//------------------------------// // Love of a Mother // Story: Tirek, Freedom of Power // by Nocturne Skyz //------------------------------// “AAAAAGHhhh!” laying upon a bed of silk cried a young centauride writhing in pain as she was attended by a group of gargoyles. Her long white mane matted to her brow with burning sweat. The gargoyles frantically ran about the room wiping the sweat from her eyes and attending to the living thing slowly making it's way out of her. “Hold on your grace, just a few more big pushes.” standing fearfully next to the centauride was a gallant young centaur downed in royal garb. The worried male lovingly stroked the distressed woman’s arm as she writhed in pain. “You are doing well Sofia, just a little longer.” he whispered in her furred ear as she pushed and pushed, praying for her pain to end. With one last strained cry the gargoyles behind her flank cheered in joy holding up a small bundle within their claws. “It's a boy!” there rapped in a cloth of silk slept a little foal of a centaur. The gargoyles handed the sweet child to it's mother only for her to gasp in shock when she noticed the small thing was unmoving. “Why is he not crying!?” she gently shook the foal and even brought him up to her ear only for silence to be heard from the still child. “NOOOO!” “What is wrong!?” asked the father as she handed the foal to one of the attendants. The gargoyle shook it's furred head in disappointment much to the mother's dismay. “I am sorry my lady.. he is… gone.” The centauride's golden eyes filled with tears as she was handed the still foal to say her goodbyes. Her mate on the verge of tears turned to the gargoyles with hope dwindling in his heart. “Is there nothing we can do?” as if to answer him an old centaur walked into the room, he had an air of wisdom and power about him yet in his eyes shined something foreboding. “There may be, lord Vorak.” the father stood and faced the old centaur wary yet hopeful. “How!? Out with it Sendak!” He demanded his voice full of pride and authority, the old centaur trod toward the couple holding out a small simple clothed bag. “The foal holds great magic within him, it echos like a bat in a cave. Searching, for a way to escape. With a little persuasion his magic could very well free him from Hades hold.” the mother's eyes widened and her voice echoed with resolve. “I'll do anything! Just bring him back!” the old one shook his head holding back a sly smile. “his life energy is diminished and there is a way to restore it yet as with everything, there is a cost. The dark power I hold in this bag will force the foal to siphon the life out of the one it's heart is closest to… in that case, it will be it's mother. Would you give your very life for your child mi lady?” The grieving mother did not hesitate for even a moment. “I’d give everything!” the father cried out in protest only to be silenced when the old centaur opened the bag he held in his hand without a word, a thick ribbon as pitch black as a moonless night rose from within the opening making it's way to the mother and child, it danced all around the small foal rapping around him like a blanket. The cocooned foal rose into the air as a dark mist enveloped the room frightening the gargoyles and the couple. a small cry echoed from within the dark cocoon as it stopped it's dance. The dark ribbon faded inward collapsing in on itself, absorbing into the flesh of the foal until there was nothing left but the soft mist that to faded away. The foal fell fell gently into the loving arms of it's mother who smiled in wonder and relief. She cooed at the small child as it opened it's bright golden eyes and yawned. “He is beautiful..” she sighed with love not noticing that the foal did not cease it's gasp. She felt faint but continued to smile at her child regardless or more likely knowing what was about to happen. An aura appeared around the centauride that slowly drained inside the gaping maw of the foal. The fur and skin of the foal brightened as it's mother's darkened and creaked as if she was becoming stone. The father noticing this snatched the foal out of it's mothers arms all the while glaring at the odd child as it cried in pain. “No! Are you blind Sofia!? Can you not see what this.. this… thing! Is doing to you!?” insulted and fearful for her child the mother stood and retrieved her child from it's father. She held it close so no one, not the father nor the gargoyles could take it from her. “I don't care! He will live Vorak!” she turned her head to her child and gazed down at it as it slowly opened and closed its maw as if hesitant to take it's mother's life. “Even if I have to die...” “I will not allow this! Let the wretch die!” in a fury the mother turned her head and shouted with all her might. “HE IS NO WRETCH!” He stood there flabbergasted as the gargoyles flinched away in fear of their very lives ending from the fury of a desperate and angered mother. She turned her gaze to her child and nodded her head as he began to feed once more of her remaining life. “He is no wretch… he is… Tirek.” “Sofia.” defeated the father watched as his love slowly faded away her skin becoming bridle and hard like stone. She smiled down at the foal as it grew into a healthy normal child. “Yes… Tirek… my little.. Tirek.” Those were the last words of the centauride as she turned to lifeless stone. The child began to cry and fidget within the arms of the statue as the father reached for the foal lifting it carefully out of the statues arms trying desperately not to crack it. Seething with rage he handed the child to one of the gargoyles refusing to even look at it. “take the foal and send it to the nursery…” the gargoyle confused tilted it's head questioning the centaur. “but, do you not wish to?” with one furious glare from the centaur the gargoyle quickly fled along with the others leaving him to grieve his lost wife. The older centaur approached him laying his hand on his shoulder as if to comfort. “Do not be saddened Lord Vorak. Sofia's sacrifice will bring prosperity to the kingdom. Your son's power will rival… no… surpass, the Princesses of Equestria!” the grieving husband looked up at the old centaur confused and angry. “I want nothing to do with that monster! Leave me Sendak!” The old Centaur simply turned around and walked out of the room no-longer hiding his triumphant smirk. “As you wish mi Lord.”