Every god is put through a test before they can claim their spot. Some tests, however, are more difficult than others. One even involves becoming an alicorn to catch a renegade god.
Ever since the beginning of time, the gods have watched over all of life. The caretakers of the universe, they keep everything in balance. However, before they can claim such a demanding position, they must pass a test. Some must slay monsters, find lost heirlooms, or even avert a war. This is where Chauild, a juvenile god, comes in. Jehovah, a member of the Elder Council, gives him his task: He must find a renegade god who escaped to another world and hid himself there. As with many things in life, there's a catch: To avoid detection, he gets transformed into a pony. What the gods didn't realize, is that being an alicorn is far from stealthy. How will Chauild complete his task when everypony is suspicious of him? Will he be able to fit in when he doesn't know right from left in this new world? Only time will tell.
Chauild sat near the beautiful waterfall, chalice full of golden drink. Bringing it up to his mouth, he took a large gulp. The nectar sloshed down his throat, satisfying his thirst. As soon as he set down the chalice, it filled itself yet again. In his home, nothing ever ran out or broke. Everything was designed with a god in mind – for that is what he was, a god.
Even so, he was very young by the gods' standard. He was not yet considered mature enough to look over a world of his own, and so he sat in his home. When a god reaches a certain age, they are tested by the Elder Council. If they are deemed worthy, they are assigned to a certain world. There, they may or may not work alone. If the world is particularly full of conflict and trouble, more gods are assigned to look after it. Such is the case with Gaia, a world completely revolving around strife. It got so bad that Jehovah, one of the Elder Council, went to overlook it. Even with his experience and care, Gaia still was barely in balance. One small push, and it would all come crashing down; for mortals' hearts are fickle.
Chauild wished that his time would come, for he had been waiting to become a true god as long as he could remember. His clan was one of prestige and honor, one of the oldest around. Its members all became famous for their deeds, and they held great influence in the heavens. That is why even a juvenile like Chauild was able to live in such a luxurious mansion.
Little did he know, however, his life was about to change.
His rudimentary detection spell alerted him to a strong energy approaching his manor. He stood up, and walked to the entrance of his home, curious as to who would visit him. Except for the occasional clan member coming to visit, he was left to his own devices. Most of this free time he would use to attune and practice his powers, which had already surpassed many of his peers'. While they were concerned with social interactions and petty gatherings, Chauild toiled away in the lowest chamber of his home. The sooner he could earn his birthright and join the upper echelons, the better.
Once he arrived at the entrance to his manor, his visitor was revealed to be none other than Jehovah himself. Chauild gasped, before taking a deep bow to show his respect. Jehovah had simple clothing on, hiding the magnifigance of his form. He removed his sky-blue hood, revealing his well-muscled and radiant face. A large smile was seated there, as his love for all of life flowed out from it. His pure white hair and beard floated about, each single hair having more power than Chauild.
Chauild held a deep, deep respect for Jehovah, for he knew how many aeons of practice and experience the wise god held under his belt. Excited to have such a figure of authority in his home, Chauild almost bowed again before Jehovah waved his hand in dismissal. Jehovah was always amused by Chauild's enthusiasm. Chauild wanted to be like him, to have that same power and influence. However, unlike others, he was set on earning it rather than stealing it. Gods aren't always good, for good would not exist without evil.
There are those gods who exist purely to cause pain and evil, but they do not reside in heaven. No, once their intentions are discovered, they are sent to Gehenna, where they join the others. They are not assigned to look over worlds, but instead, they choose to haunt them. Jehovah's greatest enemy is Lucifer, who causes disasters and corruption in an effort to hinder Jehovah's progress. Wars between the gods were forbidden long ago, for they caused much destruction and death on every plane of existence. Many, many innocents died as a result of every one.
“Greetings, Chauild. May I step in?”
His very speech rumbled with power, the type able to create miracles or disasters with a single word.
“But of course, Elder.”
They walked back into Chauild's entrance hall, lavishly decorated with mystical gems and metals not found on the mortal planes. Some glowed in mystical colors, emanating magic. Chauild liked those the most, for they provided a nice source of magic for his studies. Jehovah picked a fitting seat and sat on it, Chauild doing the same shortly after.
“Now, young one, I have come bearing a message.”
Excited at the prospect of Jehovah's message, Chauild nodded.
“The Council has deemed you almost ready to care for a world, even though you are much younger than most.”
Chauild almost exploded from pure glee, causing Jehovah to laugh, tremors ready to erupt at his voice.
“However, as you may know, there is a prerequisite. First, we shall test you to see if you are truly ready for such a privilege. We at the Council are truly impressed at your talent, and have designed a test we deemed fitting for you.”
Of course, Chauild already knew of the test. He had read tomes upon tomes about the different tests gods had been put through, and thought himself ready for his own.
“What is this test? Tell me, Elder, and I shall accomplish it to the best of my abilities. Must I slay an otherworldly demon? Find a lost artifact? I shall do anything you ask of me, Elder.”
