He decided to wake the purple alicorn first. She was less likely to try and hurt him after what happened. Still all these ponies were in danger still. His former society was not to be trusted. They may have agreed to the terms to get what they wanted, but they would be back.
“Princess, wake! No time!” He shook her shoulder gently. “Wake!”
“Hmm? Spike?” She opened her eyes slowly, “What?”
“Not Spike. Danger!” He lit the room with his horn, revealing the others still unconscious, a few of the Stalliongrad guides were slowly waking.
“Danger?” the alicorn stood, and looked him in the eyes, “Can you see?”
“Yes. Please, wake others, then get out of cave!” He’d been too late to stop his daughter, but he could save her friends.
“-tory, Story,” The blue Pegasus was waking now, as was the big red earth pony.
“Why do we need to get out?” The Princess asked as she counted the waking ponies.
“Others, coming back. Hurry.” He moved to help one of the others up, avoiding the waking Pegasus. He was not yet ready to face him, or explain to his actions.
“No, Story traded herself for us, they won’t come back.” Blaze stood, shaking off the dust and wincing, but the pain didn’t make it to his eyes. “But I’ll find them.”
The unicorn helping the others wake and stand spoke with his back turned, “No, will come back. They lied.”
“Why would they lie? They got what they wanted.” Blaze turned to another pony and helped him up. He was building endurance. Good.
“They cannot be trusted!” He turned, and Blaze saw his eyes.
“You!” Blaze lowered his head and raised his wings. “You nearly killed me, and Story! Why would I trust you?”
“I speak truth. They, much worse.” He backed up, away from the angry, younger stallion.
“Worse than dropping a cave on us?” Blaze walked steadily forward, “Worse than trying to blast us to bits? How do we know you’re not with them? Tricking us? Playing us for foals?”
The unicorn lit his horn in defense. “I did wrong, but no more. Please, trust.”
“Trust? Give me one reason not to tear you apart.” Blaze had backed him into a wall.
“He might be Story’s father.” This voice belonged to Princess Twilight. Blaze turned to her.
“You got hit in the head. He tried to kill her.” He sounded more surprised than angry now.
“I know.” Twilight sounded calm. “Story told me on the train. I think we should get out of the caves for now. Even if they don’t come back, we need to get back to Stalliongrad.”
“Do you really trust him?” Blaze didn’t let the older unicorn go.
“No. We’ll keep a close eye on him until we’re far enough away to hear his story.” Twilight turned to Digger, who was standing. “Can you do that?”
“Yes, Princess. He will stay in my sight.” Digger looked Blaze in the eye, “I can do this if you carry Professor. He is breathing but not awake.”
Blaze nodded and looked back at the unicorn, “You had better be telling the truth.”
***
Story arrived in a dark place, surrounded by the unicorns she had arrived with. Based on the must and the high humidity, she was yet again in another cave. Sheer wonder at the chances of that overtook her terror for a moment.
The others around her lit their horns, and revealed a very old bearded unicorn on a tall, wide stalagmite looking down upon them. Next to him was a younger, far more menacing looking unicorn stallion. Theo older one looked right at her.
“Look!” He shouted, and more horn light filled the cavern, revealing it to be huge, and filled with ponies who were moments ago shrouded in darkness, “The Lost One has returned. Now we may begin our quest to live once again in the Green Lands!” The other ponies, all unicorns by the looks of things, shouted happily, causing multiple echoes in the cavern. The sound was overwhelming, so much so that Story didn’t question what the “Green Lands” were.
The older unicorn continued to speak, and the crowd continued to cheer, and Story’s ears rang so much that she couldn’t actually hear any of what was being said. The Unicorns who had brought her here still stood around her, there was nowhere or way she could run.
When the noise stopped at last, darkness also fell again. Story wondered how so many ponies could simply be swallowed up by the darkness. The only light once again was from the older unicorn on the pedestal. He and the other began to descend an unseen staircase, making their light disappear temporarily. Story hesitated to light her own horn, wondering what she would see.
The light appeared again, and the ponies around Story moved, taking her with them. They followed the light down a narrow tunnel, and stopped before a small cavern, with little more than a rag covering the opening. The older unicorn gestured towards it with his horn. Story was shoved in, and she felt magic wrap around her ankle. The magic extended and embedded itself in a rock. She was now hoofcuffed, there was no running.
