//------------------------------// // Revelations (20) // Story: Bronze Hoof // by cowboybird //------------------------------// Revelations Third Arc: Advancement I sat there for a few minutes, deep in despair. A light drizzle began to fall as the last bit of light disappeared over the horizon as Luna raised her moon and stars. A smile almost appeared on my face. I love the night. Sometimes when I lived in New Findings I would stare at the night sky, imaginin bein one of the many blimps of light that scattered the heavens. New Findings. My home. How long has it been since I’ve been there. Weeks? Months? Everythin was easier back then, simpler. I thought back to Mr. Peach, the kids, Smoke, Fence Founder, Minnie. Oh god Minnie. The last time I saw her she looked like she wanted me dead for the death of her husband and father of her child. Poor Tin will grow up without a father, because of me. Just another soul that died because of me. My thoughts traveled to those around me, the bodies of the ponies that used to be alive. I let my body fall, landin in a mixture of mud and blood. To anyone walkin by, which was unlikely, it might have looked like I was one of the fallen. My armor must have been coated in dried blood. I lifted my hand and looked at the four horns. Green, blue, red, and yellow. Like some kind of twisted rainbow they rested in my palm. At the base of the blue one a little bit of skull still remained, along with a few light blue hairs. A ball formed in my throat. I quickly sat up and turned to my side and emptied my stomach. No use just sittin here, the others might be in danger. I lifted myself from the ground, the mud/blood mixture stickin to my back felt weird, but I didn’t care. Makin my way to the guardhouse was harder than I imagined. My axe somehow managed to survive the whole ordeal, and was stickin out of the ground. When did I lose that? I thought, tryin in vain to recall when I had dropped it. I picked it up and carried it into the guardhouse, careful of any rebels that might have lived. There were none. I set my axe down to try and construct a carryin devise from some leather strips I found. After a few minutes learnin how to tie a knot with one arm, I slung the makeshift sheath across my back haphazardly. A few adjustments I let my axe drop into the sling, and walked outside. There they were again, all just layin there in their own blood. The rain had gotten a lil rougher, and was comin down more heavily. Blood, rain, and mud all began to pool in the courtyard. Grimacing, I began my trek to the jail house. I needed some answers. I slugged my way through the liquid, tryin to ignore the smell. Flies buzzed like a tornado around some of the bodies. A few landed on me, only to be swatted at as I walked. I entered the stone building, vacant as expected. I made my way back to the jail cells, which were mostly emptied courtesy of the doors all bein open. Each looked like it had a tornado tear through it. Bunks were thrown against walls, clothes and other garments were tossed to the floor, and one even had the toilet ripped out. Steppin over a broken chair I found the end of the row. I found just the pony I was lookin for in his cell, asleep. The door to his cell was opened, but it seemed as though he didn’t care, or perhaps had slept through the noise that had happened durin the riot. “Hey Silent Crutch.” I said, standin on the outside of his cell. He didn’t move. “Silent Crutch!” louder this time. The bastard shifted, then went back out. “WAKE THE FUCK UP!” I yelled, elicitin a yip and jump which landed him on the stone floor. “Huh-wha” he managed before I lifted him by his neck. “Remember me?” I asked. At first he seemed scared and very confused, then recognition hit him. “You were the minotaur from the bar.” Silent said in nearly a whisper. “You’re damn right.” I said, lettin him fall to the bed. He hit hard, and began rubbin his sore flank. I noticed a green smear on his cutie mark, immediately infuriating me. Slammin my fist against the stone and crackin it seemed to stun the pony out of any wits he had. I reached behind me and pulled Spirit Inferno from its sheath, levelin it on Silent’s throat. “I have a friend who once met a pony with a similar scar. You met him, the griffin I saved you from.” Sweat began tricklin down his face. “I stopped him from killin you, now you get to return the favor.” “Yes! Anything you say.” He said, practically beggin to help me. “You’re gonna tell me who you work for.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flower Founder hurt. A lot. The explosion in the secret room rocked her to the bone. She slowly reached and touched her horn, feeling the tender appendage respond with a wave of pain. “Ow.” She muttered, resting her foreleg back on the ground. She opened her eyes and took in the room. The table was disintegrated, the maps on the walls were on fire, the weapon racks were turned over, and Burning Tree was laying on the ground with several icicles sticking from his corpse. Ironic. She thought, killed by his own magic. A rumble resounded throughout the room, letting Flower know that the underground bunker was soon going to collapse. She made her way to the stairs, but before she made it, she heard a moan come from the opposite side. In a heap on the ground, the Bath that had helped her was lying in a puddle of blood. She immediately ran to him and flipped him over onto his back. A small icicle made itself known in his side, already melting away. “Leave me.” He managed. “No, you’re coming with me.” She began to lift him from the ground with her magic, only to incite a howl of pain from him. “I’m not going to make it.” He said once Flower had put him back down. “Tell Bronze not to forget about my family.” Tears were brimming at Flower’s eyes. There had been too much death today. “I will.” She whispered. “Tell him, that the knowledge he seeks, lies with my boy Saar.” And with that, the breath left her savior, and along with it, his soul. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” She said to the body, “But I’ll remember you.” Another rumble echoed through the room. Flower wiped a tear away, and made for the door. On the way to the surface she passed a room with the body of a pony inside of it. She noticed the Serpent’s eye on his flank before resuming her run for the surface. After a few turns she came to a ladder that led to the surface, and started climbing. Once she was outside, she watched as Bucky’s collapsed to the ground. Even though she didn’t understand, the words would be engrained in her memory all her life. Find Bronze. Remember his family. The knowledge lies with Saar.