Jehovah smiled, and continued:
“Your test is rather unique. We have picked out the world which you will take care of, but there is a slight problem. We have reasons to believe that an old renegade god has hidden himself there, away from the eyes of the Council. It took us many years to find him, but now we are sure that it is indeed him. If we send someone too powerful, he shall sense our presence and flee. That is why we need you, you are the most talented young god around, yet not powerful enough to instantly scare him away.”
Chauild's eyes widened as he realized his task. He was to hunt down a renegade god, and bring him to justice.
“That is not all, Chauild. There are three more conditions you must follow without fail.”
“Of course, Elder.”
“They are as follows: You must not, under any circumstance, kill him. Use whatever means possible to bring him to justice, but do not kill him.”
Chauild nodded, understanding the severity of the first condition. If he killed this renegade god, he would be deemed as evil and cast down to Gehenna. “The second condition is: You shall be transformed into a mortal.”
Unable to help it, Chauild let out a gasp. Although gods sometimes disguised themselves as mortals, never before have they been transformed.
“What is it, Chauild? Are you incapable of doing this? If so, just tell me now. It will bring you no shame to refuse.”
Furious at himself, Chauild shook his head.
“No, Elder, please continue! There is no way I'd refuse!”
“Very well. As I was saying, you shall be transformed into a mortal, your body molded to that of their kind. Do not tell them who you are or why you're there. Even stating your name could cause undue stress upon the world, for gods' names hold power.”
Chauild nodded, as he already knew this.
“The last condition is: You are to befriend the locals there. Learn all you can about them, their habits, and their culture. As you shall be in charge of this world, it will do you good to know all about it.”
With a giant smile on his face, Chauild nodded yet again. This condition was extremely easy. Even if he hadn't been told, he still would've learned all he could about the world. Knowledge, Chauild knew, is the greatest form of power. However, the first part of the condition bothered him.
“Elder, just one question. Why must I befriend the inhabitants? Would my job not be faster if I worked alone?”
Jehovah looked at Chauild with curiosity.
“Maybe, Chauild. Maybe it would be. But there is one thing you lack, which every proper god needs. You must learn to love and cherish the populace, and protect them from harm. If you lack love, then you shall fail as a god. Understood?”
Love. Chauild was familiar with the word from his studies, but he had never encountered it outside of books. And now, an Elder was telling him he must learn to love. While Chauild likes a challenge, he was confused as to how one learns to love. However, he kept his concerns to himself. After all, he would hate it if Jehovah deemed him unworthy of becoming a true god.
“I understand, Elder. When shall I leave?”
“As soon as you gather your things. That's why I came here rather than sending an angel. This ritual will require large amounts of power, and could very easily fail if one isn't careful enough.” After he saw Chauild's worried look, Jehovah added, “No need to worry, for I am fairly careful.”
Chauild knew that this was his one and only opportunity to prove himself. As such, he carefully thought about exactly what to take with him. He knew that taking the wrong items could result in a disaster, like if his magical chalice landed in the wrong hands. On the other side of the entrance hall sat a large mirror, swirling with clouds of color. It was not a true mirror, but rather a door of sorts. Chauild pressed his hand against it, and the mirror dissolved away. Some of Chauild's most prized possessions sat there, guarded by a door only Chauild could open. Quickly looking over them, Chauild picked out a few to take with him on his journey. After that, he dashed to his library and took a large tome, bound by the skin of Python. It held information on many magical spells and rituals that surely would help Chauild out.
Jehovah looked over the things Chauild chose for his task.
“Is this all? What have you decided to take?”
With a slight amount of pride, Chauild looked over his collection.
Picking up the old volume, he said, “This is a book passed down in my family, containing many spells only we know of. It is bound with the skin of Python, so it will never erode or be damaged in any way.”
Next, he picked up a elaborately carved knife.
“This knife was given to me by my mentor. It was carved from one of the teeth of Leviathan. It is incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through nearly anything with ease.”
Lastly, he picked up a small amulet. It wasn't as elaborate as the rest of Chauild's possessions or house, but it still had some rustic grace. A small, red gem was set into the middle, with a symbol inscribed on it.
“This is also a relic passed down in my family. I was told that it belonged to the founder of our clan, who partook in the first God War. I'm not sure exactly what it does, but it calms me when I hold it. I wouldn't go anywhere without it.”
Jehovah feigned surprise, acting as if he hadn't known exactly what the items were the second he had seen them. Still, he was caught off guard by the amulet. He hadn't seen that amulet in a long, long time. Since the first God War, to be precise.
“Are you ready now, Chauild?”
He nodded his head to answer Jehovah's questions. Scooping up his most prized possessions, he dropped them into a small bag. They all fit perfectly, despite the bag not looking big enough to hold them. The bag had been magically manipulated to be able to hold anything. It was very rare to find an item of that caliber, as spatial manipulation not only took extreme skill but also extreme patience. One such bag could take many, many years to craft.
“Stand where you are. This will hurt.”
A large, white circle sprang up underneath Chauild. It glowed white, power radiating from it like heat radiates from a fire. Chauild was frightened at first, as any would be when faced with that much raw strength. He then calmed himself, as he trusted Jehovah.
