//------------------------------//
// 14 
// Story: Slave of Eternity 
// by Secrets and Lies 
//------------------------------//


(14)






He awoke in a frightful, sudden panic. Zack had no idea where he was and had found himself curled up and on his side. It was dark, but not as dark as night, and his eyes adjusted over time to his surroundings. It seemed he was no longer in the forest, but in the corner of a small, leather-bounded tent with large mats scattered about the floor. He figured it was early morning from the looks of how the light penetrated the fabric of the shelter. Movement could be heard outside, as well as the sounds of the forest and murmurings of voices he could not understand. His memory hadn’t fully recovered as he tried to remember what had happened to get him into this predicament. He was stripped of his belongings it seemed, but his clothes remained on. He squirmed and struggled to move his body, but to no success–soon discovering that he was bound tightly by his hands and feet. Another rope was tied between the other two ropes, making it especially difficult to move without straining himself.
Zack noticed that in the other, far corner of the tent was his bag of belongings, which were dumped out and dispersed. Even his sword was seen among the items; however, he never did figure out how it was taken off of him, being that he was the only one that could move it. He wasted no more time and set his course of action towards his possessions. Zack began to worm his way across the tent floor. Inch by inch, he slid and rolled his way over to his possessions, being ever so silent not to attract attention.
The drape to the tent opened wide, letting in a shaft of sunlight pass over Zack. He halted his progress to regard who was standing in the tent doorway. His memory came to when looking upon the creature and he thought that maybe this was the being that had shot him with the arrow. The elongated, bipedal beast looked over him and gave a snarl. Zack began to recognize the creature from what books he had read in the Canterlot Castle Library.
With deep surprise, he muffled under his breath, “A Draconequus...”
Zack had read that they nearly all had different appendages from one another, but had the same torsos and heads. A notable draconequus he knew of was–of course–Discord, and with that notion, he figured that these beast wouldn’t take too kindly to him. It also mentioned in the book he read, entitled: ‘Old Beasts From Old Beginnings’ that these creatures died out years ago. That they were lost in time and the last sighting of one dated back before Celestia’s thousand year reign of peace. Taking that into mind, he felt a tad venerated to be able to look upon one, but the malicious look in the creature’s eyes set Zachary back into his state of fright.
This draconequus was garbed in a primitive, leather camouflage around his torso. A war paint was smeared across his face in dark colors and in tribal-like patterns. Besides this, his right arm was that of a ape, the other he believed to be a bear’s arm. His left leg was of a bird and the other a lizards. His tail resembled a scorpion’s and he also possessed two different horns, a curled ram’s horn and a bull’s horn. He was quite intimidating to Zack as it towered over him, giving Zack the most frightful, angered look.
It reach over, picked Zack up by the rope and flung him out of the tent. The force at which the draconequus threw him made his impact with the ground into a painful roll. Before Zack could move, he felt the draconequus’ talons dig into his side, making sure Zack wouldn’t crawl away again. When Zack had gained focus of his visible surroundings, he realized he was still in the Firelight Woods and in some primitive encampment. In a more shocking realization, he soon discovered that there were many, many more ‘draconequine’ than he had imagined. He was surrounded by the beings, all differing from one another from appendages. Besides these physical differences, they all were dressed in similar garb that the first draconequus was in. They sported bows, spears, and all sorts of hunting weaponry in their hands, claws, and hooves. The weapons themselves were immensely large to Zack, even the bows were closely taller than him. Zack concluded that this was some sort of a tribe, but were these all of the draconequine in the woods he wondered.
The draconequus who was pinning Zack to the forest floor threw his bear arm in the air and shouted victoriously, “Neircada! Neircada yor raca!”
The few dozen others shouted back with a single arm raised, “Raca!”
