re okay! I feared the worst when you didn't return from foraging in the forest!” The two embraced each other, crying tears of joy before breaking away after a few moments. Moon Dust looked at the other thestrals as she dried her eyes. “And the others!” She rushed to embrace the next closest thestral. Celestia and little Luna trotted past them to join me. “Princess Luna!?” She quickly ended her embrace and bowed.

“We should head inside. I'm sure others are waiting to be reunited with their families.” Little Luna said to Lily as they joined us. Strangely neither she nor Celestia would look at me. I wonder if I have offended them somehow, or… perhaps it was something else?

“Of course, your majesty this way.” Lily led us through the gate; it was a narrow path but eventually opened up into a small valley. Homes and other dwellings seemed to be carved out from the surrounding mossy cliffs, with a few makeshift wooden and thatch huts in the clearing between them. A small fountain let out a steady trickle of water from the base of a statue that looked very similar to the young princess of the night towards the center of the valley where an elderly thestral stood. Cries of joy and celebration filled the air as thestrals descended from the cliffs reuniting with their returned kin.

“Welcome to Blossom Heights, your majesties.” The elderly thestral bowed upon our approach. “Thank you so much for rescuing not only our kin but my precious granddaughter from those slavers and returning them to us.” Lily stood next to the elder after giving him a quick hug. With how the others had followed her lead from the clearing I had already assumed she was in a position of leadership in some capacity.

“You are most welcome, elder.” Celestia politely bowed her head to the elder, as did little Luna. “It was quite fortunate we stumbled upon them during our journey through the forest.”

“I cannot thank you enough for your intervention, but if I may your majesties, just why are you in this neck of the woods? Of course, I'm extremely grateful that you were. I don't want to imagine what could have happened to my precious granddaughter or the others if you hadn't come across their group and decided to help them, but we’re a little more than just off the beaten path if you know what I mean. And who is the giant scary-looking armored stallion you have in your company?” He asked with a hint of fear in his voice, but Lily spoke up before my companions could answer.

“That is Lord Tenebrae, grandfather. He is an incredibly strong and gifted warrior in the employ of the princesses. He is the one who killed the slavers who captured us and is now on his way to Hammer-Hoof along with their majesties to bring an end to Arachne’s operation there.” The elders' eyes lit up with hope.

“Truly!? They’ve come to save us!?” The elder dropped into a deep bow. “Oh, thank you! Thank you!” I could see from the crowd gathering around us that many of these thestrals were fairly malnourished and severely weakened. Arachne must have been operating in this area for quite some time if it's reached this point. I held up my hoof for a moment.

“Save your thanks for after our victory.” The elder stood up from his bow. “We were told there was a thestral here who had escaped from Hammer-Hoof and could provide us with information.”

“Ah, you must mean Ol’ Night Weaver. I'm sorry, but he’s not here.” I narrowed my eyes on him.

“What?” The elder took a step back before clearing his throat.

“He went out with the search party looking for those you have returned to us but they are supposed to return by tomorrow evening if they found nothing. Please, why don't you rest here in the village until they return?”

“We will gladly accept your hospitality, elder. We’ve traveled a long way and could use a break.” Celestia answered before I could speak. “Please prepare two separate rooms for us to stay in.”

“O-oh, of course.” The elder gave instructions to Lily, who headed off towards the cliffs. “There are plenty of rooms available within the caves… more so since Arachne arrived.” The elder looked somber for a moment. “Lily will have them ready for you in just a moment. In the meantime, I'd be happy to answer whatever questions you have to the best of my ability.” The sisters wasted no time in asking about the village and its inhabitants all the while doing their utmost to ignore me. I did not like the sudden change in their behavior towards me which puzzled me greatly, since when did I start caring about that? It didn't take long for Lily to return.