New lines began to trace out from the original circle, forming ornate patterns and shapes. The circle began to glow even brighter, but Chauild forced his eyes to stay open and spectate the whole ordeal. This was an amazing chance to see how the truly powerful used magic, and he wasn't about to let it slip past him.
Eventually, the lines stopped sprouting out, and Chauild knew that the ritual was reaching its completion. Now, the real magic was about to start.
A spear of light shot out from the circle and stabbed through Chauild's heart. It felt as if something had truly pierced his body, and the light burned away at his flesh. Chauild knew that it was all part of the ritual, but couldn't help squirming a bit.
Suddenly, another spear shot out at him. This time, it went through his leg. The same burning agony washed over his body, and Chauild almost collapsed.
More and more spears continued to shoot up and pierce Chauild's body. Eventually, they were the only thing supporting him. He'd lost all the strength in his legs long ago, and would've collapsed if not for the spears.
A final spear of light rose out of the circle. Unlike the others, this one was slow and its movements were deliberate. It went higher and higher, before turning around and pointing directly at Chauild's head. It shot forward and Chauild lost consciousness.
“Awaken, Chauild. It is over. The ritual worked.”
Chauild slowly opened his eyes, to find that things looked different than before. He could see much more now, a wider range of vision open to him. He also felt different, his entire body tingling.
“Rise, and witness your new form.”
Complying with Jehovah's request, Chauild stood up. Or he tried to, to be specific. He found himself incapable of standing on two feet, falling over every time he tried to rise.
“Elder, this body feels strange. I can't stand up.”
Jehovah pondered this, then snapped his fingers. A mirror formed out of thin air, presenting itself before Chauild.
While looking at his reflection, Chauild gasped. He no longer had feet, as his legs ended in what appeared to be hooves, as did his hands. Slowly, he realized his problem.
“You turned me into... Pegasus?”
“Nay, Chauild. You are not Pegasus, you are what is known as an alicorn now. I have instilled you with basic motor control, so you should be able to stand. Do it, I cannot send you before I'm sure you can survive there.”
Noting the fact that he was now a quadrupedal, Chauild tried to stand again. After several failed attempts, he succeeded, albeit with shaky legs.
“This new form is strange, Elder. How shall I write now, without hands?”
Jehovah smiled at Chauild's primary worry, a very scholarly one at that.
“Use your magic, Chauild. Do you feel that strong force emanating from your forehead?”
Chauild checked, and felt the force his Elder was describing. He also took a look at it, and found a horn where the power leaked from.
“What is that, Elder? It appears to be some sort of horn. Why is it leaking magic?”
“Chauild, that is your next task: Stop leaking magic from your horn. If you continue this, the renegade god will be able to detect it upon your arrival.”
“Understood!”
Try as he might, the magic continued to flow out from the horn. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he tried to cast a spell upon it, only to find that nothing happened.
“Elder! I'm incapable of using magic!”
“Nay, Chauild. You're simply trying to use it like you're in your old form. Gods can radiate magic from our whole bodies, but alicorns are limited to their horns. Think of that horn as a limb, and try again.”
Taking Jehovah's advice into consideration, Chauild tried again. He imagined that his new horn was his old arm, and tried to shut off the flow to it. To his delight, it worked.
“A quick learner as always. Congratulations are in order, young one, for you have proven yourself ready for your test.”
“Elder, I have some questions before I leave!”
Jehovah let out a small chuckle.
“But of course, Chauild. I knew you would.”
“What is the name of this god I'm to find, and what's the name of the world?”
“The god forsake his name along with his identity when he turned renegade. He has none now, unless he crafted a new one for himself. As for the world, it is called Equus by the natives. You may name it anew once you become its caretaker.”
“Understood, Elder. I'm ready to go.”
Jehovah raised his hand, and white light surrounded Chauild's new body. His consciousness slipped away as he felt himself be teleported.
Growl.
Chauild shook his head, and awoke to see several wolves growling at him. Their fur looked different than the wolves Chauild had seen in books. It appeared to be textured like timber, and had the same colors as timber.
Quickly scrambling to his feet, Chauild cleared his throat.
“Greetings, residents of Equus! I have no intentions to harm your kind! I simply ask for your friendship and love!”
The wolves continued growling and inching towards Chauild, who was confused.
“Maybe I am being too pushy? I don't know the right way to interact with them! If only I spared more time for social interaction in the heavens...”
One of the wolves jumped forward and snarled, baring its teeth at Chauild. Chauild gasped, thinking that he understood the meaning behind it.
“It's their form of a greeting! It must be proper etiquette to respond the same way!”
Chauild lunged forward at the wolf, baring his teeth as well. He summoned the most ferocious snarl he could, and let it loose upon the wolf pack.
The one who had jumped forward at Chauild slowly backed off, its teeth still showing. The rest of the wolves surrounded it. Chauild snarled at them yet again, and they backed up even more, before turning tail and running off, whimpering all the while.
“Did I do something wrong? I was sure that they were trying to greet me, too.”
