A storm was quickly approaching from the horizon, the black clouds crackling a deafening roar. Unlike the soft, calmer storms of Equestria this one wasn't planned and structured, this one was formed by nature. I started humming to myself as I finished planting a few seeds in my little farm and pulling out the carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables I planned to cook for dinner that night. As I left the farm, closing the crooked gate behind me, I walked up the fractured stone pathway to my cabin, next to the old wooden fence of my garden, and I couldn't help but admire my home.
It was worn and damaged by the passing of time but no force on this planet, sieges or storms, would bring it down. It had a red tiled roof with a stone chimney rising from it with simple stone and mortar walls and glass windows with painted wooden shutters. It would seem simple, ugly even, to most people but to me it was perfect. As I climbed the stone steps I took a moment to take in the world around me. To my right I saw rolling landscapes of picturesque scenery with flowing rivers, never ending forests and snow capped mountains and even further east laid the world I left behind. To the west even further up the already treacherous mountain were jagged rocks, mountains, harsh snow, blizzards and monsters better left forgotten to the annuals of time. I lived where most people called the End of the World, it got its name because no one has made it through the mountains and made it back. I've been across countless times and it is most certainly not the end of the world, quite the contrary. On the other side lies lands untouched by ponies, creatures both beautiful and dangerous and species ranging from furless bipeds who lived in small tribes and beasts of scaly and feathered skin who lived in swamps and surprisingly both make great conversationalists. I often traded with the natives for foods and supplies from their lands, I believe they call me the 'fuzzy vegetable horse'. Sounds better when they say it.
I stopped thinking about the world long enough to hear my stomach growl, a long day of farming and meditation works up an appetite. I walked up to the old, blue wooden door and unlocked it with my horn, after all, keys can be copied but a magical signature couldn't. I walked inside and closed the door behind me, locking it tightly. I cast a spell and lit the candles and lanterns around the room, basking everything in a cool, orange glow. In the far left of the room was my archaic, king sized bed, to my right was the kitchen, to my left the study and living room, my bathroom behind a closed door on the opposite side of the room and below me a cellar full of alcohol, frozen foodstuff and relics. I'm not an alcoholic but I like to keep stock for the times I keep company. I walked over to my kitchen and prepared a meal with the freshly farmed and cleaned vegetables, A salad with a nice dressing sounded divine. As I started cooking I looked out the window and drifted away to thoughts of when I lived a grander life.
It was nice having anything you wanted at a moments notice and it was heartwarming to know that so many people loved you, respected you and feared you. But I don't regret leaving it all behind me, I grew tired of warfare, politics and seeing people I loved die...And making countless mistakes. So like many of my kind I left, we went to different corners of the world, some further than that, and lived contently. I never regretted leaving the world behind, here I couldn't endanger those around me. Those that didn't soon tore each other apart in what many called the Immortal Divide. Immortals killing each other over power and greed, alliances and kingdoms rising and falling with the shifting tides of trust and creeds. Many of my kind were hunted down and killed for their powers, Many came for mine. Their broken bodies now lay in forgotten graves along the mountain slope. When one immortal dies the rest cry for him, for a loss that massive is felt throughout the world, through the thousand year war no one cried for there were too many to cry for. In the end few were left, only two spirits of good and evil where left and many watched from the sidelines. Tierk was the first to fall and be locked away, Discord followed shortly after and then the Second Sister Luna was banished years later. Thus marked the end of the Immortal War, with Celestia, the Broken Queen, sitting on the throne. Our numbers are few but we still remember those dark days, we few promised to never repeat the same mistakes. Never again would we few Immortals seek power we should not own.
