Chapter V. – A Foreigner's Interpretation
Ento brought forth what he could remember from teachings of the mages, who often visited the town when he had been a young colt. Their stories still captured his imagination today with the vibrant portrayals and tricks of the eye that were their forte.
He began with the beginnings of time for the Ekina people. The first of known time were the hunters of the night who emerged from the Great Forest. As they crept out of the home that the forest made for them, they experienced a new sensation of living beyond the trees. Undiscovered fauna and flora captured their imaginations, and set them out into a new world. In time, the expansion of Common Knowledge and Reason, spread by the Enlightened Few, began a period of settling down for the Ekina, who learned to take advantage of the environment, rather than strain to survive in it.
“And where did these ‘Enlightened Few’ learn this knowledge? That seems like quite a far leap to take from being nocturnal hunters to a species that used logic and reason,” Twilight interjected.
Ento paused, mind reeling, remembering.
“No Ekina knows exactly where their knowledge came from. But, as the legend goes, the Enlightened few were visited by two great spirits upon the peak of the mountain Bleas: first by the entity Tuni’Ro, the Mother of the Below, who it was said appeared to them as a corpse, clad in the silk of mountain grass.”
“A corpse?” Twilight interjected uncertainly. “And that didn’t scare the Few straight off the mountain at all?” A puzzled look spread across her face.
“Well, I’m certain the Few weren’t exactly contented to find a corpse talking to them. But it brought about our fierce respect for the dead.” Ento said in a very matter-of-fact tone. He paused, thinking.
“A death in Ek’Rael is treated as a holiday. All members of the family of the deceased take a pilgrimage to Brelset, the capital city, and travel far under the caves of the castle. These catacombs stretch deep into the heart of the mountain Bleas, which Brelset rests upon. After the mages lay the deceased to final rest, the family returns home, and a great feast is had in their name. The dead are not grieved over. Death is always respected and cherished.” Ento finished, and glanced at his listener. Twilight’s shocked face stared back at him.
“What is it, Twilight?” he asked carefully.
“That’s such a different way of life! Here, death is worried over and often times, feared. Ponies can grieve for years before they’re over the death of a loved one. Various arts often reflect the enigma of death: writing, painting, poetry and the like,” Twilight listed deliberately; face souring slightly as she went on. “I don’t get how any species could treat death with such a, a…” She gestured with a hoof, searching for a phrase; “deliberate merriment.”
“I suppose different cultures have different beliefs,” he suggested gently. Twilight finally nodded in agreement.
“I suppose you’re right, Ento. I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. Please go on with your story,” she said with a small smile. Ento nodded as he tried to remember his place in the tale.
“Tuni’Ro was the Mother of the land. She showed the Few that they had the power in themselves to rise up and use the earth for their own ends. She taught them true Common Knowledge, the power of what was around them.”
“And what about the other spirit?”
“Alik’Kr, the Father of the Above, appeared that night to the Few. As the legend goes, he appeared in the stars, and showed the Few the power of Reason: that by analyzing their Common Knowledge, they could achieve higher understanding. This was the beginning of the First Era.”
Ento paused for a breath, and to collect his thoughts. He glanced at Twilight, who sat on the floor like a little schoolphilly, looking up expectantly, a rapt expression on her face. Ento smiled internally, delighted at the knowledge he was sharing.
I’m obviously the first Ekina to visit this land in a great while. I’m like an ambassador to this pony. Better make sure I do this right. He took a breath and continued on.
“All Ekina flourished under the teachings of the Enlightened Few. Major families spread outwards from the forest, and established great towns and cities. Using their Common Knowledge, they discovered the metals of the earth and bent them as their will saw fit. With these revelations came mighty cities and tools that advanced the welfare of every Ekina. However,” he added, his voice darkening in effect to compliment the story,” this knowledge was a double-edged sword. Literally so, in fact.
“The Ekina, being a relatively primitive species, had retained the killer’s instinct that their ancestors had used to survive day to day. The advancement of smithing and metallurgy brought about more and more terrible weapons of war.” Ento’s inflection had changed, darker than ever before. Twilight’s face was rapt as he went on to list vicious contraptions and tools whose only point of existence was the killing of others, tools that the Warlords had devised over a period of time he only mentioned as the Age of Nightfall.
“The aggressive and boastful nature of the ancient Ekina, combined with stockpiles of war materials, led to huge skirmishes between the ruling families, who vied for any scrap of power they couldn’t buy or marry into. Hundreds of lives were shed in the first months, as various conflicts broke out randomly and unannounced in dominions across the land.
“The war soon began fully, and Ekina learned that by joining forces with other families, their power could be greatened. Thousands were being mercilessly killed each month as armies who swore multiple allegiances swept across the land.
“All Ekina of the time either lived in a constant state of hatred and resentment of other families or fear of slaughter and capture by them. The different houses that had joined together soon found a blade at their throats by the families they had ‘allied’ with. Most nobles of the houses met very gruesome ends.”