Depressed over his failure, Chauild walked off, sulking. He walked through the woods, taking note of everything and anything he could. The color of the trees, the smell of the forest, the color of the water, he noted down everything in his mind. Although he was still sad that he failed his first interaction with the inhabitants of Equus, the forest cheered him up. He had never seen a forest before, outside of books and scrolls. They trees swayed gently in the wind, and birds chirped in the background. All of the noise had been overwhelming at first, but now Chauild was starting to enjoy it.
His ears twitched, and he reached up to touch them. They weren't where he expected (on the side of his head), but rather, they sat on top of it. They were long and felt like they were covered in short fur, which surprised him. A quick check later, he found out that his whole body was covered in this fur. It felt extremely soft to the touch, much like the fabrics of his old home. While feeling the back of his neck, his hand ran into his mane. It as well felt extremely soft, but he found that it had a slightly different feel. Subtle, like the difference between glass and tile, but still present.
Determined to find out exactly what he looked like now, he walked off in the direction of a nearby pond. Chauild stood above it, peering down at his image.
His whole body was covered in a coat of light gray fur, except for his mane and tail. He was surprised to find that he also had a tail, and swished it back and forth. Just as Jehovah said, he had full motor control, even over muscles that wouldn't exist in his old form, like the muscles around his tail.
His mane and tail matched perfectly, being platinum grey with red highlights. Red eyes matched the crimson in his mane perfectly, and blinked back at him in surprise. They were much larger than he had expected, several times larger than his old ones.
To Chauild's relief, he found his bag sitting on his side, much like a saddle. He tried to reach it to check on the contents, but started spinning around as his back legs moved too. To his annoyance, he still didn't have 100% control of his whole body.
Gritting his teeth, Chauild imagined the bag floating over to him. As if it was mocking his efforts, the bag sat in place. He remembered what Jehovah told him, and imagined his horn being an arm. Magic leaked out of it, a tendril reaching out and wrapping around the saddlebag. He managed to float it up slightly, before it promptly came crashing back down on his rump. With a yell, Chauild smashed his hoof into the ground, more pain shooting through him as his hoof hit a rock.
Chauild ceased his vain effort at levitating the saddlebag. Instead, he felt determined to find the wolves he had scared off before and apologize to them. He would've used magic to find them, but seeing as how he couldn't even lift up a saddlebag, he didn't try to.
Walking off towards the general direction they had gone, Chauild encountered a patch of blue flowers. Even without using his magic, he could sense a foul aura emanating from them. After all of that time he spent working around magical substances and metals, he became attuned to the aura magic items have. The closer and stronger any particular item was, the easier to detect its aura. It was something of a sixth sense, combining sight and touch. He could feel that getting near those flowers would have consequences, and he walked a wide path around them.
Eventually, after continuing down the path, he began to hear a drumming sound, along with chanting. Chauild zeroed in on its location, eager to meet more of the locals.
A strange tree came into view, different than its peers, with a door and two windows carved out in the front. Hanging above the door was a wooden mask, shaped in the form of the head of some creature Chauild couldn't recognize. Slowly approaching the door, he found that he could understand the language of the chanter, which didn't surprise him. All gods had an innate ability to understand and speak in all dialects that they have ever heard. The chanting, Chauild realized, sang of homesickness and loneliness.
The chanting stopped, and Chauild heard hoofsteps approaching the door. Behind the now opened door stood a creature who looked much like Chauild's new form, except had no horn, wings, and was colored differently. She was gray, black and white, with several different patterns adorning her body.
The creature looked at Chauild, curiosity clearly present in her face. She spoke in a different language than she had been chanting in, but Chauild understood her perfectly.
"You are a stranger to these parts, that I know. Why don't you step into my home?"
Full of glee that this one wasn't running away from him, Chauild accepted her invitation and walked inside.
The inside of the tree was as peculiar as the outside. Many artifacts lined the walls, each unique and handmade. In the center of the room sat a bubbling cauldron filled to the brim with a green liquid, which Chauild recognized as a potion. Neatly carved from the wall was a shelf, storing many reagents and ingredients for potions, as well as the bottled final products themselves. Chauild was ecstatic that the natives also employed magic, and he wrote a mental note to himself to study the differences later.
"Silent as night you may be, but why have to come to visit me?"
Chauild turned his attention back to the figure standing beside the cauldron, who regarded him with a puzzled look. Her eyes slowly gazed over him, as if trying to decipher the answer from his body language.
Carefully picking out his words, Chauild replied, "I stumbled upon your home in the pursuit of some locals. They ran away after I offended them, and I wish to make amends."
The creature slowly nodded.
"Tell me, how did they appear? Then we can go and the misunderstand we shall clear."
"They were wolves, but with timber bodies. I returned their customary snarl, only to make them flee instead."
The creatures eyes widened in shock.
"If it is the timber wolves of whom you speak... Then you are truly unique. Ponies run from them, as they are their prey. Never before have the timber wolves fled from the fray. Who are you, visitor of mine? May I ask, are you benign?"
Chauild nodded, as things slowly made sense to him. The wolves had not been the locals he was to befriend, but instead were just some of the predators of this world. He knew of predator-prey relationships from his books, and was ashamed he hadn't realized it sooner.
"There is no need to be afraid, I mean no harm. I simply wish to become friends with you."
