Dusk of Peace

Dusk of Peace

Chapter 9

"The seas will be

dry as deserts

and the forests

will be oceans

of embers."

The grass of the Plains of Pasture bent lazily in the coming Autumn breeze. The Great Harvest would soon be at hand for the festivities, but this year they would not bring as much celebration as the past years. With the incident at the Bleak Coliseum and the threat of war looming over the heads of every pony in Equinorve it was hard to think of anything celebratory. Avextrian patrols passed on the trails keeping an eye out for any suspicious caravans or groups.

They wore leather armor and wore red and yellow face paint to distinguish their roles as patrol ponies. Avextrix had always been very old fashioned and ancestral in the way they lived. No matter how many cultures cycled through the city they would still follow the old ways. The only real changes to their culture was the title of Chieftain going to Lord, because it was too ancestral and ancient. Shamans were still prominent and the soldiers were still even referred to as braves.

Every way you look at it Avextrix would always be the same city no matter how much time passed.

"Lord Plainsstalker," addressed Brave Eaglemane, " a letter has come from Dalinix."

"Dalinix...?" Plainsstalker contemplated.

"It is a very urgent message, sir." the brave urged. Lord Plainsstalker took the letter and read it.

He finished and looked to the sky.

"It is truly an urgent message. The Archmage usually never asks for outside help unless absolutely necessary."

"What do we do, sir?" asked the brave. Plainsstalker thought for a moment.

"I must bring a warrior worthy for the cause that is to be given to us."

Among the plains many ponies ran free. They leaped and raced without a care in the world, but there was one that did not run with his brethren. His name was Wanderer, scorned by many for his unnaturally dark coat and mane, symbolic of a shadow magic user. That was, indeed, what he was.

It was on accident, however, that he learned to use shadow magic. A young colt, so ready to become the first magic pony brave in Avextrix, but that was when he heard the Shade.

"Wanderer!" called Brave Eaglemane. The solemn pony woke from his skulking and found Eaglemane cutting through the grass.

"Yes, Eaglemane?" he said.

"Lord Plainsstalker has called for you." he answered with bitterness in his voice.

Wanderer perked up a bit, but his head filled with so many questions.

"What for?" he asked.

"Just come on, you'll figure it out when you meet him." Eaglemane replied venomously. Wanderer obeyed, he didn't mind the rudeness, he was used to it.

Plainsstalker watched the fire in the Chieftain's Hut. Observing the smoke for signs of some sort to enlighten him on the dangers of the task he knew Wanderer would be undertaking.

"I got him." Eaglemane said as he entered the hut. Wanderer stepped inside and immediately felt the heat of the fire which made him cringe.

"Do not fear the fire, Wanderer. It may be a bringer of light, but there are still shadows that it forms that you can take advantage of here." Plainsstalker reassured him. Wanderer squeezed by Eaglemane who in return gave him a death glare and then left the hut.

"What is it that I'm here for, Lord Plainsstalker?" Wanderer asked.

Plainsstalker watched the smoke puff and dissipate.

"There is a quest you will undertake." he informed.

"And what is this quest?" Wanderer asked.

"I know not what it is, but I know that it is vital to the world itself, so I have chosen you to go to Dalinix with me to see the Archmage." he answered.

"The Archmage? Dalinix? Lord Plainsstalker, you know I can't go there, they'll kill me!" Wanderer reminded Plainsstalker desperately.

"Not if you are with me, young one." he assured Wanderer.

"But what about after you leave me there? What then? They'll have no qualms about doing it then." he insisted.

"No they will not, for you will take a quest so great that they will not kill you because you will become essential to the task."

Wanderer looked disheartened and afraid. Dalinix never let any practitioners of shadow magic pass through their doors, no matter how benevolent they really were. And after they refuse to let them in they hunt and kill them seeing them as a threat to the world.

"Trust me, child, they will not harm you."

"But..."

"That is enough, Wanderer." Plainsstalker ended. There was nothing but the sound of the crackling fire and breeze of the outside.

Eaglemane waited at the entrance to Avextrix, watching as travelling merchants and their caravans strolled in.

"Eaglemane!" called Plainsstalker.

"Yes, my lord."

"You will come with us to Dalinix, grab what you need and let's be off."

Eaglemane headed into the city and as he passed by Wanderer he gave him another disgusted look. Wanderer had nothing to bring with him, just the clothes on his back and the reputation as a shadow magic user that hung over him. Eaglemane returned wearing his leather armor and carrying two pouches with various supplies.

"Good then, let's be off." Plainsstalker stated.

So they did set off on the main road to Dalinix. They would not be harmed on the roads because they were always accompanied by three more elite braves that trailed not too far behind them.