Tether Of The Soul

‘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.