//------------------------------// // Chapter XIII: Farewell. // Story: Revelations of the Past // by Mr101 //------------------------------// Revelations of the past Chapter XIII: Farewell. “You did well my young Tailclaw…” Turil’s eyes shot open as he found himself lying in a vast area of pure white, he recognised it as being the void and looked around him. He saw Varlos standing nearby with a smile on his face. “M-my lord!” Turil said stumbling to his feet and bowing. Varlos chuckled as he walked over and clapped him on the back. “I’m very proud of you Turil Tailclaw…you’ve done well indeed.” “But my lord…it’s my fault the city was cursed…if I hadn’t-“ “But you did, and now it’s done. You needn’t dwell on what if’s my boy…relish in the salvation you brought this world.” “But I can feel something is wrong…something bad.” He looked up into Varlos’s face. “Something bad is going to happen…isn’t it?” Varlos sighed as he began to walk, quickly being followed by Turil. “Yes I’m afraid so, although King Sombra has been defeated and Malaskaar trapped, they will return.” Turil’s jaw dropped as he stared at him in disbelief. “But…but how?” Turil asked him. “J’skaar.” Varlos started. “He placed a spell over the pair of them at the moment of their demise; he took the soul of Sombra into the void and placed a counter curse on the city, but not before I was able to intervene somewhat.” “So what does that mean my lord?” Turil said. “It means young Tailclaw, J’skaar cannot return to interfere in this world for a while, until he breaks the protection spell I placed over it.” Varlos replied. “How long can you hold it though?” Turil asked with concern. “I don’t want to see this world fall.” “Neither do I young Tailclaw, and sadly J’skaar won’t give up so easily on a world rich with magic. It could take him two hundred years or even a thousand, but mark my words I will do everything I can to prevent his return.” “And what about me? Am I to return to Cyrium now?” “Not yet.” Varlos said with a smile. “Time in this world runs faster than in Cyrium, for every ten years in Cyrium, twenty has passed here. You need to return to Cyrium as to not age too quickly and be unable to help them again and besides…” Varlos grinned at Turil patting him on the back. “I gathered you’d like to remain a while longer in order to be with your new friends before you go, which is whenever you want to go.” Varlos opened his palm flat and a void shard appeared in it, he handed it to Turil with a smile. “Use that to transport yourself back when you are ready.” “Thank you my lord…” Turil replied with a smile. “But what am I going to tell them? About Sombra and Malaskaar?” “Tell them the truth, they need to hear it and be ready for it…” As he spoke Turil felt himself fading out of the void, a sign he was waking up.” “Remember what I said young Tailclaw…” Varlos said, the last words becoming fainter as Turil woke up. ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Turil groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, trying to sit up he felt a sharp stab of pain shoot through his body and he sharply inhaled through his teeth. He looked down at his body to see where he was and saw he was lying in a bed, covered almost from head to toe in bandages. Grunting in pain again as he forced himself up, he swung his legs slowly over the edge of the bed and stumbled to his feet. He noticed his bag on the bedside table and opened it curiously, noticing the small shard Varlos had given to him in the void was there. He held his left arm on his stomach as he wandered to the window and looked out of it, he was in a town but unsure where. He could see ponies outside going about their business as well as several Equestrian and Crystal soldiers walking around, Turil turned around and headed for the exit and opened the door with a creak stepping out into the hallway. He slowly made his way down the hallway grunting with each step as his footsteps made the floor creak, as he came out of the hallway into a room he looked u to see Princess Celestia and Luna looking over a table with a map on it, beside them was Captain Silver Wing, Ink Quill and a red stallion of who he hadn’t seen before. All of them had a sorrowful looking expression on their faces. “I think it’s for the best your highness…without our leaders or a capital…we might as well become part of Equestria in order to protect ourselves from bandit raids and any remaining forces of Sombra’s” The stallion said. “I don’t think you have to worry too much about that.” Celestia began. “Most of his forces were either taken by the shadows or surrendered to us when we escaped the city.” The stallion nodded and began to walk out of the room; he looked up and saw Turil leaning on the door frame panting softly. “Oh you’re awake!” He said and smiled, walking over to him and extending his hoof. “My name is Mayor Red Watch and-“ “RILLY!” Luna interrupted him and tackled Turil in a tight hug. Turil cried out in pain as Luna held him tightly and nuzzled his neck, she let go of him and nervously chuckled to herself as he leant on the wall groaning. “Sorry…” She said sheepishly. “It’s fine…it’s good to see you to Lu-Lu…where am I though and how long have I been out?” Turil asked. “You’re in the city of Whitewall my lord, and you’ve been out for at least a month now.” Red Watch replied. “Please just Turil.” He replied. “How did I get here? What happened, it’s all a bit of a blur after you used the elements on me…” He asked trailing off. Luna looked away as did Red Watch and Silver Wing; Celestia slowly walked over and placed a hoof on his shoulder before sighing. “We were able to destroy Sombra…but Malaskaar cast the entire of the capital into shadows…the capital is no more.” She said. Turil stared at her as the memories came flooding back, he held his head with his right hand and gritted his teeth, grunting n pain. ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- “IF I GO, THEN SO DOES THIS CITY!” Malaskaar laughed. Turil watched in shock as Malaskaar ripped open the scroll and cast the curse into the air, before letting go of the ground and allowing himself to fly into the sealing orb. “This isn’t over.” He growled. He launched himself onto the roof and watched as the shadows began to engulf the city, growling in anger. He tried to summon more power but found himself unable to and fell to the floor in agony before he blacked out from the pain. ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- “No…I was…I was to slow I could have stopped him.” Turil muttered stumbling backwards. “This is my fault…” “Not, it’s not your fault Turil; you did the best you could. No one could have predicted Malaskaar would do that…not even you.” Celestia said reassuringly. “How many?” Turil asked. “How many what?” Celestia replied. “How many survived?” He asked softly. Celestia paused for a moment before letting out another sigh. “Around two hundred Equestrian soldiers, one hundred and ninety Crystal soldiers and about sixty of Sombra’s forces who surrendered to us and are being guarded in the camp outside the city.” “And Shadow Heart? Steel Hoof?” He asked. Celestia shook her head as her ears lowered; Turil gritted his teeth and sighed before leaning against the wall. “Turil…I-“Celestia began. Turil interrupted her by walking back down the hallway with a clenched fist; she looked to Red Watch and Luna not sure as to what to do. Luna walked past Celestia heading towards where Turil went. “I’ll talk to him…” ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Turil leant against the window looking out of it deep in thought; he didn’t hear Luna gently knock on the door as she entered the room. “Rilly?” She said softly. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t care what you or Tia say…this IS my fault…if I hadn’t decided to go to the forest that day with Grendel and Malaskaar…then he wouldn’t have become what he was, and your world wouldn’t have suffered.” He replied. “Yes Tia told me what happened…” She said walking over to him. He felt her wing drape over him and usher him towards the bed, he sat down as did she, her wing still over him. “You really shouldn’t blame yourself for this Turil…” Luna started. “I’ve fought battles before, there never truly is a winner, and each side must sacrifice.” “I know…it’s just, I had the power right there and then to kill him. I decided instead to trap him in a sealing orb to take him back with me and face justice at the hands of the inquisition…but that only gave him a chance to perform the curse.” Turil replied leaning downwards. “Rilly look at me.” Luna said. Turil didn’t shift his gaze, keeping it on the floor until Luna lifted his chin up with her hoof and smiled at him. “In the month we’ve been here, the line of ponies wanting to meet you and give their thanks to you has never stopped. Every day more and more would come to see if you were awake and alright, they see you as a hero and all understand you did what you could…” Luna smiled at him. He thought for a moment and let out a defeated sigh before smiling; he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Luna smiled and returned the embrace and closing her eyes. “Thank you Lu-Lu…I needed to hear that.” He said letting her go. “It’s the least I can do Rilly.” She smiled and nuzzled his neck. ‘I need to tell them what Varlos said…’ Turil thought. “But there’s one more thing that you and Tia need to know…something the others don’t need to hear.” Turil said with a sigh. “What’s that?” Luna asked him. “Go get Tia first…it’s important.” Luna nodded to him and slowly slid off the bed heading back into the main part of the building, Turil watched her go before letting out a deep sigh and resting his face in his hand. ‘This is going to crush them…’ He thought to himself. ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Celestia paced back and forth in the war room being watched by Red Watch and Silver Wing, her face was etched with worry and concern as she waited for either Luna or Turil to return into the room or even both of them. At the sound of hooves on floorboards got louder, she looked up to see Luna coming out of the hallway. “Lu-Lu is he alright?” She asked with concern. “He is Tia…but he says he needs to tell us something.” Luna replied. Celestia nodded and began to walk over to Luna followed by Red Watch and Silver Wing; Luna raised her hoof up at them and frowned. “He said it was only for mine and Celestia’s ears.” She said. “What why?” Silver Wing asked confusedly. “I don’t know, it’s just what he said.” Luna replied. Silver Wing snorted and headed out of the building to inspect the troops, Red Watch merely shrugged and returned to sorting out bits of papers that were on a desk nearby as the two Princesses walked back down the hallway to the room where Turil was. ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Turil looked up when he heard the sounds of hooves on the floorboards begin to increase in volume; he smiled to Celestia and Luna as they came into the room. “Can you close the door Tia?” He asked her. “Of course.” She used her magic to close the door. “Now what’s this all about?” Turil got up from the bed and wandered to the window looking out of it, he was quiet for a few moments before he addressed the two of them, never moving his gaze. “Do you know how curses work?” He asked the two. “Well yes, curses work by the caster causing great damage to another whilst at the same time giving up something of theirs in return.” Celestia replied. Turil nodded as he continued. “And did you know they can be broken?” “Again yes, but…if your referring to Malaskaar, he can’t. He’s trapped within the capital inside that orb.” Celestia had been told this by Turil on one of the days when he briefly regained consciousness, she had asked him what happened to Malaskaar and he told her that he sealed him away just before the curse was made. Turil said nothing, only turning to them with a saddened expression on his face and slowly nodding his head. “But he can’t!” Luna replied in confusion. “We destroyed Sombra ourselves!” “You didn’t fully destroy him…” Turil started. “When I was unconscious I spoke to Varlos, he told me that at the moment when you destroyed him, J’skaar took Sombra’s soul into the void in order to save him and return him. Varlos also said that J’skaar also placed a counter curse over the city to bring it back along with Malaskaar.” “Then how come he hasn’t done it yet?” Celestia asked. “Because Varlos placed a protection spell around your world, J’skaar cannot intervene in this world until he breaks it.” “And how long will that take?” Celestia asked with concern in her voice. “I don’t know…hundreds of years maybe a thousand…” Turil sighed as he hanged his head. “I’m sorry…” “It’s not your fault Rilly…” Luna said walking over and nuzzling his neck. “And what about you?” Celestia asked quietly. “Will you stay here and help us when they return?” Turil turned to look at both of them and smiled. “I don’t know how long I will live before they return…but I will be here to protect your world from them when the time comes.” “You have to go back to Cyrium…don’t you?” Luna said softly her eyes beginning to water. “Yes I do…” He started Turil grinned and bopped her on the nose startling her. “But not just yet.” ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Turil breathed softly as he slept in his bed, he rolled over and murmured to himself and failed to hear the female giggle coming from the doorway. Luna giggled quietly to herself as she levitated a bucket of water above her and slowly floated it over Turil’s head. She slowly began to tip the bucket over his head, a mischievous grin on her face. Just as she fully tipped it letting the water splashed up, Turil shot his hand up and diverted it in a ninety degree angle towards her. To startled to move, Luna screamed as the cold water came splashing all over her face drenching her, she stumbled backwards and fell onto her rump blinking in confusion. As she coughed and spluttered, Turil leant up in the bed and began to laugh loudly, much to the annoyance of the scowling Luna. “Nice try Lu-Lu but you have to get up pretty earlier in the morning to fool old Tailclaw.” He smirked at her. Luna glared at him and got back to her hooves as Celestia came round the corner, obviously alerted to Luna’s scream a looking concerned which quickly changed to her holding back a fit of giggles as Luna scowled at her. “It’s not funny Tia!” Luna whined. “I beg to differ.” Celestia giggled. The three of them made their way to the dining area in order to have breakfast, Turil had been living in Whitewall for the past five months as he gradually recovered from his wounds whilst helping out the ponies with diplomatic duties such as helping the towns and cities that wanted to become part of Equestria due to the loss of the capital of the Empire as well as the majority of the military forces. During his time he had been spending a lot of time playing pranks with Luna and teaming up with her to prank Celestia and others, both bonding further and becoming very close friends. Turil had also spent a great deal of time teaching Ink Quill about Cyrium, the different cultures and races as well as the different forms of governments and his adventures. But as they ate their food and Luna and Celestia chatted to one another, Turil was feeling down, he knew that today would be a heart-breaking one of the two sisters. Not because of the fact he had chosen that day to return to Cyrium, but because of the request he was going to ask of the sisters, a request that would change the very history of their world. As they finished, Celestia suggested going for a walk around the town, Luna and Turil nodded in agreement and followed after her, Turil using his staff to help him walk. During their stay, Celestia had now and again gone back to Canterlot in Equestria to check up on everything that was going on their whilst assisting Luna and Turil with the relocation of the refugees form the Empire as well as the towns and cities that wanted to join them. As they walked, Turil remained mostly quiet as he began to wonder how he would break the news to them; the two sisters must have picked up on this as they both turned to him as they entered the town square with looks of concern on their faces. “Rilly is everything ok?” Luna asked him. “Hmm what?” Turil replied as he came out of his thoughts. “Something’s troubling you…isn’t