Zachary was expecting the worse out of this situation. His mind couldn’t focus on a successful escape plan, for it was too busy wondering what torture these savages had planned for him. The language they spoke though was very interesting to Zack, it seemed impossible to be spoken again or repeated by Zachary if he tried. It was in a certain tongue, and only that tongue could successfully enunciate the words spoken.
One stepped out of the small crowd of draconequine, the leader Zack presumed. It wore a darkened, leather armor and its face was hidden with a large, gray mask with tribal-esque paintings and markings across it. He wielded a large, wooden stave with multiple gemstones that had seemed to have grown around it. The leader slowly came closer towards Zachary while pointing his stave towards his head. It spoke far too fast and quietly for Zack to make out, but its tone was cold and hostile. As swiftly as its speaking, it knelt down and took Zack by the head, not hurting him in any way, just moving it around in its panther paw. The leader looked over Zack’s head, pinching his cheeks together while rotating his head and eyeballing ever inch of his face. He then let go of his hand and spoke to the Draconequus who still had Zack tacked to the ground beneath his claws.
The leader uttered in an mocking tone, “Garealo nysanna ed finagow tae. Qowo sitis manerolopa dexcedox pandasydao fra.” The other draconequus let its talons off of Zack. He then sat Zachary up on and turned Zack to face the him.
The draconequus thought for a moment and then spoke, “Quieisar lydernok?” It waited as if wanting a response from Zack. He didn’t know what to say as he sat in front of the savage, so he remained silent. After a moment of silence, the beast spoke again, this time it seemed to talk in a different dialect, or to Zack, perhaps a new language.
It articulated slower, “Noyavs Nonenêin Nimhnînanson Nivdaeflun Ninaknnaãmhdl?” Again, Zack remained quiet. The draconequus looked away, he began to deeply think, judging by his looks. 
He then turned back after a longer moment than before and said once more, “Olrugena... You speak this perhaps?”
Zack’s eyes widen as he acknowledged happily, “Yes! Olrugena! I speak it!” The crowd around him awed as if amazed by this simple feat for Zack.
The draconequus was in disbelief as he spoke back, choosing his words before speaking, “How, small one, do you know this ancient tongue and not of others?” Before Zack could speak again, the leader of the group stepped forward and said something to the draconequus in their formal language. 
After he had spoken, the Olrugena speaking draconequus said to Zack, “My apologies for my way of speech. Olrugena is difficult, you see, to speak.” He continued, “My leader says our clan watched you fight the land dragon, Varamara. Your style of weapon handling was recognized as a warriors. Your magical abilities as well, we name you a wizard. We see you hold the Prevailing One, Spiritax. You could have lain rest our guardian of the Firelight, but your hand showed pity. This is why we do not sacrifice you... now.”
Zack, a little distraught by the fact they were going to kill him, and perhaps still might, questioned in return, “So you all were the ones chanting in the forest while I ran from Varamara?” The draconequus nodded in affirmation. He questioned him again saying, “How did you know about... the Prevailing One–or should I say, Spiritax? And how did you remove it off of me... and how do you know of Spiritax?”
It answered slowly, “Our likeness has dwelled in these lands for many generations, beyond which I can count. We have seen many things. Many magics and magical things have passed through here. Many of which has called home here has departed to the far realms, such as the white blade you held. This talk can be saved for a later time; but as for your last question: we knew of the weapon’s properties and simply slide it off your body. Spiritax is home to these lands, as well its kin and brother.” The leader said something different aloud, and the Draconequus spoke as the bridge between languages. 
“My Lord Chief, Eldian of the Thirteen, says you are a wizard from the far realms, and even though mercy guided you away from our guardian, he senses you bring a greater evil here than what lies to the west. What is you destination? Why have you come to such an old realm as ours? And what evil to you carry?”
Zack felt the need to tell the truth and said, “My destination is Equadeus Arx. I must retrieve the Catalyst Stone to save myself in Equestria.” The draconequus began to talk amongst themselves, their tones assured Zachary that they were worried when he mentioned, ‘Equadeus Arx’. Zack continued adding, “Also, tell your leader that I mean no harm. I’m just passing through to get to Equadeus Arx.” The Draconequus spoke quickly to his leader as the chief of the Draconequine hummed in thought. 
