The Six Sidesby JDeck306Chapters1: Into the Play Zone2: Running Out of Time3: Lost to the Fire4: Growth1: Into the Play Zone[Vantas] The leaves rustled outside the windows of Light's bedroom... The sound of crickets and frogs muffled by wooden walls as the skylight above showed swaying branches and leaves, including the stars and the coming moon. They had been resting for some time at most, their hooves crossed over one another as their chin lifted from their forearms. Their eyes traveling from their floor to their saddlebags and supplies from various trips... It had been awhile since they had managed to be in their own hometown, not to mention their own bedroom. And now, they had woken up from their long rest- stirred by the bustling Fauna tapping the glass. It was tapping in small intervals, like that of a beat of music. Three beats then a small pause. It repeated twice, three times, and lost its rhythm at about the fifth time it hit-- and in that same moment; the light from the moon was dead center of the skylight... Yet as the beautiful rays shined down through the glass, something felt off- and Healthy Light slid from their bed to investigate. The Kirin would approach the light and stand dead center, lifting their chin up to the sky as they'd see the bramble surrounding the edges of the circular roof-- the moon full and unwavering as it seemed to have stopped in that perfect moment; a silence reaching their ears as the crickets and frogs had gone completely still. Instincts suddenly roared, their gut feeling like it hit the pit of their insides as the moon had begun to shift unnaturally in their vision. The Kirin's body freezing in place as the moon transformed, the Celestial body's edges shifting to that of a square... The moon- had turned into a dice?! Light continued to shine- as if the moon was still there when the dice fell, that object not leaving their sight as it grew smaller and smaller till it crashed through the glass of the skylight; the tiny object falling past their face and onto the floor as it clattered. The Kirin couldn't move for the glass would be in their way- their vision to the floor as an individual was seen in their peripheral view. A stallion stood in the darkness outside of the faded spotlight, pink saturated hues pouring deep into the Kirin's soul as a laugh sounded. Cloven hooves tapping against wood as he gotten clearer to see. "So much to protect, so much... to lose. Yet oh so doubtful of yourself." A smile stretches on the stranger's face, before a fluttering piece of paper slid forward from the grey stallion's back and in front of the Kirin. The stranger's voice seeming to echo in the bedroom as he walked around the edge of the skylight's shine; as well as the shattered glass. "You keep so much within you, like the knowledge of dearest comrades- to the monster you hesitate to let loose. Honestly- it must be exhausting hmm? So how about I give you a chance to grow?" "Play a game with me; and relax your troubled mind~" Standing under the shattered window, with pale Moonlight flowing into the room, and shards of glass scattered all around them, preventing them from taking but a single step, Light uttered not a word. They knew not whence this figure had come, for the door was closed and they had heard no hoofsteps. Could it be they had stepped out of the shadows themselves, to stand before them, and to mock them? Trying to find a weapon, their eyes darted across the room only to look back at the smiling figure, who was holding their armour and weaponry, before they tossed everything aside, out of their reach. Then, their eyes fell once again upon the small, black, dice, which laid amidst the glass shards of the broken window. They slowly reached for it, trying not touch the glass, but still they got hurt. As they held the dice, which was now stained ever so slightly red with their blood, dripping out of their wound, they looked at the figure with fiery fury in their eyes, and asked why they were here. The stallion spoke not, only pointing to the ground before them, where laid a piece of paper, which held instructions to their game. Light turned to the smiling figure, looking at them questioningly. As the stallion elegantly and effortlessly moved around Light, perfectly evading every single shard of glass, a terrible feeling grew within their mind, as the realisation of the situation kicked in. As if the figure was made of shadows, as soon as they left the Moon's light, they vanished, nowhere to be seen, until Light heard their voice, whispering in their ear, but Light did not turn to look. Closing their eyes and sighing deeply, Light asked the figure what it was they wanted from them, to which they said, to their surprise, they only wished to play a game, that will end up helping them. They only had to roll this very dice, that was now stained a darker red, and play their game. Then, at the end, perhaps, they would end up stronger, or perhaps, they would not. But it was up to them. With a heavy heart, Light rolled the dice, and when they opened their eyes, they looked upon... The black, blood-stained dice landed in front of Light, amidst the shards of glass. Then, the three pips on its face started to glow with a bright, pink hue, and Light rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Looking at the piece of paper, which had fallen to the ground, with their clean, unhurt hoof, Light slowly and cautiously looked at what game had been chosen, until their eyes fell upon but one word: Sorrow... As if the figure had been hoping for this result, they cheered with a quiet, yet noticeably excited voice. Their whisper vanished from Light's ear before stepping out of the shadows in front of them. Tending to their hurt hoof, Light asked the figure what was going to happen now, to which they only smiled. With a single flick of their hoof, the figure washed away all the shards surrounding Light. Glad to be able to move again, Light nodded to the figure, and walked to their bed, secretly hoping all of this was but a mere dream. But when they sat down, they felt a great weight upon their mind. Finally, the figure introduced themselves, telling them their name was Lucas Vantas. But when Light rolled the dice, they became a player in their game, and from now on, to Light, they were the Host. Struggling to stay upright, Light asked the Host what their game was, if its subject was Sorrow, or any of the other results from the scores they could have achieved. But the Host only laughed aloud. Then, the Host stepped out of the light, and into the shadows once again, yet their laugh only grew louder, greater, and darker... Then, a strange feeling washed over Light and their mind felt heavy. They knew not whether their eyes were shut, and they had begun to dream, or if their room truly was darkening, and changing into something else, when they heard the voice of the Host from their mind: "This will be quite a sight, so I tell you this, Healthy Light: You have but to find your own dice, or you will pay a terrible price. Learn, fight, and grow, or from the Play Zone, you may never go." Before everything went dark, the Host spoke one last time: "Let the games begin..." The voice of the Host faded as Light felt themselves sink away. Then, a deafening silence fell upon them, as they found themselves alone in the dark, and they did not know what was happening to them. They knew not where they were, nor how they got here. But as the rhyme the Host spoke from the dark echoed in their mind, they slowly began to understand what they meant and whither they were headed. Far away in the distance, a faint light appeared, and began to grow towards them. Still, they could not see their hoof in front of their face, even as the light grew bright enough to hurt their eyes. It washed over them, and they knew not what had happened. But as the light slowly faded, they found they could see, hear, and feel again, when they saw many overhanging branches with rustling leaves. A slight breeze blew through the trees as they arose, rubbing their eyes after blinking a couple of times, and they were relieved to find they had awoken, and that meeting 'the Host' was but a dream. Though, as Light looked around, they did not find themselves in their room, but in a small clearing in the woods. They laughed, sighing as they shook their head, for they had fallen asleep elsewhere. But as they got up and stretched, and they looked around trying to find their way to their village, they found they had lost their voice, and reached