//------------------------------// // Chapter 19: Hall of Reflection // Story: Eternal Night // by Lucaro //------------------------------// Dusty poked his flank, looking at his new cutie mark. The colt scrunched his face up, trying to understand. “What is this thing?” Cepheus had been trying to figure out the same thing. “I think it’s some kind of flower.” He stared at it, analyzing it further. It was a yellowish gold circle, with eight light orange frills. It glowed faintly every now and then, but it was cold to the touch, as if it was missing some crucial element to make it whole. “I hope this doesn’t mean my special talent is gardening,” he mused. “It’s really pretty looking...” Dusty whispered in awe, trailing off. The colt and stallion lapsed into silence as they waited in the clearing. A council of village elders was assembled before them, their grayed manes and wrinkly skin holding decades of wisdom. Their eyes were trained on Cepheus, appraising his worth as a stallion, and smiling at him in satisfaction. Cepheus felt a nervous excitement for what was about to happen. Candle appeared at the other end of the clearing. Cepheus gasped, taking her beauty in. She had been thoroughly groomed, her beige fur shining. She had small white flowers in her brown mane, and a tense mixture of happiness and anticipation lit her face. The elders formed a line on both sides, allowing her to pass through them. She trotted slowly, her eyes trained on the white pegasus she was about to be bound to. Small whispers of archaic blessings issued from the muzzles of the elders as Candle trotted by. The soft luminance of several lanterns shed light on the aisle, the faint glow reflecting in Candle’s enamored eyes. Candle stood by Cepheus, and Dusty was grinning from ear to ear, looking up at both of them. The eldest stallion of the village approached them, his eyes blind and his gait frail and trembling. He halted before the two ponies, and cleared his throat. “We are here today to bear witness the elopement of a willing stallion and a grateful mare.” There was a murmur of consensus from the other elders. Cepheus and Candle beamed, and they both faced each other. The old stallion rumbled in a deep baritone. “Today, we celebrate the ancient rite of marriage,” he declared, “and to bind another two willing ponies together in its holy embrace.” A tear dripped down Candle’s eyes, and Cepheus’ heart swelled with joy. The old stallion smiled at both of them, touching Cepheus’ head. “A stallion, strong and virile,” he said, and then moved his hoof to Candle’s head. “A mare, beautiful and feminine,” he put his hoof down and declared in a loud voice. “Together, they shall live in harmony for as long as they live!” The old stallion faced Cepheus, addressing him. “Do you, Cepheus, take this mare as your wife?” Cepheus smiled. “I do.” The old stallion faced Candle, addressing her. “Do you, Candle, take this stallion as your husband?” Candle hesitated, appearing overcome with emotion. A tinge of worry pricked at Cepheus. She swallowed, smiling, and said, “I do.” The old stallion beamed. “Then I pronounce you, husband and wife! You may kiss the bride!” Cepheus leaned into Candle, their lips meeting and the vows binding their hearts together forever and always. The elders had burst into applause, blessings and compliments filling the air. Cepheus drew back, staring lovingly into his wife’s eyes. Dusty began to cry, and they both swept him up in a group hug. The little colt was sobbing, trembling. “Does this mean I have a dad now?” he asked solemnly. Cepheus bent his hooves so he was eye level with the colt. His brown eyes were brimming with tears. “Dusty, you’ve had a dad for a while now.” The colt lost whatever grip he had on his emotions and dove into Cepheus, bawling. Cepheus wrapped his hooves and wings around the colt, holding him tightly. A tear streaked down Cepheus’ face, and he noticed a light from behind him. His cutie mark was aglow, shining softly. His mane began to shimmer gold, his blue eyes luminous, and he felt a light in his heart. Nothing could describe what he was feeling now but pure happiness. The elders whispered in awe, pointing at Cepheus’ cutie mark. There was a cry of alarm, and Cepheus looked up two see two dark figures descending from the canopy. Did my light expose our location? Cepheus cursed. The shadows hit the ground a distance away, and the two Nightborn ponies stared maliciously at Cepheus and Candle. The elders fled as fast as they could, and the