//------------------------------// // Prologue I: Arrival // Story: Stay With Me // by Fabella //------------------------------// The man gasped for air as his head shot up to the surface. His heart pounding as he flailed about. Splashing the water every which way. His reddish and brown blouse which he wore with beige suspenders soaked in water. His hair tangled. He pulled himself to the shore and fell over on his side. Taking deep breaths. His last memory being the feeling of a crushing weight upon his head and the feeling of liquid filling up his lungs. He spat out water, gasping for air like a fish. Coughing and blowing his nose. His blurry eyes settled and he took in the sight before him. Around the pool were bio luminescent plants that shined off the glimmers of the purple and dark blues. The reflection of the water, shining the lights of the plants every where. The mystical setting would have been comforting had he been spared of the pain and confusion he was in. “Where...am I...?” He looked around not sure of where he was. While his memory certainly wasn't clear he certainly didn't remember being in cavern. He shivered and wrapped his arms around his torso. “Ugh!” His head suddenly pounded as though combined with the force of a thousand soldiers practicing upon his temple. He stumbled backwards and clutched his forehead. Masculine hands wrapping his visage. It died down just as quickly as it started and with leveled eyes he gazed at what seemed to be an exit. A path leading into a dark space. He heard the sound of rain pouring down, the crackling of lightning and the sound of wind. He waddled forward, hooves clacking against the ground but one thing echoed in his head. “Where am I?” The man treaded through the thickened brush. Leaves crunched under his every step and under the blinding darkness with no source of light, he could not make out the path before him. The thickened leaves and hanging vines of the forest was unforgiving to his body and clothes. Thorns tore and ripped his blouse and skin which was soaked with water. His plaid shirt was stained, his burnish gold hair disheveled and his arms pressed tightly against his chest. Hoping to retain some type of warmth as he was unusually cold. He looked up, seeing as how the moon hung high in the sky as the stars twinkled about in discordant harmony. Each a faint glimmer of his past. Only faint memories, blurred and violent flashed through his head. The feeling of crushing weights, the sounds of wails and screams was all that remained. As he made his way through, he came to what he assumed to be the end of the forest. He stopped and stared at the glaring view before him for within the heavy darkness of the night, he was able to make out the subtle shape of a building. He stared at it, unsure of what exactly it was. A lighting flash across the sky revealed for a hot second more detail of the unknown building. “....a castle?” The man blinked. “Who builds a castle in the middle of a forest?” he wondered. Pondering if a rich hermit all but lived there, hoping to escape from the sensationalism of the bustling city or village life or the unfettered toxicity of modern man. Curiosity seeped in through him the longer he kept his eyes upon the unknown architecture. As if signaling him to move on, a cold wind blew sending a shiver down his spine. The wetness of his skin, clothes and fur only served to emphasize to him his pitiful state as it amplified the coldness against his flesh. The man took a step forward but a loud creek startled him. He looked down and moved his hoof back. A bridge.... The bridge was old and tattered. Held together flimsily by only a mere two poles and rope on either side with lines of rope forming the fencing on the sides of the bridge. The wind blew and wobbled it, making it shake faintly in the wind. Another flash of lighting revealed the true scale of exactly what was in his way. Exposing the large chasm in the earth that the bridge connected to the other side of. It went from under the bridge and stretched to the right side of the building. It was steep, possibly reaching as deep as a 6 story building. His stomach sunk. The thought of having such an unpleasant and sudden abrupt end to his life at this moment in time, when help was so closely in reach, made him shudder. But the thought that help could be so closely in reach, perhaps somewhere in that building gave him enough courage to edge on. Placing carefully each leg in front of the other, he made his way across the creaky bridge. Step after step he braved the rain, wind and cold and paced himself. “Slow and steady...slow and steady...” He repeated to himself. Refusing to look down. A lighting flash broke the sky. “Gah-!” He looked behind himself and saw his leg protruding through a newly created open hole. He watched as the plank of old, moss covered wood fell into the chasm, disappearing before his sight and falling into silence. The man swallowed and nervously re-positioned his leg. He lifted his chin up and continued to make his way across the haunting bridge. He was half way to the other side but there was a side of him that said that he was also in equal to just turn back. He shook his head of the thought. Return back to the forest or continue to hope? He chose the obvious. He power walked the rest of the way to the other side and took a deep and relieved breath. The ordeal was finished, he was now back on hard, sturdy, dry ground. “Thank God.” The man made a cross