//------------------------------// // Unseen // Story: Lightbringer (Rewrite in the works!) // by Solar Firedawn //------------------------------// 3,000 years ago Lightfield was booming with activity. Everyone had places to go, ponies to meet, life was perfect. The city of crystal was eerily similar to the Crystal Empire. Crystal spires reached into the dark abyss, giving the city an ethereal look. Expansive, sprawling and magnificent. The beings that were told of Lightfield’s existence by a Lightbringer, wish they could visit the city in all of its glory. The economy, bustling. Crime? Nonexistent. A society unachievable by many, yet dreamed of by all. They had a societal hierarchy as well. Sentinel Lightbringers were the leaders  of the small species. They handled the city’s most pressing problems.  The Sentinels were the oldest, Stellaria being 4,128 years old and her husband Orion being 3,759 years of age. They have two children of their own. Cryo Lunardawn, an energetic, likable, dark blue Thestralien filly with a dark blue mane and tail, and cyan crystalline eyes that glimmer in the dark, a symbol of the tranquility of the Night.  At eight years of age, she is two years younger than her fiery-tempered yet kind brother, Solar Firedawn. The little colt’s coat is gray, and he sports a red and orange mane and tail. His eyes are also a bright orange, a fragment of the Sun’s ferocity. The Prime Lightbringers were plentiful. They were responsible for carrying out the Sentinels’ orders, as long as they were lawful. The thing that makes them quite interesting is that there are always exactly ninety-nine Primes. This is the way it began and eventually cemented itself into tradition. The mysterious otherworldly beings have existed long before Equus even had been given its name by its pony inhabitants. The Lightbringers dwelled on moons of other planets for millenia. Only a few hundred years ago, however, they had collectively moved to where Lightfield is now, on Luna’s moon itself. All was well for hundreds of years after. Until the darkness came. Starkillers, hellbent on sapping every bit of magic that they can get their hooves on, discovered Lightfield and its inhabitants. It first started with a scout every now and then. Said scout, taking the skin of an everyday Starborn, would observe, sometimes talking with the moon’s children. Then, things began to escalate. Foalnappings, murders that the Starborn knew, wasn’t one of their own. The Prime Lightbringers began questioning, in the event that one of their own was committing genocide. Before they too, lost their lives. With no other option,  Stellaria, respected and revered by the others, did one thing they thought she would never do. She took her husband Orion, and her two children, and fled. Feeling betrayed by their Leader’s actions, the remaining Lightbringers scattered into the universe, never to be heard from again. *** Stellaria looks back at the city one last time. Tears fall from her eyes like rain from a leaf. She feels hopeless and broken similar to that of a glass shattered on the floor that will never hold joy again. She risks a glance to her children, they are crying, sharing her pain and loss. They cannot be heard, the vacuum of space taking away their voices. She wanted a life for them that would be impossible, a sun, so close and so far in parallel.  If she and her spouse, alongside their children, stopped flying towards Equus, the Starkillers would surely catch on. Though her worries would prove useless, as the Starkillers have become busy chasing down the fleeing Lightbringers. She looks to her right and sees Orion gliding beside her, with both of their children on his back, since they were still too young to fly. He looks back at her, a small, saddened smile gracing his features. “Don’t worry Stelly. We are going to be fine. We are well ahead of them.” Stellaria grimaces. She doesn't believe her husband. “We are going to be fine. But what about our subjects? Those who we were sworn to protect? Now they are at the mercy of cruel, soulless beings. We call them Starkillers for a reason, Ori. We have betrayed them, our species will be nothing but lost in the river of time.” Orion shakes his head, questioning if they had done the right thing. They did what any parent would have done. They saved their children, but at what cost? Any chance of their kind, having a future? Risking the protection of the multiverse? Deep down, he was hurting and torn between family and their former friends. “We did what we had to do. There is no going back Stelly. We will have to live with the consequences and face them head on. The actions themselves aren’t the sins. It is what we do afterwards that matters in the end.” He noticed his wife being in a state he has never seen her in before. The usual spark of life in her, faded by the events that had transpired. more than likely faring worse than even himself. They are getting closer to the planet of Equus and begin flapping their wings as its gravity begins to take hold of their forms. Stellaria guides them to Equus’ surface, a feather riding the wind. Stellaria sees her son. His face shows sorrow and defeat. He’s been crying, the crystals the only remnants of his innocence. Stellaria, crestfallen, yet unwilling to show the fading of the light inside her, walks to her son and daughter. “We need to go. Far away from here.” Stellaria hesitates, “You aren’t safe with us. The two of you are far too powerful for the Starkillers to capture. We can’t risk it.” She gestures with a forehoof towards a forest a little ways away. “See that tree over there? It has no leaves. Me and your Father did that in the event something happened to our home. We never knew we would have to actually hide the two of you however. Her childrens’ eyes widen, the size of platters. They had just escaped and here their mother was sending them out on their own. Orion approaches his wife. “I agree with you Stelly, but surely there is another way for us to keep them safe. Maybe find someone who is willing to look after them?” Stellaria shakes her head. “No. Suppose that someone would use them for nefarious purposes. I don’t trust them.” Her husband wasn’t having any of it. His son and daughter wouldn’t be able to survive on their own. He firmly believed it. Until Solar surprised both him and his wife. “Dad, we’ll be fine. I can take care of Cryo! I’ll be strong for us!” Solar almost seemed enthusiastic about the idea. Cryo frowned, a raincloud dampening her mood. She didn’t seem convinced by his daft proposal.  “Solar! What is making you think of such a thing? What if we get hurt? What if mom and dad get hurt? What will we do then?” Solar was confident. He wanted to show his little sister that he was strong. He could take care of themselves, right? HIs parents looked at him with uncertainty. “What made you so suddenly confident Sunny?” Said Stellaria, her eyebrow raised. “You did! You believe in us, so why shouldn’t I believe in Cryo and I?” Stellaria couldn’t help but chuckle. Despite everything that had happened, her little family is what has kept her from going on a rampage across the universe. Orion soon joined in, all the way up until the four of them were openly laughing. A ray of light piercing the ever growing darkness.  Orion crouches down to his kids’ level. “Tell me. Do you believe in each other?” Solar and Cryo look at each other, almost as if they were searching for a weakness. Not finding any, according to their young naive minds, they turn back to their father, Cryo being the first to speak, jumping repeatedly, much to Stellaria’s amusement. “I do dad. Solar is strong! Nothing can take him down!” If Solar could blush, he would have, not used to such praise by his sister. Stellaria, happy that her children were able to believe in each other, yet could see why her husband was hesitant to leave them to fend for themselves while they were trying to gather any surviving Lightbringers that they could actually find. “Do you two really think you can do this?” asked Stellaria, her head tilted in concern. Her children nod enthusiastically, cementing Stellaria’s wish of them being there for each other. Orion speaks up, being strangely quiet. He stamps a foreleg in agitation, not completely willing to go with the impromptu plan. Stellaria notices this and walks over to him, placing a hoof on his shoulder, cooling his frayed nerves. “Are you really sure about this Stelly? We aren’t entirely sure there aren’t any Starkillers waiting for us.” “That is where we come in Ori. It’s simple. When we depart, we make sure that no one enters the atmosphere afterwards.” Orion lets out a breath. “I guess it’s a plan Stelly.” He turns to Solar and Cryo, their features showing impatience. “Well my little stars, take care of each other.” Stellaria coos, a sad smile gracing her face, knowing it may be a very long time before she sees her children again. Orion trots up to Solar. “Take care of your sister Son.” He ruffles Solar’s mane, making the colt giggle, his chest puffed in confidence and pride. “I will Dad! I will be like you one day!” Orion chuckles. “You will be better than me one day, Solar.” His son gasps in disbelief. “That isn’t possible! No one is stronger than you.” Orion casts a sideways glance to his wife, eliciting an affectionate snicker. “Well…” Orion and Stellaria come up to Cryo. “Same goes for you. My beautiful nebula, says Orion. Stellaria gives her one last parting embrace, neither party knowing if it will be the last. The parents spread their wings, ready to depart from Equus. They give a final farewell to their children, and take off. “Come on Cry!” Solar leads his sister who protests but he doesn’t listen. She takes off after him, briefly forgetting her troubles. It was just her and her brother running through a field. They keep trotting until they reach the edge of the forest and eventually, the tree that Stellaria pointed out earlier. Cryo was the one who found it first, her brother too busy frolicking with the forest critters. “Solar!” She reprimanded. “You sure are acting like the little brother! Get in the cave.” Solar sticks his tongue out at her. Cryo only shakes her head in response, but her brother at the moment seems so innocent, a newborn foal seeing its mother for the first time. Solar makes his way to her, making his typical remark Cryo has heard many times before from him in jest. “You’re no fun sis.” “You think dad wouldn’t laugh that his ‘Strong, handsome colt’ was playing with critters?” Solar looks away, embarrassed, but nuzzles his sister lovingly. “Love you Cryo.” “I’ll love you more when you get in the cave.” Solar bumps into her playfully. “You wouldn’t.” “You’re right. I wouldn’t.” As she says this, the two young Lightbringers feel an explosion from high above. They look up in confusion, eyes glossed over. Then it hits them. Cryo glances at her brother, a tear threatening to make its way down, surprising her she had any left. “Solar, you don’t think that is what I thought it was…” “I don’t know Cryo. Sounds like it may have been a sonic boom. Either our parents are back, or…” Cryo knew what he was going to say. “Starkillers” Solar’s eyes widened. His pupils, glowing orange with heat, pierce the oncoming night. From above the forest canopy, they hear a voice that doesn’t belong to their parents. They were discovered. The cave lies forgotten, abandoned. A puppy cries outside the door of their minds. “Cryo! Run! I will lead the Starkiller away!” “Are you insane! You aren’t doing that!” “We have no choice! Go!” With a storm of emotions tearing at her, Cryo runs deep into the forest, leaving her brother in the past. Solar shouts as loud as he can,  beckoning whoever it is, whatever it is, to follow him. A cat being tempted to chase its prey. “Over here! Come on!” Big mistake. As Solar gets back to the edge of the tree, an alicorn lands directly in front of him. Solar can only look at it with terror. The cat knows what’s going to happen. Or does it? As the alicorn leaps at him, the alicorn vanishes. A moment passes and Solar hears a scream from deep in the forest. His sister’s scream. “Sister!” Present day Solar’s eyes flash open, glowing orange, the fury of the sun boiling inside. He never should have been so naive. What was he thinking? Did he honestly think that a Starkiller wouldn’t employ anything and everything possible, just to gain the upper hand? No. It happened 3,000 years ago. The past is the past. His thoughts drift away to Twilight’s assistant, Spike. “Wait a minute, we never went into that cave. If Dark Eclipse is indirectly a part of me, that means…” His horn abruptly lights up. “Spike!”