//------------------------------// // Whirlwind // Story: Sow The Wind // by Jhoira //------------------------------// Rain Shine blinked as she realized a fourth path. She looked back, not at the group of other ponies though, at the pool of power. She had stored up this power after so many reapings. All the slivers of power she'd collected from the dying plants. She didn't need to bargain with the pool she could use the pool! Turning Rain Shine made all haste back to the pool. Leaping into it she concentrated in absorbing the energies resting inside of it. It took only a short time before she stopped. She didn't do it purposely she simply couldn't take more from the pool. She was full. She was a multitude stronger, but not ten times stronger. She sighed, there was only so much power she could hold... It had been a good idea. She turned her head to look in the direction of the group, then shook her head. Most were foals, not ready for any kind of fighting. Right as Rain Shine was getting ready to return the energy and go to negotiate, she noticed one of the forest spirits floating into the clearing to absorb some magic and her eyes widened. The forest spirits absorbed a lot more magic than they normally held, far more in ratio than she could! Rain Shine raises her head, pushing her horn into the air and closing her eyes as she started to expel magic. Doing something she'd never done before, not even knowing if it would work she called to the spirits of the forest to come to her. They came, oh how they came. Not by pairs, not by dozens, but by hundreds, by thousands. The tiny blinking lights filled the clearing, crowding each other all around the pool. Rain Shine continued to call until she had emptied her current magical power and she opened her eyes. Taking a momentary step back, she had not expected such a response. She had hoped for a good number of them, but this was more than she had even known existed. Both the happy and the angry spirits had come to her call. She took a deep breath and spoke to them. "New rulers come to our lands. They will not respect the forests' law. They will only care about what they can get from the forest. They come to threaten my people and your forest. If nothing else they will take me from here. I can no longer tell others if the proper rates of harvesting." She paused a moment to let the spirits process the information. "Can you help me? If I can harvest enough of the magic from the pool I might be able to fight them off!" There was absolute silence for a few moments before one spirit started to pulse gently. Though to Rain Shine's surprise it wasn't trying to communicate with her. But then another started to pulse, and another, until they were all pulsing in rhythm. Now they all spoke, the will of the spirits to communicate surrounding Rain Shine. Staggering as she was hit with the massive surge of energy Rain Shine just barely managed to remain standing. Feeling like a physical force was pressing down on her. "I... I will pay whatever price you speak of. I love this forest! I wouldn't wish to leave it anyway!" Another bombardment if will and she nodded again. "Anything! Even if..." she hesitated for a moment then shook her head, determined. "Even if it cost me my life! If I can protect my people I will do it!" With that, it was done, the spirits were satisfied. They floated towards Rain Shine who eyed them nervously. She had been telling the truth, she was willing. Though this was still more than slightly disturbing. One of the spirits alighted on her flank, and she sighed in relief as she could only feel a slight warmth as it touched. But then another touched her, and another. They enveloped her and she felt the warmth start to burn. Rain Shine screamed as she felt the spirits start to... Starting to burrow Into her. Not her body, the spirits weren't physical, they were spirits. They were digging into her very soul like they were ticks, planning to be parasites on her. She considered trying to fight them but she couldn't. She had no backup plan now. Live or die she'd have to see this one through. It was her last gambit. Rain Shine tried to take deep breathes to manage the pain it didn't make any difference. The pain wasn't in her body, it was in her very soul. Though there was a small glimmer of hope in her mind as she couldn't escape the pain she was intimately aware of its presence, and when it diminished, even slightly. After an indeterminate amount of time, she didn't know if it was minutes or less than a second, but the spirits that dig into her slowly acclimated to her soul, and became a part of it. But then another spirit would come and take up residence, starting the process all over again. So focused on her metaphysical pain, her soul being invaded Rain Shine didn't even notice the physical pain at first. She registered a cracking sound but didn't register it's source. That is until she felt her horn cracking, malforming. She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. Her eyes were screwed shut as she continued to scream, unsure of when she had started screaming. Feeling not only her horn, but her body being changed. Feeling like she was being pulled, pulled up as her legs shifted and changed. Her hooves feeling like someone took a scythe down their centers. Not only was she pulled up, but she was also pulled out. Feeling her body getting extended, she was