In the Heart of the Mother

"Wait, can you repeat again?"

"I swear! I just saw a devil walking in the mountains above!" Stallion with cyan mane and dark blue coat was talking to a green-maned pegasi, both wearing the same silver armor and spear, talking to each other near the Mother's Heart.

"Are you sure you didn't get your brains frozen from all this cold?" Pegasi shivered when the cold wind passed them. They were not prepared for THAT cold weather. "Wish I had that thick fur as those savages have..."

"Ofcourse I didn't!" Silverhoof defended himself. "I swear by Celestia I just saw a dark machine with four sharp legs, and a long arm which lead from it's back!" Cyan-maned earthpony saw as his pegasi companion started to chuckle. "I'm serious!"

"You've been talking abou that for 2 HOURS!" Suddenly green-maned stallion exploded, shouting at Silverhoof. "Why can't I, Private Nature Sky, guard Princess' tent in SILENCE, while NOT listening to some IDIOT?"

Pegasi looked at dark-blue stallion's eyes, like he could have take his soul through him, but then leaned back, rerurning to his post near Princess' tent. Silverhoof looked a him for a moment, and then decides to not continiude their fight. In the centre of the camp, desk stood together with stallion of golden coat and white mane, wearing a golden armor and indicating that he was the captain here, two other guards and a pony, taller than anypony near her, with coat white as the snow, and mane of pink, cyan and yellow, making together a magestic mane. She had a long, sharp horn, together with pair of big, white wings. She wore a golden crown, decorated with dark-blue crystals.

"We sent a word to the Matriarch, we will soon be greeted by them." Said the stallion in golden armor. "But I'm worried that not so many Nora are... ready for our arrival, Princess."

"If Matriarch are willing to let us in on the Proving ceremony, then they will welcome us calmly." Princess Celestia said with softness in her voice. "They know that we came in the right of peace."

She then turned her head to the two other guards near the table, one stallion and one mare.

"Get to the path and inform me about any Nora who is coming to us."

"Yes, your majesty." Two soldiers spoke and left the camp, leaving General and Sun-Alicorn alone, together with two another guards. Celestia sighed and looked up into the sky, towards the sun, thinking about what laid ahead of her.

A couple of hours later...

Inlight walked on the path to the main settlement of the tribe thinking about how he would meet Duskshine after the Proving. In theory, everything had to work well. He will leave at the cover of night, when no one will see. He'll meet him in his house, and it didn't matter if he would speak, Inlight would be the one talking to him and breaking the law. And when the sun will rise, he'll return back the same path as he exited. Everything was figured out, he just needed to come to Mother's Heart.

The path wasn't unnessesary long , flame-maned pegasi just decided to walk slowly, looking around the forest. This was his last day as an outcast. The whole chapter of his life, filled with shunning and deviation, was almost over. Tomorow the Proving will happend, and he will win it... but not now, as he was close to the bridge. And Duskshine was sitting there too, holding some kind of totem in his hoof. Inlight walked near him, and greeted.

"So, I'm here, as promised," He said while moving his look at the settlement infront. Between them and the tribe was a bridge, and even that couldn't help but hear the different voices and noises coming from there. "what should I expect there?"

"Creatures. More than you can ever imagine." Duskshine stood up and stood near Inlight, while looking at the Mother's Heart too. "It might be a little crowded at first, but believe me, soon this would feel like your home."

"I'm not so sure about that..." Inlight mumbled under his breath, listening to the sounds coming from the settlement. They were celebrating something, which could perhaps distract everyone from him? He would not like a big ammount of attention on him, especialy when he's an outcast. But what would happen after?

"Duskshine... do you think they'll accept me?" Duskshine rolled his eyes and answered.

"Inlight, I told you hundrets of times that every foal wh-"

"who were born as an outcast can attend the Proving and are outcast no more, I understand that, it's just..." he looked at a river below, reflecting his distorded image. Pegasi took a deep breath and spoke once again. "Do you think they'll accept me in the tribe? Stop treating me like an outcast?"

Duskshine sighed and put his left hoof on Inlight's shoulder, comforting him. It was understandable why he was worried. He just needed someone to comfort him.

"They will stop treating you as an outcast, sooner or later. Someone could even become friends in you, but remember," he turned his head opposite to settlement, to the wilds of the Embrase. Young stallion did the same. "You'll always have the wilds beside you, in which you were raised." Gray unicorn then turned his head to the Inlight. "But remember – what you must do before it is to embrase the tribe. Make it part of yourself."

