Chapters The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
“Life is for the living. Death is for the dead. Let life be like music. And death a note unsaid.”
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"Oh I can't thank you enough Applejack." Fluttershy murmured quietly to her earth pony friend, wings clapped to her sides as usual for the timid yellow Pegasus.
"Once more 'Shy, I am tellin' ya' that you don't have to thank me anymore. I haven't even begun yet." Applejack rolled her eyes as the flustered Pegasus proceeding towards the edge of the same said property, "All ya' had to do was ask ya' know. That's what friends are for, to help each other."
"I know..." Fluttershy began meekly, "I just wanted to show my gratitude for your help... Because of that last rainstorm the duck ponds were completely destroyed where Mr. and Ms. Duckington lived. I would ask Mr. Beaverton for help but he is still a tad, itsy bitsy upset with having to constantly rebuild and destroy his home whenever it clogs up the rivers."
"Maybe he should try not building into the water but on land or over it then, that way he wouldn't have a problem nor would it mess with the river flows and flood my farm... Yet again." Applejack stated bluntly that she wasn't a big fan of the beavers for obvious reasons, being an apple farmer who had to deal with the beavers accidently flooding her farm a quite often during the summer and spring months.
The two arrived at the edge of Fluttershys fence. Applejack noticed a shovel and a small pile of dirt from Fluttershys earlier attempt at digging at the dried hardened mud. Applejack inquired the size of the hole saying, "rather a deep hole for some ducks." But then again Fluttershy also kept a variety of fish and plants that lived underwater, so it wasn't so strange. Applejack waited as Fluttershy flew to her shed, grabbing another shovel before the two of them began their work.
An hour in, Fluttershy dropped out, exhausted with the work much to her own embarrassment. While Applejack didn't resent her, she still felt like she let the farm pony down. So instead she decided to go get Applejack something to drink, Lemonade. A favorite of Fluttershy and a drink she would often serve to guests but still a drink none the less. Applejack thanked her, taking it down in one glug before resuming. This would often repeat every half hour or so as Flutters began to make more of it to keep her friend hydrated as the sun shone down on them.
Soon enough the farmer was near finishing, "Just a few more scoops an' I'm do-" she was cut off as her shovel hit something hard, "What the..?" Applejack finished lamely.
"What?" Fluttershy asked curiously.
"Hit somethin' probably a rock." Applejack put down the shovel and dug at it with her hoof clearing some dirt away, before raising an eyebrow, "A sack?"
Fluttershy looked into the hole, wings perking as she stood on the edge, indeed there was a dark green worn fabric with a slight gash in it where Applejack had hit it.
Fluttershy hopped down as Applejack uncovered more of the sack revealing it to be a tight bundle around something oval in shape about the same size of Angel bunny.
Curiously Applejack prodded the bundle before picking it up and unrolling it into a faded green dirt and bloodstained cloak wrapped around a peculiar crystal that glowed faintly in the setting light.
"What is something like this doing in a place like here, and why is it covered in someponies blood?" Applejack asked not expecting any answer from her companion.
"Well..." Fluttershy began, looking closer at it, "It looks like one of those crystal journals ponies use to store their memories or words in."
Applejack looked at her friend with a look of slight surprise, "How the hay do you know that sugarcube."
Fluttershy looked slightly away, "They were selling them back in the Crystal Empire... Even so, that cloak looks old, far too old to have been recently lost here..."
"Who do you reckon it belongs to?" Applejack asked, somewhat comforted in knowing that Fluttershy had actually took the time to explore the Crystal Empire on those days they had been there when they weren't saving it or getting a games inspector to choose the empire for the national equestrian games.
"No idea, there is a way to find out, but..." Fluttershy looked away as if ashamed to have thought of it.
"What sugarcube?" Applejack pressed her friend gently.
"We'd have to view it..."
It was Applejack's turn to look uncomfortable, "Tha' is a bit intrusive Shy. Is there no other way? What about bringing it to Twi'?"
Fluttershy shook her head, "No... Twilight's busy with the paperwork from becoming a princess... I doubt she would have free time for someponies journal..."
"True... We should let Twi settle into her new job before we bother her. Alright let us find out who it belongs to then..." Applejack noticed how dirty she was, "After we clean up of course..."
Soon enough the pair found themselves in Fluttershy's cottage cleaned up and sitting down across each other with the small blue gem between them. Neither made a move to it, instead Applejack started uneasily, "So... we view it now?"
Fluttershy nodded and Applejack continued, "Well... get it fired up or however ya' activate it..."
Together they touched the stones access rune with their foreheads and vanished into the view of the author's index. Going to the first entry and activating it. It began to play.
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Where do I begin to tell the tale of my life? Explain how and what I did to this princess and my friends. Why I am going to do what I am going to do next, and how wrong I was for doing so. I should probably go and explain a little bit about music first, after all my cutie mark is a score of them.
What is music? Some would say it is a series of sounds played to please the listener occasionally joined by a singer who gives purpose to the music to turn it into a song. I disagree strongly with such a notion. Music is the gate to ones soul. Where you can put emotions that there are no words for into sound and express them with uttermost impunity. Music is, in that way, the soul of the musician. There is a wider variety of notes and sounds than one mouth can express. The instrument chosen, the notes played; and how they played it made all the differences just moving your jaw ever could. With music you could do just about anything with the right notes, open hearts, reawaken or destroy dreams, express your true feelings, or even cast spells with its aid.
And even cause physical harm.
So yes, music is a high strung glory of society. Being able to create music also a big advantage when you don't have any place to go. Being a bard, or a traveling dungeoneer as others put it, is a profession which most overlook in music, often choosing other such professions in the words of tavern-player or traveling minstrel. There lies my profession and title. The Night Bard -- Chosen not by me mind you-- but rather a title earned after a series of events. The fall of princess Luna within the thirty year period between Discords fall and the rise of Nightmare Moon. How do I know this? I was the one to cause it.
Oh, I should probably put a name to my voice shouldn't I? My name was Sonata Requiem. Though my friends, when they were my friends, called me Sona. I am a dark purple unicorn mare with a lavender colored mane which is left often a messy bush. My cutie-mark, as I mentioned earlier, is a score of notes which are nonsense when played. I regularly wear a cloak, usually of green color. My treasure is a flute, violin, and piano, in which I play most of my music when on the go. My eyes... Well they were originally both blue but after an event, the one I cover up most the time with a small patch is another story entirely.
Maybe later I will explain about it and how it got like it is under that patch. Now my build is much like that of an average pony, maybe a bit thinner and taller. But with my overall appearance I am often mistakened for a stallion, much to my own displeasure. Welcome to my story, or the story of Sona, the Night Bard as others will probably call it if they ever find this... And not destroy it...
Author's Note
Edited: Fixed a lot of errors. Just to let you know.
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
"There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare."
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The sun was setting when Sonata woke up. Her body ached with pain, some from the impact and physical exhaustion that the mage had forced her to take and the rest from the act of knocking herself out of the air with such a strong pulse of telekinetic magic that she was sore in the head. Forcing herself up, she began to limp towards the village, knowing she was probably too late to help but needing to have witnessed the scene that had unfolded in her unconsciousness. She whispered a few words, "I'm coming father..."
Through thorny bush and tall oak trees she waded through and around, the very forest itself was quiet as she grew closer to the pillar of smoke that was coming from the town. Her back left hoof was painful with every movement, the signs that she had bruised the limb was apparent but she continued on. Her father needed her and she wasn't going to let a little thing like a bad hoof stop her when a Dragon and Unicorn mage attacked the village. As she broke the tree line to her village her face however turned white.