becoming larger all around. She was sweating so much from the exertion her fur on her back felt as though it was becoming matted. So painful and intense was it that Rain Shine wasn't able to tell stood there, getting tortured. Then the very concept of time itself slipped away from her as she began to tremble where she stood. It had gone on for so long she didn't even know what it meant to not be in pain. Something whispered to her to give up. Let go, and the pain would stop. But she would not, she gritted her teeth. If she was going to die she was going to die, but it wouldn't be because she gave up! Rain Shines trembling had progressed to outright shaking. As she grew more spirits flooded onto and into her, faster and faster. She couldn't count them any more. She just knew that the fire in her was growing brighter and brighter. She feared that it would somehow consume her mind and leave her a husk. It felt as if the spirits were forming some kind of horrible shell of their power around her spirit, and was crushing her with it. Like she was being forced into some shape she wasn't meant to be, and that if she didn't fight to resist it, it would crush her. But, for as long as she could, she would endure it! Moment to moment it was all pain. It was all fire in her world. All agony all over her body. All crushing down on her spirit. Straining on her mind, pushing her towards the precipice of madness. The next moment it was over. All the pain, gone. The fire, doused. The agony, fled. The crushing, released. The straining, relieved. Instantaneous relief flooded through Rain Shine's body, soul, and mind. All the pain gone like a bad dream. Any doubts she'd had became, in an instant, ridiculous. The labors of the trial over, and now all was bright light to her. Rain Shine hadn't even opened her eyes yet and she could already feel the difference. She had a vast emptiness inside her that she could feel trickling full. But with a grin she started to pull magic up from the pool, able to feel the new, vast dry sea inside of her starting to fill. As she did so she didn't even need to open her eyes to feel the forest around her. She had always had the ability in a small way, to feel the forest around her as she traveled. But now she could feel more of it, all of it. She could feel every plant and tree as it grew, as it soaked in the sunlight, sucked in water and nutrients, spread their roots. She could, to a lesser extent feel the creatures of the forest as well, sheltering in the flora of the forest. No, not the forest, her forest. Rain Shine opened her eyes as she had exhausted almost the entire pool so quickly. She was impressed by her new body's ability to absorb and store the magical energies. She took a moment to examine this new body of hers. She was a unicorn no longer, now she was something else. She was certainly taller, and larger in general, but that was the least of her differences. She'd heard of some unicorns of such stature, or at least closer to it. She now had cloven hooves, a few patches of fur hair that stuck out on her legs. Her tail was not a part of her body with only some bushel of hair at the end of it. She had scales down her back all the way up her neck even to her nose. And her horn, she had felt like it was breaking, but it wasn't broken, it had grown into an antler. Rain Shine ran out of the magic she'd stored in the pool, frowning slightly as she looked down at it. She was still not quite full... She surged out and sought to take from the pool its small supply of magic inherent in all things. Her eyes flaring as the very nature of the water strained against her, unwilling to give up something it felt it should have, as much as water could feel something. Rain Shine frowned, but understood the water in a way she never thought possible, as it was a part of nature and now, more than ever, so was she. She nodded and her antler flashed, opening up the bubbling well that naturally filled the pool, letting the break free from its bounds and spill fourth in a stream. In exchange for its freedom the water freely gave Rain Shine its magic to fill up her last reserves. She stepped out of the remains of the pool, now turning into a stream. She marked the oddity that now the steam, forging a new path for itself, did so in complete silence. Turning towards the path to her village, Rain Shien Smiled. She began to run, making time she would have never thought possible. Her new size more than doubled her stride, and beyond that she knew every single hidden path in the forest, like she had never before. As she ran she could use her power to outright move plants, and even trees out of her way. Such power beyond her wildest imaginations before, but now, she could feel she only dipped into her strength. With such skills and speed she reached the edge of her new territory in mere moments. The forest was hers, she was no longer a creature of the plains and fields. She would lay no claim to the village of her birth, the Mage Lords could have it. But she would reclaim her people. She was the first of this brand new species, but she would not be the last. Any that would follow her into the forest, live in her protection would make the same journey into a new form. Though, she'd make sure to be gentler than the spirits had been with her. All of that was for the future, she had a ponies to rescue. She looked up at her village, then