it?” Celestia said. Turil paused for a moment before sighing and nodding. “Aye…but its best I tell you and Ink Quill in private.” He replied. “Why?” Luna asked. “Because I need to ask you something, something very important.” He simply said. The sisters left it at that, opting to wait until later that day to find out what he meant. The rest of the day was spent as it normal was, helping out the Mayor with sorting out transportation documents, playing games with each other and general discussion. It was all in all a nice normal relaxing day. As Celestia began to lower the sun in order of Luna to raise the moon, Turil knew the time was now. He led Celestia, Luna and Ink Quill out of the city. They walked for what seemed like hours until Turil was satisfied with the distance and turned to face the three. “As you three know…I need to return to Cyrium at some point…and that time is now I’m afraid.” He said. Celestia’s ears dropped as she frowned as did Ink Quill, Luna’s eyes began to water up as her lip quivered slightly. “But…can’t you stay a bit longer?” Luna asked him taking a step forward. Turil felt his own eyes water slightly and looked away. “I wish I could Lu-Lu…I really do…which makes this next bit hard.” “What do you mean?” Ink Quill asked him. “I need you to use the elements of harmony to erase all knowledge of myself, Malaskaar, Varlos and J’skaar as well as how the war actually went.” He said looking directly at them. “What….?” Celestia whispered. “Why?!” Luna choked back a sob as she heard the words; unable to truly believe he had spoken them. “You three can remain the only ponies in this world who knows what really happened…I ask this because there are forces in Cyrium that are far more evil and powerful then Malaskaar; I fear that the curiosity of a pony could lead to them opening a rift between our worlds, giving an opportunity for a greater evil to invade your world…an evil I wouldn’t be able to stop.” He paused to look at them, tears in the corners of his own eyes his own words causing him pain. “Please…Change it so Sombra was defeated by you two wielding the elements or something, I don’t want the risk of the existence of my world knowing of yours and possibly leading to your world’s demise.” “B-but you don’t know that!” Luna cried. “You all know what I’m saying is true…it’s for the best. “But….but…” Luna chocked. Celestia lowered her head as silent tears flowed down her cheeks, she knew he was right. His existence in their world could lead to an over curious unicorn from accidently bringing another dark force, weather it was a single creature or hundreds, into their world and possible destroy it. Casting the spell was indeed possible but Celestia didn’t want to do it, she wanted Turil to be remembered by everypony as a hero, a hero from another world who risked his life to save them. But in her heart…she knew he was right. Luna began to sob uncontrollably, she could understand him having to go back to Cyrium but the thought of not being able to talk to anyone other than Celestia about his existence if they cast the spell was too much for her. Aside from her sister and Ink Quill, he was her only friend, someone who treated her not as a princess, but as a friend and she didn’t want to lose that. She felt something wrap around her and opened her eyes to see Turil hugging her tightly, feeling his tears on her own fur. “I’m sorry Lu-Lu…but you know I’m right…” She buried her face into his neck and sobbed wrapping her front legs around him returning the embrace, she hated the fact that he was indeed right, it was for the best. She wrapped her front legs tighter around him as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Ok…” she whispered. They broke the hug as Luna sniffled and Turil wiped his eyes with his sleeve, he looked at the three of them and nodded. Celestia nodded back as Turil took out the void shard he was given by Varlos and began to draw the power from it, the three ponies watched as a ring appeared around his body on the ground and shine a bright white. “Oh and another thing, take this to remember me by.” He said and tossed a pouch to them with a grin. Luna caught it in her magic and opened it up, revealing the contents to be a strange looking plant. They looked to Turil in confusion who chuckled back at them. “Thistlesung leaf…finest smoking tobacco in the Southern Kingdom.” They all chuckled softly as Luna sniffled; they had always wondered what the name of the plant he smoked was called. Luna levitated the pouch over her head so it dangled on her neck, she watched as Turil began to slowly fade out. “Oh and one last thing…you will see me again Lu-Lu…I promise…good bye my friends…I will never forget you…” “And we will never forget you or what you have done for us Turil Tailclaw…thank you.” Celestia smiled as she sniffled. “Goodbye Turil…it was a pleasure and an honour meeting you.” Ink Quill said with a smile and a salute. Turil chuckled and gave him a salute back before looking to Luna who had tears streaming down her face again. “Goodbye Lu-Lu…” Turil smiled at her. “Goodbye Rilly…I won’t forget you…” She said with a sniff. Turil smiled softly as he fully disappeared, the ring vanishing leaving the three ponies alone in the snow. Luna softly sobbed as Celestia wrapped a wing around her supportively, she looked to Ink Quill who nodded back and began to head back to the city. Tomorrow they would cast the spell, to honour Turil’s last request, to honour their friend and saviour.