What exactly was their plan? She couldn’t see outside the cavern, except for the light and the movement of shadows. The older unicorn was speaking in hushed tones. The unicorns who had brought her seemed to be agreeing to whatever he said.
“You can’t! She’ll never trust-“ This voice was new, and spoke loudly.
“Would you question me, Vetus?” This was the older unicorn again, this time at nearly the volume he had used in front of the crowds.
“No, Dominus.” This new voice sounded angry, but smart enough not to start a fight.
“Good. Can I trust you to be her keeper?”
“Yes. I will ensure she wishes to stay with us.” The tone was hard to read, Story was unsure exactly what this meant. She heard the sound of hooves walking away, and lit her horn. As she did, a stallion entered through the ragged curtain.
“Hello, I –um” He sounded different than a moment ago. Story almost couldn’t put her hoof on why.
“You’re speaking Equestrian!” A moment ago, and earlier, everyone had been speaking Ancient Unicorn.
“Yes, we- I thought- it’d be easier if-I mean I learned so I could but-“ He sat down, and looked at her. “You look just like our mother. What I remember of her anyways.”
Story stopped, all her other questions could wait. “Our mother?”
“Yes, I’m your brother. I’ve been waiting to meet you such a long time.” The stallion wrapped her in a hug. “My name is Vetus, but I prefer Relic.”
**
Everyone was gathered at the location where the balloons had dropped them off. The crazy unicorn had said they would be safe here, until nightfall at least. Twilight had sent a message to the ponies running the balloons to come get them, but they would be a few hours. Blaze decided it was time for some answers.
The unicorn was tied up to a rock, but Blaze suspected he could get out if he wanted too. Digger was sitting next to him, and Blaze caught Twilight walking over as well. This might have been more fun if she wasn’t going to be there. He wanted to hurt someone at the moment. Twilight glared at him, then turned to the unicorn.
“So, do you have a name?” Twilight asked politely before Blaze could say anything. Did she have any idea what this pony could do? Had she not seen the collapsed tunnels or the scar on his shoulder?
“Valerius, but not in a long time.” He looked at the ground, “You have questions?”
“Yeah, quite a few of them.” Blaze practically spat, “Starting with why you tried to kill me.”
“Did not see filia, only saw Blue Pegasus and other pony, in secret place.” Valerius looked pitiful, but Blaze didn’t buy it. And what was with the broken Equestrian? He seemed to understand it fine. “Made mistake. Did not know whole cave would fall!”
“You didn’t cause that.” Twilight sounded reassuring, “I went over all the maps of the mines and the caves, and the damage you did shouldn’t have collapsed the tunnels.”
“Fine.” Blaze sat, and glowered. Why was Twilight being so nice? This pony had nearly killed him, and Story, and despite all his help, had done nothing to stop her from walking away with the same ponies who had destroyed the library.
“I think a lot of our questions can be answered if you just start at the beginning.” Twilight looked like she was getting comfortable, and she pulled out a notebook and quill, to take notes.
“Are you serious? You’re just going to let him talk? We need information, not stories, we need to know if he knows where they are, or what they want with Story. We have to get her back!” Blaze didn’t realize he was shouting until he stopped.
“Blaze, I know you’re upset, but all of those things might be in the story.” Twilight sounded calm, but Blaze detected the worry in her eyes. “We will find her, and chances are you will do most of the finding.”
“I know I’ll find her, I just hope it won’t be too late when I do. We have no idea what they want.” A thousand terrible thoughts crossed his mind all at once, each worse than the last. What would he do if they found her dead, or- or worse. What if she did convert and sided with them? Blaze shook his head and looked back at Twilight. “I will not lose her.”
“Good. Then you find her. I will tell you what I know, if you will listen.” Valerius interrupted, “She will not be harmed. They want trust and loyalty.”
“Just who are these ponies?” Twilight asked, and Valerius began the tale.
***
Story pushed away from the stallion. She wasn’t sure what to do. She should be looking for a way to escape, a way to make this stallion help her, even if he didn’t want to. But if this really was her brother, and based on his coloring she suspected it was, he would know where she came from, who her real family was.
“Please, I won’t hurt you.” He smiled, but didn’t meet her eyes. “I’ve waited a really long time to meet you.”
“You’re my brother? Do you know how I ended up alone in a sealed chamber?” Story wasn’t sure why here mind went there, but it did. Had her parents wanted her? Had they wanted Relic?