The creature grinned, showing off its teeth. Unlike the wolves, these teeth were not sharp. That meant that it ate plants rather than animals, Chauild noted.
"Never before has anypony requested to be my friend, you see. If that is what you wish, you are in good company."
Taking that as a sign that he had earned a friend, Chauild smiled. He was already starting to make friends, one of the conditions to passing the test.
"My name is Zecora, new friend. What about at your end?"
Right before he answered, Chauild remembered what Jehovah told him.
Do not tell them who you are or why you're there. Even stating your name could cause undue stress upon the world, for gods' names hold power.
Still, he didn't want to be rude and not reply.
"I... I don't know."
Zecora looked over Chauild once more, before finally realizing he had no cutie mark, either.
"Then, my friend, you are a mystery. Not a cutie mark nor a name, you make no sense to me. You also possess wings and a horn as well; where did you use to dwell?"
Zecora was asking all of the things which Chauild was not allowed to tell her. He began to fret, unsure of how to respond. Picking up on this, Zecora smiled.
"You do not need to respond, nameless one, if it causes you strife. We all have secrets, things we have hidden in our life."
They continued talking, Zecora telling her tale of how she came from Zebrica, and ended up living in the Everfree. She also showed Chauild the various plants and herbs in her home, all of which had some magical or medicinal value. His thirst for knowledge getting the better of him, Chauild memorized the name, effects, and location of every single plant. Some only grew under logs in the bog, while others on the edge of cliffs.
Now that he finally was on a mortal world, Chauild was determined to study and document as much of the magical flora, fauna, and other related things as much as possible. He knew of very basic spatial manipulation taught to him by his mentor, which would enable him to lengthen the amount of pages a book has without any effect on the size or weight. Sadly, his skill in that area is limited, so at most he'd only be able to double it. True masters at the craft could easily make the book endless.
Remembering the task at hand, Chauild suddenly got up. He said his goodbyes to the zebra, and left. She was slightly disappointed that he was leaving so soon, as Zecora rarely had guests. Still, she led him out with a smile, and warned him to be careful. Even if he had scared off the timber wolves, he still could get himself into trouble.
Chauild graciously accepted her advice and left. He was feeling very satisfied with himself, as he had made a friend and learned more about the world, two of Jehovah's conditions. Now, if he could find the renegade, the test would be as good as over.
Shaking his head, Chauild frowned.
"No, I still need to learn how to use my magic in this body. It's obviously different than how I used to do it. Maybe I should ask one of the locals to teach me?"
He remembered that Zecora had many magical ingredients in her home, and figured that she probably was an adept at magic. Turning around 180 degrees, he ran off towards Zecora's hut again. What he didn't realize is that staying cooped up in his home all the time left him with a poor sense of direction. Rather than going towards Zecora's hut, he was headed straight towards the center of the forest. The tangled mass of trees, vines, and shrubs steadily got thicker. Several times Chauild recognized some of the plants as dangerous and avoided them. He was getting worried, as he hadn't encountered the same plants when he left. It slowly dawned on him that he went the wrong way, and Chauild cursed himself for his carelessness.
He sat down on a patch of moss which he deemed as safe, and decided to take a small rest. Confusion ran rampant in his mind, as gods almost never tired, yet there he was, out of breath. He resolved to investigate all the other minute differences between his old and new forms.
Bringing up his new hooves to his face, he looked at them with a scrutinizing eye. Unlike the horses on Gaia, these hooves widened at the bottom rather than narrowed. They could also bend in a multitude of angles, which suggested hypermobility. Chauild attempted to pick up a twig with his hoof, and to his astonishment, succeeded. The stick gripped to his hoof, and the second he wanted to drop it, it fell off.
Shaking his head in confusion, Chauild got up from his moss seat, and started off again. He turned back around, however, when he noticed that his back felt lighter. Laying forgotten on the ground was his saddlebag, having slipped off when Chauild sat down.
He ran over to it and opened it with his suction cup-esque hooves, dumping the contents out onto the moss. To Chauild's great delight, everything seemed to be present and in mint condition. While the knife was indeed incredibly sharp, it was magically tuned to only cut when the owner wills it. As such, the amulet and book were safe even if they were in the same bag as it. Chauild wasn't even sure that the knife would be able to cut through them even if he willed it, but he wasn't about to try.
Remembering Zecora's warning about the predators in the forest, he kept the knife out and put away the other two items. Even if he was a god, he could still be harmed in his mortal body. He couldn't be killed, of course, but if his body died then he would obviously fail the test.
Chauild threw the bag over his head, and willed it to land on his back with the aid of some magic. It wasn't as perfect of a landing as he had hoped, but he still managed to steer the bag in the right direction.
Next, he tried to walk off with the knife in one hoof. His gait was awkward and clumsy, so he decided that he needed to find another way to hold the knife. He found that the easiest way to hold it was with his teeth, which was also surprisingly comfortable. Thus he walked off, knife in teeth.
Chauild didn't get very far before he heard several shrieks of terror come from nearby. His primal instincts which urged him to protect others awakened, and manifested themselves in his body. Adrenaline and oxygen rushed throughout his body as he raced towards the source of the shrieks.
