//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: The Guardian 
// by Blize 
//------------------------------//

	Deep within the dark leafy depths of the Everfree Forests on the outskirts of Equestria, two ponies ran through the woods, chased by shadows of beasts and terrors with glowing eyes and sharp gnashing teeth. One was a female, the other a male, both of them cloaked in dark grey cloth. The female carried a bundle in her muzzle and made sure not to let it get snagged on anything as the duo ran. One of the beasts chasing them let out a loud howl and jumped over the two and blocked the way forward. A flash of a claws appeared and the male pony fell to the ground. The beast closed in on the female.

“Hahahaha. It looks like it’s just you and I now, queenie…” The beast wheezed with a smile on his face. He started to circle her. “You two are quite hard to keep up with. We’ve chased you through two countries now, but after such a long time we’ve finally caught up. It’s a shame really. This forest was getting so cramped I’m sure you could have lost us after a few more miles.” He teased her and then let out a raspy cackle. She put the bundle down in front of her and spat in his face.

“You heartless monster. We never did anything to you. Our kingdom was always peaceful. You had no reason to attack us!” The queen gritted her teeth at him and from underneath her cloak a pair of wings unlike those seen on any Pegasus, opened up.

“So you think you had done nothing to us? Ha. That’s really funny. And look at you, opening your wings thinking you can escape.” The beast slowly walked towards her. He brought his mouth up to her ear and whispered, “You can fly away. But you’d be leaving your precious son behind.”

“Don’t you dare think of doing anything to him!” With that she sprung at the monster. The two fought each other, hoof kicking beast and claw scarring pony. This went on for a few minutes until the beast backed off from her.

“Enough!” He shouted and spat at the ground. “If I can’t end you! Then I will end your son!” He quickly lunged towards the bundle but she leaped to it in just enough time to grab it in her muzzle. She then quickly flapped her wings and shot up into the air. “Damn you queenie… Falcaez! After them.” With that a few of the unknown beasts spread feathered wings and flew after the escaping mother and her son. She looked behind her and tried going faster, but her energy was running out. She has lost most of it fighting the beast and didn’t know how much longer she could go on for. She then flew straight up, and stalled. Then she kamikazed towards the ground, quickly catching speed as she neared the tree tops. She held the bundle close to her.

“Always know… That I will protect you… No matter what… My son… Blize” She then fell into the treetops and after hitting branch after branch on the way down, she fell to the dirt. But with broken bones and a wounded body, she slowly got to her hooves. She limped over to the bushes with her son and placed him in there. “Take care…” Behind her a group of the Falcaez grounded. “Well what are you waiting for?” With that she jumped at them.

The cloth of the bundle fell open and a little baby colt opened his eyes and looked at the shadows cast on the ground of multiple creatures fighting a lone pony.