“They are ready for you now please follow me.”

~~~

It was quiet within the cave room I was led to. Simple rustic furnishings adorned the stone chamber, with a large carpet in the center underneath a small wooden table surrounded by a few chairs. A makeshift bed made from several mattresses pressed together to accommodate my large size lay against the far side in an alcove carved into the rock dimly lit by a few wax candles on the hanging shelf nearby next to a room divider. Above the small table hanging from the ceiling was the main light source comprised of large glass globes filled with fireflies that illuminated the central area. Though rustic and a bit small for me, it was cozy in its own primitive way. “I need to return to my grandfather and fill him in on recent events, Lord Tenebrae.” I turned back towards the entrance of the room I had to almost crawl through to fit where Lily was standing, holding the wooden door open with a wing.

“Very well, Lily. Please inform me the moment Night Weaver and his group return.” She politely bowed.

“Of course, Lord, let me know if you require anything else during your stay.”

“The sisters?”

“Down the hall, last room on the left.”

“Good, thank you.” With that, Lily closed the door, and I was left alone. It felt strange being alone like this, left to ponder my thoughts. I headed over to the alcove and sat on the bed's edge. The more I learn and experience in this current era, the more bizarre everything seems. The three now four pony races are almost akin to a poor imitation of us bicorns, like broken individual reflections of what we once were. Their souls are so small and frail compared to the average bicorn, as are the other creatures I've encountered thus far. My mind wandered for a while going over the recent events and what may come after should I find my answers within that crying city. If I am truly the last of my kind, what role would I play in this diminished world? I laid back on the bed with a heavy thunk. With the exception of Arachne and lesser criminals, this world seems frail but mostly peaceful. Is there even a need for a god of war or even just a warrior like me? After I help the sisters deal with Arachne as I agreed, what am I supposed to do? Then my mind stopped. “The sisters,” I said softly, sitting up. Celestia and little Luna, I don't know why, but after thinking about them at that moment, I couldn't get them out of my head, and how strange it made me feel knowing they were avoiding me. Once I had that thought I felt even more strange thinking about them and how we first met. My ravaged heart tightened. “What is this feeling?” I murmured. Guilt? Anger? Longing? Why do I feel like this? Just for lying to them? Or something more? I let out a long sigh. “Perhaps it's time to reveal the truth to them.” I closed my eyes in thought for a moment. “I should go speak with them,” I said, slowly rising from the bed when I heard a knock upon the door.

“Tenebrae, it's Celestia and Luna, may we come in?” Curious timing, I thought.

“Enter,” I said, opening the door with my magic. Celestia and little Luna stepped through, their expressions seemed rather serious as I closed it behind them.

“We need to talk,” Celestia said as she and her sister sat at the small table.

“Curious, I was just about to come speak with you as well.” I moved the tiny chairs aside so I could sit across from them. “I assume it's rather serious, judging by your expressions.” Little Luna let out a deep breath.

“Here it goes.” She said quietly to herself before looking me in the eyes. “Tenebrae, my sister and I have been talking, and well…”

“We want the truth!” Celestia interrupted.

“Truth? About what?” I asked, but I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

“About you, Tenebrae, and what your mission is.” Celestia gave me a pleading look before little Luna spoke back up.

“Please, Tenebrae, we need to know.” She joined her sister with those damn puppy dog eyes. I let out a long sigh.

“Perhaps it is time I reveal the truth to you. I was already contemplating it before you knocked on the door anyway. Judging how you two have been avoiding me lately, I'm assuming there's something you already want to ask, so go ahead.” I sat up straight and cleared my throat. “Ask your questions, and I will answer them truthfully, no lies, no tricks, but keep in mind you may not like the answer I give.” They looked at each other for a moment before Celestia took a deep breath before speaking.

“Tenebrae, you're the Bicorn that was found in the Frozen North, aren't you?”

“Yes, I am.” I stood up to my full height and spread my black wings out, nearly hitting the jars of fireflies above. “Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Tenebrae Draconis Moonfallen, firstborn colt of the God Emperor of equine kind Malacar Aeonsovereign, Primarch of the imperial army, chosen crown-prince of the Bicorn Imperium, and the one worshiped as the God Of War.” The sister's eyes went wide with surprise, and little Luna's jaw dropped. I couldn't help but tease them a little. “What's the matter, little goddesses? Have nothing to say?” It took a moment before Celestia responded.

