//------------------------------// // A Saddle Arabian Legend // Story: Sunset Rekindled // by EldritchNexus //------------------------------// The Summerstar had been flying to the north-east for hours, towards the city of Bridylon. Lightning Dust was put in her bedroom, where Pressure Point (who was himself moderately bruised from his previous collision with her) was magically remedying any injuries inflicted upon her. Sunset Shimmer, Trixie, and Radiant Dawn were in the room as well. "She'll be all right, won't she?" asked Sunset. "Well, it only took three ponies to break her fall." snarked Pressure as he continued working. "At least we've lost the acolytes...and the templars...and that giant scorpion monster." said Trixie. "But now we don't know where any of them are now." said Radiant. "They might come after us again." "I doubt it, Red." said Sunset. "I don't think even the templars would chase after us now that we're so deep into the Saddle Arabian desert." "Yes, we'll probably have enough problems dealing with this land's own crazy locals to worry about what some renegade Equestrians have in mind for us." Radiant glared at Pressure for a moment, but said nothing. "Anyway, you three can go on ahead and do...whatever." said Pressure. "Just let me handle Lightning Dust." "Thanks, Pressure." said Sunset. Sunset, Radiant, and Trixie left the room and went to the lounge area, where Golden Sun and Felix Summerset were in the middle of a conversation of their own. "And then he was never heard from again..." Felix concluded, bowing his head. "Such an intriguing tale." said Golden Sun. "Sad, yes. But truly remarkable." "What's going on, dad?" asked Sunset Shimmer, curiously. "Oh, Felix was telling me about a Saddle Arabian legend." said Golden Sun. "The legend of General Luno." "Luno?" repeated Sunset. "Yes, Miss Sunset." confirmed Felix. "Luno the White Stallion. Perhaps the most famous pegasus in the history of Saddle Arabia." "Who is he, though?" asked Radiant. "What's he known for?" "Luno was one of the greatest heroes that ever lived; A hero who went on many adventures, who was a champion of many kings, and a veteran of many wars. The paladins have been inspired by that magnificent equine as long as they've existed. In fact, the first paladins were trained by Luno himself, thousands of years ago. It was Luno that founded the city of Bridylon, which is my native city. It was Luno that averted catastrophe when an alliance of minotaurs and zebras invaded Saddle Arabia. But these are only a few of his accomplishments, before..." He paused. "Before what?" asked Sunset Shimmer, curiously. "He disappeared." said Felix. "I'm not sure what happened, but I've heard various accounts claiming that an evil sorcerer cast a spell on him that turned him into a small marble statue of himself, and only a certain incantation can free him, and only for a short time-span. Not only that, but I've also heard that a wicked demigod banished him to another world, stripping him of his memories as he did so. Other versions claim he was blessed by a god with the ability to travel through time and space, and voluntarily left to go on some new adventure elsewhere and never return. "But whatever did happen, he has not been seen again for millennia." Felix continued. "Not in Saddle Arabia, not in Equestria, and not anywhere else in the known world. And it was truly a shame, too. Luno was said to be one of the kindest, bravest pegasi that ever lived. One whose heart and soul were nothing but pure and good." "So, this Luno guy was to you guys what Star Swirl the Bearded was to Equestria." said Sunset. "More or less." said Felix. "Though I have to confess, I don't know much about this...Star Swirl the Bearded." "Well, a long time ago in Equestria, there was a young unicorn stallion named..." Golden Sun began. THREE HOURS LATER... "And that is who Star Swirl the Bearded is." said Golden Sun, finally concluding his lecture. "What a remarkable unicorn!" said Felix. "I certainly wish I could learn more about your country's legends!" Sunset Shimmer, Radiant Dawn, and Trixie both woke up; they had apparently fallen asleep on their hooves about twenty or so minutes in to Golden Sun's lecture, Sunset being the last one to do so. "Oh, I did it again, didn't I?" said Golden Sun to his son and daughter. "Uh-huh." said Sunset, groggily. "Did what?" asked Felix. "Oh, went into a filibuster." shrugged Golden Sun. "Comes with having been a university professor. Once I start something, I just can't stop." "It's okay, dad." said Sunset. "Anyway, we're gonna get going now, if ya don't mind." Sunset, Radiant, and Trixie went outside. Trixie decided to head back to her room, while Radiant and Sunset decided to check on Lightning Dust. When they went inside, they saw Scarlet Blaze was at Lightning's bedside, wearing her old priestess outfit stooping on the knees of her hind-legs. Her front hooves were clasped together and her hood was up. She was muttering something under her breath, before bending her beautiful cowled head down and licked the still-sleeping Lightning on the cheek. "Mom?" Sunset said, confused. Scarlet paused, then turned to her children. "A splendid afternoon to you, my good children." she said in a calm, steady voice. "What was that about?" Radiant asked, curiously. "I was giving Lightning Dust a blessing." said Scarlet. "Don't worry, she's better now. She's only taking a nap. She certainly deserves it after fending off Mordikaukis like she did. You've certainly picked your friends well, daughter." "Thanks, mom." grinned Sunset. "And I've got to say, you look absolutely beautiful." "Well, you had to get your own beauty from somepony, right?" asked Scarlet, warmly. "Come along, dear. I would like to talk to you for a little while." "Sure." Sunset said. The mother and daughter went into another room, leaving Radiant with Lightning. "Sunset, I'd like to thank you for inspiring me." said Scarlet. "What do you mean, mom?" asked Sunset. "Well, you convinced me to re-assume my life as a priestess." said Scarlet. "I never thought I would be able to see myself as one ever again. Of course, I'm not allowed to