//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Name // Story: The Burden of Hope // by Mykola //------------------------------// The stallion could only marvel at the scale as he started to ascend into the higher accessways within the wall of Grad, as he swore he had been walking upwards for nearly an hour. The stallion could tell that Proud Defender had been watching him for quite some time now, and he was convinced that this Lord General had been watching him even before they met back down at the gate. The stallion wasn’t sure how to feel about that as he walked along, before the boisterous and loud voice erupted from behind him: “Quite a beauty, ain’t she?” “She?” The stallion asked by reflex, before connecting that Proud Defender was speaking about the wall. “The wall, of course…” Proud Defender confirmed as he chuckled lightly, “you should’ve seen this place before I landed my hooves on these shores! Shabby defense and plenty of exposed flanks! Grad was nothing more than ruins and tents by the time I got here… decided I oughta build skyscrapers.” “You helped build Grad?” “Before my second life? Aha, no clue mate…” Proud Defender chuckled as his mind seemed to be swept away in reminiscence. “Second life?” The stallion questioned, “Does everyone here live a second life?” “That’s a negative, new blood. Y’see: there is a clear cut line between those whose minds have just been purged from their memories and those who had lived, died and now live again. I’m one of the latter: one who affirmatively died and now lives… and I’m wagering you’re one of ‘em too.” The stallion was immediately caught off-guard when Proud Defender said this, as he turned his curious eye to stare at the solid and sure stature that held the Lord General up. And Proud Defender knew he roused the stallion’s interest as he chuckled lightly, “Now I’ve got your attention… let’s talk. “I figure at this point I’m much like you: I woke up out in the middle of nowhere but I found a strange attraction to the stars over Grad. I made my way here, and again found this place in shambles… I tell you, my mind was immediately put to action: and I found myself in possession of strange and unnatural powers. Things seemed to click where I could’ve sworn I didn’t ever experience anything.” The Lord General eventually reached a set of heavy doors that were patrolled by two elaborately armoured guards: one unicorn and a pegasus. Proud Defender pressed open the doors as he allowed the stallion to walk through first. It was a dome with several banners dangling from twelve pillars as several displays of armour and countless shelves of curious items ranging from books to bucklers mounted them. There was a giant map that seemed to adjust with every angle that the stallion viewed it from in the centre of the room, which appeared to be an accurate scale model of Grad. Massive windows on opposing sides of the wall showed the outside world: an endless expanse of white snow… but on the other side was a marvelous city that seemed to span as far as the wastelands on the other side did. The stallion stared in awe to the city he had yet to experience. “Sound familiar?” The Lord General finally asked, as the stallion returned to the situation. “Y-yes…” the stallion responded, “it does.” “Let’s see what is behind that eyepatch, and I want you to explain to me what you’ve done so far.”  The stallion reached up with his hooves to reach for his eyepatch, as he managed to get a secure hold on it as he tore it off and flashing pain seemed to burn into his injured eye. He reflexively closed it as he used his other eye to look back up to the Lord General, and where he thought he would have seen Proud Defender’s omnipresent smile: there was now a frown. The stallion felt his heart skip a beat once more as the Lord General slowly approached him, as he laid another demand: “Raise your hoof.” The stallion immediately obliged as Proud Defender glanced between the bottom of his hoof and his injured eye. “I don’t know what’s stranger, mate…” Proud Defender mused, “that you have the stars on your hooves and on half your face, or that you aren’t bothering to use your horn to untie your eyepatch.” The stallion immediately reached upward as he felt his hoof touch the iconic unicorn’s horn he could have sworn wasn’t there before. His expression immediately turned to dread as he sat down on the floor and trembled, he tried to think how to use his horn. He thought and thought, trying to verify it’s existence… but to no avail. The stallion sat there in utter horror as Proud Defender blinked a few times but ultimately remained utterly silent. A few moments went by before the Lord General approached the stallion ever so slowly and carefully, as the stallion sat petrified in utter confusion and terror. That was until Proud Defender rested a comforting though heavy hoof on the stallion’s shaking shoulder. The stallion still couldn’t bring himself to look up to the Lord General as few more silent moments passed. “Don’t be scared…” Proud Defender whispered, “believe it or not, I know what you’re feeling… there is no shame in not knowing or not understanding something, but never--never--let that make you scared. We’re going to need you to do what I’m certain are going to be legendary feats that’ll never be forgotten...  “You’re going to be a hero, I can see it now… you’re going to be a legend! So chin up, Void…” Void? The stallion understood, as he looked back up to the Lord General who offered a hearty smile as he iconically chuckled once more: “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re Void… Void Walker! Fits the stars and space you’ve got going for you, don’t it? You’re going to be walking and outlining the places from where we are, to where we need to go!” It made sense to Void Walker. “Come now, Void…” the Lord General said, “you’ll need to be meeting a few of our friends if you’ll be walking between stars anytime soon, and I’ve got just the pony in mind who’ll be able to help you!”