My thoughts were cut short as I cut myself with my kitchen knife, which was most likely as old as myself. I didn't really feel it but I was still surprised all the same. I used my magic to clean the wound, seal it and wipe away the silver, watery blood that has stained my fur as I washed the knife clean. I don't know how long I had spent reminiscing but the sun was setting and my meal was finished. Grabbing a bowl and fork I placed the meal on the rustic table I used for both researching and eating and sat down on a worn, oak chair. Though it was a simple and beautiful meal it was lacking something, perhaps a nice, smooth red wine would go well with it. Standing, I hurried to the basement entrance. I descended the rickety stairs down to my cool cellar and looked around for the perfect bottle. After a small search I came across a dust covered, emerald green bottle bearing the ancient mark of the old Griffin kingdom, a clear sign that this was once brewed by a royal brewmaster. Funny, when I bought it it was worth a few gold pieces, now it was beyond priceless. If the Griffin Warchief knew how much of this crimson beverage was hidden here, along with a few Griffic artifacts I've acquired over the years, he would probably start a war for it. I wouldn't blame him as some of these relics were probably his family's at some point. As I started walking up the stairs I felt...Something. A sudden rush of magical energy, a boom in power and a call of new life.
It was...No, it can't be. If its true then...A new Alicorn has been born! Oh what wonderful news! This was a grand and joyous occasion! As I sat down at my table and shakily poured myself a glass I pondered. If this is true then tradition says the nearest elder are or stallion Alicorn must welcome him or her to this world alongside their parents. It was hard to raise an Alicorn as they had the power to change the world and many more creatures would sense this too, some no doubt wanting to steal it for their own. As I checked the plains of Equestria and beyond for the nearest Elders I was shocked to find that I was the nearest stallion.
"Hmm...Well then, looks like I'm going to have to go on a bit of a pilgrimage, after all traditions are sacred, especially for something as momentous as this." I thought to myself with a bit of a sad smile. After spending a few...Centuries alone, I could go for a short trip around the world.
The night was loud as the storm raged over head. I Spent the night packing my supplies, writing a letter so my neighbors from over yonder hill would be aware of my absence if they came visiting, after all, who knows when I’ll be back. I cleaned my dishes, placed a spell on the broom to keep cleaning while I'm gone, nothing worse then coming home to a messy house. Before I went to bed for the night I went back to my cellar and walked past my bottles of ambrosia and frozen foods to my vault built into the rock wall of the cellar, swiftly walked inside and quickly pulled out a few relics.
My white wooden staff, Der'nael Sol. carved from a branch of the First Tree, it had spells, stories and curses inscribed into it from years past that seemed to glow with multi-coloured ethereal light and a beautiful black, crystalline orb on top being carried by small branches intertwining around it. The orb was one of two born from the First Tree, one of the rarest gems in the world and also one of the most powerful conduits for magic. Inside the murky depths of the gem glowed hues of invigorating orange, calming blue, infernal red, emerald green, golden yellow and every now and then a white, translucent soul would swim amongst the colours. The orb softly hummed a calming, almost angelic tune that was hauntingly beautiful.
I also took with me my short sword Nael'tus. though long since retired and broken it had seen me through much bloodshed and would serve to protect me once more. The glimmering Naelstone blade was so sharp it could cut through a wall of steel and the golden handle had a bright shine to it that seemed to illuminate the room. In the sword's guard sat a round, deep green emerald that smelt of grass and morning dew. Running up the blade in order was a ruby shaped like a kite that contained a raging fire in it near the base of the blade, a polished cushion sapphire so blue and well cut it looked like water, an oval of translucent hambergite that seemed to faintly emit the sound of a spring wind and to add to the look running along the blades cutting edge was a fine line of black, earthy obsidian. The end of the blade was a jagged, horizontal cut that was clearly not intentionally made. Along with the gems, inscribed into the blueish silver blade was the story of its creation, the archaic, poetic and powerful words were etched so elaborately that it looked more like a pattern of intertwining vines, streams of water and fire and the souls of animals flowing between the cutting edge of the sword and the gems. Unfortunately, the story was also cut in two. The writing and the animistic designs were abruptly stopped, leaving the story unfinished to all. Wherever the other half of the blade is, it has probably been corroded beyond recognition or hung up in some lord's estate; A memento of times past and lore forgotten. The grip was wrapped in a hardened cloth like material with archaic lettering on it to add some grip with the blade, though I mostly held it with my magic. Despite the lose of its other half, the blade still resonated with my presence and almost seemed ecstatic to let me hold it.