for their bag next to them for the healing tonic. Then, as they searched through their bag, finding many supplies, tools, and provisions, their heart began beating faster, but they calmed their breath and calmly looked on. Then, their heart stopped. From one of the pockets in their bag they found a small note written in an ancient tongue, yet they understood it perfectly. "It can not be", Light thought to themselves, as they knew whence it came. Tears began welling in their eyes, when they turned around to find their weaponry, untarnished, and ready for battle. They knew where they were, and when they were, and what had happened on this day. They packed up and ran off. Perhaps, they could make it in time... 2: Running Out of TimeThe area was quiet. A gentle breeze blew through the treetops while countless critters of all kinds hopped around without a care in the world. There was no danger anywhere around them, so why worry? None would ever think the peace could be broken, until a lone, heavily armed and armoured, sky-blue Kirin swiftly raced past, not taking one single moment to catch their breath or to calm themselves. Cursing themselves for their hasty ignorance and the Host for dragging them into this twisted game, Light dashed past ancient trees, which they knew would stand little chance of survival after today. Too long had it been since they had last been at home, but knowing they had a chance to fix things, no matter how slim, they put aside their heart's desires as they made their way through the forest. Running at great speed through the woods they had protected for so many years, they knew every part like the back of their hoof. With their mind focused on one goal, they hoped they were fast enough. Their hooves pounded against the ground, their breaths were heavy, and their heart beat ever faster as tears began forming in their eyes, while they made their way whither they hoped to never return. They quickened their pace, and though they knew they were close to reaching their limit, still they pressed on, without stopping, nor using any magic, save for eating some berries from their satchel. The forest grew denser, and they struggled to make their way through, until they decided they would stop at nothing to reach them. Pausing for one second, the forest was burnt when they turned Nirik. Eventually, the sound of metal on metal reached their ears, followed shortly after by bloodcurdling screams, and cries of anguish. They slowed down, as their painful memories returned, in full force. They had hoped this day would never come. Now, on this day, for the second time in their life, they knew not if they could make it. But as they knew what occurred, they could not let it happen again. If they made it, they could save everyone. They had to... Poking their head through the brush, cloaked in flames, they stood upon the precipice, looking down at a field, one they remembered too well, and the only thing Light could see was utter devastation. The attack had come without warning, and not from whence they expected. If their enemy had attacked from the front, instead of the flank, they would have repelled them, as they had done often before. Now, friend and foe alike laid scattered all across the field, lying face down in dark, red puddles staining the grass and dirt. Out of everyone who stood valiantly, now, only few were left standing. Though the loss was great, they remembered it was far greater. Had it not been for their swiftness, they would not have arrived in time to help, only arriving to an empty field, and a decimated army. They looked away, unable to bear the sight of the two-sided massacre. But Light knew they could not stand idly by, while so much destruction happened in front of them, so they ran towards the fields. When their allies heard the sounds of their galloping hooves, they turned around, wearing a look of relief, and frustration, upon their faces when they noticed Light, for none expected their arrival. When they reached the field, Light joined the defence, and held back the enemy. They would not gain a hoof of distance to their village. But even with their experience, they could not defend forever. Too well they knew what the end result would be, so they gestured to the youngest remaining Scouts, ordering them to fall back and to call for aid, while more of their fellow Rangers arrived to help. Eventually, the enemy fell back to regroup, giving them a moment of peace. Light doused their fire, and grabbed healing supplies from their satchel, treating the wounded next to their fellow Rangers. Relief arrived, and Light helped move the most gravely injured, when they heard rallying cries, far away. While the Scouts fell back with the many wounded, Light and the Rangers concealed themselves. With some luck, they could buy them enough time... Far in the distance, the last of the Scouts made their way through the dense forest, until they had vanished from sight, far enough ahead in familiar territory to be safe from the oncoming onslaught. Hiding behind trees and in the tall grass, Light and their fellow Rangers waited, motionless, until they saw the attacking army appear over the ridge. Silence fell as the army made their way forward. Spread out over a large area, the Rangers could see every part of the field, but they waited before they attacked. When the army stood in the centre of the field, they drew back their bows and fired. Instantly, many were slain, as they desperately tried to find whence the arrows came. Some of their archers started to shoot, but they, too, quickly fell, at the hooves of the stealthy Kirin Rangers. But then, one of the arrows found its mark, striking a Ranger in a tree, falling next to Light, who put down their bow to help their friend. Gently holding their hoof, Light whistled to call for aid. Two Rangers appeared by their side to guard them and to help Spring Blossom, who was badly injured. The army was relentless, firing more arrows, as they charged the Kirins, hitting many more Rangers. Seeing their fallen comrades, Kirins they had known for so long, hurt once again, Light tried their best to stay calm, and to help as many as they could. But they knew, many would not make the night. At that moment, an armoured stallion appeared charging through the field, wielding a warhammer, and Light grabbed their sword to block his attack. But the stallion kept swinging, over and over again. Then, their sword horizontally over their head, there was one strike too many, and the blade broke. The shards of the blade, now but a mere dagger, flew all over. But now, it was shorter and quicker. Light moved quickly, charging headfirst into the stallion, who toppled, and harshly hit the ground. After throwing away his warhammer, they raised their broken blade, and prepared to strike him down. Then, they heard the sound of a short, weak whimper, calling out from behind them... Turning around, Light saw Blossom, weary and crying, stretching out her hoof towards Light, wearing an expression that gripped their heart. Looking back at the stallion, Light let go of their dagger. As the dagger landed in the ground, its blade barely visible, Light doused their flames, turning to a Kirin before the eyes of the stallion they fought a moment ago, and sat down, to comfort Blossom. Laying her head on their lap and holding her hoof, Light smiled and tried to hold back their tears. But Blossom's grip weakened, her smile brightened and her tears flowed, and their facade shattered. Pulling in their friend for one final embrace, Light cried, in utter silence, as they tried to ease the passing of one they had known for a long time. Then, Blossom sighed deeply, and stopped moving. Still, Light did not let go of their friend. Even as more arrows flew by, the stallion rose, but to their relief, he did not attack. Light looked up, saw the stallion, with his warhammer, who nodded. With a tear-stained face, Light nodded back, before they closed her eyes, and carefully removed the arrow, allowing her to rest in peace, while the stallion put his hoof on his chest and walked away. They were not able to save her, but at least they were with her, in her last moments. The remaining Rangers tried their best to treat the injured, but instead, this often resulted in injury for them. Slowly but surely, as the Rangers' numbers thinned, so did the advancing army, until eventually, no more than a hoofful of fighters were left, on either side. Some injured, others entirely uninjured. Wiping away their tears, and gently