The leader spoke back and the translator replied, “If it is death you want, we are willing to give it. Going to such a holy place, which is filled with the evils of an elder world, is giving yourself to the Foreseer.”
“But I must go! For Equestria’s and my sake!”
“What is this, ‘Equestria' you speak of?” Zack thought that they would have known, but a second idea formed that since they had never left these woods, then they wouldn’t know anything about such a place. Before Zack could elaborate, the leader spoke much more aggressively towards the translator. 
The draconequus said to Zack, “Our leader says we will pass by your destination in a day’s time. We have lost enough light from you and we must continue our hunting trip before heading back to our village, Dracanos.” He then restated an old question, “You did not tell us of the evil you carry. A darkness follows in your footsteps, a shadow in your wake.” Zachary circulated with concern in his eyes before he told the draconequus of this ‘evil’.
“Yes, an evil follows me... but it does not affect my judgment.” Zachary had to lie towards the end to gain the creature’s trust. The void tearing did in fact affect him, near constantly these past few days. He learned to suppress it, but whenever he let his guard down, the stinging surge of his conscious being ripped in two was maddeningly painful.
Eldian then turned back to his warriors, telling them something else. At that moment, the warriors and Lord Chief dispersed from their group. Each individual began to pack up their things and take down the multitude of tents around the encampment. The translator and Zack were the only two who stayed as the others worked.
The draconequus asked him, “What is your name, small wizard?”
“Zachary... Yours?”
“Roren of Wise Knowledges.” He then pulled a blade the size of a short sword from a hilt around his waist. He sliced through the rope around his feet and continued, “That is all I can do for you. My leader says you must still be watched, for you must be accounted for if you do such evil incantations or if this evil consumes you. We will still guide you, but you will be bound around the wrists.” He went on to a different subject, “Your quest, why do you seek such a thing as the Catalyst Stone?”
“It is my cure for my disease, a disease which affects one’s soul. It is my only option and my one true prize at the moment. If I do not achieve this, I will let down many that I love.”
“I see.” Zack looked over and realized the draconequus warriors were having a hard time moving the tent due to the fact they couldn’t remove the Prevailer from inside. Zack focused his mind and called the Prevailer to him. The sword floated out of the tent and situated itself around Zack’s waist and into its sheath.
“Impressive magic, wizard from afar,” honored Roren. “We must leave soon, you have already slept a night from our tainted arrow and now we must continue onward.” Roren sat up and then helped Zachary to his feet. The band of draconequine set out into the Firelight Woods in a single line with Zack and Roren at the end.





        The small band of hunters, their Lord Chief and Zachary walked hours on end through the woods. The sun’s rays shot through the high foliage, dancing and waving in thin towers of light. A small breeze blew through the undergrowth, more powerful gusts would have been felt if not for the miles of ancient trees between them and any open field. They were taking a trail that bent through the forest, a narrow passage between the oversized flowers and greenery. The large, amber colored berries the mighty trees held to swayed far over the group in the passing wind. Perhaps with a mighty rush of wind, one could break off land on one of them. The higher the berries grew it seemed, the larger they would grow. Some as big as small houses rocked in the higher breezes above them, and if one of those were to fall, it would be certain death.
The draconequine’s feet and hooves were light against the forest floor, being ever so quiet not to startle the game animals. Whenever one was noticed, a single draconequus raised its arm and the others fell silent. They all knelt to one knee, excluding the one that spotted the prey. He stood tall among them, placing an arrow in his bow and pulling back the string. He aimed for a few moments and released the arrow. Each draconequus were incredible hunters, their arrows and spears flew directly into the hearts of the creatures. Their impeccable aim was something to be feared. Books from what Zack had read about them noted these beings as such great warriors, serving in battles against all sort of other denizens of the world, even against the Griffon Kingdoms. As the hours drew on into the day, Zachary noticed that Roren, even as attentive to his surroundings as the others, did not make any sign of spotting one.