He came upon a clearing, and witnessed three small foals get surrounded by the same timber wolves he had encountered earlier. Howls of victory could be heard all around as saliva dripped from their teeth. The foals shook in fear and hugged each other tightly, crying all the while. Chauild remembered what Zecora told him earlier.
...Ponies run from them, as they are their prey...
The wolves were about to kill and eat the fillies. Even if that was indeed how nature worked, Chauild wasn't about to let children die. Anger coursed through his mind, and he stomped down on the ground. A shock wave reverberated outwards, causing the wolves to turn around and finally notice him. They all growled as they remembered who he was: the one who intruded on their territory. They were scared away last time, but now they had reinforcements. Now, they could easily kill him. Or so they thought.
Still gripping the knife in his teeth, Chauild knew he'd have to use it here. In order to defend the foals, he'd have to kill the wolves. The knife almost glowed in response, as ready to fight as its master. Control over his magic was seemingly restored to him, and Chauild swished his horn. A single tendril of magic reached out and wrapped around the knife, before hoisting it into the air. Now, it was time to act.
The first wolf to launch itself at him was met in midair with the sharp end of Chauild's knife. Cutting through its wooden body like butter, the knife went right through it and out the other side. Shocked at the loss of their comrade, the wolves howled. They recognized what a giant threat Chauild was, and circled around him. A perfect chance to escape having presented itself to them, the foals ran while the wolves were preoccupied.
No longer were they willing to attack him one at a time, they had wised up. This time, two jumped at him. The knife shot up, stabbing into the wolf's brain. As quick as a snake, it dislodged itself and flew at the other wolf. That wolf got a more gruesome death, the knife cutting its wooden head clean off.
Lost in the moment, Chauild yelled, "You will not threaten the citizens of Equus under my watch! I am their guardian, their sword and shield! Face me, and die!"
It would have been far more effective of a threat if the wolves understood language. Sadly, all they understood was that the creature killed their brothers and then yelled. Blood boiled on both sides, each wishing for the other's death.
Several more wolves ran at Chauild, who realized he wouldn't be fast enough with the knife to kill them before they got to him. Utilizing his restored control over magic, Chauild concentrated hard on the area around him. He could feel the heat of the fire, smell the smoke, see the flames. Complying with his wishes, fire burst into existence around him. As fire is wood's greatest enemy, the wolves yelped and jumped back, some with scorched noses from getting too close. The closest one was caught on fire, but not before delivering a glancing blow to Chauild's side.
Not allowing any to escape, Chauild fed his emotions to the fire. All of his anger acted as fuel, allowing it to burn stronger. Next, he asked the wind itself for aid. Wind rushed in and spun around the fire, picking it up and nourishing it. The fire spun and spun, forming a whirl of fire. Wolves were sucked into the whirl, burning to a crisp as soon as they touched the vortex. Chauild held out as long as he could, as the tell-tale signs of magic overuse presented themselves in his mind. When he felt as if he could handle it no longer, he released the elements from his bidding. The fire whirl decayed as suddenly as it came into being, if not faster. Charred pieces of timber flew in all directions, released from their waltz with the blazing twister.
No more wolves stood to challenge Chauild, and he collapsed to the ground. His brain pounded, every little sound setting off explosions in his mind. This wasn't the first time this had happened, however, and he knew how to fix it. An old remedy was taught to him when he was much younger and was prone to headaches from the slightest amount of magic use. He attempted to channel his magic into his brain to soothe and repair the damage, but found that he couldn't. A groan escaped from his mouth as he realized that, once again, he had lost most of his control over magic.
Chauild heard something running towards him from the bushes, but he initially didn't want to get up. Ashamed that a mere headache would make him fail the test, he forced himself to stand. His knife lay on the ground a few paces away, unmarred by neither blood nor fire. He picked it up with a hoof, and stashed it between his teeth again.
Suddenly, several figures burst forth from a nearby bush. Chauild prepared himself for another fight with the wolves, only to spot the three fillies he had saved earlier. They were not alone, however, as six adults had come with them. They looked around, taking in the scene. Scorched earth sat smoking in places, the vegetation was completely burned away in others, but miraculously, Chauild had exerted enough control over the flames to keep them from setting the forest ablaze. He sat there, admiring his handiwork, before he turned his attention back to the newcomers. Merely seconds later, he collapsed back onto the ground, still tired from his fight with the wolves.
Against the others' protests, the fillies ran towards Chauild. They gasped as they saw the blood running down his side, and they called out to the others. A creamy yellow colored one ran to his side, her eyes widening as she noticed his wound. She told her friends that they had to take Chauild to the hospital, but he objected.
"There is no need. It was merely a glancing blow, no need for medical attention. The bleeding will stop soon."
Almost as if on cue, the bleeding lessened before finally stopping completely. To the audience's great amazement, the cut then proceeded to close itself. Chauild grinned, as that small act conveyed a whole lot of information to him.
"Nice to see that I retained some of my divine powers in this mortal body."
The small, yellow filly with the giant bow on her head looked at him with giant, curious eyes.