I then grabbed my robes and saddle bag. The robes were old, older then me even, the small tears along the robes legs and faded patterns were proof. The robe sported a regal blue color with a faded golden trim and silver rune markings in said trim, it also had a hood to cover my head from rain, snow or anything else that could hinder my travels, and since it covered my entire body it had my destined mark design, the white, opulent First Tree with fire and ice for leafs and stars for roots, on both sides of my flanks. My saddle bags were plain brown with the same mark stitched onto it, made by me at a much younger age.
The last few things I took were precious only to me and held no historical value. A small gold and silver necklace with a scratched fire ruby in the heart shaped wooden pendent. The purple wood used in the pendent was from the ancient Everfree trees that make up the heart of the now called Everfree Forest far from here. Some say the wood's cursed, I say it's enchanted. The necklace's creators had long since passed it on to me and they probably would have forgotten they even gave it to me.
The next thing I grabbed was a simple linen white shirt, brown belt and dark black trousers, just for warmth.
Then, various charmed wood and stone bracelets with various sigils and hexes carved into the surfaces. One stood out to me in particular: the one given to me from my mother, passed down for generations. The golden and silver wood and chipped stones used no longer exist and the markings aren't listed in any known scripture but it still comforted me deeply. The bracelet still pulsing in sync with my own heart.
A leather tome so tattered, faded and scratched I'm amazed the cover still remained attached. The cover bore my mark, though all colour and the book's title had long since been removed. Within the tome were various diary entries, experimental notes, memoirs, sketches, life lessons and teachings. Everything I have learnt, taught, thought and experienced had been put to rest here...Somehow I never seemed to run out of parchment.
And finally a pristine, cloth doll of a red Alicorn. Made for me eons ago, it was the only thing that remained from my childhood aside from my book and bracelets. The eyes had been replaced from rocks to black orbs and it was slightly faded but the charms I'd placed on it had kept it intact had absorbed any major damage. Hugging it tightly, I placed it and my other items into my saddle bags.
I took these mementos up stairs and left my bags by the door, my robes folded on a chair, my sword sheathed in its old brown belt and my staff next to my bed. Most Alicorns don't need to sleep, but it helped me relax. As I quickly checked around the house to make sure all was in order I realized I had started to smell from my long day of chores and farming, so before I went to bed I decided to have a warm, relaxing shower.
The bathroom like the rest of the house had stone walls and a wooden floor, though I had thrown down the hide of a fallen animal to act as a mat. The bathroom was small, only needing enough room to fit a bath shower, sink and toilet. Stepping into the bath I turned on the shower. It was an old griffin shower, built to accommodate people bigger than ponies comfortably but the old pipes and machinery that feed purified rainwater had been needing more and more of a fix up over the years, shame I was never good with technology. The water was as fresh and clean as always and I was soon taken to a world of heated bliss. As I got out of the shower and toweled myself off I looked into the my mirror.
I was a tall stallion with a long horn and big feathery wings. My coat was the same shade of blue as my robes, my eyes were fire red, my mane and tail were deep blue, crimson red, lush green and clean white. My mane covered the right half my face and draped down the same side of my head and the back of my neck. Most people would find me already a strange sight but my feathers make me even more of a rarity. Instead of them matching my fur they were different shades of brown, green, blue, red and white. The colors matched those of soil, grass, water, fire and air and were colored in a way with no discernible pattern but always seemed to change colors when I cleaned out useless feathers. I didn't look masculine, like almost all of my kind I was thin, tall, graceful and athletic, though I was in fact quite powerful.
After I had finished washing myself I crawled into my warm bed and slowly drifted into the realm of sleep as the rain crashing against my window and roof made a beautiful lullaby. Equestria had become a magnet for magical disturbances lately. The Elements rediscovered, Discords brief, yet intense, escape, an invasion lead by a Changeling Queen, the Crystal Empire resurfacing and now this?
"Long day tomorrow, It will take quite awhile to reach Equestria...but it will all be worth it. A new Alicorn foal..." I whispered to myself as I embraced sleep.
I had gotten up early to make sure everything was prepared and that nothing would burn down the house while I was away. The last time I went on an adventure my garden was a mess. After I checked everything I left my abode. I turned around and put a note on the door and walked down to the edge of my estate. As I made my way past my garden I turned around to look at my little piece of land. The rustic house and small garden, the few pieces of land I can truly call home. I didn't know how long I was going to be away from it but I knew I was going to miss it.