He asked, “Roren, is there a reason why you haven’t spotted any prey yet?”
He turned his head towards Zachary and replied slowly, “I have seen plenty, however, I am no hunter. I am the knowledge seeker; and being such, I have acquired many ancient tongues. I was born and raised to do such things. I am only here to study these huntsmen. My fate has turned true this day, being that I have found you, a speaker of Olrugena. Perhaps I could take you to the other Wise Ones in our village to study you and know of your being?”
“I’m sorry, but I have to journey to Equadeus Arx. It is my mission. I hope to return though; your people seem nice enough.” Roren smiled and said nothing in return. His gaze fixed back in front of him and the conversation ended for the two. Zack looked away and began studying the forest around him.
Something then caught his eye that was not far off of the trail they took. Zachary stopped to peer into the forest while; other draconequine didn’t notice the small human had halted. He walked off of the path and came to closer to what caught his eye. He came to a single, large tree in the brush. The base of the giant sprawled out larger than his house in Ponyville, but one noticeable marking on the face of the bark was a carving. A very old, deeply engrained drawing was cut into the tree. As Zack drew closer, he began to make out three distinct pictures; very simple carvings, as if done by a child. Two of the drawings resembled ponies, one larger and one shorter, while another resembled a draconequine.
“Could it be...” he whispered to himself, reaching to touch the carving. But before his fingers could come in contact with the wood, a claw came gentle over his shoulder.
“You must not touch," the voice from behind him spoke up. "This is a relic of the forest.”
Zack turned towards Roren and said, “These drawings, these are–”
“We mustn’t stay here. Come, walk with us and we shall talk.”
The two caught up and returned to the group. The others never realized their absence and proceeded on their hunting trip. Zack remembered what he had read in Starswirl’s journal those many years ago–about the his travels to the Firelight Woods. How he came across the Star Maidens the deer folk had talked about. What stumped Zack was the other craving in the tree, a draconequus was with them. Did Starswirl simply forget to write about this, or was this drawing craved before his arrival?
He began his questioning by asking Roren, “Do you know of the Star Maidens?”
Roren gave him a grave look as he conferred, “You know much of our realm, Wizard. A knowledge which concerns and surprises me all at once. Yes, legends speak of the Star Maidens. They were before my time, thousands of seasons ago when the world was younger. However, they have long left us and now it is legend. Only relics as the one you came across are scattered in these lands as holy places. We must not harm the relics, for we believe they hold ancient powers and hidden knowledge.”
Zack continued, “In that carving I came across, there was a draconequus. Do you know who this was?”
“Ah, yes. A story we tell the young in our village relates to this image. An olden warrior who had betrayed us. I shall tell you all I know.”
Roren began to recite this story as if he had memorized it, “In the time of my ancestors, when the world was young and the forest did not fully lie over the old castles and forts it grew around, a great battle in the heavens occurred. For many days, the sky split, shattered in spurts of fire and flame. Great clashes and thunder claps echoed continuously and the stars above shook from the celestial powers between us and them. In the ending blows, three stars fell from the sky. It was in this time, we were mourning the death of a nameless infant which had died days after birth. A single star from the three fell into our village then, but none were harmed. The impact was only of light and mist it seemed, a seemingly endless brilliance flooded the village. When the light had faded, the dead infant was rejuvenated with life again. A miracle from the heavens had blessed us it seemed, and the Chief Lord at the time named him, ‘Alwaid’ meaning, ‘The Last Fate’.
Alwaid became a powerful warrior and a cunning articulator at a young age. He was loved by many. The females of the tribe adored him and the males honored and respected him. He was also known for wondering through the forest, getting into trouble with such creatures like the Varamara, however he was wise enough to outsmart the beasts of the forest and avoid most certain deaths. All of this occurred in his youthful years.