“That's a lot to take in Tenebrae. I had my suspicions that you were the Bicorn that was found, but being a prince and a god? That explains why you're so strong, at least.” I laughed.

“What's so funny?” She asked with a hint of worry.

“Explains why I'm so strong? Please, even with my limited powers, you haven't even begun to see the extent of my current strength.”

“Limited?” Little Luna asked.

“Yes, limited.” I cleared my throat again. “Certain circumstances prevent me from using my full powers, and it must remain this way.” I did not like the curiosity in their gazes. Celestia was just about to speak when I interrupted her. “Don't bother asking what those circumstances are; it is a private matter and has nothing to do with me being a Bicorn or the current situation.” They looked crestfallen for some reason by that. I need to change the topic.

“I have a question of my own now. I must ask, what made you begin to suspect me of being a Bicorn? I know you’ve been suspicious of me since I rescued you from the Itzalwurm Celestia; however, you only recently started avoiding me and discussing it with little Luna.”

“When we stopped in Tall Tale to pick up supplies for the journey through the mountain while you stayed outside the city and waited for us. In one of the shops we visited, there were old newspaper clippings posted about a red lightning storm destroying the Crystal Love Laboratories.”

“Ah, I understand so when you witnessed me using red lightning on the slavers.” Celestia nodded her head.

“Yes, that's when I started to strongly suspect you were the Bicorn.”

“I see.” I bowed my head. “Allow me to apologize. It was never my intention to deceive you two in any way, and I never would have lied at all if these weren't such unique circumstances.”

“Speaking of which, would you please tell us why you did destroy the laboratory and kill all those innocent ponies?” Little Luna asked, her eyes looking a bit sad.

“Of course,” I explained everything to them about how I was in the middle of a battle and suddenly woke up mostly frozen in that lab surrounded by unknown equine creatures that I couldn't understand. About how I thought they were stealing important missives and our technology which prompted my attack. How I learned their language with the help of Sandy Digs, the pony I had taken for questioning, and had her lead me to the ruins I was found in. About my missing or blocked memories and the order that was left by my father. I told them everything up to the point of me diving in to save little Luna.

“Oh, thank the stars,” Little Luna said, letting out a sigh of relief, which Celestia followed.

“I'm confused. I thought you two would be upset or angry at me for what I did.”

“Don’t misunderstand us, Tenebrae. We are upset that you killed so many innocent ponies, but we’re relieved that you didn't do it out of malicious intent.” Celestia said.

“Agreed, sister; it was all a terrible misunderstanding. I was only gone for a thousand years, so I can't say I understand how you must have felt or how confusing everything must have seemed, but I'd like to think I at least have an idea.” I let out a sigh of relief of my own.

“I'm glad to hear that little Luna.” Celestia held up her hoof.

“However, Tenebrae, we want to know about your kind and its history.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“For what purpose?”

“Even if you didn't do it out of evil intentions, you destroyed a very important laboratory and killed many innocent ponies and some of Equestrias' top researchers. You owe us some answers and explanation, at the very least, so we can better understand Bicorns and, by extension, you. Do that, and we will consider it as an apology since those researchers gave their lives to understand your race.”

“Not to mention, it's exciting to learn about our great equine ancestors!” Little Luna chimed in. Her sudden excitement threw me off guard for a moment.

“Fine, I suppose telling you about our society and history will be okay, but I will not reveal any of our technology or magical secrets. Is that acceptable?” They both nodded their heads. “Very well then, I will start by giving a brief overview of our history before going into more detail. I will try my best to use terms you can understand. After all, It's not going to be easy summarizing nearly a hundred thousand years of history in a single night.” Their jaws dropped.

“A hundred thousand!?” I nodded my head.

