//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Storm // Story: The Burden of Hope // by Mykola //------------------------------// Proud Defender pressed the snow underhoof, as if to test its durability. He watched carefully the several guardsmen worked around the scene, administering to the affected and lost with consideration and how several ponies that would’ve walked down the street were redirected. He stood still, considering what the long standing effects of three dozen individuals having forgotten their lives again would be… but Defender’s thoughts always returned to that all-consuming fear: that these--who he was meant to protect--could’ve been wronged like this. They lived lives, they sought after their dreams for a brighter future. They had given their time and energy to build that dream and to sustain it no matter the cost. Many of them had been soldiers under his command who helped fight against the Dark, who made what sacrifices they could to protect their brothers and sisters… and were now left with irreversible injuries. It robbed them of their pride. But this? It robbed them of their dignity. And Proud Defender wasn’t going to let that go unpunished. He stared at the griffon. She was a close friend, one who threw herself between some ravenous beasts to defend her team, her family. They tore through her leg, but her sacrifice gave them time to evacuate a breached region. She held her head high in the day that he presented her with the highest honour, and she told him she’d do it all again. But now she stared at him blankly, as if she didn’t know who he was. Anger boiled, but Defender stoked it's flames and focused his attention to the steps that were approaching from behind. He didn’t turn to greet them as he usually would’ve, and instead stared at the prone and defenseless civilians. Defender stood still as he sensed Light and Snowstorm approach him on either side. “Have they found anything out?” Light Bearer asked sympathetically. “Nothing.” Defender responded, “We’ve not faced anything before that’s been able to… force somepony to forget something.” “So, you think it’s still loose?” Snowstorm inquired. “It’s not an animal. Otherwise it’d be tearing through the streets and causing similar problems… so either it’s the Dark or it’s somepony.” “But who would do this?” “No idea.” Defender responded honestly, “But whatever or whoever it is, it’s still roaming… prowling. It targeted this establishment intentionally, this wasn’t random, so it was searching for something.” “Searching?” Light Bearer said. “Pubs are the only place that our peoples gather from all sorts of walks of life. It’s where the most information is exchanged, aside from the barracks… meaning only one thing.” “It knows about how the culture here works.” Light Bearer concluded, “But even if it is a who, who would have the nerve to attack civilians?” “Especially under our beaks…” Snowstorm added. “Whatever this plague is,” Defender growled, “we’re going to find it and root it out. This? This isn’t just some attack on our sovereignty, this is a direct attack on our right to exist… and I’m not going to stand idly by, while I guess at where the next attack will be. We’re going to start a regional lock, filter through everything--” Defender stopped his rant while he turned his head up to the sky, making out the patterns in the sky. They weren’t natural… but that was impossible. The clouds above head were materialising overhead, they weren’t drifting overhead as they normally did. They were black and seemed to form like a blossoming flower whose petals were blades. The Lord General immediately saw the cackle of energy that emanated in the heart of the deathly flower, and threw his head back down to the ground and roared: “Get to cover!” There was a blast of a bluish energy that singed the scene and sent screaming civilians and troops slamming into the concrete walls and streets. Proud Defender struck the wall though regained his hooving, throwing up a challenging glance to the storm that brewed overhead before he scanned the scene: Light Bearer and Snowstorm were getting to their hooves, while Burning Skyline was searching to help get whoever she could to behind cover. There were several limp shapes in the bubbling snow. Defender counted the casualties quickly: seven at a glance… eventually he spotted his griffon friend dragging herself through the snow that seemed to only be getting colder. Defender didn’t hesitate. He immediately charged to recover his friend and swung her into the supporting grasp of Snowstorm, turning with orange glowing eyes shouted: “Get to the pub! There’ll be shelter in the cellar!” Those who could move did, and those who couldn’t were lifted up by those who could. They immediately headed to the ruins of the pub that moments ago they