//------------------------------//
// Prologue : Second Chances 
// Story: Birth of A Storm 
// by WinterStormed 
//------------------------------//

Miraak was finally at peace. As the Dragonborn's blade came whistling down to his nape, he smiled.  I won't be hurting anyone anymore. He knew what awaited him after death. A painful punishment that would  no doubt last till Doomsday or perhaps if the Adrea were in a good mood he could be simply wiped out from existence. Even though his afterlife looked bleak and Grimm , he  did not mind. Not one bit. At least he had some comfort that all the wrong he committed  and the harm he did to others would be paid in full.

When he died, he only felt a slight amount of pain and immediately felt his soul being whisked  away from the plane of the the living to the plane of the dead.It was pure darkness. Miraak looked around. Nothing. He saw nothing. Was he in limbo ? Did the Adrea punish him with eternal solitude ? Or was this merely the beginning of a really long torture session ?

For a long time was he engulfed in darkness, his regrets swirling around him.That was when the voices started. The voices of the pain he caused to others and the ending of other peoples lives. Miraak grimaced, attempting to turn his head away in shame but unable to do so. It carried on for hours and hours until he finally snapped.

" Stop. Stop ! STOP! ", cried Miraak, the tears flowing down his cheeks, the image before him was overwhelming. "Please forgive me , young child ! I-"

The figure, a small child, with a gaping hole in  its torso, the spine being visible, shook its head. "I was only nine. Why ? Why did you take my life ?"

Miraak could  not answer and as he slumped to the ground, crying and wishing for his torturers to end his very existence, everything turned white and he was whisked away once again.






Miraak groaned as he woke up. Where am I ? He thought. Looking around he seemed to be in a forest. The trees were tall but lush, the green leaves covering three quarter of it's height. Next to where he stood was a pond, surrounded by black sand. The sun was at its zenith , the sky - blue as ever- without a single cloud. Am I in High Rock ? Miraak assumed. Though most of High rock was mainly...rocks there were still places that was absolutely  lush. In fact some people went as far to say that it was a piece of Soverangarde. Mind you it was not a lot of people since most of them were executed for heresy. 

The power of thirst overwhelmed him, prompting him to get some water. That is when he notice something was wrong. He tried to walk upright only to feel pain in his legs. His legs ,taking no more, gave out. Causing him to fall face down. Miraak whelped in pain. Cursing in Nordic. Only to find out he could not curse or speak for the matter. He tried to say something. Nothing. Only strange and soft noises came out of his mouth.

I'm mute. Thought Miraak.

"Indeed you are, Son of Akotash." A voice behind him said.

Miraak jumped at the sudden voice, turning his head so fast that it gave him whiplash. Why am I being so skittish ? Miraak said to himself.

"It is natural for ponies to feel fear . "

Miraak looked at the towering creature in front of him. He was not surprised by the fact a horse was talking to him. Heck some horse tried to kill him once. So he knew they were intelligent. But what surprised him was that the mare in front of him was a bit unusual. It was unusually tall for a horse and had a long horn and wings and was...glaring at him ?

Miraak went into battle stance only to stumble and fall onto the ground again. What is wrong with me ! Miraak screamed internally.

The horse sighed."I am going to say this once and only once. Me being here is already one sacred law violated ! It will answer all your questions and then I will leave you be Son of Akotash."

Miraak tried to speak, only for primitives sounds coming out.

The horse lifted its hoof." Yes, I made you mute as punishment for your crimes and your memories intact so you would remember your sins as a reminder to you and also to prevent you from using your thu'um, should you turn evil again. Although your father wanted you to have second chance at life and your memory wiped, I believe you do not deserve such a kind reward. You were never a tragic hero. You are a monster. Should you go back to your old ways you will be dealt with by the stone bearers , who have been encased for many generations, they are probably free now since you are here. Since this is technically  a second chance, you have been reincarnated as a foal, a Pegasus to be exact. I was considering reincarnating you with a family but you do not deserve such love. You would have murdered them anyway. I believe that is all you need to know. Farewell Son of Akotash, enjoy your stay in Equestria...it is a beautiful and peaceful place. Do not taint it with your black heart."