laying down the resting body of Blossom, Light slowly walked to the field. Past their broken sword and its shards, they put down their bow and lifted their hooves. Joined by more of their Rangers, the sight of the Kirins confused the army, who had only known them as shadowy, fiery beings. But still, some felt threatened and attacked, and an arrow flew to Light. They prepared for their end, had it not been for an unexpected saviour... First, there was the sound of an arrow, hitting a target. Then, when Light felt nothing, they dared to open their eyes, finding the Stallion standing before them with his warhammer and shield raised. For a brief moment, Light grew concerned he was hit, slain by his allies for daring to defend their opponent. But the Stallion looked at them, then towards Blossom's body in the distance, and nodded. He talked with his allies in a tongue unknown to the Kirin, but the Stallion calmly stepped forward to speak. As he lowered his arms, Light saw the arrows which hit and pierced the stallion's shield. Looking around at their fellow Rangers, Light saw no dry eyes nor a single unstained face. Too many had fallen on both sides, and those who remained could not find the strength to perform their duty. Opposing the Kirin Rangers were but a hoofful of Ponies. Shaking in their armour and trying to hide their tears, Light could tell, a great number had seen too many winters, yet more had seen too few. Thinking of this day when they first lived it, Light remembered there were fewer survivors, and the fields were scorched. Could it be they had managed to change this moment, by being slightly faster? Then, the Stallion turned around, to gaze between the many fallen Kirin, at the edge of the forest, and the slain Ponies in the field where they stood. Looking at Light, he then laid down his weapon. In turn, Light, and many of the Rangers, lowered their hooves, and dropped their weapons. A silence fell upon the area, calming the hearts and minds of those who were left, to lay the fallen to rest. When Light reached Blossom, now resting peacefully with her hooves on her chest, holding her sword, in the distance, Light saw a couple of Scouts approaching, and nodded, wearing a bittersweet smile. The Scouts got scared, seeing the enemy this close, but Light gestured to Blossom, and many injured and fallen who all needed aid. Light hoped that this peace would last, at least for a little while. When another group approached, they knew it would not. 3: Lost to the FireIn the distance, Light saw another group of armoured Ponies march hither, and they feared for their fellow Rangers, and their village. They hoped the result would be different, but it never could be. Walking into the field, past their shattered sword, sticking out of the ground, they put down their satchel, and removed their armour. Though they were ill-equipped now, they prepared to oppose them. As they knew this would be the last time they would see her, Light looked at Blossom, with tears in their eyes, and a bittersweet smile on their face, and they nodded to the Scouts, bearing her away. They sat down in the field, lowered their head, and closed their eyes, listening to the approaching army. As the group got close, their hoofsteps faded, until Light heard no more, yet they moved not. A voice called out to them, though they knew not what it said to them. But still, they lifted their head, opened their eyes, and smiled to the heavily armoured enemies, their face stained with tears. Both looked around the field, but while Light saw no more Kirin Rangers at the edges of the forest, the army saw their allies, moving away the fallen, and many wept uncontrollably at what had passed. Though Light spoke not, and they did not know what the soldiers of the army said, eventually, using gestures, they managed to convince the soldiers to lower their arms, and to listen to their allies. The few remaining soldiers of the groups who came before walked towards the army, heartbroken, yet, calm as well. So much pain and suffering for far too many brave souls, for a purpose they knew not. Then, the Stallion, whose life they saved, and who saved their life, appeared, and sat down besides them in solidarity. Looking around at his fallen allies, his facade shattered and he wept silently. In turn, Light cried quietly as well, and gently laid their hoof on his shoulder. Later, after they learned from their allies what had passed, many laid down their arms, and began to help the fallen. But there were still those who did not accept this... Through their tears, Light saw a hoofful of furious soldiers running through the crowd, charging at them with their weapons drawn. Instantly, they leapt up, mere moments before the first strike fell. Their allies were nowhere near, their blade was shattered, and they had no armour. Standing unarmed and alone, Light looked around for any weapon, to no avail. Only their agility would save them now. Fearing for their life, and those of others, they had no other choice but to turn Nirik. Instantly, when Light turned to a being of shadow and flame, the soldiers halted, before attacking once again. They were relentless. Even though their form struck terror into their hearts, they gave Light not a single moment of rest, as they attempted to drive away the vile demon, which had taken their place. Though Light now held great power as their Nirik self, still, they were careful. Too well they knew what happened on this field so long ago, and they would do everything in their power to prevent it. They knew not how long they could keep this up, but as time dragged on, Light felt they were losing control of themselves, and they looked for a way to finish this battle, peacefully, albeit quickly. To their relief, though the merciless group before them had many allies, none dared to lift a hoof. The Stallion they sat next to in solidarity held them all back, though he grew concerned for Light. By the worried expression on his face, Light could tell, but as both they, and the attacking group, were slowing down, Light hoped to end this without bloodshed. But then, they tripped and fell down. As fires started all around, Light crawled away, hoping to reach the village to warn them, but when they were struck on their back, they knew they would not make it, and they cried through the flame. For a moment, seeing their terrified and vulnerable expression on an enemy's face, the soldiers did not move. But then, they raised their weapons to strike Light down, and they feared the coming end. When they heard heavy galloping to their side, they dared not look... First, there was a mighty clash, echoing around the fields. Then, a split second later, Light heard the spine-tingling sound of breaking bones and pained screaming, though not from a voice they knew. When they opened their eyes, they saw the Stallion, standing over them, blocking an attack from his former allies. Looking around, another laid to the side, with great dents in his armour and helmet. The Stallion stepped forward, and Light doused their flames, picked up a fallen blade, and arose to his side. However, they did not harm, for the battle was over, and they would not spill more blood. With the Stallion's help, they stopped these few attackers by knocking them down or disarming them, forcing them to surrender. But it was only a matter of time; one move, and the Stallion was struck. The blade cut deep, and he fell over. Luckily, Light managed to disarm the last attackers, and took the Stallion's hoof, and tried to stop the bleeding. But it was too late, and he breathed his last. They awoke, goodness knows how many hours later, surrounded by a few of their fellow Kirin Rangers, all breathing a sigh of relief. When Light got up, they had no memory of what had happened to them. But when they looked around, seeing grey ash falling from the sky around them, and not another soul nearby, their heart ached. It could not have happened. It must not have happened! Did it really...? Crawling through the ash-covered field in a panic, eventually they found a scorched sword, and they knew it was the same one they wielded as they stood by the Stallion's side. But where was his body? They rose to their hooves and looked around, but all they could see was more devastation. Blackened trees in the forest burnt, there was not a single shrub in sight, and Light saw no Ponies anywhere. As tears formed in their eyes, Light turned around to the Rangers, shaking their head in disbelief. But in tears, the Rangers gave