Inlight remembered the final lesson Duskshine told him – to serve tribe, is to serve the purpose bigger than yourself. He nodded in understanding, and moved next to the bridge, ready to enter the settlement. He was ready for it, and was about to say goodbye to his guardian.

"I'm ready." He said to himself. "So then, I'll meet you at your house tomorow?" He expected the answer to come right after his question, but several seconds later, it didn't came. He stopped just at the start of the bridge, and turned his head to Duskshine, who didn't even looked at him.

"You will not find me there, Inlight." He quietly said and opened his bag with magic, taking the same totem he was holding minutes ago from his back. He walked towards Inlight, and put the totem on young stallion's hoof. "Take this."

"W-why are you talking like we'll never see each other again...?" Inlight looked at the totem Duskshine gave him, then, on him, who started to walk away from him, not giving answer. But it was not needed, because he understood what his guardian was doing – abandoning him.

"No... no, NO!"

"Inlight you have to-"

"But it doesn't have to be like this!" Young pegasi cutted him out. "I t-told you that will meet up in secret, no one will k-know!" Inlight stopped Duskshine from going any further. "You don't even have to talk! That would be MY crime to comit, just PLEASE don't go!" He hold back his tears from going any further while trying to convince him to not leave. He couldn't just let go of him! He was there for him his entire life, and now he will just dissapear? Duskshine lifted his hoof and turned to Inlight.

"Inlight, this... connection will only hold you back," he explained as calming his adoptive son down. "It is my wish that you would embrase the tribe, making it your own family. I will leave the Embrase, to the place where you wont find me. The totem was the last thing I have to give you." He then walked away by a few steps. "Consider this... my final goodbye."

Inlight could not believe what he was hearing. His whole life he was together with Duskshine, the only pony who was here for him in the darkest days. With him, he didn't felt alone. He remembered all this times he comforted young stallion when nothing was going right, when he saw as he killed his first machine. And the sole pony who raised him was going to leave him. Forever. And he couldn't do anythinf about it. Despair filled Inlight's heart, and soon, it quickly became anger.

"All what I did for you... just for you to leave me..? Like an arrow in a TREE!?" With the wave of his hoof he slamed the totem to the ground, and with bitternes in the voice he continiued. "It is easy to drop worthless things out of your life, is it?"

Duskshine was taken aback from the reaction of a young pegasi, but moment later, he answered. "I understand that I failed you, Inlight... I'm sorry," Dark-maned unicorn started to go away from the pegasi. "I really am." He turned his head and continiued his walk from his adoptive son, never looking back again.

Inlight watched as Duskshine left him, anger leaving his body, and once he entered the woods, he was quick to pick up the Totem again. He couldn't leave it, not after everything. No matter what happened between them, it was the last thinf left from Duskshine, the thing that should have reminded pegasi of him. He tied the totem to his neck, and, wiping his tears, started his walk to the settlement.

He would think about it later, after the Proving, once he'll clear his mind...

Near the gate and walls, made out of logs, two braves were standing with spears, zebra and kirin. They watched as pegasi with mane like flame walked towards them, slowly coming near them. Both braves closed their spears just infront of Inlight, and zebra spoke.

"Turn away and leave, outcast." He said with a strict voice. "Or bleed, your choise." Inlight was stunned for a second, not understanding why wont they let him in for the Proving. They then drew their spears to Inlight, and started to come closer to him, leaving him no other choise but to step back. But gates were opened, in surprise for three individuals, and from inside, an eldery female voice was heard.

"Come on, open it faster, I have a special guest to meet!" all what was heard before gates were fully opened and braves stood back, as behind them stood oddly eldery changeling queen, with robes and accesories of some kind of Nora official. But it was then that Inlight realised – that was High Matriarch!

"Ah, Inlight Dust! It's nice to see you too. Please, come in!" She said and waved to Inlight for him to come in.

"I waited this for a long time... it's been a while since I met you last time! Ah, you've grown so fast..." Changeling matriarch said while examining a newcomer-outcast.

"Wait you... you know me?" Inlight asked in confusion. He didn't knew anyone would recognise him, let alone a High Matriarch.

"Ofcourse I know you, who do you think made a naming ceremony for you?"

Well, now Inlight remembered who she was. Duskshine once told him about his naming ceremony, and Matriarch who was there.

