//------------------------------//
// Citadel 
// Story: Solar Eclipse: The Messenger 
// by The Lunar Samurai 
//------------------------------//

	The day had grown late, but Shiloh’s newfound freedom had awoken a strength from within that urged her forward. As she pushed her way between two large trees she noticed something strange before her. A line of grass had been cut through the forest, creating a tunnel of trees that wound its way toward some unknown destination. As her gaze drifted across the path, she noticed the stones that served as a sort of road. She stepped onto the cobblestones and paused.
What is this here for? She thought as her gaze drifted down the grassy line. She looked to the forest that stood on the other side, and then to the expanse of road that teased her curiosity. Surely it will lead somewhere notable. She reasoned as she deviated onto the stone road and began to quickly make her way down the overgrown path.
As Shiloh trotted down the path the sun began to sink below the trees, and her hopes started to fade with the light. What am I doing, I need to get back into the forest. She thought as she tried to pull herself from the allure of the winding road, but her mind was too intrigued to let her body wander back into the trees. Hours passed as she quickly skirted through the forest, making good headway along the trail.
Rounding what seemed like the hundredth bend Shiloh stopped. The cobblestone sliced through the forest to a crumbling arch that stood in the distance. Columns that had once lined the road now lay in piled heaps on the ground. Shiloh’s curiosity continued to fuel her as she trotted toward the ruins. What is this place?  She thought to herself as the structure came into view. It looks like a really old castle, but what is a castle doing in the Everfree Forest?
She paused in front of the archway that towered above her. Nervously she skirted through the curved stone doorway, fearful that it might collapse from the mere sound of her hoofsteps. She looked around her as the miniscule adrenaline rush quickly subsided. Standing in awe, Shiloh gawked at the size of the structure, and how it had withstood centuries of the assault from the Everfree Forest. A weathered inscription was written atop the archway. ‘Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters’ was engraved in curling script along the top.
'The castle of the royal pony sisters, what is that? Shiloh asked herself as she looked through the gate at the disheveled structure. Maybe it’s on the map. She lifted the paper from her saddlebag and scanned the forest. A small section was labeled ‘ancient ruins’. That must be where I am. Shiloh looked to the distance. She could just see the moon as it slowly rose from the horizon. I need to get my rest, and I might as well try and find someplace to sleep in here. Shiloh thought as she began to walk toward the giant hall on the opposite side of the courtyard. The smell of the forest gave way to the sharp scent of wet stone and stagnant water. Small puddles rested in the pitted and weather surface of the courtyard and swarmed with insects like desert animals at an oasis.
Mold and moss grew on the walls along with the large vines had snaked their way up the sides of their stalwart surface and spilled over into the castle. Grass and weeds had risen from the cracks that had formed over years of neglect. Several walls had collapsed, leaving only piles of rubble where they had once stood. Shiloh walked into what she presumed to be the royal hall. The ceiling still remained partially intact, but it seemed that a stiff breeze would send it crashing to the ground. The supporting columns were weathered and scratched. Despite their appearance they had succeeded in their task of supporting the ceiling for centuries. Shiloh’s hoofsteps echoed off of the walls as she trotted past the piles of rubble where the ceiling had collapsed.
At the end of the hall a small opening stood in the massive stone wall that supported the structure. As she neared it she realized it led to a balcony. Vines crawled from the edges of the doorway and stretched onto the wall. Shiloh trotted out onto the stone ledge and looked out over the courtyard that stretched out from under her. A stone podium, covered in moss, jutted from the railing. Shiloh, realizing her water was beginning to run low again, pulled off a chunk of the moss with her mouth. The entire blanket of moss that was on the podium slid off of the smooth surface it had rested on. That’s odd. Shiloh thought to herself as she tore a manageable chunk of the waterlogged plant from the patch of moss. She squeezed the moss of its water and let the fluid dribble into her canteen. A glimmer of light caught her eye as she looked back at the podium.