“I was very young, and I’m not sure I was told the truth, but I can tell you the story I was told.” Relic looked up at the small cavern they were in. “My grandfather was the one who told me. I think that he was telling me all the truth he could.”
“How did you get here?” Story saw Relic’s confused face, “I mean, why do you live in a cave system? I think I’d like to know that first, then you can tell me about my parents.”
“Well, that is a very long story, but I guess I can tell you…”
***
There was a time when three kingdoms prospered. The earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi all lived apart, without need of aid from each other. Some say this was because of the magic of a fourth kingdom, the alicorns. Some say that it was because of magic lost to us now, and still others believe it was because our world, and ponies needed no magic to survive.
But after this time forgotten in all but dreams and legends, the sun needed help rising, the rain did not fall, and food became hard to grow, and the three once proud nations found themselves slowly falling into despair. The unicorns needed food and fair weather, while the pegasi needed food and sunlight, and the earth ponies needed sun light and helpful weather to make food. This was the first time any pony could remember that the three tribes needed each other.
The unicorns were divided on what to do. They could use their magic to take over the other two kingdoms, or they could enter into the agreement proposed, that each kingdom would provide their specialty, in exchange for what they needed. The unicorn king at the time felt it too risky to attempt an attack on the other two kingdoms, so he signed the agreement.
A group of unicorns decided this was not good enough, that unicorns were intelligent and powerful, and if the other tribes were not to be beneath them, then the unicorns could do without them. They then left in search of a place where the unicorns could become a great nation, without the aid of the other kingdoms.
They were the first ones to find the fertile land of what you call Equestria. They became my people. For many generations they lived in peace, carving a great city into the mountains. They aided their brothers far away in raising the sun and moon, but were able to live off the land, and had little trouble with the weather.
Then a new group of unicorns arrived. They came across the city in the mountains, and claimed that the agreement with the other tribes had fallen apart, and their home was destroyed. With them was the princess of the unicorns, and a wise and clever pony named Trifolia. These unicorns were welcomed, and invited to stay, but soon we discovered that they had lied.
It was not long after when the pegasi and earth ponies arrived, having followed the unicorns. The unicorn princess denied having anything to do with the arrival of the other tribes. Together the unicorns made an attempt to oust the other tribes, but as a sudden and freezing winter came, they found themselves trapped in the mountain city with the remainder of the other two tribes.
Everything froze, except Trifolia, an earth pony, and a Pegasus. When everything thawed, the leaders of my people realized that they had been tricked, and Trifolia had brought the other tribes. She had been guilty all along. Still, for some reason the unicorns who had come with her, and the other tribes thought that she was a leader worth following, and we were pushed out of our land for disagreeing. As many of our spells were lost, and the lands north of Equestria are cold year round, with no growing seasons, we soon found ourselves hiding deep in the caves of the Northern Mountains. We’ve held out for millennia, but each passing generation grows smaller and smaller. We’ve struggled to survive, alone and forgotten.
***
Twilight thought for a moment when Valerius ended his story. Trifolia? That was ancient unicorn for, for clover! They pony they thought betrayed them was Clover the Clever. The destroyed carvings in the cave were damaged by the ice from the Windegos. It all made sense.
“Did they take Story to the North Mountains?” Blaze asked, almost excited, “Do you know where?” Twilight almost laughed at the change in his attitude. The prospect of finding Story was appealing, but there were so many more questions to be answered. And the balloons weren’t here yet.
“They will take here there, but I have not returned in many years,” Valerius looked up at the mountain above them now. “Not home anymore.”
“Why did you leave? How did Story end up in that sealed chamber?” Twilight asked this time, and noted that Digger had fallen asleep.
“That is long story too.” Valerius sighed, “And hard to tell. I wish filia was here to hear it.”
***
“I can’t believe there’s no record of this in any books.” Story wondered how such a large piece of history went missing, especially now that she was the head librarian. Why would this have been written out of history?
“I doubt your leader would want you to know her failings.” Relic turned, and stared at the mare in front of him. She was not what he’d expected, except that they shared similar coloring, and she did look like their mother. He’d thought she’d be thinner, but she looked to be healthier than the mares here. Equestria must not be as much of a wasteland as they thought.
She was also less afraid than he’d imagined. He was supposed to gain her trust, but she didn’t seem to need it. He could tell she was calculating a way out right now, or at least trying to. She was curious about him, her family, and this place, but no story was going to keep her here. There was something in Equestrian worth going back to.