The entire village was burning, what had once been the market district was completely charred. Dead bodies burnt down to their skeletons littered the ground with crows feasting upon what little flesh was left of them. Sona wanted to puke but swallowed it back down as she picked up pace, running towards her home. As she passed the various burning buildings her heart grew colder, the village hadn't had any noise other than the burning of fire and cawing of crows, not one call for help or any signs of life besides the cruel fire that consumed everything in its heat. As she ran closer her heart skipped a beat as she rounded the corner to her parents house. It was burnt to the ground, but there was a collapsed half burnt figure seeping with red.
There was also red around the front of the house, massive amounts of unnatural dark red blood long since dried all over the place, too much for a pony alone. As she neared her father she noticed he was burnt over his hooves, and a discarded flute and a swords hilt lay near him. Drawing the conclusion that her father had fought valiantly soothed at least one part of her mind but her eyes widened as she took in the very slight movement of his chest, he was still alive, "Father!" she shouted rushing to his aide and tearing off her bag pulling out a extra cloak she normally used as a spare. But before she could rip it up a raised burnt hoof stopped her. Her father smiled to her, despite being half burnt on one side of his face he spoke gently, "Daughter, you are here... at last."
Her father coughed as Sona fussed over him, "Father, hang on! I'll bandage you and take you to the nearest doct-"
"Don't be naïve my child." Her father cut her off, "I can already see the light..."
Sonata couldn't take it anymore, she broke down crying and hugging her father as he patted her gently on the back, wincing in pain but not minding. It would be the last time they would see each other, "Remember my child, to take good care of yourself... May music steady your hooves and re-... Remember, my child. You always will be my little filly." He wheezed.
"Father! Don't go!" Sona cried out to her dad hugging him.
Her father simply smiled, "I am afraid I can't stop... May I have a last request my darling daughter? Will you play me a song one last time?"
Sona nodded hugging her father once more, "What do you want me to play..."
Her father closed his eyes whispering, "Surprise me..."
Sona chopped back a sob taking her instrument out with an unsteady hoof and getting up in the position her father had taught her oh so long ago, she began to play . The song flowering up in musical intensity as she did as her father requested of her. Tears openly streamed down on her face as her fathers chest slowed down even further before eventually stopping. She played until the song was finished before her heart wretched her down to the ground to weep. She cried for several hours before she ran out of tears, and more hours still until morning was rising of the next day.
Eventually she stopped, the fires had died down and her father was dead. The village was dead, and she was a sole survivor only because of how cocky the Unicorn mage with the Dragon hadn't seen her horn or expect her to be able to escape. Haltingly she stood up and moved to the side of the house, dragging her fathers body with her she took a large burnt piece of the frame of the house and began to dig with the crude tool a hole. She was going to burry her Father. The only family member she had since her mother had died of a accidental blast of chaos magic in the era of Discord. Her mothers grave would now be joined by Sona's Fathers.
Eventually she was finished, marker and all. The sun was at high noon, she was tired and sweaty but she wasn't done yet. She had so much more to do. She approached the ruins of the well sized house that used to be called home and began to dig through what used to be her room for surviving belongings. Out of the room she reacquired half of her bags, miraculously saved due to being still wet from use in a rainstorm a few days ago. In them she had put a few instruments including her fathers Flute and sword hilt, the few unburnt food and the camping canteens that used to hang on her shelf. While their straps were burnt off the metal containers for holding water was still whole metal wise. The rest of her belongings was completed by a small sum of bits discovered near her father's room and a set of spare winter clothes.
Gradually she moved onto her fathers workshop, it was still standing for the most part, having only the roof and door was made of wood, while the rest was made of stone unlike the house. It was the place her father made his instruments and tuned them, while she doubted anything had survived in it she had to see. If only for sentimental reasons, inside she found half of the burnt roof collapsed on her fathers workshop. Mostly however it had hit the stage in which he practiced and sometimes held teaching lessons on. Inching around the fallen support beams she noticed only a few things were useable in the workshop. The first was a invention her father had made in an attempt to make a portable version of larger instruments, a literal roll up miniature piano that was powered by a unicorns magic.
While the buyer had later canceled the payment her father had competed it anyway, having said it was a interesting challenge. The result was a small wooden piano that would separate into six pieces that could be fit together like a jigsaw puzzle into a straight line or a box no bigger than a Lunch box. Normally it would need a amplifier however to be heard but that's where her fathers horn would come in with a spell to amplify the music it made in a similar fashion to that of a flute player changing the keys without blowing into it, the amplifier would give that blow to make it sound.
She put it in a bag, it would be useful she guessed, in the future at least. Scanning around the room she spotted something else, a wrapped bundle, slightly singed but not destroyed. Carefully she unwrapped it. Though her father was gentle and kind he did have some... downsides... Sometimes he would get requests for a hidden weapon inside an instrument. But those were usually requests by Bards who went with groups to do dungeons or fighting on the front line. Something her father had looked negatively on but had accepted as a normal activity in Equestria. Looking upon the bundle was a Harmonica. Well it looked like a harmonica, but the slight gleam on the ridge of it as well as a slight hole had designated it as a blade that was simply using it as a sheath. While it would still play music the small knifes real worth came when it was activated, similar to a spring, when activated the harmonica would turn into a small knife using the instrument itself as a handle. This too she picked up and put however in a inner pocket of her Cloak.
Now the only question was where to go. Sonata didn't know many of her relatives or where they lived for that matter. Well she might as well follow the road, figure out who that Unicorn was. That Unicorn... Sona's brow furrowed as she thought about him. She didn't care how long it took. She was going to get revenge.
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Applejack and Fluttershy left the journal. Applejack was shocked at the massacre and misery she had just witnessed. This was not a happy story or some fillies rambling. This was just... she didn't know how to describe it. Her mind was brought back to the present at the sound of Fluttershy rushing into her bathroom and puking. It was a lot worse for the timid mare than it was for the tough farm pony. Applejack went to help her friend as the crystal was forgotten momentarily as the two recovered from the memory. So much death and misery within that article.
Eventually Fluttershy recovered, "How... could anypony be that...b-bad..." she whispered fighting the urge to paint her toilet green again.
Applejack shook her head, "No idea 'Shy. What do ya' think we should do with it?"
Fluttershy considered, before giving a self defeating sigh, "We should finish what we started... This journal is over a thousand years old at least. Might as well..."
Applejack nodded before checking the time, It was starting to get dark, "Maybe tomorrow, after we are both done with our chores."
Fluttershy nodded in agreement, "I guess it's time to head back home then?"
"Eeyup."
Fluttershy nodded, "See you soon AJ..."
Applejack nodded and left, quietly shutting the door behind her. Fluttershy watched from the window as her friend slowly receded from sight. It wasn't long before a small white foot hammered on her leg softly. Looking down she saw Angel bunny with a small food dish that was empty. Fluttershy giggled quietly and picked her favorite pet up, "Time for dinner Angel."
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
Bard (III):The Traveling Minstrel
“Stories ought not to be just little bits of fantasy that are used to wile away an idle hour; from the beginning of the human race stories have been used - by priests, by bards, by medicine men - as magic instruments of healing, of teaching, as a means of helping people come to terms with the fact that they continually have to face insoluble problems and unbearable realities”
~ Joan Delano Aiken
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The night was soft, still, and deep blue overhead as Sonata left the edge of the forest that had lead to her old town and headed across the rolling hills towards the distant Evergreen Valley. If any of her lessons her father had given her were accurate, there she would find a town to take shelter in. She had heard that minstrels were often given free room and board by inns or nobles as long as they agreed to provide quality music. Sona hoped this was true, and that they would accept the songs sung by one so young. She was barely a teenager at her age and already, she was traveling alone on the dusky road not by choice but from necessity.