“Yes, now be quiet and listen. A long time ago, when the world was young, magic flowed in great abundance throughout the world, wild and untamed. Terrible magical storms blew across the globe, destroying or altering anything that lay in their paths. The beings born during this time were exceptionally powerful and immortal. These beings were the primordial gods; each one was an embodiment of power and chaos, a reflection of the world's savage self. They were selfish and arrogant, believing themselves the sole rulers of the world, and would constantly fight one another for dominance. Eventually, the primals grew bored of their stagnant war against each other and decided to create a great game to amuse themselves with and began to create lesser beings to use as pawns; this was the first of the mortal races to walk the world. The primals had siphoned the magic from the great wild storms in their pawns' creation, and over time, many of the storms receded, allowing for new life to begin, an unexpected side effect to the primals, but they simply viewed this new life as more fodder for their games. Among these new beings was the first Bicorns.” I paused for a moment. The sisters were completely enraptured by my history lesson with Celestia focused solely on me while little Luna had pulled out a notebook of some kind from somewhere I didn't see and was furiously writing down everything I said. “The primals wasted no time in subjugating this new race; some used them as hard labor or cannon fodder in their games, others simply used them as livestock.”

“That's horrible!” Celestia exclaimed.

“Indeed, to live during this time was to know nothing but fear, pain, and sorrow. Never knowing when you would be killed by the whim of uncaring gods whom many would torture and experiment on you for pure amusement. This was an age of strife and unending suffering. Now, before I continue with the history lesson, I must first talk about us Bicorns.” Little Luna quickly turned several pages ahead and readied her quill. “I don't remember saying you could record my words, little Luna.”

“But this is the lost history of the world! It could change everything we thought we knew about it and our own history!” Those damn pleading eyes again. “Please, Tenebrae, let me record this!” I sighed.

“Do as you will.” She let out a rather cute squee sound that I wasn't expecting. Clearing my throat. “Let's continue now; similar to you ponies, there are subraces that, as a whole, make up the Bicorn race. First is the Manafrey; they are scholars, scientists, and researchers and have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of all types, especially when it comes to magic. They are akin to your unicorns if that helps; they are distinguished by the shape of their horns.”

“Their horns?” Celestia interrupted.

“Yes, their horns. You see every subrace of us. Bicorns are easily identified by the shapes of our horns. The Manafrey have caprine or ram-like horns, for example, while the second type of Bicorn and the most numerous one, which are called Drudcey, have two unicorn-like horns, one stacked above the other, where the upper one was usually larger.”

“I see but what about your type then?”

“We will get to that, now the Drudcey are our working class. They are farmers, architects, craft ponies, if you will, and have a natural urge to want to build or tinker. As you might have guessed, they were mainly used as slave labor by the primals, whereas the Manafrey were mainly used as bureaucrats or priests in charge of sacrifices or other profane rituals to further empower their masters. At this time, it was believed these were the only types of Bicorns that existed; however, the third type, as well as the one I belong to, would be discovered much later and play an extremely important role in our history. But before we get to that, I need to talk about my father. Malacar Aeonsovereign, the God Emperor of equine kind, his exact origin, is unknown even to me, and several theories and ideas have persisted throughout the ages. Some believe he is a god born from the countless innocent Bicorns sacrificed who prayed and wished for salvation. Others think he was the result of a secret experiment performed by a Manafrey cult that mass suicided in an effort to merge their souls into a more powerful being. Some say Malacar was just a Bicorn born with a unique mutation. Whatever the truth may be, it is clear that my father was far more powerful than any other Bicorn and was destined for something great.”

“Fascinating, so the Bicorns don't know the exact origins of their own god?” Celestia asked as she adjusted her sitting position.

“Yes, that's correct, Celestia. However, believe it or not, my father always hated being called a god but accepted it nonetheless. He understood the need for faith amongst the mortal races, so he allowed himself to be worshiped as a god even though he himself disliked it.”

“Really? How strange.” I nodded my head.

