A Game of Shadows

Nightlock's Journal, Entry #2

Date: September 25th

Hello, journal. It's been...about four days. Seems like a reasonable bit of time to update.

The past few days have been...relaxing, exhausting, odd, normal, and kinda creepy all in one, depending on what day I refer to. I guess I should start with Monday, the day after I moved in and started this journal.

Let's see...it started off with the usual, getting up to go to school. Autumn was up just before me, practicing or training his fighting moves or whatever. Seems like it's his usual morning routine. Before I left for Cloudsdale to get to class, I watched him for a few minutes. It was particularly interesting...for some reason, at one point, it looked like he was actually sparring with somepony. There was no one else there of course, just him, but his movements just...seemed to imply there was another presence that I couldn't see or something. I guess that's just my imagination though, there's been one or two times through the week I thought I saw something that wasn't there. Like I said in the last entry, probably just the forest having it's natural scary effect on me. Anyways.

After watching him train for maybe 10 minutes, I said "see you later", flew off and went to school. And as usual, it kinda sucked. I got shoved into the lockers by the usual bunch, though I guess I should be expecting that. Aced a surprisingly easy quiz, napped through a class without even being noticed, and ate what I could of a not-so-good lunch. Bleh. Thought about flinging it at one of those stupid plots who shoved me into the locker, but considered the price I'd probably pay and decided against it. Overall just another "bleh" day at school...one of those days that really makes me miss her...

By "her", I'm talking about a mare I knew at school, Sunspot. One of the few people I ever really let in. She...I think it'd be a lie to say I didn't feel special about her. She was one of those people that kinda...made things suck less, you know? ...things really started to suck again when she had to move away. When was that...about a year ago? Not too long after the last school year started. Anyway, there's a bit of a story to tell about this, but I don't feel like recalling or writing it right now. Maybe some other time.

After flying home after school, I found that Autumn wasn't here. He left a note saying that he'd be back around 6. Not sure what he was doing...he's kind of odd, how he goes off secretively to do stuff he never wants to talk about. But I've been used to that for a while, so I didn't think much of it. I got home around 4:30, so I filled the time with some guitar practice and an hour nap (which was odd, I'm never able to nap). When I woke up, I went to find him drinking milk in the kitchen. He asked, "You all rested up? Because we're starting your training tonight." Seeing as I somehow let that slip my mind, I remembered how much I was looking forward to that, and so we began.

Outside, he taught me some basics of how he fights. Didn't give any specific names for the fighting style, but it didn't matter, I just rolled with it. For as long as I could, anyways. By the end of it, I was so bucking sore and tired I could barely stand. Maybe I should start focusing a little less on my wings and more on this pathetic weak body of mine. Build some endurance and strength up. Bleh, I got to stop being so lazy.

After practically killing myself for almost two hours and learning a few basics, we decided to call it a night and get some food. I dragged myself into the kitchen, and we had eggs and hay bacon. I thought it was odd, having what felt like breakfast for dinner, but he said the protein helps build strength, which I'll need for my training and conditioning. And that food like this is hard for him to come by, so I shouldn't waste it. Good enough a reason for me, I promptly devoured it all. Then all I could really think about was laying down and sleeping. Before I stood up to head for my room, Autumn energetically asked if I felt up for a flying race. I looked at him with what I'm sure was a look of dumbfoundedness. After that near-suicide session? Seriously? Where the bloody hell does he get all his energy? There's some things about him I just don't get...anyways, I told him I was too beat, maybe next time. If he said anything else, I don't remember. I was too busy half-consciously dragging myself to my room and passing out on my bed to hear him.

Tuesday was a carbon copy of Monday, except for not training when I got home. Autumn said we'll train every other day, to let my body recover. Thank Faust, I was fearing another pain session. Instead we went into town to chill. I found that I love the dark chocolate cake at Sugarcube Corner. I also tried coffee for the first time, and I think I might be hooked.

Wednesday, however, was the odd and creepy day.

It was the same as Monday, training and all, except that this time Autumn went a bit easier on me, and we started a bit earlier. He didn't want me losing all my energy before he could show me something he said was important. He didn't mention anything about it before, so I was curious. When I asked him what it was, he didn't say much, except "Follow me".

Something felt a bit off...he seemed oddly more serious than he typically is. He went off deeper into the forest. I felt a bit uneasy, but I followed. He seemed to be a bit hurried...likely because it was towards the end of the day, about 6 o' clock, and he didn't want it to get too dark before I could see what he would show me.

As creepy (and dangerous) as the Everfree forest is, Autumn's not one bit intimidated by it. It's like a back yard to him or something. He navigated through it to a dirt path, and we continued along to our destination. I followed close, jumping slightly here and there at the various little sounds of the forest. Of course, I knew with Autumn I was safe. I'd seen him fight off a timberwolf pretty easily before, so I didn't worry too much about being attacked.

