//------------------------------// // Chapter nine // Story: Mare In The Everfree Forest // by MoonLily //------------------------------// I brought the girls to the throne room on the first stop of the tour. I sighed as I looked around watching the lights bounceing off each crystal casting rainbows around.          “So as you know this is the throne room. Most ponies can see what it normally holds. However, if you exit the throne room from the left and then turn right, you will enter the hall leading towards the empress room” I waved my hoof towards them as I walked out of the door. I stopped at a wall waiting for them to catch up. Pinkie was just bouncing along as Fluttershy was taking her time.          “Oooo a wall” I rolled my eyes at Pinkie’s comment. I walked through the wall waving at them.          “Come on, it’s safe” I had my head still through the wall. I watched as Pinkie backed up and ran through the wall turning into a small pink ball rolling down the hall. I turned and noticed Fluttershy tipped toe through the wall. Turning my head around I could see the large hall was still intact. Large sapphires were grown to create columns to keep the roof over our heads. The windows were created normally but as you look closer at them you could see small pieces of color which catch the sun at a perfect angle. The walls and floor were made up of the same light blue crystal. The walls were sporting dark onyx light fixtures with silver flames resting on top. Large silver doors were nestled between each third light.          “This is lovely” Fluttershy had broken the silence.          “This is large! Why is this hidden?” I let out a chuckle as I walked down the hall.          “I was here the month before and during Sombra’s attack. I created a space for the empress to hide during his reign. I thought if she was kept hidden then the crystal heart could not fully be tainted. It's complicated why this hall is hidden. It involves my family and I promised to keep this past hidden” I sighed as I walked along the hall. I could hear our hooves click against the crystal floor.          “Ooooo” my ears went up as I knew that meant Pinkie found something. I looked in her direction. She was hanging from one of the light fixtures on the wall. The flame that was sitting on it was dark blue instead of silver.          “Pinkie get off of that” I rushed towards her as the wall opened up. A cloud of dust rolled out of the door. My heart was sinking as I pushed Pinkie out of the way in time. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder along with my stomach. Glancing down I could see a spear poking out of my shoulder while a crystal was jetting out of my back from my stomach.          “I will not die” I hear a hiss as the wall opened up. I noticed a tall pink unicorn with a dark unkept coat. Her gold, pink and white mane was darkened and unkept as well. Her lime green eyes that once sparkled were dull and sunken in. her ribs could be seen as she walked out of the room.          “Lily!”          “I’m fine Fluttershy. Well, I didn’t think the empress still had the bite in her” I had a smile on my lips.          “Cleric?” her voice was raspy as I nodded my head.          “How can I tell you are really my cleric?” she growled as I looked up at her.          “When I came out and told you I was immortal you pulled my heart out of my body! And when you saw I was still standing staring at you. You placed it back and then started a year-long training campaign! You even threaten Luna that I was on loan to her” I spoke up towards her. My eyes were watching her.          “You still are” I could see her face turn into a smile instead of a scowl.          “Lily” my ears shifted as I turned towards Pinkie. I could see her face was drained of color as she was pointed above me.          “Cleric run” I looked up towards the ceiling noticing a jet black creature oozing and dripping black-smelling tar. I felt the liquid drip on my skin. I thought it was going to burn but it was cold. I was about to pull my sword out but I felt it pierce my back causing me to gasp. This feeling was as if worms were crawling through my veins. I felt it wrap around my heart and squeeze.          “Cleric fight it!” I heard the empress shouting. I was gasping as I felt liquid running from my muzzle. I looked up at her with fear in my eyes. I felt her sit and place her hooves on my shoulders.          “Discord!” I heard Fluttershy shout. I could hear she was scared as I kept my eye on her. she was hiding behind Pinkie as Discord popped in holding a bat.          “Alright who is hurting my Fluttershy!” he growled. I hated what I was about to say but I needed him.          “Dis…Discord” I spoke up noticing his eyes shifted to me widening “He….elp” I had a few tears in my eyes as I watched him move closer.          “So what do we have”          “Creature of Chaos, if you are not here to help then bug off!” I heard the empress shout.          “Of course, I am here to help” I heard him snap. I looked up at him “But this is something that I would never see again”          “What is it?” I watched as Fluttershy move closer. I noticed Discord moving her away along with the empress.          “This is something truly evil. Once long ago ponies were experimenting with the pale mare’s magic so they can stay alive longer. The pale mare found out and created a curse attached to the spell. Whoever cast the spell was able to redirect the curse” I had tears in my eyes as I passed out.          I found myself laying on my back floating on a sea of darkness. Well, the whole area was nothing but darkness. I was expecting to feel the worm-like creature in my veins but nothing. I sat up looking around thinking I was just wrapped up in a blanket.          “Hello?” I spoke up hearing my voice echo. As I spoke little stars started to appear above and below me. A river of purples and blues was mixed into the darkness.          “Hello” my ears twitched as I turned around noticing a tall black alicorn with a skull mask staring at me. I leaned forward and back noticing white and grey feathers mixed into its wings.          “Are you the pale mare?” my heart was pounding.          “Pale Mare? Well, I am not a mare if that is what you want to know” his voice was filled with uncertainty.          “So I am dead. Great, I died in front of Discord and the empress” I hissed. I could hear the pony behind me chuckle.          “Your not dead. It’s not your time to die”          “Wait really?” I turned and looked at the pony.          “You too young, you have a good ten maybe thirty thousand years on you. Unless Equestira dies” What I heard caused me to freeze up.          “What?” I could see him staring at me before the look of shock appeared on his face.          “Oh you weren’t told” he clicked his tongue against his teeth “Well, yeah your not dead”          “Then where am I?”          “You are in limbo at the moment, since it’s not your time I can’t place you in the afterlife you deserve. I can’t also take you back to your body as well.”          “Why not?”          “It’s to heavily damaged. I also have a gift from Selene and Solis for you” I could see a smile form on his face. I watched in silence as he walked over to me placing three bracelets on my hoof. They were golden with silver backing. I shook my hoof thinking they would slide off but nope. These things stayed in place. I looked up to see where the pony went. I noticed that he was walking away leaving me with more questions than answers. I sat back down noticing the darkness started to turn to liquid. I stayed silent as the darkness soaked up softly by my bracelets. As the darkness was soaked up a world was left behind.          Green grass was moving softly under my hooves. The sky was dark blue mixed with light blue and golden yellow. I blinked softly as I turned my head around. I huffed a bit as I started to walk around hoping to find something. Well, I got my wish. I crashed into a large silver door as I rubbed my muzzle. Pushing the door open I noticed the scenery changed. I was in the empire but it was silent and covered in snow.          “Silver!” my ears moved behind me. I turned towards the sound and noticed Luna glided down to the ground. She was panting heavily as her eyes were full of tiredness and redness. It looked as if she was crying. I couldn’t tell as she tackled me to the ground feeling her kiss me.          “I am sorry for not spending time with you” she was crying as I looked up at her.          “Luna, you shouldn’t be sorry. I should be the one who is sorry. I should have seen you first and come to you. You shouldn’t have found out I was alive like that. But this is not the place nor the time to talk about this” I kept my eyes on her. She jumped up off of me a bit shocked.          “Right. It’s just I've been looking for you all over the place. I couldn’t find you in your dreams and not in other dreams.” She was moving about as I watched her. she was panicking more than Twilight when I went missing.          “Well, I am right here. I been out for an hour?”          “A month Silver. You've been out for a month! The empress doesn’t want to move you from the empire till you wake up. She is scared the curse will take you over if you leave the protection of the heart. She is also pissed at Celestia”          “You know the empress is a tough cookie”          “Tell me about it. She has taken up teaching Twilight and Shining armor about Spell Runes.” I rolled my eyes as I looked over at Luna.          “You knew that would happen”          “True” I watched her wings drape beside her. She sighed as she lifted her head instantly. I watched as she rubbed her head with her wing “I need to go. I hear the Empress” I nodded as I watched Luna disappear in front of me. I grumbled a bit as I looked around hoping I could find something to help me wake up. Looking over at the house beside me I got a weird idea. I got to my hooves getting ready to run. I took off and crashed into the house.