Hey guys! This is the prologue for the fanfic/book I’m writing! It’s basically an MLP/Skyrim combo, with MLP: FIM characters and places, but with Skyrims’ storyline! I was told to post it here to let others read it, so that’s exactly what I’m doing. Once you’ve read it, please give me your thoughts and tell me if you want me to publish more. Thanks, I hope you enjoy the entre acte of Equestyrim!
All Oblivion/Skyrim references are copyright of Bethesda Games Studios, 2012.
Equestyrim is Copyright of Charming Dasher, 2012.
Prologue
Sometime in another, more awesome dimension…
After the end of the terrible Caballus Crisis, the great continent of Mammaliel enjoyed almost a century of peace. The 9 proud Provinces all prospered under the protective rule of the newly revived Crystal Empire (led by Empress Chrysalis), which was now bound by the Wing-Horn Concordant (the treaty between the Empire and Uniary Dominion). With the Great War over, and the inhabitants of the land finally getting along with one another, it seemed that things had finally turned in their favor.
That is, until the Empire handed over the Kingdom of Equestria to the Dominion. This deal allowed the corrupted Imponial Legion to occupy Equestria under the watchful eyes of Uniary Dominion agents: The Chordatas.
As you can imagine, this greatly angered many of the provinces stallions and mares, who where highly independent by nature. Deeply rooted racism bubbled up against every magic using pony, especially the unicorns. Equestria was the ancestral home of the Earth Ponies, thus they had many traditions that greatly pertained to the practices of their predecessors. Once the Dominion took over, however, these traditions gradually became outlawed. Most ponies were able to cope by keeping their practices private.
But the final straw came when the Dominion outlawed the worship of the Earth Ponies hero-god, Tailos, who in legend was said to have been the greatest warrior and very first High King of Equestria. He led the province into its prime, and under him, the kingdom quickly flourished into the proud province it is today. Upon death, it is said he was rewarded with godhood, and given his own plane of existence to rule over. This place was where all Earth Ponies were sent in death. It was called Troughingarde.
Tailos (being a renowned hero himself) also set aside a glorious field filled with various mouth watering edibles, on which the prodigious dead could feast for the rest of eternity. He named this shrine of achievement, ‘The Plains of the Honored’. It was reserved for warriors and leaders who had, as the name suggests, achieved great honor in battle and life as a whole.
This wonderful heaven was what all Earth Ponies sought to reach in the afterlife. They prayed to and thanked Tailos for every good thing that occurred in their kingdom. Doing so made them feel safe… and the Chordata had just deprived them of that security.
In response to this sacrilege, Celestian Suncloak, Jarl of Manehelm, challenged the current High King Tryligg to a battle to the death. He accused Tryligg of being corrupt, and a lapdog to the Empire. ‘Equestria needs a king who will defend it fearlessly, not agree to let a bunch of sniveling unicorns trample its way of life!’ He claimed.
Tryligg did not want to fight Celestian, but he knew if he refused that it would only affirm the accusations Celestian was branding him with. So, (after a counsel meeting with the Chordata) Tryligg agreed to duel Celestian in the Gold Palace courtyard at sunset on the 24th of Last Harvest, 2E-973.
When the day finally arrived for the duel, the kingdom was abuzz with anticipation. Couriers were prepared in Canterlot (where the duel was to take place), and ready to send word to every hold in Equestria. Celestian arrived a few minutes before sundown, alone, dressed in a dirty leather cuirass and carrying a razor sharp short sword. Tryligg on the other hand, was outfitted in his finest battle armor, which glowed like molten lead in the fading daylight, and held an equally as impressive great sword.
As the sun was about to fade below the horizon, the duel began. Celestian and Tryligg both drew their swords, Celestian looking quite inadequately equipped compared to Tryliggs armament. They came forward and tapped their blades together (as a sign of respect and honoring your opponent), then backed up a few paces and began circling each other slowly.
Everpony present (which was very few, Tryliggs wife, the Kings Royal Guard, and a couple Chordata agents) was silent as the two warriors completed several full rotations around the courtyard. Just when everpony was sure the battle would carry on far beyond the setting of the sun, Celestian dashed forward and slashed at Tryliggs front limbs. The sudden movement caught the king off guard, but he managed a swift sidestep to avoid the swinging weapon, and countered with a skilled swipe at Celestian’s exposed flank.
Celestian blocked the incoming strike, and kicked out at Tryliggs head, his hoof making full contact with the king’s right eye. Tryligg reeled back from the savage blow as a pained gasp escaped his muzzle. Celestian took full advantage of Tryliggs injury, and charged him. Tryligg did not have enough time to recover, and as Celestian rammed him, he lost his grip on the great sword. Both stallions crashed to the ground as the weapon skittered away over the courtyard stone.
They bit and kicked, swords forgotten, as they rolled around on the cold ground. Celestian managed to snap Tryliggs right wrist, and the injured monarch countered with a swift blow into Celestians chest that sent him sprawling.