Eventually her tired limbs groaned, weariness overtaking her as she trudged onwards forcing each step. Was it just her or was the sky getting darker fast? She blinked and found her eyes a bit lower when she opened them again. Her head was beginning to droop and she saw a light ahead. Her hooves ached for a break but she continued, moving on towards the light that was not so far away anymore. Dimly she saw the outlines of three figures in the light as well as the soft sounds of general chatter. The last thing she saw before passing out was one of the silhouetted forms rising exclaiming at her dirty appearance before she passed out.
Her mind was darkness for a while, the void of unconsciousness not giving her a dream, soon enough she began to stir, it felt like hours had already gone by, and there was a red glow she could see from behind her eyelids. As her consciousness regrew so did a conversation enter her range of hearing. The first she made out was a deeper voice of a stallion's, "How do you think this young colt got covered in so much soot and ash?"
A second voice responded in a sarcastic yet inexplicably mare voice, "Probably walked through the remains of a fire of course. Unless you are suggesting something else makes soot and ash besides fire?"
"But so much soot? What did he walk through a field of It?" The first voice shot back, much to Sona's annoyance she was being referred to as a colt it seems.
A frequent problem with the young mare, having the look of a colt to her muzzle in shape. Her father had said that she would grow more feminine in years to come, but as a teenager most did the mistake of calling her a him instead. She almost missed the next ones voice as he began to speak, "Well, we can ask that when he wakes up. Look he's stirring now. That's just brilliant, can never keep a young one down can ya?"
Well, no more point to faking unconsciousness it seems. With a groan of protest from her muscles sonata sat up meeting face to face with a eccentric dark stallion who had an even darker mane and a strange wide rimmed hat siting proudly on top of his head. She was speechless at the hat, it was just too strange after a unicorn riding dragon and the death of her entire village to see such a bright cheery face wearing a ridiculous hat that looked as if it could hold several foals if not an entire pony in its width. This ended up leading her to give the strange stallion a blank stare of incomprehension until he spoke, the same deep tone she had heard earlier with almost unnatural enthusiasm, "Why hello there! What's your name and why are you covered in Soot?"
Instinctively Sona scooted a few paces away from the stallion that was almost literal in her face her lips locked shut as she recoiled. On the other end of the campfire the mares voice spoke again, "Seriously doctor? Not going to introduce yourself first? How rude." A small white object then proceeded to bounce off the Doctors hat, presumably thrown at him before disappearing into the fire.
"I was going to get to that Starry." the brown stallion, 'Doctor' presumably, looked across the fire at his fellow companion and interrupting her before she could respond, "Anyway, I am 'The Doctor'. People call me Doctor more often then not, My friend who threw the marsh mellow at my head happens to be Midnight Star. The gloomy one in the corner is Alex. Say hello Alex." He looked a little off to the left gesturing for him.
"..."
"You'll have to pardon him, he's been a tad bit moody since his headphones are put away in a bag rather than being worn. Speaking of worn, I wonder how the Tardis is doing. Clever girl probably still sitting around waiting for me." The doctor continued to ramble off, giving Sona some time to look at the other two ponies who were at the campfire.
Midnight was a Unicorn mare, not a mage judging from the lack of large flowing robes and gold on her body. Her coat was a cheery light blue coat that looked dirtied from travel but well taken care of. Her eyes seemed almost a mix of changing red and orange but Sona thought that was simply the campfire reflecting off them. Midnight's mane however looked like it had seen better days, while light purple in color the poor thing had once started off looking like a fluffy singular curve ending at a suddenly bent tip. In contrast her tail was long, enough to trail on the ground if she trotted, and both were filled with bits of odd sticks that she was currently at work getting out.
Alex in contrast was a quiet earth pony stallion around her own age with a darker blue coat color. His mane was a black spikey mass that was littered with white tips around the edges of each point. The only clothing he was wearing was a Scarf and his face was covered by it preventing her from seeing his face, but from the slow rising and falling motions of his chest was the subtle signs of sleeping rather then consciousness. The funny thing was he didn't have a cutie-mark however.
Checking Midnight's flank, at a glance, was a Dark purple star cutie-mark surrounded by smaller stars, though when she went to look at the Doctor's she was instead greeted to the end of his monologue, "That was how the Sub-Space Harmonizer was invented. Anyway, Enough of me, who are you?"
"Sonata..." She whispered quietly.
"Pardon?" eccentric brown stallion asked.
"My name is Sonata... Your doctor....?"
"Thee doctor. Doctor who to be precise." The Doctor said with a flourish.
"Doctor...Whooves?" Sonata wasn't sure she heard him right.
"Close enough. Just call me Doctor. By the way, do you know what year it is?"
Sonata was more confused, how did he not know? "Five AD... Five after Discord..."
"Ah, I see." The brown stallion went on, "Oh, and what were you doing wandering alone covered In soot again?"
"Well... My village was attacked by a unicorn mage riding a giant dragon..." Sonata knew this was going to take a while to explain, but began to explain what had happened to her and the village she had so recently called home.
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With a shuddering sigh both Applejack and Fluttershy regained their conscious back from the journal and pondered over what they had just seen. Fluttershy was the first to speak however, "She's barely older than the girls and she is traveling all alone? That's just..." Fluttershy made an strangled sound, unable to find the words needed for it.
Applejack was more practically confused, "That Doctor fellow seems familiar. Haven't we seen 'im around town before?" Without a response from her Pegasus friend Applejack continued on, "Nah, couldn't be. Must of been a relative. No way any pony could live that long but a Alicorn. Granny smith is the oldest earth pony I know and even Apple Bloom knows she's not even a tenth the way to a thousand."
Fluttershy nodded quietly agreeing to Applejacks sentiment, "Maybe we should view the rest of it first before jumping to conclusions?"
Applejack nodded, "Eeyup. Maybe we can squeeze in another entry before I have to head back to the farm."
Fluttershy was about to speak for agreement when a rumble was heard, more specifically a pair of stomach rumbles. Both blushed, embarrassed before Fluttershy brought up, "How about we have some lunch first?"
Applejack chuckled and nodded in agreement. Food first, Journal later. It wasn't like it was going anywhere anytime soon.
Author's Note
Credits to Slypheed for his OC Alex, and Mast for Midnight Star. Two completely loyal fans characters added with their permission as both a shoutout and a honorary mention. Give a round of applause for these guys. Though try not to do as Hulk do and break everyone with a giant clap of doom.
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.”
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It was good fortune that the group Sonata had encountered was heading towards Canterlot. While the Doctor and Alex had their own reasons (albeit something about some mechanical owl thing which she couldn't wrap her head around at all). She discovered Midnight had her own reason to travel there. Midnight star was going to ask the beloved princesses for a lower in Tax. So far a majority of the larger villages were faced with taxes on most food products except for a pair of strange medical powders called Sun Shade and Moonglow. While healthy apparently in their own ways, Midnight didn't see the logic of trying to feed a kingdom with only those two mineral products.
Her own reason for heading towards Canterlot was for a simpler reason. She wanted justice for the dragon-riding-mage who attacked her village. As the only one left of her village, she felt duty bound to alert the princesses to the rogue mage and his pet dragon. What struck her as odd however was the professions of the group she had caught glimpses of. Everypony here except for the Doctor seemed to be musicians. Though Alex was reluctant to mention his instruments for some reason, Midnight was more than glad to show off her lute and the skills behind her. Occasionally as the days past the outline of the grand city in construction known as Canterlot would begin to come into view. Every night came with a different set of songs, sometimes Sona would join Midnight with her own instruments, but mostly she was silent and mourning for her village.