Soon, a clearing could be seen in the distant trees. As we approached, the evening sunlight lit the place up a bit more, in a slightly crimson-like glow. At going through the entrance and stopping to observe, I could see that it wasn't a natural clearing. It was circular, n an artificial, pony-made way. As I looked around, I saw 4 large pillars placed in 4 corners of the clearing, with a few rather crudely-drawn unfamiliar symbols etched on them. The longer I looked, the more my curiosity grew. I figured it must have been some kind of old religious site, a place where an old cult would meet up or something.

After we both stood there for a few moments, I looked over to him and asked what this place was. He looked back at me in the eyes, still with his serious expression, and said, "...a place that should be kept absolutely secret to most. But I figured, since I'm letting you live with me, and we're good friends...I think you should see it at least once. Just to know where it is I go sometimes. But...you don't need to be coming back here unless you absolutely have to. And I need you to promise me that you won't tell anypony about this place."

At that moment, I got strange chills. Something felt...almost threatening about the place. I couldn't put my hoof on it, but something almost made me feel very...in danger. Not from Autumn specifically, but...

Trying to put the feeling aside, I nodded. "I promise I won't tell...but, what is this place? What do you do here?" I asked. He looked away, shaking his head a little. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that much. But what I should tell you is...if for whatever reason you're out here on your own, in any sort of danger, and can't get back to the house, come here. This place wards off the creatures of the forest naturally. That's why this place feels so foreboding to those who aren't used to it. Like how it feels to you now, yes?"

A bit taken aback that he knew, I nodded slowly. "Y...yeah..." I wasn't sure what else to say. I was very curious about how it wards off creatures, like he said, but I figured it was just some kind of old spell that was cast by a unicorn in a cult long ago or something like that.

Autumn chuckled a little. "You'll get used to it if you stay here long enough. But like I said, after this, don't come back here unless you absolutely have to." he said again. He seemed very serious about it, so I made a mental note to not come back, despite a growing curiosity inside me to find out more about this place.

Autumn then gestured for me to follow him before making his way towards the center of the clearing. Following him, I took note of just how spacious this clearing is. Lots of room for a gathering. This distraction faded as my feeling of discomfort rose. I looked ahead nervously, this time taking notice of something sort of etched on the ground. Now, overall the ground of the clearing was covered in short grass. But what I saw in the middle of the clearing as I approached was...a large outlined symbol of hard dirt ground. Autumn stopped in front of it, and I trotted up beside him to get a better look.

It was a simple design. A large, oddly near-perfect circle, with an X in the center and extending out from it a small ways. Being this close to it, my discomfort level was at its highest. Making myself speak, I said, "I really, really don't feel right here, man...what is this?" I looked to him for an answer. He didn't respond at first, he just sort of looked into the symbol. After a moment, he looked back and said, "...nothing. Come on, we should get back. It's getting late." He turned and started heading for the exit.

At this point, I'm not sure how I was feeling. Autumn was acting weird about this, and for some reason he didn't want to tell me anything else. Why was he showing me this, yet being so vague with me when I asked about it? I wanted to press him further, but I had a feeling I wouldn't get anything out of him anyways, and I really really wanted to get out of this clearing. I sighed a little as I turned to follow him. Then, I saw something that gave me the same chills from before. Or at least I thought I did.

At about halfway turned to Autumn, I saw a figure...out at the edge of the clearing. A figure of a pony that was too darkened to make out any features, save for...rectangular glasses? It made me jump and double-take, but when I looked again, there was nothing there. I stood there for a moment, confused, until Autumn's voice got my attention. "Night? You coming?" I shook my head and snapped out of it. "Y-yeah...sorry." I quickly turned and followed behind him. I'd had enough of this place and wanted to get the hell out of there.

We went back along the path and broke from it to the side-path we entered it on, heading back home. I almost wanted to mention that I saw something, or somepony, out in the clearing, but I figured it was just my nervous imagination seeing things and so tried to forget about it. We got back, and Autumn resumed his usual let go and fun attitude. "Feel like playing some video games?" he said as he gave me a relaxed smile. He likely wanted to help me forget about how foreboding that place was. Which I wanted, so I replied with a "sure thing" and returned the smile. We went inside and unwound with video games. By the time I ate and went to bed, I felt better. Though the curiosity of that place still lingered in the back of my mind as I went to sleep. Especially that figure with the glasses...

Today, Thursday, wasn't too bad. Class was easy, lunch was decent, no one picked at me or anything like that. And there's still no sign of my old foster home trying to find me and bring me back. Feeling kinda good for a change, I came home and just chilled out. Video games mostly. Autumn went out to take care of some kind of odd business, which makes me again think of that forest clearing. I'm still curious about it, despite him telling me not to go back and how oddly foreboding it is to be there. But I think it's best if I leave it alone.

And now that I look...damn, I've written a lot. I've lost track of the time it seems...it's already dark. I think it's time to turn in. Until next time I guess.

-Nightlock