Three days and two nights had passed since Astrospark left his house in Sire's Hollow and went on an adventure to find Princess Andromeda alongside the magical floating orb Oracle, they walked non-stop all those days with little to no rest.

Astrospark was pushing his frail body to endure the pain and show himself and Oracle that he's able to be a brave adventurer and the Astro family legacy will live on with him, and with every step he took a voice was echoing in his head.

"Stop! Stop! Give up Astrospark! you weren't born to be an explorer!"

the voice became louder and louder and was the only voice that Astrospark was able to listen to.

He couldn't shake off the relentless doubts that gnawed at him. Every shadow cast by the dense forest around them seemed to mock his ambition, whispering that he was a fool to think he could live up to his family's legendary name. His legs trembled not just from exhaustion but from the weight of expectation he carried. What if he failed? What if he was just a pretender, destined to be remembered as the Astro who couldn't?

Fear clung to him like a second skin. The dark, unknown path ahead was filled with dangers, and the thought of facing them made his heart race. What if he let Oracle down? What if he never found Princess Andromeda? Every uncertainty was a blade, slicing into his resolve, but amidst the turmoil, a tiny spark of hope persisted. He had to push forward, for himself, for Oracle, and for the legacy he so desperately wanted to honor.

"Hey Sparky," Oracle who's floating next to him called, "I think we need to take some rest, we have been walking non-stop for three days!!"

Astrospark stopped and almost collapsed but with great force of will and anxiety he held himself, "you got tired?" he said with a fake smile, trying to hide how much tired he truly was.

"Well duh, I need to rest to recharge." Oracle said with a sarcastic tone, "How about you, Sparky? Don't you need rest?"

Astrospark looked at her and smiled, "Well you see Oracle, Being an Astro gave me insane durability and the ability to last longer than normal ponies," Astrospark's claim wasn't entirely accurate, though. Despite all members of the Astro family possessing extraordinary physical abilities, Astrospark failed to inherit any of them and was born smaller and weaker than the typical Astro.

"impressive!" Oracle exclaimed, "I knew that you were special Sparky, and I'm sure that Queen Estella feels safe that she sent a unique pony like you, Sparky!"

Astrospark hated these compliments, they made him feel more guilty for both lying and pretending to be a pony that he was not but it was too late and he had to continue the act until the end.

"You know what," Astrospark put his bags down in the middle of the forest they were in," I think it will be better for us to have some rest here, the night is coming and I started to get a little hungry, "Astrospark was starving and he knew that if he didn't eat soon, his strength would fail him.

Astrospark's legs weighed heavily as if filled with lead, each step more grueling than the last. The relentless journey had sapped every ounce of energy from his frail body, and the promise of sleep teased him with every passing minute. His eyelids grew heavy, and the idea of lying down and letting the world fade away until next week was overwhelmingly tempting. He could feel his muscles pleading for respite, his mind longing for the sweet release of unconsciousness. But he had to soldier on, for the sake of the mission and the weighty legacy he carried.

While he attempted to set up a camp, Oracle hovered nearby, gazing through the canopy at the night sky. "Look at the stars, Sparky," It said softly. "Aren't they beautiful? So quiet, so serene. It's like they're watching over us, Out there, away from all the noise and chaos, they seem to speak a language of their own. It's like they're telling us that everything will be okay."

Astrospark grappled with the camping gear, trying hard to focus but finding himself struggling with the tent poles. His lack of experience was painfully obvious as he fumbled, feeling increasingly embarrassed by the moment. "Yeah, they're quite something," he muttered, hoping to conceal his frustration. He didn't want Oracle to realize just how unfamiliar he was with camping. Exhaustion and nervousness made his hooves tremble, and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks as he fought to maintain an appearance of competence.

After overcoming several challenges and physical exertion, Astrospark finally succeeded in assembling a simple tent and began the daunting task of starting a campfire. Despite facing difficulties, he persisted and after seven attempts, he successfully ignited a small, flickering campfire.

The flames started off flickering weakly, but gradually became stronger, creating a cozy ambiance around their small camp. Astrospark felt the urge to lie down because his body was weary, but he made sure to check everything was in order first. Finally, he prepared his sleeping mat and, with a relieved sigh, settled beside the fire, feeling the soothing warmth gently penetrate his exhausted bones. Glancing at Oracle, who appeared content, he allowed his eyes to close, prepared to slip into a much-needed sleep.