"What are you, mister?"
Yet again, his identity was being questioned. Chauild found himself wondering if Jehovah truly chose the right body for this task, but he quickly stopped. Obviously, Jehovah had his reasons.
"I... I don't know."
He had been relying on that excuse far too often, and it hurt him to say it. Even if it was a small lie, it was a lie nevertheless. Chauild really, really hated lies. The fact that he was forced to do it now threatened to rip his heart apart.
The lavender unicorn stepped forward and looked him over, suspicious. She then gasped as the saw that he had both wings and a horn.
"You're an alicorn... But there's only supposed to be three left in the whole world!"
Stretching out his forgotten wings, Chauild gazed at them in wonder. He slowly poked one with a hoof, and found it to be covered in soft feathers, much like a bird's wing would be. The fur and feathers seemed to meet at the base of his wing, which was strange to him. They appeared to be made of the same material. Chauild made a mental note to closely study the structure of his fur and feathers later.
The ponies all discussed what they should do with him, while the fillies assaulted him with questions. As long as it didn't involve him having to say that he was a god or his name, he was more than happy to answer.
The orange filly with purple hair jumped on his back, wrestling with one of his wings.
"Woah! Your wings are huuge! How'd they get this big?"
"I don't know."
She then let go of his wing, and jumped off his back. Striking a fighting pose, she imitated how Chauild had looked when he confronted the wolves, before slipping and falling over. The white filly with pink and purple hair giggled at her companion before turning back to Chauild. She also tried to imitate the ferocious look he had given the wolves, but horribly failed. More bouts of laughter came from all the fillies, who seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly.
The white one looked up with the same giant eyes and wide smile that the yellow one had given him, and said, "Where'd you learn to fight like that? You totally showed those stupid wolves not to mess with us!"
Chauild regarded them with a look of pure bewilderment, as he hadn't even fought that well. Even if he probably the most skilled his magic of all the gods around his age, many were better warriors than him. Combat magic wasn't his best area, and neither was swordplay. He had some skill with knives, as his mentor had taught him how to properly use the Leviathan-bone blade. However, in his new body, he was limited to wielding the knife with magic. Being a quadruped truly limited the amount of stances one could take.
Nevertheless, Chauild told his captivated audience of how his mentor trained him in the use of a knife, not allowing him to do anything else until he got the skill down. For days at a time, without any breaks, he'd practice. His body had to adapt to the harsh way of training by learning new skills fast.
The fillies cried in delight, while the older ponies were somewhat sickened by the spartan training method. They appeared to have reached a conclusion on what to do with him. One of them, a blue pegasus with rainbow hair, flew up and away. Chauild figured that she went off to get reinforcements or deliver a message, and started preparing himself for more conflict. Even if he didn't want to fight them, he wasn't willing to let them hinder his task. An orange pony pulled away the protesting foals, not allowing them to have any further contact with him in case he proved dangerous. And dangerous he was, but not dangerous to them.
His headache was starting to subside when he started to gather the magic inside himself. He was sucking up the magic from the environment, purifying inside his body, concentrating it, forcing it to become smaller and smaller. When he deemed it good enough, he'd store it away in his mind. Careful not to let the others detect his work, he continued this this for quite some time.
Several minutes later, the blue pegasus returned. She didn't fly back, instead, she teleported onto the scene, along with two others. The taller one had a white coat, with pink, purple, blue, and green striped mane and tail. Chauild detected magic that flowed forth from her mane and tail, giving them an ethereal look, as if the wind was constantly blowing them around. A sun was emblazoned on either of her flanks, but Chauild had no idea what that meant.
That same magic blew the other one's mane and tail as well, but these ones were blue. They were dappled with small, white flecks, reminiscent of the night sky. Her coat was a dark blue, with a patch of black surrounding a crescent moon.
Both of the newcomers wore regal jewelry and shoes, which lead Chauild to believe they were figures of importance on the world, most likely monarchs at that. He realized he had to make a good impression on them, as he would be in charge of this world soon.
Standing up, he was about to give the supposed monarchs a greeting, but they shied away at his sudden movement, covering the others with their wings. They instructed the six smaller ponies to take themselves and the fillies out of the forest, and that they would "take care of this". Complying with the alicorns' wishes, they fled the scene. Now, it was only three alicorns left in the scorched clearing.
Even if he was younger and weaker than most gods, he still felt irritated that they would speak to him in such a way. Just to show them who they're dealing with, he let out some of the stored magic in his body. It was just a tiny amount of his stored energy, but it was enough to make an impression.
The princesses took it as a sign that he wanted to attack them, and took fighting stances. Their horns glowed yellow and blue respectively, as they got ready to defend themselves. Disgusted at the act of insolence the princesses were committing, Chauild snorted.
"Your attitude is unwarranted, and your threats insufferable. Stop before you get harmed."
They taller princess whispered something to her blue companion, but Chauild only heard the word "changeling". The white alicorn then cast a shielding spell, and a yellow barrier was erected around the perimeter. Nothing could enter nor leave while the barrier still stood, and Chauild was sure it would stay standing until he beat the haughty princesses.