“Moving on it wasn't just my father's power that set him apart from other Bicorns; his appearance as well was unique. He was easily twice my current height with four intricate golden horns that wove together like the branches of a tree and had a pure shining silver coat with a liquid gold mane that ebbed and flowed like a river. When in his presence, he had this aura that radiated both kindness and understanding. The lesser Bicorns always said that just being near him would ease their troubled hearts and soothe their minds.”

“So he was an empath?” Little Luna asked, looking up from her notes.

“That's one way to put it. Even with his incredible power, my father knew that he alone would not be enough to end the tyranny of the primals that enslaved his kind. So he hid his form and power, biding his time helping those he could in secret until the time was right. Next, I will regale you with the single most important event in Bicorn history and my homeland.”

“We’re ready.” They gave me their full attention.

“The Coursers, the third and final breed of Bicorn as well as the one I belong to. This is my race's history and our origin. Far to the north beyond the Ghost Seas, above the GlimmerWood, above the Azure Veil near the top of the world lies Ilieh a secluded island shrouded in near eternal darkness and fog as only certain areas would ever feel the warmth of the sun. It was protected by both a raging sea and mountain range a natural fortress nigh impossible to reach. The inhabitants of this island were the Coursers, a war-like Bicorn species that cared only for fighting, bloodshed, and survival of the fittest to the point where it may be called an obsession, but despite this, they also had a strong sense of honor and respect for the strong. Before the great revolt and the time of the Emperor, Ilieh was home to many different tribes of Coursers, who would war with one another, not for disagreements or resources, you understand, but purely for the sport of it to prove they were the strongest. Put simply we Coursers love to fight, it is our purpose, our passion, our very reason to exist! To outsiders, Ilieh was a death trap filled with dangerous monsters, flesh-eating diseases, and bloodthirsty tribes of savages in an inhospitable hellscape but to the Coursers who called Ilieh home, it was a glorious crucible a proving ground for the strong, a warrior's paradise. Ilieh remained a mysterious hostile land for many millennia, isolated and secluded from the rest of the world even as the primal gods enslaved and conquered the rest of mortal kind.” I paused for a moment to see little Luna furiously writing down my exact words, and Celestia’s eyes filled with wonder and curiosity.

“Most simply ignored the hostile island as it had been viewed as being worthless and did not hold any strategic value until a brave expedition from the enslaved nation of Narmu, a vast empire ruled through fear and pain, managed to land upon its shores and discover that Ilieh was full of an extremely valuable metal called Adamantium and that the Coursers had found a way to both mine and forge with it. This was significant because no creature, not even the primal gods, had found a way to harness this near-indestructible primal metal that could withstand even their power. The ruler of Narmu, the primal god known as Razekel, started making plans for an invasion. He would use his vast army of slaves to crush these Courser savages and force them to submit to his will and pry the knowledge of Adamantium mining and forging from them. However, Ilieh was not an easy place to reach, nor was crossing the Azure Veil, especially with an army. It would take much planning and time to scout and create the routes and ships necessary to cross, but he did not care. He had eternity and a disposable workforce. What was a mortal generation or two to him if it meant gaining the secret to Adamantium forging?” Amusingly, Celestia raised her hoof like a student to ask a question. “Yes, Celestia?”

“I have a question about this, Razekel. Just what kind of primal god was he?”

“Razekel, also known as the Puppet-Master or The Feasting Clown. He was a truly despicable being who took great enjoyment in tormenting mortals in every way imaginable before eating their souls and transforming the body into a twisted porcelain-looking abomination wearing a mask depicting the face of the victims' last moments. He also loved playing pranks on his unwilling subjects for his own twisted amusement, and by pranks, I mean horribly mutilating a family member or two down to just a torso and head or sometimes just the head before stringing them up with his magic threads keeping them from dying as he put on little puppet shows or force a child to play with the limbs of their parents in play-fights or causing mischief in the city that always ended with death. Or perhaps he’d throw a mysterious grand banquet where his guests would be the main course for his own appetite.” They both recoiled in horror. “I hope that lovely little explanation answers your question, Celestia,” I said with a bit of sarcasm, with Celestia reluctantly nodding her head. “Good, let's continue with the story.”

