Tether Of The Soulby Rain_Flick3rChaptersChapter 1: The Diary Of A Missing PonyChapter 2: The Gate of Five.Chapter 3: Encounting A Truth So StrangeChapter 4: A Pony Can Never Escape Thier Fate.Chapter 5: A Pony Is Always Allowed Salvation.Chapter 6: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IChapter 7: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IIChapter 8: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IChapter 9: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IIChapter 10: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part IChapter 11: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part IIChapter 12: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part IChapter 13: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part IIChapter 14: Was It Truly Mythos?Chapter 15: Panthiazma Has Plans For Berath! (Alt Ending)Chapter 1: The Diary Of A Missing PonyAuthor's Note This is just a concept I wanted to put into the written word. It is still a WIP and I wanted to see how people would receive this concept here. Chapter 1: The Diary Of A Missing Pony Some say that this pony was a crazed Stallion. They say he was so mad that he created the book of the dark arts. Others say that he was corrupted by his own abilities to call forth dark energies from the void. Neither side could recollect where these stories came from nor could they find any relics or information from the time these stories were set. Until now, what I am going to transcribe is a diary of a pony from the archaic times of Old Equestria. The date that has been written down on the first page is the 3rd year of the Molten Queen. From that alone is quite a rare find, this piece of history is from the very, very first settling tribe of ponies in Equestrian history. The language used here is the first modern take of its kind that ponies used to communicate with. I am filled with so much joy to be the one pony entrusted with this task. Thank you, Princess Celestia. Here is the first entry: Day 1, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen Today marks the first day on our journey from the capital of Equeen. Brother and I have been entrusted with the task of finding out the meaning of the magics of everyday life from our queen. Our direction has been routed towards Oragoth, the travel there would take 5 cycles of the sun and 4 cycles of the moon. We have packed enough to get through towards Geldoroth, the Valley of the Dragonian. We hope to trade and rest there. I do have an odd feeling that we would need to rest at Evercrest, I do not wish to stay there for the horses that reside there are queer to the rules of the land… Sorthath has come to collect me to travel with him. I must go, I shall come back to document the findings of our travels. End of entry one. This is quite fascinating, the names of the places in Equestria are difficult to read in this language. But before I continue to translate the passages further, I feel I must make clear what we call these places today. Equeen is now called Canterlot. Oragoth is now called Las Pegasus. Geldoroth, the Valley of the Dragonian is now called Ghastly Gorge. Evercrest is now called Ponyville but it was also engulfed by the Everfree Forest. Day 2, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen My odd feeling was correct, I do wish that they never come true but I stand here in this queer place of Evercrest. *sigh* The horses here are as untamed and quite feral for this age of formality, they reek of wet mud and rotting fruit. In any case, we have made it safe and sound. Sorthath and I plan to stay here one moon cycle. While my brother was browsing the unkempt stalls in the markets, I came across a shop full of tomes not known to the horses of Equeen. As curiosity demands attention, I followed mine into that shop and what I found was quite exciting. The air was quite thick upon entrance from the outside. That did not deter me from browsing the maple shelves. I found an interesting spine from my mindless looking, the spine was that of silver and encrusted with bright gems embedded in the binding of the book. Once I opened it, the book’s front index grabbed my attention from the very first chapter, as it was titled “Mysteries Of The Magical World”. I was amazed by this find because it was written in the language of our fated creator Gilldahara. I have been reading this tome for many shadows of this day’s sunlight. Sorthath has only just come back to our tavern room. He is showing me a glowing yellow gemstone that looks as if it were to be created by the heavens thunder, and lightning. It is time to sleep, we have a long way ahead of us. Till daylight my newfound friend. End of entry two. This is just amazing, this diary may actually hold the information of the creation to the natural order of magics used here in Equestria. Please bear with me, Gilldahara, was believed to be the creator of everything in many old texts of the religion that ruled Equestria for over 700 years. This tome that the pony writing in this diary found, must have been old even when they found it. The sheer ability to read that book would have been a massive undertaking for that pony. I do apologise, this information has brought more questions in my head than answering them. I shall continue to translate the passages. Day 3, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen We have made it to the outskirts of this accursed forest, the vines are quite annoying to deal with even with my knowledge of magics. My horn is quite worn and tired. We shall rest a little longer here in this grove I found. Sorthath has taken charge in my absence, I shall take a breath and explain what I have learned from reading this tome. I shall call it the “Natural order”, it in itself does not have a title engraved on the cover. So I found it fitting of the title I gave it. I will summarise what I have learned so far from my skimming of its pages. The book’s first chapter gives you a generalized version of the happenings of the world around us, the wind, the water, the earth, and the living things on and in it. They are made up of the creator’s blood, sweat and words spoken. I find this very interesting because the book says that every breath the crater takes, even now, are the gusts of wind that blow every sun cycle. The rain and water are from the sweat that he has shed throughout the ages… Ahh, we are free. I shall talk to you again soon my friend. End of entry three. I need to find this book they speak of, it may hold the secrets to our magics and way of harmony. It must be found at all costs… Let’s continue, shall we? Night 2, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen We have reached Geldoroth, sadly we are behind in distance traveled, we must make haste after our trade this night. Sorthath is slightly dejected at the news of this but understands how important it is to travel towards Oragoth. This pitiful leader of the Dragonian has requested our trade. I shall take my time to grant him an audience. My Queen Froyen has requested I trade some gold pieces for the Dragonian king’s crystal of light. I fear he will not take to mere gold metal, I also fear that the request that Lizard has in store is quite immense. … My fears were met in kind, that lizard has taken my tome as well as the gold we were sent out with, but, we have made the trade and we now have the crystal of light. I am saddened but I knew the cost of that trade was too high, I just hope that the magics in that tome are lizard repealed. Time to make haste. Till next I write, Berath… End of entry four. Berath and Sorthath? Aha, I remember them being written about. They were the sons of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen. It was documented that Queen Froyen was in favor of her two sons, so much so, that she would have only them to do her bidding no matter how secret the task or how bloody the war… Queen Froyen’s family was held in the highest of regard. They also were believed to be descendants of Gilldahara, the creator. Most of the recorded history of their actions and political strategies have been wiped from the face of the planet. Also, the information from the Dragonian race has also been wiped from the face of the planet as well, I know that both the dragons and us ponies have strived really hard to recover both of our pasts. Alas, we have never been able to find their whereabouts. That also reminds me, that the crystal of light has gone missing too. The most important records of Equestrian history are just gone. I hope the next entries can help. Day 5, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen Oragoth has now been reached, behold our dedication my Queen. We made lost time and have gained another stronghold for your empire. Your foresight has shown us the way to this city and we have tamed it with mere words and one gift. The crystal of light has been placed in the center of the markets and the horses here have rejoiced in its fitting. Time for rest, may we dream of dreams grand and bold. I have sent word to your hooves of our accomplishments here, my Queen. … Tis night, all is well in the tavern room of Berath and Sorthath. I have felt the greatest of rests in my lifetime. Sorthath is no longer here in this room, but the smell of freshly baked food has wafted through the window and has my empty stomach under an iron grip. I shall return from stuffing my muzzle full of whatever is making that delectable smell. … Upon returning, I have noticed that Sorthath had not. His bed is currently still messed up and cold. This is not like him to wonder, we have always returned to where ever we have set to rest at the same time. I must search for him, for I am beset with fear. I shall return to you, my friend. End of entry five. I do not like how this adventure has turned into this search and rescue effort. It has been recorded that the Queen’s two sons indeed disappeared. To where? No pony knows, even for that time the Queen somehow knew that her rule was to crumble to two warring states, vying for power and control over Equestria… The next entry has a massive gap from day 5, it continues at night 39. Night 39, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen It has been 35 cycles of the moon and there is still no trace of my brother, the horses of Oragoth have graciously offered me permanent residence here. For that I am grateful. My Queen has granted that I stay here as long as it takes to find Sorthath. I shall search his belongings for some answers, maybe I have missed something. … A strange thing happened, the yellow gemstone reacted to the crystal of light. First, the gemstone started to vibrate softly as I got closer to the crystal. So I decided to place the gemstone on the surface of it, and both the crystal and gemstone melded together and showed a map of Meltorath. Could this be the sign I have been praying for ?? It is all I have at this point in time. I am coming brother, please stay there. Mo-Mother I know you are displeased with me not referring to you as Queen, But I fear this might be the last time I may send you scrolls of our whereabouts and tasks. Because I need to head to Tartarus in Meltorath. Please grant me strength, mother. I’m scared. End of entry six. Berath must have been in such terror at that thought, was it because he had to travel towards the badlands? He was one of the calmest and most collected minds at that time, why did this shake him up like this? O-Oh Meltorath is now called The Badlands. Why would he need to go to Tartarus? Day 47, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen I have made it to the edge of Meltorath, I can see the gate to hell, to Tartarous. I can no longer bring you with me, my friend. I must bury you so that you are safe. You will not be alone though, I shall keep you company with this rune stone. I have imbued it with my magics, and I shall use it to trap my findings here with you. Think of it as a device you can keep track of my movements. Wish me well dear friend, I shall never forget you. My final entry of this journey to Oragoth, Berath. End of entry seven. Did he bury it in the badlands?, near the old gate to Tartarous? I must notify Princess Celestia at once. End of Translation, Dr, Amber Zephyr. Chapter 2: The Gate of Five.13th day of the 12th month, 900 years of our Princesses. Hello again, it is Dr, Amber Zephyr. I am going to write my entries like that of Berath, I find it fitting to continue where he left off. I shall continue with Berath’s entry method. It has grown on me but I will modernize it a little. In any case, I have held an audience with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They have given me their blessing to continue searching for Equestria’s lost history. I have charted out my course and it shall take one day give or take. That is with the help of the royal guard’s pegasi. I am quickly jotting this down as I finish my preparation and packing. I will be taking this here diary, some voice recording equipment, and video recording equipment. Just in case I manage to find anything further on the disappearances of the two brothers of Equeen. Onwards to my own journey of truth. End of entry one. 13/12/900 I have made it in the Badlands and set up camp. I have just currently rested up from that painful exercise. I am quite indebted to the progression of technology ponies have created. Without that, It would have taken me months to get here by myself with all of this stuff. Now, I think I have found the old ruins of the original gate to Tartarous. I just hope I can find the spot where… Found it!. I found the site where Berath had buried his runestone. Why was it separated? Oh well, time to dig. … IT’S HERE! Ahem, excuse my excitement but I found it, it’s real and old. I-I don’t want to move it from where it lays but I must for research and recording purposes… There we go, I have managed to keep it in mint condition. Now I just need to place it on the magic encoder and hopefully extract the contents of the runes stored magic. Fantastic, it works. The Rune has been imbued with very old magic, it must be dated back over 1,200 years… The colour of the magic is a bright lavender purple. Ok, I am going to switch to my computer. It will take some time but I will transcribe what has been recorded on it. … Finished, the magic has been extracted to an audio file. I will play it here in a second. Oh my, I am shaking, get a grip of yourself Amber. You can do this. Ok, I am hitting record and play at the same time. [Crackles are heard from the old waveforms from the magic] Berath: “Ahh, My dear friend. You have found this old rune, the one from my diary. I am indebted to you for searching this out. Thank you, I foresaw the actions that brought you here this day.” [Ambers microphone comes to life.] Amber: “H-How did you see into your future? 1,200 years into your future?” [Crackles start up again] Berath: “My mother, Queen Froyen gifted me this ability just for your finding of my rune. I fear that from this point onward, we both are alone and away from home. This quest I have set you on is fraught with danger and death. I must ask you before you continue, to take your time on your decision. Think it through thoroughly, because once you enter this place. There is no return from once you came. Keep in your mind, that the reward for this gigantic risk will be that of a legendary scale. If you think your self not fit, there is no shame in retreating. Believe that I have faith in you and your decision. No matter the choice you choose. Be well.” [Crackles slowly quiets down] [Amber’s microphone comes back to life] Amber: “Ahh, this choice is asking a massive cost of me. I don’t think I can pay this in kind, but I don’t think I have a choice in this either… Equestria needs these historic records and artifacts…” [Pacing is heard, this goes on for hours] Amber: “The cost of this task is one of a sacrifice, one that I need to make. No, I have to make it. Berath… I accept the terms of your request… “ [Crackerling is heard once again] Berath: “Thank you, my dear friend, I do whole heartily apologise for this… Once you are ready, please head to the gate in front of you. You can not see it, for it is invisible to your time. Since the horses of your time have forgotten the old magics, I will need you to recite this spell in full. I will help you sound it out if need be ok!. The spell goes as followers. ‘Teeath, wothath, poqeth, beftoth. May the blood, sweat, and tears open me a path to the ever-darkened realm of Tartarous.’ With that, the gate will be shown to you. Here comes the underlying ritual. You must shed your blood, sweat, and tears with your magic, and place it on the gate. Once that ritual has been completed the doors of stone will open. Be well and farewell. Till we meet in Hell, my friend.” [Sounds of cracking stone suddenly get picked up by Amber's microphone] [Amber’s heavy breathing is shortly picked up] Amber: “I KNEW IT! I knew this was a big ask for me… [sigh] I figured this was to happen, so I brought my special cameras. I boosted their signals with my magic so that the Princesses could broadcast them to the masses… I guess it’s time to put them on my back” [Sounds of velcro straps and bets are being fastened. After they faded the sound of a spell is heard from Amber] Amber: “Okay!, here goes nothing. ‘Teeath, wothath, poqeth, beftoth. May the blood, sweat, and tears open me a path to the ever-darkened realm of Tartarous.’ [Sounds of the earth-shaking started to permeate the microphones. Once it dissipated, Sobs could be heard] Amber: “I can’t do this, but I know I must… I have caught my tears and sweat, now comes the hard part. My blood.” [Painfull grunts and heavy breathing were the surrounding noises of the area Amber was standing in… After a short period, the sound of stone moving was all that could be heard] Amber: “Princesses, I knew you lied about broadcasting this to everyone in Equestria. But I only wish that someone watches my efforts today. Please stay with me, even if you can’t talk to me… That's all I need. Please Gildahara, watch over me…” [End of transmission] Chapter 3: Encounting A Truth So StrangeSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 4: A Pony Can Never Escape Thier Fate.“Amber, Some times things stayed buried for a reason”. Amber slowly woke to a voice that echoed in his mind. ‘D-dad?’ Amber said softly as he slowly woke up. He remembered his father giving him that advice when he was a little foal. ‘Dad, I think you are right about that. I feel this quest to be naught. I do not like the way everything is being set up… The further I go down these halls, I feel I am getting further and further from you and everything good.’ Berath turned the corner ‘Ahh, my dear friend. You are awake. How was your sleep, pleasant I hope?’ Amber nodded groggily ‘It was quite different from sleeping on a bed of hay. Heh, My- um Berath. May I ask, how much further in this direction must we travel? I feel that I can no longer trust your words or actions anymore.’ Amber looked down at the ground, not knowing how to trudge forward with a pony so, so bizarre. Berath sighed softly ‘I do apologise for that sight. I do not know what has come over me as of late. I have my suspicions but I can not fully know if it is what I have thought it to be.’ Berath looked away from Amber’s figure ‘We only have a few hundred steps until we have reached our destination. I know this is a tall task but I must request your assistance still. May I still count on you?’ Amber nodded as he stood up ‘You can still count on me. I am glad I was able to ask you that question.’ Both Berath and Amber resumed their quest’s tale. They managed to reach their destination but a black onyx slabbed door blocked their march forward. Amber walked up towards the door. The sheer height of the door was quite dizzying from where he stood, from his view, it looked as if the door grew upwards towards the earth's crust. Berath placed a hoof on Amber’s shoulder. Noticing this, Amber moved back away from Berath and the door. ‘Qouth, petath, uototh, socqest. Grant me entrance to the vault, magics of old and new’. Berath moved his forelegs in a circular motion while his horn glowed purple. The runes started to glow on the door as the ground shook. The door was opening, and as it did so the stone wall started to show buried carvings. Amber took out the diary he kept with him and rushed a few sketches of the wall’s carvings. Once the doors fully opened, the room filled up with light. ‘Lo, behold the Vault’. Berath said as he turned towards Amber. Amber’s eyes lit up from the contents of the Vault. ‘It’s… Everything is all here. The Entirety of Equestria’s history is here.’ Berath gestured for Amber to enter in front of him, ‘Everything you have sought after is now within your grasp. Do you believe yourself brave enough to take it?’ Amber looked towards Berath and nodded. ‘Then take what is rightfully yours to take.’ Berath said. Amber took his time to walk into the center of the Vault, Berath was in tow behind Amber. The room was hexagonal in shape, each side held different treasures. One was filled with gold, another was filled with shelves upon shelves of books. Amber’s eyes were glued to the pedestal next to him in the middle, it held a great emerald tome. ‘Is that?’ Amber asked. Berath shook his head ‘Nay, it is not the tome you have been searching for. However, it will be quite useful to you. All you need do is open it.’ Amber looked over it, sizing it up. ‘Only I can open it?’ Berath nodded ‘But you have been here all this time Berath. Why haven't you opened it?’ Berath placed a hoof on the cover and motioned to open it, but the tome glowed bright orange. ‘It has repealed me. Nonetheless, this tome is marked by the same brand as the one on your flank. The hammer and chisel on this tome have a history. It goes far back to a family of stone smiths. This family was Queen Froyen’s personal sculptures and casters of her castle.’ Amber sat down listening carefully to Berath’s reminiscing. ‘It was said that one of the family's kin left to find new horizons. However, not a horse could verify this tale. That horse just disappeared one-night cycle.’ Amber pondered as he looked back up towards Berath. ‘How could you be this assured of yourself that I could be a relative of this family? I mean no disrespect but this all sounds farfetched to me. Yes, I do have the same mark on the book as my flank, but I got my cutie mark from my love of digging and finding out about the past. I couldn't even build a house of blocks to save my life. I just don’t believe your tale here Berath, I am sorry.’ Berath nodded. He threw the book toward Amber. Startled, Amber caught it. The book was heavy but it did not open from Amber touching it. ‘As I thought, this was for naught. I should have listened to Dad.’ Amber sighed softly. ‘I’m sorry Berath, I truly hoped that this would have helped us both, but we both were blinded by what ifs.’ Amber dropped the book to the floor. Berath’s eye twitched from the book being dropped. He eyed down Amber but Amber sat on the stone floor with his back facing Berath. With a soft snarl, Amber felt a force hit his body from behind him. He tried to turn around to see what hit him, his nerves began to shout out pain to his brain. Looking down Amber saw that he was impaled by a golden spear. Yelping, he tried his hardest to alleviate the pressure that the spear was putting on his lungs. ‘If your touch does not unlock the book, Maybe your blood could be key. After all, we have yet to experiment on this problem. Now have we Amber?’ Berath said as he walked towards the wounded unicorn. Berath placed a hoof on Amber’s chin and slowly pulled his eyes upward to be level with his. Amber looked onward with horror as Berath’s expression turned to a malignant scowl. ‘B-Berath why?’ Amber said weakly. ‘I have told you once before and I will not tell you again. You will address me as your king… Must I guide you with the proper manners?’ Berath whispered into Amber’s ear. Amber shook softly ‘N-no, please. I-I thought we were friends B-Berath. I thought you trusted me’. Berath continued to whisper ‘Oh, I do trust you, Amber. It’s your loyalty that I wish to bear fruits from. Our roles need to play out perfectly, but what disheartens me so Amber, is that I need to hurt you.’ Amber’s screams sang out in agony and joined with the rest of the echoes in Tartarous. Darkness shrouded Amber's waking mind. Gone was the stinging pain of being struck by sharp weapons and rocks. He came in contact with defining silence. ‘H-hello? Any pony here?’ His voice faded in the void. A light shone down at Amber as he lay there. A golden figure slowly descended from the light-bearing sky. ‘What a sore path you have decided to travel’. Once the figure gracefully landed, it gave out a hoof for Amber to pull himself up with. But before Amber could reach for it, he come crashing to reality from a wet splashing sound that he felt hit his muzzle. Amber felt some touch his tongue, it tasted like metal of some kind. It did taste familiar, it reminded him of when he fell and impaled his muzzle on a sharp bone that was protruding from the ground. He remember the taste of what it was. It was blood, his eyes shot wide open at the realization. ‘Good, you are awake. Now, since you are conscious again, Let the private tutoring in manners and proper behaviors commence.’ Berath said calmly as he pulled up a chair next to Ambers's broken body. ‘H-huh? Why can’t I move my legs?’ Amber weakly sputtered out. Berath ignored Amber’s question. ‘You, are a subject under our Queen: Queen Froyen. And you are in need of etiquette training. I-’. Berath was stopped by Amber’s screaming. Scowling from the improper interruption, Berath pulled over a cat-o-nine tail and swung it against Amber’s muzzle. The screaming died out to soft whimpers. ‘Never, Ever interrupt me again Amber Zepher. If you do so, you will wish upon the stars in heaven for a quick and painless death… You must know my dear sweet Amber, you are mine and mine alone. Till the end of time. Now, are you ready for your first lesson?’. Amber’s eyes looked up at his jailer with horror as he shakily nodded ‘I-I am B-bera…’ Berath’s muzzle scowly angrily. In response, Amber corrected himself ‘Yes, I-i am ready My, my, my K-king’. Berath nodded in confirmation as Amber corrected his speech ‘Let us begin then, shall we? My dear, dear loyal subject.’ Chapter 5: A Pony Is Always Allowed Salvation.‘The lost sheep has found the wrong shepherd to guide him, the sheep will no longer know what everlasting light holds for him. For the sheep has turned away from the glory of goodness… Though the sheep may be bogged into the swamp of sin, there is still a way for redemption, though it fades ever so slowly.’ Golden hooves caress Ambers's head softly. The hooves were petting Amber’s mane as if they were treating the unicorn as a foal. Amber woke slowly to the rhythmic petting. He tried to move his body but something was a miss. His body did not bide by his command, as if his body were at mutiny against him. Panicking, Amber looked down to see why his body was not abiding by his brain. Once he saw the reason why, he started a whimper that slowly lead to blind hysteria. ‘Hush my little lamb, you are held within the very embrace of warmth. Save your tears, they are the liquor of your very soul. Please do not waste them in this place of, sin.’ There was a calmness that helped Amber, he closed his eyes and breathed in slowly but deeply. Once he was of able mind, he looked down toward his body again, and what he saw was the physical embodiment of evil. What took his interest first was his hind legs hanging from hooks, they were furless, skinless, nothing but red tissue and muscle, and his blood was falling away from them but stayed suspended underneath his hooves as if his fluids were being collected by something. ‘Please my lamb, look away from this horrific sight. I beg of you, for I am no longer able to steer you toward the glory of goodness’. Amber looked up, his eyes were met with liquid gold hitting his forehead. ‘H-Hello’. The golden figure softly smiled as it looked down upon his newfound friend. ‘Oh my little lamb, you speak. I am ever so grateful for that. Please hush, save your strength, you will need every fiber to withstand Berath’s onslaught. I am afraid that my time is coming to a close, but I must leave you with this my little lamb. I can see the darkness of that twisted Berath in your eyes. It is slowly spreading like a disease… Please heed my words, DO NOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS EVER SORE PATH WITH BERATH.’ Amber woke to find himself lying on a cold stone slab. Berath was face to face with Amber, their noses were uncomfortably touching each other. He looked up to crazed eyes. ‘Welcome back to the living realm, I do hope your travels from Elysium were safe?’ Amber was confused ‘Elysium? w- Please, may I enquire what you mean, B- My, King?’ Berath smiled softly but ever so calmly, he offered Amber a hoof. Amber wearily took it. He did not know what to make of the newfound calmness that replaced the horrifying maliced heart, held within the very rib cage of Berath, The Prince of Obscure Night. ‘Come, My loyal subject. I shall impart a story for thee. You have seen the golden figure have you not?’ Berath asked as he sat Amber next to him on a worn oak stool. He waved his hoof in front of them both and a small portion of the stone floor slowly began to form a mirror, a figure began to show its face. The face was that of a white muzzle, its eyes were the softest shade of amber yellow, and its mane was bright emerald green. ‘Oh, there were two princes that lived in harmony with their queen and subjects. They were both born on the eve of the glistening golden sun, to be watched under the careful eye of Gilldahara. Their birth was marked as the first day that all horsekind could live free with the gift of one's own will. They were gifted with promise, stature, power, charisma, and a sharp yet calm mind. The names given to the two had meaning and purpose. One Was named Sorthath, and his name was given to him by Gilldahara himself. “Sor” meaning to fly high yet clear the skies of ever-lingering dogmatic darkness. “Thath” meaning bringer of pure divinity. You would have seen him as a being of pure gold light… I can assume that he has spoken to you about me, claiming my power is a disease?’ Amber nodded slowly ‘As I thought. Oh my dearest brother, hast thou come to finally put an end to your own nightmares?’ Berath shouted towards the roof of the obsidian cave he and Amber sat in. ‘I must tell you what my name means, mustn't I? “Be” meaning one’s desire, obsession, muse, what have you. Now, “rath” meaning capitulation, to cease resistance to the greater power of life. Let's get to the final meaning of our names, “Sorthath” which means, bringer of hope, and “Berath” which means, bringer of despair. Now, there is a natural order for both of us, but brother dearest only wishes to slay me. He thinks of himself as the only horse that is good and just, but thinks of me as earth and mold, something to wash away, a filth that needs to be expunged. Mother loved him ever so much more than I, I was the shadow to the light of his radiance and his ever-glowing ego… I KILLED FOR HER! MAIMED, MURDERED, RIPPED APART AND SKINNED FOR HER! I WAS MADE A SLAVE FOR HER! FOR HIM! I WAS THE ONE THAT FADED FROM TIME, FROM THE UNIVERSE, FROM OUR GOD’S EVER-GAZING EYES!’ The lavender pony standing up, screaming to the roof of the cave started to form vapor from their entire body. It flowed as if it was heavier than the air of Tartarous, falling towards the floor. ‘Froyen, Sorthath, and Gilldahara, I reject you all, I shed myself of your trinity and coat myself with new blood, new skin, and a new will. A will of my own making.' Retreth, Deteth, Fugeth, ABETEMIETH!’ Darkness engulfed Amber as the sound around him fell to an abrupt halt. Amber’s body lay quietly on the floor next to the newly reformed lavender unicorn. Once Berath noticed Amber’s body, he slowly picked up Amber with his magic and brought Amber closer to himself. Berath noticed Amber's right eye leaking a black liquid from its place in Amber's head. With a soft touch of his hoof Berath slowly opened Amber’s eyelid, what was withheld by the eyelid was an Iris that held a beautiful spinning nebular. Amber’s Iris was swirling with colour, the black center was held with the embrace of yellow and purple clouds. The clouds were a drift, circling the black pit in the center with ease. ‘Oh Amber, is this the course I must guide you now? Have my actions this day, forever changed you? Am I to be your mentor, not your torturer? Have I been miss guided by the will of Gillderhara?’ Berath softly whispered as he lay Amber down on his bed of hay. ‘The clarity I see now Amber, is one of destiny for the both of us. I shall repair the damage I have wrought upon you my dear, dear, sweet Amber. We are now free from this earthly tie. We are no longer bound by the will of magics, harmony, royalty, or god. Please forgive my madness, Amber. I only wished to prove my mother, Queen Froyen, My brother, Sorthath, and my god, Gilderahara, wrong. I only wish that you are safe, where ever you are.’ Berath kissed his hoof before gently placing it on Amber’s forehead. ‘My little lamb, have you made your choice?’ A white unicorn with the brightest shade of emerald green mane and tail slowly descended from the sky, floating down toward Amber as he lay looking sky-bound. ‘I think I have, Sorthath!’ Sorthath looked down upon Amber with holy importance ‘What shall it be then, my little lamb?’ Amber took in a slow breath, ‘I choose… Free will, my free will. If that means I am to be forever lost from this realm of life and death, then so be it!’ Amberes forehead began to glow with a lavender mark, Sorthath looked upon the mark with disgust. ‘You side with him? I am most disappointed in you my little lamb. I did not wish to cast you from this place of rest but your place here is no longer for you. I cast thee out in the name of Gilldahara, may your soul find peace, wherever it may lay… My heart weighs heavy for you, my little lamb!’ With that, Sorthath impaled Amber’s heart with a golden spear. Casting him from the grace of Gilldahara and from the eternal resting place they stood. Amber was made a lost soul, to ever wonder the realm with no place to rest or call home, even Tartorous was bared from Amber’s soul. The amber earth pony slowly woke in its bed of hay, the heart that lay in his chest glowed golden yellow, and his forehead’s mark glowed bright purple. Amber looked up with a calm yet kind smile toward Berath. ‘You have made your choice then, Amber?’ Amber nodded, ‘I have, yes!’ The lavender unicorn sat with his brow furrowed in thought. ‘After all I did, to you. How could you ever choose, me? Do I ever stand to implore your forgiveness? I was ever so cruel to you, to your very essence of self. Do I deserve your compassion? Your Loyalty? Your regard?’ Berath was struggling to comprehend, how Amber’s innocence and goodwill could easily repair his blackened heart. ‘Berath, I don’t know about all of that. You are too kind for those words to describe me, but if anything has taught me from everything that has happened. It would be this. Every living thing has the chance to make amends to the world around them! You are no different, I find that you are deserving of a second chance most.’ Upon hearing Amber wanting to give Berath a second chance, Berath began to look at Amber with longing joy. ‘You say that I, Berath, are deserving of a second chance?’ Amber nodded earnestly. ‘I do, yes. Berath you are deserving.’ Lavender tears fell from Berath’s muzzle. The lavender unicorn was brimming with overpowering emotions from hearing Amber’s soft words of acknowledgment. Berath leaned his body forward while holding his chest in a tight hug, he began to let the raging wave of water overflow his cup, as he began to feel genuine happiness finally. ‘Thank you, Amber. I will forever be in your debit.’ Berath felt a worm embrace to touch his body, it was Amber’s. He had never felt another pony's intimate touch before, it was always a formality when he saw his mother or his brother. He could only kiss his mother's hoof as a sign of loyalty and respect for his commanding elder, or bow when meeting his brother no matter the occasion. There was no tender loving hug for him when he woke from having nightmares as a foal, no tender loving kiss from his mother when he was awarded for accomplishments. Just cold, hard formality, but right in this moment with Amber. He felt warmth as if he was finally wanted by someone, even if it was to help calm his mind or soothe an ache. ‘There is no need to repay anything, my friend. Take a breath and relax.’ Amber kissed Berath's crown softly. Chapter 6: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IBerath fell asleep from Amber’s warm embrace and their soft kiss of reassurance. It made him feel different. It was not a bad kind of difference but a foreign sense of difference. Berath felt weightless as if he were to be a feather, slowly drifting through the air. He pictured himself as such and saw that he was slowly descending to what he could see was a dream. He was never able to dream before, or there ever was a dream he could ever remember. It felt like dreams were a mystery to attain, a curse to dull his ever-sharpened mind. The simple idea of a dream repulsed him at the thought but for this very moment, he felt his feelings change. From one of disgust to one of excitement. He could not wait to smell, taste, touch, hear, and feel what this dream had in store for him. When he floated down to the ground, he looked around his surroundings and saw that he was on a dirt path, just outside of his mother's castle. He also managed to spot a unicorn that was mixed in with a pegasus, standing just by the tree line next to him. The pony was the perfect shade of midnight blue and their mane and tail were almost the embodiment of a starlight-rich galaxy, and their eyes shone with the most pure shade of aqua. Berath was never a believer of angels but standing there and looking onward toward her, he began to think that maybe angles do indeed exist. Without hesitation, he quickly reached where the pony was standing and bowed slightly. ‘I am Berath, It is an honor and a pleasure to make your acquaintance’. The pony giggled ‘That is quite a formal greeting, Prince Berath. But I shall repay in kind what you have bestowed upon me. I am Luna, Princess of the night, of the Dreamlands, and of Equestria.’ Princess Luna offered a bow to finalize the formality being exchanged. Berath was shocked. He didn’t know that there was another family ruling over Equestria in his own absence. ‘Princess of Equestria? How can this be? My family has been ruling this land since its creation. Equestria Is mine by right!’ Princess Luna gestured to join her as she started to walk towards the castle. ‘Well, Prince Berath! Your family has been missing for over a thousand years. A lot has changed since your family’s disappearance. The ponies of Equestria have evolved and nurtured a fundamental way of living. Yes, I am a princess, but that is because of your family. I and my sister Princess Celestia, are your great-grandchildren. Please I say this in the most earnest of compassion.’ Berath pondered ‘Would you be assured of the words you speak, Princess Luna? Have, say you, been smeared by lies? Spoken from the lips of pretenders to the throne?.’ Luna struggled to find answers to quell Berath’s inquiries in time before they reached the castle's main entrance. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks when they came across the molten door in front of them. Silence save for the sound of shifting magma in the door could be heard. For Luna, this was an entryway to secrets that she and her sister have only dreamed of finding. Who was the Molten Queen? Was their lineage alive during this era of Equestria? Luna’s mind was spinning with questions she never dared to ask, she always kept her mind in check when she was with others, including her sister. But for Berath, this molten door was a reminder of his past, present, and future. He began to slowly back away from Luna and the door shaking all the while. ‘I abhor this dream!’ Berath said timidly. Luna placed a wing softly onto his back, trying to calm a scared foal. ‘My Prince Berath, I am here to help guide you through your past. I am not only the Princess of Dreams, but I am also a guide to those lost souls, ever stuck in Limbo. You are safe here with me, my prince.’ Berath took a step or two forward, lining back up with Luna. ‘I do not wish to cross the threshold of this door, for it has provided nothing but abject horror, ever-freezing conditions of the heart, and subjugation of the psyche. Please I beg of you, relinquish me to the depths of Tartarus! For I welcome the stench of brimstone and the scorch of fire as my resting place.’ Tears began to crash against the dirt below him. Luna pulled Berath closer to her. He noticed the warmth her body displaced with his and his mind snapped out of his delusional crying. He looked up to see that Princess Luna was looking down upon him with a fervorous smile. Berath nodded and the two began to set past the doors ominous gateway and into the castle's main courtyard. Upon entrance, the main courtyard was a verdant green paradise, all the way from the grass at their hooves, to the vineyard hanging overhead them. There were plenty of apple trees bearing ripe fruit, bean stalks protruding skyward from the soil beneath, and megafauna covering park benches with shade and protection from the sun. Luna’s mouth fell agape when she saw how big the apples were, hanging from a tree. Berath pulled an apple from the tree with his magic and brought it to himself and Luna before cutting it in half. ‘Please princess, eat it. It will taste like golden water, sweet from the sky. After all, Gildahara taught the Molten Queen how to farm with volcanic ash.’ he said before taking a bite, as did Luna. When Luna bit into the apple, her taste buds shot through the roof. The slice of apple did indeed taste sweet, sweeter than usual but that was never a bad thing. ‘Oh my, how do they taste this good?’ She asked in shock. ‘I do not know, well I do not know the exact origin of such a thing. Though it has been said that the Molten Queen was gifted with knowledge of the holy realm, she did use it to better her people. Then again, my history is your mythos! I shall take the lead from here on out with the politics of this castle’ He said while finishing his slice of apple. Luna nodded and followed close behind, whilst enjoying her slice of apple. While they were walking down the volcanic-bricked path, a guard noticed Berath and rushed over toward him. ‘MY LORD! Our Queen is seeking your counsel. We must make haste.’ Berath nodded in stern acknowledgment ‘Take me to her then!’ Both Luna and Berath were rushed into the throne room. Berath slowly approached his mother's steps and kneeled ‘My Queen! You have sought my counsel?’ Queen Froyen nodded silently ‘Yes my son! A predicament has come to my attention and it requires your sharp intellect.’ Berath bowed lower ‘May I inquire about the issue?’ Froyen breathed out softly ‘Equeen has been challenged by Geldorth. Those lizards have decided to be brave and encroach out of their caves. I would be able to suppress any qualms by this fact, though Geldorth has managed to make a pact with Orogoth, which has made this threat all the more real… lizards and ponys, fighting alongside each other, what an abhorred idea.’ Berath pondered ‘My Queen, we may be able to gain yet another foothold for your kingdom. This does require sending either myself or Sorthath to marry another kingdom.’ The queen leaned ininterested ‘Oh, what say you, where do you place this ideal, my son?’ Berath hesitated ‘The Kingdom of Weolcan, they are bonded to the populace of the Gryphon lands. If you marry your kingdom to their kingdom. You will have control of one of the most terrifying armies in all the land.’ Queen Froyen grinned wide at the proposal ‘You must then go and tame yet another foothold for your Queen, my son!’ Berath stood slowly and bowed stoically ‘Your wish is the will of my own. I shall make haste at once to the kingdom of Weolcan!’ Froyen waved him away as if he were nothing more than a pawn. Berath nodded and exited the throne room with Luna. Once they were both outside, Luna trotted over to Berath ‘Berath, was that Queen Froyen? Your mother?’ Berath nodded ‘Yes, she is both the Molten Queen and my mother. I-.’ A guard saluted ‘My Prince, your escort to Weolcan is ready. We must leave.’ Berath nodded silently and followed the guard with Luna close behind ‘Berath! Please what were you going to say? Berath?’ Silence fell on Luna’s ears. Luna tried her hardest to try and peel away the brickwork built up by Berath’s silence on his journey to Weolcan. But was stopped when Berath decided to speak. ‘Why must I sacrifice my soul for the will of those that deem me less than them? I am royalty!, am I not? These were the questions I often asked myself when I was away at the behest of my mother, Princess Luna. You speak of being my great-grandchild, I now remember the reason why this is the case.’ Luna tried to open her mouth and try to reply to Berath but he held up a hoof to his mouth, making sure that she let him speak his mind. ‘You will get to speak in time, Princess Luna… If this dream is going the way I think it is going, then you will meet your great-grandmother. Summer Dream, the Princess to the flying ponies of Weolcan. She and I were to marry the night after our honeymoon. All of the time I spent in her presence was the most peace, my soul ever felt. She could make the miasma in my mind and body dissipate under her smile, her touch, and her voice. You have her eyes and smile, Princess Luna.’ Luna sat next to Berath as he continued to recount his memories ‘Ten years, ten years I will never get back. Everything was cut from my very soul by Gilldahara! That monster of a being killed Summer and took Azure Night, my son! Away. There is a reason why Alicorns were never to be known nor allowed to live a normal life… Gilldahara made sure to lock them away from mortal eyes and from the very world, they live in. He stowed them away in the dark recesses of heaven, making sure they never see the light of grace or the heat of damnation.’ Berath placed his head on Luna’s shoulder as began to finally let out all of his frustration, and sorrow. There was a reason why Berath rejected everything in front of Amber. He wanted his newfound friend to witness his rebirth to reclaim what was left of his soul and what was left of his sanity. You see when the demands of your family, friends, and obligations get too hard to bear. It pushes you deep into the crust of the earth, as it made Berath feel that he was made to carry the world on his shoulders. With no one to help bear the brunt of an insurmountable burden, it tends to lead you down a very dark and hollow path. A path that helps you find comfort in the lonely abdication of your personal actions and merits. ‘I loath him. No! I abhor my mother, my brother, myself, and most of all, the King of Heaven himself, Gilldahara! Vengeance is all I have left and I am willing to lose what is left of me to bring back my light, my cosmic body I gravitated towards. My wife, Summer Dream. I miss her oh so much. I miss my baby boy, my moon that shone brightly from the glow of his mother's kind soul… Princess Luna, I do not wish to continue this dream I am in. Please make it stop!?’ Luna could not bear his suffering and did not want to put him through any more sorrow, but she had an obligation as a dream guide to see this dream through with Berath. No matter how agonizing it may be for him. With a heavy heart, she whispered ‘I am very sorry, My Prince but I must see you through this dream. No matter how hard it is for you to trudge through, I will be here! Here to help shoulder this burden you carry on your heart.’ Berath softly snuggled into Princess Luna’s chest fluff and silently wept, all the while Luna wrapped him in her wings embrace. ‘Hush now, my sweet Prince!’ Chapter 7: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IIThe carriage made itself known to the sleeping prince as it landed. Luna helped Berath off of her chest and onto his hooves. ‘By the will of heaven! You are truly his descendent, my prince.’ A guard noticed Berath float onto his hooves and bowed quite low to the ground. ‘Please, stand. I take it we have arrived?’ Berath yawned as he looked out his carriage window, spotting the King of Weolcan waiting for him to greet them. The king of the cotton realm of Weolcan stood tall as if he were to be the oldest oak tree ever known. His roots would be the great foundation of the kingdom. His coat was the brightest cyan Berath had ever seen, it would have melded in with the sky if it did not dull at the edges of his frame. His mane and tail were the colour of the rainbow that was only seen from the sunlight of the rain. All in all, the king of Weolcan was a mighty warrior of the skies. Berath smiled and bowed ‘Your majesty, King of Weolcan. I have come to bear tidings grand. My name is Berath, Prince of Equeen, son of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen. I must seek your council on a grave matter that threatens this very land’ The royal pegasus smiled and gave Berath a soft pat on the back of his head ‘Arise my boy. I have received word from the Molten Queen on your arrival. We have much to discuss, but for the time being, rest. I will have my daughter show you to your quarters, and I expect your presence for dinner tonight.’ Berath rose from his position and smiled warmly toward the king ‘May I ask your name sire? I only wish to address you properly, If that is not too bold of me.’ The king let out a hearty chuckle ‘Ahaha, My name is scūrboga! It means Rainbow, but for the sake of ease, you may call me King Bow! Come, we have much to do and little time to do so.’ Berath nodded and quickly met up with the king. Luna followed close behind murmuring to herself ‘So, this might be the ancestor to our element of loyalty? Would that also make Rainbow Dash royalty?’ King Bow led Berath to the main hall of the castle. The entirety of the room was covered in a glow from the stained glass window atop the roof, letting the sun’s rays into the room from an angle. One of the walls within the room was embossed with figures that depicted flying ponies carrying clouds and placing them above the ever-free forest. The grand tree of harmony in the center, its majesty open and full of colour. The light from the stained glass window bathed it with magnificent colours. Luna could not but stay in the room, she was captivated by the serenity of the sun’s warmth. A slight nudge from breath knocked her free from her trance ‘I am truly sorry Prince Berath. This room… It is quite a surreal place to be in.’ Berath chuckled softly ‘It too had its hold on me when I was here. I would always sit in the middle of the room and stare upwards, towards the sun and moon's glow.’ he let out a long-awaited sigh ‘I remember the night I proposed to Summer Dream. I was right here, under the watchful eye of the moon. Everything slowed to a crawl. It was just me and my future queen, just sitting and staring at the moon, through that stained glass. We had started to make our own life’s tale.’ Berath began to softly choke on his sorrow ‘But now. Now the moon’s watchful eye feels, so cold. When I look at it, all I see is ice. Made frozen by the airless vacuum of space. The same goes for the sun! Once an image of warmth and prosperity. Now, it is nothing more than a ball of gas, its heat is ever distant. But its watchful eye continues to jeer at me with continuous malice.’ The dream began to shift its timeline to a cold summer's night. Luna looked around at the surrounding room in horror. Bodies lined the cold stone floor. Their expression was that of pure fear and dread. Once she met the king's throne, she saw that King Bow was dead. The king's head was on a pike, his expression was that of a loving smile. To Luna, the king’s smile almost seemed that he was expecting something to gaze upon it. That he was awaiting a cry for something. When she looked over toward Berath, she began to understand why the king was smiling. Berath was kneeling in front of the throne ‘I am sorry you have to see this Princess. I Remember why I never liked dreams. This is why!’ Luna trotted over to Berath ‘This makes no sense. Why did the dream change so far into the future? I would have thought that the dream would play out like it was supposed to.’ Berath looked up at the severed king's head ‘I dare not show anyone, anything of my love for either Summer Dream or Azure Night, this includes yourself, Princess Luna… King Bow, can you ever forgive a pony such as myself? A pony so malformed in spirit, a pony so infected from inherited blood lust, a pony so misguided by the will of an oppressive god? I beg you. I beg you for your forgiveness, for your grace, charity, and goodwill! I will be ever charged with your death!’ Berath placed his hooves together, pressed them against his chest, and silently prayed to whoever would take his prayers. Luna placed a wing over his right shoulder and nuzzled him softly ‘Berath, I-. I didn’t know that this was going to be this tragic for you. I-. I am so, so sorry!’ Berath stood slowly and hugged Luna tightly ‘Do not apologise Princess! You have an obligation, as do I, for right now. Though I must ask thee, are you ready for the turn of events? If not? Then I must ask thee to stay here in this room, till my return. If so? Then I pray that thee, have a stomach of iron. The next set of images will test thy’s will and testament. What answer would thee speak?’ Luna Noded shyly ‘I wish to join you! No matter how horrific the tale!’ Berath nodded and led Luna to a dark blue oak door. The door was scattered with constellations of stars, but in the middle of the door, it held the biggest constellation of all. The center held a crescent moon constellation, it was in the same shape as Princess Luna’s cutie mark. Luna looked onward at the door’s imagery and gasped softly. Meanwhile, Berath was shaking and breathing heavily as he touched a blood-stained patch on the door and hesitantly pushed the door inward to allow access to the room. Berath slowly entered, shaking and in shock with Luna close behind. Once she looked forward and to the center of the bedroom she saw a darkish blue pegasus mare hanging. Her chest was flayed open, her rib cage was broken and bent outwards. Her back flesh was pulled so tightly by hooks hanging from the ceiling, it almost looked like she had two sets of wings. Her organs were packed neatly together on the floor below her. Her head was never touched, in fact, she looked comfortably asleep amidst the carnage to the rest of her body. Luna hurled and ran to an open window and let her body vacate what was in her stomach. Sobs could be heard from Berath as he slowly and ever so carefully cut Summer Dream down from her prison of wire. ‘How many times have I separated your body from the wires of this neverending hell?’ Berath laid her body gently on top of her bed as he softly caressed her cheek. ‘By the moon! You are ever as beautiful as I remember. How did the flutter of love cross your heart for me? How could I ever be the one you chose? You left your throne in heaven and descended to the realm of mortals, only to be butchered by the hooves of God.’ He kissed her forehead softly as he began to gently place her innards back into their rightful place, and wrapped her in the bed sheets she lay upon. Princess Luna trotted over to Berath ‘May I?’ He nodded. Luna made sure her magic completely engulfed Summer Dreams’s body and left her chambers. On the way down the spiraling staircase, both Luna and Berath held their tongues. What was there to say? How could either of them try to even express their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs? They could only show their reverence for the dead with silence. Even if they were in a dream, they believed this to be the ultimate reparation the living could give the dead. Once they managed to reach the bottom of the staircase, Berath headed toward the King’s throne and gently clasped King Bow’s Head. ‘Please forgive me for what I am to do, My King.’ Sounds of bone cracking against metal sounded and bounced around the room's walls. Shortly after, Berath met back up with Princess Luna and they both headed out of the castle and onto the front lawn. There were only clouds underneath their hooves as they looked onward to the beaten and battered city of Weolcan. ‘This was my doing! I brought death upon these innocent ponies of the skies.’ ‘Berath’ Luna placed a wing over his back ‘You couldn't have known this was to happen. This is not your fault!’ He scoffed ‘Even if that were to be the case, I still find that I am their messenger of doom. Sent to bring about God’s wrath to their doorstep. How could a being claim to be a god? When all they do is destroy everything they have created? Kill off their creation as if they were mere cattle bound for the slaughter? That is not a God, but a demon hidden from view.’ Berath placed the king's head onto the cloud slowly as he helped Luna Lower Summer Dreams with his magic. Once she was placed gently onto the cloud as well. Berath placed her father's head between her front hooves and made her cradle his head. Growing numb from the sight before him, he set Summer Dreams’s body aflame alongside her father's head. ‘May these flames cleanse your bodies from the miasma of this demon that pretends to be a god.’ Luna softly nudged Berath ‘I feel that this dream is coming to a close. I Will always be here with you, In your heart. All you need do is ask and I will come as quickly as I can to your cry for help.’ Berath smiled softly ‘Thank you, Princess. I will keep this in mind, always.’ Luna smiled softly as she faded away with the dream. Berath slowly woke from his slumber. When he came to, he saw Amber smiling contently down at him. Berath smiled back but that smile dissipated when he started to realise that Amber was frozen. Berath gave a touch to Amber’s chin. It was cold to the touch. Berath’s mind went into overdrive mode. ‘AMBER!?!?’ Chapter 8: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IOnce Amber put Berath to sleep on his bed of hay, a green light engulfed the room they were in. The light was blinding to even look at let alone try to stare upward toward its source. Amber tried his hardest to keep his eyes closed as he blocked out the light with his body, trying not to wake Berath. A gentle tap on Amber’s shoulder helped Amber to open his eyes. The blinding light was no more. He looked around to find the source of the tapping and found the golden being hovering in front of him. ‘It’s you! What are you doing here?’ The gold shine began to fade away, it revealed a white unicorn underneath. ‘My little lamb, I have come to collect you. It seems as though my lord, Gilldahara wishes for you to join him in heaven.’ Shocked, Amber squinted his eyes a little ‘Sorthath? You are real?’ but before Sorthath could confirm that it was him Amber interjected ‘No! I do not wish to go and see this Gilldahara. I will not grant him his request!’ Amber had turned his body away from Sorthath but Sorthath did not take Amber’s objection and grabbed a shoulder of his. ‘What are you doing!?’ Amber cried out. Sorthath softly spoke as he started to lift Amber toward heaven ‘This is bigger than you, me, or even my brother Amber.’ Silence during the journey upward was suffocating for Amber. Millions of questions, accusations, and concerns swam inside his mind. He didn’t know how to articulate anything at all, it was like his mind was fading away from him. But there was one thing that shone brightly, that one thing was clear to him, his new friend Berath. Those images were the only thing that kept Amber’s mind at ease. For Amber, it was weird. His feelings for his friend were both endearing and fearful. Fearful of what Berath had done to him in their first few days of meeting but also endearing. Berath had shown Amber that he was capable of change. After all, Berath took charge of his destiny. Amber saw the good that could emanate from Beraths heart and soul, and when Berath saw that too he asked Amber to forgive him. Amber knew that Berath needed to have someone, anyone to believe that he had changed. But for Amber, he knew that Berath never needed to ask. He saw that Berath had always had that goodness inside him. He just needed acknowledgment from another to liberate him from the shackles that bonded him to his family. Amber smiled as he thought about Berath’s recovery. He saw a champion, a champion who would rise against all who tried to rule over the mortal realm. And that gave Amber the strength to push himself forward, no matter how dark things got when it swamped his waking mind. He could picture Berath’s smile, and everything would just be ok. ‘Why would the King of Heaven, wish to see me?’ Amber asked timidly. Sorthath hesitated ‘I-. I do not know the reasoning behind my Lord's desires. I dare say, it has put me on edge from his recent ambiguity. I find myself doubtful of his actions and behaviors.’ He sighed softly ‘Why am I telling you this? Of all of the ponies I speak my mind to, does it have to be you?’ Amber placed a hoof on his own chest and closed his eyes. ‘It could be because you do not have a soul to confide in. I can only assume how you feel.’ Sorthath shook his head as they reached two golden gates blocking the entrance to the holy realm of heaven. ‘We are here, just hang on a little more.’ Sorthath gently helped Amber down to the clouds as they landed. Sorthath leads Amber to a golden elevator in the middle of the space. In between the souls lining up, waiting to get passed the pearly gates. The souls gasp when the elevator descends from the clouds above them. Sorthath and Amber enter the confined space and ascend into the higher echelon of heaven. Silence reigned supreme once again between the two ponies as they traveled upwards toward Gilldahara’s chambers. ‘How could a commoner ever make me feel so, so content in telling them my inner thoughts?’ Sorthath asked in his head. Amber was peering outward from the side window of the elevator. He saw angles of all creatures enjoy themselves within their everlasting paradise. He smiled softly ‘I think, I finally have found my peace…’ Amber turned to wards Sorthath with a gentle smile ‘Sorthath, I don’t hate or blame you for anything that is to come.’ Sorthath was confused, yet another being was being cryptic ‘What are you talking about?’ The elevator stopped as Amber placed a hoof onto Sorthath’s chest, where his heart was ‘I think things are going to change for the both of us. Just keep in mind that you will always be wanted and welcomed, no matter where your soul goes.’ Amber exited the confined space of the elevator and headed deep within the misty room, but when Sorthath realized that he wanted Amber to stay, to talk with him more, to ask questions, or even just to be in the same space Amber took up. The elevator doors closed shut. Screams of confused longing started to emanate from behind the elevator doors. His voice could not travel passed the threshold of the elevator because they were muffled by its doors, and could not reach Amber's ears as he trotted deeper into the mist. Sorthath could only watch as Amber faded from his sight ‘I tried to convert you to the light to save your soul… I now realise that it was only for me to feel how Berath felt when he saw you. I also see that I wanted what Berath had as well. Now, you too, have fallen through my grasp. All I wish to have is stability for my eternal soul. Please come back, I do not wish to be alone anymore!’ Sorthath began to open his floodgates to his emotions but the built-up pressure destroyed anything that tried to stop the current, as he began to wail in the confined space that was the elevator. He would never be able to hear the three words that he desperately wanted to hear from another. He wanted “I Forgive You!” to come from the same lips that forgave his brother, but he knew that he would live for the rest of time and never get a single slice of peace for his soul, not like his brother. The poison of hate began to boil in Sorthaths chest, and it started to corrode his heart till it was nothing more than a blackened pebble of flint. Chapter 9: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IIThe mist began to clear as Amber slowly saw a golden door appear from the surrounding clouds. Even in Amber’s clearer state of mind, the door unnerved him. He knew what lay beyond the portal of the door. Dare he open the door and cross its threshold? Gaze upon the being that ruled this realm, The King of Heaven, Gilldahara! Amber braced himself as he touched the golden door handle and swung it open. The room was quite small and there was only a maple table as well as a chair in the middle of the cramped space. Amber closed the door behind him and looked around the room. There was nothing else but himself, the table, and the chair. ‘Hello!?’ he said as he knocked on the table ‘King Gilldahara, Are you here?’ Amber sat down on the chair. Not long after, a strange being would slowly show itself to Amber. ‘My Child! You have come to my realm. I fear that your presence here brings horrid tidings.’ Amber had a hard time processing what space the being’s figure held. It looked bipedal but it also held green fur. Its head was that of a pony but it held no mane, nor did its body hold a tail. ‘Why do you say this?’ Amber asked sheepishly. The being that called itself Gilldahara kneeled and placed an appendage on Amber’s head. ‘My Child! I find that you must be kept away. Kept away from the light of my grace.’ Gilldahara paused for a monument ‘Tartarus needs a ruler and I find you suitable for that position.’ Amber recoiled away ‘W-. Why me? Why do I need to serve as the ruler of hell?’ Gilldahara sighed softly ‘My Child! I do not wish to send you to Tartarus as a demon or a monster. No, you will continue to be the soul I know you are and continue to be. It can only be you, my child. Your soul is fair and just.’ Amber continued to push himself away from Gilldahara ‘I can not in any mindset accept this proposal. The answer is no!’ Amber stood up definitely as he turned his back to Gildahara. ‘My Child! Why must you throw away this gift I bestow upon you?’ Gilldahara said calmly. Amber trotted up to Gilldahara, making them face to face ‘It is not a gift but a life sentence! Do you think I am observant just because you created me? I will not bend the knee to a king so desperate. You gave your creation will of their own making, and I will make sure mine is as ever affluent against you. Till there is nothing more but a boulder carved out by the erosion from it.’ But before Amber could continue his tirade against the King of Heaven, he was impaled by an obsidian sword. The culprit left the sword lodged in Amber’s body and trotted to the side of him. Amber looked over to his left and saw that Sorthath was the one who wounded him. Sorthath’s body had changed to pitch black. There were dark tusk-like horns protruding from his forehead. Sorthath looked at Amber with disgust on his face ‘You dare deny me my right to be forgiven? Then I shall deny you any form of serenity. You will join me in anguish!’ Gilldahara tried to interrupt Sorthath but was glared at by him ‘You dare have the audacity to speak to me, after all I have done for you? You ungrateful, pitifully disgusting thing I have to lay my eyes upon. I have served you faithfully since my birth and yet, you too, deny me my right to peace? Then I shall take what is left as mine. I will take Tartarus as my own kingdom and you can not stop me.’ Sorthath trotted over to Amber and whispered in his ear ‘You will stay with me in hell for all of eternity. Your body will be made of stone. Ever cold to the touch, but your soul is mine to use as I see fit. You will never see Berath as long as I still draw breath.’ Amber tried to push out the sword protruding from his chest, but Sorthath overpowered him and pushed the rest of the sword deeper into Amber’s back till all you could see was the hilt touching his back. The sword began to mistify and surround Amber’s neck. The mist began to soak into Amber’s flesh around his neck as it solidified into a collar. ‘You are now Mine, Amber! Struggle if you must. It will cause you more pain because the collar around your neck will continually dig deeper into your neck until it decapitates you, and once it does Amber! You will continue to be conscious as your head hits the floor. You will gasp for air, it will never come. You will wish for death, that too will never come.’ Sorthath let out a malicious bark of glee. Amber looked up to Gilldahara in shock ‘My Child! I can no longer help you.’ Amber’s shock turned to hatred as he slowly faded away with Sorthath. Once they reached Tartarus, Sorthath picked up Amber with his magic and flung him against a wall. A primal sound escaped Amber’s mouth before he struggled to gasp for air ‘I finally have the thing that my brother holds dear. His precious muse.’ Amber struggled to stand up ‘You are baiting him to cross blades are you not?’ Sorthath gestured in a mocking manner ‘Correct! My, my, You are quite quick to deduce situations. If only you served our court, I could have made you into a fantastic strategist. Honed on your predictions, your reactions, and your situational awareness of the topographical environments of each battleground. But, here you kneel, beneath me. Oh, how cocky you were with Gilldahara. So confident, yet you cower here under the mere sight of me. Do I scare you, Amber?’ Amber finally had the strength to stand up ‘No! You do not scare me Sorthath. Or should I say Great Demon of Hell: Apatheis! King of sorrow and Instigator of envy.’ He tried to sound unfazed by the appearance that Sorthath took up now, but that faded when Sorthath smiled widely. ‘My, my, such a strong speech from a small pony like yourself. Apatheis! Quite a name you have given me. I shall keep it. Thank you for giving me even more power over you, Amber.’ Sorthath began to trot over to Amber. Amber started to pant in fear from Sorthath encroaching further toward him. ‘I-. I am not afraid of you!’ Amber choked out. Sorthath chuckled ‘You could have fooled me. Let us see how long it takes Berath to come and get you from my hooves hmm?’ He held Amber’s chin upwards as he started to rip into Amber’s neck with his teeth. Chapter 10: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part I‘Amber. Please tell me that you live still?’ Berath hesitantly placed a hoof onto Amber’s cheek. ‘Why is it that everyone I have ever loved or cared for, why are they punished for my contraventions? Who have I offended this time by merely drawing breath? I am ever so drained by these laws that are hidden from me… What more must you skin from my dying will? You have taken my life, my betrothed wife, my frail son, and now you take my only friend! You have transgressed against me for far too long! I will kill every last one of you who claim the title of God and Demon alike! Panthiazma, the goddess of the universe! You will watch me this day, for I vow to you what is left of my will, my testament, and my soul, to your celestial embrace!’ He cried out as he stared deep into Amber’s frozen eyes before he kissed Amber’s forehead. ‘Where are you, my friend?’ Slow gasps began to become audible for Berath as did an image. The image depicted Amber’s head hanging from the side of his neck. The neck looked like a bear had ravaged it. Torn pieces of flesh hung from the wound like party streamers that jiggled from what was attacking the rest of Amber’s body. Berath had to close his eyes from the sight of his friend being mauled by an animal that cared not for the carcass that it devoured. ‘I am so sorry Amber, I don’t know where you lay… Oh sweet morning dew, I feel so powerless, so small.’ He sobbed when he opened his eyes again. ‘Dee-per… Tar-tar-us.’ Rasped a faint voice in Beraths mind ‘Dig… Do-wn. Ple-as-e… Hel-p me.’ Berath nodded ‘I bid you strength, Amber. Defy the beast that consumes you!’ He stood up and as he did so, he extended a foreleg out in front of himself ‘Panthiazma, I beseech you. Grant me strength in my time of need… Grant me, Zestateth!’ A few moments pass and silence ‘Panthiazam, grant me Zestateth!’ Silence yet again ‘Give me Zestateth!’ Still nothing. Berath gritted his teeth as his blood began to boil. He felt hatred beyond anything previously known to him, yet it continued to fester inside his heart. ‘Panthiazma! I command thee, bestow thy sword Zestateth!’ Silence reigned supreme yet again. Berath’s teeth began to bear from the frustration of being ignored by the goddess. They gritted tightly against one another, linking together like a hinge that was holding the gates to a cage tightly closed. ‘Grraahh! Yet another being ignores my plea, and my command’ His wings increased in size as he continued to cry out in anger. His mind felt foreign, it felt like the animalistic side of him encroached over his waking mind. Foam began to form around his lips like a rabid dog. Berath hated everything his mind was conjuring up. It fueled the fire burning deep within his soul. It burned so fiercely that his body began to change. His fur changed its soft texture to that of molten stone. His mane and tail started to burn as if it became fire itself, and his wings turned transparent like glass. Lastly, a purple halo shone behind him. The halo looked as if it were to be the sun itself shining its radiance upon Beraths visage. Once the transformation was finished, Berath stood still. He breathed and held out his foreleg again ‘Panthiazma, Grant me Zestateth!’ This time, the goddess bestowed upon Berath the very blade he sort after. The blade itself looked warped as if there were no straight edges from the horizon it gave off from the black hole, trapped inside it. There was movement from the event horizon, it was a slight trick of the light but it was there. He looked upon the sword ‘The deed has been met.’ He sighed softly ‘I now serve yet another, far greater power than myself. I shall wield this against the monster that consumes Amber so.’ He turned the sword downward as he pointed the blade to the floor he was standing on ‘Delve!’ Berath slammed the sword to the floor and the ground surrounding him started to disintegrate ‘Through the depths of the ever-molten realm of Tartarus, I must fall! I am ever in haste Zestateh, make your way through the layers as if they were butter!’ His descent quickened as the sword made its way through the 264 floors of Tartarus. As he went down, a booming voice began to echo ‘My, my brother. You finally chose to save your precious Amber. Fantastic effort I must say. I will see you soon my dear, dear brother… Amber and I have a sight we would love to show you!’ and just like that, the voice dissipated. Concerned Berath commanded Zestateth to go faster ‘Faster! Devour the floors as if you were to swallow a celestial body!’ The sword made sure to abide by his command and expanded its radius further down. Shortly after, Berath’s hooves touched cold bedrock. Sorthath was standing in front of him with a wide smile ‘Welcome to my abode my dear brother. How was your trip?’ he let out a bark of laughter. Berath pointed Zestateth at his own flesh and blood ‘Do not assault me with idle chatter! Where is Amber, Sorthath?’ his patience was down to its last inch. ‘Oh, he is waiting in the other room. Come, he is hanging to see you again!’ yet again another bark of laughter emanated from the blackened figure as he lead Berath to his throne room. ‘See my dear brother. Amber is perfectly fine, only if he were to be whole’ He trotted away from Berath and proceeded to sit on his throne underneath Amber. Berath could only stare up at where Amber was hanging. It was the same as Summer Dream. Amber’s body was held in place by hooks that hung from the ceiling and floor of the room. The nightmares came flooding back from once they hid, deep within his mind. ‘It was you that did this to Summer Dream so long ago?’ he accused Sorthath. Sorthath nodded ‘Why yes it was me. Oh, the screams your dearly beloved sang, they were quite beautiful. I could see why you loved her. But, as they say, all of the good things need to die. Otherwise, how could you not miss them? Especially you brother! Your agony provides me with so much joy.’ His wide grin stung Beraths heart. ‘How can you be called my brother! All you do is create division and disdain. That will end here on this day.’ He could feel his longing for Summer Dream try to escape its confinement. ‘I have always suspected you as her Judge, jury, and executioner!’ His frustration was starting to cripple his mind ‘How, why… You have never been my brother, have you? The same with Froyen?’ He began to doubt everything he was remembering. Sorthath saw this happening ‘Oh yes. You were not of my blood nor my flesh. Did you think to be my equal? Bah! Such a peasant way of thinking!’ his smile faded as Berath pointed Zestateth directly toward Sorthath ‘Then I challenge you to a duel! Even if you are or are not from my blood, I still have this need to purge you from this realm of life. To gain any remaining peace I have left to my name.’ Sorthath snarled as he began to summon a two-tone blade from his magic. The blade was a light purple in colour and it glinted teal in the light. ‘I accept your challenge Berath! This will provide once and for all, that I am better with the sword!’ He lunged towards Berath with his own might. Chapter 11: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part IIMetallic clangs could be heard throughout the throne room. Sorthath’s anger was getting to him because Berath was blocking every strike. The strikes were animalistic as Sorthath did not know how to control his blade, Zerathra. Zerathra was Zestateth’s sisterblade. She was the embodiment of life while Zestateth, well he was the embodiment of death. You would think how strange it was to hear that Zerathra, a blade made of life, was being wielded by Sorthath, the now self-proclaimed King of Tartarous. Well, it is not so strange after all. I wish to impart to you a little story of how the two swords of the cosmos came to Sorthath and Berath. This all began from their birth into Queen Froyen’s bloodline. When Sorthath was born, Queen Froyen called upon Gilldahara to witness his birth and bless him. Gilldahara descended from the heavens to Froyen’s side. He watched as Sorthath was born, he gave the foal the gift of grace. He foresaw Sorthath growing to be a kind and just king that conjoined the mortal realm with heaven. He was quite joyous of the stallion that Sorthath was to be in his destiny. ‘Queen Froyen, I bestow upon your coalt Sorthath, the blade of life her self Zerathra! I find it fitting that my mother, Panthiazma. Has chosen Sorthath as the champion of Life!’ Froyen was so pleased upon hearing that her firstborn was to be the rightful heir to her throne. So she did what any mother would do, she would nurture her champion of life to be the kindest king that ever graced the world. She would teach him all about the rules of being a kind and gracious pony, not to himself, but to his people and his family, and most of all to his creator, Gilldahara! Squelch! ‘How dare you impale me!’ A voice said as blood flowed from the embedded sword. It was stuck, not anywhere vital but it was still inside their body, just below their shoulder. ‘No, how dare you! How dare a god bestow a weapon so fabulous, so magisterial, to a slimy worm like you!? Yes, you were born to greatness, born to be the kindest King of all the realms… Here I am, born to be your shadow, your copy, your filth! Do you know what that pretender to the throne of Heaven gave me?’ The bleeding pony shook his head slowly ‘HE GAVE ME THE GIFT OF DISEASE! Gilldahara foresaw me becoming the visage that I gaze upon right this very second. He forsook and cast me to the depths of Hell. As he gave me Zestateth, I was forever forbidden from mother’s love, from having a brother to call upon in my time of need… From having a loving family to call my own, and from having a loyal friend that I could depend on. I took all of this gift and walked upon the earth seen as scum…’ Berath is quite right about his birth. When Berath was born, his mother was quite confused about how he was born. You see, Berath was not supposed to be a foal to take care of. Her doctors told her that she was incapable of having another foal after Sorthath. In fact, she thought Berath was to be her omen of doom. So she called upon Gilldahara for guidance, and for solace. Once Gilldahara came to Froyens side once more he was shocked to see a small bundle of faded lavender fur next to the queen. ‘Froyen, you have been gifted with another heir’ Froyen looked up at him with tears in her eyes ‘My Lord, I fear that this thing is a bad omen… Every time I look at it, I am filled with disgust and regret.’ The king of heaven sat next to her bed ‘He is no omen, Froyen! He is the final piece of this world's equilibrium.’ Gilldahara stood over Berath as he lay sleeping. It looked as if the foal's fate was in the palm of the king’s hand ‘Berath! You are the opposing force to your brother Sorthath. I shall take it upon myself to bestow upon you, the blade called, Zestateth! You will be the darkness from his morrow’s rising sunlight. You are his silt, the afterthought of everything clean and pure. You will be the plague itself. Your soul is destined to rule over Tartarous!’ Schunk! Berath felt Zerathra glide deep into his stomach. His rage began to fill his eyes as he stared dead into Sorthath’s. ‘You must be joking, I have lived true to my title and heir to mother’s bloodline. I am pure, just, graceful, and humble.’ Said the brother covered in obsidian dust. Berath grabbed Sorthath’s hoof holding the now-embedded sword with his free hoof and forced Sorthath against his will to dig deeper with the blade ‘Do you honestly think I am jesting?’ Sorthath nodded, his nodding stopped once Berath let his teeth bear and form a smile ‘My dear, dear brother! Everything you claim has been from the sweat of my brow. All of your accomplishments are naught, for I was the one scribing in stone your feats by the blood of those that wished you harm… You claim to be pure, yet you would have me adulterate the walls of the castle, with the wails of those you had me mutilated. They were innocent subjects you deemed, unworthy of your so-called grace… The things I have done, will not grant me restful sleep for they plague my dreams, nor will they ever leave my mind and grant me peace because my soul is nothing more than, silt. To corrode and fester upon this earth.’ A sigh escaped Berath’s pent-up anger ‘You were right on one thing. I do not have a brother. After all, how can you call scum family?’ Screams emanated from Sorthath as Berath made sure to grip tightly on Zestateth with his magic. He ever so slowly twisted the blade to be horizontal, and forced it to cut across Sorthaths neck. Splitting his neck and windpipe open. Sorthath was gasping for air and scared he was going to die, Berath leaned in close to his ear ‘You, will, stay here in this place of agony you claimed as your kingdom. To the end of time. Goodbye Sorthath, you will be forgotten!’ Sorthaths vision began to fade as his soul faded into the open air and it made his body grow limp. It was enough to allow Berath to push his hooves off Zerathra. Berath managed to painfully pull the blade out of his stomach, and gaze at her splendor. ‘I Have beaten your champion. I claim you as mine.’ he wheezed out. Zerathra emanates a blue glow, letting Berath know that he can now wield her. Without hesitation, he placed Zerathra against Zestateth. The blades melded together and started to expand their size ‘With the great sword of the cosmos, I shall have the power to kill a god. Gilldahara, I will watch the life drain from your eyes. This I swear.’ Berath opened a portal to the pearly gates with the newly combined sword. He stepped through its thresh hold. Chapter 12: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part ILooking back towards the realm of hell, Bearth sighed softly as he gazed through the closing portal one last time ‘I will come back to collect you, my dear friend. Please bear with me, as I find that this may take some time to attain your soul back from the tether, that Gilldahara has on your soul!’ He turned his head back towards the pearly gates, and a glint of ambition shone in his eye. He was going to kill the god of creation, Gilldahara. Berath felt longing for closure, his soul yearned for it, but the powers that be would never allow him to have it. He trotted up to the gates placed a hoof upon it and pushed against it. To his surprise, the gates opened with ease, as if they were expecting him to approach them. With caution, he looked around the surrounding area ‘Strange, why is there no soul abound?’ The courtyard where souls would line up for entrance into Heaven were nowhere to be seen. After scanning the empty void that now exists, he turned his head towards the staircase leading into heaven. Ever on his guard, Berath started to ascend the staircase. As he climbed, his mind was delving deeper into the suppressed portion of his memories. He never thought that he would want to remember anything of his past with Queen Froyen, but here we are, he remembered sitting in front of a moonlit pond. He remembered that it was summer, and the breeze was warm as it brushed against his snout. It made him sneeze from the pollen in the air. Once he recovered from it, he felt a soft form of fabric being held up to his nose. He grabbed it, it smelt of lavender. He remembered that his mother wore that perfume, but it was only when she was able to spend quality time with him. After blowing his nose into the hankie, he felt a soft, well-maintained hoof touch his cheek ever so gently. ‘Berath, I know I have been really hard on you lately. I truly am sorry for the lack of affection I give to you. I, just… I just don’t know how to express my love to you. Ever since you were a foal, I have never had proper feelings of love for you. How do I say this, I do love you, but it is a trained type of love I have for you. I do see your hard work and dedication for both me and your brother, but I am afraid that I can not stand your face any longer. Tomorrow I will have you moved to the gallows below, there I would have my executioner to train you in the art of torture. I find that you will strive well, in that field.’ Tears fell from Berath’s muzzle as he stopped midway up the staircase ‘Mother, I was the tender age of nine when you ripped me from your embrace. Only to be put to use as some filthy mule, only to be given carrots for behaving well, and rotten apples when you could not get the outcome you deeply desired from me.’ His body collapsed from the loss of blood that was flowing out of his wound. ‘I was nothing more than afterbirth in your eyes. I saw it Mother, I saw it in your eyes, that flaming ire you dearly held for me… Even now, you mock me, disown me, curse, and jeer at me. You wish me dead, wish that I am replaced by Sorthath, but you will never get to have that. Oh, no. You will never find peace wherever your soul resides Mother! DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I WILL NEVER LET YOU HAVE YOUR PEACE! YOU WILL LINGER ON IN NEVER YEILDING PAIN AND SUFFERING FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!’ He screamed. His body felt as if it were on fire from the hate that fueled it, but he still held it in his belly. ‘You disgrace the ground you walk upon my child!’ Gilldahara scolded ‘This is the realm of Heaven, you will not take another step from your filthy, vile feet!’ Gilldahara slowly descended down to Berath. As he did so, the staircase slowly made itself flat. ‘Berath, you are not destined to be here, nor are you allowed to step foot in my realm!’ Berath smiled widely ‘I will finally be rid of myself from the last shackle of the trinity that fetters my hooves to this earth. Gilldahara, I challenge you!’ He forced himself up from the cold and now bloodied steps. His blood pooled a little on the steps and was flowing down each step like a seeping splash of water, finding its way down from the force of gravity. Seeing this, Berath decided to splash his hoof in the small puddle gently. He lifted up his hoof and began to smear it against the blade, marking it as his. ‘Panthiazma, I give my blood to you and to your sword of the cosmos. Watch me ever closer as I finally get my revenge on your son, the King of Heaven, Gilldahara.’ The blade began to expand itself to a titanic size. His wound was slowly knitting itself together as he began to grow in size as well. ‘You have forced my hand, my child! I have never wished this against you, but I must say this. You were always destined to be evil, to be my counter to your brother Sorthath. I am deeply saddened and heartbroken that you would turn on me like this… I see you have separated your soul from those of this world. Such a shame, I had high hopes for you but you have become delusional. I must put you down, like that rabbit beast that you have become, Berath.’ Geilldahara extended his arm from his side and began to summon a green portal. He shoved his hand deep within the green ring’s thresh hold, and pulled out a silver sword. ‘Me? A delusional, rabid beast? Do you not mistake me as your projection? You, the King of Heaven, are the rabid beast!’ Berath pointed his hoof toward Gilldahara as he stared dead into god’s eyes. Gilldahara chuckled ‘I accept your challenge Berath! You will be put in your place!’ The bells in the realm of heaven tolled their tune, signifying Berath’s final battle. Their chime began to make Gilldahara grow slowly at first, but then his growth sped up exponentially until his body was the size of a planet. ‘Zorathra, Grant me your power!’ Berath cried out. His body began to glow a bright blue. His wings grew thicker and more dense. His body grew to match his wings. His horn grew longer and thinner. His sigil behind him changed from the embodiment of the sun to that of the crystal-clear moon. And the final piece of his transformation was a crown forming on his head. It was the cleanest crystal that anyone had ever seen. It amplified the shine from the moon’s glow in the form of rainbows sprawling out from it, as it trapped the light in the crystal… He picked up Zorathra slowly with his magic, but as he did so the blade slowly changed its form from steel to that of a titanic-sharpened crystal blade. ‘Ye be graced, by the evident glow of the true ruler of Heaven. The Crystal King!’ Chapter 13: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part IIGilldahara looked down at Berath’s new form with disgust. ‘The Crystal King does not exist. It was a mear tale. You are only the pretender in your family’s bloodline, and yes, their blood fills your veins, even now. You claim that you are rid of them, yet, your hands have been submerged in their blood. Oh, and that little friend of yours. You have corroded their spirit to follow in your example. Are you not aggrieved, Berath?’ Berath chuckled ‘I do concede with you that my family's blood has been spilled by my own hooves, and I know how much this festers in your heart, Gilldahara. I do love the way that black heart of yours secretes that tar substance. When I stab it true with my actions as of late, there is supposed to be blood, but with you, it shows all, that you are no longer the gracious god you claim to be. How can your own creation be able to have the capacity? The audacity? The gull? To attack the creator so? Well, I can tell you that it was quite easy!’ With his hate boiling and his will to finish his final trial, Berath took flight. Gilldahara scowled at hearing Berath’s true thoughts. ‘You were my child. A being worthy of praise and devotion from those your family conquered. Though you are right, my heart does sting from your exertion, Berath. To think, I cradled you in my arms, as if I were to be your guardian angel watching over you… To even think that you would become this beast. A beast worthy of nothing more than scorn from me is quite sad. I will stop your reign of terror, ONCE AND FOR ALL!’ He growled as he threw balls of energy the size of meteors downwind. Berath readied his crystal blade for the incoming balls of molten slag falling from the sky above him. The sky was torn asunder from the meteor shower, its hue began to change from a crystal blue to that of the setting sun. To Berath, it resembled a lake of fire slowly spewing forth chunks of discarded earth. Once he met the boulder with the crystal blade, it began to slice through the violent energy and flung the now two separate pieces away from him. ‘Yes, please, accuse me of which you fail to see for yourself. Object me with your projection as if I were to be your clone. You claim me to be the very thing you see in the mirror. Oh, Gilldahara, my god of prayer and fortune, may I be forgiven in your eyes! For I am ever charged with the crime of sin, a sin that I have begun to smear everything with, making it fester, making it congeal, making it pierce right through your heart. Tis a sin that can only be met in kind with death… Please, accept my gift for atonement, my lord!’ He threw up a wet fabric bag in front of him and hit it with the flat side of the sword, catapulting it towards Gilldahara. Gilldahara caught it. ‘There is no such gift that will atone your soul Berath!’ Once he opened it, the once commanding tone of the King of Heaven sunk to a desperate cry. ‘Oh, my child. What has he done to you my son? BERATH, YOU BEAST! FIRST YOU MOCK AND JEER AT ME, AND THEN YOU DESTROY ANY LASTING BOND WE TRULY HAD. I WILL SMITE THEE DOWN WITH MY VENGEFUL JUSTICE!’ He screamed at the top of his lungs. It sent shock waves outward and throughout Heaven. Berath shielded himself against the concussive waves with the blade, as he cut through them with ease as he closed the gap between him and Gilldahara's heart. Berath impaled his heart as Gilldahara looked away from Sorthath's severed head. ‘What!? No! This can not be, how can one such as you best the King of Heaven?’ Berath chuckled ‘With one that has such hubris as you, it was quite easy. All I need do, is distract you with the one thing you held so dear. After all, you made me the being of despair. You and Sorthath should have never shown your true intentions. For it showed me that he was your muse. Your ever-evolving sculpture that did not have a will of its own.’ He began to run upwards from the impact point on god’s chest as he pulled the sword with him. ‘Now DIE!’ Bearth screamed all the while cutting Gilldahara in two. The two halves of Gilldahara’s body began to separate as a violent torrent of green energy began to rush toward the open air. ‘Now, only be a painful memory I no longer have to revisit, you cur!’ Berath closed his wings and let gravity pull him back down toward the floor of Heaven. As he closed his eyes while he fell. Berath felt a painful strike hit his chest, breaking his ribs. Letting out a pained groan, he opened his eyes. What he was seeing, was a bipedal being forcing their fist deep into his chest. ‘What? I killed you!’ Gilldahara smiled warmly, almost as if a mother were to smile down to their child. ‘Berath, You can never kill me. You only cut the outer shell that held my soul safe, Though I am quite disappointed in you my son. You have forced my hand this day.’ Berath looked at god confused ‘Son? What do you mean?’ the fist still delved deeper into his chest, searching for something. He screamed out in pain as the hand found its mark. Berath’s heart. ‘Yes, Berath! You are flesh and blood from my very being. You see, your mother was so desperate to have an heir, that she sought far and wide for a stallion to breed her. Only to find in her dismay, that she could never bear a child. Her womb was never able to become fertile. Out of her sorrow, she had all of the stallions she ever laid with executed… There was a reason why she was feared by the masses she controlled. She was a ruthless ruler, Berath. She had an overwhelming thirst for blood that caused her empire to fall, but before all of that could come to pass. A being glowing with aethereal might, graced her doorstep. He blessed her with eternal youth, with a drive to better her people, and her kingdom. To even have the capability to bear children. Would you like to know who this being was Berath? I can gather you already know.’ Gilldahara crushed Berath's heart with his bare hands. He leaned in, only to whisper into Berath’s ear ‘It was me, Berath. I am the very being that gave your mother two children. Sorthath and you. Now then, I want you to say what I am, vocally. What does this make me, Berath?’ Berath cried out from the pain of his heart being crushed and from the revelation Gilldahara presented to him. ‘That would make you my father.’ His body shook from the cold breath of death creeping deep into his cooling body. ‘Correct, my son… Do not fret, you can never die whilst I am alive! Neither can your brother, Berath. No, as long as I live, you will never die but you will forever feel the pain I am to inflict upon your body and soul. You do not get the glory of death, for you are to be taught a most invaluable lesson.’ Gilldahara used Berath’s body as a landing cushion. The weight of Gilldahara and the force of the impact shattered every bone in his body. It felt numb, but It was hard to define what it was. Was it his body? His mind? His soul? Berath could not put his hoof on it but he definitely knew it was something. His mind weighed heavy on the revelation that Gilldahara, the King of Heaven. Was his birth father. How could this be? Could Gilldahara be distracting him from his primary mission in retribution? He didn’t know. All he could do was look up at his father with accusatory eyes. ‘Comfortable? Good! Now that I have your attention, I shall impart what truly happened to your dearly beloved, Summer Dream. The night she died, can you remember anything of that night? Was it that you managed to wake from a waking nightmare? Or was it by chance that it was you who murdered the entire kingdom of Weolcan?’ Berath’s eyes grew from fright. ‘No, I could never have done such a thing to King Bow or to the sky horses!’ Gilldahara chuckled softly ‘Oh but that is what you did. After all, I made you do it. I made sure that you did it effectively and methodically.’ ‘No, I reject this. I didn’t do it, I was with… With’ Berath had a hard time trying to picture where he was or who he was with, on the night of the genocide of the Pegasus pony race. ‘You were with your Summer Dream as you gutted her, mutilated her body. She screamed out in horror as she watched her husband devour her soul.’ Gilldahara began to pull at Berath’s lower torso, slowly ripping it free from his body. ‘No, please, oh Sweet god. No! It wasn’t me I swear, it was Sorthath, he told me he did. That he did the pillaging of her body’ Berath shook his head carelessly. ‘Oh, Sorthath was indeed there. Though he was only the witness to your crimes against every living thing. You live up to your name quite well, my son. You are the very disease I have cultivated to spread across the land, to form life anew. You see, I am not fond of the creations that I have created thus far. There is always the issue of free will. I wish to eradicate it from my creations. You are my means to this end, Berath.’ ‘No, I must not be this tool of destruction, you seek. I must end your reign of terror, I must.’ Berath softly spoke but it was dominated by Gilldahara’s commanding tone. ‘You will be the very tool I seek, Berath. Even if it means I will have to shatter your disgusting soul, piece by rotting piece.’ Gilldahara picked up the broken body of Berath by his neck. Berath’s mind was panicking as the air was cut off from his lungs. Shortly after he felt two hands hold open his maw. This new strange sensation was pulled away from him as overloading pain began to shoot through his mouth and head. Gilldahara was pulling Berath’s jaw apart from one another. Screams rang out from Berath’s horse voice. The sounds of muscle and skin being torn slowly began to replace his screams. Gilldahara smiled warmly at Berath’s now severed head. His eyes were bloodshot from the pain he was enduring and began to silence the waking world. The veil of pitch-black nothingness slowly took hold over his sight. He felt ever colder in this black void that his mind now resided in. It felt as if he were falling through the clouds of the world, rushing wind hitting his ears as he fell ever deeper into the void. He could no longer bear the thought of being alive and in pain, he only wished for death to come and snatch his soul away and disperse it into the cosmos. His Inhibition, will, testament, drive and longing for a day of peace were leaving his body. He saw them as clouds of vapor were pealing away from his body, from the air rushing passed him. That was until a voice softly caressed his ears. ‘This is not your fate my beloved.’ His eyes shot open and looked around the void, in search of the voice's location. ‘Summer Dream?’ He spat out hoarsely. ‘I am here my king.’ Berath began to let go of his pent-up anger, it was easy for him to hear the soft and lifting voice of his wife's tone. ‘My love, I have failed you. I have failed you and our son this day. Please, don’t sally your spirit with my degenerating presence.’ Berath began to feel a soft yet warm embrace fill his cooling cheeks. ‘My love, you are never a sight I do not cherish. I will always be here to aid you.’ Berath softly whimpered ‘How can you aid a monster such as I? I mutilated your sacred temple. The very temple that housed your immortal soul. How can you, a goddess, gaze upon my diseased soul with eyes so pure?’ He was cut off with what felt like a kiss. The kiss felt as if it were honey falling to his tastebuds on his tongue. He knew what this feeling meant. He remembered it from all of those nights ago. Whenever he was frustrated at the thought of horrid things happening to the kingdom in the sky, his most cherished place among all of the mortal realm. His soon-to-be betrothed wife would set his mind at ease with a small kiss on her lips. Summer Dream was the only one to ever help Berath make the right choice, or steer him in the right direction from her guiding hoof. She was the very vessel that would aid the ever-damned soul of Bearth. She was the glowing shine of the moon that directed the blade of disease to its fated destination. ‘My love, you are worthy of goodness and peace. Your fate is not set in stone. You have yet to give up on your retribution. Yes, your body did kill me but your soul was locked far away from Gilldahara’s magic. I do not blame you for my death. I do not forgive you for there is nothing to forgive, I do not blame you for there is no blame to place. You still strive to be ever faithful to me, Berath. It is time to be faithful to yourself. I will guide you as I have done for this countless millenia… Break your chains of this blood lust, and set yourself free from this chapter that binds your soul.’ Berath began to feel his body again but he also felt something new. He felt another body hugging him tightly as if they were to be lying with them. ‘Berath, I will always be with you. I shall stay with you always.’ Berath smiled softly as he felt his beloved Summer Dream tether her soul with his. ‘My guiding light, please guide me to where I need to be. I will give all of my strength to your devoting soul’ The void began to slowly fade away to a crystal light shining brightly. His mind started to calm down as he felt his body knitting together from his wounds sustained by Gilldahara. ‘Now, where shall be the first target of my new design? Hmm, I suspect Equeen!’ Gilldahara turned back to Berath's desecrated corpse, but it was no longer lying on the floor discarded. ‘What is the meaning of the heresy?’ Gilldahara shouted. ‘Poweres unknown to thee.’ Berath stood defiant in front of Gilldahara. ‘Ye have little gain from this venture you set forth upon.’ He slammed his crystal sword onto the cobbled floor. ‘How? How can this be? Who has spared your soul? SUMMER DREAM!’ Gelldahara screamed. ‘You dare speak her name from vile fangs, secreting rotten blood from the holes in rotten teeth! I shall put down this mongrel dog!’ he began to scowl down at Gilldahara. ‘You think to be the true ruler of Heaven, Berath?’ Geilldahara spoke maliciously. Berath’s crown of crystal shone ever brighter as he began to gather his inner peace. ‘I do, Gilldahara! Your claim has been revoked by the right of the cosmos. Now, what say you? Do you have the strength to finish this, your highness?’ Berath bowed and kept his sword at the ready. Gilldahara gritted his teeth ‘You arrogant fool. I will smite thee down!’ He lunged towards Berath. Gilldahara swung his arms wildly at Berath, his hands were gripped like claws. His nails were spitting out acid from every swing of his arm. Berath swung his sword, and the concussive blade that emanated from the sword blew Gilldahara and the acid back from the force. His own acid began to eat away at Gilldahara's flesh once it made contact with his skin. ‘Reah! How can this be? I am God! No being has ever been able to beat me.’ Gilldahara’s body began to melt away, it began to show a dark red. His head had two small horns protruding from his forehead. His legs began to show goated fur and hooves with a thin tail stretching from his lower back. ‘No, I am goodness. I am ever glowing justice. How dare this demon project onto me their beastly features.’ Gilldahara claimed. ‘Gilldahara! That is thy true self. You mark everything as a beast, yet here you stand. Grotesque, misshapen, and abandoned by the grace of light. I condemn you to death!’ Berath flew straight toward Gilldahara. His blade pointed in front of him as he aimed for Gilldahara’s heart yet again. ‘No! I will never accept this lie you have given forth Berath!’ Gilldahara launched himself toward Berath, and his anger began to spill forth around him. It took the shape of a fire that grew around the battlefield. ‘I will kill you BERATH! I AM THE TRUE KING HERE!’ His movements stopped suddenly as he saw Berath’s crystal blade dig itself deep into Gilldahara’s chest. ‘How? I am the King of Heaven, No being ever has been able to best me in combat. I was promised this realm and everything in it by the goddess of the universe. Mother, why have you forsaken me?’ Gilldahara’s body began to lose its strength from his soul leaving it’s body ‘How can a being so crude be the true ruler of Heaven? I was your master, your will of hatred. I am your GOD!’ Berath leaned down to whisper in Gilldahara’s ear ‘Gilldahara I have rejected you, I have freed myself from your personal sin. You will die knowing that I, Berath The Crystal King. Have finally found my peace.’ Gilldahara’s eyes began to glaze over and faded to a dull white. ‘I have won my freedom and the freedom of my son, Azure Night! Goodbye Gilldahara.’ Berath pulled his sword from the cavity that had been opened in his chest. Gilldahara’s body fell with a thud as it started to disperse into ash. The bells in Heaven began to chime a low tone, it signified the death of the once proud King of Heaven. Shortly after an earthquake could be felt as the realm began to quiver noting that the vault to the dark recesses of Heaven was opening. Berath flew towards the epicenter of the shaking. Once he made it there, the shaking slowly dissipated to a standstill. He waited to see if anything would make an appearance from the dark void. Something did indeed penetrate the darkness. It was a dark blue alicorn. ‘Azure Night!’ Berath screamed as he rushed over to the recovering colt. Berath held his son in his arms as he cried from the freedom, that he and his son Azure Night finally deserved. Chapter 14: Was It Truly Mythos?A lavender alicorn was scribbling on a blackboard with chalk. ‘The End! Well, it is because there are pages missing from the book here.’ She said as she placed the book down on her desk. ‘Now- Yes Midnight Moon?’ A midnight black bat pony held her hoof up in the air waiting to ask a question. ‘Oh, um, Miss Twilight. Is that the end of the story? Is there nothing else? Cause I wanted to know what happened to that Amber pony.’ Twilight shook her head ‘Sadly no. The last few pages look like they were crudely ripped from the binding.’ The classroom was filled with groans but shortly cut from the school bell tolling. ‘Now, Class. I want you all to write a four hundred-page essay, don’t be wary, you will have a couple of years to do it. We will also commence your summer breaks for the breakdown of the story.’ The class groaned louder from the immense homework that the Princess of Friendship tasked them with. But before Twilight could interject a calmer voice took residence in the room ‘There will be no such essay, my little ponies. Twilight here is quite eccentric when it comes to academic study. Now go have fun, it’s your summer break after all.’ The foals began to cheer as they ran out of the class. They passed Princess Celestia like bottle rockets. All she could see was an amalgamation of colours that flew passed her. Celestia chuckled to herself as she watched them run by. Twilight was fussing with her hooves as she awaited Celestia to scold her, but there was nothing but calm gentleness from her mentor. ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle, I see that you have managed to find my secret portion of the library.’ Twilight nodded ‘I did Princess Celestia. I saw that the stone door was a jar, so I helped myself in. It was quite immense in scale. Say, why don’t we ever show those books to the foals here?’ ‘Please come, walk with me.’ Celestia invited Twilight. She nodded and met up with Celestia at the classroom entrance. Celestia used her horn to bring the journal over to her from Twilight's desk. ‘You see Twilight. There is a reason for the secrecy. See this book, you may think it is a work of fiction, but it is quite real.’ Twilight gasped softly ‘Does that mean, you really are descendants?’ Celestia nodded ‘Quite, in fact, I wish to show you something. I think you are going to love it. And before you ask, the last few pages were indeed ripped from the book. I did it. I took those pages and placed them over the fire in my fireplace. That kind of information was quite dangerous, especially if it were to fall in the wrong hooves.’ They continued to follow the main path in the school, toward the fountain at the center of the campus. ‘Princess, I have so many more questions. For one, did Amber ever get free from his prison?’ Twilight asked as she sat next to her mentor. ‘Wait twilight. You will get your answer shortly… It’s ok, you can come out of the shadows.’ Celestia cooed. Twilight looked at her mentor with confusion but Celestia slowly moved Twilight's cheek towards the fountain… A lavender unicorn and an Amber unicorn began to slowly make themselves known to the two Princesses. ‘They are real!?’ Twilight exclaimed. Her outburst caused Amber to cower behind Berath. ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you. I am sorry.’ Twilight lowered her voice. ‘It is quite all right. I am glad to see, yet another is able to see both Amber and I’ Berath bowed to Twilight. ‘This is Amber Zepher. He is quite a durable soul, yet he is quite kind of heart.’ Amber slowly and cautiously waved toward Twilight. ‘It’s, it’s nice to meet you… May I ask your name?’ Twilight smiled ‘I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. It is nice to meet you, Amber. I hope I didn't scare you too much.’ Amber shook his head as he began to trot closer to Twilight. ‘Berath, is she also an Alicorn you speak of?’ Berath nodded. ‘Wow, they look so, so graceful.’ Twilight looked at Berath with inquisitive eyes. ‘Ah, so you read Amber’s journal? How did you find it?’ He sat with Amber on the tiled floor. ‘Yes, I did. If I may ask. Um, What happened in the last few pages?’ Berath and Amber looked at each other and then toward Celestia. Celestia nodded ‘Well, Do you have the time for us to tell you, Princess?’ Twilight nodded. ‘Very well then. After I bested Gilldahara and found my long-lost son Azure Night. I traveled back to the realm of tartarous. I had one last trial left. It was to save Amber’s soul from his tormentation. The sight I saw. Well, it will never leave my mind… I did indeed cut his soul free from the hooks that feted him to the lair of my dishonored brother, Sorthath. Amber’s soul was free, and I had gained my dear friend back. Without Amber, Summer Dream, and Princess Luna. I would not be here this day, conversing with you. I owe all of my merits to these ponies who have pushed me through the darkest night and helped me find the morrow's brightest dawn.’ Twilight gasped softly ‘Oh, my. You both have gone through quite the jiffy?’ Berath chuckled. ‘Yes, we have been tested, time and again. Yet we stand here this day taller than ever. It has taken quite a toll on Amber and I but we have managed to pull each other through thick and thin… It has been a long Thousand years since then. I have created and reigned the Crystal Empire for millennia. Even now, as I draw breath. The crystal ponies have been my greatest accomplishment. After all, it is the least I can do for the sins I have committed during my life as Gilldahara’s slave… I still miss the sky horses of old, they were quite the ally for me. I am extremely proud that they have come back to this world. Thank you ever so much for that.’ Berath bowed as he stood up ‘Please excuse me, I am being called forth to the celestial body of Panthiazma.’ Celestia and Twilight bowed back in kind. ‘Please come back. I wish to talk more with you’ Twilight smiled. Amber stood up next to Berath as they faded from the mortal realm. Author's Note Hello there. I finally have managed to get some of the ideas out of my head for this story. I know there are a few issues here and there in the story. I will properly edit this story, though I don't know when. Thank you for taking the time to read this shotty thing. I do appreciate it. Chapter 15: Panthiazma Has Plans For Berath! (Alt Ending)Whispers slowly encircled Berath’s mind as he stood in a glassed room. The walls glinted with crystalized radiance as they held off the searing heat and blinding golden glow of the sun at bay. The ceiling too, had the same proud shine as it held the airless vacuum of space at bay. The floor however felt as if it were to be made from cobbled stone. As he looked around the floor, he saw the grey stone intercepted by an orange line. It was strange to gaze upon, for he had only known an obsidian floor that was marked with a single line crossing passed his hooves in a diagonal fashion. He kept his eyes on the orange line as it slowly curved to form a colossal circle that made sure to keep him in its circumference. He had a notion to look down at his hooves, he obliged this strange notion and looked down. He saw he was standing on what looked like an orange full-stop in the middle of the room. ‘What be the meaning of this?’ Said a confused unicorn. ‘Have I taken a must less traveled path?’ He exclaimed. ‘No!’ Said a voice not known to his ears. The objection scattered the whispering from the unicorn's mind. Who could have done such a thing as this? The whispering was indeed new to Berath but he had only just become accustomed to them. The weight also felt lighter in his chest. His body started to feel alien to his mind. ‘Amber, do you feel strange too?’ he asked, yet silence met him in kind. He looked down at the left-hand side of his body. Amber was not standing next to him as he did before the bright flash of light engulfed Berath's body. ‘Amber!? AMBER!?’ Screamed Berath. ‘Please, he is safe and his soul is secured!’ Said the calming voice ‘He will never need to bear the brunt of fear or sadness ever again Berath!’ Confused and beginning to be infuriated by the vague statements, his voice took up residence again. ‘Who’s voice do you bear? Why must you talk in a cloudy tone?’ He demanded. ‘Do you not recognise my voice, Berath?’ Proclaimed the calming voice. Berath shook his head ‘I do not, no!’ Silence remained after his confirmation, yet, he felt stranger still. The feeling for him, was as if he were to be floating into the upper atmosphere on the planet her was born to… Shortly after, a mist began to appear. The mist was almost transparent. It was really hard for his eyes to see, let alone glare at the water vapor. That did not stop the mist to materialise and take the form of a glowing auburn pony. Her coat glinted like the shores of mercury, ever brushing its waters against the sands along the shoreline. Her mane and tale flowed softly and gently as if they were the Milky Way spinning in place. The dark purple outlines kept the strawberry pinks and the lemon yellows with her hair. Berath was held in place by the pony's radiance. He was in awe, an awe that no other eyes could withhold in their cornea. ‘My, what a lovely’ is all he could sputter out. ‘Always one for the flowery language, Berath.’ She giggled softly. ‘I am the very being you sworn your allegiance to all those years ago.’ Berath tried his hardest to conjure up that last millenia, yet, he could not bring forth such an action. ‘I am Panthiazma, Berath!’ She declared. ‘Goddess of the cosmos?’ His mind finally pulled that locked memory ‘By the Moon, I am graced by her celestial body.’ He bowed. Panthiazma trotted closer to Berath. Her eyes met his as he returned from his angled posture. He noticed that her amethyst eyes withheld a deep sorrow. ‘Oh my stars, how can eyes so magisterial, hold such sorrow?’ he pleeded. ‘I have need of your swords man ship Berath. And yet, I fear that it may not be enough.’ She sighed. ‘That is why I am going to be calling upon your sworn oath… From this day forth, You will serve me as my champion of the cosmos!’ Bells chimed a deep bearing ring, to signify Panthiazma’s decree. Berath rose up ‘But Godess, I. I have to look after Amber now and, well, I think I am incapable of serving you, even now.’ He choked out. She began to lift Berath up by the scruff of his neck ‘Berath, I know how you feel. I can sense your hesitation, yet, as I said prior. Amber’s soul is safe. For, it resides in me.’ She placed a hoof on her chest and one on his ‘There is no need to fret about things that you no longer need to worry about.’ She pulled out a thin string of light from both her chest and his ‘I know you will be able to succeed where I have yet to fight. I know this must feel as if the spool of string the fates have made for you stretch and pull on your heart. Just know that when I tie my spool to yours, you will no longer have a need for the fates to spin your destiny.’ She began to tie her string to his ‘You will have managed to break your cycle in the world of old, and start your new cycle in worlds near, far, and distant.’ He lifted his head to meet her eyes one more time ‘Please. Before you finalise the knot... Please show me Amber’s soul is safe within your celestial body?’ He asked. She nodded in kind as she placed a hoof slowly back onto her chest. The area where her hoof resided began to glow. She removed it slowly and what replaced the glow was a smiling face. The face was familiar, its smile filled Berath’s heart with liquid gold. He smiled back at the face, a tear rolling down his cheek. ‘Thank you, Goddess. I will serve you, I will serve you to the end of time. You have my final vow to you.’ He gleefully confirmed. She nodded and finished tying the knot to the tether that conjoined their souls together. ‘Thank you, Berath.’ She smiled softly as she let breath stand on her forearm. ‘There is no time to waste, you must make haste! I shall send you to a world that is in dire need of your help.’ She flung him into a sky-blue portal. Shocked at the shift in the pacing of the events now taking place. He found himself falling. Author's Note This is a pretty cool story, check em out. :P This Alt ending does meld in with this story https://www.fimfiction.net/story/516967/a-change-of-heart-lunas-gaze I am going to be co-writing chapters with this person. Berath finds that he is in a strange world and does not know how to deal with that situation.