wanted to evacuate, Defender stood still as he kept a challenging stare locked with the storm. He clenched his teeth and ensured that the others would have ample time to get to safety before he did. “That can’t be all you’ve got! You bloody disgrace!” “Defender!” Skyline called out, “Get to the cellar, you oaf!” Defender blinked before he started his retreat into the ruins of the pub. Vaulting over the remains of several tables and other debris the Lord General slid into the security of the cramped cellar, knocking down the heavy metal trapdoor that swung neatly into place. His mind started to count, hearing the sirens beginning to blare through the heavy gate. Defender tempered himself, looking down and started to count the number of those who were in safety. Ten minutes later... Void followed behind Linebreaker and the others of the team followed through with several other deployments into the winter streets. Pegasi and griffons flew overhead in several different formations with those left on the ground fanned out with their teams. There was a panicked scream that erupted with a sudden desperation, several innocent civilians ran against the guardsmen pouring into the scene. Spotlights shot into the sky like knives, cutting through the clouds overhead as many of them focused on what appeared to be a flower that was comprised of blades. It was a curious thing, but immediately something seemed to plant itself into Void’s mind. His mere glance at it seemed to attract attention from this thing. You do not belong here. There was a shouting that seemed to be muffling at an increasing rate, Void stared at the object. He kept running alongside his newly made allies, as soon he noticed a blue light intensify in the centre of the flower. Something--some base instinct--warned Void that something was horribly wrong. “Find cover!” Void impulsively shouted as suddenly-- … … … It smelled of smoke. The fire roared in his ears, the sirens desperately echoed after each violent crackle.  Everything felt numb. He tasted blood. Slowly Void managed to open his eye, pressing his hooves against the rubble covered floor and weakly. His legs trembled from a wicked combination of fear and pain. He quickly glanced over his now damaged armour and his torn, ash covered greatcoat as the blue embers faded on the heavy fabric he wore. The stallion spit out a mouth full of blood as his hearing cleared ever so slowly... his mind felt drugged by a combination of toxic fumes and trauma. Void turned his head, making out a definite series of shapes either struggling to hold on to conscious or those who already slipped out of life's delicate grace. His head reared upwards as his slow mind immediately sparked and caught on hastily and speedily to the situation, recognising the dark clouds that... that had just levelled an entire district. Void stumbled over to the one of the shapes that had been twitching before he fell on his knees beside his barely made comrade. Resting the awkwardly laid head of the zebra that had accompanied him and Linebreaker under his hoof, Void watched as the guardsman offered a weak smile before relaxing all movement. Void counted the seconds before he slowly came to the realisation that the zebra had passed on. The stallion sat still, quietly honouring the memory of his ‘brother’ before he gently set the zebra’s head back down and stood upright. He scanned the scene, and spotted Linebreaker who laid motionless. He quietly walked over to the leader of the now defunct team as he looked over the burnt armour of the once mighty yak. Void prayed for some movement, no matter how slight… But nothing. “What have I done?” Lost Light stood like a spider in the centre of a complex web that spanned out like blades, standing paralysed like one of its victims. Her wings trembled as she noticed that the feathers within seemed to be an extension of the pain of this web. Lost Light stared down into the area that she carved out below, as if it was a tree that required pruning… but the pain that it caused? It was a city. It was a home. I-it needed CORRECTION. Lost Light watched as the flames she caused slowly crept over the landscape, she twitched. Her mind focused in a direction that she didn’t understand: she required to seek that thing that tempted and threatened LIBERATION. The pegasus flexed her wings as she suddenly felt if she were commanding not two, but a thousand. Opening her eyes, Lost Light saw the world from a thousand different angles she heard the roar of hundreds of nightmares. She was required to find that to which threatened the path that fate required, the thing which sought to be a balance that it was not… but how could she--NO, SHE WAS THAT ALL COULD BE. EXISTENCE REQUIRED CORRECTION. WOUNDS COULD NOT BE MENDED ON THEIR OWN. THEY REQUIRED STERILISATION.