them pained nods, confirming their fears. After all they had done... Now, only the Kirin knew of the Fields of the Forgotten Folk... All their memories came flooding back. Emerging from the forest all these years ago, only to find a charred forest, and the field burning, Light ran to find help, but it was of no use. None survived. A fierce battle had been fought, and many lives were lost, but only the lucky few Rangers, who were brought back to heal, could give their account. But even they knew not what happened to the forest. No fire could match the heat of a Nirik's flames, but only by the will of the Kirin underneath, who still controlled the feral beast they would become, would their fire touch or damage anything else. But this utter annihilation, of such a great area, with Light as the only survivor, yet unconscious in the field, could mean only one thing, though none could say it, nor did they wish to believe it. They fell to their knees, and sitting motionless in the field, coughing up ash and dust, many tears formed in their eyes, as they looked at their shaking hooves. They couldn't possibly... Could they? From behind them, they heard approaching hoofsteps, moving through the scorched area, though Light, unable to believe what had come to pass, did not turn around, until a Ranger gave them new weapons. For a moment, they stared at the sword and bow, weapons they had used to guard the realm for a long time, until they turned around. Looking at the destroyed forests and field, Light shook their head. They would do their sworn duty, to defend the borders, but without bloodshed. Far too much had been spilled, of both friend and foe alike, and they swore never to let anything like this happen again. Slowly reaching out a hoof to the broken Kirin, the Ranger helped Light to their hooves, placed one arm over their shoulder, and helped them return to the village, which was now safe because of them. At the edge of the forest, Light saw their shattered sword, and asked the Rangers to wait a moment. In the centre of the empty field, they planted their dagger in the ground, so they wouldn't forget. Then, covered by ash, they found what they had to look for... 4: GrowthSlowly limping through the field after planting their dagger, just before they reached the Rangers, they felt something underneath their hoof. Neither metal nor wood, they grabbed it, and cleaned it. Looking at the black, blood-stained dice they rolled to start this 'game', Light carefully sat down next to their planted dagger in the charred field, and stared at the dice, while the Rangers froze. This small, magic artefact, stained with their own blood, had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It seemed they were near the end of the game they were thrust into. But they could not see their Host. All of this pain and suffering, their failure to protect those whom they had sworn to defend, their memory of this event had haunted them for a very long time. Now, they were at the centre of it all. Still, they said not a single word, for they had not returned to their true selves yet. But even if they could, they knew not what to say. Their heart felt heavy, and their mind was greatly burdened. They prepared to crush the dice, to finally be able to leave this vile and twisted game. But at the last moment, they looked towards the village, whither they were headed, then, back to their dagger. Gritting their teeth in pain as they got up, Light breathed heavily. Every breath hurt their chest, every step pained their broken leg. But they grabbed their broken sword, and headed to the village. They held the dice as they slowly walked to the Rangers, but they found they would not move. Waving before their eyes, shaking their shoulders, nothing worked, so Light had to make the journey alone. Many hours later, a great distance from the Fields of the Forgotten Folk, they found their village, and headed to the infirmary, where many fellow Rangers laid, frozen and unmoving, but not yet dead. Making their way beyond the village, to the burial grounds, Light cried in pain, but they needed to see her. Resting peacefully among many fallen Rangers, Light sank to the floor upon seeing Blossom. They could not save her, but at least they were with her in her last moments... They had spent many years, wondering what would have been different, had they been quicker. Knowing now that it mattered not, and that the horrible loss of life was destined to happen, it broke them. Grieving next to Blossom's body, Light did not know how long they sat there, with the blood-stained dice in one hoof, and their broken sword in the other. A while later, they rose and wandered about. The losses were great, and their pain felt terrible. But not a single villager was harmed, and they had defeated the enemy, without further loss of life. Not even the Scouts got so much as a scratch. Forgetting the physical pain they felt over their broken body, it was replaced by a sharp, unending pain in their chest, whenever Light gazed upon the countless burial mounds for every fallen Ranger. The sole point of light in this dark hour was that none of them bore any visible wounds, their eyes were closed, and they all appeared to be resting. But Light would not find any rest for themselves. Eventually, their strength began to fade. Their mind and heart were burdened, their body ached with every step and breath they took, and they knew not what good this twisted 'game' had done for them. Slowly but surely, Light made their way back towards Blossom's burial mound, and took a seat before it, where they put down the dice, and struck it with their dagger with all their leftover strength. The black, blood-stained dice shattered when their dagger struck it, and everything turned dark. As a shadowy mass surrounded them, Light tried, and failed, to reach out to Blossom, one final time... Once again, they found themselves stuck in a void of utter darkness, and they knew not whether they moved or not. Then, a growing light appeared in the distance, growing large enough to swallow them. Opening their eyes into the dark, Light found themselves in their room, their body healed yet their heart still aching. It was a terrible dream, and perhaps they should head out for a walk outside... That is, until they saw the blood-stained dice in the pale moonlight... Their heart skipped a beat, and Light rubbed their eyes, hoping they were being deceived, but to no avail. As they slowly rolled out of their bed, they felt their whole body begin to quiver, in fear. But when they picked up the dice, something felt different. No more did the dice feel burdened with magic, as they found comfort in its place instead, however painful it may have felt in their chest. They fell to their knees, sinking to the floor, as their eyes welled up with tears. They remembered everything they had gone through, all these years ago, all of which, they hoped to never see again. But though their tears were many, and their breaths were heavy, a small, yet bittersweet smile grew upon their face, as they held the bloodied dice to their chest, for they knew they remembered more. Their heart felt heavy, and wounded, yet warmed and whole, when they remembered those they had lost on that fateful day. Spring Blossom, with her in her last moments, and the Stallion who saved them. At that moment, a familiar feeling flowed over Light, and they rose to stand under the light of the Moon. They saw the window was broken when they rose, yet they did not turn around to face the Host. As they heard the hooves of the Host tapping on the floor, Light knew they were no longer alone. As they dried their tears and breathed deeply, they turned to face Vantas, who quietly applauded them. So much they had experienced, living through pain, the likes of which many knew not, yet they stood here, before their Host, and Light smiled, proudly, despite not knowing whether or not they passed. Their confidence brought great intrigue to Vantas, yet he spoke not, instead looking at the armour, which he had tossed away earlier, expecting them to take up arms against him. But they only sighed. Looking back at the dice, and the three blood-stained pips on its face, their smile brightened, and their tears flowed faster. Light put down the dice and nodded to Vantas, who smiled and nodded too. Their Host vanished as he stepped into the shadows, and Light sat down on their bed. While they had no idea who he was, or whence he came, Vantas, their Host, had granted them an opportunity to grow. An opportunity they would not let go to waste.