Chapter 1: The Diary Of A Missing PonyAuthor's Note This is just a concept I wanted to put into the written word. It is still a WIP and I wanted to see how people would receive this concept here. Chapter 1: The Diary Of A Missing Pony Some say that this pony was a crazed Stallion. They say he was so mad that he created the book of the dark arts. Others say that he was corrupted by his own abilities to call forth dark energies from the void. Neither side could recollect where these stories came from nor could they find any relics or information from the time these stories were set. Until now, what I am going to transcribe is a diary of a pony from the archaic times of Old Equestria. The date that has been written down on the first page is the 3rd year of the Molten Queen. From that alone is quite a rare find, this piece of history is from the very, very first settling tribe of ponies in Equestrian history. The language used here is the first modern take of its kind that ponies used to communicate with. I am filled with so much joy to be the one pony entrusted with this task. Thank you, Princess Celestia. Here is the first entry: Day 1, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen Today marks the first day on our journey from the capital of Equeen. Brother and I have been entrusted with the task of finding out the meaning of the magics of everyday life from our queen. Our direction has been routed towards Oragoth, the travel there would take 5 cycles of the sun and 4 cycles of the moon. We have packed enough to get through towards Geldoroth, the Valley of the Dragonian. We hope to trade and rest there. I do have an odd feeling that we would need to rest at Evercrest, I do not wish to stay there for the horses that reside there are queer to the rules of the land… Sorthath has come to collect me to travel with him. I must go, I shall come back to document the findings of our travels. End of entry one. This is quite fascinating, the names of the places in Equestria are difficult to read in this language. But before I continue to translate the passages further, I feel I must make clear what we call these places today. Equeen is now called Canterlot. Oragoth is now called Las Pegasus. Geldoroth, the Valley of the Dragonian is now called Ghastly Gorge. Evercrest is now called Ponyville but it was also engulfed by the Everfree Forest. Day 2, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen My odd feeling was correct, I do wish that they never come true but I stand here in this queer place of Evercrest. *sigh* The horses here are as untamed and quite feral for this age of formality, they reek of wet mud and rotting fruit. In any case, we have made it safe and sound. Sorthath and I plan to stay here one moon cycle. While my brother was browsing the unkempt stalls in the markets, I came across a shop full of tomes not known to the horses of Equeen. As curiosity demands attention, I followed mine into that shop and what I found was quite exciting. The air was quite thick upon entrance from the outside. That did not deter me from browsing the maple shelves. I found an interesting spine from my mindless looking, the spine was that of silver and encrusted with bright gems embedded in the binding of the book. Once I opened it, the book’s front index grabbed my attention from the very first chapter, as it was titled “Mysteries Of The Magical World”. I was amazed by this find because it was written in the language of our fated creator Gilldahara. I have been reading this tome for many shadows of this day’s sunlight. Sorthath has only just come back to our tavern room. He is showing me a glowing yellow gemstone that looks as if it were to be created by the heavens thunder, and lightning. It is time to sleep, we have a long way ahead of us. Till daylight my newfound friend. End of entry two. This is just amazing, this diary may actually hold the information of the creation to the natural order of magics used here in Equestria. Please bear with me, Gilldahara, was believed to be the creator of everything in many old texts of the religion that ruled Equestria for over 700 years. This tome that the pony writing in this diary found, must have been old even when they found it. The sheer ability to read that book would have been a massive undertaking for that pony. I do apologise, this information has brought more questions in my head than answering them. I shall continue to translate the passages. Day 3, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen We have made it to the outskirts of this accursed forest, the vines are quite annoying to deal with even with my knowledge of magics. My horn is quite worn and tired. We shall rest a little longer here in this grove I found. Sorthath has taken charge in my absence, I shall take a breath and explain what I have learned from reading this tome. I shall call it the “Natural order”, it in itself does not have a title engraved on the cover. So I found it fitting of the title I gave it. I will summarise what I have learned so far from my skimming of its pages. The book’s first chapter gives you a generalized version of the happenings of the world around us, the wind, the water, the earth, and the living things on and in it. They are made up of the creator’s blood, sweat and words spoken. I find this very interesting because the book says that every breath the crater takes, even now, are the gusts of wind that blow every sun cycle. The rain and water are from the sweat that he has shed throughout the ages… Ahh, we are free. I shall talk to you again soon my friend. End of entry three. I need to find this book they speak of, it may hold the secrets to our magics and way of harmony. It must be found at all costs… Let’s continue, shall we? Night 2, 3rd cycle of our Molten Queen: Queen Froyen We have reached Geldoroth, sadly we are behind in distance traveled, we must make haste after our trade this night. Sorthath is slightly dejected at the news of this but understands how important it is to travel towards Oragoth. This pitiful leader of the Dragonian has requested our trade. I shall take my time to grant him an audience. My Queen Froyen has requested I trade some gold pieces for the Dragonian king’s crystal of light. I fear he will not take to mere gold metal, I also fear that the request that Lizard has in store is quite immense. … My fears were met in kind, that lizard has taken my tome as well as the gold we were sent out with, but, we have made the trade and we now have the crystal of light. I am saddened but I knew the cost of that trade was too high, I just hope that the magics in that tome are lizard repealed. Time to make haste. Till next I write, Berath… End of entry four. Berath and Sorthath? Aha, I remember them being written about. They were the sons of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen. It was documented that Queen Froyen was in favor of her two sons, so much so, that she would have only them to do her bidding no matter how secret the task or how bloody the war… Queen Froyen’s family was held in the highest of regard. They also were believed to be descendants of Gilldahara, the creator. Most of the recorded history of their actions and political strategies have been wiped from the face of the planet. Also, the information from the Dragonian race has also been wiped from the face of the planet as well, I know that both the dragons and us ponies have strived really hard to recover both of our pasts. Alas, we have never been able to find their whereabouts. That also reminds me, that the crystal of light has gone missing too. The most important records of Equestrian history are just gone. I hope the next entries can help. Day 5, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen Oragoth has now been reached, behold our dedication my Queen. We made lost time and have gained another stronghold for your empire. Your foresight has shown us the way to this city and we have tamed it with mere words and one gift. The crystal of light has been placed in the center of the markets and the horses here have rejoiced in its fitting. Time for rest, may we dream of dreams grand and bold. I have sent word to your hooves of our accomplishments here, my Queen. … Tis night, all is well in the tavern room of Berath and Sorthath. I have felt the greatest of rests in my lifetime. Sorthath is no longer here in this room, but the smell of freshly baked food has wafted through the window and has my empty stomach under an iron grip. I shall return from stuffing my muzzle full of whatever is making that delectable smell. … Upon returning, I have noticed that Sorthath had not. His bed is currently still messed up and cold. This is not like him to wonder, we have always returned to where ever we have set to rest at the same time. I must search for him, for I am beset with fear. I shall return to you, my friend. End of entry five. I do not like how this adventure has turned into this search and rescue effort. It has been recorded that the Queen’s two sons indeed disappeared. To where? No pony knows, even for that time the Queen somehow knew that her rule was to crumble to two warring states, vying for power and control over Equestria… The next entry has a massive gap from day 5, it continues at night 39. Night 39, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen It has been 35 cycles of the moon and there is still no trace of my brother, the horses of Oragoth have graciously offered me permanent residence here. For that I am grateful. My Queen has granted that I stay here as long as it takes to find Sorthath. I shall search his belongings for some answers, maybe I have missed something. … A strange thing happened, the yellow gemstone reacted to the crystal of light. First, the gemstone started to vibrate softly as I got closer to the crystal. So I decided to place the gemstone on the surface of it, and both the crystal and gemstone melded together and showed a map of Meltorath. Could this be the sign I have been praying for ?? It is all I have at this point in time. I am coming brother, please stay there. Mo-Mother I know you are displeased with me not referring to you as Queen, But I fear this might be the last time I may send you scrolls of our whereabouts and tasks. Because I need to head to Tartarus in Meltorath. Please grant me strength, mother. I’m scared. End of entry six. Berath must have been in such terror at that thought, was it because he had to travel towards the badlands? He was one of the calmest and most collected minds at that time, why did this shake him up like this? O-Oh Meltorath is now called The Badlands. Why would he need to go to Tartarus? Day 47, 3rd cycle of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen I have made it to the edge of Meltorath, I can see the gate to hell, to Tartarous. I can no longer bring you with me, my friend. I must bury you so that you are safe. You will not be alone though, I shall keep you company with this rune stone. I have imbued it with my magics, and I shall use it to trap my findings here with you. Think of it as a device you can keep track of my movements. Wish me well dear friend, I shall never forget you. My final entry of this journey to Oragoth, Berath. End of entry seven. Did he bury it in the badlands?, near the old gate to Tartarous? I must notify Princess Celestia at once. End of Translation, Dr, Amber Zephyr.
Chapter 2: The Gate of Five.13th day of the 12th month, 900 years of our Princesses. Hello again, it is Dr, Amber Zephyr. I am going to write my entries like that of Berath, I find it fitting to continue where he left off. I shall continue with Berath’s entry method. It has grown on me but I will modernize it a little. In any case, I have held an audience with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They have given me their blessing to continue searching for Equestria’s lost history. I have charted out my course and it shall take one day give or take. That is with the help of the royal guard’s pegasi. I am quickly jotting this down as I finish my preparation and packing. I will be taking this here diary, some voice recording equipment, and video recording equipment. Just in case I manage to find anything further on the disappearances of the two brothers of Equeen. Onwards to my own journey of truth. End of entry one. 13/12/900 I have made it in the Badlands and set up camp. I have just currently rested up from that painful exercise. I am quite indebted to the progression of technology ponies have created. Without that, It would have taken me months to get here by myself with all of this stuff. Now, I think I have found the old ruins of the original gate to Tartarous. I just hope I can find the spot where… Found it!. I found the site where Berath had buried his runestone. Why was it separated? Oh well, time to dig. … IT’S HERE! Ahem, excuse my excitement but I found it, it’s real and old. I-I don’t want to move it from where it lays but I must for research and recording purposes… There we go, I have managed to keep it in mint condition. Now I just need to place it on the magic encoder and hopefully extract the contents of the runes stored magic. Fantastic, it works. The Rune has been imbued with very old magic, it must be dated back over 1,200 years… The colour of the magic is a bright lavender purple. Ok, I am going to switch to my computer. It will take some time but I will transcribe what has been recorded on it. … Finished, the magic has been extracted to an audio file. I will play it here in a second. Oh my, I am shaking, get a grip of yourself Amber. You can do this. Ok, I am hitting record and play at the same time. [Crackles are heard from the old waveforms from the magic] Berath: “Ahh, My dear friend. You have found this old rune, the one from my diary. I am indebted to you for searching this out. Thank you, I foresaw the actions that brought you here this day.” [Ambers microphone comes to life.] Amber: “H-How did you see into your future? 1,200 years into your future?” [Crackles start up again] Berath: “My mother, Queen Froyen gifted me this ability just for your finding of my rune. I fear that from this point onward, we both are alone and away from home. This quest I have set you on is fraught with danger and death. I must ask you before you continue, to take your time on your decision. Think it through thoroughly, because once you enter this place. There is no return from once you came. Keep in your mind, that the reward for this gigantic risk will be that of a legendary scale. If you think your self not fit, there is no shame in retreating. Believe that I have faith in you and your decision. No matter the choice you choose. Be well.” [Crackles slowly quiets down] [Amber’s microphone comes back to life] Amber: “Ahh, this choice is asking a massive cost of me. I don’t think I can pay this in kind, but I don’t think I have a choice in this either… Equestria needs these historic records and artifacts…” [Pacing is heard, this goes on for hours] Amber: “The cost of this task is one of a sacrifice, one that I need to make. No, I have to make it. Berath… I accept the terms of your request… “ [Crackerling is heard once again] Berath: “Thank you, my dear friend, I do whole heartily apologise for this… Once you are ready, please head to the gate in front of you. You can not see it, for it is invisible to your time. Since the horses of your time have forgotten the old magics, I will need you to recite this spell in full. I will help you sound it out if need be ok!. The spell goes as followers. ‘Teeath, wothath, poqeth, beftoth. May the blood, sweat, and tears open me a path to the ever-darkened realm of Tartarous.’ With that, the gate will be shown to you. Here comes the underlying ritual. You must shed your blood, sweat, and tears with your magic, and place it on the gate. Once that ritual has been completed the doors of stone will open. Be well and farewell. Till we meet in Hell, my friend.” [Sounds of cracking stone suddenly get picked up by Amber's microphone] [Amber’s heavy breathing is shortly picked up] Amber: “I KNEW IT! I knew this was a big ask for me… [sigh] I figured this was to happen, so I brought my special cameras. I boosted their signals with my magic so that the Princesses could broadcast them to the masses… I guess it’s time to put them on my back” [Sounds of velcro straps and bets are being fastened. After they faded the sound of a spell is heard from Amber] Amber: “Okay!, here goes nothing. ‘Teeath, wothath, poqeth, beftoth. May the blood, sweat, and tears open me a path to the ever-darkened realm of Tartarous.’ [Sounds of the earth-shaking started to permeate the microphones. Once it dissipated, Sobs could be heard] Amber: “I can’t do this, but I know I must… I have caught my tears and sweat, now comes the hard part. My blood.” [Painfull grunts and heavy breathing were the surrounding noises of the area Amber was standing in… After a short period, the sound of stone moving was all that could be heard] Amber: “Princesses, I knew you lied about broadcasting this to everyone in Equestria. But I only wish that someone watches my efforts today. Please stay with me, even if you can’t talk to me… That's all I need. Please Gildahara, watch over me…” [End of transmission]
Chapter 3: Encounting A Truth So StrangeSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 4: A Pony Can Never Escape Thier Fate.“Amber, Some times things stayed buried for a reason”. Amber slowly woke to a voice that echoed in his mind. ‘D-dad?’ Amber said softly as he slowly woke up. He remembered his father giving him that advice when he was a little foal. ‘Dad, I think you are right about that. I feel this quest to be naught. I do not like the way everything is being set up… The further I go down these halls, I feel I am getting further and further from you and everything good.’ Berath turned the corner ‘Ahh, my dear friend. You are awake. How was your sleep, pleasant I hope?’ Amber nodded groggily ‘It was quite different from sleeping on a bed of hay. Heh, My- um Berath. May I ask, how much further in this direction must we travel? I feel that I can no longer trust your words or actions anymore.’ Amber looked down at the ground, not knowing how to trudge forward with a pony so, so bizarre. Berath sighed softly ‘I do apologise for that sight. I do not know what has come over me as of late. I have my suspicions but I can not fully know if it is what I have thought it to be.’ Berath looked away from Amber’s figure ‘We only have a few hundred steps until we have reached our destination. I know this is a tall task but I must request your assistance still. May I still count on you?’ Amber nodded as he stood up ‘You can still count on me. I am glad I was able to ask you that question.’ Both Berath and Amber resumed their quest’s tale. They managed to reach their destination but a black onyx slabbed door blocked their march forward. Amber walked up towards the door. The sheer height of the door was quite dizzying from where he stood, from his view, it looked as if the door grew upwards towards the earth's crust. Berath placed a hoof on Amber’s shoulder. Noticing this, Amber moved back away from Berath and the door. ‘Qouth, petath, uototh, socqest. Grant me entrance to the vault, magics of old and new’. Berath moved his forelegs in a circular motion while his horn glowed purple. The runes started to glow on the door as the ground shook. The door was opening, and as it did so the stone wall started to show buried carvings. Amber took out the diary he kept with him and rushed a few sketches of the wall’s carvings. Once the doors fully opened, the room filled up with light. ‘Lo, behold the Vault’. Berath said as he turned towards Amber. Amber’s eyes lit up from the contents of the Vault. ‘It’s… Everything is all here. The Entirety of Equestria’s history is here.’ Berath gestured for Amber to enter in front of him, ‘Everything you have sought after is now within your grasp. Do you believe yourself brave enough to take it?’ Amber looked towards Berath and nodded. ‘Then take what is rightfully yours to take.’ Berath said. Amber took his time to walk into the center of the Vault, Berath was in tow behind Amber. The room was hexagonal in shape, each side held different treasures. One was filled with gold, another was filled with shelves upon shelves of books. Amber’s eyes were glued to the pedestal next to him in the middle, it held a great emerald tome. ‘Is that?’ Amber asked. Berath shook his head ‘Nay, it is not the tome you have been searching for. However, it will be quite useful to you. All you need do is open it.’ Amber looked over it, sizing it up. ‘Only I can open it?’ Berath nodded ‘But you have been here all this time Berath. Why haven't you opened it?’ Berath placed a hoof on the cover and motioned to open it, but the tome glowed bright orange. ‘It has repealed me. Nonetheless, this tome is marked by the same brand as the one on your flank. The hammer and chisel on this tome have a history. It goes far back to a family of stone smiths. This family was Queen Froyen’s personal sculptures and casters of her castle.’ Amber sat down listening carefully to Berath’s reminiscing. ‘It was said that one of the family's kin left to find new horizons. However, not a horse could verify this tale. That horse just disappeared one-night cycle.’ Amber pondered as he looked back up towards Berath. ‘How could you be this assured of yourself that I could be a relative of this family? I mean no disrespect but this all sounds farfetched to me. Yes, I do have the same mark on the book as my flank, but I got my cutie mark from my love of digging and finding out about the past. I couldn't even build a house of blocks to save my life. I just don’t believe your tale here Berath, I am sorry.’ Berath nodded. He threw the book toward Amber. Startled, Amber caught it. The book was heavy but it did not open from Amber touching it. ‘As I thought, this was for naught. I should have listened to Dad.’ Amber sighed softly. ‘I’m sorry Berath, I truly hoped that this would have helped us both, but we both were blinded by what ifs.’ Amber dropped the book to the floor. Berath’s eye twitched from the book being dropped. He eyed down Amber but Amber sat on the stone floor with his back facing Berath. With a soft snarl, Amber felt a force hit his body from behind him. He tried to turn around to see what hit him, his nerves began to shout out pain to his brain. Looking down Amber saw that he was impaled by a golden spear. Yelping, he tried his hardest to alleviate the pressure that the spear was putting on his lungs. ‘If your touch does not unlock the book, Maybe your blood could be key. After all, we have yet to experiment on this problem. Now have we Amber?’ Berath said as he walked towards the wounded unicorn. Berath placed a hoof on Amber’s chin and slowly pulled his eyes upward to be level with his. Amber looked onward with horror as Berath’s expression turned to a malignant scowl. ‘B-Berath why?’ Amber said weakly. ‘I have told you once before and I will not tell you again. You will address me as your king… Must I guide you with the proper manners?’ Berath whispered into Amber’s ear. Amber shook softly ‘N-no, please. I-I thought we were friends B-Berath. I thought you trusted me’. Berath continued to whisper ‘Oh, I do trust you, Amber. It’s your loyalty that I wish to bear fruits from. Our roles need to play out perfectly, but what disheartens me so Amber, is that I need to hurt you.’ Amber’s screams sang out in agony and joined with the rest of the echoes in Tartarous. Darkness shrouded Amber's waking mind. Gone was the stinging pain of being struck by sharp weapons and rocks. He came in contact with defining silence. ‘H-hello? Any pony here?’ His voice faded in the void. A light shone down at Amber as he lay there. A golden figure slowly descended from the light-bearing sky. ‘What a sore path you have decided to travel’. Once the figure gracefully landed, it gave out a hoof for Amber to pull himself up with. But before Amber could reach for it, he come crashing to reality from a wet splashing sound that he felt hit his muzzle. Amber felt some touch his tongue, it tasted like metal of some kind. It did taste familiar, it reminded him of when he fell and impaled his muzzle on a sharp bone that was protruding from the ground. He remember the taste of what it was. It was blood, his eyes shot wide open at the realization. ‘Good, you are awake. Now, since you are conscious again, Let the private tutoring in manners and proper behaviors commence.’ Berath said calmly as he pulled up a chair next to Ambers's broken body. ‘H-huh? Why can’t I move my legs?’ Amber weakly sputtered out. Berath ignored Amber’s question. ‘You, are a subject under our Queen: Queen Froyen. And you are in need of etiquette training. I-’. Berath was stopped by Amber’s screaming. Scowling from the improper interruption, Berath pulled over a cat-o-nine tail and swung it against Amber’s muzzle. The screaming died out to soft whimpers. ‘Never, Ever interrupt me again Amber Zepher. If you do so, you will wish upon the stars in heaven for a quick and painless death… You must know my dear sweet Amber, you are mine and mine alone. Till the end of time. Now, are you ready for your first lesson?’. Amber’s eyes looked up at his jailer with horror as he shakily nodded ‘I-I am B-bera…’ Berath’s muzzle scowly angrily. In response, Amber corrected himself ‘Yes, I-i am ready My, my, my K-king’. Berath nodded in confirmation as Amber corrected his speech ‘Let us begin then, shall we? My dear, dear loyal subject.’
