The rain falls.

Houses lean over the cobbled streets, hunching their stony backs against the onslaught. Beneath their dripping eaves, the steady sound of hooves marching in lockstep sounds.

Hundreds of bodies, grey, black, and silver, walk in a mournful silence. Yellow and red eyes are downcast. Leathery wings are bunched over shivering backs.

Though the rain obscures in, they are crying.

A tortured wail pierces the air. Several ponies gather around a young colt, who has fallen across one of the several coffins arranged in the town square. They nuzzle his shoulders sympathetically as he sobs into his hooves. Rain streams down his mane.

One by one, the ponies pass by the coffins, offering short words, condolences, or gentle pats on the back. They all avoid the colt.

Even after the last of the ponies leave, the colt remains. He strokes the letters carved into the coffin, and another sob escapes his throat.

"I'll kill her."

His voice is hoarse. His eyes are bloodshot.

"I'll kill her. I'll kill her."

His eyes turn upward, against the rain, and stare into the darkness. A castle looms over the town, bent, broken towers and steely gates. A light flares up in the topmost tower. Against it, a figure can be seen, dark and imposing, horn glinting, wings outstretched.

"I'll kill her. I'll kill her. I'll kill her!"

His voice rises. It seems that the figure in the tower turns towards him. He does not look away, though his body trembles and he wants nothing more than to run and hide.

"Do you hear me? You monster, you beast, you bitch?! I'll kill you! If it takes me a thousand years, I will kill you!"

In their homes, the others shiver. They can hear the colt's voice through the walls as he screams against the storm and the figure in the tower. They hope for his sake that she cannot hear him. They have suffered enough grief. They do not want another death.

The colt continues to scream until he has lost his voice entirely. The figure in the tower has long since disappeared, and yet still he stares, rain stinging his eyes.

Hooves against the rocky streets. Another pony approaches him.

"If you like, you can avenge him."

The colt turns to look at his visitor. Red eyes, a smile. He can only dimly recognize these features. He gives a hoarse croak.

"We have the means. We have the power. We just need the right moment. You can help us. You can be there, when it happens. If you like, you can deliver the final blow. I will leave it to you."

"Why..?" the colt manages. His throat is torn from screaming. His voice is small.

"You have a fire in you. I can see it. You have more strength then I had at your age. We can use that strength. We can hone it. We can turn it into a weapon with which you can gain your revenge. If you like."

"A... fire..."

Images in his head. Memories. A stallion, larger than life, with a gentle smile and a warm laugh. He spoke, and the darkness was banished. There was a thing in the sky called the Sun, and it brought light even larger and warmer than the fireplace by which they sat. There were times when the rain turned to soft ice, and drifted down to melt on your nose. There were fields of grass, green and lush, like nothing he had known before.

The stories remain. The voice is gone. It has been taken. She has taken it.

"I can see it growing. Brighter than the moon. It is truly a thing of beauty. The things that you can do with that fire... I can only imagine. Will you do it? Will you risk it?"

More images. The figure in the tower. The laughter. The blood. Waking up that morning, and he was gone. He hadn't returned. Leaving the house, looking up and down the streets. Panic, panic, panic. Being pushed back inside ("Don't come out, don't come out, stay inside where it's safe, stay inside stay inside stay inside"). Crying. Fear. Where was he? He should be home by now. Night falling again. Screaming. "Anything, anything! Leave him alone! I'll do anything!" A flash of light. Crying, crying, crying. Opening the door. She was standing there. The stars were in her mane, the light of the moon shone throughout her. And he was dead he was dead he was dead he was dead and she was laughing laughing laughing and-

"I will risk it."

His voice is weak. He feels nothing. There is only that image in the forefront of his mind.

"Anything, anything!"

"I will risk it."

He is stronger now.

"Leave him alone!"

"I will risk it."

He raises his eyes from the ground. He looks into the red eyes, and sees surprise there.

"I'll do anything!"

"I will risk it."

He is powerful. He can feel the flame leaping around his heart. Rage erupts within him.

"I will risk everything. I will... I will... I will do anything."

The smile widens.

"You are a brave little boy. I respect that. Follow me."

The colt follows, and does not look back.

I will risk it.

The thought echoes in his mind. It is his strength. Now that it has been said, he will not turn back on it. He will go through with it. It is the only thing he has left.

She laughed, and a part of him died with that flash of light. He could think of nothing more to live for. Until now. Until this moment. Something new fills the emptiness. It is desire. Desire for revenge. He will take his revenge, one way or another. Consequences be damned. There is nothing left for him, except for this. This is all.

The rain is slackening off, and soon the only sound is that of two sets of hooves against the cobbled streets. The houses remain hunched over, windows dark and sightless. There is no one to watch the progression of the colt as he sets off.

I will risk it.

It will be many years before he sets hoof in this town square again.

Author's Note

So. There's that. Hope ya enjoyed the prologue~ I'm hoping this is a good story~ Feedback is much appreciated!