on his chest and pressed forward. Unaware of the beasts that lurked not far behind him. The man walked through the doors of the abandoned castle. Surveying the architecture and hearing the rain invade the space through the broken ceiling. He stood in the court room where two large staircases crisscrossed one another. “Ugh...” His head pounded. He cupped his temple and shook his head. Grimacing at the sudden migraine. The architecture bringing forth memories of his home. Flashes of scenes played flashed rapidly in order through his head. A large dragon, a shattered castle and the screams of soldiers and terrified citizens rung through him. This castle...felt like his old home. “Guess no one lives here...hopefully.” He moved to the alicorn statue located in the center of the room and circled it. Not minding the rain that poured in from over top of it. “Already wet...can't get any wetter.” he mumbled to himself with a shrug of the shoulders. He looked the statue up and down, analyzing every crack. He rubbed his hand across the statue and felt the wet moss that had collected in crevasses. “A winged unicorn huh. The queen had one of these....the queen...” A crack of lighting, much louder than before, jolted him. Causing his heart to race a little. He took a deep breath and looked around before heading up the stairs. The walls were filled with cracks which moss and bold twigs had made their home in. Much of the ceiling of the building was broken and even crumbling as pieces of brick and rock bounced off his head. He saw it as a warning and moved ahead anytime he felt such a thing. Afraid that his head was to be caved in by the falling debris. Coming into a long hall with six doors, he looked up and saw two tapestries, ripped, worn and faded from the elements. Trying to make out the faded imagery depicting on them. “More winged unicorns? Someone had an affinity for them huh? Perhaps its a royal symbol...” Curious he walked through one of the openings in the hall and ended up at room that was lined with multiple shelves and ruined books scattered about with a desk lying broken in half in the midst of the floor. Rain pouring in from the open ceiling. “A library huh?” He picked up a book off the floor which fell apart instantly in his hands. “Well, that's just nice.” He dropped it and picked up another. Holding it with freezing and shaking hands which he ignored. “Finally one that's intact.” He flipped it open and skimmed through some of the information. His eyes squinting trying to read the barely visible words in the dark of night. Using the lighting flashes as a source, he read what he could out loud. “She became black as coal, her mane fading into a light purple from her once radiant blue. The shimmer within it, mimicking a violent dance of discordant stars. Her teeth grew sharper, her eyes gleamed into a slit and her platinum regalia morphed into a suit of armor as though ready for battle. The entire sky was engulfed in such a darkness never once seen by pony eyes. The princess of darkness had become the empress of nightmares...” A loud clash was heard from behind and the man jumped. Snapping his head behind him. His eyes darted across the room. He noticed nothing out of the ordinary but did wonder if the pile of books near the door had been disturbed. Unable to remember clearly if they were sprawled across the floor when he came in. His heart pounded nervously and he took a deep breath. Partly waving it off as paranoia. He looked back at the book. “Is it a novel? Considering the tapestries and statues I wonder if its a religious book? It seems whoever built this castle really idealizes winged unicorns...perhaps this place is a temple...?” The man shivered and moved on unable to withstand ignoring the cold any longer. His legs ached, his sores stung, and he was wet and cold. Eyelids heavy with fatigue. He has to find somewhere to rest. The man made his way through the castle speedily than before. Arms clutched against his chest. He went up the multiple openings in the hall way which took him multiple places. One led him to a staircase that was met with an abrupt end to a broken and torn apart balcony. Another led him to a room that had a spilled over hour glass whose sand had hardened into near solid rock. And then finally, one room led him to a unseemly room that was surprisingly kept in much better condition compared to the rest of the architecture. Above was a glass dome that allowed the light from the moon to shine in its full glory. It was just enough light for him to see what the small quarters had to offer. There was a single book case devoid of books except a few that were barely intact, a small sofa bed with a pillow that was covered in cobwebs and dust with stuffing coming out of it. Looking as though it hadn't been cleaned in a millennia. In the middle of the floor was a pedestal and next to it a ragged blanket as though prepared just for him. As if calling out to him he grabbed it and wrapped it around himself and made his way to the dusty sofa bed. Collapsing onto it with a sigh of relief. "I hope I don't get lice..." he mumbled. He shivered for a while before his body warmed up, finally drifting into a deep sleep as the howls of wolves faintly wavered in the distance. They sniffed about in the library, a pack of six as they surveyed the scent of their prey. Turning around and following the alpha as they made their way out of the room and into the halls. The scent of blood intoxicating them.