be officially recognized as one until I've undergone the ceremony again. And the only place that can be done is in Mareusalem, since that's where the nearest synagogue from here can be found." "Let's just hope King Nelphyn didn't destroy it." said Sunset. "Let's have faith, daughter." said Scarlet. She looked out the window, skimming her eyes across the rolling sand dunes below. "Sunset, I think I would like to tell you a...secret." she stated. "What kind of secret?" asked Sunset. "Well..." Scarlet turned to face her daughter. "When you were still a filly, and even before you were even born, I had wanted you to become a priestess yourself. When you came of age, I mean." "Really?" Sunset said, curiously. "You see, I thought that since I...well, basically disgraced my own religion the day I married your father, I thought that it would be appropriate that at least one of my children should join the synagogue in my place in order to...well, amend for my rash actions." "I don't think you ever brought that up when we were all still living at Daystar Manor." said Sunset, observantly. "Well, I did want to tell you when you were still young." confessed Scarlet, somewhat nervously. "But...your father persuaded me that I should let you and your brother decided what you would want to do as you grew older. I mean, I pretty much did the same when I married him." "What do you mean?" asked Sunset. "Well, my father wanted me to one day marry a royal guard like my own mother did." said Scarlet, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, I never got why a strong, independent lady like myself should always find themselves coupled with some 'alpha male' or whatever. I'm already strong and independent, so I thought it would be more interesting to marry someone...well, not exactly 'battle-hardened', but was very smart and kind." "That's actually a good point." said Sunset. "But I can say I couldn't be any happier of the decisions I did make." said Scarlet. "Or I wouldn't have had you or your brother. You two made it all worthwhile." "Thanks, mom." Sunset blushed, brushing the floor with her hoof. She closed her eyes and gave her mother a very crooked smile. "You smile just like your father." Scarlet chuckled. "So Mordikaukis has arisen from his long state of dormancy?" Saegmuntitus mused, as he stood alone in a dark void. "Unexpected, but hardly an obstacle in my goals." He closed his eyes, and envisioned a large white pegasus with obsidian eyes and a black mane, flying across a clear blue sky. The pegasus was horse-sized and was wearing a saddle and stirrups, upon which sat a small human boy. "How quaint." Saegmuntitus said, grinning maliciously at the pegasus. "It looks like you still aren't in any hurry to return to your homeland, general. Too busy being a child's play-thing, it seems." "Now hold on tight, Tim!" said the pegasus to the boy riding on him. "We're approaching the time barrier!" The pegasus sped on, until there was a shimmering flash of light, which faded away as quickly as it appeared. The sky was now different and they appeared to be soaring over a prehistoric jungle. "Yo've done it, Luno!" said Tim. Saegmuntitus laughed. "How ironic, general." said Saegmuntitus. "You can bend space and time to fulfill a blissfully ignorant child, yet you still can't come back home." Then he opened his eyes. "But of course, that was the past." said Saegmuntitus. "Let's see where you are now..." He spun his trident-like weapon in his claw, and opened up a vortex in front of him. The vortex was in fact a window on the human world. He used it to spy on King Nelphyn and other such renegade Equestrians that happened to be that world. But this time, he took this opportunity to spy into the kitchen of a house in Midland, where a black-haired woman with a sallow complexion was in her bathrobe and on the phone, saying: "Tim! It's Susie!" said the woman. "Our house is on fire! Can you come over?" Then Saegmuntitus flicked his staff again, and the window moved to the bedroom of another house, where Tim, now a middle-aged man, was on the phone. "Of course, I'm on my way." said Tim, in a dull tone, before hanging up. Then he went to a small chest nearby, took out a miniature marble pegasus, and set it on the floor. "O winged horse of marble-white, take me on a magic flight!" he said, lifting his hands in a flapping position. There was a flash of light, and Tim was on Luno. "Where are we off to now, Tim?" asked Luno. "Susie's house." said Tim. "We've got a fire to put out." "I would try calling the Fire Department, but if you want to do things the hard way, Tim..." said Luno, as optimistically as usual, before flying out of the bedroom window. Saegmuntitus guffawed as he sealed the vortex with another spin of his staff. He banged it on the shadowy floor, and clasped the shaft. "Not any less amusing, even after nearly five decades." he muttered. Then he swung the staff again to open another vortex. In the vortex was a dark four-legged figure whose simian face was partially obscured by a dark hooded cloak, although its glowing yellow eyes were no less visible. Saegmuntitus closed his eyes, and spoke telepathically to the figure: "The Equestria Games have concluded." he said, ominously. "Begin. Now." "I am not ready yet, master..." said a sinister, yet exhausted voice from the dark figure. But Saegmuntitus suddenly opened his eyes, which glowed balefully as he glared at the cloaked creature, which was now writhing painfully and clasping his head with his humanoid hands. Saegmuntitus tilted the staff down so that the pointed end was facing the lightless floor. "You are." Saegmuntitus said aloud. "And once you are done in Equestria, I have a task for you in Saddle Arabia. Do you understand, Tirek?! Do not disappoint me!" "Of course, O Saegmuntitus." said Tirek, who stopped writhing about. "I will start immediately." Saegmuntitus sealed the vortex and struck the staff onto the floor again, clasping the handle at the top with both claws. A strange vapor issured as he slowly exhaled through his flared nostrils. "And if you disappoint me, Nelphyn, your days are already numbered." thought Saegmuntitus.