Memories
Chapter 26: Memories
Sweetie Belle and Ash walk through the woods. “Are we anywhere near our destination?”
Ash stops as he uses his magic to pull a map out of his saddlebag and unfolds it. “Let’s see, according to the map, and what I think I remember, we should be really close.”
“Good, I’m hoping we can get some rest once we get there.” Sweetie says. “I thought I was in good shape, but my hooves are killing me.”
Ash refolds the map and places it back in his saddlebags with a nod. “Need to rest?”
Sweetie shakes her head. “Not yet, I really hope you’re right about this fortress I certainly would like to have a roof over our heads tonight.”
Ash nods. “Least the weather has been nice so far?”
“That is true.” Sweetie says.
They walk in silence for a bit, as they walk around the side of the mountain Ash gasps. “It’s real!”
Sweetie looks at the fortress in shock. “I can’t believe it, it’s not on any map.”
“Come on, let’s go.” Ash says as he starts to run, suddenly filled with new energy.
“Hey, wait up!” Sweetie says as she runs after him.
Ash chuckles as he slows down so that he is running aside Sweetie. “Come on Sweetie, we’re almost there.”
They run almost right up to the fortress then Ash stops, Sweetie stops beside him. “What’s the matter?”
“Look.”
Sweetie looks at the fortress and sees the large wooden doors partially busted open. ‘Oh no.”
“This is just how it looked in my dream,”
“Should we go in?”
Ash nods. “Yes, I need to at least.”
“I’m going with you.”
Ash and Sweetie slip in through the broken door. Discarded weapons lay scattered on the ground. They carefully avoid the weapons and Ash stops and picks up something in his magic. “Look.”
Sweetie looks at the object in his magic. “A griffon feather?”
Ash puts the feather back down. “Yeah, and lots of blood here too.”
“What’s it mean?”
“I think there was a fight here.” Ash answers. “The griffons attacked the fortress.” They carefully walk around the dried blood and feathers and continue through the fortress.
Sweetie stops looking at a wall. “Ash?”
“Yeah?”
“What is this?” Sweetie asks as she looks at a blackened section of the fortress.
“That’s…” Ash hesitates, then gasps.
“Ash?”
“Magic burns.” Ash says quietly. “Unicorn magic attack, it leaves a burn pattern like this.” Ash turns and quickly starts to follow the burns.
“Ash!” Sweetie says following after the colt, his pace quickly putting her behind him until she can just see him turn a corner. She turns the corner a bit after him and sees him sitting on staring at something. Sweetie comes up to him trying to catch her breath. She sees that he is looking at a black helm, stained with blood.
“Ash?”
“Steel.”
“Huh?” Sweetie asks.
“My real name is Steel Blade.”
“You remember your name?”
“I remember everything.” Ash answers. “This helm belonged to my father, Coal Fire. He was a fierce lieutenant, under my mother Iron Hoof.”
“You’re parents were both guards here?” Sweetie asks.
Ash nods. “My mom was in charge, my father was her right-hoof pony. When my mother got pregnant the entire garrison swore to secrecy, and then they helped raise me. That’s why I can fight, can cook, and everything. I was raised in a camp where everypony was expected to do everything.”
“Do you remember what happened?”
“I was out looking for fresh herbs when I heard a commotion coming from the fortress. I quickly ran back, and found the doors like they are now. I squeezed through the crack, and started looking for my parents.
"I remember seeing ponies and griffons dying all around me. I saw my father, conventional weapons forgotten blasting away at griffons then I saw one.” Ash stops as he nudges the helm. “I ran looking for my mother, I remember finding her and her telling me to run, that one of us needed to survive to tell what happened here.
"I ran as fast as I could, then suddenly I couldn’t run, I felt the pressure of griffon’s claws on my barrel. I knew I had to get away, so I did the only thing I could think of, I squirmed to where I could see the griffon and blasted him with my magic. Only once I was falling through the sky did I realize my mistake. I must have passed out, because I don’t remember anything until the dreams after that.”
