//------------------------------// // Relative Peace // Story: Avatar of History // by Chemtest //------------------------------// I rush into a clearing in the forest, almost able to feel the breath of the wolves on the back of my neck. Yet, as I enter the clearing, karma decides it’s time I really pay. A root catches my foot, causing me to tumble and lose all my speed. I manage to get to my feet, only to see wolves made of wood surrounding me. I put up my hands, “I suggest you retreat, mates, before I have to harm you!” I slash my hand around, going into a spin, and trying to launch a spiral of air at the wolf. Yet nothing happens. I take a step back, and stomp on the ground with all my strength. The only effect is my foot now hurting. I look at the wolves, and smile, “Perhaps we could talk this out?” They get closer and closer, growling and snapping at me. I press up against a tree, trying to get a grip and climb. Yet I fail. I turn to face them again, only to see one preparing to pounce on me. I hold my hands in front of my face and neck, not willing to go without giving a fight. Yet, right before the wolf springs into action, he is interrupted by the sound of glass smashing and a wolf’s yelp of pain. A female voice shouts, carrying a strange accent, “Run, run you wolves of wood! Before I kill you as I should!” The wolves all snap their head’s to a different part of the clearing, before retreating. With them gone, I am left alone with my savior. I look to see a zebra standing there, wearing a brown cloak with bottles all over it. I nod to her, “Thank you, I would’ve been dog chow. I’m Avatar.” She looks at me, “You say the title is Avatar, yet are you sure that’s what you really are? You may not be pony, but there is more than what I see. A boy who decides to cower, yet he acts like a man with great power. One who boasts and says he swaggers, even as he falls and staggers.” She shakes her head, “You have gone through a lot for one who’s year is few. Come with me, please, and figure out who is you.” She turns around, and I feel compelled to follow her, “What do you mean?” She smiles, “You need to be set straight, so come with me and meditate.” I nod, “If that’s what you ask, mate. You saved me from being ate.” She looks over at me, “And if I had been too late, you definitely would’ve lost weight.” I laugh, “Ah, but my figure is already great. I’d give myself an eight.” She laughs as well, “If you continued at that rate, then you’d be served on a plate.” I shrug, “I had some time to wait, for my planning creates an unsurpassable gate.” She looks ahead, “I don’t mean to agitate, but your guts would probably be used to decorate.” ——— “I don’t mean to debate, but Equestria used to be a slave state.” She looks over at me, “Very impressive rhymes, we must have gone a hundred times! Zecora, such is my name. I suppose one could say that rhyming is my game.” I nod, “Very nice to meet you, Zecora.” She pushes open the door to a hut, “Please, come into my hut. I have a nice soup of almond and coconut.” I walk in, and see a caldron burning in the center of the room. All around the walls are African-like tribal masks, and shelves filled with different alchemical ingredients. I smile, “So, you’re an alchemist.” “Herboligy, in fact.” I reach to touch something, but she snaps her head to me, “Don’t touch that, important artifact.” She takes out a bowl, and ladles some soup from the cauldron into it, “A warm soup to calm your mind. So you can see what you can find.” I take the bowl, and take her motioning to eat. I drink the thing down, and it has a pretty pleasant flavor. It sits in my stomach, and seems to radiate warmth through my entire body. She nods, “Ah yes, you can feel it set in. Now, close your eyes and rest, explore what is hidden within.” I follow her advice, getting comfortable by sitting down, and allowing my mind to drift. ——— Fire. That is all that I can see. I wheel around, and I see a city in flames. Creatures run through the streets, yet I cannot tell what they are. Human, pony, storm creature? In fact, this city isn’t identifiable either. A huge bright palace seems to be on the top of the hill, yet it seems to be merged with a dark metallic castle. Airships, pegasi, airplanes, all seem to share the airspace in equal terror. Vehicles rush all down the street. Fire trucks, ambulances, carriages, carts and chariots. Their destination seems unknown, but they move with urgency nonetheless. I see the sky flash with different colors, and twirl around. Two, tall towers scrape the sky. Fire is consuming them, and it’s deathly smoke fills the air and turns it dark. Yet, even as the smoke fills the air, two rips create a clearing in the smoke. The two cuts resemble a pair of horns, and glow. They fill the sky with their cold, unfeeling blue light. But the smoke and blue is only enough to fill two thirds of the sky. A third portion of it is filled with a sickly green