Canterlot was an industrial city up close, as the castle itself was still in construction and it's supplies had required the fellow construction of many industrial buildings that gave so many ponies their jobs in the city. Some thought the construction would never end. Though that was a fool's folly. Though the construction was due to be completed in twenty years at the most, half that if nothing went wrong. They were after all planning on adding construction to the rest of the town in the same manner of décor as the castle after all, a process that would take the builders months for each individual home to be demolished and then remade in sturdy heavy stone bricks.
Even in its current state of construction the gates and walls of the city which were constructed from large sturdy logs would deter most ground invasions and settle as a large deterrent if it was ever attacked. It was through one of the cities large arcing wooden gates they passed through, settling in for the city beyond to the crowded marketplace beyond that was just flooded with every type of sapient creature and then some who were either buying, selling, or (worse) being sold off as well among the variety of goods that the market had to offer. At that point the group went their separate ways. Though they had arrived at the early afternoon.
It wasn't until the sun was already dropping from it's peak that Sona could escape the spiraling streets and markets which were all but flooded with ponies going their various ways. Nothing rather caught her eye among the markets though with the crowded streets she couldn't help but wince as she trotted on a few ponies hooves on accident as well as more than one zebra, griffon, and even gotten thrown through the air at one point as a rather vehement red minotaur, sick of being blocked yelled, "Somepony tries to block? Show them how you rock!" before barreling through the band of merchants who Sona had been stuck behind for more then ten minutes prior.
The castle itself however was a sight to behold, the grand intricate stonework had words of wisdom in various languages carved into each brick and the way it positively gleamed in the sunlight was magnificent. The gleaming walls of expertly placed and carved stone. the stone flooring itself was heavenly in comparison to the rough roads and gravel pathways the streets were filled with. It was warm at the touch, an effect she had to presume was magical. She also couldn't help notice the large amount of guards posted at every doorway though. Though why the heavy security was a mystery. Then she noticed the line to get to the princess's court rooms. The process was difficult to say the least.
First she had to stand in the waiting line for the waiting line. It was meant to sort the problems among three groups, ones who would actually need to see the princess was the first line which was relatively short. Complaints about livelihoods and living conditions, or matters of the states would go to the second line, which would be taken care of by a small group of unicorns in the western wing of the palace. The third line, unfortunately, was for the reporting of crimes which would be heard by the captain of the guard on the eastern wing... Which was the only complete wing. The only problem with that was that it was on the top floor. With a weary sigh she began the trot up the castle towers many floors in order to wait with an audience with the captain. She smiled though, despite her weariness, her village would finally get some measure of peace once that dragon riding mage was taken down.
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
Bard(V): Meet The Captain
"Sometimes corruption is slowed by shedding light into what was previously shadowed."
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Sona had just knocked on the door revealing to the captain of the guard in the other room of his next visitor. With a gruff slightly agitated, "Come on in." as the only response she creaked open the door revealing what was to be the Captain's office.
The office was simple, the details she recognized first was a large oak desk with two seats in front of it, small and presumably for those who were here for a short meeting, and one behind which was large and cushioned as well as slightly elevated and elaborate in trim; the intent being to intimidate the pony in the smaller seats. A plain bookshelf and trophy case decorated the walls, the later being filled with a large variety of medals and scholarships the captain had earned in life. The only other decoration around was a tinted glass double door which was currently open in the back of the room. To an balcony who's handrails had yet to be finished, "I'm outside if your wondering." the captains gruff voice replied to the unsaid question.
Upon reaching the doorway she saw the captain, he was a middle aged stallion of healthy complexion wearing intricate half plate armor over his front half with a short simpler sword strapped to his waist. His hooves were well protected in sturdy leather boots though the odd thing out was the rather large hat that almost covered his cold blue eyes surrounded by a deep grey fur. The hat was large enough to stretch down around his back similar to that of a cape and had enough frills and colors to make a peacock dyed in rainbows jealous. It was ridiculous to say the least. Though she wouldn't notice his smirk as her jaw dropped subconsciously and wouldn't speak for several moments before the Captain of the royal guard asked her, "Was there something you needed or are you just wasting my precious time?" his smirk devolved into a frown.
"I..." Sona began, "Am here to... report a rogue mage killed my entire village..."
The captain rose an eyebrow, staring at her, "Tell me everything." and so she did, every last detail up to the point of when she left the ruins of her former home.
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"I see..." The guard said, the story having been told to him. The sun was setting after Sona was done telling, then retelling the story with every single detail she could remember as the guard questioned her. The look of the Captain's face grew more and more grim as she recounted the dragon riding mage of a unicorn. Eventually he turned around, Moving around Sonata so that she was forced to turn her back to the edge of the balcony as she followed his movements until he was facing away from her, face concealed by the brim of his wide hat, "As captain of the royal guard I know whom you speak of."
Sona beamed at the guard, a hopeful tone filling her voice, "And you're going to see justice dealt?"
A chill filled the air as the captain replied, "He is a council pony of Princess Celestia, as such I am forced to execute order sixty six," he turned his head to give her an apologetic stare, "I'm sorry."
The Captain's back hooves seemed to rocket off the ground, and Sona was barely able to register the buck before the impact collided with her, pushing her backwards... and off the edge of the tower, plummeting towards the ground below. It was a good few moments before she began to scream before she hit the gravel pathway far down below legs first. Her world turned red as pain flew through her body and the shadow of somepony looming over her was the last thing she saw before unconsciousness came to claim her.
The Captain only sighed heading inside after pushing the Mare off. As a guard came into the room asking what had happened, the Captain explained in a well practiced neutral tone, "Another Mare has attempted to kill me, I managed to knock her off the edge before she could do any real harm though. Send the guard to fetch her corpse. If she isn't dead, put her out of her misery."
The Guard sighed, "That's the third this week Sir."
"I know."
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Darkness, pain, fear, sadness, and betrayal. All of these were what Sona had in this stupor. She cried openly in this bleak landscape, was she dead? She feared the answer, wishing for the comfort of her fathers arms and the sweet music of the village she used to know. How was it that the mages had always have their way while the people and even the law suffered for it. How could their rulers be so blind. Especially when it was said that nothing encompassed Celestia's all seeing eyes. It just wasn't fair...
Darkness, her only comfort in this bleak unconscious mind of hers, this was all she had. Nothing else but the Darkness, and her tears as reality set in. Everything wasn't going to be alright, no law enforcement was going to save the day and no royal court would whisk up its magic and put everything to right. In all due perspective she realized her hopes had been a childish dream compared to how corrupted the mages were to turn a royal guard into killing survivors of an disaster for the criminal at hoof.
Her resolve started to grow, why must the people suffer so much, her tears stopped flooding and came down to a trickle, thoughts that were usually reserved for adult ponies going through her mind as she thought over the legal system. Celestia was little more then a figurehead in this kingdom. All the real power went to the mages. the dirty, nasty mages who killed villages of innocent people as a pastime. Her hate concentrated, her anger grew larger and larger. and the world began to turn red.
This surprised her, and she realized she could no longer see herself through this red light, it was growing blinding now and she tried to raise a hoof only to fail and hear muffled voices and see the red light soften as something intercepted it. The voices grew more clear, one a tomboyish feminine tone, "-in Tartarus did you grab this pony from Duty? Her body looks like it got ran over by a dozen carts if not more. and all of the bones in her legs are broken as well as several ribs."
