//------------------------------// // Loyalties price // Story: Loyalty and EverFree // by BurningBright //------------------------------// Loyalties price. Nocturne ran, her heavy unwieldy guard armour weighed her down. Yet she could not stand to part with it as she fled . It had been a part of the night pegasuses life for so long. She would not forget it, and she certianly would not betray her oaths no matter how bleak the outlook. The Princess, HER Princess had fallen, in her madness the Moon had challenged the Sun. Two Alicorns, the blessed sisters had fought. Then in an instant she was gone, vanished without a trace . Nocturne didn't know how, where, or even why. She only knew one thing, that she had to escape, right now if her and any other surviving members of the lunar guard could escape their pursuers they could regroup. As she fled she felt a familiar lancing pain, a tearing, burning sensation as a spear snapped in her body. Yet still she ran, she had to survive. Her squad had already fallen, the Solar Guards, Celestias elite warriors and their companions for centuries cutting them down where they stood before the shock of their princess vanishing could wear off. Her legs felt like lead, her lungs burning as she ran deeper and deeper into that forsaken forest. The sounds of Pursuit rapidly dying off, they knew she would not survive long here in good health, let alone wounded. Good, then she was safe, she carefully searched for a place she could rest undisturbed. Sleeping so close was a foolish move and well she knew it, but she could hardly keep her eyes open, so very very tired. As she willed her stubborn body to move, just a little further, that's all she needed , she found what she needed, shelter, a huge circle of stones, maybe she could rest here. She couldn't run forever, so ignoring the voice in her head willing her to keep moving she propped her weary body against one of the standing stones. The cool stone against her back felt so refreshing, five minutes couldn't hurt could it? Sleep, that was all she needed. Then she felt it, hooves as gentle as a mothers carrying a foal held her tight as Nocturne slipped away, She didn't even care as her body broke down, and was rebuilt from the stuff of the forest floor. “Rest well young one, your old life is past.” Mother Everfree smiled down at the timber filly in her forelegs. Her smile radiant as the forest itself, her voice as soothing as the sussurus of leaves in the wind. In her warm embrace the sleeping filly sighed contentedly. Not even truly stirring from her slumber. “Soon you will meet your brothers and sisters, I believe I shall call you Willow Wise, One day mayhaps you will be able to aid me as I have aided you. “ With those words Mother Everfree slipped back into the forest once more, not even a disturbed leaf betraying where she had stood mere moments before, there was so much work to do, and she knew her children were always happy to gain a new sibling. The Sunstone was failing, with every day it's light faded more and more. The love of the land was being forgotten. Queen Rosedust gathered the few brave remenants of her children together. Their battered tiny bodies bearing the marks and scars of many wars. Before the great division they had already been veterans of many great battles, Against the dark, dank, dreary beast the smooze, against soulstealing monstrosities. Though those conflicts were long since forgotten they had come to the aid of the Princesses many times and each time their numbers had dwindled. The prices growing steeper and steeper with every battle. Discord had battered them badly, the love of the land now barely enough to sustain even their rapidly dwindling numbers, they were not the only victims though. The jewel eyed ponies had fled after their gift was turned into a cancer within them, an all consuming poison that spread and twisted their bodies. When their dark king had returned the Flutterponies once more lent their magic to the battle. Rosedust looked down at her tainted leg and sighed. Many of the others had been wounded too, some simply went mad. As she watched the light of the Sunstone flickered once more , struggling to bear so many needing its healing light so badly, the light guttered and finally died. With it went the last living things except the flutterponies in that land. Flutter Valley was no more. RoseDust turned to the lady and asked again, “are you sure milady that you wish to bprotect me and mine despite our curse, maybe it is time for us to vanish, time for a new path.” Everfree smiled at RoseDust as she replied, “You are not gone yet, your race are not doomed yet, though there will be times when you are going to wish you were. The world has need of you yet, though it may forget that for a time. Join us and we will await that day together”. With one look back at what was once their home Rosedust nodded her agreement. She turned to the remenants of the proud legion of the Flutterponies, words were no longer needed, they knew what had to be done, as one with almost mechanical precision the proud warriors gathered, they turned and flew once more away from their home and disappeared into the embrace of the forest. Meanwhile on the surface of the moon a madmare lashed out and strained against her chains, snarling her defiance to the sun , that hateful thing that weakened her nightmares so. The Nightmares gathered around her, a few even reaching out and attempting to free her, those attempts did not last long because as soon as any drew close enough to touch those chains they began to glow as brightly as friendship fire, any nightmare foolish enough to touch them would burn away to nothing. Deep within Nightmare moons Turbulent mind the spirit of Luna still attempted to fight. The envy in her heart though tainted these attempts, weakening them to a token effort. Meanwhile high above the stars tried to plot how to free their princess, Luna was still in there and they would free her even if it took en eternity, after all stars live a very very long time.