Chapter 5: A Pony Is Always Allowed Salvation.‘The lost sheep has found the wrong shepherd to guide him, the sheep will no longer know what everlasting light holds for him. For the sheep has turned away from the glory of goodness… Though the sheep may be bogged into the swamp of sin, there is still a way for redemption, though it fades ever so slowly.’ Golden hooves caress Ambers's head softly. The hooves were petting Amber’s mane as if they were treating the unicorn as a foal. Amber woke slowly to the rhythmic petting. He tried to move his body but something was a miss. His body did not bide by his command, as if his body were at mutiny against him. Panicking, Amber looked down to see why his body was not abiding by his brain. Once he saw the reason why, he started a whimper that slowly lead to blind hysteria. ‘Hush my little lamb, you are held within the very embrace of warmth. Save your tears, they are the liquor of your very soul. Please do not waste them in this place of, sin.’ There was a calmness that helped Amber, he closed his eyes and breathed in slowly but deeply. Once he was of able mind, he looked down toward his body again, and what he saw was the physical embodiment of evil. What took his interest first was his hind legs hanging from hooks, they were furless, skinless, nothing but red tissue and muscle, and his blood was falling away from them but stayed suspended underneath his hooves as if his fluids were being collected by something. ‘Please my lamb, look away from this horrific sight. I beg of you, for I am no longer able to steer you toward the glory of goodness’. Amber looked up, his eyes were met with liquid gold hitting his forehead. ‘H-Hello’. The golden figure softly smiled as it looked down upon his newfound friend. ‘Oh my little lamb, you speak. I am ever so grateful for that. Please hush, save your strength, you will need every fiber to withstand Berath’s onslaught. I am afraid that my time is coming to a close, but I must leave you with this my little lamb. I can see the darkness of that twisted Berath in your eyes. It is slowly spreading like a disease… Please heed my words, DO NOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS EVER SORE PATH WITH BERATH.’ Amber woke to find himself lying on a cold stone slab. Berath was face to face with Amber, their noses were uncomfortably touching each other. He looked up to crazed eyes. ‘Welcome back to the living realm, I do hope your travels from Elysium were safe?’ Amber was confused ‘Elysium? w- Please, may I enquire what you mean, B- My, King?’ Berath smiled softly but ever so calmly, he offered Amber a hoof. Amber wearily took it. He did not know what to make of the newfound calmness that replaced the horrifying maliced heart, held within the very rib cage of Berath, The Prince of Obscure Night. ‘Come, My loyal subject. I shall impart a story for thee. You have seen the golden figure have you not?’ Berath asked as he sat Amber next to him on a worn oak stool. He waved his hoof in front of them both and a small portion of the stone floor slowly began to form a mirror, a figure began to show its face. The face was that of a white muzzle, its eyes were the softest shade of amber yellow, and its mane was bright emerald green. ‘Oh, there were two princes that lived in harmony with their queen and subjects. They were both born on the eve of the glistening golden sun, to be watched under the careful eye of Gilldahara. Their birth was marked as the first day that all horsekind could live free with the gift of one's own will. They were gifted with promise, stature, power, charisma, and a sharp yet calm mind. The names given to the two had meaning and purpose. One Was named Sorthath, and his name was given to him by Gilldahara himself. “Sor” meaning to fly high yet clear the skies of ever-lingering dogmatic darkness. “Thath” meaning bringer of pure divinity. You would have seen him as a being of pure gold light… I can assume that he has spoken to you about me, claiming my power is a disease?’ Amber nodded slowly ‘As I thought. Oh my dearest brother, hast thou come to finally put an end to your own nightmares?’ Berath shouted towards the roof of the obsidian cave he and Amber sat in. ‘I must tell you what my name means, mustn't I? “Be” meaning one’s desire, obsession, muse, what have you. Now, “rath” meaning capitulation, to cease resistance to the greater power of life. Let's get to the final meaning of our names, “Sorthath” which means, bringer of hope, and “Berath” which means, bringer of despair. Now, there is a natural order for both of us, but brother dearest only wishes to slay me. He thinks of himself as the only horse that is good and just, but thinks of me as earth and mold, something to wash away, a filth that needs to be expunged. Mother loved him ever so much more than I, I was the shadow to the light of his radiance and his ever-glowing ego… I KILLED FOR HER! MAIMED, MURDERED, RIPPED APART AND SKINNED FOR HER! I WAS MADE A SLAVE FOR HER! FOR HIM! I WAS THE ONE THAT FADED FROM TIME, FROM THE UNIVERSE, FROM OUR GOD’S EVER-GAZING EYES!’ The lavender pony standing up, screaming to the roof of the cave started to form vapor from their entire body. It flowed as if it was heavier than the air of Tartarous, falling towards the floor. ‘Froyen, Sorthath, and Gilldahara, I reject you all, I shed myself of your trinity and coat myself with new blood, new skin, and a new will. A will of my own making.' Retreth, Deteth, Fugeth, ABETEMIETH!’ Darkness engulfed Amber as the sound around him fell to an abrupt halt. Amber’s body lay quietly on the floor next to the newly reformed lavender unicorn. Once Berath noticed Amber’s body, he slowly picked up Amber with his magic and brought Amber closer to himself. Berath noticed Amber's right eye leaking a black liquid from its place in Amber's head. With a soft touch of his hoof Berath slowly opened Amber’s eyelid, what was withheld by the eyelid was an Iris that held a beautiful spinning nebular. Amber’s Iris was swirling with colour, the black center was held with the embrace of yellow and purple clouds. The clouds were a drift, circling the black pit in the center with ease. ‘Oh Amber, is this the course I must guide you now? Have my actions this day, forever changed you? Am I to be your mentor, not your torturer? Have I been miss guided by the will of Gillderhara?’ Berath softly whispered as he lay Amber down on his bed of hay. ‘The clarity I see now Amber, is one of destiny for the both of us. I shall repair the damage I have wrought upon you my dear, dear, sweet Amber. We are now free from this earthly tie. We are no longer bound by the will of magics, harmony, royalty, or god. Please forgive my madness, Amber. I only wished to prove my mother, Queen Froyen, My brother, Sorthath, and my god, Gilderahara, wrong. I only wish that you are safe, where ever you are.’ Berath kissed his hoof before gently placing it on Amber’s forehead. ‘My little lamb, have you made your choice?’ A white unicorn with the brightest shade of emerald green mane and tail slowly descended from the sky, floating down toward Amber as he lay looking sky-bound. ‘I think I have, Sorthath!’ Sorthath looked down upon Amber with holy importance ‘What shall it be then, my little lamb?’ Amber took in a slow breath, ‘I choose… Free will, my free will. If that means I am to be forever lost from this realm of life and death, then so be it!’ Amberes forehead began to glow with a lavender mark, Sorthath looked upon the mark with disgust. ‘You side with him? I am most disappointed in you my little lamb. I did not wish to cast you from this place of rest but your place here is no longer for you. I cast thee out in the name of Gilldahara, may your soul find peace, wherever it may lay… My heart weighs heavy for you, my little lamb!’ With that, Sorthath impaled Amber’s heart with a golden spear. Casting him from the grace of Gilldahara and from the eternal resting place they stood. Amber was made a lost soul, to ever wonder the realm with no place to rest or call home, even Tartorous was bared from Amber’s soul. The amber earth pony slowly woke in its bed of hay, the heart that lay in his chest glowed golden yellow, and his forehead’s mark glowed bright purple. Amber looked up with a calm yet kind smile toward Berath. ‘You have made your choice then, Amber?’ Amber nodded, ‘I have, yes!’ The lavender unicorn sat with his brow furrowed in thought. ‘After all I did, to you. How could you ever choose, me? Do I ever stand to implore your forgiveness? I was ever so cruel to you, to your very essence of self. Do I deserve your compassion? Your Loyalty? Your regard?’ Berath was struggling to comprehend, how Amber’s innocence and goodwill could easily repair his blackened heart. ‘Berath, I don’t know about all of that. You are too kind for those words to describe me, but if anything has taught me from everything that has happened. It would be this. Every living thing has the chance to make amends to the world around them! You are no different, I find that you are deserving of a second chance most.’ Upon hearing Amber wanting to give Berath a second chance, Berath began to look at Amber with longing joy. ‘You say that I, Berath, are deserving of a second chance?’ Amber nodded earnestly. ‘I do, yes. Berath you are deserving.’ Lavender tears fell from Berath’s muzzle. The lavender unicorn was brimming with overpowering emotions from hearing Amber’s soft words of acknowledgment. Berath leaned his body forward while holding his chest in a tight hug, he began to let the raging wave of water overflow his cup, as he began to feel genuine happiness finally. ‘Thank you, Amber. I will forever be in your debit.’ Berath felt a worm embrace to touch his body, it was Amber’s. He had never felt another pony's intimate touch before, it was always a formality when he saw his mother or his brother. He could only kiss his mother's hoof as a sign of loyalty and respect for his commanding elder, or bow when meeting his brother no matter the occasion. There was no tender loving hug for him when he woke from having nightmares as a foal, no tender loving kiss from his mother when he was awarded for accomplishments. Just cold, hard formality, but right in this moment with Amber. He felt warmth as if he was finally wanted by someone, even if it was to help calm his mind or soothe an ache. ‘There is no need to repay anything, my friend. Take a breath and relax.’ Amber kissed Berath's crown softly.
Chapter 6: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IBerath fell asleep from Amber’s warm embrace and their soft kiss of reassurance. It made him feel different. It was not a bad kind of difference but a foreign sense of difference. Berath felt weightless as if he were to be a feather, slowly drifting through the air. He pictured himself as such and saw that he was slowly descending to what he could see was a dream. He was never able to dream before, or there ever was a dream he could ever remember. It felt like dreams were a mystery to attain, a curse to dull his ever-sharpened mind. The simple idea of a dream repulsed him at the thought but for this very moment, he felt his feelings change. From one of disgust to one of excitement. He could not wait to smell, taste, touch, hear, and feel what this dream had in store for him. When he floated down to the ground, he looked around his surroundings and saw that he was on a dirt path, just outside of his mother's castle. He also managed to spot a unicorn that was mixed in with a pegasus, standing just by the tree line next to him. The pony was the perfect shade of midnight blue and their mane and tail were almost the embodiment of a starlight-rich galaxy, and their eyes shone with the most pure shade of aqua. Berath was never a believer of angels but standing there and looking onward toward her, he began to think that maybe angles do indeed exist. Without hesitation, he quickly reached where the pony was standing and bowed slightly. ‘I am Berath, It is an honor and a pleasure to make your acquaintance’. The pony giggled ‘That is quite a formal greeting, Prince Berath. But I shall repay in kind what you have bestowed upon me. I am Luna, Princess of the night, of the Dreamlands, and of Equestria.’ Princess Luna offered a bow to finalize the formality being exchanged. Berath was shocked. He didn’t know that there was another family ruling over Equestria in his own absence. ‘Princess of Equestria? How can this be? My family has been ruling this land since its creation. Equestria Is mine by right!’ Princess Luna gestured to join her as she started to walk towards the castle. ‘Well, Prince Berath! Your family has been missing for over a thousand years. A lot has changed since your family’s disappearance. The ponies of Equestria have evolved and nurtured a fundamental way of living. Yes, I am a princess, but that is because of your family. I and my sister Princess Celestia, are your great-grandchildren. Please I say this in the most earnest of compassion.’ Berath pondered ‘Would you be assured of the words you speak, Princess Luna? Have, say you, been smeared by lies? Spoken from the lips of pretenders to the throne?.’ Luna struggled to find answers to quell Berath’s inquiries in time before they reached the castle's main entrance. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks when they came across the molten door in front of them. Silence save for the sound of shifting magma in the door could be heard. For Luna, this was an entryway to secrets that she and her sister have only dreamed of finding. Who was the Molten Queen? Was their lineage alive during this era of Equestria? Luna’s mind was spinning with questions she never dared to ask, she always kept her mind in check when she was with others, including her sister. But for Berath, this molten door was a reminder of his past, present, and future. He began to slowly back away from Luna and the door shaking all the while. ‘I abhor this dream!’ Berath said timidly. Luna placed a wing softly onto his back, trying to calm a scared foal. ‘My Prince Berath, I am here to help guide you through your past. I am not only the Princess of Dreams, but I am also a guide to those lost souls, ever stuck in Limbo. You are safe here with me, my prince.’ Berath took a step or two forward, lining back up with Luna. ‘I do not wish to cross the threshold of this door, for it has provided nothing but abject horror, ever-freezing conditions of the heart, and subjugation of the psyche. Please I beg of you, relinquish me to the depths of Tartarus! For I welcome the stench of brimstone and the scorch of fire as my resting place.’ Tears began to crash against the dirt below him. Luna pulled Berath closer to her. He noticed the warmth her body displaced with his and his mind snapped out of his delusional crying. He looked up to see that Princess Luna was looking down upon him with a fervorous smile. Berath nodded and the two began to set past the doors ominous gateway and into the castle's main courtyard. Upon entrance, the main courtyard was a verdant green paradise, all the way from the grass at their hooves, to the vineyard hanging overhead them. There were plenty of apple trees bearing ripe fruit, bean stalks protruding skyward from the soil beneath, and megafauna covering park benches with shade and protection from the sun. Luna’s mouth fell agape when she saw how big the apples were, hanging from a tree. Berath pulled an apple from the tree with his magic and brought it to himself and Luna before cutting it in half. ‘Please princess, eat it. It will taste like golden water, sweet from the sky. After all, Gildahara taught the Molten Queen how to farm with volcanic ash.’ he said before taking a bite, as did Luna. When Luna bit into the apple, her taste buds shot through the roof. The slice of apple did indeed taste sweet, sweeter than usual but that was never a bad thing. ‘Oh my, how do they taste this good?’ She asked in shock. ‘I do not know, well I do not know the exact origin of such a thing. Though it has been said that the Molten Queen was gifted with knowledge of the holy realm, she did use it to better her people. Then again, my history is your mythos! I shall take the lead from here on out with the politics of this castle’ He said while finishing his slice of apple. Luna nodded and followed close behind, whilst enjoying her slice of apple. While they were walking down the volcanic-bricked path, a guard noticed Berath and rushed over toward him. ‘MY LORD! Our Queen is seeking your counsel. We must make haste.’ Berath nodded in stern acknowledgment ‘Take me to her then!’ Both Luna and Berath were rushed into the throne room. Berath slowly approached his mother's steps and kneeled ‘My Queen! You have sought my counsel?’ Queen Froyen nodded silently ‘Yes my son! A predicament has come to my attention and it requires your sharp intellect.’ Berath bowed lower ‘May I inquire about the issue?’ Froyen breathed out softly ‘Equeen has been challenged by Geldorth. Those lizards have decided to be brave and encroach out of their caves. I would be able to suppress any qualms by this fact, though Geldorth has managed to make a pact with Orogoth, which has made this threat all the more real… lizards and ponys, fighting alongside each other, what an abhorred idea.’ Berath pondered ‘My Queen, we may be able to gain yet another foothold for your kingdom. This does require sending either myself or Sorthath to marry another kingdom.’ The queen leaned ininterested ‘Oh, what say you, where do you place this ideal, my son?’ Berath hesitated ‘The Kingdom of Weolcan, they are bonded to the populace of the Gryphon lands. If you marry your kingdom to their kingdom. You will have control of one of the most terrifying armies in all the land.’ Queen Froyen grinned wide at the proposal ‘You must then go and tame yet another foothold for your Queen, my son!’ Berath stood slowly and bowed stoically ‘Your wish is the will of my own. I shall make haste at once to the kingdom of Weolcan!’ Froyen waved him away as if he were nothing more than a pawn. Berath nodded and exited the throne room with Luna. Once they were both outside, Luna trotted over to Berath ‘Berath, was that Queen Froyen? Your mother?’ Berath nodded ‘Yes, she is both the Molten Queen and my mother. I-.’ A guard saluted ‘My Prince, your escort to Weolcan is ready. We must leave.’ Berath nodded silently and followed the guard with Luna close behind ‘Berath! Please what were you going to say? Berath?’ Silence fell on Luna’s ears. Luna tried her hardest to try and peel away the brickwork built up by Berath’s silence on his journey to Weolcan. But was stopped when Berath decided to speak. ‘Why must I sacrifice my soul for the will of those that deem me less than them? I am royalty!, am I not? These were the questions I often asked myself when I was away at the behest of my mother, Princess Luna. You speak of being my great-grandchild, I now remember the reason why this is the case.’ Luna tried to open her mouth and try to reply to Berath but he held up a hoof to his mouth, making sure that she let him speak his mind. ‘You will get to speak in time, Princess Luna… If this dream is going the way I think it is going, then you will meet your great-grandmother. Summer Dream, the Princess to the flying ponies of Weolcan. She and I were to marry the night after our honeymoon. All of the time I spent in her presence was the most peace, my soul ever felt. She could make the miasma in my mind and body dissipate under her smile, her touch, and her voice. You have her eyes and smile, Princess Luna.’ Luna sat next to Berath as he continued to recount his memories ‘Ten years, ten years I will never get back. Everything was cut from my very soul by Gilldahara! That monster of a being killed Summer and took Azure Night, my son! Away. There is a reason why Alicorns were never to be known nor allowed to live a normal life… Gilldahara made sure to lock them away from mortal eyes and from the very world, they live in. He stowed them away in the dark recesses of heaven, making sure they never see the light of grace or the heat of damnation.’ Berath placed his head on Luna’s shoulder as began to finally let out all of his frustration, and sorrow. There was a reason why Berath rejected everything in front of Amber. He wanted his newfound friend to witness his rebirth to reclaim what was left of his soul and what was left of his sanity. You see when the demands of your family, friends, and obligations get too hard to bear. It pushes you deep into the crust of the earth, as it made Berath feel that he was made to carry the world on his shoulders. With no one to help bear the brunt of an insurmountable burden, it tends to lead you down a very dark and hollow path. A path that helps you find comfort in the lonely abdication of your personal actions and merits. ‘I loath him. No! I abhor my mother, my brother, myself, and most of all, the King of Heaven himself, Gilldahara! Vengeance is all I have left and I am willing to lose what is left of me to bring back my light, my cosmic body I gravitated towards. My wife, Summer Dream. I miss her oh so much. I miss my baby boy, my moon that shone brightly from the glow of his mother's kind soul… Princess Luna, I do not wish to continue this dream I am in. Please make it stop!?’ Luna could not bear his suffering and did not want to put him through any more sorrow, but she had an obligation as a dream guide to see this dream through with Berath. No matter how agonizing it may be for him. With a heavy heart, she whispered ‘I am very sorry, My Prince but I must see you through this dream. No matter how hard it is for you to trudge through, I will be here! Here to help shoulder this burden you carry on your heart.’ Berath softly snuggled into Princess Luna’s chest fluff and silently wept, all the while Luna wrapped him in her wings embrace. ‘Hush now, my sweet Prince!’
Chapter 7: History Will Always Linger In Your Dreams. Part IIThe carriage made itself known to the sleeping prince as it landed. Luna helped Berath off of her chest and onto his hooves. ‘By the will of heaven! You are truly his descendent, my prince.’ A guard noticed Berath float onto his hooves and bowed quite low to the ground. ‘Please, stand. I take it we have arrived?’ Berath yawned as he looked out his carriage window, spotting the King of Weolcan waiting for him to greet them. The king of the cotton realm of Weolcan stood tall as if he were to be the oldest oak tree ever known. His roots would be the great foundation of the kingdom. His coat was the brightest cyan Berath had ever seen, it would have melded in with the sky if it did not dull at the edges of his frame. His mane and tail were the colour of the rainbow that was only seen from the sunlight of the rain. All in all, the king of Weolcan was a mighty warrior of the skies. Berath smiled and bowed ‘Your majesty, King of Weolcan. I have come to bear tidings grand. My name is Berath, Prince of Equeen, son of the Molten Queen: Queen Froyen. I must seek your council on a grave matter that threatens this very land’ The royal pegasus smiled and gave Berath a soft pat on the back of his head ‘Arise my boy. I have received word from the Molten Queen on your arrival. We have much to discuss, but for the time being, rest. I will have my daughter show you to your quarters, and I expect your presence for dinner tonight.’ Berath rose from his position and smiled warmly toward the king ‘May I ask your name sire? I only wish to address you properly, If that is not too bold of me.’ The king let out a hearty chuckle ‘Ahaha, My name is scūrboga! It means Rainbow, but for the sake of ease, you may call me King Bow! Come, we have much to do and little time to do so.’ Berath nodded and quickly met up with the king. Luna followed close behind murmuring to herself ‘So, this might be the ancestor to our element of loyalty? Would that also make Rainbow Dash royalty?’ King Bow led Berath to the main hall of the castle. The entirety of the room was covered in a glow from the stained glass window atop the roof, letting the sun’s rays into the room from an angle. One of the walls within the room was embossed with figures that depicted flying ponies carrying clouds and placing them above the ever-free forest. The grand tree of harmony in the center, its majesty open and full of colour. The light from the stained glass window bathed it with magnificent colours. Luna could not but stay in the room, she was captivated by the serenity of the sun’s warmth. A slight nudge from breath knocked her free from her trance ‘I am truly sorry Prince Berath. This room… It is quite a surreal place to be in.’ Berath chuckled softly ‘It too had its hold on me when I was here. I would always sit in the middle of the room and stare upwards, towards the sun and moon's glow.’ he let out a long-awaited sigh ‘I remember the night I proposed to Summer Dream. I was right here, under the watchful eye of the moon. Everything slowed to a crawl. It was just me and my future queen, just sitting and staring at the moon, through that stained glass. We had started to make our own life’s tale.’ Berath began to softly choke on his sorrow ‘But now. Now the moon’s watchful eye feels, so cold. When I look at it, all I see is ice. Made frozen by the airless vacuum of space. The same goes for the sun! Once an image of warmth and prosperity. Now, it is nothing more than a ball of gas, its heat is ever distant. But its watchful eye continues to jeer at me with continuous malice.’ The dream began to shift its timeline to a cold summer's night. Luna looked around at the surrounding room in horror. Bodies lined the cold stone floor. Their expression was that of pure fear and dread. Once she met the king's throne, she saw that King Bow was dead. The king's head was on a pike, his expression was that of a loving smile. To Luna, the king’s smile almost seemed that he was expecting something to gaze upon it. That he was awaiting a cry for something. When she looked over toward Berath, she began to understand why the king was smiling. Berath was kneeling in front of the throne ‘I am sorry you have to see this Princess. I Remember why I never liked dreams. This is why!’ Luna trotted over to Berath ‘This makes no sense. Why did the dream change so far into the future? I would have thought that the dream would play out like it was supposed to.’ Berath looked up at the severed king's head ‘I dare not show anyone, anything of my love for either Summer Dream or Azure Night, this includes yourself, Princess Luna… King Bow, can you ever forgive a pony such as myself? A pony so malformed in spirit, a pony so infected from inherited blood lust, a pony so misguided by the will of an oppressive god? I beg you. I beg you for your forgiveness, for your grace, charity, and goodwill! I will be ever charged with your death!’ Berath placed his hooves together, pressed them against his chest, and silently prayed to whoever would take his prayers. Luna placed a wing over his right shoulder and nuzzled him softly ‘Berath, I-. I didn’t know that this was going to be this tragic for you. I-. I am so, so sorry!’ Berath stood slowly and hugged Luna tightly ‘Do not apologise Princess! You have an obligation, as do I, for right now. Though I must ask thee, are you ready for the turn of events? If not? Then I must ask thee to stay here in this room, till my return. If so? Then I pray that thee, have a stomach of iron. The next set of images will test thy’s will and testament. What answer would thee speak?’ Luna Noded shyly ‘I wish to join you! No matter how horrific the tale!’ Berath nodded and led Luna to a dark blue oak door. The door was scattered with constellations of stars, but in the middle of the door, it held the biggest constellation of all. The center held a crescent moon constellation, it was in the same shape as Princess Luna’s cutie mark. Luna looked onward at the door’s imagery and gasped softly. Meanwhile, Berath was shaking and breathing heavily as he touched a blood-stained patch on the door and hesitantly pushed the door inward to allow access to the room. Berath slowly entered, shaking and in shock with Luna close behind. Once she looked forward and to the center of the bedroom she saw a darkish blue pegasus mare hanging. Her chest was flayed open, her rib cage was broken and bent outwards. Her back flesh was pulled so tightly by hooks hanging from the ceiling, it almost looked like she had two sets of wings. Her organs were packed neatly together on the floor below her. Her head was never touched, in fact, she looked comfortably asleep amidst the carnage to the rest of her body. Luna hurled and ran to an open window and let her body vacate what was in her stomach. Sobs could be heard from Berath as he slowly and ever so carefully cut Summer Dream down from her prison of wire. ‘How many times have I separated your body from the wires of this neverending hell?’ Berath laid her body gently on top of her bed as he softly caressed her cheek. ‘By the moon! You are ever as beautiful as I remember. How did the flutter of love cross your heart for me? How could I ever be the one you chose? You left your throne in heaven and descended to the realm of mortals, only to be butchered by the hooves of God.’ He kissed her forehead softly as he began to gently place her innards back into their rightful place, and wrapped her in the bed sheets she lay upon. Princess Luna trotted over to Berath ‘May I?’ He nodded. Luna made sure her magic completely engulfed Summer Dreams’s body and left her chambers. On the way down the spiraling staircase, both Luna and Berath held their tongues. What was there to say? How could either of them try to even express their feelings, thoughts, or beliefs? They could only show their reverence for the dead with silence. Even if they were in a dream, they believed this to be the ultimate reparation the living could give the dead. Once they managed to reach the bottom of the staircase, Berath headed toward the King’s throne and gently clasped King Bow’s Head. ‘Please forgive me for what I am to do, My King.’ Sounds of bone cracking against metal sounded and bounced around the room's walls. Shortly after, Berath met back up with Princess Luna and they both headed out of the castle and onto the front lawn. There were only clouds underneath their hooves as they looked onward to the beaten and battered city of Weolcan. ‘This was my doing! I brought death upon these innocent ponies of the skies.’ ‘Berath’ Luna placed a wing over his back ‘You couldn't have known this was to happen. This is not your fault!’ He scoffed ‘Even if that were to be the case, I still find that I am their messenger of doom. Sent to bring about God’s wrath to their doorstep. How could a being claim to be a god? When all they do is destroy everything they have created? Kill off their creation as if they were mere cattle bound for the slaughter? That is not a God, but a demon hidden from view.’ Berath placed the king's head onto the cloud slowly as he helped Luna Lower Summer Dreams with his magic. Once she was placed gently onto the cloud as well. Berath placed her father's head between her front hooves and made her cradle his head. Growing numb from the sight before him, he set Summer Dreams’s body aflame alongside her father's head. ‘May these flames cleanse your bodies from the miasma of this demon that pretends to be a god.’ Luna softly nudged Berath ‘I feel that this dream is coming to a close. I Will always be here with you, In your heart. All you need do is ask and I will come as quickly as I can to your cry for help.’ Berath smiled softly ‘Thank you, Princess. I will keep this in mind, always.’ Luna smiled softly as she faded away with the dream. Berath slowly woke from his slumber. When he came to, he saw Amber smiling contently down at him. Berath smiled back but that smile dissipated when he started to realise that Amber was frozen. Berath gave a touch to Amber’s chin. It was cold to the touch. Berath’s mind went into overdrive mode. ‘AMBER!?!?’
Chapter 8: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IOnce Amber put Berath to sleep on his bed of hay, a green light engulfed the room they were in. The light was blinding to even look at let alone try to stare upward toward its source. Amber tried his hardest to keep his eyes closed as he blocked out the light with his body, trying not to wake Berath. A gentle tap on Amber’s shoulder helped Amber to open his eyes. The blinding light was no more. He looked around to find the source of the tapping and found the golden being hovering in front of him. ‘It’s you! What are you doing here?’ The gold shine began to fade away, it revealed a white unicorn underneath. ‘My little lamb, I have come to collect you. It seems as though my lord, Gilldahara wishes for you to join him in heaven.’ Shocked, Amber squinted his eyes a little ‘Sorthath? You are real?’ but before Sorthath could confirm that it was him Amber interjected ‘No! I do not wish to go and see this Gilldahara. I will not grant him his request!’ Amber had turned his body away from Sorthath but Sorthath did not take Amber’s objection and grabbed a shoulder of his. ‘What are you doing!?’ Amber cried out. Sorthath softly spoke as he started to lift Amber toward heaven ‘This is bigger than you, me, or even my brother Amber.’ Silence during the journey upward was suffocating for Amber. Millions of questions, accusations, and concerns swam inside his mind. He didn’t know how to articulate anything at all, it was like his mind was fading away from him. But there was one thing that shone brightly, that one thing was clear to him, his new friend Berath. Those images were the only thing that kept Amber’s mind at ease. For Amber, it was weird. His feelings for his friend were both endearing and fearful. Fearful of what Berath had done to him in their first few days of meeting but also endearing. Berath had shown Amber that he was capable of change. After all, Berath took charge of his destiny. Amber saw the good that could emanate from Beraths heart and soul, and when Berath saw that too he asked Amber to forgive him. Amber knew that Berath needed to have someone, anyone to believe that he had changed. But for Amber, he knew that Berath never needed to ask. He saw that Berath had always had that goodness inside him. He just needed acknowledgment from another to liberate him from the shackles that bonded him to his family. Amber smiled as he thought about Berath’s recovery. He saw a champion, a champion who would rise against all who tried to rule over the mortal realm. And that gave Amber the strength to push himself forward, no matter how dark things got when it swamped his waking mind. He could picture Berath’s smile, and everything would just be ok. ‘Why would the King of Heaven, wish to see me?’ Amber asked timidly. Sorthath hesitated ‘I-. I do not know the reasoning behind my Lord's desires. I dare say, it has put me on edge from his recent ambiguity. I find myself doubtful of his actions and behaviors.’ He sighed softly ‘Why am I telling you this? Of all of the ponies I speak my mind to, does it have to be you?’ Amber placed a hoof on his own chest and closed his eyes. ‘It could be because you do not have a soul to confide in. I can only assume how you feel.’ Sorthath shook his head as they reached two golden gates blocking the entrance to the holy realm of heaven. ‘We are here, just hang on a little more.’ Sorthath gently helped Amber down to the clouds as they landed. Sorthath leads Amber to a golden elevator in the middle of the space. In between the souls lining up, waiting to get passed the pearly gates. The souls gasp when the elevator descends from the clouds above them. Sorthath and Amber enter the confined space and ascend into the higher echelon of heaven. Silence reigned supreme once again between the two ponies as they traveled upwards toward Gilldahara’s chambers. ‘How could a commoner ever make me feel so, so content in telling them my inner thoughts?’ Sorthath asked in his head. Amber was peering outward from the side window of the elevator. He saw angles of all creatures enjoy themselves within their everlasting paradise. He smiled softly ‘I think, I finally have found my peace…’ Amber turned to wards Sorthath with a gentle smile ‘Sorthath, I don’t hate or blame you for anything that is to come.’ Sorthath was confused, yet another being was being cryptic ‘What are you talking about?’ The elevator stopped as Amber placed a hoof onto Sorthath’s chest, where his heart was ‘I think things are going to change for the both of us. Just keep in mind that you will always be wanted and welcomed, no matter where your soul goes.’ Amber exited the confined space of the elevator and headed deep within the misty room, but when Sorthath realized that he wanted Amber to stay, to talk with him more, to ask questions, or even just to be in the same space Amber took up. The elevator doors closed shut. Screams of confused longing started to emanate from behind the elevator doors. His voice could not travel passed the threshold of the elevator because they were muffled by its doors, and could not reach Amber's ears as he trotted deeper into the mist. Sorthath could only watch as Amber faded from his sight ‘I tried to convert you to the light to save your soul… I now realise that it was only for me to feel how Berath felt when he saw you. I also see that I wanted what Berath had as well. Now, you too, have fallen through my grasp. All I wish to have is stability for my eternal soul. Please come back, I do not wish to be alone anymore!’ Sorthath began to open his floodgates to his emotions but the built-up pressure destroyed anything that tried to stop the current, as he began to wail in the confined space that was the elevator. He would never be able to hear the three words that he desperately wanted to hear from another. He wanted “I Forgive You!” to come from the same lips that forgave his brother, but he knew that he would live for the rest of time and never get a single slice of peace for his soul, not like his brother. The poison of hate began to boil in Sorthaths chest, and it started to corrode his heart till it was nothing more than a blackened pebble of flint.