other villagers were pointing and screaming. “It’s the Night Guard!” “Sure as hell it is!” one of the Nightborn ponies replied, laughing. Cepheus stood his ground, shielding his wife and son with his wings. “Get out of here!” he urged them. Candle took Dusty and fled, looked back at him in fear, and continued galloping. “We finally managed to track down these scum,” the mare Guard said. Her horn began to glow, and a red flare streaked into the air, rising above the canopy, and bursting into red sparks that could be seen for miles around. The signal had been sent. The two Night Guards both looked at each other, an evil grin spreading on their faces. “Let’s start killing,” the stallion said. “Before the main force ruins our fun,” the mare added. Their gaze turned to Cepheus, and he stared back at them, snarling. The unicorn mare used her magic to unsheathe two slender lances, the razor sharp strips of metal whistling in the air as she swung them around. The pegasus stallion grinned, and flying up into the air, a spear extending from the sheathes strapped above each one of his front hooves. Cepheus looked behind, and saw that the villagers were fleeing into the forest, grabbing as many of their belongings as they could. Candle, you have to keep them together, he thought to himself. You have to take care of them. Cepheus faced the two advancing Night Guards. He had to distract them as long as he could while the villagers fled. He leapt out of the way, barely dodging a spear thrust from the airborne Night Guard. One of the unicorn’s lances cracked down at the base of his neck, and he screamed, blood gushing out of the wound. Scarlet dripped down his barrel, and the two Night Guards gasped. “Is that normal?” the stallion asked. “His blood is glowing, you idiot.” She scowled. “That’s not even close to normal.” Cepheus looked down at the blood pooling at his hooves, and saw that thousands of tiny glittering beads of light were suspended in the scarlet. It was like all his cells were intermittently giving off blips of light. “I think he’s the one Nightmare Moon was looking for,” the stallion Guard said, pointing at him. “Let’s take him,” she answered, devilish glee filling her features once again. Cepheus began backing away, and the two Guards charged him, weapons pointed. There was no way he could escape them. He closed his eyes, and there was a howl. A battle cry was more like it. Cepheus opened his eyes and saw that another bat-pony had deflected the Night Guards’ blows, and was standing protectively over him. “Get up!” he commanded, avoiding another spear thrust. Those aquamarine blue eyes, that dark mane, those dark shadows around his eyes…. “Sirius?” he asked uncertainly. “Is that you?” The strange Nightborn pegasus growled at the now frightened Night Guards. Two more bat-ponies dropped from the canopy, hurtling towards the ground with incredible speed, spears held outward. The two Night Guards looked up just in time to see them descending, but couldn’t get out of the way in time. Both were impaled on the spears, and blood gushed out of their mouths as they shuddered and died. What is going on!? Cepheus screamed internally. The two spear-bearing Nightborn ripped out their weapons from the bleeding backs of the Night Guards. One approached the strange pegasus that had saved Cepheus’ life. “Antares, we have to get out of here. The main force is inbound.” Antares nodded, and looked down at Cepheus. “Come with me if you want to live.” He hesitated. Antares rephrased the offer. “Come with me if you want to see your friends again.” Cepheus took his outstretched hoof, and managed to stand back up. “C’mon let’s go,” one of the spear ponies said. “Follow us,” he said, urging Cepheus. They took off, and Cepheus tried following them as best he could. His wound stung as it continued pouring glowing scarlet blood, each flourish of his wings intensifying the pain. He looked back, wondering about the fate of the villagers. Candle…Dusty…Would they be alright? “The entire main force is following us!” one of the spear-ponies shouted above the roar of the wind, his nocturnal yellow eyes glowing with fear. Cepheus recognized this stallion’s eyes. It had been the same pair of eyes that had been watching him the night he had proposed to Candle. The three bat-ponies all began to chitter, emitting sharp bursts of sound as echolocation. Antares groaned. “We have to draw them away from Cepheus’ villager friends. We have to protect them!” he gestured at one of the spear-ponies. “Andre, you