TRoT Prologue Preview · 1:20am February 4th
Hey, everyone! I have exciting news! After a year of preparation, I'm in the final stages of production on the new Prologue! Here's a sneak-peek.
THOUSANDS OF MOONS AGO
High atop the mountains of the Arctic North, Gusty struggled to move against the cold snow beneath her hooves. I have to reach the top… she thought. Every few steps, she had to stop to catch her breath.
Just hours before, she had led an army of the most powerful warriors in history to the Imperial Palace of Tambelon, facing off against Emperor Grogar himself. After an intense struggle, she disarmed the tyrant—using his own Bewitching Bell to banish him to the abyss.
Now, she was determined to hide the source of his power where nopony—not even her own apprentice—would ever find it again.
Clasping the Bell tightly in her mouth, she continued to fight against the harsh conditions around her. She would have used magic to reach the peak, but the ice that formed around her horn prevented her from igniting it.
After only fifteen minutes of climbing, her legs became numb with pain. No longer able to move, she collapsed in the snow, and the Bewitching Bell fell beside her. As she laid there, still as a mannequin, and covered in snow, she could only close her eyes and ponder the consequences if she failed
to continue onward.
You have to get back up, Gusty. As long as his Bell remains intact, all of Ponyland will be at risk. You have to do this… if not for Ponyland, then for Star.
With that, the exhausted unicorn's eyes sprouted wide open, and she managed to lift herself off of the ground with weak hooves. She picked the Bewitching Bell back up with her mouth and sprinted as fast as she could through the thick snow.
Within moments, a surge of determination—unlike any she had felt before—flowed through her body as she finally reached the peak. She examined the barren rock before her, and eventually located a small cave—just large enough to suit her needs.
She rushed in, placing the Bewitching Bell atop a small rock. To ensure it would be safe, Gusty used all her strength to create a powerful barrier around the cave, preventing any living creature from breaking through.
However, the combination of her battle wounds and the intense cold finally became too much for Gusty to endure, and she collapsed once more into the snow. “I’m s–s–sorry, old f–friend,” she muttered through frozen lips. "If o–only I c–c–could have s–saved y–y–you."
With those words, Gusty closed her eyes, ignited her horn a final time, and her final breaths were enveloped in a green magical aura, transformed into strong winds that surrounded the mountain. And, just like that, Gusty the Great—hero to Ponyland and inspiration to all ponykind—was dead.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. Feel free to offer constructive criticism. And, most importantly, have a great night!
