//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Pledge // Story: The Burden of Hope // by Mykola //------------------------------// There was a slow silent whisper. She had been listening to the whispers for days now, as the pegasus rested her head against the stone wall of the cave. Long ago had she cast off her winter coat, and hours ago she had cast away her rebreather… how could she let it be shattered? It had been drilled that the rebreather was… it was what? Important? Why was a piece of plastic and metal so important? She could see the Lord General comforting her, but now it felt as if he was yelling at her. Who was the Lord General? He is the enemy. The pegasus’s eyes widened at the revelation as she took another pained and choking breath, as she attempted to stand once more. Her legs refused to obey her as instead they held still, the trembling things leaving nothing but the impression that things were far beyond her control. She almost wanted to weep but a burning pride that now manifested itself within her refused to let her. She just wanted to return to… where? Family and friends? Did she even have brothers and sisters? You are drifting. The pegasus’s heart felt weaker as her eyes slowly started to close, as if she was a prance away from death’s door. She could feel another presence, almost as if it were standing right next to her. The pegasus couldn’t turn her head to see if there was something else standing with her in the cave… but she could feel that there was something. “My poor little pony…” The being spoke, “what happened to you? How have you reached this far from the safety of your home?” “What home?” The pegasus asked sincerely. “The place you come from. It was the place you pledged to protect from the ‘Darkness.’ Where are your friends?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about… I have no home, no friends.” “You crashed here.” The being felt obliged to say, as if answering a question she might have had: “You had a search party that came to look for you. Unfortunately, in the crash you had damaged this.” The pegasus felt as if strength was slowly returning to her, as she felt her head impulsively turn to look at the object that the other presented. It was her… what was it? It looked like a rebreather… rebreather? Why would she use one? And who was she speaking to? He seemed to speak honestly, this being wasn’t holding back the truth. It was obvious to the unicorn: he had the answers that she needed to answer her questions. “They told themselves that they could not risk to ‘save you.” The being continued once he captured the attention of the pegasus, “They held a remembrance service, and then left. I simply do not understand why. When they left I brought you into the safety of the cave, away from the storm. It is dreadful out there.” “They…” The pegasus felt strained as she spoke, “they aren’t my friends if they leave me… why would they leave me?” “Because they are afraid.” The pegasus whipped her head to stare directly into the white and glowing eyes that stared back at her. A sudden and uncomfortable influence seemed to take over as soon as they made eye contact, as the pegasus felt an odd an unexplainable connection to the creature that stood before her. He offered her his ‘hoof,’ as strength seemed to return to her trembling legs. Did she dare? It all felt wrong… so, so wrong. “That is the world that they live in, I have learned to unfortunately accept. They live in an irreversible state of fear, that anywhere outside of their walls is a place of suffering. They have you wear those facemasks to ‘protect’ you from the ‘evil influences…’ yet they risk the precious lives of countless selfless souls, much like yourself I would imagine.” The being sighed, “It is a blissful ignorance where they live. It is an illusion… nothing more than a sorrowful state where they believe everything they are surrounded by terror and destruction.” “W-why?” The pegasus asked, “I… I don’t want to live in a lie…” “Nor do I.” “W-who are you?” The pegasus asked with a sudden vigor. It felt as if she shouldn’t be speaking with this… what was he? He wasn’t a pony, nor was he a griffon. He wasn’t anything: he was a shapeless shadow. Yet, was he the only one she could trust? “I am an exile that has found purpose.” The being vaguely responded, “I am the Purpose of Equitius, and I seek nothing more than to enlighten.” Void was awestricken. The long walk that the group made through the magnificent and beautiful walls of the Capitol had captured every facet of his attention. His eyes darted between the delicately preserved sculptures and gold-leafed paintings, as his ears shifted to find even the quietest whisper. It seemed as if this place echoed and reviberated with knowledge and power: it was the epicentre of what Void knew was a golden age. He put aside the fact that he might appear to be as a lost child wandering between the pillars of the most beautiful places he had ever been, and simply basked in the light this holy place offered. Eventually the group made their way up several winding, white-marble staircases as the white purity seemed to melt into a homely redwood. Several guards lined the way to where there was an impressive though observably heavy set of doors. The carpet under their hooves seemed to be cold when it should have been warm, signalling to Void that perhaps