"So your name is, uh.... High Matriarch Syrenna?" He asked in hopes that he named her right, and judging by the smile on her face, he got it right.

"Still remember the name huh?" She chuckled a little and then continiued. "I would like to show you what's in Mother's Heart but yet, I have an Embassy to attend." Even though she said a lot, it didn't answer all of Inlight's questions.

"The Embassy?"

"The Embassy," High Matriarch Syrenna repeated. "with the kingdom to the south – Equestria. It's the first Embassy in a while, and people are not happy. It would have been easier if princess herself didn't come, but I think it's cute for her..."

"The Equestria...?"

"Yeah, from Equestria. You should come there too! Expect vegetables flying. Maybe even rocks..."

Inlight still was confused. "But wh-"

High Matriarch Syrenna suddenly raised his hoof and cut him from talking. "Almost forgot! There's a friend of your's waiting for you too. You'll find her on the way to the meeting. Anyway, I must go!" She started to leave further in the settlement. But Inlight was surprised that he had some 'friend' he didn't had. Exept Duskshine, and even he left him just minuted before...

"But I don't know anyone here!?" He called for Syrenna, on which she chuckled once again.

"Try saying that to her! Enjoy yourself!" Last thing she said before dissapearing into the crowd, leaving Inlight alone with his thoughts.

"What the hay is going on...?" He said out loud for the last time. He was in Mother's Heart, the first place of civilization he entered, and it was loud. Ponies cheered and sang songs together with other creatures. There were everyone – unicorns, pegasi, earthponies, thestrals, griffons, kirins, hippogriffs, changelings and even some yaks he never met before! The city was full of life and celebrarion. Inlight began moving to Embassy meeting, hearing on his way hundrets of different voices arround him. Some creatures sang, some were telling stories by campfire, and some even played different games with each other. Kids were running arround, and elders tried to stop them from making trouble. The city was bigger than he could even imagine, and he kinda started to like it. He passed some houses, untill he heard someone calling him... by name

"Inlight! Inlight!" female voice called him, and after looking arround, flame-maned pegasi found the source of the calling – female hippogriff, taller than him but yet smaller than the adults. He decided to come closer, and spotted her looks – coat of light-blue, mane and tail were pink with yelloe stripe, and her beak was yellow with brown stripe on him. To be said, Inlight was suspicious that he saw her somewhere elsewhere...
He came closer for female hippogriff to talk to him, and she did.

"Inlight... Dust, was it?" She exitedly said his name. "Oh, I waited SO long to meet you again! I couldn't even thank you last time we've met!" She exclaimed with happines in her voice, while Inlight was flattered.

"Do I... do I know you, ma'am?" He asked with sleepish smile, on which hippogriff laughed.

"Oh, I guess you don't remember! Well, don't worry, I do! You saved me from a herd of machines back in the day. It was like... 11 years ago of sorts? I was testing my little invention back there but it didn't go quite as well..."

Theese words awoke in Inlight his memories, and specificaly the day when he saved the hippogriff who was in trouble. He gasped after that thought, as female hippogriff added.

"The name is Sliver Reef, by the way."

"Oh, Sliver Reef!" Inlight exclaimed. "You are that hippogriff who ran away from the home, right?"

"Yeah, I don't really like to remember that moment of the day..." she scratched the back of her head unsertainly. "In the end I didn't make out as a hunter so I became a stitcher-" she suddenly gasped and quickly ran away to the chest full of clothes and armor she made. Inlight tried to look but was interupted by the piece of cloth on his face.

"I also made THIS!" She exclaimed and showed Inlight an outfit, made with cloth and machine parts.

"What is this..?" Inlight asked gently.

"That's armor I made for you! I used my size back when I was little, well, when I was YOUR size." She chuckled a little before continiuing. "I made this for you, as a thanks for.. saving my life."

Inlight was surprised by a gift for him, but he didn't refused it. "Thank you..." he said as he grabbed the outfit in his hooves. He had to try it on. There was a place to change the outfit from his standart robes without armor to robes... with armor. Let's see where that would go...

After a couple of minutes, he walked out from the changing room

The machine parts, which acted as armor, were put on his shoulders, left forearm and left cannon, covering almost completely his left foreleg. The back was armored too, but barrel was covered only by cloth, against the cold. His flank was covered with a little armor and a cloth, which made it look like a short cloak. His legs in the back were protected by machine components too, overall making the armor great for defence. And it was comfortable too, despite his expectations.