“And so his plan began, but unbeknownst to him, the Coursers had begun a plan of their own. You see, during the Narmu expedition, amongst the vast majority who had been killed by monsters or disease was a slave who had been used as a distraction for their masters during an attack. The slave was flayed open and forced to run into the woods to lure the monsters away but fortunately for the slave a band of Courser hunters were tracking the monsters for food and saved the slave, curious about this wounded outsider they took her before the tribal chief. The slave told him all about the outside world and how their kind were enslaved and forced to fight or work to death for thirsting god-like beings who kill or torment them for entertainment. About how these gods war amongst themselves for dominance and used the mortal races as cannon fodder in their bloody games and how the twisted god Razekel, who delights in pain and torment, would come for them with an army of slaves and porcelain monsters.”

“This is all just so much,” Little Luna said quietly, continuing her writings, which seemed to fill her remaining pages quickly.

“Though the coursers loved to fight, they were not fools and chose to trust this outsider's word as she swore to them as she died from her injuries about this cruel world and the god coming for them. An emergency meeting was called, and all the tribe chieftains gathered to discuss this threat. Weeks passed as they discussed and planned, and eventually, a solution was formed. All Coursers, every last stallion, mare, colt, and filly from every tribe met at dawn's light in a vast plain of rock and dirt. It was here that the spark of rebellion would be ignited, and the legacy of Tenebris would begin and my namesake.” Their ears perked up at that. “This event would later become known as the Scarlet Dawn. In order to defeat Razekel and defend their homeland a new kind of Courser was needed, to achieve this the Coursers of Ilieh would genocide half of their race in an all-out free-for-all to ensure that only the absolute strongest genes were passed on alongside a new philosophy and way of life. Specific instructions were given that day that once the purge was over, the most prominent warrior would become king, and all remaining Coursers would bow to them and follow their rule. It is said the battle lasted for nine days and nine nights, for on the dawn of the tenth day, the sun emerged, casting a pure scarlet sky upon the plains where untold thousands of Coursers lay dead. An ocean of blood staining the ground and sky at its center arose a mighty Courser, his blackened coat permanently stained from the blood of his fellows, his silver mane reflecting the blood-red sun stood above the rest as they waded through the blood and bodies to bow before him. For upon a throne of corpses, the first king of Coursers was crowned. His name is Tenebris.”

“That's insane. I can't believe they would willingly genocide half of their own race, including the children!” Exclaimed little Luna. “I-its…”

“Monstrous?” She nodded as I began to smile. “Exactly now, moving on. King Tenebris is the one who originally created the Codex-Maladictium, the Courser’s holy book, if you want to call it. Despite being the guide and structure for the Courser's new philosophy and society, it would later be adopted and adapted by the God-Emperor for his Imperium's own structuring. In the new Courser Kingdom, only stallions would be allowed to serve in the army due to their increased size, muscle mass, and martial prowess. To ensure that only the best and strongest genes would continue to survive, whenever a colt was born, it would be inspected by a veteran warrior. If the warrior found the colt to be too small, sickly, or malformed, the colt would be killed, and the mare who gave birth to it would be forbidden from breeding again. Though it was extremely rare in the beginning and non-existent later on, in the event of another mare giving birth to a worthless colt from the same stallion, an inquiry would be launched, and if the stallion is found to be at fault, they would be put to death.” The look of pure disbelief on the sisters' faces was quite amusing, but I stopped myself from laughing. “Should they pass the inspection the moment a Courser colt can stand, they begin their training in war and bloodshed. Nearly every hour of every day was spent in combat training or psycho conditioning to show no pain nor fear of any kind, their diet would consist of only meat and highly toxic poisonous mushrooms or monster parts not enough to be fatal of course but they would still continue training regardless of its effects. This was done to ensure both muscle growth and to build resistance against poison and toxins. Eventually, this practice would make Courser immune systems so strong that no sickness or plague could blight them in any capacity.” Little Luna had dropped her quill and shared her sister's dumbfounded expression. “Something wrong?”