1: Into the Play Zone[Vantas] The leaves rustled outside the windows of Light's bedroom... The sound of crickets and frogs muffled by wooden walls as the skylight above showed swaying branches and leaves, including the stars and the coming moon. They had been resting for some time at most, their hooves crossed over one another as their chin lifted from their forearms. Their eyes traveling from their floor to their saddlebags and supplies from various trips... It had been awhile since they had managed to be in their own hometown, not to mention their own bedroom. And now, they had woken up from their long rest- stirred by the bustling Fauna tapping the glass. It was tapping in small intervals, like that of a beat of music. Three beats then a small pause. It repeated twice, three times, and lost its rhythm at about the fifth time it hit-- and in that same moment; the light from the moon was dead center of the skylight... Yet as the beautiful rays shined down through the glass, something felt off- and Healthy Light slid from their bed to investigate. The Kirin would approach the light and stand dead center, lifting their chin up to the sky as they'd see the bramble surrounding the edges of the circular roof-- the moon full and unwavering as it seemed to have stopped in that perfect moment; a silence reaching their ears as the crickets and frogs had gone completely still. Instincts suddenly roared, their gut feeling like it hit the pit of their insides as the moon had begun to shift unnaturally in their vision. The Kirin's body freezing in place as the moon transformed, the Celestial body's edges shifting to that of a square... The moon- had turned into a dice?! Light continued to shine- as if the moon was still there when the dice fell, that object not leaving their sight as it grew smaller and smaller till it crashed through the glass of the skylight; the tiny object falling past their face and onto the floor as it clattered. The Kirin couldn't move for the glass would be in their way- their vision to the floor as an individual was seen in their peripheral view. A stallion stood in the darkness outside of the faded spotlight, pink saturated hues pouring deep into the Kirin's soul as a laugh sounded. Cloven hooves tapping against wood as he gotten clearer to see. "So much to protect, so much... to lose. Yet oh so doubtful of yourself." A smile stretches on the stranger's face, before a fluttering piece of paper slid forward from the grey stallion's back and in front of the Kirin. The stranger's voice seeming to echo in the bedroom as he walked around the edge of the skylight's shine; as well as the shattered glass. "You keep so much within you, like the knowledge of dearest comrades- to the monster you hesitate to let loose. Honestly- it must be exhausting hmm? So how about I give you a chance to grow?" "Play a game with me; and relax your troubled mind~" Standing under the shattered window, with pale Moonlight flowing into the room, and shards of glass scattered all around them, preventing them from taking but a single step, Light uttered not a word. They knew not whence this figure had come, for the door was closed and they had heard no hoofsteps. Could it be they had stepped out of the shadows themselves, to stand before them, and to mock them? Trying to find a weapon, their eyes darted across the room only to look back at the smiling figure, who was holding their armour and weaponry, before they tossed everything aside, out of their reach. Then, their eyes fell once again upon the small, black, dice, which laid amidst the glass shards of the broken window. They slowly reached for it, trying not touch the glass, but still they got hurt. As they held the dice, which was now stained ever so slightly red with their blood, dripping out of their wound, they looked at the figure with fiery fury in their eyes, and asked why they were here. The stallion spoke not, only pointing to the ground before them, where laid a piece of paper, which held instructions to their game. Light turned to the smiling figure, looking at them questioningly. As the stallion elegantly and effortlessly moved around Light, perfectly evading every single shard of glass, a terrible feeling grew within their mind, as the realisation of the situation kicked in. As if the figure was made of shadows, as soon as they left the Moon's light, they vanished, nowhere to be seen, until Light heard their voice, whispering in their ear, but Light did not turn to look. Closing their eyes and sighing deeply, Light asked the figure what it was they wanted from them, to which they said, to their surprise, they only wished to play a game, that will end up helping them. They only had to roll this very dice, that was now stained a darker red, and play their game. Then, at the end, perhaps, they would end up stronger, or perhaps, they would not. But it was up to them. With a heavy heart, Light rolled the dice, and when they opened their eyes, they looked upon... The black, blood-stained dice landed in front of Light, amidst the shards of glass. Then, the three pips on its face started to glow with a bright, pink hue, and Light rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Looking at the piece of paper, which had fallen to the ground, with their clean, unhurt hoof, Light slowly and cautiously looked at what game had been chosen, until their eyes fell upon but one word: Sorrow... As if the figure had been hoping for this result, they cheered with a quiet, yet noticeably excited voice. Their whisper vanished from Light's ear before stepping out of the shadows in front of them. Tending to their hurt hoof, Light asked the figure what was going to happen now, to which they only smiled. With a single flick of their hoof, the figure washed away all the shards surrounding Light. Glad to be able to move again, Light nodded to the figure, and walked to their bed, secretly hoping all of this was but a mere dream. But when they sat down, they felt a great weight upon their mind. Finally, the figure introduced themselves, telling them their name was Lucas Vantas. But when Light rolled the dice, they became a player in their game, and from now on, to Light, they were the Host. Struggling to stay upright, Light asked the Host what their game was, if its subject was Sorrow, or any of the other results from the scores they could have achieved. But the Host only laughed aloud. Then, the Host stepped out of the light, and into the shadows once again, yet their laugh only grew louder, greater, and darker... Then, a strange feeling washed over Light and their mind felt heavy. They knew not whether their eyes were shut, and they had begun to dream, or if their room truly was darkening, and changing into something else, when they heard the voice of the Host from their mind: "This will be quite a sight, so I tell you this, Healthy Light: You have but to find your own dice, or you will pay a terrible price. Learn, fight, and grow, or from the Play Zone, you may never go." Before everything went dark, the Host spoke one last time: "Let the games begin..." The voice of the Host faded as Light felt themselves sink away. Then, a deafening silence fell upon them, as they found themselves alone in the dark, and they did not know what was happening to them. They knew not where they were, nor how they got here. But as the rhyme the Host spoke from the dark echoed in their mind, they slowly began to understand what they meant and whither they were headed. Far away in the distance, a faint light appeared, and began to grow towards them. Still, they could not see their hoof in front of their face, even as the light grew bright enough to hurt their eyes. It washed over them, and they knew not what had happened. But as the light slowly faded, they found they could see, hear, and feel again, when they saw many overhanging branches with rustling leaves. A slight breeze blew through the trees as they arose, rubbing their eyes after blinking a couple of times, and they were relieved to find they had awoken, and that meeting 'the Host' was but a dream. Though, as Light looked around, they did not find themselves in their room, but in a small clearing in the woods. They laughed, sighing as they shook their head, for they had fallen asleep elsewhere. But as they got up and stretched, and they looked around trying to find their way to their village, they found they had lost their voice, and reached for their bag next to them for the healing tonic. Then, as they searched through their bag, finding many supplies, tools, and provisions, their heart began beating faster, but they calmed their breath and calmly looked on. Then, their heart stopped. From one of the pockets in their bag they found a small note written in an ancient tongue, yet they understood it perfectly. "It can not be", Light thought to themselves, as they knew whence it came. Tears began welling in their eyes, when they turned around to find their weaponry, untarnished, and ready for battle. They knew where they were, and when they were, and what had happened on this day. They packed up and ran off. Perhaps, they could make it in time...