Points of light reflected off of the surface that rested atop the podium. Shiloh drew closed and looked at the astonishingly unscathed plaque. The scratches that dotted its surface seemed to be crudely formed words. What’s this? Shiloh thought as she began to brush the rest of the moss aside. The crude letters spread to words, which spread to sentences as Shiloh stepped back and began to read.

A raging beast has long been at rest
Its power has not been fully manifest
It lives as the soul of the citizens of the land
And cannot be controlled by the ruler’s hand
It lies in wait for justice to be decried
When it will let the citizens decide
Once the threshold has been passed
The statues of rulers will be recast
But if this beast can be restrained
The power within will be contained
The choice is yours for you to choose
But be wary of whom you might lose
For if the wrong path you should take
The beast of the nation will begin to awake


Shiloh shook her head as she tried to discern the meaning of the cryptic poem. What power does everypony have that can topple a nation? She thought as she continued read and reread the passage. Is it some sort of hidden weapon or army? Shiloh tapped her head with her hoof as if the action would knock the idea into her mind. Come on Shiloh think. What does everypony have that could dethrone a ruler? It just doesn’t make any sense. “In the masses of ponies unaware.” She said aloud as she tried to dissect the meaning of the words.
“So it isn’t something that lies in all of us,” Shiloh said as she slowly began to break the code. “It is something that lies among all of us.” Her heart began to race as she realized that she was slowly coming upon the meaning of the poem. Her eyes darted from left to right as she connected the last pieces. “That’s it!” she exclaimed as she struck the plaque’s metallic surface. “The power is the-”
Her victorious cry was cut short by a deafening roar that echoed off of the walls and shook the ground beneath her. Pebbles dislodged themselves from the ceiling above and fell to the floor creating a drizzle of stone rain. A flock of birds took to the air in flight as they scurried from the potential threat. Beads of cold sweat trickled down Shiloh’s mane as her eyes tried to find the source of the noise. A deafening silence followed as she held her breath trying to hear anything else.
She felt the next sign of the noise, a deep repetitive thud that pulsated through the stone. Her heartbeat quickened as the vibrations slowly turned into faint beats that echoed off of the walls of the structure around her. The way the noise reflected off of stone and ground played tricks with Shiloh’s mind as she tried to discern their origin. The treetops at the edge of the forest shook ever so slightly, as if something was pushing itself through at their base. Shiloh began to step backward, sensing the presence of a hungry predator. Her thoughts began to race as she thought back to the tales she had heard as a filly. Images of hydras, timber wolves, cockatrices, and dragons flitted through her mind.
Shiloh trotted through the great hall. Pieces of dust and debris fell with each hoofsteps and alighted on her body as she quickly trotted through its length toward the archway. A loud crumbling noise echoed off of the castle as a column behind her collapsed from the tremors bringing a section of the roof to the floor with it in a flurry of dust and rocks. Slowly beginning to panic Shiloh tried to find anywhere that might conceal her in this twisted game of hide and seek.
She spotted an alcove underneath the stairs, but as she neared it, it became apparent that it would only disguise her from a fleeting glance of a passerby, not the hungry stare of a predator in search of a meal. She remembered back to the stories she had heard of castles as a foal, trying to glean any recollection for something that might serve as a hiding place. Her eyes lit up as she realized the towers that were erected at the corners of the wall were heavily fortified bunkers. She frantically scanned the area for the round structures that might save her life.
In the distance she could make out a circular building that lay between the ends of the wall. With every muscle in her body Shiloh galloped to the shelter and clambered through a window barely big enough to let her in. She illuminated the darkness with her horn. The moss covered stone smelled of mildew and stagnant water. Puddles of dark liquid lay atop a layer of grime beneath her hooves. She trotted to the bottom of the staircase that had once wound its way up the tower and squeezed her body underneath the first two steps that lay on the other side of the window. She extinguished the light coming from her horn plunging her into darkness. The low thuds continued to reverberate off of the castle and grew increasingly louder.