To this, Twilight grimaced. Ento found himself frowning at the story as well.
“But not all families were power-hungry,” he added, recompensing. “Some despised the fighting and wished only for the end to the war that consumed the land.
“So, finally, the Qa family, who lived upon the side of the mountain the Enlightened Few had climbed so many generations ago, had had more than enough of this war that had been killing so many innocent. They sent emissaries out in every direction from the kingdom to find help, since no other family could be trusted. The Family waited for months, to no avail…”
“Finally, on their bleakest of days, in came a scout, bringing with him two lone figures, cloaked, it’s said, in shrouds of pure white and deepest black. The elders of the family greeted the figures with gifts, blessings and uncertainties, in hopes that these mysterious figures would rise the land up and out of trepidation.
“After a private audience, the figures agreed to help, but shared with the Elders knowledge that the kingdom they had just left was only in its state of infancy. They warned that they themselves, as well as their subjects, could only do so much for the war-torn land of Strei, as it had been known in the First Era. The Elders, desperate to save their beloved land, agreed to anything the pair asked and eventually made a pact with the figures that they would devote a majority of their metal-rich land, as well as their astute knowledge of metallurgy, to the benefit of the Away-Kingdom that the two hailed from.
“So, with the deal having been sealed, the figures left, vowing to return with a fighting force of their best warriors. The elders returned their promise of devoting a multitude of resources and effort to their kingdom.
“But, as soon as the doors had closed behind the figures, the elders glanced at each other fearfully. They knew that what they had promised could not be delivered in any lifetime of theirs. So they hoped against hope that something would come out of this deal they had made. They waited until the armies of the Away-Kingdom arrived to help them turn the tide, and unite the land of Strei.”
Ento paused, thinking about what had come next.
“So, what happened?” Twilight asked, as involved in his story as any young Ekina would be as his grandfather told him of the struggle of the First Era.
Ento smiled at her comment, as well as her enthusiasm.
“Well, the figures went through with their promise. Within a month, soldiers from the Away-Kingdom came to Strei. Stories have been told both of the soldier’s bravery, as well as their otherworldly appearance and seemingly unreal feats, ranging from their abilities to wield objects in their mind, to breathing fire, even the ability to fly and cause explosions without chemicals. These are all stories and legends, though. No Ekina really knows what is actually true, if anything; time has washed away truth and replaced it with myth.
“As the war raged on, whole Ekina militias dropped their weapons where they stood, as they watched vast numbers of these unearthly soldiers march forth on their land. Not to mention, the soldiers were not nocturnal; they could sneak upon cities and towns during the day and capture whole battalions in their sleep.”
“So the armies of the Away-Kingdom succeeded in ending the war, right?”
“Yes,” Ento replied. “The armies of the clandestine Away-Kingdom were brave and fierce, and soon had brought every warring house under subjugation. An ultimatum was sent throughout the land: as a condition of surrender, four elder members of each family were required to meet at the summit of Mt. Bleas in order to form a new kingdom, in which all Ekina lived equally under the protection of a lordship.
“Now, for the Ekina, pride matters a great deal. Every house showed up at the summit, some more grudgingly than others, and all not by personal choice, much to the pleasure of the Qa family. But much to their concern, the cloaked figures insisted they take part in leading the summit as well.”
“Why?” Twilight asked. “They weren’t part of the kingdom. What should that mean, then, if these figures are just allowed to step in and take over whenever they want?”
“Well,” Ento said, contemplating this perspective. “The figures were certainly a big help in bringing an end to the War of Unending Night, as it came to be known. Not to mention I’m sure the Qa family made certain to appease the figures as much as they possibly could because of the impending fallout of the deal. No one is really sure, I suppose.”
Twilight nodded along thoughtfully. Ento could tell her mind was racing by the faint glimmer in her eye.
“Go on, please. Sorry about that,” she apologized.
“It’s no problem, Twilight. Really.” He smiled as he got back into the rhythm of the story. “Anyhow, the summit was beyond a success. All seventeen of the ruling families swore fealty to the Lord and Lady of the land; these were Atah’Qa and Sahi’Qa, respectively; the land was now known collectively as Ek’Rael. They, in turn, promised to protect and strengthen the Ekina as a species whenever possible. The figures, satisfied with their help, took their armies with them and left with only memories remaining, telling all they would return in time for the deal they had made.
“So began the Second Era, also known as the Common Era, since, well, it’s happening today. As we speak, in fact.” Ento finished his story, looking at Twilight. She was returning his gaze with the same bright fire that had been ignited since he began his story.
“Well, wait. What about the figures? Their promise? Were they ever helped?” Twilight sounded honestly upset; a testament to her ubiquity when it came to storytelling and ancient lore.
“Well of course!” Ento said, puffing his chest in a small show of pride. “The pact created a period of peace and fortune for the emerging land of Ek’Rael. Industry opened up, and modernization boomed everywhere. Surpluses expanded in every corner of the market.
