Our story begins in a garden outside a royal castle. This particular garden is considered by most of the locals to be almost an outdoors museum. This is due to the statues of famous historical figures and previously defeated enemies of the state scattered throughout the fancifully trimmed hedges and flowers.
I think we all know the place and that it is in a land of colorful talking equines, but this specific version of the garden features a rather interesting difference from the one that is generally thought of.
In this garden is a statue that is very different from every other present. This is a statue of a bipedal figure far different from any other creature upon this world of myths, monsters and almost disturbing amounts of adorableness.
This statue is considered by many to be one of the few truly terrifying things that could be seen anywhere in the world without actually entering extraordinary peril. The statue is several times as tall as any normal pony, has massively proportioned limbs and body, very oddly large shoulders and a head that looks like some odd creature's skull. The statue is posed with it's arms crossed and feet apart, staring defiantly forward. But none of this is actually the reason for the statue's reputation. That is due to the feeling of base, instinctual terror that comes from just being near the statue. Even many of those who have been called brave have found that they can barely enter this aura of terror before their animal minds take over and they flee from the unmoving stone. Only a very few creatures know the reason for this magic, and none generally tell others what that reason is.
This statue has stood in this one spot for a little more than a thousand years. In all that time it has seen use as a meeting area when secret and terrible deeds are planned, as a spot to send new recruits as an entry ritual for the palace royal guard, as the location where some long-forgotten noble had found it oddly fitting to end the lives of competitors or unfortunate servants nearby this uncaring gaze of stone and terrifying aura, and many other things, most of which were terrible if only due to very few good souls wanting to even see the statue. During all this time the statue has never moved, never crumbled, never seemed to do anything other than stare toward the far-off horizon in silent defiance.
But the mind that was sealed inside the statue has not been asleep during this time. In fact, if we were to listen to that mind's thoughts at this moment we would hear it's activity quite clearly, and we would hear singing.
Or more accurately we would hear a deep voice repeating the word “bored” to itself over and over again at different speeds and tones to the tune of the star wars imperial march. A somewhat odd thing coming from the aforementioned statue of terror, but that is in fact what you would hear at this moment. That is, until this singing is interrupted by the statue receiving a visitor...
It is actually a rather boring night at the moment, though only because I haven't had any of my regular visitors recently. Some shadowy groups who meet around me because they think that no one will hear them are often the only excitement I get some months. Blueblood and his regular crew are a couple weeks late for their usual meetings. As I continue singing to myself I hope that I’ll hear some mention about them from one of the other 'secret societies' that'll be along in a couple nights.
bored bored BORED bored BORE-bored bored BORE-bored. Bored bore......well that's something I haven't seen in quite a while.
And indeed, I haven't seen the dark purple mist which is materializing in front of me since several years after I had been petrified.
I subtly shift the way I think my next thoughts in order to project them outwards. It takes a few moments longer than it used to. I'm far out of practice.
Oh me, oh my. A royal visit? Welcome, oh lady of the moon. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?
The cloud stops moving just outside of my fear aura, floating in place for several seconds before morphing and solidifying into the younger of the local royal diarchy. Adorned in her ages-old armor she would be a rather intimidating sight if she was any taller than my stomach.
She gives my petrified form a rather vicious glare before saying “Greetings, imprisoned warrior. We have escaped from Our banishment, and We may have a task for thine self in exchange for freedom from your own imprisonment.”
Rather quick to get to the point, aren't we? I will have you know that I have actually gotten somewhat contented with my spot here over the past millennium. It is only technically much of a prison anymore, but please do tell me what task you have in mind.
At that, Luna smirks. “We know you too well for such a falsehood to deceive us warrior.”
...I suppose you might at that, but get to the point please.
Luna's smirk immediately widens in a way which makes her look somewhat insane. “We would ask you to spread chaos amongst Our sister's holdings in this city. We have imprisoned her henceforth within her own heavenly body, yet We are not ready to claim all of Our rightful domain at this juncture, but were you to distract the guardsponies we might well consolidate more of our power with which to do so.”
You want me to break things and distract the guard? Far be it for me to question you here, but wouldn't another of the prisoners here be better suited to that?
“He would be much to difficult for Us to control after his release. And as We remember, you demonstrated quite the aptitude for devastation in long-forgotten days.”
You've got a point there. Very well, I accept your task. How are you planning on getting me unfrozen though?
At that, Luna's smirk widens even further. Instead of answering me with words her horn darkens, sucking in much of the light around it. Even in my petrified state I can sense the massive amounts of power which she is gathering to herself. It only takes a few moments before she releases all of her gathered magic in a ray which encompasses my entire form.
Immediately I feel my flesh begin to reform, and I can see my armor changing from granite back into the metal which it should be. It only takes a couple seconds before I feel the last of myself returning to what it should be, and I immediately start stretching out all of my muscles from the immense stiffness resulting from being frozen in stone for a millennium.
Luna looks very happy with the results of her spell, saying “We are pleased that you are enjoying your freedom, warrior. But remember your task or We shall destroy you.”
I turn towards her, chuckling before saying “Of course my princess. Anything you want.”