//------------------------------// // Birth of the Wolf // Story: A Glimmer of Truth: Book One // by NightmareTRXY32 //------------------------------// 3000 years before the Birth of the Royal Sisters A birth like hers wasn't natural. it was said that Potema Sparkle had more wolf in her then pony. especially with the way she acted later in her life. She was more cunning and equally as depraved when it came to the dark arts and invocation spells. She made several pacts with the daedric princes in exchange for an unnaturally long life span and other things that would make anypony in the present time blush or vomit depending on the situation. There are some constants in the universe that define the paths of others. Potema was described at birth as having soulless eyes and an aura that sent chills down the spines of those that came to know her. She was a wolf in sheeps' clothing as it were. As the mare held the foal in her hooves, she could only stare at it. If was like staring into the gaping maw of Oblivion itself. The foal's eyes had gone black for a moment before returning to the red tint that she had been born with. The townsponies were whispering that she was an omen of bad things to come. The parents were nobles that belonged to the court of Hoofingar. After walking through the gates of the capitol, one would usually be taken aback by the sights of the stonework that dotted the streets and made up most of the buildings. The stonework was really something to behold on most days. But not today. Today there was an uneasy tension in the air. It was like a thousand graves were opened because of the chill that now permitted the air. The Capitol had always been a magnet for the darker aspects of Pony society. There were rumors that the sewers were infested with rats and other unsavory things. The Guards were always commenting that one of the caves nearby was a nest for Vamponies. There had been a string of mysterious deaths as of late. Bodies of earth ponies were found drained of all their blood. A pegasi merchant had gone missing in the same manner but was later found clinging to life. "They came out of the forests, and attacked my caravan," she was fearful that she'd turn if something wasn't done soon. The priest could tell she was in fear of her life as she continued on. "They took one of the caravan guards as a thrall," She was in tears , recounting what had transpired. She warned that a Vampony had attacked her on the road and that she wasn't sure if she was going to turn or not. As a precaution, they gave her a Cure Disease Potion and when the swirling blue magic encompassed her body she sighed a sign of relief and proceeded to allow herself to be healed before heading back to the Pegasi kingdom. Most of Potema's early life was well documented, but it was the latter half that spoke of the true darkness that inhabited her soul. She was a well known and dangerous practitioner of Necromancy. She had kidnapped her own niece at the time of her brother becoming Emperor and tried to force a moot to replace him. It was one of the worst things anypony could have read about. A king being usurped in a time of peace was almost unheard of in Equestria. It was something that The Wolf Queen reveled in. Something that breathed life into her near blackened heart. Potema's brother meet with an unfortunate accident while on a hunting trip with some of the other nobles. Her niece Kintyra was appointed Empress instead of her own son. She tried to convince the nobles that her son, Dusk Shine, was a better ruler then a mere filly of 14. The Nobles said that the coronation would be a year away. Seeing as Kintyra's age was under the specified requirement. They would have to wait for at least a year to make their case as to why Dusk should be named ruler instead. That year passed and the Elder Council, made of up the Nobles that promised to listen to Potema's case, had already made up their mind and named Kintyra as Empress. Potema was less then impressed and decided that she was left with one other course of action. She meet with her allies in the neighboring kingdoms of Griffonstone, The Badlands, and Hammerhoof. What followed next was the bloodiest conflict outside of the Daedric invasion that was to come several centuries later. She had her pony and Griffon allies, but more so, she always had alllies among the Vampires and undead of Equestria. She had also made pacts with the Daedric Lords. Especially Molag Bal. Several centuries later, a mare named Twilight Sparkle would discover that Bal essentially owned her family's blood and soul. And would come to collect that debt when the time was right. "We need to get home soon,"Midnight was ready to head home after visiting her uncle's tomb. She never understood why her daughter was so fascinated with death all the time. The priests at the temple were always warning her that her daughter was a child of Oblivion. That she should have been exiled at the earliest opportunity. She was a wolf in sheep's clothing. When she was around fifteen she watched as one of her cousins fell off a riding cart and broke his neck. She could only stand there and stare before saying," Guess he doesn't have the guts to do that again." It was a bit cold and offputting to say the least. She could only maintain her composure for a few hours before spiraling into a screaming fit that her needs were being ignored. She made sure to taunt certain ponies that she felt deserved it. Midnight could only look at her foal for a moment before wanting to avert her gaze again. There was something wrong with this child. She didn't laugh when surrounded by other fillies and colts. She could only stare at them with a blank look like something had turned off all emotions and senses. She turned to her mother and asked when they were going to pay their respects in the crypt. One of Midnight's relatives had passed away recently and she had planned to pay her respects later. She thought it odd though that her daughter wanted to go with her. Her uncle and her daughter had never laid eyes on each other. She had never mentioned his name to her husband at all. It was just something that she planned to do alone. "How did you know i was going to the Crypt Potema?", She looked down at her filly and was taken aback by the look in her eyes. They were cold and lifeless like earlier with the other fillies. When they were walking away from the other foals, she caught a glimpse of warmth returning to her daughter's eyes. But just like that it was gone again. "Father had mentioned it in passing," she said. Figures Midnight thought. her husband was a bit of a nosy one and must thought that this would help the two of them bond a bit. She always felt a bit isolated when it came to interacting with her daughter. Maybe this would help to improve their relations. Potema's teenage life was wrought with strange occurrences and outright horrific events that preyed upon her other family members. Potema's older brother was to be Emperor. He had a better claim to the throne then she did. She started trying to spy on him and forge documents to incriminate him in several scandalous circumstances, all of which failed in the end, with him finding out and taunting her for it. "I know you were behind those false documents," Drake Shield told his sister. "Play your games Potema Sparkle, but i will be Emperor soon." he stared into those red irises of her," and there's nothing you can do to stop that from happening." "Im sure you'll make a fine emperor brother,"she said behind a smile that showed she was clearly lying to his face. While Potema was lying to her brother, there was a battle going on near the border with the Crystal Empire. Gusty the Unicorn was battling a great evil that had returned. She buried her sword her sword in the enemy in front of her. Her father, the King of Unicornia, had enchanted the blade to deal damage to any and all Dark magic users. The two of them exchanged blows before he succumb to the blades' enchantment. The enchantment was designed to ravage ones stamina and magicka, leaving them defenseless. She had watched countless battles take place over the years while she was kept in the safety of her fathers castle walls. This time she had wanted to experience one herself. Even though it would have been against her father's wishes. The battlements had always made her feel safe, like nothing could have touched her at all. "How can one deal with so much wanton death," she thought to herself. It was heartbreaking to see so many of those that had served her family now lying dead all around her. She prayed to the gods to receive these warriors honored souls and to protect them. It felt like a flood valve had been opened inside of her. So many emotions hit her all at once that she fell to her hooves crying. An apothecary approached her, carrying a wounded mare upon her back. Gusty asked where she had been found. The Apothecary told her where they had found her and that she had been simply knocked unconscious despite the stab marks all over the mares body. "We found her out near the south end of the Battlefield," The apothecary said before asking the obvious,"What should we do with her?", Gusty had to take a moment to breathe before giving the apothecary an answer. "Take her the medical tent,"was the response,"We'll patch her up and then find out just who she is, and why she thought she could fight against us," With that the apothecary walked off in the direction of the field hospital. Gusty had known most of the ponies that lived under her Family's rule and this mare was uknown to her. She had to find out just who she was, and what compelled her to fight in this battle.