Chapter 9: How Can A Soul Crave Forgiveness When It Is Tainted By Envy? Part IIThe mist began to clear as Amber slowly saw a golden door appear from the surrounding clouds. Even in Amber’s clearer state of mind, the door unnerved him. He knew what lay beyond the portal of the door. Dare he open the door and cross its threshold? Gaze upon the being that ruled this realm, The King of Heaven, Gilldahara! Amber braced himself as he touched the golden door handle and swung it open. The room was quite small and there was only a maple table as well as a chair in the middle of the cramped space. Amber closed the door behind him and looked around the room. There was nothing else but himself, the table, and the chair. ‘Hello!?’ he said as he knocked on the table ‘King Gilldahara, Are you here?’ Amber sat down on the chair. Not long after, a strange being would slowly show itself to Amber. ‘My Child! You have come to my realm. I fear that your presence here brings horrid tidings.’ Amber had a hard time processing what space the being’s figure held. It looked bipedal but it also held green fur. Its head was that of a pony but it held no mane, nor did its body hold a tail. ‘Why do you say this?’ Amber asked sheepishly. The being that called itself Gilldahara kneeled and placed an appendage on Amber’s head. ‘My Child! I find that you must be kept away. Kept away from the light of my grace.’ Gilldahara paused for a monument ‘Tartarus needs a ruler and I find you suitable for that position.’ Amber recoiled away ‘W-. Why me? Why do I need to serve as the ruler of hell?’ Gilldahara sighed softly ‘My Child! I do not wish to send you to Tartarus as a demon or a monster. No, you will continue to be the soul I know you are and continue to be. It can only be you, my child. Your soul is fair and just.’ Amber continued to push himself away from Gilldahara ‘I can not in any mindset accept this proposal. The answer is no!’ Amber stood up definitely as he turned his back to Gildahara. ‘My Child! Why must you throw away this gift I bestow upon you?’ Gilldahara said calmly. Amber trotted up to Gilldahara, making them face to face ‘It is not a gift but a life sentence! Do you think I am observant just because you created me? I will not bend the knee to a king so desperate. You gave your creation will of their own making, and I will make sure mine is as ever affluent against you. Till there is nothing more but a boulder carved out by the erosion from it.’ But before Amber could continue his tirade against the King of Heaven, he was impaled by an obsidian sword. The culprit left the sword lodged in Amber’s body and trotted to the side of him. Amber looked over to his left and saw that Sorthath was the one who wounded him. Sorthath’s body had changed to pitch black. There were dark tusk-like horns protruding from his forehead. Sorthath looked at Amber with disgust on his face ‘You dare deny me my right to be forgiven? Then I shall deny you any form of serenity. You will join me in anguish!’ Gilldahara tried to interrupt Sorthath but was glared at by him ‘You dare have the audacity to speak to me, after all I have done for you? You ungrateful, pitifully disgusting thing I have to lay my eyes upon. I have served you faithfully since my birth and yet, you too, deny me my right to peace? Then I shall take what is left as mine. I will take Tartarus as my own kingdom and you can not stop me.’ Sorthath trotted over to Amber and whispered in his ear ‘You will stay with me in hell for all of eternity. Your body will be made of stone. Ever cold to the touch, but your soul is mine to use as I see fit. You will never see Berath as long as I still draw breath.’ Amber tried to push out the sword protruding from his chest, but Sorthath overpowered him and pushed the rest of the sword deeper into Amber’s back till all you could see was the hilt touching his back. The sword began to mistify and surround Amber’s neck. The mist began to soak into Amber’s flesh around his neck as it solidified into a collar. ‘You are now Mine, Amber! Struggle if you must. It will cause you more pain because the collar around your neck will continually dig deeper into your neck until it decapitates you, and once it does Amber! You will continue to be conscious as your head hits the floor. You will gasp for air, it will never come. You will wish for death, that too will never come.’ Sorthath let out a malicious bark of glee. Amber looked up to Gilldahara in shock ‘My Child! I can no longer help you.’ Amber’s shock turned to hatred as he slowly faded away with Sorthath. Once they reached Tartarus, Sorthath picked up Amber with his magic and flung him against a wall. A primal sound escaped Amber’s mouth before he struggled to gasp for air ‘I finally have the thing that my brother holds dear. His precious muse.’ Amber struggled to stand up ‘You are baiting him to cross blades are you not?’ Sorthath gestured in a mocking manner ‘Correct! My, my, You are quite quick to deduce situations. If only you served our court, I could have made you into a fantastic strategist. Honed on your predictions, your reactions, and your situational awareness of the topographical environments of each battleground. But, here you kneel, beneath me. Oh, how cocky you were with Gilldahara. So confident, yet you cower here under the mere sight of me. Do I scare you, Amber?’ Amber finally had the strength to stand up ‘No! You do not scare me Sorthath. Or should I say Great Demon of Hell: Apatheis! King of sorrow and Instigator of envy.’ He tried to sound unfazed by the appearance that Sorthath took up now, but that faded when Sorthath smiled widely. ‘My, my, such a strong speech from a small pony like yourself. Apatheis! Quite a name you have given me. I shall keep it. Thank you for giving me even more power over you, Amber.’ Sorthath began to trot over to Amber. Amber started to pant in fear from Sorthath encroaching further toward him. ‘I-. I am not afraid of you!’ Amber choked out. Sorthath chuckled ‘You could have fooled me. Let us see how long it takes Berath to come and get you from my hooves hmm?’ He held Amber’s chin upwards as he started to rip into Amber’s neck with his teeth.
Chapter 10: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part I‘Amber. Please tell me that you live still?’ Berath hesitantly placed a hoof onto Amber’s cheek. ‘Why is it that everyone I have ever loved or cared for, why are they punished for my contraventions? Who have I offended this time by merely drawing breath? I am ever so drained by these laws that are hidden from me… What more must you skin from my dying will? You have taken my life, my betrothed wife, my frail son, and now you take my only friend! You have transgressed against me for far too long! I will kill every last one of you who claim the title of God and Demon alike! Panthiazma, the goddess of the universe! You will watch me this day, for I vow to you what is left of my will, my testament, and my soul, to your celestial embrace!’ He cried out as he stared deep into Amber’s frozen eyes before he kissed Amber’s forehead. ‘Where are you, my friend?’ Slow gasps began to become audible for Berath as did an image. The image depicted Amber’s head hanging from the side of his neck. The neck looked like a bear had ravaged it. Torn pieces of flesh hung from the wound like party streamers that jiggled from what was attacking the rest of Amber’s body. Berath had to close his eyes from the sight of his friend being mauled by an animal that cared not for the carcass that it devoured. ‘I am so sorry Amber, I don’t know where you lay… Oh sweet morning dew, I feel so powerless, so small.’ He sobbed when he opened his eyes again. ‘Dee-per… Tar-tar-us.’ Rasped a faint voice in Beraths mind ‘Dig… Do-wn. Ple-as-e… Hel-p me.’ Berath nodded ‘I bid you strength, Amber. Defy the beast that consumes you!’ He stood up and as he did so, he extended a foreleg out in front of himself ‘Panthiazma, I beseech you. Grant me strength in my time of need… Grant me, Zestateth!’ A few moments pass and silence ‘Panthiazam, grant me Zestateth!’ Silence yet again ‘Give me Zestateth!’ Still nothing. Berath gritted his teeth as his blood began to boil. He felt hatred beyond anything previously known to him, yet it continued to fester inside his heart. ‘Panthiazma! I command thee, bestow thy sword Zestateth!’ Silence reigned supreme yet again. Berath’s teeth began to bear from the frustration of being ignored by the goddess. They gritted tightly against one another, linking together like a hinge that was holding the gates to a cage tightly closed. ‘Grraahh! Yet another being ignores my plea, and my command’ His wings increased in size as he continued to cry out in anger. His mind felt foreign, it felt like the animalistic side of him encroached over his waking mind. Foam began to form around his lips like a rabid dog. Berath hated everything his mind was conjuring up. It fueled the fire burning deep within his soul. It burned so fiercely that his body began to change. His fur changed its soft texture to that of molten stone. His mane and tail started to burn as if it became fire itself, and his wings turned transparent like glass. Lastly, a purple halo shone behind him. The halo looked as if it were to be the sun itself shining its radiance upon Beraths visage. Once the transformation was finished, Berath stood still. He breathed and held out his foreleg again ‘Panthiazma, Grant me Zestateth!’ This time, the goddess bestowed upon Berath the very blade he sort after. The blade itself looked warped as if there were no straight edges from the horizon it gave off from the black hole, trapped inside it. There was movement from the event horizon, it was a slight trick of the light but it was there. He looked upon the sword ‘The deed has been met.’ He sighed softly ‘I now serve yet another, far greater power than myself. I shall wield this against the monster that consumes Amber so.’ He turned the sword downward as he pointed the blade to the floor he was standing on ‘Delve!’ Berath slammed the sword to the floor and the ground surrounding him started to disintegrate ‘Through the depths of the ever-molten realm of Tartarus, I must fall! I am ever in haste Zestateh, make your way through the layers as if they were butter!’ His descent quickened as the sword made its way through the 264 floors of Tartarus. As he went down, a booming voice began to echo ‘My, my brother. You finally chose to save your precious Amber. Fantastic effort I must say. I will see you soon my dear, dear brother… Amber and I have a sight we would love to show you!’ and just like that, the voice dissipated. Concerned Berath commanded Zestateth to go faster ‘Faster! Devour the floors as if you were to swallow a celestial body!’ The sword made sure to abide by his command and expanded its radius further down. Shortly after, Berath’s hooves touched cold bedrock. Sorthath was standing in front of him with a wide smile ‘Welcome to my abode my dear brother. How was your trip?’ he let out a bark of laughter. Berath pointed Zestateth at his own flesh and blood ‘Do not assault me with idle chatter! Where is Amber, Sorthath?’ his patience was down to its last inch. ‘Oh, he is waiting in the other room. Come, he is hanging to see you again!’ yet again another bark of laughter emanated from the blackened figure as he lead Berath to his throne room. ‘See my dear brother. Amber is perfectly fine, only if he were to be whole’ He trotted away from Berath and proceeded to sit on his throne underneath Amber. Berath could only stare up at where Amber was hanging. It was the same as Summer Dream. Amber’s body was held in place by hooks that hung from the ceiling and floor of the room. The nightmares came flooding back from once they hid, deep within his mind. ‘It was you that did this to Summer Dream so long ago?’ he accused Sorthath. Sorthath nodded ‘Why yes it was me. Oh, the screams your dearly beloved sang, they were quite beautiful. I could see why you loved her. But, as they say, all of the good things need to die. Otherwise, how could you not miss them? Especially you brother! Your agony provides me with so much joy.’ His wide grin stung Beraths heart. ‘How can you be called my brother! All you do is create division and disdain. That will end here on this day.’ He could feel his longing for Summer Dream try to escape its confinement. ‘I have always suspected you as her Judge, jury, and executioner!’ His frustration was starting to cripple his mind ‘How, why… You have never been my brother, have you? The same with Froyen?’ He began to doubt everything he was remembering. Sorthath saw this happening ‘Oh yes. You were not of my blood nor my flesh. Did you think to be my equal? Bah! Such a peasant way of thinking!’ his smile faded as Berath pointed Zestateth directly toward Sorthath ‘Then I challenge you to a duel! Even if you are or are not from my blood, I still have this need to purge you from this realm of life. To gain any remaining peace I have left to my name.’ Sorthath snarled as he began to summon a two-tone blade from his magic. The blade was a light purple in colour and it glinted teal in the light. ‘I accept your challenge Berath! This will provide once and for all, that I am better with the sword!’ He lunged towards Berath with his own might.
Chapter 11: A God And A Demon Still Live! Part IIMetallic clangs could be heard throughout the throne room. Sorthath’s anger was getting to him because Berath was blocking every strike. The strikes were animalistic as Sorthath did not know how to control his blade, Zerathra. Zerathra was Zestateth’s sisterblade. She was the embodiment of life while Zestateth, well he was the embodiment of death. You would think how strange it was to hear that Zerathra, a blade made of life, was being wielded by Sorthath, the now self-proclaimed King of Tartarous. Well, it is not so strange after all. I wish to impart to you a little story of how the two swords of the cosmos came to Sorthath and Berath. This all began from their birth into Queen Froyen’s bloodline. When Sorthath was born, Queen Froyen called upon Gilldahara to witness his birth and bless him. Gilldahara descended from the heavens to Froyen’s side. He watched as Sorthath was born, he gave the foal the gift of grace. He foresaw Sorthath growing to be a kind and just king that conjoined the mortal realm with heaven. He was quite joyous of the stallion that Sorthath was to be in his destiny. ‘Queen Froyen, I bestow upon your coalt Sorthath, the blade of life her self Zerathra! I find it fitting that my mother, Panthiazma. Has chosen Sorthath as the champion of Life!’ Froyen was so pleased upon hearing that her firstborn was to be the rightful heir to her throne. So she did what any mother would do, she would nurture her champion of life to be the kindest king that ever graced the world. She would teach him all about the rules of being a kind and gracious pony, not to himself, but to his people and his family, and most of all to his creator, Gilldahara! Squelch! ‘How dare you impale me!’ A voice said as blood flowed from the embedded sword. It was stuck, not anywhere vital but it was still inside their body, just below their shoulder. ‘No, how dare you! How dare a god bestow a weapon so fabulous, so magisterial, to a slimy worm like you!? Yes, you were born to greatness, born to be the kindest King of all the realms… Here I am, born to be your shadow, your copy, your filth! Do you know what that pretender to the throne of Heaven gave me?’ The bleeding pony shook his head slowly ‘HE GAVE ME THE GIFT OF DISEASE! Gilldahara foresaw me becoming the visage that I gaze upon right this very second. He forsook and cast me to the depths of Hell. As he gave me Zestateth, I was forever forbidden from mother’s love, from having a brother to call upon in my time of need… From having a loving family to call my own, and from having a loyal friend that I could depend on. I took all of this gift and walked upon the earth seen as scum…’ Berath is quite right about his birth. When Berath was born, his mother was quite confused about how he was born. You see, Berath was not supposed to be a foal to take care of. Her doctors told her that she was incapable of having another foal after Sorthath. In fact, she thought Berath was to be her omen of doom. So she called upon Gilldahara for guidance, and for solace. Once Gilldahara came to Froyens side once more he was shocked to see a small bundle of faded lavender fur next to the queen. ‘Froyen, you have been gifted with another heir’ Froyen looked up at him with tears in her eyes ‘My Lord, I fear that this thing is a bad omen… Every time I look at it, I am filled with disgust and regret.’ The king of heaven sat next to her bed ‘He is no omen, Froyen! He is the final piece of this world's equilibrium.’ Gilldahara stood over Berath as he lay sleeping. It looked as if the foal's fate was in the palm of the king’s hand ‘Berath! You are the opposing force to your brother Sorthath. I shall take it upon myself to bestow upon you, the blade called, Zestateth! You will be the darkness from his morrow’s rising sunlight. You are his silt, the afterthought of everything clean and pure. You will be the plague itself. Your soul is destined to rule over Tartarous!’ Schunk! Berath felt Zerathra glide deep into his stomach. His rage began to fill his eyes as he stared dead into Sorthath’s. ‘You must be joking, I have lived true to my title and heir to mother’s bloodline. I am pure, just, graceful, and humble.’ Said the brother covered in obsidian dust. Berath grabbed Sorthath’s hoof holding the now-embedded sword with his free hoof and forced Sorthath against his will to dig deeper with the blade ‘Do you honestly think I am jesting?’ Sorthath nodded, his nodding stopped once Berath let his teeth bear and form a smile ‘My dear, dear brother! Everything you claim has been from the sweat of my brow. All of your accomplishments are naught, for I was the one scribing in stone your feats by the blood of those that wished you harm… You claim to be pure, yet you would have me adulterate the walls of the castle, with the wails of those you had me mutilated. They were innocent subjects you deemed, unworthy of your so-called grace… The things I have done, will not grant me restful sleep for they plague my dreams, nor will they ever leave my mind and grant me peace because my soul is nothing more than, silt. To corrode and fester upon this earth.’ A sigh escaped Berath’s pent-up anger ‘You were right on one thing. I do not have a brother. After all, how can you call scum family?’ Screams emanated from Sorthath as Berath made sure to grip tightly on Zestateth with his magic. He ever so slowly twisted the blade to be horizontal, and forced it to cut across Sorthaths neck. Splitting his neck and windpipe open. Sorthath was gasping for air and scared he was going to die, Berath leaned in close to his ear ‘You, will, stay here in this place of agony you claimed as your kingdom. To the end of time. Goodbye Sorthath, you will be forgotten!’ Sorthaths vision began to fade as his soul faded into the open air and it made his body grow limp. It was enough to allow Berath to push his hooves off Zerathra. Berath managed to painfully pull the blade out of his stomach, and gaze at her splendor. ‘I Have beaten your champion. I claim you as mine.’ he wheezed out. Zerathra emanates a blue glow, letting Berath know that he can now wield her. Without hesitation, he placed Zerathra against Zestateth. The blades melded together and started to expand their size ‘With the great sword of the cosmos, I shall have the power to kill a god. Gilldahara, I will watch the life drain from your eyes. This I swear.’ Berath opened a portal to the pearly gates with the newly combined sword. He stepped through its thresh hold.
Chapter 12: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part ILooking back towards the realm of hell, Bearth sighed softly as he gazed through the closing portal one last time ‘I will come back to collect you, my dear friend. Please bear with me, as I find that this may take some time to attain your soul back from the tether, that Gilldahara has on your soul!’ He turned his head back towards the pearly gates, and a glint of ambition shone in his eye. He was going to kill the god of creation, Gilldahara. Berath felt longing for closure, his soul yearned for it, but the powers that be would never allow him to have it. He trotted up to the gates placed a hoof upon it and pushed against it. To his surprise, the gates opened with ease, as if they were expecting him to approach them. With caution, he looked around the surrounding area ‘Strange, why is there no soul abound?’ The courtyard where souls would line up for entrance into Heaven were nowhere to be seen. After scanning the empty void that now exists, he turned his head towards the staircase leading into heaven. Ever on his guard, Berath started to ascend the staircase. As he climbed, his mind was delving deeper into the suppressed portion of his memories. He never thought that he would want to remember anything of his past with Queen Froyen, but here we are, he remembered sitting in front of a moonlit pond. He remembered that it was summer, and the breeze was warm as it brushed against his snout. It made him sneeze from the pollen in the air. Once he recovered from it, he felt a soft form of fabric being held up to his nose. He grabbed it, it smelt of lavender. He remembered that his mother wore that perfume, but it was only when she was able to spend quality time with him. After blowing his nose into the hankie, he felt a soft, well-maintained hoof touch his cheek ever so gently. ‘Berath, I know I have been really hard on you lately. I truly am sorry for the lack of affection I give to you. I, just… I just don’t know how to express my love to you. Ever since you were a foal, I have never had proper feelings of love for you. How do I say this, I do love you, but it is a trained type of love I have for you. I do see your hard work and dedication for both me and your brother, but I am afraid that I can not stand your face any longer. Tomorrow I will have you moved to the gallows below, there I would have my executioner to train you in the art of torture. I find that you will strive well, in that field.’ Tears fell from Berath’s muzzle as he stopped midway up the staircase ‘Mother, I was the tender age of nine when you ripped me from your embrace. Only to be put to use as some filthy mule, only to be given carrots for behaving well, and rotten apples when you could not get the outcome you deeply desired from me.’ His body collapsed from the loss of blood that was flowing out of his wound. ‘I was nothing more than afterbirth in your eyes. I saw it Mother, I saw it in your eyes, that flaming ire you dearly held for me… Even now, you mock me, disown me, curse, and jeer at me. You wish me dead, wish that I am replaced by Sorthath, but you will never get to have that. Oh, no. You will never find peace wherever your soul resides Mother! DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I WILL NEVER LET YOU HAVE YOUR PEACE! YOU WILL LINGER ON IN NEVER YEILDING PAIN AND SUFFERING FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME!’ He screamed. His body felt as if it were on fire from the hate that fueled it, but he still held it in his belly. ‘You disgrace the ground you walk upon my child!’ Gilldahara scolded ‘This is the realm of Heaven, you will not take another step from your filthy, vile feet!’ Gilldahara slowly descended down to Berath. As he did so, the staircase slowly made itself flat. ‘Berath, you are not destined to be here, nor are you allowed to step foot in my realm!’ Berath smiled widely ‘I will finally be rid of myself from the last shackle of the trinity that fetters my hooves to this earth. Gilldahara, I challenge you!’ He forced himself up from the cold and now bloodied steps. His blood pooled a little on the steps and was flowing down each step like a seeping splash of water, finding its way down from the force of gravity. Seeing this, Berath decided to splash his hoof in the small puddle gently. He lifted up his hoof and began to smear it against the blade, marking it as his. ‘Panthiazma, I give my blood to you and to your sword of the cosmos. Watch me ever closer as I finally get my revenge on your son, the King of Heaven, Gilldahara.’ The blade began to expand itself to a titanic size. His wound was slowly knitting itself together as he began to grow in size as well. ‘You have forced my hand, my child! I have never wished this against you, but I must say this. You were always destined to be evil, to be my counter to your brother Sorthath. I am deeply saddened and heartbroken that you would turn on me like this… I see you have separated your soul from those of this world. Such a shame, I had high hopes for you but you have become delusional. I must put you down, like that rabbit beast that you have become, Berath.’ Geilldahara extended his arm from his side and began to summon a green portal. He shoved his hand deep within the green ring’s thresh hold, and pulled out a silver sword. ‘Me? A delusional, rabid beast? Do you not mistake me as your projection? You, the King of Heaven, are the rabid beast!’ Berath pointed his hoof toward Gilldahara as he stared dead into god’s eyes. Gilldahara chuckled ‘I accept your challenge Berath! You will be put in your place!’ The bells in the realm of heaven tolled their tune, signifying Berath’s final battle. Their chime began to make Gilldahara grow slowly at first, but then his growth sped up exponentially until his body was the size of a planet. ‘Zorathra, Grant me your power!’ Berath cried out. His body began to glow a bright blue. His wings grew thicker and more dense. His body grew to match his wings. His horn grew longer and thinner. His sigil behind him changed from the embodiment of the sun to that of the crystal-clear moon. And the final piece of his transformation was a crown forming on his head. It was the cleanest crystal that anyone had ever seen. It amplified the shine from the moon’s glow in the form of rainbows sprawling out from it, as it trapped the light in the crystal… He picked up Zorathra slowly with his magic, but as he did so the blade slowly changed its form from steel to that of a titanic-sharpened crystal blade. ‘Ye be graced, by the evident glow of the true ruler of Heaven. The Crystal King!’