2: Running Out of TimeThe area was quiet. A gentle breeze blew through the treetops while countless critters of all kinds hopped around without a care in the world. There was no danger anywhere around them, so why worry? None would ever think the peace could be broken, until a lone, heavily armed and armoured, sky-blue Kirin swiftly raced past, not taking one single moment to catch their breath or to calm themselves. Cursing themselves for their hasty ignorance and the Host for dragging them into this twisted game, Light dashed past ancient trees, which they knew would stand little chance of survival after today. Too long had it been since they had last been at home, but knowing they had a chance to fix things, no matter how slim, they put aside their heart's desires as they made their way through the forest. Running at great speed through the woods they had protected for so many years, they knew every part like the back of their hoof. With their mind focused on one goal, they hoped they were fast enough. Their hooves pounded against the ground, their breaths were heavy, and their heart beat ever faster as tears began forming in their eyes, while they made their way whither they hoped to never return. They quickened their pace, and though they knew they were close to reaching their limit, still they pressed on, without stopping, nor using any magic, save for eating some berries from their satchel. The forest grew denser, and they struggled to make their way through, until they decided they would stop at nothing to reach them. Pausing for one second, the forest was burnt when they turned Nirik. Eventually, the sound of metal on metal reached their ears, followed shortly after by bloodcurdling screams, and cries of anguish. They slowed down, as their painful memories returned, in full force. They had hoped this day would never come. Now, on this day, for the second time in their life, they knew not if they could make it. But as they knew what occurred, they could not let it happen again. If they made it, they could save everyone. They had to... Poking their head through the brush, cloaked in flames, they stood upon the precipice, looking down at a field, one they remembered too well, and the only thing Light could see was utter devastation. The attack had come without warning, and not from whence they expected. If their enemy had attacked from the front, instead of the flank, they would have repelled them, as they had done often before. Now, friend and foe alike laid scattered all across the field, lying face down in dark, red puddles staining the grass and dirt. Out of everyone who stood valiantly, now, only few were left standing. Though the loss was great, they remembered it was far greater. Had it not been for their swiftness, they would not have arrived in time to help, only arriving to an empty field, and a decimated army. They looked away, unable to bear the sight of the two-sided massacre. But Light knew they could not stand idly by, while so much destruction happened in front of them, so they ran towards the fields. When their allies heard the sounds of their galloping hooves, they turned around, wearing a look of relief, and frustration, upon their faces when they noticed Light, for none expected their arrival. When they reached the field, Light joined the defence, and held back the enemy. They would not gain a hoof of distance to their village. But even with their experience, they could not defend forever. Too well they knew what the end result would be, so they gestured to the youngest remaining Scouts, ordering them to fall back and to call for aid, while more of their fellow Rangers arrived to help. Eventually, the enemy fell back to regroup, giving them a moment of peace. Light doused their fire, and grabbed healing supplies from their satchel, treating the wounded next to their fellow Rangers. Relief arrived, and Light helped move the most gravely injured, when they heard rallying cries, far away. While the Scouts fell back with the many wounded, Light and the Rangers concealed themselves. With some luck, they could buy them enough time... Far in the distance, the last of the Scouts made their way through the dense forest, until they had vanished from sight, far enough ahead in familiar territory to be safe from the oncoming onslaught. Hiding behind trees and in the tall grass, Light and their fellow Rangers waited, motionless, until they saw the attacking army appear over the ridge. Silence fell as the army made their way forward. Spread out over a large area, the Rangers could see every part of the field, but they waited before they attacked. When the army stood in the centre of the field, they drew back their bows and fired. Instantly, many were slain, as they desperately tried to find whence the arrows came. Some of their archers started to shoot, but they, too, quickly fell, at the hooves of the stealthy Kirin Rangers. But then, one of the arrows found its mark, striking a Ranger in a tree, falling next to Light, who put down their bow to help their friend. Gently holding their hoof, Light whistled to call for aid. Two Rangers appeared by their side to guard them and to help Spring Blossom, who was badly injured. The army was relentless, firing more arrows, as they charged the Kirins, hitting many more Rangers. Seeing their fallen comrades, Kirins they had known for so long, hurt once again, Light tried their best to stay calm, and to help as many as they could. But they knew, many would not make the night. At that moment, an armoured stallion appeared charging through the field, wielding a warhammer, and Light grabbed their sword to block his attack. But the stallion kept swinging, over and over again. Then, their sword horizontally over their head, there was one strike too many, and the blade broke. The shards of the blade, now but a mere dagger, flew all over. But now, it was shorter and quicker. Light moved quickly, charging headfirst into the stallion, who toppled, and harshly hit the ground. After throwing away his warhammer, they raised their broken blade, and prepared to strike him down. Then, they heard the sound of a short, weak whimper, calling out from behind them... Turning around, Light saw Blossom, weary and crying, stretching out her hoof towards Light, wearing an expression that gripped their heart. Looking back at the stallion, Light let go of their dagger. As the dagger landed in the ground, its blade barely visible, Light doused their flames, turning to a Kirin before the eyes of the stallion they fought a moment ago, and sat down, to comfort Blossom. Laying her head on their lap and holding her hoof, Light smiled and tried to hold back their tears. But Blossom's grip weakened, her smile brightened and her tears flowed, and their facade shattered. Pulling in their friend for one final embrace, Light cried, in utter silence, as they tried to ease the passing of one they had known for a long time. Then, Blossom sighed deeply, and stopped moving. Still, Light did not let go of their friend. Even as more arrows flew by, the stallion rose, but to their relief, he did not attack. Light looked up, saw the stallion, with his warhammer, who nodded. With a tear-stained face, Light nodded back, before they closed her eyes, and carefully removed the arrow, allowing her to rest in peace, while the stallion put his hoof on his chest and walked away. They were not able to save her, but at least they were with her, in her last moments. The remaining Rangers tried their best to treat the injured, but instead, this often resulted in injury for them. Slowly but surely, as the Rangers' numbers thinned, so did the advancing army, until eventually, no more than a hoofful of fighters were left, on either side. Some injured, others entirely uninjured. Wiping away their tears, and gently laying down the resting body of Blossom, Light