Shiloh held her breath. A dark figure emerged from the hall. As it stepped out of the shadows the blood drained from Shiloh's face. The beast unfurled its leathery wings. Its red mane shifted along its neck as it rose to its hind legs. It let out a deafening roar. It sniffed the air and slowly turned its head in Shiloh's direction. Its beady eyes fixed on the tower. It crouched to the ground and began to silently stalk toward her. Its scorpion tail waving back and forth. Shiloh’s heart began to race as the manticore grew ever closer with every step.
Unsure of what to do, Shiloh silently withdrew the coil of rope from her bag and laid it on the ground. The manticore broke out into a sprint as it realized its prey was trapped. It hit the tower with tremendous force, causing some of the stones to shift, but it withheld the beast. Using its paw it reached through the window and tried to grasp Shiloh on the other side of the tower, but she was out of reach of the beast. Angrily it began to scratch at the walls as if it could draw her within reach. The animal’s claws latched onto one of the bricks that bordered the small opening and ripped it free. Realizing the boundary of the tower could be destroyed the manticore began to furiously rip out the stones that supported the tower.
As fear took hold of her body her horn began to glow. A rosy aura began to encapsulate her body as her horn took control and began to cast a complex spell. Slowly her hooves began to disappear from view, followed by her body and head. Within seconds Shiloh had disappeared from sight, but the manticore’s arm was still wildly flailing about as it continued to destroy the tower. Pausing for a moment, the beast peered into the darkness to ensure its prey was still there. Shiloh shivered as the eye of the beast looked right at her. Can he see me? She silently stood up. The animal did not react to the movement. Seizing her opportunity Shiloh quietly moved up the stairs to the top of the castle and teleported the coil of rope to her feet. Using her magic she dangled the rope down the shaft and swung it around to attract the attention of the manticore. The beast reared back and threw its paw into the opening, shaking the tower as it slammed into the wall. Shiloh quickly lifted the end of the rope out of the reach of the beast and set it down beside her. She leaned over the edge of the wall and watched as the manticore’s body twisted and jerked as it tried to reach deeper into the tower.
Shiloh looked at the rope that lay on the ground beside her. She noticed her hoof was slowly becoming visible as the spell began to wear off. What can I do now? She thought to herself as she watched the manticore throw another stone behind its body. As she watched the animal work an idea hatched in her mind. She began to lower the rope down the edge of the tower and looped it around the manticore’s neck, careful not to alert the beast. She chewed her lip as she used her magic to tie a noose in the rope. Slowly she tightened the loop around the manticore’s neck and began to lower the other end down the shaft.
The beast pulled its arm out once again to look for its prey. There, dangling in front of the opening was a rope. Convinced that the string was prey the manticore grabbed it in its claws and ripped it from the window. As the animal pulled the string, the other end of the rope constricted around his neck, tightening over its airway. Unwilling and unable to let go of the rope that was caught in his claws it struggled to tear the force from his neck, but only succeeded in contracting it further.
Blood began to flow from its mane as it violently tried to remove the rope that was slowly draining the life from its body. Shiloh watched as the beast became sluggish and disgruntled. Its energy all but expended, the beast laid itself on the ground as it struggled to take in the air. Slowly its eyes closed, and the beast became still, except for the infrequent twitch that arose from its oxygen-deprived muscles.
Shiloh waited for several minutes to assure herself the beast was truly dead before she timidly ventured down the stairs. Shiloh picked up the yellow saddlebag and trotted to the window. She waited several seconds before she clambered out of the tower. The manticore’s mouth lay open; its tongue was a deep shade of blue, a sign of oxygen starvation. She couldn’t help but feel bad for the creature now that it was in peaceful state of death. Staring in awe of the powerful beast Shiloh marveled at the muscles that still minutely twitched underneath its golden coat. The body of the manticore was still warm, and Shiloh found herself drawn to the alluring heat that radiated from its skin.