The legends speak of one particular day when Alwaid, young in his warrior-hood, lost himself in the forest. The tribe searched for him for many moons, and eventually gave up on looking for him. A few years had passed, and soon he was nearly forgotten. He did return however, but he was not himself. He was poisoned and no longer a warrior of our tribe. He had changed himself into a wild sorcerer with incredible power. His will was bent towards destruction, nothing we could do or say could stop him. Our tribe was nearly vanquished. Only a handful of survivors remained in the destruction of our city. It was in this moment, two came forward from the forest’s edge. The Star Maidens had come to banish Alwaid from the forest. The two deities called forth a greater ally to aid them, and from their combined efforts, forced Alwaid out of the forest forever.
The blessing of the stars had betrayed us, almost extinguishing our people, if not for the Star Maidens and their ally. We no longer call him Alwaid, we have given him the name of which he called himself before us during the attack on his kin. This name is, Discord.”
Zachary asked “What poisoned him though? Why did he turn evil?” Before Roren could answer, Eldian whispered loudly amongst the group. He threw up an arm and the tribe bent low to the ground, arming themselves for an imminent threat. Zack bent down as well with the group without question. Their eyes scanned the forest around them, however, the leader’s line of sight was locked with a thick area of brush a few meters in front of him. The noises of the forest around them tuned back into Zachary’s ears, though he heard no other odd sounds. They all waited in silence, weapons ready and bow strings pulled back.
Zack followed the Chief Lord’s line of sight and did see something moving. A lighter skinned being, smaller than Zachary and perhaps furred. He could only get glimpses of it through the dense brush, but he soon noticed that there was more than one. A group of these very silent creatures walked in line very slowly. Zack began to wonder if maybe these were ponies whom the Draconequine were about to ambush. Eldian, the Chief Lord, rose up himself, lowering his weapon. He then pushed his way through the underwood. No other draconequus followed in his steps, but remained hidden. A burst of joyous laugh came from the leader, who was now out of sight.
He called out to the still unknown creatures, “Nitiaenîan Knyamhdl Notial Nogryavs!”  At that moment, the group stood up with smiles upon their faces. One by one, each pushed through the brush to join Eldian and supposedly his friends by the tone in his speech. The way he talked though was not of his tongue, it was in a different language all together. Zack was the last to make his way to the group and was startled to see whom the draconequus came across.
These were no ponies, but the deer folk he had heard and read so much about. There were four in total, each in different hues of browns, blacks, grays, and whites. They were all slim and elegant, but still powerful in appearance. Three possessed great antlers which spread over them, meaning that these were the stags. One was a doe, but she bore a beautiful coat of white and her eyes shimmered like emerald jewels. The deer stood tall, even the doe was a head taller than any of the stallions in Equestria. The deer talked with the Chief Leader and others in their own tongues. Zack couldn’t make out what exactly they were talking about, but was intrigued just to listen in.
Roren approached and said lightly, “These are the Cervians, great watchers of our world and practicers of divine magics. Show the utmost respect.”
“Understood, Roren.”
“But something is not right,” Roren queried himself.
“What do you mean?”
Roren went on, “They hail from Cervidas, a great journey away from our realm. Why have they traveled to this forest?” Before Zack could give his thoughts, Roren turned and approached one of the Cervian stags, starting up a new conversation. Zachary was left by himself, watching over the conversations the others were having.
A voice entered his mind at that moment, not one caused by the void tearing, but a soothing, calm voice. His attention was immediately drawn to the doe Cervian, whom from afar, stared deeply into Zachary’s eyes. Once he had met eyes with her, he was endowed with a state of ease, not hypnotic, but tranquil, almost as if he had fallen deeply into a relaxing daydream.
She articulated in his own language through telepathy, “You bring into these woods a great atrocity. You seek the cure which lies dormant in the darkened halls to the west.” Her voice was light, but powerful–tender, but strong.
