His name was Discord and we were his slaves…
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Patience watched as the strange but very dangerous spirit plucked a cloud from the sky. The spirit dipped the cloud into a goblet of chocolate before popping it into his mouth. Bolts of lightning erupted from between his teeth causing him to laugh as if the electricity tickled the inside of his mouth. Patience could not fathom the insanity that was this spirit nor did he want too.
“You’ve got to try this!” Discord chortled as he lifted a Pegasus off the ground. “It is delicious!”
The poor Pegasus tried to keep her mouth shut but Discord clicked his claws together causing her mouth to snap open. He popped a portion of the chocolate cloud into her mouth before literally zipping it closed. Her cheeks began to glow as the lightning danced upon her pallet. Soon her mane was standing on end while purple sparks erupted from the tips of her tail.
Now, while there was not a Pegasus pony alive that hadn’t been struck by lightning once in their lives, there was not a Pegasus pony in all the sky who could survive prolonged exposure to the dangerous bolts. If Discord didn’t free the mare from his spell soon, her head would burst like a ripe melon.
Luckily for her, Discord soon grew bored of the living lightning rod that he had created and with a click of his claws, her mouth unzipped, allowing the cloud to escape back into the atmosphere. Black smoke rose from between the Pegasus’s lips as she slumped to the ground, tired and obviously in a great deal of pain. Discord poked her forehead with an eagle claw before vanishing in a blinding flash of light.
Patience’s instincts were to race across the street to help the poor Pegasus back onto her feet but previous experiences with Discord kept him from rushing to her assistance. He knew that Discord sometimes returned soon after torturing a pony so that he could continue his sick and twisted games. It wasn’t unusual for him to find a new “favorite toy” to play with and whomever he decided to obsess about would suffer for days, if not weeks, of his antics until finally he grew bored and moved on.
When he felt more confident that Discord would not be returning, he dashed across the street to where the Pegasus was still lying. “Madam,” he whispered. “Can ye get up?”
“Nae…” she whimpered. Her lips were dry and chapped, her teeth blackened from the lightning. “Too weak…”
Patience glanced over his shoulders then whispered, “Forgive me, M’lady.” He sunk his teeth into her mane and began to drag her back to the alley from whence he came. She winced but did not cry out although he was sure she was in a great deal of pain.
“I apologize,” he mumbled. “But we must get thee underground immediately.”
“Underground?” she groaned.
“Aye.” He pulled her down another alleyway, grumbling many apologies along the way. “It is where we hide to avoid his prying eyes.” He gently released her mane once they got to the end of the alley. He rapped his hoof against the brick wall, paused a second, and then tapped his hoof three times in rapid succession.
“Hast thou lost thine mind?” she asked Patience but he ignored the question. A few minutes later the bricks began to pull apart forming the entrance to a deep, dark tunnel. On the other side of the entrance stood two female Alicorns; one with hair as white as snow and a mane of soft pinks, blues, and yellows. The other had dark blue hair and a midnight blue mane and although they looked nothing alike, the fact of the matter was that these two Alicorns were sisters.
“Hast thou brought news?” The white mare whispered.
“He is gone, for now.” Patience responded.
“And this?” asked the blue pony, her dark eyes examining the wounded Pegasus.
“Another one of his playthings,” Patience answered.
“We must be swift to bring her to safety,” said the white pony. “Luna, if thou would be so kind.”
Luna’s horn began to glow and suddenly the Pegasus was lifted off of the ground, bathed in a blue light. “We must make haste.” Luna hissed.
“Aye, we must.” The four ponies retreated into the tunnel. The white sister used her magic to seal the tunnel before summoning a small ball of yellow fire to float before them all. “What is thine name?” she asked as they continued down the path.
“Prism Light,” replied the Pegasus.
“Honored. I am Celestia and this is my younger sister, Luna.” She kept her eyes forward. “The one who hast rescued you is Patience, Chancellor to the throne.”
“Ah!” Prism exclaimed. “Than ye be Princesses?”