“By the stars Tenebrae I don't mean to offend you or your kind but what in the actual name of Tartarus is wrong with Coursers!?”

“I agree with Luna. Just what was Tenebris thinking when he made this codex and made his subjects go through such horrible training and being in such a patriarchal society!?” I couldn't help but laugh.

“I’ll go into more detail about Courser society and patriarchy later. I imagine for such a matriarchal kingdom run by princesses the concept is rather baffling for you.” I said through my chuckling before getting serious again. “However, to answer your question about why King Tenebris would create such a society in the first place, the answer is rather simple. Unlike most, King Tenebris understood well that it takes a monster to stand against a god just as it takes a mortal to stand against a monster.” I let out another chuckle. “It's quite an amusing concept to think about, isn't it? A god fears a monster because they have rid themselves of all equinity and do not fear them where only a mortal can stand against a monster because of that same equinity and they fear the wrath of their god.”

“Tenebrae…” I shook my head slightly before continuing.

“It took nearly three hundred years for Razekel and his army to make their way to Ilieh. They reached its shores confident in a quick and decisive win, but by that time, it was far too late, for nothing could have prepared him for the nightmare that awaited them. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by King Tenebris himself standing above the black cliffs of the shore. He gave no warning, no threats, or demands he only gave them a message that even a mindless beast could understand. Death.”

“The moment the first wave set hoof on Ilieh’s shore, their fate was sealed in a sudden flash of thunder. The shoreline was alight in fire and madness. Screams and cries of terror echoed amongst the cliffs, drowning out the sounds of the waves, and the smell of burning flesh and fur filled the sea. The Narmu soldiers watched in both confusion and horror as giant black armored Bicorns walked unscathed through the flames. Their movements were perfect. Every motion brought death; they tore through the Narmu soldiers like a sickle through a field. That day, the sea ran red with Narmu blood and not a single drop of Coursers, but to the horror of the Narmu General, when the second wave hit the shore, they found no bodies or signs of where they had gone. Nearly three hundred thousand soldiers had been in the first wave. How could they all have been killed in a single night? And what happened to the bodies? What kind of monsters were they dealing with? These questions were on the minds of every Narmu soldier as they huddled in their tents that night. The second wave had cleared the shore and had set up camp further inland in the forest; their mission was to create a fort to use as a base and supply depot for the main force that was to arrive behind them. Suddenly alarms rang throughout the camp about an enemy attack, soldiers quickly equipped themselves and ran out from their tents to face the enemy but what they faced was a nightmare. The general emerged from his tent into the rain to the sight of his soldiers falling to their knees, screaming in sheer terror. The general was confused and tried to bark orders cracking his whip to get their attention; it only took a few moments to realize that what was falling upon his armor was not rain. He looked up; there in the trees above, as far as the eye could see, were the dangling corpses of Narmu soldiers. Every single one from the first wave was there before him, their blood creating a torrent of gore. Before he could collect himself, he heard the sound of heavy armored hoof-steps approaching, a column of Coursers burst through the camp lances impaling those in their path. Tenebris was a military genius and a master of sowing terror into his enemies. He knew that Narmu greatly out-numbered them a thousand to one, but most were mere slaves and unwilling conscripts. It wouldn't be long before they started fearing them more than Razekel whips.”

“This is all so insane,” Celestia said quietly, shaking her head in disbelief. I smiled.