As abruptly she spoke and went, Miraak felt her words  like needles being slowly pierced into him. I do not deserve this ! He wanted to cry out. He deserved torture and pain for eternity. I agree with you I am a monster ! 





It took him an hour to get used to walking on four limbs. He went around the pond multiple times as he practised walking and galloping. Soon after that he decide to rest  on the black sand. He could not decide how to sit. Like a human or a horse ? He tried like how a normal human would sit and it was not bad but for some reason felt weird and unusual. In the end he decided to tuck his forelegs underneath his body, seeing it was the most comfortable position.

The rest of the day Miraak stared at the image that was being reflected by the pond. Himself. His ski...coat was a palette of different shades of blue. The colour became more darker as it neared his wings. The blue fur on his chest was extremely fluffy  and the fur was a bit longer. Honestly it was more white , with the tips being blue. The front of his main was long, part of it covering his left eye. The back part of the main appeared to be trimmed . His wings became darker as they went along the length of his wing, the tips being blue-black. Underneath his wings, his fur was more fine and the colour was ice white.
While Miraak was transfixed  by his new form what really entranced him was his eyes.  His irises were a sea blue colour. No, dark blue colour. A light blue colour...

Miraak watched in awe as his iris went through a kaleidoscope of blues. Another thing he noticed as the night started to set in that they had a light luminescence to them.

He slept there for the night. Although the night was chilly and windy, Miraak slept in bliss. He always enjoyed the cold climate and the harsh elements. The next morning, the sky was overcast and grey with a slight drizzle. Miraak smiled as he felt the raindrops hitting him. Oh...how he loved this form of weather. He loved dark colours, especially blue. He loved rainy days and overcast days. It was paradise....

The smile vanished from his face.  I do not deserve such a reward . The sky darkened.

I murdered people in cold blood ! I murdered innocent....children. The fires of oblivion was supposed to be my reward !
The winds picked up.

Miraak looked up into the sky."Please, take me back. To the place I deserve to spend the rest of eternity". His words were but empty sounds.

The rain came down harder.

Memories of his sins appeared before him causing him to cry in regret, shame and sorrow. "Take me back !" He tried to say again but to no avail.

The temperature dropped.

Miraak tried to scream. "PLEASE ! I'M A MONSTER ! A COLD BLOODED MURDERER ! I DO NOT DESERVE THIS PARADISE BUT HELL ! ARRGHHHH !"

The ground began to freeze beneath his tiny hooves.

Miraak yelled in frustrations at his inability to speak not feeling the strange magic filling in his chest. Crying, Miraak looked at all the the images of the people he killed as they appeared before him, staring at him.

"I'm sorry. So sorry for what I've done. " Miraak tried to say, quietly, the tears falling freely down his face. "Do whatever you want do to me, I deserve it." The images continued to stare. 

"Punish me !" Miraak tried to implore at them. I deserve it ! Please ! Punish me. Punish me ! I SAID PUNISH ME !

Immediately a huge burst of energy shot released from his body, turning the area into ice and snow. The leaves were covered in ice and so too was the grass. The pond was immediately covered in ice and as Miraak fell to the ground he said

"Please...I deserve this."







Woodcutter rolled his eyes as his wife rambled, excited at the outcome of their journey.

"Our prayers have been answered Woodcutter !" She said with joy as she jumped by him.

"Be careful Rose, Jump  any higher and you will end up with a broken hoof or something. You not a Pegasus now."

Rose giggled as she nuzzled his neck. "It is nothing short of a miracle Wood ! I wonder what the ponies are going to say back in Maritime bay !"

Woodcutter sighed as  Rose dragged him onto the wagon.

"Look how cute they look," gushed Rose. "Who would think we would become parents so soon ! "

Woodcutter froze at her choice of words. "Rose this is not what we discussed !  The plan is to send them to the Maretime Bay orphanage ."

"But..."

Woodcutter shook his head with finality in his voice. "I'm sorry Rose. They would not allow it. Maybe the earth pony but the other two. No. They not even our kind ! They would be lucky if the Maretime Bay accept them ! " 

"They are just foals !"

