//------------------------------//
// Chapter Six: Ban Dragonheart. Part 2. 
// Story: The Legacy of Harmony 
// by overlord-flinx 
//------------------------------//

	Fenix tells me stories of his home land when we go together to collect water. What a remarkable land he hails from; much more so than the cloth teepees my people were accustomed to from what I can tell. Homes, stores, roads, all made from beautiful white stones Fenix called "marble" and "limestone". These buildings, as high as your eyes could see, he would say. I admit, they were tall tales to accept. But... The pain in Fenix's voice, the bitter-sweet remembering of those cities he voiced when he tells me these stories rang true. In their time, I am certain those buildings were astounding to the eyes as much as they were to the ears. I truly believe that.

Surprise is a "reserved" sort when it comes to matters of her own life. Your personal life or the lives of others she has to trouble passing the stories around; but her own is a different story. It had only been recently that she allowed me the smallest glimpse into the world she came from. From what I could derive from her chattering rhymes, her home was nowhere. What that means is... between she and I alone. As I would tell her something painful of my own past world, she would never speak of it herself. I truly believe that.

Whooves, or whatever name he decides upon being called at this given moment, I truly tend to ignore from time to time. I mean no grave offence to him, but it is only so far that I am willing to accept his talks of "metal structures" and "future advancements". Surprise humors him a great deal ever since he told this story of a tool that disposes waste. It is not that I don't believe his stories; he has shown me a great deal of strange artifacts that support his claims. It is only that his stories worry me. That the unknown is best left as it is; unknown. I truly believe that.

Pallanen is a true dear to the soul. There exists no mystery or misdirection with him. When we speak of our pasts, he will never withhold a detail. The land he called home was without buildings, roads, or any sort of construction. All was borne of nature, and borne of love for nature. When he speaks of it, you can almost hear the woodland sprites and singing words. It had truly sounded like a paradise for the most serene of spirits. That is why it feels all the more tragic when his tone shifts to sorrow when he remembers what happened to his homeland. He is a gentle, peaceful spirit... But there is a hatred deep within him that yearns to have a moment to spend its wrath. I truly believe that.

Now... I say all this, all of these remembrances of my cohorts, because the enlighten the point I wish to say. Pain, sorrow, acceptance, anger... They dwell within us in the forms of walls that stop us from advancing within our lives. Yet, you have a choice when these walls form before you. You may fight it and try to break it, or you may stand idle and allow it to stop you. As strange as it may come to you, I would rather stand idle and allow it to be there. I bravely accept what comes before me and do not fight it. Why would I? Because fate has given me the path with these walls; and it is my duty to prevent these walls from forming before the younger ones that will come.

I truly believe that...





The moment Celestia had woken from her sleep upon the mountain's cliff, the glint of the morning sun greeted her along with the colossal form of Ban Dragonheart standing near the cliff's edge. The young princess searched about her surroundings, finally able to see it within the morning light and truly see what was really here. To her, the most important thing she took note of was her younger sister curled up against the mountain's face still draped in a small shadow; sleeping. Celestia herself got to her hooves and walked over to Ban, joining her teacher and caretaker in looking over the waking world. The afterglow of sunset left Celestia with a peaceful image before she drifted off to sleep last night, but seeing the world now as it was seemed like an entirely different sight. Small caravans could be made out moving down dirt roads, flocks of birds were seen stretching their wings against the warm sunlight, and off to the distance she could hear the small town life of Trothelme.

"Celestia..." Ban spoke softly, "All you see here... The waters, the stones; the beasts, the mares; the living; the green, the blue... How long do you think they will all live?"

The question sank like a stone in the young heart of Celestia and she could not answer. Perhaps that was what Ban had intended. The old bull sighed with a heavy heart himself and moved to answer his own question. His face moved out against the strong mountain wind, letting his braided mane toss against the wind. "Days, months, hours, years, decades... I can't be the one to say for certain. But, would it ever be my place to say so either way? I would say no... What about you, Celestia?"

"I... I think it's wrong to even think about anything living or dying..." Celestia answered honestly while looking over the vast world below them.

Ban gave a surprised grunt and turned to look at his young pupil. "Wrong? Why would you say it would be wrong?"

Celestia herself seemed to consider it herself. The winds danced at her shimmering pink mane and brushed against her hooves as she consumed herself into a moment of thought. When she finally did speak, Ban's ears were all hers to do as she wished. "Because... Nothing ever dies... It just goes away so you have to remember it. As long as you remember it, it'll never die... It just won't be here or there anymore..." Celestia tried to explain what her thoughts were bringing to her, but she failed herself and looked to Ban for reassurance, "Do you know what I'm trying to say, Ban?"

"...Yes..." Ban's low, bellowing voice grew even more softer as he shut his eyes and turned himself back to the winds, "Yes, Celestia... I truly believe I do."

From one spirit, the soul of bravery had found another to touch against... Ban smiled to himself at this event and looked far off into the distance until Celestia called for his attention. "Ban?"

"Yes, Celestia? What's wrong?"

Celestia turned away from the cliff, the wide world, and Ban in exchange for the view of the massive mountain face just behind her. A small, hopeful smile came to Celestia; and for the first time since this trip, she started to laugh. "This is a beautiful mountain... Wouldn't you agree?"

Ban had to turn around and examine the mountain himself now, joining Celestia in the appraising of the massive stone wall before them. The great bull huffed a bit and let out a gravel churning chuckle. "A beautiful mound of rock indeed... Fit for a queen..."