“These were insane times. Now, what Razekel thought was going to be a quick, decisive win turned into five years of sheer hell. The Coursers had spent the three centuries molding the most perfect warriors this world had ever seen and turning Ilieh into a true crucible of death for any would-be invader. Traps, tamed monsters, poisoned water sources, hidden trenches and tunnels stretching for miles, barred routes, hallucinogenic fumes mixed with the fog, magical minefields, and sniper nests. To put it simply there wasn't a single moment the Narmu invaders were not under attack or dealing with some kind of obstacle. His generals lost every engagement against the Coursers losing tens of thousands of troops in every battle, he would take out his anger and rage on his failing generals through either execution or torture. This would continue for the duration of the war until Razekel had lost sixty percent of his entire military and only managed to kill maybe a hundred Coursers. He had never taken losses like this before, not even against other primals, and that a small group of mortal savages were responsible abhorred him. Finally, he could stand this insult no more and took to the field himself along with his elite guard called the Radiants, the mindless porcelain soldiers twisted and warped puppeteered by Razekel’s power. In this climactic battle, Tenebris challenged Razekel, and a fierce battle ensued. In this singular battle, thousands of Coursers would fall from both the overwhelming numbers and Razekels power, but for every fallen Courser, they took a hundred Radiant with them. Though Tenebris proved to be a match in skill, Razekels power was far greater and would strike a fatal blow against the Courser King. He pierced the King's heart and lifted him to his face to gloat, but to his surprise, Tenebris was smiling, for he had allowed the primal to pierce his heart, knowing he would drop his guard to gloat. Tenebris dug his hooked blades into the primals shoulders, knowing his instant regeneration would lock him to the god. Using his last breath as a shout of defiance directly into the god's face, he released the breath, keeping him alive when his heart was pierced, allowing himself to die. He stared directly into Razekel’s eyes as he did, letting him know he would be joining him.” The sisters' eyes were practically sparkling as they fully focused on me.

“During those five years of war, Tenebris had been preparing a weapon of immense power in order to slay the god. A soul stone forged from the very Adamantium the primal had sought would ultimately be his undoing, for Tenebris had used his own heart as the catalyst, infusing the soul stone directly into it. It had absorbed every soul and shred of terror Tenebris had killed or caused, building up more and more power until this fateful moment. A bomb filled with thousands upon thousands of mortal souls further enhanced by their terror was now locked to Razekels body. Tenebris’s death was the trigger. Searing blue filled the sky as the soul stone detonated, creating a vortex of whirling blue flames that could be seen for hundreds of miles, the blast searing away the gods' flesh and soul, erasing him from existence along with the Courser King. The pulse of energy released from the dying god rippled throughout the world, letting all know that on this day, a god had been killed by mortal hoofs. This ripple and the story of King Tenebris spread like wildfire igniting the flame of rebellion in the hearts of all mortals including the future God-Emperor, for it was this flame that showed him and the world that we could do it, we could win, we could be free.”

“Wow! Just wow, Tenebrae! I have no words for how incredible that story is,” Celestia said as little Luna beaming with excitement but held a hint of sadness in her eyes.

“All of this is incredible, but I never would have guessed our ancient history would be so bloody and gruesome.” Little Luna said as she let out a sigh. “I have so many questions to ask.”

“I'm sure you do but we’re not done yet with the history.”

“There's more!?” I chuckled.

“Of course, we’ve yet to finish the story of the great revolt, but I agree it is a lot to take in, and it's getting late, so I'll try my best to speed up the explana-.” The sound of a hammer hitting metal rang throughout the tunnels in a frantic rhythm.

“What's that sound?” Celestia asked, confused.

“Sounds like an alarm.” Little Luna said quietly. I rose from the table and headed towards the door.

“Stay here while I go see what's going on. We will continue when I get back.”

“But if it is an alar-.” Celestia started to say as she started sitting up before I interrupted her.

“Then I will deal with the threat, then return as I said.” She sat back down on her haunches. “This will only take a moment,” I stated as I headed out down the tunnel.

~~~

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long to release but its been a rough couple of months for me. Lots of family medical problems along with my dog passing away and I'm still dealing with a few things but I didn't want to end the year without releasing something so I decided to cut this chapter down a bit from its original length and upload it. Things are starting to look up again finally so hopefully soon I'll be able to focus on writing and be more consistent with updates.