//------------------------------//
// Yulond 
// Story: The Scarlet Eventide 
// by Burningbloom78 
//------------------------------//

Setiya opened her eyes to find her world pitch black and dead silent. She looked as far as she could, but she saw nothing but darkness; Setiya began to slowly panic. 

Thinking about Flint, she remembered the necklace he gave before his death and desperately held onto it for comfort, easing her heart and mind albeit with little success. She cradled the necklace and wept silently as she treads amongst a black world, hoping to find any creature. 

After what felt like days, Setiya heard the faint breathing of a creature coming from her right. She looked onward and saw a set of beady eyes glowing an ominous red, glaring at her. Setiya's body was afraid; something dark and unknown stood before her and she found herself unable to move; paralyzed by fear.

Can you spare a heart? echoed in Setiya's skull as she screamed, a hand coated in black sludge lunged forward. Before it could reach her, Setiya awoke in a bedroom, springing forward and in a cold sweat, gasping for air. It was just a nightmare, but it seemed so real to her.

Setiya looked around the warm bedroom and saw books on magic and portraits of a griffin posing with a young centaur. Setiya sought to get out of bed, but she became unsteady with a painful headache.

Shortly after, a large griffin enters her room along with the centaur carrying a bucket of water. Setiya has never seen any of these creatures up close before.

"Ah, I see our guest is finally awake," the griffin said, walking up to Setiya and sitting next to her. She was soft-spoken and sounded polite. 

"Janus, bring me the bucket of water and a small towel from the cupboard, would you?"

"Yes, Ms. Frendi," Janus said. The centaur gave the griffin the bucket of water and quickly retrieved a small blue towel and returned it to her."

Ms. Frendi damped the small towel and rang it out before inching over to Setiya and rubbing her forehead with the towel. 

"You poor mare, you must've had a rough time when we saw you floating from the ocean," she told her. "Janus and I are delighted to see you alive."

Setiya felt safe and assured, easing her worries. "Who are you guys?" she asked.

"I am Ms. Frendi, a griffin, and the centaur over there is Janus, my helper," she explained. "What's your name, sweetie?"

Setiya clutched the necklace before speaking. "Setiya. Where am I?"

"You're in Yulond, a village near the sandy strands of the ocean," Janus replied, sitting at the end of the bed. "We don't get many ponies around this area."

Ms. Frendi nodded. "Indeed, most are in Equestria by now, so seeing one around here is quite uncommon."

"How long was I asleep?" Setiya asked.

"Three days, my little pony," Ms. Frendi answered. 

Setiya was shocked. "I was unconscious for three days?" She was in a state of disbelief, rubbing the ring attached to the necklace.

"That's a beautiful ring, Setiya," Ms. Frendi announced. "Where did you come across it?" 

Setiya's face turned grim. "It was from...my fiance, Flint," she whispered. "This wonderful gift is all I have of him now..."

Ms. Frendi sighed heavily. "I'm sorry about your loss, Setiya. If you don't me asking, how did he...die?"

A pattern of red and black overtook Setiya's sight and she heard the echoing sounds of the deathly weapon that took away Flint. Setiya shuddered, reminded of the evil creature. After gaining some control over her body, she slowly came to.

Janus was stunned. "What type of memory could create such trauma?"

"Flint was killed by a creature wielding a silvery weapon," Setiya whispered. "It chased us through the Forest of Darkness until we got to a cliff...and before we could jump, Flint was impaled. Before he died, he gave me this ring and sent me off the cliff to get away."

"And that's when we saw you," Ms. Frendi added. "This creature, did it have on armor by any chance?"

Setiya nodded. "I could hear the armor clattering."

Janus rose. "You were confronted by a dangerous foe," he uttered. "If you encountered him, then this just got a whole lot worse."

Setiya grew fearful. "What do you mean?"

Janus trotted over to a window and stared out. "Are you aware of the warring kingdoms taking place right now, as we speak?"

Setiya nodded. "I do, but I hardly know anything about it..." she confessed. "My village isn't affiliated with any of the kingdoms."

"Orbis, the town housed next to the Forest of Darkness," Ms. Frendi said. "Your village is one of the first to be established outside the boundary of Equestria, and it is quite peaceful."

"Tell us what happened," Janus told her.

Setiya told that her village was invaded by an array of soldiers cast in black armor. She talked about how they started attacking the civilians, wanting to claim Orbis for themselves. Many were turned into slaves and while those who tried to fight back were destroyed, however, Setiya claims that only she and Flint got away.

It wasn't long until the mysterious creature pursued Setiya and Flint, chasing them to a cliff, and only managing to eliminate Flint while Setiya got away.

"Everything happened so fast. I don't know what to do anymore," she cried, embracing the ring. 

Janus looked towards Setiya and stared. "The Kingdom of Darkness or some say Darkside, has become more aggressive," he said. "It's a miracle you even got away from him."

Setiya didn't understand. "Who is he?" 

Ms. Frendi looked to Janus to explain. Janus's face grew grim and his eyes were glossy.

"I want to make a clear distinction about something, so I want you to listen to my words, Setiya. Darkside has monsters, or creatures, that work for the kingdom. Some are willing and others are forced," he explained. "Not all monsters are bad, but the one you encountered...very bad."

"What is he? Setiya asked. "What type of creature is he?"

Janus shook his head. "None know what lies behind that black armor, but everyone knows that thing spits in the face of morality, operates that body," he said with a spiteful tone.

Setiya had chills run down her back. Janus kneeled to her level.