That was funny, she didn't feel hurt, Numb more then anything. Her mind returned to focusing on the reply, a simpler heavy voice with a thick voice, Duty presumably, "I found 'er after I saw 'er get shoved off the Captains balcony, on purpose mind ya."
"Still... I have to wonder why you brought her to me of all ponies, you know I'm not a doctor right?" the tomboyish tone responded, a slight hint of worry in her tone and Sona could feel hooves moving along her body as they wrapped another splint along a broken leg and tied it straight.
"Do ya' think I'd let Doctor Biz' near a filly like this? I don' trust 'is 'Surgerah' methods. Just not right to go digging into someponies vitals and messin' with their insides."
"It's Surgery Duty." the female voice replied, slightly irked, though something caused her to sigh, "Alright, get your point..."
Sona decided she had waited long enough, cracking open an eye, as one was bandaged, to peer at her rescuers. Though when she opened it she was staring straight into the scarlet eye of a dark yellow pony who had a scar over it, a grisly beard, and a wart on the side of his muzzle. Straight up close she saw every little detail from the smallest booger in his nostril to the jagged lines of improperly healed flesh that made up his scar. Let alone the deep soul piercing stare he gave her. Faced with so many details and such the close quarters her body decided to add the final push, removing a portion of her numbness and adding the proper pain as adrenaline tried and failed to ignite her flight or fight response in it's shoddy condition.
Sona made a soft quiet yet highpitched, "EEEeeeeeeeeeeee!" and fainted on the spot, not moments after awakening.
Duty would get a smack upside the head from his friend and only reply, "Wha' did I do to deserve that?"
"You dolt..."
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
Bard(VI): An Unexpected Journey
"If one by one we counted people out For the least sin, it wouldn't take us long To get so we had no one left to live with. For to be social is to be forgiving."
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The next time consciousness came to Sonata, she found herself in the bed of a large wagon, covered in blankets and laying on a mattress consisting of bags of rice. The muted sounds of ponies outside talking while the wagon jostled down whatever road it was on. Yet the bedding felt better than anything she had slept in since her old bed in the burnt down home of her village. By force of concern Sona raised her head, looking around for her belongings.
"Well, well, well, look who's awake and back from the grave." The voice of a tomboyish mare with a slight attitude exclaimed, shocking Sonata into full awareness; regrettably with the pain of her body also coming into fruition. Sonata groaned, collapsing back onto her makeshift pillow, instead staring at the speaker who had startled her.
"Wouldn't move if I were you, you broke almost every bone in your ribcage and both your back legs from that fall you were kicked into." A rugged grey Pegasus with a green mane tied back in a ponytail spoke. Her figure was fine, coated in a reinforced muted green mail and cloth armor that covered everything but her wings. She looked back at Sona, revealing eyes of sea blue which seemed to pierce into her very soul, though her kinder smile softened the blow, "You should be good in a while, forced you to drink a few potions that fixed the bones, though they are going to need a bit of time to strengthen back to normal."
Sonata gave an noncommittal groan in response to the statements, earning a chuckle from the mysterious Pegasus, "The name's Meadow by the way, Sunset Meadow. Though my friends call me Sunny when they think they're being wise. They're not." She said with a roll of her eyes, "What's your name?"
Sona mustered her strength to speak, couldn't hurt, considering she probably would of been a dead pancake on the street of Canterlot without her help, "Sonata... Requiem..."
"So Sona then, pleased to meet you as well." the mare dragged on, sharpening some strange tool attached to her wing, a blade of some sort, "What did you do to get kicked off the highest tower?"
Sonata struggled to draw the words up, her throat dry, "Water..." she whispered, ignoring the question.
With a sheepish look, Sunny put away her strange bladed tools into sheaths on either side of her armor and moved a canteen to Sonata's lips, allowing the mare a long drink of a sweet honey like nectar to wet her throat, "Sorry, as you were saying?"
Relieved of some soreness Sonata started, Sunset's manner more than friendly nature enough to spur conversation on, despite the various minor pains as her body's skeleton kept fixing itself ever so slowly, "I..." her thoughts switched on her, "don't want to talk about it..."
It must of been something on Sona's face that made Sunny frown, but she didn't push it, instead giving Sona a physical look over to check on her healing, and state. Though it was actually the heavily bandaged mare that initiated the next part of conversation, "Where's my instruments..." she managed to ask, a feeling of dread sinking into her.
"Broke," The mare began, chuckling at Sona's horrified expression, "Relax I'm joking. Your body broke its fall." She moved her case, bent slightly but still intact, out from behind a few crates, "Same with your clothes though the rest of your gear wasn't so fortunate."
Sonata sighed in relief, though sonny's next words nearly caused her heart to stop, "Can't help but notice your instruments are made by Candlelight, he's rather well known for crafting instruments for famous bards, though I can't say I ever heard of you in any tavern, how did you get a hoof of one, let alone several."
There was no hiding it, "He's... my late father..." Sonata admitted.
Sunny raised an eyebrow, "Late? As in dead?"
Sonata hid her face between her hooves, her voice getting a bit louder as pent up anger and sadness finally broke the shield that had been weakened by betrayal and shock of the events she had occurred, "A Mage riding a creature of bucking legend killed him with the rest of Hoofington!" she blubbered on, "Family, friends, neighbors, all dead!" she practically screamed the last word, she rambled on horrifying detail after horrifying detail, "Burned alive or forced to commit suicide by blasted spells!"
The wagon seemed to stop, the voices outside actually growing silent as they overheard, though she didn't care, it wasn't until a warm body actually wrapped their hooves around her did she look up and noticed a sad smile on Sunset's face as she hugged Sona, "There, there..." she calmly started to brush Sonata's hair with her hoof, a gesture usually reserved for intimate couples or family, "It's okay, you're not alone. Let it all out." her voice had lost that defiant, tomboyish edge. It was calming, to say the least for the short while it lasted uninterrupted.
Though a rustling at the back drew Sunny's attention and ruined the moment, "Hey Sunny," the male voice from before, who was it again...Moody? inquired, "We heard the voices an-" The stallion was unable to continue as a hoof unwrapped the crying unicorn and grabbed the nearest object, a frying pan, and threw it over hand at the interrupter, "Out! Can't you see this filly is traumatized? Get the cart moving again before I tie you to your bed and let it drag behind the cart with you on it." the harsh tone was back.
Apparently she had missed as the stallion gave a gruff wisecrack back, "Usually I have to beg for hours to get you to do that."
"You... Big...Dumb... D-Dolt," the mare blushed despite herself, "Shoo! I'm serious!"
"Whatever you say boss."
Soon enough the cart was moving again and teasing conversation between two unknown males and Duty, Sona had recalled his name, continued on wards. Sunny turned back to Sona giving her a comforting pat, getting a small smile in return, "So now that we all know what that was about..." Sunny began, smiling while lifting Sona's chin with the tip of her hoof, "Why don't you join us?"
"Join what?"
The mare chuckled, her voice returning to the normalcy she had first heard, "My group of vagabonds. We may be lacking numbers currently but we all have a hatred of those wizards and mages who have wronged the people, and do as much mischief and mayhem to their little 'perfect kingdom' as possible by raiding outposts, stealing supplies, recruiting members who had been wronged, and taking back what is ours."
Sona raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Bandits?"
Sunny chuckled, still smiling, "We prefer the term, 'freedom fighters' to be honest."
Sona put some thought into it, there wasn't anything waiting for her anywhere, the companions she had gained would probably be gone on their own ways by now. She asked, "Will you teach me how to fight?"