growled, she saw smoke. Rain Shine watched the Mage Lord's leader recoil in horror as she, now a creature of black fire threw his last conscious guard against his barrier. He now only had two other unicorns still conscious with him. She had come into the village like a demon of fury after noticing the smoke from the village. She had been too late to save the village from the flame, and so she would avenge it. She smiled, revealing her massive fangs, perfect for tearing other ponies to shreds. Though Rain Shine hadn't any intention of doing so she had a vague notion of how this new form she'd discovered looked, and playing up how terrifying she was had definetky had a psychological value in the fight. But any chance for the Mage Lord and their guards to win, if there ever had been was long gone. As Rain Shine considered if she should break the shield or perhaps simply ignore the remaining Mage Lords as an insult the decisions was taken out of her hands. Their leader said something, and after a moments hesitation from the other two the shield fell, catching Rain Shine completely off guards. He knelt down, bowing lowly to her, again baffling her. "Oh, great creature. We recognize your power is far beyond ours. If we have intruded onto your lands we apologize, and would seek to recompense you for the injury to your land and your people." Rain Shine looked down at the Mage Lord, considering how easy it would be for her to simply kill him for this supposed 'recompense' he offered. A moment later she, mentally, shook her head. With a force of will she made the fire recede from her form, returning to her original new form. She would have to be careful with that other form. It's thoughts and nature were very hostile. She looked down at the Mage Lord. "This land is not mine, I have no care for it." She raised her hoof at the very concerned looking villagers. "They are mine. You will return them to me." "Of course, great one." The Mage Lord motioned to the one remaining guard that had been left with the villagers who cautiously approached. He couldn't really compel the villagers to came as he was alone, and even arms there were thirty villagers. But they came none the less, they weren't sure what was going on, but the creature seemed to have their best interests in mind. Rain Shine motioned to them. "Come, come, we will return to the forest, you can reunite with your children there." Rain Shine couldn't help but smirk as her father stepped forward. "Are they safe?" Nodding, Rain Shine agreed. "Yes, they are safe. Your daughter is the safest of them all, I should guess." After a long moment of staring he had to confirm. "Rain... Shine...?" She nodded. "I am not as I was, but yes. We will have much to discuss, after I deal with them." She turned her eyes back to the Mage Lord. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed her father open his mouth again but was pushed onwards by her mother, knowing that this was very much not the time or the place. "I do not care what you do with the land here. But know, that if I hear of mistreatment in the city, I will return." She had no direct interest in the city, but over all its people had always been kind to her village, minus a few unpleasant people. The Mage Lord nodded, having stood up in the intervening time. "Of course, they will know only prosperity under our rule. If I may, where are your lands, great one? We would endeavor to avoid any possible conflicts in the future." Rain Shine turned and pointed to the forest. "That is my land. The forest and the mountains it surrounds are mine, and mine alone. The people from the city are still welcome to visit. For the rest of you, there is only peril within my forest." The Mage Lord nodded, bowing his head. "Your warning of peril will be noted, and recorded for all our people to know." Rain Shine glanced at the crowd behind her, then at the Mage Lord with one last demand. "You will find all who were taken from this village in the past. And you will give them the option to return." The Mage Lord nodded again, bowing again in recognition. "We will endeavor to find those who came from here. Strict records were kept, however due to... Events, many may have perished." Rain Shine nodded, but did not comment. She turned, done with the Mage Lords and their grab for power. "You are fortunate that you showed restraint when it came to my people. We would not be having this conversation otherwise." And with that Rain Shine led her village to the forest. The Mage Lord started to gather up his own, though waking everyone up would take a while. Rain Shine hadn't killed anyone, but quite a few of them were injured and would need time to recover. The questions waited until Rain Shine reunited everyone with their children. It was happy, but there was the underlying concern about the future. Rain Shine waited near the edge of the clearing, her parents bombarding her with questions as the others looked after their children. But after the long conversations the clearing slowly fell into silence, with everyone starting at Rain Shine. She smiled as she stood up and walked to the center of the clearing, letting herself be in full view of everyone. There would be much that would need to be done, and this would take time to work out and for all to decide. But it was time to take the next part of the path she had chosen to travel. "Welcome to our new home."