slowly walked to the field. Past their broken sword and its shards, they put down their bow and lifted their hooves. Joined by more of their Rangers, the sight of the Kirins confused the army, who had only known them as shadowy, fiery beings. But still, some felt threatened and attacked, and an arrow flew to Light. They prepared for their end, had it not been for an unexpected saviour... First, there was the sound of an arrow, hitting a target. Then, when Light felt nothing, they dared to open their eyes, finding the Stallion standing before them with his warhammer and shield raised. For a brief moment, Light grew concerned he was hit, slain by his allies for daring to defend their opponent. But the Stallion looked at them, then towards Blossom's body in the distance, and nodded. He talked with his allies in a tongue unknown to the Kirin, but the Stallion calmly stepped forward to speak. As he lowered his arms, Light saw the arrows which hit and pierced the stallion's shield. Looking around at their fellow Rangers, Light saw no dry eyes nor a single unstained face. Too many had fallen on both sides, and those who remained could not find the strength to perform their duty. Opposing the Kirin Rangers were but a hoofful of Ponies. Shaking in their armour and trying to hide their tears, Light could tell, a great number had seen too many winters, yet more had seen too few. Thinking of this day when they first lived it, Light remembered there were fewer survivors, and the fields were scorched. Could it be they had managed to change this moment, by being slightly faster? Then, the Stallion turned around, to gaze between the many fallen Kirin, at the edge of the forest, and the slain Ponies in the field where they stood. Looking at Light, he then laid down his weapon. In turn, Light, and many of the Rangers, lowered their hooves, and dropped their weapons. A silence fell upon the area, calming the hearts and minds of those who were left, to lay the fallen to rest. When Light reached Blossom, now resting peacefully with her hooves on her chest, holding her sword, in the distance, Light saw a couple of Scouts approaching, and nodded, wearing a bittersweet smile. The Scouts got scared, seeing the enemy this close, but Light gestured to Blossom, and many injured and fallen who all needed aid. Light hoped that this peace would last, at least for a little while. When another group approached, they knew it would not.
3: Lost to the FireIn the distance, Light saw another group of armoured Ponies march hither, and they feared for their fellow Rangers, and their village. They hoped the result would be different, but it never could be. Walking into the field, past their shattered sword, sticking out of the ground, they put down their satchel, and removed their armour. Though they were ill-equipped now, they prepared to oppose them. As they knew this would be the last time they would see her, Light looked at Blossom, with tears in their eyes, and a bittersweet smile on their face, and they nodded to the Scouts, bearing her away. They sat down in the field, lowered their head, and closed their eyes, listening to the approaching army. As the group got close, their hoofsteps faded, until Light heard no more, yet they moved not. A voice called out to them, though they knew not what it said to them. But still, they lifted their head, opened their eyes, and smiled to the heavily armoured enemies, their face stained with tears. Both looked around the field, but while Light saw no more Kirin Rangers at the edges of the forest, the army saw their allies, moving away the fallen, and many wept uncontrollably at what had passed. Though Light spoke not, and they did not know what the soldiers of the army said, eventually, using gestures, they managed to convince the soldiers to lower their arms, and to listen to their allies. The few remaining soldiers of the groups who came before walked towards the army, heartbroken, yet, calm as well. So much pain and suffering for far too many brave souls, for a purpose they knew not. Then, the Stallion, whose life they saved, and who saved their life, appeared, and sat down besides them in solidarity. Looking around at his fallen allies, his facade shattered and he wept silently. In turn, Light cried quietly as well, and gently laid their hoof on his shoulder. Later, after they learned from their allies what had passed, many laid down their arms, and began to help the fallen. But there were still those who did not accept this... Through their tears, Light saw a hoofful of furious soldiers running through the crowd, charging at them with their weapons drawn. Instantly, they leapt up, mere moments before the first strike fell. Their allies were nowhere near, their blade was shattered, and they had no armour. Standing unarmed and alone, Light looked around for any weapon, to no avail. Only their agility would save them now. Fearing for their life, and those of others, they had no other choice but to turn Nirik. Instantly, when Light turned to a being of shadow and flame, the soldiers halted, before attacking once again. They were relentless. Even though their form struck terror into their hearts, they gave Light not a single moment of rest, as they attempted to drive away the vile demon, which had taken their place. Though Light now held great power as their Nirik self, still, they were careful. Too well they knew what happened on this field so long ago, and they would do everything in their power to prevent it. They knew not how long they could keep this up, but as time dragged on, Light felt they were losing control of themselves, and they looked for a way to finish this battle, peacefully, albeit quickly. To their relief, though the merciless group before them had many allies, none dared to lift a hoof. The Stallion they sat next to in solidarity held them all back, though he grew concerned for Light. By the worried expression on his face, Light could tell, but as both they, and the attacking group, were slowing down, Light hoped to end this without bloodshed. But then, they tripped and fell down. As fires started all around, Light crawled away, hoping to reach the village to warn them, but when they were struck on their back, they knew they would not make it, and they cried through the flame. For a moment, seeing their terrified and vulnerable expression on an enemy's face, the soldiers did not move. But then, they raised their weapons to strike Light down, and they feared the coming end. When they heard heavy galloping to their side, they dared not look... First, there was a mighty clash, echoing around the fields. Then, a split second later, Light heard the spine-tingling sound of breaking bones and pained screaming, though not from a voice they knew. When they opened their eyes, they saw the Stallion, standing over them, blocking an attack from his former allies. Looking around, another laid to the side, with great dents in his armour and helmet. The Stallion stepped forward, and Light doused their flames, picked up a fallen blade, and arose to his side. However, they did not harm, for the battle was over, and they would not spill more blood. With the Stallion's help, they stopped these few attackers by knocking them down or disarming them, forcing them to surrender. But it was only a matter of time; one move, and the Stallion was struck. The blade cut deep, and he fell over. Luckily, Light managed to disarm the last attackers, and took the Stallion's hoof, and tried to stop the bleeding. But it was too late, and he breathed his last. They awoke, goodness knows how many hours later, surrounded by a few of their fellow Kirin Rangers, all breathing a sigh of relief. When Light got up, they had no memory of what had happened to them. But when they looked around, seeing grey ash falling from the sky around them, and not another soul nearby, their heart ached. It could not have happened. It must not have happened! Did it really...? Crawling through the ash-covered field in a panic, eventually they found a scorched sword, and they knew it was the same one they wielded as they stood by the Stallion's side. But where was his body? They rose to their hooves and looked around, but all they could see was more devastation. Blackened trees in the forest burnt, there was not a single shrub in sight, and Light saw no Ponies anywhere. As tears formed in their eyes, Light turned around to the Rangers, shaking their head in disbelief. But in tears, the Rangers gave them pained nods, confirming their fears. After all