"This armor is... really comfortable!" He said looking at the Sliver Reef, who proudly looked at her work. But Inlight had to pay her something in return... or she'll just give him armor for free?

"Don't worry, it's free!" She said like she read his mind, which caught pegasi off guard.

"I-I don't have to pay you?" He asked

"No! I'm giving it you for free! That's the point of the gift!" She looked at him for a couple of seconds, and then realised something. "You didn't have any gifts before, did you?"

Inlight wanted to refuse, to say that he had gifts before... if he wanted to lie. "The outcast life was... hard, and I never had them. Ever." He admitted with sorrow with his voice.

"Well, then... your first gift is from me!" Sliver Reef once again exitedly said, which made Inlight chuckle a little bit. He opened his mouth to say that he'll be leaving, but female hippogriff cutted him. "Yeah yeah, you have to go on the Proving yada yada yada, just know that I'll cheer for your succes." She smiled a little, which made Inlight chuckle.

"Okay then... until we meet again?" He said his goodbyes to Sliver Reef and continiued his journey to the Proving ceremony, passing crowd of different creatures. On his way, he saw how male yak climbed on the top of the roof. It was... interesting view. Inlight still couldn't deside which he must be facinated by – the roof that holds yak, or yak who climbed there in the first place. He continiued his path and looked how young kids listened to the old legend of the All-Mother, and how she defeated the Metal Devil – entity which wanted to conquer the world. Remains of it still lay on the All-Mother mountain, standing high with it's long metal tentacles going down the valley. Inlight continiued his walk, untill he finally reached his intended destination – the Embassy. He could tell it was it when he saw a huge crowd of different creatures, together with some familiar soldiers. Equestrian soldiers. As he entered the crowd, the Embassy started.

Female hippogriff, who was the same size as Syrenna, started to talk.

"Dear Nora! Today we gathered in this place, to welcome our guests of the south!" She proclaimed, and High Matriarch Syrenna walked on the stage.

"For two years we have been at peace with Equestria! Today is the day of peace, when the ruler of the Equestria herself attends our blessing ceremony for the upcoming Proving! And with her, the message will be spoken to us!" And from behind, the stallion, covered in white robes with golden lines walk infront. He took out the scroll with his magic blue magic, opened it, and, with his noble voice, began to read it for everyone to hear.

"As was written by the her majesty Princess Celestia herself, I carry this message to the trib-" The stallion was cut from his speech by the crowd, which suddenly started to shout at him, and, probably, on ponies from Equestria too. Among the shouts Inlight could hear 'Killers and slavers!', 'Bloodthirsty tyrants!' and 'Get out of our land!'. Some creatures started to even throw tomatoes and rocks on the poor messenger. But soldier behind him took action and went infront of him, trying to stop the fight. He had golden armor, golden coat, together with white mane.

"Faithful Nora hold your fruit! Ay, hold your fr-" he stopped talking to dodge the tomato which flew towards him, but after, he continiued. "fruit..." the crowd stopped throwing tomatoes and rocks at the stallion, as he began to talk. "You don't have to be mad at me, I'm Nora, just like you." This seemed to calm down the crowd even further. "Well, I can agree with you on one thing – Nightmare Moon was a murderous bastard! Yes?" There were some agreements from the crowd. "She raided her lands, even others. We stood our ground, but we lost a lot of warriors. We hated Equestria, we all have! But Nightmare Moon is gone. For almost 2 years! And who do you think stopped her?" The crowd stayed silent, which slightly annoyed the stallion, but he continiued. "Her older sister Princess Celestia!" As he said, he stepped left for the crowd to see.

With coat white as snow, mane of different colors and wings with horn, Celestia glared at the crowd below.

"She did it not because she was some another bloodthirsty alicorn, but because she had to end her sister's crimes!" Stallion continiued, while the Nora started to agree with him. Golden-coat stallion then proceeded to take unicorn in white to the front of the stage again. "This poor pony here reads an offitial apology, written by Princess Celestia herself." Stallion finished his explanation, which looked like calmed down the crowd. Alicorn on the back made a little smile, amused by her commander's charisma.

The stallion in robes continiued to read his really long letter, which soon bored Inlight, as he decided to go straight to the blessing ceremony. For that, he had to somehow pass the crowd of different creatures. Should be easy, right? He passed through ponies, changelings and other creatures, who were carefuly listening to the stallion above them. He almost made it to the end until the device under his ear suddenly turned on.