have to go tell the others that there are lost Dayborns in the forest. Gather them up and bring them to camp.” Andre hesitated. “Those are my orders,” Antares growled. “Yes, sir!” Andre dove down, disappearing beneath the canopy. Cepheus couldn’t believe this. He had heard of Nightborns killing other Nightborns, but he had never heard of one trying to help a Dayborn. Cepheus looked at Antares, and then at the other spear pony flying alongside him. Who were these ponies? They had weapons and armor, obviously had military training, and were hostile to the Night Guard. But foremost, they were Nightborn. Could Cepheus trust them? He had no choice. An arrow whistled by Cepheus, and another grazed his wing. They all looked back and saw a whole flock of Night Guard pegasi archers. “Evasive maneuvers!” Antares commanded to the two of them. “Stay close to me, and don’t fall behind!” Antares dove down, an arrow clattering off his armor. Cepheus and the other bat-pony followed. They ripped through the forest canopy, leaves and branches buffeting Cepheus as he hurtled downwards. He protected his face with an outstretched hoof, and he banked hard to the right, as Antares began to weave through the trees. There were cries of frustration from their Night Guard pursuers as they darted through the foliage. They began to fly over what appeared to be a clearing. A thick mattress of leafy vegetation covered the ground. Antares suddenly dived down into the vegetation, and with a small splash, he disappeared. The other bat-pony plunged into the water as well, and Cepheus followed. He tore through the lily pads and thick clumps of algae into the cold water. He floated, suspended in the emerald water. He opened his eyes. It was completely dark underwater, but his cutie mark was glowing, providing enough light for him to see. Cepheus saw Antares and the other bat-pony some distance away. They were pointing at these long green shoots of some kind of water borne plant. They were waving at him, gesturing to the shoots. Antares put his mouth on the shoot, and Cepheus realized it was a hollow reed plant. The other bat-pony put his mouth on a reed shoot as well, using it to get air from the surface. Cepheus’ lungs began to burn, and he paddled upwards with his wings. His lips met the bottom of the reed, and he sucked in a lungful of air. The taste of algae and swampy water was in his mouth, but he had an adequate supply of air. Cepheus looked up, seeing the dense blanket of floating waterborne plants completely blocking out any view of the world above. He saw dark, winged shadows flying above, and Cepheus prayed that they couldn’t see the light of his cutie mark. The shadows wandered above for a moment, and then took off. They waited submerged in the water. A few minutes passed, and Cepheus was startled as Antares appeared right in front of him. He pointed upwards, and swam to the surface. Cepheus followed, and broke the surface of the water. A pile of gunky algae sat on his head, and he wiped it off with his hoof. Antares and his companion were swimming to shore, climbing onto the bank. Cepheus dragged himself behind them, and collapsed on the porous mud, exhausted. He was cold and shivering, but something warm was trickling down his back. Antares put a patch of algae on his still bleeding wound. Cepheus gasped as it strung for a moment, but cool relief quickly replaced the burning sensation. Despite his injury, he was out of danger. His mind automatically thought of Candle and Dusty. He was their protector now. He had to find them and bring them to safety. Antares, or the Sirius look alike, was looking intently at Cepheus. The threstral’s demeanor suddenly changed, as if he were analyzing his every movement. “I recently became a father,” Antares said mechanically. “I understand how it feels to be separated from your family. To not know if they are safe or in danger….” Cepheus was staring at him incredulously. The other bat-pony shushed him. “Enough of that,” he said, breaking the strange spell that had overcome Antares. “Let’s get you back home, where there are others with more dominant personalities.” Antares shook his head several times. “Yes, let’s take Cepheus here back to camp.” Cepheus blinked. “How do you know my name?” The other bat-pony had already begun trotting ahead, and they followed. Antares explained himself. “Admittedly, we were spying on your group.” “Why?” Cepheus demanded. “Because their leader caught my interest,” Antares said, looking Cepheus