Sunny smiled, "Yes. Though I warn you, I teach by doing, not by lecture or fancy little books."
Sona nodded in response, "Then yes, if you will have me then I will join your... group."
As the wagon moved onwards still, Sona grew more determined, if the justice was corrupt and not very many noticed, she would have to do it herself. But in order to stand a chance, she would need to learn how to fight. That meant becoming a warrior. Her mind set in stone she almost missed Sunny as she smiled and stated, "Now come on, when we stop lets introduce you to the rest of our group. Perhaps afterwards we can hear you strum a song for us, no?"
"Why wait?" Sona questioned, smiling weakly. She opened her case pulling out and putting together her fathers piano, and after a few test notes she smiled back to a grinning Sunny, and began to play . The wagon turned off the forested roads and down a path to a hidden fort, in the deep green thick forests of the Foal Mountain Range. Summer was drawing to an end, the seventh, in fact, since Discords fall. Winter was coming...
Author's Note
With winter coming and warrior training to be done, be prepared to see more of AJ and Flutters though this will still primarily be telling the story of Sona for a while yet! Congrats on reaching the end of the first ARC!
Also on a side note: this chapter was edited by: Sylpheed Dashstep and Eli.
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
Fighter(I):A Snowy Ambush
"In all my years as a mage of Canterlot, never have I seen a Unicorn quite so brilliant, or insane, as Starswirl the mad. Truly it is an art of both fantastic and terrifying spellwork that allows him to cast his spells. Some say he enslaved the windigo's of old to his whim for ice, and demons for fire. Others say his raw power alone is what makes him special. Either way, I wouldn't want to end up within a hundred leagues of him if I could help it. Though many would kill for his spell book, No pony has gone as far into alteration then he has. Some say he can even change destiny."
-Overheard in the castle's mage quarters, approximately three years after Discord's imprisonment.
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Fluttershy was first to regain awareness of her surrounding, curiously enough the sun had long since fallen and nighttime had taken it's place, with a jolt she realized they had indeed spent much longer in this session then the others previously. As Applejack also regained her consciousness and moved away from the memory crystal, she had to comment about what had happen, "Poor dear... That can't of happened, right?" Surely her being kicked off of a tower by the very stallion who was sworn to protect it's populace had to of been fake, it was truly mind baffling otherwise.
"Ah don' know 'Shy..." the farmer replied, rubbing a hoof against her forehead, "It seemed pretty real to me, this gal has had one misfortune after another so far, and with the evidence currently drawn to light, 'ah don' think we should be showin' this to any of the princesses, certainly not Twi' and heavens forbid Rarity."
Fluttershy gasped, before asking in a rushed yet still quiet tone, "But, why shouldn't Twilight or the others see this?"
Applejack gave her a plain stare, "What do ya' think Celestia's number one pupil, ex or not would say about this? Nor do I think our... dramatic... friend would be able to keep her mouth shut after seeing the contents of here. There's enough depressin' stuff in there to make pinkie sad let alone what it will do others..."
Fluttershy frowned but nodded, it made sense she supposed, it was a rather grim showing of Equestrian history through this Sona's eyes, Twilight, while being the smartest of their friends would probably go off a tangent and call it fake. She was rather... What was the word... devoted? to her ex-mentor. Though a low rumble interrupted her thoughts. Looking up to the source, Applejack grinned sheepishly, "It's later than I thought I'd be stayin'. Would ya' mind if I spent the night?"
Fluttershy smiled at the rather bad attempt at hiding hunger, though her own stomache made her smile shrink down to sheepish grin, "Of course I don't. Mind waiting here while I make some daffodil sandwichs and feed the animals?"
"ya' have to feed animals at this time of night?"
"Only the nocturnal ones...." Fluttershy responded in turn.
"Alrighty then 'Shy. I'll just wait here, unless you wan't some help."
"Oh, it isn't that much, I'll be back in a jiffy,"
With that said, it was only moments before Applejack watched Fluttershy flit from the room to go and take care of her animals, though her thoughts quickly turned back towards the memory crystal, "Hmm..." Applejack began, standing up and placing both hooves to either side of the slightly glowing object, "There is still one thing I don't get... How did Celestia and Luna not notice this corruption and terror their own mages were causing..."
Applejack pondered over it for several minutes before sitting back down in time for Fluttershy to return, a plateful of the sandwiches, and a pair of drinks balanced on each wing which she set out with a few words of thanks from the humble farmer. The next several minutes was all but silent as they filled their stomachs, banter occasionally breaking out between bites and sips of their drinks as they discussed the recent going ons in the town. Particularly of note was that strange music was starting to be heard in the everfee forest, though no one knew what it was. Some speculated that Zecora was doing something but when asked the Zebra didn't say, which only furthered their suspicions.
"Hey 'Shy?" Applejack asked once they were done with the meal, having personally washed them only minutes before.
"Yes Applejack?"
"Do you think we can, ah, do another session on that crystal?" she asked.
Fluttersh thought over it, "maybe, I hear that some ponies back in the crystal kingdom used them to replay fond memories in replacement for dreams if they were feeling insomniac...Though for us we would have to..." she blushed hiding her face with her mane only moments after it had formed.
"Have to...?"Applejack left the sentence hanging, a bit confused, before coming to a conclusion, "Oh, you mean we'd have to be in the same bed and do that forehead tap thing again."
Fluttershy nodded, "That's if you want to that is..."
"There is no shame in sharing a bed between friends 'Shy." Applejack patted Fluttershy on the shoulder, "It isn't something exclusive between two special-some-ponies. Even Rarity knows that."
With that said and done, Applejack all but drug Fluttershy and the crystal to bed. While they settled themselves in for the night and activated the still warm crystal again with their heads, queuing the next section of memories to be played for them. Little did they know; they were in for a long night.
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Here she was, three months had passed and now Sona was huddled up in the icy white heart of a swirling snowstorm, in the cruel month where ponies, sheep, and even Minotaurs alike were found frozen hard and the winds howled and shrieked through the Foal Mountains night and day, blowing snows in blinding clouds across the steep paths. It was now the sixth year since Discord's imprisonment though Sonata cared not one bit. All she cared about was that it was another cold season, her first since Hoofington burned-- and she was growing rather tired of it.
A strong muscular hand patted her on her thick heavily clad shoulder. She patted it in reply. Steel Gaze, one of the two minotaurs with them, had the most perceptive eyes of all five of the freedom fighters. His touch meant that he'd spotted a patrol through the curtain of frigid snow. Sona watched him reach the other way to pass on another warning. The five Freedom fighters, bundled up in layers upon layers of stolen and looted cloth until they looked like fat and shuffling rag monsters from a foals storybook, kicked their way of the warmth of their snow bank, fumbled to draw blades with either hand, mouth, or in sona's case, magic, and waddled down into the cleft.
Wind struck hard and fast as they came down into the narrow space between the rocks, howling billowing snow around and past them. Will Gold struggled to stay on his two feet as the wind tugged at the large hammer he bore on one shoulder. He'd crafted it from the remains of a mage's golem that he had took down with a falling tree shortly before the leaves began to fall. The fighters dug their holes and flopped down to a ready kneel, and waited as the snows streamed around and past them. As they settled into stillness, it cloaked them in concealing whiteness, making mere lumps and billows of snow in the storm as twelve earth ponies clad in patrol leathers came into view.
The first patrol pony's voice was carried over the wind as they drew within hearing range, "Ah Blast Wizards and mages..."