“I’m so sorry.” Sweetie says. “Steel.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“I thought that was your name.”
“No, Steel Blade died that day I fell into Ponyville.” He says as he looks her in the eyes. “I am Ash Fall now, the pony that fell in love with you.”
“Ash, that’s so sweet.”
Ash blushes slightly. “Wait right here. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll go with you.” Sweetie says.
“I’m fairly sure we’re going to have to see something I’d rather you not see.”
“I need to see everything, Ash. I need to know what happened here.”
Ash nods. “Remember that in a few minutes.”
They walk down another corridor Sweetie behind Ash, Ash stops and Sweetie stops behind him. “What is it?”
“It’s not quite as bad as I feared, but it’s still pretty bad. Are you sure you want to see it?”
Sweetie steels her resolve. “Yes.” Ash moves entering the main courtyard. Sweetie enters behind him and then gasps. Ash hears the sound of Sweetie retching and turns around and puts his fore-hoof on her back. “Is that?”
Ash nods solemnly. “Yes.” He turns and looks at the pile of charred skeletons. “They burned the dead, all of them and left what was left.”
“This is what you feared?”
“Not quite.” Ash admits. “I won’t tell you what I feared, but I’ll tell you it would bring you nightmares.”
Sweetie nods. “Why come this way?”
“We need to see if the stores are still good, we could use supplies, and there’s something I want to see if it’s still in my parents quarters.”
“Let’s be quick, I’d rather sleep in the rain then in this fortress.”
Ash nods and leads her through to the stores. “Good, plenty of food and water.” Ash fills their packs. “You rest for a little, I won’t be long.”
Sweetie nods. “Just be careful.”
About 20 minutes later Ash returns with a satchel lashed to his back. “Let’s go.”
They quickly make their way back out of the fortress and get back into the woods, and into a cave before nightfall. “So I take it that what’s in that satchel is what you were looking for?”
Ash nods and says. “Yeah.” Then he uses his magic and takes the bag off his back and lays it on the floor.
Sweetie nuzzles Ash. “Care to tell me what it is?”
“Anything for you Sweetie.” Ash says as he opens up the satchel and reveals a set of black guard armor with a dark gray trim. The armor is made smaller than normal armor.
“Armor?”
“It’s mine.” Ash says.
“Why is it black?”
“The fortress belonged to the Night Guard.”
“Night Guard?”
“Princess Luna’s personal guard, back when Princess Celestia banished Princess Luna, then Nightmare Moon to the moon. Celestia took most of the Night Guard and blended them into the rest of the normal guards." Ash explains.
"What happened to the rest of the night guards?" Sweetie asks.
"They were allowed to keep their outposts but had to send reports to Princess Celestia on a regular basis."
"Then why is this fortress not on any map?"
"Princess Celestia wanted to keep us isolated as possible." Ash explains. "Only some of the bigger fortresses were revealed to everypony when Princess Luna returned."
"The thestrals and bat-ponies?" Sweetie asks.
Ash nods. "The night ponies were the first to join Princess Luna's rebellion. Also Luna's most trusted strike forces."
"So how did regular ponies end up as part of the Night Guard?"
"I think some ponies preferred the night to begin with, then they raised their children to serve the Night Princess."
"So all guards raise their children to be guards?"
"It's generally assumed that the child of a guard will follow in their parents hoof-steps."
"What about those that didn't?"
"Most fortresses are like a small village so ponies of every vocation are needed."
Sweetie nods. "That makes sense."
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I couldn't decide which song to use so here's 3 songs with the chapter title:
6392744
Impressive. Either Elvis or Cats.
wow I did not see that one coming, exultant plot twist.
I just noticed Sweetie Belles in the cover art.
9203795
I was very lucky to have Enti0 make the cover art for me.
Well that was a stupid ending. I would have ended it at “they burn the dead.”
9205803
I have to admit it would have made for a more dramatic ending to the chapter. When I wrote this I felt the background information was necessary to the story line.