“Our parents called you Crocea.” Relic saw a look of disbelief and slight disgust. He tilted his head, “What so wrong with it?”
“They named me ‘yellow.’” She rolled her eyes, “Real creative.”
“Better than Vetus,” He smiled, “Who calls a newborn foal ‘old’?”
“Point taken. I can see why you prefer Relic.” She looked down, “My name is actually Storybook, or just Story.”
“Well, would you like to hear about the parents who gave us such horrible names?” Relic smiled when she nodded, and began the tale as best he knew.
“Our father was called Valerius. He was one of the best warrior mages in a very long time. He magic was strong, and he was a descendent of our founding Dominus. There was talk about making him the leader of all of our troops. When he became a centurion, the Dominus gave him a wife, Silentia. Avus* told me that our father was obviously in love with her, but that it was less obvious that she loved him.
"I was their first foal, and everyone was glad their first born was a colt. I don’t remember much about them, but I do remember hearing them laugh and talk, and sitting on Pater’s shoulders. Then you were born. I was always told that you were kidnapped by the Adamas Canem, the diamond dogs that sometimes give us trouble. They said that our mother got sick after giving birth to you, and passed away, and our father went out to rescue you but never came back.
"I always believed this story, but I remember vaguely while Mater was pregnant with you, she and Pater had some kind of fight, and it seemed so important, but then, after you were born, it seemed to be over. I don’t know why, but one day not a week after you were born, you and Mater were just gone. Pater seemed angry and worried. He left me with Avus and left. I never saw him again.”
Relic looked over at his sister again. She seemed truly sad, but she was also biting her lip. Was there something she could add? Or did she know that this was a lie? Relic suspected that the story he’d been told was a lie. Would the Diamond Dogs have taken her to the Equestrians? How did she end up in a sealed chamber? Her presence brought more questions, not answers.
***
Valerius sighed and looked at Twilight, “My Equestrian may fail. I not tell such long story in Equestrian**.”
“If needed I can translate, though it might take the both of us to get the point across.” Twilight just wanted him to begin. He sighed and took a deep breath.
“I was a warrior, my wife was Silentia. We had a son, Vetus.” Valerius wiped a tear away.
“Story has a brother?” Blaze let that sink in a moment, “and he’s still with them?”
Valerius nodded, “Nothing went as I thought it would. When Silentia was carrying Story, or Crocea, as we called her, accusations that Silentia was unfaithful came forth. I knew she did not care for me the same way I cared for her, and so like a fool I believed them. She insisted otherwise. I did not accuse her publicly, hoping she was telling the truth, and I was wrong.
“When the foal came, I saw that she could only be mine. She bore my color for her coat. I apologized for my rash disbelief of my wife. But others still did not believe her. Though only I could officially accuse her of such a thing, the troops took her to trial when I was gone. Story was two days old, and they left Vetus alone. Our punishments are harsher than they need be, because we could support so little population.
When I returned, they had already killed my innocent wife, and were ready to send my daughter away. Any foal without a father is sent to the top of a mountain to die, as no one will care for them. I was unable to stop them, so I left Vetus with my father, and went myself to that place, but my daughter was not there. I cast a spell of sight, to see my daughter if she lived. I saw her being carried by an Equestrian.
"We are told many lies about Equestrians where I am from. I feared for my daughter’s life. I did not know that she would be safe and well cared for. I travelled in secret, following her. I did not know what she was brought to the castle for. There in the castle, I wondered at how well they cared for this tiny foal that was not theirs.
"It was also there that I learned I could never return home. I intended to show myself to your princess, and go back for Vetus. Then I would raise them both as far away from the ponies who had betrayed me as possible. But as I entered the palace I saw a few of my once loyal guard enter her chamber. They were there to kill my daughter. I was going to attack, when one of the princess’s guard defended her. They escaped, but I confronted them outside.
"I was wounded. The soldiers went back and said I was dead. I knew that I had to protect my daughter. They would come back and finish the job. I watched over her from a distance. I cast a spell over her that made it so a vision spell could not see her, as if she was dead.
"But I grew old, and my spells were not strong enough. I don’t know how they found out she was alive, or why they want her back now. I am certain that if they wanted her dead they would have killed her already. They need her for something. I know this.” Valerius was in tears at the end of his story. Twilight and Blaze sat in silence for a while. This was not the story they had expected. Blaze realized that these ponies may want revenge, but how would Story help them achieve that?