Luna chuckled but it was Celestia who answered. “Alas we are but mere commoners but tis an honor that ye would think that. We came from the north to escape the tyranny that is Discord. It was to our greatest disappointment to learn that he had already paid a visit to this kingdom. By the time we had arrived, it was too late.”
“Aye,” replied Patience. “Twisted by his magic, His and Her Majesty became ponies of a different sort. They were no longer the noble steeds they once were; instead reduced to a pair of bickering mules who could do nothing but snap and shout at one another.”
“But are thee both Alicorns?” Prism asked. “How can thee not be of noble blood?”
Luna shrugged. “Tis just how it is.” She replied simply. “We come naught from a royal family, but from parents who worked upon farmlands.” She frowned. Celestia nuzzled her younger sister affectionately. Patience knew from prior discussions with them that their parents had both perished soon after the sisters were born. It had something to do with a terrible wildfire that swept through the land. The only reason the sisters had survived the incident was due to the fact that they had been visiting friends. Otherwise they too would have perished.
However it was a story that Patience had never truly accepted. It just seemed so unusual for Alicorn sisters being born from Earth pony parents. Deep down he knew that they were hiding something but, for the time being, he decided that it was in his best interest to let it go.
The trek seemed to last forever but finally they arrived to the central hub of the pony underground. This large chamber had once been used to mine for gems but once all the precious stones had been found, the miner ponies converted it into something of a storage facility for all their tools. There were dozens of wooden crates stacked up against the jagged walls; each one containing pick-axes, hammers, chisels, ropes, and woven sacks. A mine track lay within the center of the chamber and old oil lamps still hung upon the walls. Several dozen ponies were scattered all throughout the room, some lying down, others moaning in agony, and others still just sitting, staring at those around them.
“It tis our goal to protect as many ponies from Discord’s magic as possible but it nae easy. He is a crafty cur and it is impossible to predict his movements.”
“What happened to all of these ponies?” Prism asked.
“She,” Patience pointed. “Had all of her teeth turned to sugar cubes so she must sleep sitting up least the ants try to invade her mouth.” He gestured towards another. “His mane had been replaced with worms and the constant squirming sensation has been driving him mad.”
“All victims to that beast,” Celestia scowled. “His mirth knows no bounds and he is quick to target any pony that catches his interest.”
“That is horrible,” Prism frowned.
“Tis,” Luna agreed. “But at least we are safe. He has no idea that we’ve hidden away down here. As long as the secret is safe, we be safe from his playful gaze.”
“Playful my hoof,” Celestia growled. “Tis cruelty within his heart!”
“Hm,” Luna grumbled. She turned to Prism, apparently dropping the argument. “Ye shall be fine to rest.” She gently lowered Prism onto the ground. “Ah!” Luna exclaimed. “Tell me! Tis that a cutie mark I see upon thine flank?”
Prism blinked then glanced to her cutie mark; a white crystal with a rainbow flowing out from its center. “Aye, tis.” She replied. “When I was but a filly, I discovered some rare crystals while playing in the mountains. If the sun’s light was shone just right, a rainbow would rise from the crystals. I used them to decorate the homes of friends and family.” She blinked again, finally taking notice to the flanks of both Celestia and Luna. “But mercy! Ye are blank!”
“Aye,” Luna agreed. “As is every other pony within this chamber.” She smirked. “Excluding Patience.”
Patience snorted. “Aye, I have received my cutie mark many moons ago while serving besides the second Queen of this land.”
Prism raised an eyebrow. “Just how old art thou?”
“Never ye mind!” Patience snapped causing Luna to giggle. “The fact tis that my flank tis not blank.”
“But what about the others?”
“Discord’s games have prevented many a pony from discovering their talents.” Celestia explained her face a mask of displeasure. “Because of him, many a pony – adult and foal – have gone without discovering what makes them special.” She stamped her hoof against the stone floor. “Tis another injustice he must answer for.” With that said, Celestia left the group to attend to those still suffering from the effects of Discord’s strange magic.
“A personal grudge?” Prism asked Patience.