Inlight was confused for a bit, until he saw what caused his Focus to go off – some kind of signal, which was going from... that outlander pony?

"Why did my Focus picked up that signal... and how?" Flame-maned pegasi wondered, as he decided to investigate the source of the signal. He came closer to an outlander, and saw that she had something under his ear too, which looked like a small triangle, with the blue light in the middle. Was he wearing... a Focus too? Inlight was confused, and at the same time exited. Why that outlander was wearing a Focus? Did he found it in the ruin too? How much he knows about it? A lot of questions loomed in Inlight's head, but he desided to come to him and ask.

"I've never seen anyone wearing a Focus before... where did you find it?" Pegasi asked curiously. The mare who was wearing a focus was an unicorn, who had a grey coat too, with brown mane and tail. She had magenta blue eyes. She at first was surprised by a sudden appearance of the stallion, but then she looked at him more carefuly.

"A Nora? Wearing a Focus?" She put her hoof on her chin, and thought for a couple of moments. "I thought Nora despise tresspassing into the Old World ruins, let alone wearing one of their relics..."

At that statement, Inlight just rolled his eyes.

"And who says I'm like other Nora?"

"Aren't you one..?" She questioned, looking him in the eyes.

"I'm... yet to be part of the tribe. I'm an outcast, to be precise." Inlight answered. Atleast soon he won't tell anyone who he meets that he's an outcast.

"An oucast... yeah, I heard something about that, cruel way for punishment, I'd say. I'm sorry."

"Eh, I'm fine with it." He scratched the back of his head. He was not fine, he still despised being an outcast. But he had to keep it hidden, for now. "I'm Inlight Dust." He decided to introduce himself.

"North Star." The mare simply replied with her name.

When the stallion in robes talked, behind him stood three ponies – one with golden armor, coat and white mane, a tall alicorn with coat pale as snow, and a soldier with silver armor, dark-blue coat and cyan mane.

"You did well with the public, Vigillance." Celestia said to his general in golden armor. The speech was going already long, and Celestia started to get a little annoyed. It should have been easy. Show herself to the tribal nation, watch the blessing and enjoy the party. But something felt off, really off. Maybe it was because of emptiness in her heart, left by banishment of Nightmare Moon, or it was simply not being in Equestria, it worried her.

Vigillance spotted the worried look of Princesses eyes, and got concerned by it.

"Is.. something wrong, your magesty?" He asked gently, which broke Celesria out of her thoughts for a second.

"I-I'm fine, General, thank you." She dismissed him, but the strange feeling was still there. It was more recognisable now. She felt it a long time ago, and what was it...?
Hunger? No, don't think about it. It felt familiar, like something or someone was making an influence in magic... and then Celestia realised one crucial thing. The thing which troubled her ever since the Embassy.

Someone was near. And he was powerful.

She could feel the raw magic flowing from someone in the crowd. She didn't feel it ever since the Luna's banishment. She looked arround, and eyed everycreature in the crowd which was listening to the stallion in the robes. She couldn't just detect where the raw magic came from, especialy in a crowd. She could look for him after the Embassy, but right now, she had to concentrate, or she will lose someone with the strongest raw magic she had ever seen since Luna's banish-

"Would you like some of our Berrytwist, ma'am?" Celestia was cut out from her thought, and when she looked down, a small changeling with the dish full of delicious little cakes, filled with berries. She smiled at the look of that. Who would not accept those small cakes?

Meanwhile, a certain mare and stallion had a fun talk with each other.

"...and then I said to him 'Go to Tartarus where your mother took your from!' And punched him right into his face!" North Star and Inlight Dust both broke gigling about the story North Star was saying.

"That- heh.. that is a creative way to kick someone out of the scene" Inlight said after hearing the end of the story. He did enjoyed time with her, even if that eas a little.

"Yeah, yeah, I kno-"

"Well take a look at that!" Suddenly a male stallion's voice was heard coming from their left and right – from the scene, and familiar looking earthpony with dark blue coat and cyan mane, paired with silver armor walked down from it. North Star closed her face with a hoof while Inlight Dust looked at the stallion more precise.

"Wait a second... Silverhoof?" He recognised the soldier he helped yesterday. And he even survived! That was surprising!