"So Sparky," Oracle said with a curious tone, "can you tell me more about the Astro Family?"

Astrospark just wanted to rest and forget about the mission but now he had to not just remember his ancestors, he also had to explain how great they were and how not so great and brace he was compared to them.

"You see Oracle," Astrospark to the orb on the pillow and started explaining, "the earliest records tell the Story of the first unicorn of the Astro Family, Before The founding of Equestria and just after the unicorn Gusty the Great rose up against Grogar and banished him, A brave and bold Blue Unicorn got sick of a great mountain monster terrorizing his family and town and went to get rid of him and became a folk hero back then, His Name was Astron "the brave" and he according to some sources he was the first pony to travel through what is now the "Mysterious South", of course, his descendants became great explorers like him...", Astrospark yawned and decided to summarize.

"My great-grandfather Astromoon was the first unicorn to reach the frozen North and my father Astroglimmer who was strong and stoic brought a Roc egg..." Astrospark stopped at the mention of his father, he never had a good relationship with him and always felt like his father didn't care about him or even love him.

"My father was a very stoic pony," Astrospark began to tell Oracle. "He was incredibly hard to impress or please. He never revealed his emotions or feelings to anyone, and he always pursued making a difference in the world and exploring more, even if it meant sacrificing precious time with his family...". As he finished, Astrospark quietly said, "Good night, Oracle."

Earlier that same day, a creature appeared in the town of Sire's Hollow and it wasn't a pony or a griffon or even a dragon, this creature walked on two legs and had two large arms with sharp black claws, Rising high above all other creatures, this horrifying entity possessed a body that was both reminiscent of a human and utterly monstrous. Its enormous, spiraling horns twisted menacingly from its skull, casting eerie shadows under the moon's glow. Its eyes gleamed with an otherworldly luminescence, and a wicked, jagged grin stretched across its visage. A tattered cloak hung over its broad shoulders, while a magical bag, pulsating with dark energy, was slung across its back.

With eerie and disturbing grace, the repulsive creature purposefully made its way toward Astrospark's home. Its calm and practical demeanor exuded a chilling confidence as it opened the door and entered almost soundlessly. Once inside, it moved with unsettling quietness, efficiently rifling through shelves and drawers, swiftly discarding books as it searched, knowing everything about Astrospark. It needed to find Oracle and understand Astrospark's next move. This was the key to unlocking something. It continued its search methodically, and the house was filled with a terrible tension that seemed to foreshadow an unavoidable confrontation.

The monstrous Beast was interrupted by the sound of a pony entering the house, he was a yellow earth stallion with an Emerald green mane who came to check on Astrospark, he called Astrospark serval times but received no response. The stallion, curious and concerned, ventured deeper into the house. He moved slowly, peering into each room, his eyes scanning for any sign of Astrospark.

The creature who was hidden in the shadows of the house, watched the stallion with the patience of a hungry predator. It waited for the perfect moment, its grotesque body coiled and was ready to strike. The yellow stallion, unaware of the impending danger, continued to call out for Astrospark, his voice trembling slightly with unease.

"Astrospark!, Hey Astrospark!" he called with a scared voice.

As he approached the study, the creature sneaked up behind him. With a deliberate swiftness, it muffled the stallion's mouth, suppressing his astonishment and fear. The Stallion's eyes widened in terror as it tried to escape, but the creature's power was insurmountable.

In a deliberate slow motion, the creature tightened its grip on the stallion's neck, sharp fingers digging into his flesh and the earth pony gave a shrill scream and a terrifying smack weakened as the creature's evil-looking hand cut off his air supply. Blood gushed from his throat as the nail dug deeper, slowly sucking the life out of his eyes. The creature maintained its hold, its face cold and emotionless, until the stallion's body was limp and lifeless.

After performing this gruesome deed, the creature lets the lifeless body fall to the ground with a heavy slap. Its focus shifted to the relentless pursuit of Oracle. The once vibrant home now hangs in an eerie silence, creating an atmosphere of sober finality that serves as a chilling reminder of the creature's ruthless tenacity.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long Hiatus!!