“Tis what I believe but try as I might, I cannot get her to speak upon the subject.” He looked to Luna who suddenly found the ceiling of the chamber to be quite fascinating. “And this one seems to forget where she is if the subject if brought up. I must say that tis quite frustrating at times.”
Luna stuck her tongue out at him before trotting away. She followed a few paces behind her sister, her dark eyes monitoring all those around them.
“Don’t ye find it strange?” Prism whispered. “How the eldest seems to have taken upon herself a more stoic persona, whereas the younger acts as if nothing is the matter?”
“I have always placed my belief in the fact that they deal with their demons differently. Celestia has taken Discord’s rule personally whereas Luna finds some amusement in it all.”
“Amusement?” Prism gasped. “Surely thou jest!”
“Nae,” Patience explained. “She agrees wholeheartedly that Discord’s reign must be stopped, but she has stated on several occasions that she has found some of his antics to be quite humorous. Ah, thou should have seen the fight that the two had once the poor dear with the sugar teeth was discovered. Luna could not stop snickering. Celestia was not amused with how Luna had reacted. Oh how they shouted at one another; so loud that I feared Discord could hear us from up above.” He shook his head. “Tis a rather strange relationship these two share.”
“How can any pony find mirth in the cruelty of Discord?”
“Once I had asked her. She responded simply that she could see things from his point of view.” He shook his head. “Whilst I find such a trait admirable; seeing things from all sides, it could be dangerous if she were to ever sympathize with such a monster.”
“Doest thou think she would ever?”
“I believe she shant, but tis still a worry that gnaws upon the back of my head. Tis rather difficult to understand what goes on within the heads of the sisters.”
“What of the other? Celestia?”
“She is quite grim,” Patience said. He watched as Celestia kneeled down besides one of Discord’s victims in order to console him. “She speaks naught of her past but I sense a great anger within her soul. Discord has done her wrong; for this I am certain, but she refuses to share her reasoning. It is normal for the ponies to hate Discord but she has taken the hate to a level I have seen naught.”
“Her parents perhaps?”
“Maybe.” Patience watched Celestia. She was offering the colt some comforting words but while her expression seemed gentle and sympathetic, her eyes were as cold as the northern winds. “Her rage may prove quite useful,” he mused. “For she has been plotting Discord’s downfall and I believe she may be growing close to a solution.”
Prism frowned. “But how can anypony cease his antics?”
Patience lowered his voice to a whisper. “There be rumors of ancient relics that contain within a magical force of untold power. She has been gathering these rumors and believes there may be truth to the legends.” He turned his attention from Celestia back to Prism. “And if the legends be true than she may be able to bring Discord to his knees.”
Prism did not look convinced. “Pray tell: what could possibly challenge Discord’s power?”
“Why, the Shards of Anarchy, of course.” Celestia replied.
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I have heard of the legends of such relics but not once within my life did I believe in them. Shards of Anarchy? For what foolishness was this? Thine mind was a-flutter with doubt but Celestia believed that the myths were true. She was convinced that by finding the Shades, she’d be able to attain a power that could rival Discord’s.
We were broken and without hope so what could we do but cling to her beliefs? We needed a savior and so we turned to her for she was the only one who truly believed in Discord’s defeat. Alas, I could not shake the sense of dread that rose within my heart for if the Shards were indeed a reality, what would become of the pony that wielded them? Would she remain true and honest or could such a power corrupt thine mind? Only time shall tell…
Twilight closed the book, unable to continue. Her eyes were growing heavy and already she was suffering from a terrible headache. The sun had already risen and according to her internal clock, it was well past eight in the morning. She needed sleep though how she could possible slumber after reading such an engrossing, albeit terrifying tale, she did not know.
She would return immediately after sunset though it would take every ounce of patience not to return the moment she awoke from her slumber. However she had a very strict schedule to keep and even though she wanted nothing more than to pour herself into the rest of this journal, her obsessive need to stick to her schedule overruled her desire to read. Plus it meant that her chances of being disturbed were practically zero.
“I’ll be back,” she whispered to the hidden chamber. “I promise.”