"If it isn't the Inlight Dust himself, together with North Star, right, sister?" He put his hoof over her supposed sister – North Star.

"Silverhoof, shut up." She said under her hoof, and then looked ar him. "You're embarasing me infront of a lot of creatures."

"Oh, sorry!" He immediately put his hoof back. "I didn't meant to embarass you with your new friend here." He poiner his hoof at the pegasi, which was surprised by Silverhoof's statement.

"Inlight is not my friend!" Stated gray-coated mare. "Just because I told him a story about me kicking you flank out of school play doesn't mean he's my friend!"

Inlight chuckled again, as dark-blue stallion stood back.

"Why do you need to keep telling that day to everyone?" He asked quietly his sister, embarrased that someone else knew about that day.

"Answer is easy." She said with a smile. "I despise you." After what she chuckled and looked at Inlight. "And I see you've met my brother before. Then I think you know how much of an idiot he i-" she was cut short by a sudden sound from her focus, followed by a purple light from it, followed by North Star covering it with hoof and bending over with visible pain.

"ARGH."

"Sister!" Silverhoof with concerned look called out her sister, while Inlight stood back, surprised by what happened.

"I'm okay! I'm okay..." North Star stood back, hoof on her face, but now with frightened look on her face.

"What happened?" Inlight asked with concern.

"I-it just... a glitch, yeah, a glitch. With Focus." She answered with sleepish smile like she was hiding something.

"A glitch? I never had one in... ever." He couldn't remember if his Focus could 'glitch', and he had it for 11 years.

"Well maybe yours is in better shape!" She suddenly snapped. "I just remembered that I had to go.. somewhere, yeah!" And she started to walk away, fast.

"Sister? Where are you going?" Silverhoof called her.

"Somewhere else!" North Star called as she walked away from duo of stallions, leaving them alone. Inlight was stunned, and Silveehoof was just surprised. They both looked at her, then at each other, untill dark-blue stallion broke the silence.

"Well, uh... that was strange, right?" He looked at Inlight, and he looked back. They looked at each other for over a minute, until flame-maned pegasi decided to ask Silverhoof one question, breaking the silence.

"Your sister looked... frightened for a second, but I want to ask you about something else?" He aaked, bending his head.

"I'm listening." Cyan-maned earthpony crossed his forelegs and with smug looked at Inlight, who began to talk.

"Back at the start of the Embassy, the crowd called the likes of you 'killers and slavers', what for?" That was intriguing question, on which Inlight wanted an answer. Silver hoof looked at him for a second, then scratched his necl, thinking what should he say.

"Well, uh... umm... you- you never heard about the Moon Raids?" He asked.

"Moon Raids? No, never heard about them, why?" Inlight raised his eyebrow.

Silverhoof sighed, and began to explain what were the Moon Raids. "Well, to explain you what were the Moon Raids I need to explain first all the fuss between the sisters and Derangement... wait you do know what the Derangement means? When machine gone nuts and started to become more dangerous?"

"Dangerous machines... like the Sawtooth?"

"Yeah, like that. They appeared 10 years ago of sorts, but Derangement started long before that. It was 15 or 18 years ago... I don't remember exacly, sorry. Anyway, before that happened hunting was simple – find and kill the machines, thwy would just run away. Only way you could get yourself hurt was by standing infront of them when they were running away. But something changed in them. In a bad way. Now, instead of running away they will come right after you and try to kill you, like mad... machines. Then old machines became more dangerous, then new machines appeared, like Sawtooths you've mentioned... you get the idea."

"Uh-huh," Inlight nodded after hearing all that, but yet something he had to ask again. "But... what it has to do with Moon Raids?"

"Oh, OH, sorry, I just was carried away with Derangement and..." Silverhoof chuckled awkwardly, but then continiued. "Well, what happened in the Moon Raids is a long story, but if saying fast... ponies in Equestria wanted help from Princess Celestia alone, and not from her sister – Princess Luna. Some ponies thought that Derangement was the curse Princess Luna set on Equestria for not respecting her, and they thought that only way to stop it was blood sacrifice. At the time, if I'm not mistaken, Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon-" Silverhoof stopped in the middle of his explanation, when he noticed a confused exprecion on Inlight's face. "Don't ask me, I still don't know how that happened. Something to do with jealousness, they said... anyway, Nightmare Moon overthrew Princess Celestia out of the throne and thus began the Moon Raids. Equestrian lands were raided first, but since that didn't stop the Derangement they decided to raid other lands. But eventualy, our curent princess here found a way to unite all the lands that were raided, and she banished her sister on the moon. That's why there's Mare on the Moon, if you wondered."