glow. Two circles in the distance, almost like eyes, glow their deathly green hue, and fill up the rest of the sky with it. Yet there is a portion of the sky that remains safe. Right above the castle and palace are two black mirrors that halt the lights and smoke in it’s path. Until two yellow circles with red dots fill the inside of them. The circles, that resemble eyes, continue to grow until the mirrors have shattered. The rest of the sky is filled with smoke, cold blue, and deathly green. The chaos fills the air, suffocating me. The only repreave comes when a rainbow appears in the air. It arcs toward the causations of the lights, planning to return to sky to normal. Yet as it gets near, the green eyes absorb the rainbow. It has a second where it is weakened, and the others take the sky. Yet, in a flash of green, it destroyes the towers, and repairs the cuts. Now, the entire sky is filled with deathly green. The city changes all around me. Everything goes from flames to being destroyed, and the road is filled with bones from every sort of creature. The bones start to claw at me, dragging me down into them. I claw and grab at anything I can, yet only find more bones that drown me. I am eventually completely submerged by them, yet I do not stop falling. I look down, only to see firefighters and police rushing around and yelling. I am falling towards the pavement, and other people surround me on the same trip down. A single breath fills my lungs with the scent of dust and smoke, making me choke with that one breath. I meet the pavement, yet I still fall through that. I eventually land in the middle of a metal facility. I land on my feet, giving me an excellent view of what is going on. Two Storm Guards drag a mare by her front hooves, letting the rest of her drag on the rough floor. They walk up to a little chamber in the center of the room. They open it, and toss the mare in like a ragdoll. They slam the door shut, not listening as the mare claws at the door and begs for mercy. Instead, one walks over to a switch, and another to a lever. They both flip them at the same time, causing the entire chamber to light up in flames. The mare doesn’t even have time to scream. Within five seconds, all that remains of her are bones. The smell of burned hair and flesh fill the air, causing me to gag. Yet the guards don’t care. They breath through heavily filtered masks, and walk to get another pony. “Austin.” I twirl around to see who said my name. All I see is an old man with flowing white hair, and a long beard. He wears red robes with a motif of fire, and his hair is contained in a type of bun with a odd headpiece. I take a step back, “Who are you?” He smiles, “My name is Avatar Roku. Not a name that you should be familiar with considering the odd situation.” He bows, “Pleasure to meet you, Avatar Austin.” I look at him oddly, and bow the best I can, “Uh, nice to meet you too?” He nods as he raises back up, “You still have a long way to go, and a lot to learn. You are the most unique Avatar, as you do not have any other bender who could instruct you, nor do you understand bending as much as every other Avatar. I am here to guide you, Austin, to guide you in the way of the Avatar.” I nod, “Okay then. Do you have something to do with this vision?” He shakes his head, “No, this vision is only your mind warning you. A vision of three great atrocities, and three great enemies. Past, present, and future.” I look back at the furnace, “You mean this is happening right now?!” He nods, “Yes, it is. The one you served, known as the Storm King, has decided to wipe out his enemy entirely.” I turn all around, “I need to go help them!” Roku steps forward, “No, Avatar Austin! If you charge off now, you might die and shatter the bonds of the Avatar to this world! You need my instruction and teachings on firebending and how to be an Avatar!” He looks right at me, “If you leave now, you may never return this world to balance.” I shake my head, “I don’t give a shit! People are dying, someone has to do something! I am the only one who has the power to! If I could firebend before, I can do it now!” He looks at me again, and a light smile reaches his face, “You truly are a firebender at heart.” I hold up my hand, and try to slap myself awake. ——— I regain my consciousness right where I was before. My mind feels rested, yet I am filled with something new. I get up, and rush to the door. Zecora looks my way, “Off you go to fulfill your destiny. If you ever need someone to talk to, then remember me.” I nod, and smile at her, “Thank you, Zecora. I need to go now, no time to waste!” This shall not be the end of Equestrian history. No innocent shall die without hope, and a savior coming to get them. Help comes, something is powerful enough now. There is a savior, come to save Equinity. I am enough. I am not just a child. And I will never stop fighting. There is hope, and this is not the end of our lives!