this path wasn’t ever particularly taken… at least not very often. When they came within range, the guards standing closest to the doors immediately opened them and granted the ponies and griffon access into the room that they definitely were seeking. It wasn’t a particularly large place as the Lord General’s office had been, but it was taller. Much taller. Empty bookshelves seemed to reach up into some second heaven, only occasionally dotted with manuscripts and other bound histories. It was odd to him that there wasn’t anything more there. A library without books? The homely place had but three armchairs in it, as a large gothic-styled window stood opposite of where the doors were. A fireplace was to the left of the circular room, and in front of the warming heat was a heavy but intricately designed wooden office desk that was organised with several piles of paper. Somepony sat behind it, writing away as if she didn’t notice the group walking in. She had a white coat of fur with a red scarf wrapped around her… it was so much different from the coats or the armour that the others had been wearing. The pony sitting behind the desk shot up a glance to the Lord General as she continued writing, completely unphased by the fact that the standing General of the Armies of Grad had just walked into her office. It was apparent that this was an occurrence of little to no concern to the mare… at least, until she spoke: “I would have put tea on the kettle if I knew you were coming, Lord General… but then again, you usually never tell me.” “Hush,” Proud Defender cleared his throat, “if you’ve got the time to put up the quill, it’d be nice to chit chat for a little while.” “The Ministers are demanding to know where you are putting those factory resources to, Lord General.” Hush said, redirecting the conversation entirely, “We don’t have as much as we used to, and acquiring new resources has proven to be near impossible now… what are you building?” “Of course they’re in arms about that!” Defender sighed, “But that is besides the point! We found another…” “Another what?” “Another risen.” That immediately caught the attention of Hush, as she stopped writing and slowly set the quill she held in her mouth back down onto the desk. She sat in an awful silence for quite some time, before she looked up and stared directly at Void Walker. The Administrator pushed up from her desk as she slowly walked around it and stopped directly in front of the newly risen unicorn. She looked him up and down, from right to left before she paused.  “I wouldn’t have thought there would be another one.” Hush whispered, “We… we haven’t seen ‘another’ in years. Not since… nevermind. What is your name, friend?” “Void Walker.” The unicorn responded, as he curiously stared at the mare, “And you are the Administrator?” “I am, yes. The Administrator of Grad, but everypony here calls me Hush. I’m sorry, but you must be awfully confused…” “As far as I am aware: I’ve been dead. That is what is confusing right now… how can I be alive again?” “That’s the question that bothers everypony like you… Proud Defender, Snowstorm, Burning Skyline nor Light Bearer have learned what power brought them back, all they understand is that they were imbued with marvelous talents and powers. Proud Defender, Snowstorm, Burning Skyline and Light Bearer.” “Snowstorm?” Void asked as he turned back to the griffon. “Don’t really like to talk about it, all it does it remind me of the grave...” Snowstom replied, “Heck, Proud Defender refuses to even use his talents and power.” Void quizzically glanced at the Lord General as the earth pony shrugged in response, “Feel as if I shouldn’t need to raise myself above anypony else. If others are required to go it without some fancy powers, then so can I.” “The point is,” Hush redirected the conversation, “some sparks of magic, some sparks of power imbued themselves in the chosen lifeless. From what we understand, the individuals chosen by this power were those that would guide Grad out of this age of darkness, and restore our great nation and peoples to a world of peace. We have gained ground through the efforts and sacrifices made, but it will take the devotion of more than just a handful of dedicated souls… if what the others are saying is true, than you will need to stand with the others. You will need to defend our home against the very threat that seeks to exterminate us. Void Walker, this has been our sacred charge for years… I hope that we can come to depend on you, too.” “We are looking at a war that’ll carry on for years. We’re on the cusp of overcoming our enemy and turning the tide of this conflict… but we’re going to need every hoof possible to raise a brave shout: a challenging roar. We’ve seen plenty of tragedy… and we’ve all felt the loss of this conflict, how it has stolen plenty of our brothers’ and sisters’ final breaths. So, you willing to stand with us...” Proud Defender asked. Void stood in definite silence, as he considered what he had been told. Was this the reason why he had been chosen? The reason he walked when he should’ve been dead? If so, then he would need to stand with the likes of Proud Defender and Snowstorm. It made the most sense to dedicate himself to his righteous cause, to be one of its bastions and advocates. The unicorn nodded his head, as he offered a simple affirmation: “I will.”