He pointed at the rising moon, which indicated that the sun will soon lower beyond the horizon. Both stallions looked at it, and Inlight remembered one thing he had to do.

"Well, the Blessing will start soon, so I should get moving?" He pointed with hoof at the group of young creatures of different races nearby, paired with flying lanterns.

"Yeah yeah, do your Nora thing. And good luck on your 'Proving', whatever that is..." Silverhood waved a hoof and started to walk in the direction her sister went, as Inlight trotted to the Blessing ceremony."

Drums were playing in the distance. A couple of elders came on the blessing to watch it together with their foals. Young creatures stood side by side in four rows, each together with the praying lantern as the gift from their mother. On the right to them, another stage was standing, together with three figures, wearing ceremonial tribe robes. One was changeling, High Matriarch Syrenna, other was kirin, and the last one was Hippogriff, the one who started the Embassy. Inlight walked towards the scene, where Syrenna called young stallion.

"Inlight, take your place there, the praying lantern is yours, over there. I made it for you." She pointed her hoof to the lone flying lantern, with free spot just for Inlight. He made a little smile, and moved to his spot, taking the place.

"Pf, blasphemy..." Was heard from the kirin Matriarch.

"Sisters..." Hippogriff interrupted before anything went out of control. And when all were in place, High Matriarch Sokorra, tall female hippogriff, started their blessing.

"Aspirants! Before you stands the praying lantern, crafted by your mother. In her honor, light it's flame!" After she said that, the whispers of many was heard. Aspitants began to whisper in honor of their mothers, but yet, one was quiet. Inlight wasn't sure what should he say. He never knew his mother, and didn't know should he bless her, as she left him alone with Duskshine. But yet, he decided to do it, no matter who she really was.

"In honor of my mother... who abandoned me at birth, whatever the reason behind it was." He said as he lightened up the lantern, making it slowly float up. After a moment, almost every lantern was lighten up and set to fly in the dark sky of the Embrase, as Matriarch continiued the blessing.

"All-Mother, hear our prayer! What is a child, but a Mother's hope takes flight? A glowing flame, that climbs the air, set free to the wind? Sailing the sky, till' it fades and falls? So, from one to another, passes the chain of love!" Matriarch finished their speech.

Some of the young creatures met their mothers on place, others were going home to them. Inlight stood in place, watching as the lights slowly flew away. No one was waiting for him. No one was, and no one will. He didn't knew his mother, and only pony who was like a family to him abandoned him early. He sighed with sadness, and looking at the lanters for the last time, walked away to the bed-house.

But yet, someone was watching him, despite his belief. A tall pony, who was watching the blessing from the back, together with her soldiers. Celestia noticed who had so much raw magic even before, when Inlight was walking to the blessing place. But all this time, she wondered about him – who was he, and why he had so much raw magic, despite being a pegasi? Maybe it wa inherited... she could ask Syrenna about him. She looks like the one fully accepting him into the tribe. Wonder why is that? As the Aspirants and Inlight walked away, Celestia decided to come to Syrenna, before it was too late.

"High Matriarch Syrenna?" She gently asked elder changeling queen, as she turned her head to her direction.

"Ah! Princess Celestia! I see you watched the blessing. You liked it?" She said with a smile on her face

"Well, yeah, it was... lovely but I want to ask about someone. Pegasi, with mane colored like flame?" She tried to explain how Inlight looked, which Syrenna understood.

"Ah, you want to talk about Inlight Dust, right? The last one to come to the blessing?" She suddenly changed her facial expression, changing to worry. "But why?"

"It's fine I'm just... interested about him, maybe about his mother? Or father? Who are they?" She tried to find out who were they. Inlight's raw magic was definetly inherited from someone powerful... the question is – who?

"Ah, you want to talk about Inlight's parents...?" Her look didn't change, but even more worried her. What was so special abour him? "That would be complicated to explain..." Celestia widened her eyes for a little, and after a moment, asked.

"Complicated? But.. why?"

Author's Note

6k words of chapter

I even planned to include a scene with Inlight and the contestants but I decided to write an interlude, because this chapter was already long enough.

Anyway, what happened to North Star? Any ideas?