they had done... Now, only the Kirin knew of the Fields of the Forgotten Folk... All their memories came flooding back. Emerging from the forest all these years ago, only to find a charred forest, and the field burning, Light ran to find help, but it was of no use. None survived. A fierce battle had been fought, and many lives were lost, but only the lucky few Rangers, who were brought back to heal, could give their account. But even they knew not what happened to the forest. No fire could match the heat of a Nirik's flames, but only by the will of the Kirin underneath, who still controlled the feral beast they would become, would their fire touch or damage anything else. But this utter annihilation, of such a great area, with Light as the only survivor, yet unconscious in the field, could mean only one thing, though none could say it, nor did they wish to believe it. They fell to their knees, and sitting motionless in the field, coughing up ash and dust, many tears formed in their eyes, as they looked at their shaking hooves. They couldn't possibly... Could they? From behind them, they heard approaching hoofsteps, moving through the scorched area, though Light, unable to believe what had come to pass, did not turn around, until a Ranger gave them new weapons. For a moment, they stared at the sword and bow, weapons they had used to guard the realm for a long time, until they turned around. Looking at the destroyed forests and field, Light shook their head. They would do their sworn duty, to defend the borders, but without bloodshed. Far too much had been spilled, of both friend and foe alike, and they swore never to let anything like this happen again. Slowly reaching out a hoof to the broken Kirin, the Ranger helped Light to their hooves, placed one arm over their shoulder, and helped them return to the village, which was now safe because of them. At the edge of the forest, Light saw their shattered sword, and asked the Rangers to wait a moment. In the centre of the empty field, they planted their dagger in the ground, so they wouldn't forget. Then, covered by ash, they found what they had to look for...
4: GrowthSlowly limping through the field after planting their dagger, just before they reached the Rangers, they felt something underneath their hoof. Neither metal nor wood, they grabbed it, and cleaned it. Looking at the black, blood-stained dice they rolled to start this 'game', Light carefully sat down next to their planted dagger in the charred field, and stared at the dice, while the Rangers froze. This small, magic artefact, stained with their own blood, had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It seemed they were near the end of the game they were thrust into. But they could not see their Host. All of this pain and suffering, their failure to protect those whom they had sworn to defend, their memory of this event had haunted them for a very long time. Now, they were at the centre of it all. Still, they said not a single word, for they had not returned to their true selves yet. But even if they could, they knew not what to say. Their heart felt heavy, and their mind was greatly burdened. They prepared to crush the dice, to finally be able to leave this vile and twisted game. But at the last moment, they looked towards the village, whither they were headed, then, back to their dagger. Gritting their teeth in pain as they got up, Light breathed heavily. Every breath hurt their chest, every step pained their broken leg. But they grabbed their broken sword, and headed to the village. They held the dice as they slowly walked to the Rangers, but they found they would not move. Waving before their eyes, shaking their shoulders, nothing worked, so Light had to make the journey alone. Many hours later, a great distance from the Fields of the Forgotten Folk, they found their village, and headed to the infirmary, where many fellow Rangers laid, frozen and unmoving, but not yet dead. Making their way beyond the village, to the burial grounds, Light cried in pain, but they needed to see her. Resting peacefully among many fallen Rangers, Light sank to the floor upon seeing Blossom. They could not save her, but at least they were with her in her last moments... They had spent many years, wondering what would have been different, had they been quicker. Knowing now that it mattered not, and that the horrible loss of life was destined to happen, it broke them. Grieving next to Blossom's body, Light did not know how long they sat there, with the blood-stained dice in one hoof, and their broken sword in the other. A while later, they rose and wandered about. The losses were great, and their pain felt terrible. But not a single villager was harmed, and they had defeated the enemy, without further loss of life. Not even the Scouts got so much as a scratch. Forgetting the physical pain they felt over their broken body, it was replaced by a sharp, unending pain in their chest, whenever Light gazed upon the countless burial mounds for every fallen Ranger. The sole point of light in this dark hour was that none of them bore any visible wounds, their eyes were closed, and they all appeared to be resting. But Light would not find any rest for themselves. Eventually, their strength began to fade. Their mind and heart were burdened, their body ached with every step and breath they took, and they knew not what good this twisted 'game' had done for them. Slowly but surely, Light made their way back towards Blossom's burial mound, and took a seat before it, where they put down the dice, and struck it with their dagger with all their leftover strength. The black, blood-stained dice shattered when their dagger struck it, and everything turned dark. As a shadowy mass surrounded them, Light tried, and failed, to reach out to Blossom, one final time... Once again, they found themselves stuck in a void of utter darkness, and they knew not whether they moved or not. Then, a growing light appeared in the distance, growing large enough to swallow them. Opening their eyes into the dark, Light found themselves in their room, their body healed yet their heart still aching. It was a terrible dream, and perhaps they should head out for a walk outside... That is, until they saw the blood-stained dice in the pale moonlight... Their heart skipped a beat, and Light rubbed their eyes, hoping they were being deceived, but to no avail. As they slowly rolled out of their bed, they felt their whole body begin to quiver, in fear. But when they picked up the dice, something felt different. No more did the dice feel burdened with magic, as they found comfort in its place instead, however painful it may have felt in their chest. They fell to their knees, sinking to the floor, as their eyes welled up with tears. They remembered everything they had gone through, all these years ago, all of which, they hoped to never see again. But though their tears were many, and their breaths were heavy, a small, yet bittersweet smile grew upon their face, as they held the bloodied dice to their chest, for they knew they remembered more. Their heart felt heavy, and wounded, yet warmed and whole, when they remembered those they had lost on that fateful day. Spring Blossom, with her in her last moments, and the Stallion who saved them. At that moment, a familiar feeling flowed over Light, and they rose to stand under the light of the Moon. They saw the window was broken when they rose, yet they did not turn around to face the Host. As they heard the hooves of the Host tapping on the floor, Light knew they were no longer alone. As they dried their tears and breathed deeply, they turned to face Vantas, who quietly applauded them. So much they had experienced, living through pain, the likes of which many knew not, yet they stood here, before their Host, and Light smiled, proudly, despite not knowing whether or not they passed. Their confidence brought great intrigue to Vantas, yet he spoke not, instead looking at the armour, which he had tossed away earlier, expecting them to take up arms against him. But they only sighed. Looking back at the dice, and the three blood-stained pips on its face, their smile brightened, and their tears flowed faster. Light put down the dice and nodded to Vantas, who smiled and nodded too. Their Host vanished as he stepped into the shadows, and Light sat down on their bed. While they had no idea who he was, or whence he came, Vantas, their Host, had granted them an opportunity to grow. An opportunity they would not let go to waste.