Tryligg quickly retrieved his sword and limped over to where Celestian lay dazed. He hefted his sword over the proud Jarl, and aimed for his heart. But just as Tryligg was about to deliver the fatal blow, and end the duel, something unthinkable happened. Something nopony could ever have predicted.
Celestian used the Voice of the Specters.
He whispered quietly, almost inaudibly, in the tongue of the Shadow Specters. A species long thought to have been destroyed; whose very language was so powerful it could deteriorate the minds of those who heard it. Once, the Specters had sought to enslave all mortal races. They used their voices for one thing, and one thing only: CONQUERING.
As the words escaped Celestians lips, everpony in the courtyard screamed and covered their ears. Before Tryligg knew what was happening, he felt what seemed to be an invisible barrier slam into him and send him sailing into the nearest wall. He felt, and everpony heard, his spine and ribs shatter as he impacted the barricade of stone.
As he slid onto the dirt at the base of the wall, Celestian slowly walked over. He picked up Tryliggs greatsword, and looked down at the once great king. Tryligg coughed, spraying blood all over the ground in front of him, and then whispered to Celestian in a gurgled moan that he alone could hear. “Do it. You’ve earned it. I don’t know if will go to Tailos, but if I do, I will beg his forgiveness. Just promise me you will lead Equestria better than I have…” Celestian nodded, and said “I promise.”
Tryligg smiled. “Thank you. Now…please kill me. I would rather die a warrior than internally bleed to death as a miserable heap.” He coughed again, and gasped “May Tailos guide you. May we meet again in Troughingarde, brother…”
Celestian nodded again, and plunged the sword deep into Tryliggs chest. He shuddered for the last time… then lay still. Celestian withdrew the blade, and cast it aside. He leaned over Tryliggs lifeless corpse, and reached out his hoof. He gently slid it over Tryliggs face, closing his eyelids. Celestian in turn closed his own eyes, and whispered “Farewell, my friend.”
Then Celestian got up, retrieved his sword, and walked out of the Gold Palace courtyard. Nopony moved to stop him, and nopony spoke. It was only after Celestian departed that the guards jump into action. They began shouting, and made to pursue him. One of the guards galloped to the bell tower, and rang the large brass bell hanging from the roof. This alerted every last pony in the city that there was an emergency, and told the guards to close up the gates. While this happened, Tryliggs mare slowly trotted over to her dead husband, lay next to his body, and wept.
Everpony knew instantly what had happened, and raced to the courtyard to see the results of the battle. The guards were held back as the wall of bodies rushed towards the castle, allowing Celestian to escape the city without much trouble. A guard who was loyal to Celestian had opened the gate, and Celestian was galloping down the hillside to the marsh.
Many Imponial soldiers led by a pair of Chordatas trailed Celestian, intent on putting his head on a pike. They were prepared for most anything they would encounter when they caught him….except the entire garrison of Suncloak soldiers that ambushed them in the swamps just outside Canterlot.
The Suncloak Rebellion was a large army of Earth Pony and Earth Pony supporters that were led by Celestian Suncloak himself. They had been formed months before, and their numbers had grown exponentially since. Now, they had enough soldiers to match that of the Imponial force that was occupying Equestria. They had been waiting to hear either news of Tryligg or Celestians defeat, and then they were going to launch a war to take Equestria back.
Celestian had brought along a strike force to protect his retreat should he achieve victory, and as he reached the swamps, followed by an Imponial platoon, the Suncloaks prepared for battle. The conflict that ensued when the Imponials reached them was the first of many, in what is now the bloodiest war Equestria has ever faced.
Once news of the duels’ outcome reached the rest of Equestria, ponies started taking sides. Brothers killed each other in the streets. Whole herds separated over loyalties to alternate factions. Towns were ravaged, farms burned, and houses destroyed in the skirmishes between the Imponials and Suncloaks. Soldiers passed through villages frequently, now as often as leaves fell in autumn.
Some communities took sides. These settlements were reinforced with troops from the corresponding army within a day of announcing their loyalty. Ponies allowed soldiers to stay in their houses, as long as they were from the side the pony supported.
The Imponial Legion was now lead by a newly appointed general, named Hoofius, and the Chordata oversaw every move the Legion made. Rumors began to circulate to make each faction look better than the other. Everpony had his own interpretation of the duel between Tryligg and Celestian, but the most prominent was that Celestian had used the Voice of the Specters to trick Tryligg into killing himself. Nopony traveled anymore, save for a few brave souls, and everypony lived in fear of one another.
Equestria was now fully, and truly, divided.
But….. There was something greater, far more powerful than both armies, stirring. Something everpony had thought was only a legend, and had disregarded as an old mares tale long ago…
There were signs. Obvious signs. But everypony was too caught up in the war to take full notice of them, and realize what they meant.
Until it was too late.