over, and his eyes finally resting on his cutie mark. “You have the look of grand destiny in your features. A role far greater than mine own lies in wait for you.” Cepheus remained silent, listening. “How do you know this?” “You have a light within you,” Antares said, smiling and looking at Cepheus as they trotted. “Others are drawn to you. You are a shining beacon that provides the ponies around you with hope. You are everything light is qualitative of.” Antares gestured at Cepheus’ cutie mark. “That’s what your cutie mark symbolizes: a light in a dark world.” Antares trotted ahead, and the other bat-pony took fell back behind. They began to trot apace with one another, while Antares raced ahead. “I think you should consider what he said,” the bat-pony said, gesturing to his leader. “Why?” Cepheus asked. “He’s usually right about these things, but his insights usually disturb other ponies.” The bat-pony looked at Cepheus knowingly. “You of all ponies would know that. But with our leader, he has a compulsion to do so.” “Is that why he’s acting so weird?” Cepheus asked. The bat-pony sighed. “He’s always like that, but don’t worry about it. He means no harm.” “Who are you ponies?” Cepheus asked yet another question. “Why are you helping us? Aren’t Nightborns supposed to hate Dayborns?” The bat-pony smiled enigmatically. “Who decided that Nightborn ponies were supposed to hate Dayborns?” Cepheus scratched his head with his wingtip. “Nightmare Moon, I guess.” “Then our quarrel is with her then,” the bat-pony smiled. “We are a group pining for revolution. We are composed of defectors from Nightmare Moon’s military, other Nightborn ponies who sympathize with Dayborns, but all of us are united in this belief: the world is not as it should be. We don’t know how to fix it, but we know that dethroning the Empress will be a great start.” A Nightborn resistance group acting against a government that exalted Nightborns? Cepheus thought, puzzled at their odd predicament. It didn’t seem to make sense. A sudden epiphany struck him. If these ponies lived in these forests, maybe they had seen Persei and Ultra Violet. Maybe he could ask them a few more questions. “I know I’m full of questions, but…” the bat-pony looked at him expectantly. “But have there been other ponies to pass by here? My sister is out here somewhere.” Antares overhead them, speaking in a voice full of contempt. “The Scions of Celestion probably took her in. They’ve been rounding up all the Dayborn refugees in the forest.” “Who are they?” Cepheus asked. “A group of borderline-psychotic religious zealots,” the other bat-pony muttered. “They have their own revolutionary agenda as well.” “We’re here,” Antares said. Cepheus looked ahead and saw a large, mossy stone building that had the appearance of a decrepit mausoleum. Two Nightborn guards stood at the entrance, and met Antares when they arrived. “Welcome to the Hall of Reflections,” the other bat-pony whispered. “This is our headquarters.” “Why is it called Hall of Reflections?” “Antares has an obsession with mirrors, so they’re all over the place in there. It’s another part of his quirky nature, but they are supposed to be a constant reminder of who we are. It’s an affirmation of our identities.” It was very strange to Cepheus, but he understood. You could never become something you didn’t like and not notice with all those mirrors about. Cepheus was led inside, down a staircase lit by torches, and the first thing he saw was Candle and Dusty waiting for him. Relief washed over Cepheus. He galloped to them, and wrapped them in his embrace. Candle sobbed, and began planting kisses all over his neck and head, and Dusty was clinging to his leg. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” she whispered in his ear. He drew back, and smiled at them. They looked around at the strange company they were in. “They seem friendly enough,” Cepheus whispered, looking at Antares. “I guess we can stay here until the Night Guard give up their search.” Dusty looked up, still clinging to Cepheus’ hoof. “These ponies are so weird. I like them. Can we stay?” Candle nodded. “For the time being. Until then, we have to get some rest and figure out what to do next.” Candle led Dusty away, and Cepheus’ mind drifted to Persei. Is she alright? Was that the camp she had been talking about? It seemed unlikely that a third group of revolutionaries was out here in this forest. Cepheus was too tired to think of it anymore. Tonight, he would be sharing a bed with his new wife.