Zack replied mentally, “Yes, you are correct. Forgive me, but my friend says you are not suppose to be here.”
She gave a warm smile and answered, continuing the conversation only between their minds, “Every decade, we walk the world in near silence, over watching its denizens. We call the world Arteria; for once this world was filled with the blessing of nature. All forms and creatures of life lived harmoniously, but the world we know has changed much so. You are not of Arteria, Zachary, though you make your home with the Equine of Equestria. Do you know what is on the verge of happening in your home?” 
“Discord... Has he arrived already? How do you know this?”
Her voice turned more coldly as she continued, “An enemy of the old has risen. Alwaid, the bringer of chaos. He has forced the hoof of the Cambiarians, the foes of under-earth formally named by the new world, Changelings, to bring with him Equestria’s downfall and servitude. Alwaid’s true goals are shrouded even by my far sight, he plans something even more wicked in the shadows. A great battle is on the rise between the one’s you love and the armies of Alwaid. You must waste no more time than you have to. But listen to my words, Zachary. I have seen a grim fate in the unknown future you hold. A choice must be made when the time comes, and when this time comes, you must act hastily.”
“But how do you know this,” he asked again.
“I am Nabeleen, I have been given the gift of far sight, my people have titled me The Emerald Lady. I have seen all this to warn you, for your destiny is greater than the old gods and elder spirits.”
Zack repressed her praise, “I find that hard to believe. I have made many mistakes, some of which I cannot take back. I am very afraid of the world around me and the burden on my shoulders. Discord, Excubris, The Griffons, these enemies are what frighten me. You can see in my mind that I am no more than a coward, driven to do what people think is right. I fear I am soon doomed to fail.”
“Time, Zachary, what is it?” The strange diversion in the conversation split Zack’s thinking.
He answered back, “Something I don’t have a lot of.”
“Time is a silent entity for which everything of this world is governed by. We think we can control it by giving it such titles, naming the years, the seasons, the months, the days. They believe it is a cycle, but no one can control time, or even name it. We place numbers and count such numbers to show time exist, but time does not exist to be counted for. Time is a path one must always travel forward upon, and by giving it such names assures your death, your grief, and every such deterrent in life.
Time, Zachary, is your true enemy. Time will cripple the greatest foes, and will devour the one’s you love. You have no greater enemy than the one that has followed you all of your life. That has watched you, that knows your greatest strengths and weaknesses, that knows your secrets and knows your lies. Why do you persist on believing Alwaid will be your downfall, such folly thinking will be your demise. Now is the moment you must place time as your only enemy, these others whom you deem a threat are nothing to you. You are and will be the Champion of Arteria, and when it comes, time will be your champion. You have nothing in this universe to fear–for fear is the greatest illusion.”
Zack wasn’t sure how to respond, she could tell his mind was in a very perplexed state. She saw that growing in his subconscious was a rising power, a great triumph of fate and faith. He began to believe he could do this, that he could save Equestria from a being much more powerful than he could ever be.
“I believe...” Zachary answered back to her. “How I’ll do the things you say I’ll do is uncertain to me now, but I will believe until I die.”
She recognized his newfound faith and smiled. “We are always watching, Zachary of Earth. Join us one day in our home, we shall welcome you like the warrior you are. Whenever you are weak and weary, and no light of hope can be seen, remember yourself, and you will rise from the deepest depths. And then you will be okay.”
Zack’s transfixion was gradually brought back to the world around him. The Cervians said their goodbyes to the draconequine and began their slow journey throughout the Arteria once again. Zack felt peace wash over him as he watched the beautiful creatures make their way through the forest away from him.
Roren came over to Zack and replied, “Sorry for the long wait, the Cervians said that they were here in these woods because–”
“I know why. No need to tell me.”
Roren gave him a puzzled look and restated Zack, “You know?”
“I know,” he said reassuringly.