Shiloh stood beside it as the heat slowly began to fade. A stiff breeze of wind surged through the ruins of the castle and gently teased Shiloh’s hair with its frigid fingers. She shuddered and tightened the strap of the saddlebag around her waist, attempting to take advantage of the little heat it trapped against her body. I need somewhere to sleep for the night. She thought to herself as she looked around the castle. The only place that offered her protection from the wind was the same structure that had protected her against the manticore. She trotted to the small window and struggled into the tower.
The adrenaline that had surged through her from the manticore had finally worn off, and hunger and pain had taken its place. Her stomach growled as she dropped herself onto the damp floor of the tower. The structure was cold and damp, but it kept the wind from reaching her. Its something I suppose. She thought to herself as she tried to find a place to sleep among the puddles that made up the majority of the floor. Finding a dry spot she curled herself up into a tight ball as she tried to fit herself on the island. A cozy feeling came over her as she heard the wind batter the tower and whistle against the cracks. Her eyes drifted closed as her exhaustion took hold of her mind
Light streamed in through the window and alighted on Shiloh’s face. Stretching her forelegs she stood and shook the water that had soaked her coat during the night. The sunlight warmed her body as she slowly regained consciousness from her slumber. A quick glance at the walls made her shudder. Long gruesome scratches from the manticore’s failed attempts littered the sides of the stone. The scene from the night before flooded back into her mind as she remembered how she had narrowly escaped death, and how her body had vanished from sight.
Her ears perked up as she remembered the invisibility spell that her horn had cast that saved her life. She concentrated on her memories of the event, but the only thing she could remember was the overpowering sense of fear and dread of the moment. A faint recollection of the complicated spell gleamed in her mind. That’s it. She said as she strained to coax the rest of it from the recesses of her memory. Come on out. Gradually parts of the spell came to her mind, but every time she tried to follow them, they would vanish.
Quickly becoming frustrated in her failed attempts to replicate the spell, she struck the ground with her hoof and clambered out of the small window. The scene changed from a dark musty old tower, to a bright fascinating old castle. Now she could see the structure in its full glory. Parts were crumbling, but she was astonished at how much had actually survived the centuries of abandonment. This must have been built well. Shiloh thought to herself as she trotted out toward the arch that had served as an entrance all those years ago.
Reaching the dilapidated gate Shiloh took one last look at the weathered inscription that spanned its length. The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters was barely discernible yet unmistakably penned in time across the stone. Taking a deep breath, she ventured out onto the cobblestone road that cut through the forest toward civilization.
As she neared the first bend in the road, her stomach growled. Realizing her hunger she surveyed anything that she could make into a meal. A few wild berries were growing alongside the path at sporadic intervals, but they served only as filler food with little nourishing value. As she trotted past the trees that lined the road, a glimmer of light shone from between them. Shiloh stopped and began to maneuver herself to get a view of the source. Again it caught her eye and she realized it was a small clearing among the trees with several puddles of water that reflected the light of the sun.
She stepped off of the path and into the underbrush. Pushing the overgrown bushes out of her way, Shiloh slowly trotted toward the clearing. As she struggled through the last bushes she was met with dismay. The puddles were murky and the grass that had grown around them was coarse at best, and toxic at worst. At the sight of the disgusting grass, Shiloh’s stomach growled again, this time louder. Do I try to find something else to eat, or do I eat this? She thought as she tore a wad of grass with her hoof and held it in front of her face. The long strands of grass looked harmless enough, but Shiloh knew it could only be supplied with the tainted water.
Taking one strand she stuck it in her mouth and began to chew. The sweet grassy taste made her realize how great her hunger was. Without hesitation she began to down large tufts of grass as she began to appease her stomach. Minutes later she had eaten her fill. The plot of grass had several areas that had been picked dry by Shiloh’s hunger. Her appetite satisfied, Shiloh trotted back onto the path and withdrew her map.
