Tether Of The Soul

The 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!?!?’