"You know better than to say that. Nor will I have any of that, in case you forgotten whom we are under the employ of Lord Sparkle." A second guardsman replied, his posture at ease as they trotted through the withering snowstorm.
A third guard replied, "Remember what happened the last time he caught someone badmouthing wizards?" a collective shudder, though not from the cold, ran through the group.
"I know, I know. But my hooves don't, they want to be back at the keep where the fire-" the first one began again but was cut off by the second one, presumably the captain of this small patrol.
"We all want to be back at the fires mate, though perhaps warming yourself with the slaughter of bandits will do ye' some good. That is, if your keen enough to spot any in this Celestia blasted storm."
"Perhaps..." Sunset spoke, letting her words carry around to them through the wind, "Celesta has other plans."
This drew out a deep chuckle from Duty, and as the guards heard the message it was already too late. From behind Steel Gaze and Will Gold both let out a ferocious roar scarring the ponies in the back, a pair of crossbow ponies to discharge their shots into the air and charged. This as a result lead to the others fanning out forward, right into the hooves of Sunset, Duty, and Sona. They rose from the snow like a vengeful group of ghosts, swords and scythe drawn to slash at the patrol ponies. In only a moment both crossbow wielding ponies and the three of their sword wielders were down, twitching, bleeding, and sobbing into the snow leaving the odds significantly improve as their five versus the six remaining. With a roar that would make a wolf proud, Will rammed his hammer down on another while his brother clubbed another pony into a fatal concussion.
By now the remaining had drawn their swords and begun to draw in a circle parrying both Duty and Sunset as Sona worked one versus one against a third. The final one was a Pegasus who had to fight both minotaurs in the never ceasing blinding wind. With a badly aimed stab Sona tried to gore her opponent but failed as the guard parried and delivered a return blow nearly piercing her own defenses. Her swordsmanship was only two months in comparison to the years usually taken by each guardsman so she instead began to try to stall her opponent while the others cleared away the remaining members of the patrol. Driving the guard onwards as he saw a chance to bring down one of his ambushers.
A moment later and Will's hammer appeared and smashed the guard into a tree, leaving him headfirst inside the trunk and limp. Nodding her thanks she rejoined the two minotaurs in an attempt to catch the Pegasus. Not meters away the remaining earth bound guard was growing desperate against his duel between sunset's scythe and Duty's broadsword. When he looked back and saw the ground filled with ten of their dead and not one of the 'bandits' own, he panicked, running for the hills as the Pegasus was caught by Steel gaze in mid dive bomb and knocked into the ground.
Seeing the fleeing guardsman Sona ran after the guard through the snow as fast as she could, the way that the freedom fighters had shown her, rocking comically from side to side like an intoxicated mule to keep from slipping in the light drifts. As slow as she was the guard was even slower, his hooves slipping in the potholes that marked the trail here, and he danced and stamped for footing, nearly falling head over tail repeatedly until he saw Sona approaching and leaned around to hack at the outlaw. Sona ducked back, letting the blade sing past and charged the stallion, sending her sword like an arrow into the Stallions neck. But still he didn't go down as she drew it out and she was barely able to parry as he slashed again, howling in muffled despair as the pain in his neck grew. Another stab sent the guard knocked over and spasming leaving Sona to shudder as the stallion spasmed under her steel, and then flopped back into the snow, limp. A month ago she had discovered she had no love of killing... and it hadn't grown easier since.
Yet it was slay or be slain in battle, Sona sprang away from the fallen guard with both her swords in grip and the guards own blade in her telekinetic field, glancing to and fro around for any reinforcements or hidden scouts until sunset came and got her. This was when 'outlaws' who'd grown tired of their fellows sometime made a mistake, under the cloak of a storming snow, and bring down someone who was not an guard of Equestria.
Sona expected no such treachery from her friends . . . but only Discord knew the hearts of ponies. This band of freedom fighters made no war with common folk. Not wanting to bring down the wrath of mages on farmers and simple artisans whose crops and supplies sometimes served as warm beds and whose frozen and forgotten rooted plants which could save a freezing pony from starvation. The freedom fighters avoided their neighbors in the mountains. Even so, they had learned not to trust them due to more then one 'outlaw' having been taken down by over trusting a village too much only to be turned in for a mere fifty silver bits and the cold lesson to not trust anyone overmuch.
Duty trotted up to her, blade put away in it's sheath and smiled like a colt on hearths warming eve, a cloud of vapor exiting his nose before he took in a breath to speak, "All dead; Son, ten guards and two archers . . . and a few of them were carrying full packs of food!"
Sonata grunted reply, starting to move towards the rest of their group, "No Unicorns?"
Duty chuckled and laid a strong hoof on Sona's shoulder. He left bloody marks,-- the gore of some guard he stepped in now lying cold in the snows. "Patience," he stated quite calmly, "If it's mages and wizards you want to slay, Kill enough patrols and by all means. The magical buckers will come."
Sona gave an noncommitted grunt and went to aide with the looting though around them, the whistle of wind began to die. Curses came from all around; the Freedom Fighters knew they would have to work fast indeed if it turned cold and clear, for even the weaker mages posted at the keeps out here would be able to find them when the weather was cleared.
By the favor of some deity unknown, another hour of storm picked up moments later giving them enough time to head back to their cave fort with the spoils of their battle in tow, the snow quickly covering their tracks for them. They knew every slope in these mountains, and it was like remembering how to drive a cart to figure out where to go. With a subtle knock on disguised wood they heard, "Password?" from the other side to which sunset punched the door and stated with a bitter mocked anger, "It's bloody freezing out here Green Hoof, open the door."
"Close enough." the voice snarked in reply and a series of boards were pulled aside from their wall mounted locks and it swung open, allowing them to proceed inside the warmer confines of the wooden fort. After a few moments when everyone was inside and the door was reshut they began to sort out the various piles of loot around the large fire that heated the fort, occasionally as they warmed up near the fire, they would begin to take off a lot of their thick clothes until they no longer resembled giant ragged sheep but instead just heavily furred, only maintaining a quarter of the clothing they once had on.
"How's the other group anyway Green?" Sona inquired, there were three groups in total, a scout group the one she was referring to, which consisted of two Pegasus ponies, the raiding group, which was theirs and the home group which was Green and an elderly colt who would only let himself be referred as, 'Uncle Wiseword'.
Green made a dismissive gesture, "They have yet to report back, The storm is probably making it a bit tough for them to get any intel from the populace. Give 'em an hour or two."
"Hey Sona," Sunset acquired from across the campfire, "Mind playing a song to liven up this gloomy place before we try another practice run at your swordplay?"
"No problem about the song Sunset," she replied though her sore muscles from the trip made her reply, "Though do we have to do that? We just got back from a raid..."
"You know you have to Sona," Sunset chided, "For that you get double when the songs over."
Sona sighed in defeat earning a group round of chuckles and laughs in which Duty replied, "Strict as ever, eh Sunny?"
The Pegasus blushed and turned to glare at Duty, "How many times have I told you not to call me that!"
Duty just laughed as she began to attack him with a discarded coat, "Did anypony ever tell you your cute when your angry?" he dodged a coat that went airborne as she threw it at him.
"Oh it is so on now," Sunny replied, moving forward with her wings to tackle Duty into a wrestling match while the group laughed, as they brawled Sona dutifully set up her piano and began to play .
Author's Note
Once again thank you Slyph and Eli for editing, starting to pick pace back up. Some ideas for later built, Welcome to the Fighter Arc.
The Night Bard: The End of Dawn
"Afterwards, David said, 'I can play something other than cacophony,' ... I'd been in a band in high school, and I'd been missing it."