"Rumors arose that the king of Darkside personally sought out the monster in hopes to have it join his conquest. The monster had no objections to the king's plea and joined his ranks as a general."

Ms. Frendi set the towel on a desk. "Even though we like to pretend everything is okay, we are constantly forced back into reality," she said. "Sometimes I just want complete peace, but wishing for something so unobtainable is silly."

Janus comforted Ms. Frendi. "We try our best to live as all creatures would," he told Setiya, rubbing Ms. Frendi's hair. "It gets tough nowadays."

Looking to quickly change the subject, Setiya gazed toward the window. "Ms. Frendi," Setiya announced, "this is the town of Yulond, but I don't hear anything outside. Something wrong?"

"Because of the war against the two kingdoms, most of the residents of Yulond sook refuge in Equestria," Ms. Frendi explained. "Janus and I are the only ones who stayed."

"Why did you?"

"We are too attached to our home," Janus said. "And we don't belong in Equestria anyway."

Setiya was confused. "Why wouldn't you? Did something happen?"

"Before we were residents of Yulond, we lived in Darkside, where we were born and raised..." Ms. Frendi confessed.

"We were also inducted into Darkside's military and served in the war against the other kingdom, Zaria," Janus added.

Setiya was shocked. "You both were helping that horrible place?! They took Flint away from me!"

Ms. Frendi tried to calm Setiya down. "It's not like we had a choice," she said. "We served for years until the king dismissed us."

Setiya didn't understand. "Dismissed?"

"Ms. Frendi's blood runs deep in the kingdom, and the king had a soft spot towards her, so he let her go to live away from the war," Janus clarified.

"Then what about you?"

"Janus was a baby centaur I found and nurtured during my time serving, and I convinced the king to have Janus as my helper," Ms. Frendi elucidated. "Ever since we were dismissed, we hung up our gear to live out in Yulond."

"We quickly learned it isn't that simple, not in this world," Janus chimed in. "The war was no longer our concern; it was merely a job forced upon us...however."

Setiya sighed and asked Ms. Frendi and Janus to stop talking about their connection to the war. Feeling a bit better, Setiya slowly, with Janus's help, got out of bed and started walking. 

Setiya turned around with a small grin. "Thanks for helping me," she said. "I guess all of us has been through a lot because of this war but is there a way to stop it?

Ms. Frendi shook her head. "Darkside and Zaria have been enemies for a long while, boiling to a point of the war," she said, adjusting her glasses before standing. 

"It's a shame too, now that the new ruler of Zaria was attempting to make peace to settle the feud between the kingdoms."

Setiya stared at Ms. Frendi. "What went wrong?"

"Rumors were circulating that the king of Zaria was an attempt of assassination," Janus explained. "The supposed assailant was apprehended and executed, much to the king of Zaria's dismay, and that action set the war into motion."

Setiya groaned. "Why must there always be stuff like this?" she complained. "Now I'm more aware of what's going on, I decided something."

"What is it?" Ms. Frendi asked. 

Setiya took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm going to free my village!" she exclaimed.

Ms. Frendi and Janus were in shock. How can a mare who just escaped death be willing to plunge back into it? It was ludicrous and Ms. Frendi objected to the very idea.

"I'll think of something, don't worry," Setiya said, going to the front door, however, she was stopped by Ms. Frendi.

"Setiya, I know you want to free your village, but this is a suicide," she told her. "What can you hope to accomplish? You can't do this!"

Setiya's eyes were glossy. "Flint would have done something," she let out quietly. "If he were here, he'd leave me to save the village.

Flint always knew what to do in any situation, and I always followed along. Now that he...isn't here anymore, I can't sit around and do nothing!"

Janus approached Setiya, placing his hand on her back. "I would like to lend you my aid if you will have me."

Setiya allowed Janus to join her attempt to free her village. 

Ms. Frendi was at a loss for words. "Janus, what are you saying?"

"Ms. Frendi, too long have this war persisted, and too long have others suffered in the crossfire," he said. "I know you're afraid, I am too, but don't you think it's time we try to stop it and help Setiya, at least?"

"I would love to have you with me, Ms. Frendi," Setiya said.

Ms. Frendi slowly inched herself away from the door and thought about Setiya's offer. "You know they have weapons, a number advantage, and armor," she warned Setiya. "If anything remotely goes wrong, we're laying six feet underground."

"Yeah, I know," Setiya said. "If we pull this off, then we can make our way to Zaria and lend our assistance."

"To help what was once our enemy, what a twist," Janus said. "Ms. Frendi, are you prepared for this?"

Ms. Frendi nodded before heading out of the room. Setiya then heard the clattering of metal and Ms. Frendi returned, bearing armor of dark obsidian. 

"I never had the heart to throw away something tied so close to us, Janus," Ms. Frendi said, handing over Janus's armor and weapon.

Janus quickly donned his armor and hoisted his weapon, a poleaxe with a mighty grunt before latching it onto his back provided by the black armor. 

Ms. Frendi donned her armor as well and sheathed her dual-bladed knives against her waist. Setiya stood before two mighty warriors.

"Setiya," Ms. Frendi said, "I don't have any armor for you to protect yourself, so I advise you to hold the utmost of caution during the silent foray, understand?"

Setiya felt a different air around Ms. Frendi. It was cold, but also encouraging, as the armor she wears is associated with death, and also hope.

"I understand."

"Good," Ms. Frendi replied. "Nightfall draws near, and that is when we will strike. Be careful, I had enough of burying my friends."