“After several years of prosperity, the Elder’s past came back to greet them : the figures came back, asking for the resources they had been pledged. They told of the struggle in their land, where the races of their people had rebelled due to the difficulties of integrated living. Each species called for and desired raw materials for various different reasons; and as it seemed, the land they lived upon could simply not keep up with the modernization of different species that had entirely separate interests. Not to mention…”
Ento stopped talking, as he realized Twilight’s odd reaction to this part of his story. She seemed puzzled, as though pieces of a thought were slowly arranging themselves into a whole.
“Are you okay, Twilight?’ Ento asked, concerned.
. . . .
Snap out of it, Twi! He’s talking to you! a voice called somewhere in her head. Twilight brought everything back into focus.
“I said, is everything okay?” Ento asked, rather concerned. He was standing on the tips of his hooves, as though he were attempting to look straight into her mind to find out what was going on.
“Er, yeah. I’m sorry Ento. Go on, ignore my scatter mindedness, I’m just. Tired, is all.” She smiled weakly, trying to cover up her embarrassment.
“Alright, well. The Lord and Lady made good on their agreement, and brought to the figures the resources they asked for. Even as the contract was being finished, though, the figures turned on the Lord and Lady, and demanded much more than they had been promised. Outraged, the Lord and Lady retaliated in full effect. They spread the news throughout the land that members of the Away-Kingdom had obviously started the war in order to broker this deal and then take away from the Ekina what was, naturally, theirs. And, of course, it worked. The ancient Ekina were glad to find a scapegoat in something as they had, only a generation before, picked up bodies of their dead kin with heavy hearts and bitter resentment.
“So, with a kingdom rallying underneath them, the Lord and Lady ordered the figures and their subjects banished from Ek’Rael for the rest of time without a scrap of the resources the figures had been promised. The city mobbed, murdering the accompanying soldiers that they had before been willing to feed in their own homes and had fought alongside.
“As the guards escorted the pair out of the great hall, they vowed they would never return to this land, and said they would punish all their subjects who dared to come here. Needless to say, it wasn’t a tearful farewell,” he said with a grimace.
“And that’s all I can really say. The next thousand and a half years are pretty common. Darn periods of peacetime, the storyteller’s bane, eh?” He said, winking, and laughed.
Twilight nodded absentmindedly; her thoughts were elsewhere.
This story he’s telling sounds awfully familiar, she thought. Well, at least the part about the other land’s rebellion, disagreements and shortage of resources. That’s almost an exact word-for-word account of pre-modern Equestrian history. The figures… I wonder? “Pure white and deepest black?” Sounds like someponies I know. And it would put this story at just the right moment in time. Hmm. More and more twists and turns in this story.
Twilight refocused back into reality, gaze coming into focus at a mildly amused Ento.
“You know, If you’d like, you can get to bed. I don’t know if you’re a very good example for it, but I assume ponies aren’t nocturnal.” Ento chuckled at this little joke.
Twilight started to protest, but the parts of her brain that had burned out from a combination of staying up all hours of the night, getting the living hay scared out of them, and having to race around every question she had been forming during Ento’s story seemed to have suddenly gained a lot of persuasive ability.
“I suppose you’re right,” Twilight admitted with a sigh. “Erm, will you be okay here? There’s a cot in the closet for guests, and a blanket and pillow…” She was cut off by a huge yawn.
Ento smiled at the gesture of kindness.
“Thank you, that’s quite generous of you. I’ll be up for a few hours more, until morning. If you don’t mind, I’d love to check out your collection of books until bedtime?”
Twilight nodded an affirmative, too tired to form sentences any longer.
“Okay,” Ento said quietly. “See you in the afternoon then, Twilight. Thank you again for everything”
Twilight mumbled about food in the fridge, and with a gentle nudge from Ento, turned to go straight to bed. The moment her head hit the pillow she fell into a deep sleep, charged with dreams of a far-away land and a great struggle for good and evil.
. . . .
Ento walked to the closet to set up his cot. Twilight Sparkle. A pony, probably the strangest pony I may ever meet, he thought to himself.
But, there was something about her... I feel like I’ve known her, somehow.
He shook his head slightly, pulling out the cot and some pillows.
Impossible. You can’t ever have met her before, she’s a pony. There’s not a single pony in Ek’Rael, and there never have been. You know that. He sighed, as he set up his bed in the entry room.
Ento passed off the thought, and finishing up, went to go look for a book to start reading. He came across more than he could ever read in any lifetime, and decided to settle on Daring-Do and the Golden Sabre.
He sat up in bed, listening to the rain as he read about a pony that he was quickly falling in love with: nothing appealed to his sense of adventure more than a character that pulled off amazing exploits on the drop of a hat.
In the back of his mind, however, he felt the nagging pull that asked what it was about a pony named Twilight Sparkle that he found so, so...
Remarkable.