Chapter 13: A Delusional God Still Roams Freely. Part IIGilldahara looked down at Berath’s new form with disgust. ‘The Crystal King does not exist. It was a mear tale. You are only the pretender in your family’s bloodline, and yes, their blood fills your veins, even now. You claim that you are rid of them, yet, your hands have been submerged in their blood. Oh, and that little friend of yours. You have corroded their spirit to follow in your example. Are you not aggrieved, Berath?’ Berath chuckled ‘I do concede with you that my family's blood has been spilled by my own hooves, and I know how much this festers in your heart, Gilldahara. I do love the way that black heart of yours secretes that tar substance. When I stab it true with my actions as of late, there is supposed to be blood, but with you, it shows all, that you are no longer the gracious god you claim to be. How can your own creation be able to have the capacity? The audacity? The gull? To attack the creator so? Well, I can tell you that it was quite easy!’ With his hate boiling and his will to finish his final trial, Berath took flight. Gilldahara scowled at hearing Berath’s true thoughts. ‘You were my child. A being worthy of praise and devotion from those your family conquered. Though you are right, my heart does sting from your exertion, Berath. To think, I cradled you in my arms, as if I were to be your guardian angel watching over you… To even think that you would become this beast. A beast worthy of nothing more than scorn from me is quite sad. I will stop your reign of terror, ONCE AND FOR ALL!’ He growled as he threw balls of energy the size of meteors downwind. Berath readied his crystal blade for the incoming balls of molten slag falling from the sky above him. The sky was torn asunder from the meteor shower, its hue began to change from a crystal blue to that of the setting sun. To Berath, it resembled a lake of fire slowly spewing forth chunks of discarded earth. Once he met the boulder with the crystal blade, it began to slice through the violent energy and flung the now two separate pieces away from him. ‘Yes, please, accuse me of which you fail to see for yourself. Object me with your projection as if I were to be your clone. You claim me to be the very thing you see in the mirror. Oh, Gilldahara, my god of prayer and fortune, may I be forgiven in your eyes! For I am ever charged with the crime of sin, a sin that I have begun to smear everything with, making it fester, making it congeal, making it pierce right through your heart. Tis a sin that can only be met in kind with death… Please, accept my gift for atonement, my lord!’ He threw up a wet fabric bag in front of him and hit it with the flat side of the sword, catapulting it towards Gilldahara. Gilldahara caught it. ‘There is no such gift that will atone your soul Berath!’ Once he opened it, the once commanding tone of the King of Heaven sunk to a desperate cry. ‘Oh, my child. What has he done to you my son? BERATH, YOU BEAST! FIRST YOU MOCK AND JEER AT ME, AND THEN YOU DESTROY ANY LASTING BOND WE TRULY HAD. I WILL SMITE THEE DOWN WITH MY VENGEFUL JUSTICE!’ He screamed at the top of his lungs. It sent shock waves outward and throughout Heaven. Berath shielded himself against the concussive waves with the blade, as he cut through them with ease as he closed the gap between him and Gilldahara's heart. Berath impaled his heart as Gilldahara looked away from Sorthath's severed head. ‘What!? No! This can not be, how can one such as you best the King of Heaven?’ Berath chuckled ‘With one that has such hubris as you, it was quite easy. All I need do, is distract you with the one thing you held so dear. After all, you made me the being of despair. You and Sorthath should have never shown your true intentions. For it showed me that he was your muse. Your ever-evolving sculpture that did not have a will of its own.’ He began to run upwards from the impact point on god’s chest as he pulled the sword with him. ‘Now DIE!’ Bearth screamed all the while cutting Gilldahara in two. The two halves of Gilldahara’s body began to separate as a violent torrent of green energy began to rush toward the open air. ‘Now, only be a painful memory I no longer have to revisit, you cur!’ Berath closed his wings and let gravity pull him back down toward the floor of Heaven. As he closed his eyes while he fell. Berath felt a painful strike hit his chest, breaking his ribs. Letting out a pained groan, he opened his eyes. What he was seeing, was a bipedal being forcing their fist deep into his chest. ‘What? I killed you!’ Gilldahara smiled warmly, almost as if a mother were to smile down to their child. ‘Berath, You can never kill me. You only cut the outer shell that held my soul safe, Though I am quite disappointed in you my son. You have forced my hand this day.’ Berath looked at god confused ‘Son? What do you mean?’ the fist still delved deeper into his chest, searching for something. He screamed out in pain as the hand found its mark. Berath’s heart. ‘Yes, Berath! You are flesh and blood from my very being. You see, your mother was so desperate to have an heir, that she sought far and wide for a stallion to breed her. Only to find in her dismay, that she could never bear a child. Her womb was never able to become fertile. Out of her sorrow, she had all of the stallions she ever laid with executed… There was a reason why she was feared by the masses she controlled. She was a ruthless ruler, Berath. She had an overwhelming thirst for blood that caused her empire to fall, but before all of that could come to pass. A being glowing with aethereal might, graced her doorstep. He blessed her with eternal youth, with a drive to better her people, and her kingdom. To even have the capability to bear children. Would you like to know who this being was Berath? I can gather you already know.’ Gilldahara crushed Berath's heart with his bare hands. He leaned in, only to whisper into Berath’s ear ‘It was me, Berath. I am the very being that gave your mother two children. Sorthath and you. Now then, I want you to say what I am, vocally. What does this make me, Berath?’ Berath cried out from the pain of his heart being crushed and from the revelation Gilldahara presented to him. ‘That would make you my father.’ His body shook from the cold breath of death creeping deep into his cooling body. ‘Correct, my son… Do not fret, you can never die whilst I am alive! Neither can your brother, Berath. No, as long as I live, you will never die but you will forever feel the pain I am to inflict upon your body and soul. You do not get the glory of death, for you are to be taught a most invaluable lesson.’ Gilldahara used Berath’s body as a landing cushion. The weight of Gilldahara and the force of the impact shattered every bone in his body. It felt numb, but It was hard to define what it was. Was it his body? His mind? His soul? Berath could not put his hoof on it but he definitely knew it was something. His mind weighed heavy on the revelation that Gilldahara, the King of Heaven. Was his birth father. How could this be? Could Gilldahara be distracting him from his primary mission in retribution? He didn’t know. All he could do was look up at his father with accusatory eyes. ‘Comfortable? Good! Now that I have your attention, I shall impart what truly happened to your dearly beloved, Summer Dream. The night she died, can you remember anything of that night? Was it that you managed to wake from a waking nightmare? Or was it by chance that it was you who murdered the entire kingdom of Weolcan?’ Berath’s eyes grew from fright. ‘No, I could never have done such a thing to King Bow or to the sky horses!’ Gilldahara chuckled softly ‘Oh but that is what you did. After all, I made you do it. I made sure that you did it effectively and methodically.’ ‘No, I reject this. I didn’t do it, I was with… With’ Berath had a hard time trying to picture where he was or who he was with, on the night of the genocide of the Pegasus pony race. ‘You were with your Summer Dream as you gutted her, mutilated her body. She screamed out in horror as she watched her husband devour her soul.’ Gilldahara began to pull at Berath’s lower torso, slowly ripping it free from his body. ‘No, please, oh Sweet god. No! It wasn’t me I swear, it was Sorthath, he told me he did. That he did the pillaging of her body’ Berath shook his head carelessly. ‘Oh, Sorthath was indeed there. Though he was only the witness to your crimes against every living thing. You live up to your name quite well, my son. You are the very disease I have cultivated to spread across the land, to form life anew. You see, I am not fond of the creations that I have created thus far. There is always the issue of free will. I wish to eradicate it from my creations. You are my means to this end, Berath.’ ‘No, I must not be this tool of destruction, you seek. I must end your reign of terror, I must.’ Berath softly spoke but it was dominated by Gilldahara’s commanding tone. ‘You will be the very tool I seek, Berath. Even if it means I will have to shatter your disgusting soul, piece by rotting piece.’ Gilldahara picked up the broken body of Berath by his neck. Berath’s mind was panicking as the air was cut off from his lungs. Shortly after he felt two hands hold open his maw. This new strange sensation was pulled away from him as overloading pain began to shoot through his mouth and head. Gilldahara was pulling Berath’s jaw apart from one another. Screams rang out from Berath’s horse voice. The sounds of muscle and skin being torn slowly began to replace his screams. Gilldahara smiled warmly at Berath’s now severed head. His eyes were bloodshot from the pain he was enduring and began to silence the waking world. The veil of pitch-black nothingness slowly took hold over his sight. He felt ever colder in this black void that his mind now resided in. It felt as if he were falling through the clouds of the world, rushing wind hitting his ears as he fell ever deeper into the void. He could no longer bear the thought of being alive and in pain, he only wished for death to come and snatch his soul away and disperse it into the cosmos. His Inhibition, will, testament, drive and longing for a day of peace were leaving his body. He saw them as clouds of vapor were pealing away from his body, from the air rushing passed him. That was until a voice softly caressed his ears. ‘This is not your fate my beloved.’ His eyes shot open and looked around the void, in search of the voice's location. ‘Summer Dream?’ He spat out hoarsely. ‘I am here my king.’ Berath began to let go of his pent-up anger, it was easy for him to hear the soft and lifting voice of his wife's tone. ‘My love, I have failed you. I have failed you and our son this day. Please, don’t sally your spirit with my degenerating presence.’ Berath began to feel a soft yet warm embrace fill his cooling cheeks. ‘My love, you are never a sight I do not cherish. I will always be here to aid you.’ Berath softly whimpered ‘How can you aid a monster such as I? I mutilated your sacred temple. The very temple that housed your immortal soul. How can you, a goddess, gaze upon my diseased soul with eyes so pure?’ He was cut off with what felt like a kiss. The kiss felt as if it were honey falling to his tastebuds on his tongue. He knew what this feeling meant. He remembered it from all of those nights ago. Whenever he was frustrated at the thought of horrid things happening to the kingdom in the sky, his most cherished place among all of the mortal realm. His soon-to-be betrothed wife would set his mind at ease with a small kiss on her lips. Summer Dream was the only one to ever help Berath make the right choice, or steer him in the right direction from her guiding hoof. She was the very vessel that would aid the ever-damned soul of Bearth. She was the glowing shine of the moon that directed the blade of disease to its fated destination. ‘My love, you are worthy of goodness and peace. Your fate is not set in stone. You have yet to give up on your retribution. Yes, your body did kill me but your soul was locked far away from Gilldahara’s magic. I do not blame you for my death. I do not forgive you for there is nothing to forgive, I do not blame you for there is no blame to place. You still strive to be ever faithful to me, Berath. It is time to be faithful to yourself. I will guide you as I have done for this countless millenia… Break your chains of this blood lust, and set yourself free from this chapter that binds your soul.’ Berath began to feel his body again but he also felt something new. He felt another body hugging him tightly as if they were to be lying with them. ‘Berath, I will always be with you. I shall stay with you always.’ Berath smiled softly as he felt his beloved Summer Dream tether her soul with his. ‘My guiding light, please guide me to where I need to be. I will give all of my strength to your devoting soul’ The void began to slowly fade away to a crystal light shining brightly. His mind started to calm down as he felt his body knitting together from his wounds sustained by Gilldahara. ‘Now, where shall be the first target of my new design? Hmm, I suspect Equeen!’ Gilldahara turned back to Berath's desecrated corpse, but it was no longer lying on the floor discarded. ‘What is the meaning of the heresy?’ Gilldahara shouted. ‘Poweres unknown to thee.’ Berath stood defiant in front of Gilldahara. ‘Ye have little gain from this venture you set forth upon.’ He slammed his crystal sword onto the cobbled floor. ‘How? How can this be? Who has spared your soul? SUMMER DREAM!’ Gelldahara screamed. ‘You dare speak her name from vile fangs, secreting rotten blood from the holes in rotten teeth! I shall put down this mongrel dog!’ he began to scowl down at Gilldahara. ‘You think to be the true ruler of Heaven, Berath?’ Geilldahara spoke maliciously. Berath’s crown of crystal shone ever brighter as he began to gather his inner peace. ‘I do, Gilldahara! Your claim has been revoked by the right of the cosmos. Now, what say you? Do you have the strength to finish this, your highness?’ Berath bowed and kept his sword at the ready. Gilldahara gritted his teeth ‘You arrogant fool. I will smite thee down!’ He lunged towards Berath. Gilldahara swung his arms wildly at Berath, his hands were gripped like claws. His nails were spitting out acid from every swing of his arm. Berath swung his sword, and the concussive blade that emanated from the sword blew Gilldahara and the acid back from the force. His own acid began to eat away at Gilldahara's flesh once it made contact with his skin. ‘Reah! How can this be? I am God! No being has ever been able to beat me.’ Gilldahara’s body began to melt away, it began to show a dark red. His head had two small horns protruding from his forehead. His legs began to show goated fur and hooves with a thin tail stretching from his lower back. ‘No, I am goodness. I am ever glowing justice. How dare this demon project onto me their beastly features.’ Gilldahara claimed. ‘Gilldahara! That is thy true self. You mark everything as a beast, yet here you stand. Grotesque, misshapen, and abandoned by the grace of light. I condemn you to death!’ Berath flew straight toward Gilldahara. His blade pointed in front of him as he aimed for Gilldahara’s heart yet again. ‘No! I will never accept this lie you have given forth Berath!’ Gilldahara launched himself toward Berath, and his anger began to spill forth around him. It took the shape of a fire that grew around the battlefield. ‘I will kill you BERATH! I AM THE TRUE KING HERE!’ His movements stopped suddenly as he saw Berath’s crystal blade dig itself deep into Gilldahara’s chest. ‘How? I am the King of Heaven, No being ever has been able to best me in combat. I was promised this realm and everything in it by the goddess of the universe. Mother, why have you forsaken me?’ Gilldahara’s body began to lose its strength from his soul leaving it’s body ‘How can a being so crude be the true ruler of Heaven? I was your master, your will of hatred. I am your GOD!’ Berath leaned down to whisper in Gilldahara’s ear ‘Gilldahara I have rejected you, I have freed myself from your personal sin. You will die knowing that I, Berath The Crystal King. Have finally found my peace.’ Gilldahara’s eyes began to glaze over and faded to a dull white. ‘I have won my freedom and the freedom of my son, Azure Night! Goodbye Gilldahara.’ Berath pulled his sword from the cavity that had been opened in his chest. Gilldahara’s body fell with a thud as it started to disperse into ash. The bells in Heaven began to chime a low tone, it signified the death of the once proud King of Heaven. Shortly after an earthquake could be felt as the realm began to quiver noting that the vault to the dark recesses of Heaven was opening. Berath flew towards the epicenter of the shaking. Once he made it there, the shaking slowly dissipated to a standstill. He waited to see if anything would make an appearance from the dark void. Something did indeed penetrate the darkness. It was a dark blue alicorn. ‘Azure Night!’ Berath screamed as he rushed over to the recovering colt. Berath held his son in his arms as he cried from the freedom, that he and his son Azure Night finally deserved.
Chapter 14: Was It Truly Mythos?A lavender alicorn was scribbling on a blackboard with chalk. ‘The End! Well, it is because there are pages missing from the book here.’ She said as she placed the book down on her desk. ‘Now- Yes Midnight Moon?’ A midnight black bat pony held her hoof up in the air waiting to ask a question. ‘Oh, um, Miss Twilight. Is that the end of the story? Is there nothing else? Cause I wanted to know what happened to that Amber pony.’ Twilight shook her head ‘Sadly no. The last few pages look like they were crudely ripped from the binding.’ The classroom was filled with groans but shortly cut from the school bell tolling. ‘Now, Class. I want you all to write a four hundred-page essay, don’t be wary, you will have a couple of years to do it. We will also commence your summer breaks for the breakdown of the story.’ The class groaned louder from the immense homework that the Princess of Friendship tasked them with. But before Twilight could interject a calmer voice took residence in the room ‘There will be no such essay, my little ponies. Twilight here is quite eccentric when it comes to academic study. Now go have fun, it’s your summer break after all.’ The foals began to cheer as they ran out of the class. They passed Princess Celestia like bottle rockets. All she could see was an amalgamation of colours that flew passed her. Celestia chuckled to herself as she watched them run by. Twilight was fussing with her hooves as she awaited Celestia to scold her, but there was nothing but calm gentleness from her mentor. ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle, I see that you have managed to find my secret portion of the library.’ Twilight nodded ‘I did Princess Celestia. I saw that the stone door was a jar, so I helped myself in. It was quite immense in scale. Say, why don’t we ever show those books to the foals here?’ ‘Please come, walk with me.’ Celestia invited Twilight. She nodded and met up with Celestia at the classroom entrance. Celestia used her horn to bring the journal over to her from Twilight's desk. ‘You see Twilight. There is a reason for the secrecy. See this book, you may think it is a work of fiction, but it is quite real.’ Twilight gasped softly ‘Does that mean, you really are descendants?’ Celestia nodded ‘Quite, in fact, I wish to show you something. I think you are going to love it. And before you ask, the last few pages were indeed ripped from the book. I did it. I took those pages and placed them over the fire in my fireplace. That kind of information was quite dangerous, especially if it were to fall in the wrong hooves.’ They continued to follow the main path in the school, toward the fountain at the center of the campus. ‘Princess, I have so many more questions. For one, did Amber ever get free from his prison?’ Twilight asked as she sat next to her mentor. ‘Wait twilight. You will get your answer shortly… It’s ok, you can come out of the shadows.’ Celestia cooed. Twilight looked at her mentor with confusion but Celestia slowly moved Twilight's cheek towards the fountain… A lavender unicorn and an Amber unicorn began to slowly make themselves known to the two Princesses. ‘They are real!?’ Twilight exclaimed. Her outburst caused Amber to cower behind Berath. ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you. I am sorry.’ Twilight lowered her voice. ‘It is quite all right. I am glad to see, yet another is able to see both Amber and I’ Berath bowed to Twilight. ‘This is Amber Zepher. He is quite a durable soul, yet he is quite kind of heart.’ Amber slowly and cautiously waved toward Twilight. ‘It’s, it’s nice to meet you… May I ask your name?’ Twilight smiled ‘I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. It is nice to meet you, Amber. I hope I didn't scare you too much.’ Amber shook his head as he began to trot closer to Twilight. ‘Berath, is she also an Alicorn you speak of?’ Berath nodded. ‘Wow, they look so, so graceful.’ Twilight looked at Berath with inquisitive eyes. ‘Ah, so you read Amber’s journal? How did you find it?’ He sat with Amber on the tiled floor. ‘Yes, I did. If I may ask. Um, What happened in the last few pages?’ Berath and Amber looked at each other and then toward Celestia. Celestia nodded ‘Well, Do you have the time for us to tell you, Princess?’ Twilight nodded. ‘Very well then. After I bested Gilldahara and found my long-lost son Azure Night. I traveled back to the realm of tartarous. I had one last trial left. It was to save Amber’s soul from his tormentation. The sight I saw. Well, it will never leave my mind… I did indeed cut his soul free from the hooks that feted him to the lair of my dishonored brother, Sorthath. Amber’s soul was free, and I had gained my dear friend back. Without Amber, Summer Dream, and Princess Luna. I would not be here this day, conversing with you. I owe all of my merits to these ponies who have pushed me through the darkest night and helped me find the morrow's brightest dawn.’ Twilight gasped softly ‘Oh, my. You both have gone through quite the jiffy?’ Berath chuckled. ‘Yes, we have been tested, time and again. Yet we stand here this day taller than ever. It has taken quite a toll on Amber and I but we have managed to pull each other through thick and thin… It has been a long Thousand years since then. I have created and reigned the Crystal Empire for millennia. Even now, as I draw breath. The crystal ponies have been my greatest accomplishment. After all, it is the least I can do for the sins I have committed during my life as Gilldahara’s slave… I still miss the sky horses of old, they were quite the ally for me. I am extremely proud that they have come back to this world. Thank you ever so much for that.’ Berath bowed as he stood up ‘Please excuse me, I am being called forth to the celestial body of Panthiazma.’ Celestia and Twilight bowed back in kind. ‘Please come back. I wish to talk more with you’ Twilight smiled. Amber stood up next to Berath as they faded from the mortal realm. Author's Note Hello there. I finally have managed to get some of the ideas out of my head for this story. I know there are a few issues here and there in the story. I will properly edit this story, though I don't know when. Thank you for taking the time to read this shotty thing. I do appreciate it.
Chapter 15: Panthiazma Has Plans For Berath! (Alt Ending)Whispers slowly encircled Berath’s mind as he stood in a glassed room. The walls glinted with crystalized radiance as they held off the searing heat and blinding golden glow of the sun at bay. The ceiling too, had the same proud shine as it held the airless vacuum of space at bay. The floor however felt as if it were to be made from cobbled stone. As he looked around the floor, he saw the grey stone intercepted by an orange line. It was strange to gaze upon, for he had only known an obsidian floor that was marked with a single line crossing passed his hooves in a diagonal fashion. He kept his eyes on the orange line as it slowly curved to form a colossal circle that made sure to keep him in its circumference. He had a notion to look down at his hooves, he obliged this strange notion and looked down. He saw he was standing on what looked like an orange full-stop in the middle of the room. ‘What be the meaning of this?’ Said a confused unicorn. ‘Have I taken a must less traveled path?’ He exclaimed. ‘No!’ Said a voice not known to his ears. The objection scattered the whispering from the unicorn's mind. Who could have done such a thing as this? The whispering was indeed new to Berath but he had only just become accustomed to them. The weight also felt lighter in his chest. His body started to feel alien to his mind. ‘Amber, do you feel strange too?’ he asked, yet silence met him in kind. He looked down at the left-hand side of his body. Amber was not standing next to him as he did before the bright flash of light engulfed Berath's body. ‘Amber!? AMBER!?’ Screamed Berath. ‘Please, he is safe and his soul is secured!’ Said the calming voice ‘He will never need to bear the brunt of fear or sadness ever again Berath!’ Confused and beginning to be infuriated by the vague statements, his voice took up residence again. ‘Who’s voice do you bear? Why must you talk in a cloudy tone?’ He demanded. ‘Do you not recognise my voice, Berath?’ Proclaimed the calming voice. Berath shook his head ‘I do not, no!’ Silence remained after his confirmation, yet, he felt stranger still. The feeling for him, was as if he were to be floating into the upper atmosphere on the planet her was born to… Shortly after, a mist began to appear. The mist was almost transparent. It was really hard for his eyes to see, let alone glare at the water vapor. That did not stop the mist to materialise and take the form of a glowing auburn pony. Her coat glinted like the shores of mercury, ever brushing its waters against the sands along the shoreline. Her mane and tale flowed softly and gently as if they were the Milky Way spinning in place. The dark purple outlines kept the strawberry pinks and the lemon yellows with her hair. Berath was held in place by the pony's radiance. He was in awe, an awe that no other eyes could withhold in their cornea. ‘My, what a lovely’ is all he could sputter out. ‘Always one for the flowery language, Berath.’ She giggled softly. ‘I am the very being you sworn your allegiance to all those years ago.’ Berath tried his hardest to conjure up that last millenia, yet, he could not bring forth such an action. ‘I am Panthiazma, Berath!’ She declared. ‘Goddess of the cosmos?’ His mind finally pulled that locked memory ‘By the Moon, I am graced by her celestial body.’ He bowed. Panthiazma trotted closer to Berath. Her eyes met his as he returned from his angled posture. He noticed that her amethyst eyes withheld a deep sorrow. ‘Oh my stars, how can eyes so magisterial, hold such sorrow?’ he pleeded. ‘I have need of your swords man ship Berath. And yet, I fear that it may not be enough.’ She sighed. ‘That is why I am going to be calling upon your sworn oath… From this day forth, You will serve me as my champion of the cosmos!’ Bells chimed a deep bearing ring, to signify Panthiazma’s decree. Berath rose up ‘But Godess, I. I have to look after Amber now and, well, I think I am incapable of serving you, even now.’ He choked out. She began to lift Berath up by the scruff of his neck ‘Berath, I know how you feel. I can sense your hesitation, yet, as I said prior. Amber’s soul is safe. For, it resides in me.’ She placed a hoof on her chest and one on his ‘There is no need to fret about things that you no longer need to worry about.’ She pulled out a thin string of light from both her chest and his ‘I know you will be able to succeed where I have yet to fight. I know this must feel as if the spool of string the fates have made for you stretch and pull on your heart. Just know that when I tie my spool to yours, you will no longer have a need for the fates to spin your destiny.’ She began to tie her string to his ‘You will have managed to break your cycle in the world of old, and start your new cycle in worlds near, far, and distant.’ He lifted his head to meet her eyes one more time ‘Please. Before you finalise the knot... Please show me Amber’s soul is safe within your celestial body?’ He asked. She nodded in kind as she placed a hoof slowly back onto her chest. The area where her hoof resided began to glow. She removed it slowly and what replaced the glow was a smiling face. The face was familiar, its smile filled Berath’s heart with liquid gold. He smiled back at the face, a tear rolling down his cheek. ‘Thank you, Goddess. I will serve you, I will serve you to the end of time. You have my final vow to you.’ He gleefully confirmed. She nodded and finished tying the knot to the tether that conjoined their souls together. ‘Thank you, Berath.’ She smiled softly as she let breath stand on her forearm. ‘There is no time to waste, you must make haste! I shall send you to a world that is in dire need of your help.’ She flung him into a sky-blue portal. Shocked at the shift in the pacing of the events now taking place. He found himself falling. Author's Note This is a pretty cool story, check em out. :P This Alt ending does meld in with this story https://www.fimfiction.net/story/516967/a-change-of-heart-lunas-gaze I am going to be co-writing chapters with this person. Berath finds that he is in a strange world and does not know how to deal with that situation.