Next was the blue princess' turn. She charged up a bolt of magic, but was too slow. Chauild could've detected her charging this spell from a mile away, and he had more than enough time to prepare a proper defense. Dreading that the situation dissolved into a fight, but nevertheless not willing to lose, Chauild was glad he had stored some magic away. Now, it was time to release it.
The blue alicorn finally finished her spell and shot a beam of blue light at Chauild. She cried out in victory, as she was sure that Chauild wouldn't be able to do anything against it. Rather than take the blast head on, he solidified some of the magic around his hoof. After he raised his hoof up, it met the beam and withstood its barrage, sending the beam flying in all directions. The blue light dissipated on contact with the barrier, and the white princess winced.
As the magic dissolved, the princesses regarded Chauild with a look of pure shock. Neither had expected him to block the spell with such ease, and he gave them an arrogant grin.
"Do you see now that I will not fall so easily? End this pointless conflict, and remove the barrier."
Rather than bringing about peace like he hoped, the princesses only became angrier. The blue one gritted her teeth, positively glowering, while the older sister was slightly calmer.
Finally, the white one decided to speak to him.
"Why do you choose to torture us, changeling? That body won't help you blend in, as there are only three alicorns left now. You just stand out like a sore hoof."
"I did not choose this body, as you did not choose your own. Your accusations are unfounded."
His assailants gave each other a confused look, as they could tell he wasn't lying. This time, the blue one spoke up.
"Then, how are you alive? All of the other alicorns are dead. We searched for any survivors for so long... but we found none. Where were you?"
Yet again, Chauild was faced with a question he couldn't answer. He forced himself to lie, knowing that it's all for the sake of passing the test.
"I... I don't know."
He almost cringed at his overuse of those three words. By now, he had used that excuse too many times. Knives of guilt buried themselves in his heart, and the sorrow showed on his face. The princesses saw the sorrow and recognized him for what he was: lost, confused, and without friends. The barrier dissolved as they slowly approached him.
"Are you sure you mean no harm to anypony?"
A tear slid down his cheek as he nodded, before falling into the ground. Much to his surprise, they gave him a hug, wrapping their wings around him. He looked at them in shock, but quickly settled down. It felt nice, and he didn't want the feeling to end.
After some time, they let go of him. Both of the princesses themselves were tearing up, and they smiled. With a blush, the blue princess wiped away her tears, while the white one opted to leave them alone. With a nod and an accepting smile, they beckoned for him to follow them.
"Welcome home."
"Wait, please!"
Right before they left the clearing, Chauild asked for them to stop. He still had lots of magic stored in his body, and it'd be unsafe to leave it like that. It wasn't stored in a very meticulous manner, as it had been done during an emergency. The princesses stopped, and asked him why he wanted to wait, but he didn't answer.
Chauild leaned his head back, took a deep breath, and released the magic stored in his system. It poured forth from his horn like a torrent, returning to the environment from which it had been borrowed. The magic took a myriad of shapes and colors as it flew off, creating a beautiful aurora. With each passing second, Chauild felt better and better. Storing magic like that is not only dangerous, but also uncomfortable.
Around a minute later the flow started to lessen, before coming to an eventual halt. The two princesses were stunned at the sudden display of power, but also impressed.
The white princess, who had introduced herself as Celestia, was the first to speak, albeit while still shaken up.
"Why... How... Did you do that?"
Chauild chuckled, euphoria coursing through him. While combat magic took its toll on his mind, storing and releasing magic was extremely easy. His mentor had drilled it into him over and over again, until it almost became instinctual. It was no more tiring to him than blinking.
"I had some magic left over."
The blue princess, who claimed her name is Luna, shook her head.
"Some? That was some magic to you? I'd hate to see what you consider a lot. By the way, you never told us your name."
"Not again..."
"I don't have a name."
He tried to justify the lie in his mind by the fact that he wasn't technically a god anymore. He had a different body, a body which didn't have a name. Thinking about it like that made him feel better.
Celestia grinned at him, raising his spirits.
"Well then, we'll have to give you one."
"How about... Aurora?" Luna suggested. She was met with a questioning look from Celestia, so she added, "It seems fitting, after that... display."
"Luna, isn't that a bit femini-"
"I like it."
Both of the princesses turned around, surprised by his answer. He honestly liked the name, and he also wanted to not have to lie anymore. It seemed like a no-brainer to accept the name.
Celestia looked at him with concern. "Are you sure? This will be your name."
Waving off her concern, Chauild replied, "It is a fine name. I'll wear it with pride."
Luna gave Celestia a smug look, and Celestia just shook her head. She sighed, realizing she just got herself involved with someone troublesome. Her life will be getting more complicated from now on.
Determined to make it look as natural as possible, Chauild repeated his new name over and over again in his head. He wanted it to ingrain it into himself, adopt it as his new name. The princesses walked off, with Aurora following them. When they weren't looking, he burst into a broad grin, happy that he was slowly starting to fit in. Soon, he could start seeking out the renegade. Victory was almost his, he thought.
Sadly, nothing in life could be that easy, even when you're a god. Aurora was about to learn that lesson very well.
