//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Embrace of Light and Dark // by Knight of Crows //------------------------------// Cassiel POV So this is the afterlife huh? Just an endless void and drifting for eternity. I suppose this is better than an eternity of fire and screams. Not that life was anything better, or my life anyway. Trauma, bullies, useless shitheads and hypocrits who don't understand a damn thing they're saying or doing will do that to you. Finally, I get to be alone, to be rid of my suffering, this meaningless pain. "Not quite my child." I felt my body shift as the voice spoke and stood in front of an elderly looking man "I hate being wrong, but I hate being right all the time as well. Who are you? I want nothing to do with you." "A shame, to answer your question, I am God." And just like that I was reminded of what it was like to feel pure hatred and rage as I quickly closed the distance between us and started beating him as hard as I could. I felt tears pouring down my face as I continued my assault until my hands were bleeding I couldn't move my arms anymore. By the time I was done my hands were just as bloody as "God's" face. I got up and started walking away believing, hoping he was dead only to stop and stand there shocked he was uninjured. "Perhaps I deserved that. Here, allow me." He started walking to me and for the first time in years I felt fear, but I couldn't move, once he got in range I tried to swing at him again only to have him catch my hand and heal it along with the other one. Why I thought, he has never cared about anyone even his own son so why heal his attacker? "Do you remember how you died, what day it was?" He asked "Mayan Calendar, that's all." "You were murdered by thieves, a stray bullet ricocheted off a wall and hit you in the head during a bank robbery." How is this relevant "So? Besides my death, what's it got to do with me? This is the best thing to happen to me in years and you know it." "You were one of several others who passed my test. The world didn't actually end, but everything right now is how it would have been had everyone not acted so poorly that day." I would say stop playing God, but considering that's who I'm talking to such a thing isn't likely to happen anyway "So you allowed, even forgave the mindless slaughter of countless innocent people or whatever passes for innocent in that You forsaken world over a test just to rewind everything as if the Calendar wasn't relevant at all? Typical." I spat "It is sad to see one so young with such hatred of the world, such pain in your soul." Really jackass "I'm only 13, but I had to grow up sooner than anyone else no thanks to you, or should I be thanking you for everything you let me suffer? Talk to me like an adult, the one I had to become this soon to survive!" I said grabbing him and pulling him closer "I'm-" "Don't, I don't want to hear it, especially from you." "I suppose I should finish my business quickly then. I can give you anything you want for passing my test." I doubt that, but I'll bite "Send me anywhere but Heaven, Hell, or Earth with weapons that will best suit me. Looking, no, just being near you is even worse than Hell, maybe Lucifer was right in trying to replace you or not accept humans." "The stories you knew of his betrayal are false actually. Humanity was young and easily swayed, easily changed for better or worse. I asked my Archangels become the symbol of evil so humans would not try to make one themselves and try to live good lives. Lucifer the Bringer of Light was the first to step forth and took on that responsibility himself, he willingly became that symbol and has kept Hell's inhabitants where they belong. The goal was to try and bring out the best in humanity by giving glimpses of the worst from divine beings." So the Bible is filled with nothing but lies then? Why am I not surprised? "As for your wish, is there anything else?" He asked "Power that will suit me best, a black cloak that completely covers my face without obscuring my view, and a blindfold or a one eyed mask I can see through perfectly which seals half my power until removed and can only be removed by me. I also want to never see or hear you or another human being from this reality again after today." He took a moment to breath before speaking again "Anything else?" "Shut up and get me out of here." I'm losing my patience "Very well." He reached down for my head "Farewell. I hope you may find peace." I woke up on my back looking at the night sky. Years ago I would have said it was beautiful, now I just don't care. Sitting up I saw I was wearing a black cloak, there were 2 strange looking key shaped objects beside me, a grey mask with no special features and for some reason the blindfold. After pocketing the blindfold and putting on the mask because why not I picked up the keys and heard a voice say their names. I looked around and saw no one in what looked like a ruined building of some sort and I doubt these things spoke to me. Way to Dawn and Path towards Nightfall were their names. If these are my weapons then I'm fucked, there's no way a weapon like this is viable, on second thought I might be able to, and the weapons do look nice anyway. As the thought of where to put them came to mind they disappeared and reappeared as I wanted them back, that's pretty useful. I walked off in a random direction and am now believing this place was a castle, figures it looks human made. I thought I was very specific in my wishes and made this one clear. No. Humans. What's not to understand? Continuing through this castle I heard voices and immediately turned around. I wanted nothing to do with anyone at the moment, or ever anyway. I turned and went down a different hallway than the one I came from. At this point I'm just going wherever and looking in every room I come across for anything important. Finding nothing I continued until I came across a staircase leading to an observatory I would guess. After hearing voices again which is ridiculous for an abandoned castle I thought fuck it and walked inside. The first thing I noticed was the voices were not human and the magenta one laying on the ground with a look of shattered hope and the tall black one with weird hair laughing at this weakling. "The elements are broken, this night will last forever!" She took notice of me "And who are you? An assassin so soon after my return?" She said amused "Lady, I don't even know who or what you are much less where I am." I leaned back against the wall "I was just walking away from one set of voices figuring my way around this place only to find more voices in a supposedly abandoned castle. Besides, this eternal night you're going on about is none of my concern. If you want the world to end then I won't stop you, I expect to be dead before the worst anyway." "Destroy the world? I would never even think of such, all I want is for ponies to appreciate my night and respect me!" So you want attention then "Then you are pathetic. Destroying everything for something as meaningless as love and respect? I would say I pity you, but