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The sun beat down bright and hot on the rock pile that crowned the high pasture. Far below the cliff was a village cloaked in trees, that lay under a blue-green haze of mist-- magic mist. Some say it was conjured by elk of old, whose magic worked both good and ill. The ill things were spoken of more often, of course, for many folk in Equestria did not love elk. Sonata was not one such a pony. She hoped to meet an elk someday-- really meet, that is-- to touch rough fur and pointed antlers, to converse with them. These woods had once been theirs, and they knew the secret places where beasts laired and suchlike. She would love to know all that someday, when she was a professional bard and could walk anywhere she pleased.
Sona sighed, shifted into a more comfortable position against her favorite rock, and from habit glanced at the falling slopes of the meadow to be sure her violin was safe at her side, it was. Not for the first time, the bony, gangly, stallion nosed filly of dark purple peered south, squinting. Brushing unruly lavender hair aside with one slim hoof, she kept the tip of it raised to shade her overly curious green eyes, trying vainly to see the far off turrets of the still in construction yet still splendid Canterlot in the heart of Equestria. As always he could see the faint greenish haze that marked the nearest curve of the Everfree forest.
Father told her often that the castle was much too far off to be seen from here-- and, from time to time, added that the fair span of distance between it and their village was a good thing. Sonata longed to know what that meant, but this was one of the many things her father would not speak of. When asked, he settled his oft-smiling lips into a stony line, and his level gray eyes woul meet Sonata's own with a sharper look than usual... But no words emerged. Sona hated secrets-- at least those that she didn't know. She'd learn all the secrets someday, somehow. Someday, too, she'd see the castle the minstrels said was so splendid... Mayhap even sing to its crowds one day...
A breeze ghosted gently over the meadow, bending the weed heads briefly. It was five years after the defeat of Discord, on the first official fall month. A few days short of turning to the second fall month. Already the nights were turning very cold. After three years of music instruction under the watch of her father Noted Noise on the high meadow, Sona knew it'd not be long before leaves were blowing about, and the winter would truly begin.
The musical mare sighed and shrugged her worn patched dull brown cloak closer to herself. It had once belonged to a forester. Under a patch on its back it still bore a ragged, dark-stained hole where an spear-- an elk spear, some said-- had taken the stallion's life. She also wore an musicians case on her backside for storage of her treasured violin, a gift from her father when he had agreed to teach her the art of music. Of course accompanying the musical instruments case was a saddlebag with a few books of music transcribed in them for her to practice. Not that she needed anymore that day, she had done all the songs in the books at least a hundred times by now. She even earned her cutie-mark for playing music with all her dedication and talent over the few years.
A shadow fell over the meadow, and she looked up. From behind her came a sharp, deafening roar of wind she had never heard before. She spun around, putting her flank against a large boulder as she looked for a better view. Sona needn't have bothered. The sky above the meadow was filled with two huge bat like wings-- and between them a dark brown scaled bulk larger than a house! Long sharpened talons of claws hung beneath a belly that rose up into a long, long neck, that ended in a head that housed two twistedly cruel eyes and a wide gapping jaw that was to the brim with jagged teeth as long as Sonata herself! Trailing back far behind, a tail switched and swung...
A dragon! Sonata forgot to gulp and simply stared. Vast, and horrifying, it swept towards her, slowing ponderously with wings to catch the air, looming against the blue southern sky. And there was a stallion on its back! "D-Dragon..." Sonata whispered anti-climatically as the gigantic head tilted a little, and she found herself staring full into the old, wise, and cruel eyes of the great wyrm.
Deep they were, and unblinking; pools of dark evil into which she plunged, sinking and sinking... The dragons claws bit deeply into the meadow with a slight shriek as its gigantic claws reached the stone layer deep within and it reared up twice as high as the tallest tower in her village. Its great wings flapped once in a deafening thunderclap Sona was sent flying back and away helplessly head over hoof down the slope with her instruments and its case in tow. She landed hard, rolling onto her face before skidding to a stop. She should run to warn the village, but she doubted she could outrun a dragon. Even if she wanted to she suddenly was stopped as a magical aura had overlapped her body and dragged her out of the ground, it was a small miracle that her hood had stayed on to conceal her horn, but she knew not many spells besides the spell of holding in which she learned to play instruments and her books and the spell of magnification in which to make sound louder.
A trembling, quivering rage rose in her veins as the stallion carelessly lifted her into the air in front of his dragon of a mount. Magic, she knew, Sona had always hoped to see it at work up close for things other than what she knew,, but not like this! Sona found she didn't like the feel of this stallions magic at all. Anger and fear awoke in her as her head was forced up. No, she did not like him at all.
The dragon had folded its wings, and now looked like a vulture-- a vulture as tall as a keep, with a long spiked tail that curled up half around the western slope of the meadow. Sonata gulped, her mouth was suddenly dry. The stallion had dismounted and stood up on the sloping rock that marked the meadows peak beside the dragon, and imperious hoof raised to point at Sona.
Sonata felt her gaze dragged-- that horrible, helpless feeling in his body again, the cruel control of another's will moving her own limbs-- to meet the stallion's eyes. Looking into the eyes of a dragon had been terrible but somehow splendid. This was worse. These eyes were cold and promised pain and death... Perhaps more. Sonata felt the cold stark rising fear.
There was a cruel amusement to the Unicorn Stallion's almond eyes. Sona forced herself to look a little down an aside and saw the dusky pendant on the stallion's royal shirt. He wore rings too, golden bands assorted among his front hooves and around his neck, each rigged with strange glowing runes that she could imagine if spun in the dark would make him look like a party goer. His boots around his hooves were the finest Sona had ever seen, though her gaze was forced back upwards and instead met the coppery curls of hair that framed the stallion's face that was aided by the dark green cloak he wore over his tunic. She almost missed his question, "What is the name of that village below." The question was cold and quick.
"Hoofington." The name left Sonata's lips before she could think, she felt splittle flooding her mouth with a hint of blood.
"Is the lord there now?"
Sona struggled, but found herself saying, "Y-Yes..."
The Unicorns eyes narrowed. "Name him." His horn glowed a brighter light blue forcing her to do as he asked.
Sonata felt a sudden eagerness to tell this rude stranger everything--Everything. Cold fear coiled inside her, "Candlelight sir..." She felt her lips trembling.
"Describe him."
"He is short, sir, and slim. He smiles often and always gives the foals he runs into cooki-"
"What hue is his Coat?" the Unicorn snapped.
"B-brown, Sir, with a grey mane and hazel eyes. He's-"
The wizard made a sharp gesture, and Sonata felt her limbs moving by themselves. Se tried to fight against them, whimpering, but already she was wheeling about and galloping. She pounded hard through the grass helpless against the driving magic. It was a miracle that her instruments and books managed to stay in its case as she was helpless against the driving magic, stumbling in haste, charging down the grassy slope to where the meadow ended-- in a sheer drop into the ravine.
As she churned along through the weeds and tall grass, Sona clung to a small victory; at least she hadn't told the Unicorn that her father, the very musician who trained her, was also the lord of the small village. Small victory, indeed. The cliff edge seemed to leap at her; the wind of his breathless run roared past her ears. The rolling country-side of Equestria, below, looked beautiful in the mists.
Headlong, Sona rushed over the edge-- and felt that terrible trembling compulsion leave her. She reached out with her own magic and punched herself back onto the edge with her own telekinesis. The impact was great enough that she knocked herself out with the force of it as she hit a tree thirty meters away from the edge.
Her last words for the evening was a brilliant understatement, "Ow..." before she passed out twitching under the same tree for the rest of the day.