She quickly spotted the ruins on the paper and traced her hoof along the road that led to Ponyville. Several sections of the road spanned the multiple adjoining rivers that ran through the Everfree forest and into Froggy Bottom Bogg. Looks like I’m going to get a little wet. She thought as she realized the quickest route to Ghastly Gorge was through the bog.
She rolled up the map and placed it into her saddlebag. She began to canter down the cobblestone road toward the swamps. As she trotted she began to develop a plan for getting down the river. Stories of ponies who had lived here before the modern age flooded her mind as she remembered the way they had fashioned canoes out of massive trees. After realizing she had no tools to fell a tree, let alone hollow it out, she abandoned the idea. She continued to pry her mind for a solution to get down the rivers and through the swamps.
Minutes turned into hours as she continued down the stone pathway, stopping every now and then to pick the wild berries that grew along the edge of the road. As the sun began to set, Shiloh’s stomach began to cramp. Great, she thought to herself as she squeezed her abdomen with her foreleg, looks like that grass was a bad idea after all. Her canter slowed to a crawl as the sudden arrival of pain seemed to pull her to the ground. Her stomach began to groan as the toxins of the grass reacted with her intestines. Gingerly lowering herself onto the ground, Shiloh began to take deep breaths to try and quell the overpowering pain.
Feeling her body begin to heave she turned her head to the side and vomited onto the cobblestone. Fortunately the puddle of putrid bile contained no traces of blood. Shiloh again expelled the contents of her stomach as her body began to rid itself of the poisonous materials. Wave after wave of nausea assaulted her body as she lay helpless on the ground.
Eventually she began to dry heave, signaling the complete emptying of her stomach, yet her body continued to convulse. Hours went by as Shiloh lay in complete misery. Dizziness only added to the nausea as she moved from the pile of vomit and laid her head down on the cold stone. The temperature of the rocks soothed her warm body and provided some relief from the pain of the sickness.
Sleep evaded her as she tried to escape from the pain her stomach put her in. The convulsions slowly began to spread thin as she tried to calm her body. The moon was now fully overhead, a crescent of light that dimly illuminated the scene around her. The forest was silent, save for her heavy breathing, and offered a sense of peace for Shiloh, as she lay helpless on the ground. She tried to capture sleep, but it eluded her as the pain battled it away.
As the night went on, Shiloh began to think about her past life. Only a few memories of her life at Colt Cliffs remained after the several years of separation she had from them. The sunset in the distance, the scenic view of the pastureland that spread out below the mountain the town was placed on, and the massive storms that would ravage the village were the only things she could distinctly remember of her hometown. Vague and fleeting pictures of her family were the only things she had to remind her of her innocent life in the tiny town.
One day she had no trouble remembering was the day when Mach arrived in the town. Battered and bruised, the rare newcomer was taken in by their family, and Shiloh bombarded him with questions after she discovered he was from Manehattan. Those were the only things she could remember before she moved to the city. Everything she had taken for granted were the most precious things she had. Her once innocent life had been turned on its head after Mach had told her about the New Lunar Republic, and about the plans for revolution.
Her emotions began to well up inside her as she began to think of how Mach had disappeared that one night in Manehattan and never returned. A drop of water landed on the stone and pulled Shiloh back to reality. She had not realized she had been crying, but that was not the source of the drop. A light drizzle of rain had started. Shiloh looked to the sky to see a light haze of clouds drifting high above the treetops.
She had lost track of time, but she assumed it had been awhile since most of the pain had departed. Slowly she rose to her hooves and set out toward the swamps, making up for lost time. Shiloh used the water to suppress her hunger, as she tried to ignore the discomfort. The darkness no longer intimidated her as she used her horn to illuminate the forest in a rosy aura. A resolve burned within her as she suppressed the little amount of pain that was left.