I don't." This had the result of angering her "I am Nightmare Moon and you will kneel before me!" She shouted firing something at me. I called Nightfall and blocked her attack only to be surprised by her dashing through the smoke her shot left and pinning me to the wall, barely missing my head with her scythe. "Just run! You can't beat her!" The other one shouted as Nightmare grabbed me and threw me across the room and into another wall. "That's an interesting weapon you have, but it won't help you." She said walking to me as I struggled to get back up "Amazing how I try to stay out of shit like this and I still get dragged into it. *cough*" I reached under my mask and when I looked at my hand I found blood. My vision is a little blurry now, but I don't care. I die I win, I live it might be a win. I looked up and saw her standing over me, I stood up and found she was at least 3 feet taller than me and I was 4ft 7 "Are you going to fight?" She said impatiently "Depends, do I have to? If you're going to kill me then make it quick, the nothingness was infinitely better than life." I said still coughing up blood. She decided to go back to the other person in the room as my vision got worse and eventually lost consciousness. 1 hour later I woke up feeling disappointed to see a white ceiling. I reached for my face and found the mask was still on my face before examining my surroundings. I felt fine so I got out of what I'm assuming is a hospital bed and looked for my cloak, after I put it on and covered my head with the hood I started making my way to the door only to have it open after a single fucking step. 9 of these ponies(?) stepped in with shocked looks on their faces, the white pink haired one rushed to me to try to get me back on the bed. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed so soon, especially after your injuries!" She said concerned "I don't care. You can let me out and you'll never see or hear from me again or I can force my way through. It makes no difference to me." I was tempted to call Dawn and Nightfall, but I knew that wouldn't end well "I would ask you to do as Nurse Redheart says my little pony. We don't want to see you get hurt again." The taller white one with neon rainbow hair said. Not going to ask about the nonexistent wind. "That's the second biggest load of bullshit I've heard in my life. I won't ask again, let me out or I will force my way out." The cyan one with rainbow hair got up in my face "What's your problem? We just saved you and tha-" "I didn't ask to be saved nor do I care about her being royalty. Now get out of my face before your relationship with the floor becomes intimate!" I dare you, give me a reason to hurt you. "Why you little-" She said rolling up her sleeve until the magenta one stopped her "Rainbow that's enough!" She turned to me "My name is Twilight Sparkle and I wanted to thank you for saving me, and if it'd be al-" "I don't care, I didn't save you, I defended myself, goodbye!" I said trying to leave until the Nurse grabbed my shoulders and the other blue one got in my way. I'm tempted to slit my own throat if only to get away faster "I am sorry my subject, but I believe it would be best to stay until your wounds I inflicted heal. And could you please remove that mask?" The blue one said "No, I'm not going to ask about how you're relevant to how I was hurt, and I'm not nor have I ever been one of your subjects. I'm not a pony in case you haven't noticed and I would very much like to leave!" "I'm sorry but-" The tall white one stopped her "Very well, but only after you tell us who and what you are, your age, and what Twilight told me about." Fine "If it'll get you all off my back then fine. I'm Cassiel, named after the Archangel of Solitude and Tears, fitting if I say so myself. I am human unfortunately and I'm 13, turning 14 in ten days. Happy? Goodbye, do me a favor and don't bother me." I tried to leave again, but she stopped me again "You know what fuck it!" I summoned Dawn and Nightfall and held them at the ready "You can't say I didn't try to be reasonable." I was ready to start swinging until she spoke again "You didn't tell us about your weapon nor did Twilight know about your other equally disturbing weapon. What is it and why does someone as young as you have them?" "Don't know, don't care, not important. Are you going to keep your end of the bargain or what? Can I go?" "I'm sorry but because of your age you'll be legally required to live under the guardianship of a capable pony." That's rich "We can't have a pony as young as yourself living on your own." "What are the odds? Another lying cunt." Everyone just looked at me like I just slapped her "Seems people regardless of race are the same everywhere I go, but I got what I asked for at least." I was finally able to reach the damn door "For the record, I may be young, but I've had to grow up faster than anyone you lot have ever met. You'll find I'm nothing like a child, had to stop being one years ago." I dismissed the weapons and made my way out of the hospital. I hope I never see them or anyone again. Princess Luna POV I was still in shock hearing he was only a colt, a colt I attacked. How could he not care, what did he mean he had to grow up sooner, and how can he be so uncaring? None of us moved to stop him as he made his way down the halls, but I wouldn't have that. I stepped out of the room and went to him with the intent to stop him before he made a mistake. "What can we do to make you stay?" I asked. If nothing else but force will stop him then maybe favors or offerings will "Nothing I can ask for would you be able nor willing to give me. Solitude is obviously too much to ask for anyway." I can't let that happen or he'll make the same mistake I did "Don't do this, I've been where you are before and-" I stopped as he held his dark winged blade at my throat "Never try to compare yourself to me again." He growled "You think you know my pain, my despair, but you know nothing of it. Life is nothing but meaningless pain. The only 3 things I would ask for are impossible or unreasonable by your standards." He lowered his weapon "Leave me be." Tears threatened to escape my eyes, but I needed to help this colt. There's no reason why anypony as young as him has no hope, no desire for a better tomorrow. I knelt down to pull him close. "Tell me! What can we do to make you stay? Anything at all?" "Can you give me my life back? Can you give me back everything I lost? Can you undo all the damage done to me?" He continued as he whispered to me everything he suffered. Nopony should have to live through all that, but he... This colt... Had to endure it all alone since he was 7. 6 years of pure Tartarus alone. I cried for him as I pulled him closer only to hear him ask what I was doing and why. To think the damage was so severe he didn't even remember what a hug was or why I was doing this. He wasn't boasting about having to grow up sooner than other foals. I see why the end of the world didn't bother him at all and that only made me want to help him more, to make him see why life has meaning.