"Not ours ! " Woodcutter immediately regretted the words that came out his mouth. "Rose I never meant -"

Rose stopped him with a raise of her hoof as her eyes began to water. "I know. Wood. I know. Nothing is going to change the fact that I can't have foals....."

Woodcutter was about to reach for her but thought against it as she walked away. She wants some alone time.

"I'll be back in about an hour....I just need some time to gather my thoughts."

Woodcutter cursed himself as he watched the love of his life walked away. "Well done Woody." He muttered to himself as he hit  his head on the wagon. " You've done it again."







Rose awed in wonderment at the forest she was walking in. " It surely is different than living next to the ocean !" Rose sighed only to  remember why she was here. She knew he never meant it but he was not going to stop her from getting what she wanted. Three foals. She smiled as her determination grew. Might as well go back now, Wood is probably worried sick.... and ready with a written apology no doubt. She chuckled at the last part. He was a goofball and that's what she loved about him.

After walking for sometime Rose realised that she was lost.''I take it back what I said about the forest, I'll take Maretime bay any day. At least there I can see were I'm going !''

Rose shivered as she kept on walking. "Strange, its getting colder." As she carried on walking the ground gradually changed from brown and green to ice white. She looked in amazement and shock at the Winter wonderland. "This is not possible !"
Rose felt something cold hitting her body. She looked up. Snowfall.

Rose continuously rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not dreaming. It was not a dream. She explored the whole area, stopping at the frozen pond, staring at her reflection. "Woodcutter is not gonna believe this or any pony for that matter ! A wintry ecosystem in the middle of a lush green forest in summer ?! Definitely the doing of a unicorn."

Roses thought process was disrupted by the sound of a cry. It was right by her ! Rose stared in shock at the foal in front of her. A Pegasus foal. And so cute ! And beautiful. She had never seen such colours on a pony before. The foal continued cry until Rose wrapped her hooves around it.

"Rose ! , Rose ! , where are you !? "

Rose ignored her husband voice as she stared at the foal in her hooves. "I'm going to name you  Winter storm."


"Whew ! there you are I was looking all over for-"

"Shhh, you gonna wake Winter storm up ! " Rose said as she put her hoof on his mouth.

"Winter Storm  ? "

"It's a nice name, I found him here in this winter landscape so I think the name is fitting."

Woodcutter looked at her, confused. "What are you talking abou- Oh....Where did you get another foal !?"

Rose rolled her eyes as she walked away. Goofball.

"Rose wait ! Is this snow !?"







Rose looked at all the four foals around her  in the wagon .  They were almost home." Woodcutter lets stop here for the night" she said, hearing her husband sigh in relief, no doubt pulling the wagon whole day.

"Thanks Rose ! You have no idea how heavy-oops" Woodcutter chuckled nervously as he sat next to her in the wagon.

'THUMP !'

Woodcutter rubbed his head as he stared at the foals."Okay I deserve that." he pointed at the blue Pegasus, who was yawning. "Your Winter Storms  front teeth look kinda sharp, Rose."

"He is a Pegasus, they probably have a different body structure."

"Well the white one over there has a horn and wings."

Rose sighed. "Most probably his parents were a Pegasus and a unicorn and abandoned him because of that."

"The other one -"

Rose glared at him, clearly irritated. " What is your point Wood ?"

"My point is that the Orphanage are not going to accept them and best case scenario be label as young spies from Zephyr Heights or something."

Rose was about to protest but Woodcutter put his hoof on her mouth and softly said. "Which is why we should keep them as if they were our own."

Rose cried in delight as she hugged Woodcutter. "Thankyou Thankyou  thankyou !"

Woodcutter rubbed her back."I thought about it when you left into to the woods and I realised that I was being selfish ...and  the idea of having a foal or should I say foals started to grow on me ."

"And I'm glad it did". Rose said as she started to nibble his ear, his  face turning beet red.

"Rose, not in front of the foals !" As he tried to back away only to hit the back of the wagon. Dead end.


Roses eyes twinkled mischievously. "Do not worry, they are asleep. Now where were we..."