//------------------------------// // 2 Through The Woods // Story: Hero - Prologue // by Strychnos //------------------------------// Chapter two - Through the lost woods By Strychnos Edited by a person who wanted to edit this for some reason Seabreez’es POV We are flying over the lost forest at a steady pace. We had left the thestral village no more than 5 minutes ago. “So now that we are on our way, mind sharing with us your adventures that led you to our small village and in such poor conditions?” Charcoal asked Seabreeze “We were looking for a lost treasure. There’s ruins in this area that are rumored to be filled with gold and other riches.” Listening to Seabreeze make up an entire story on the spot can be interesting, but i’ve heard him do it so many times already. So I tune him out and decided to watch the endless trees go by. After about 15 minutes I grew tired and slowly fell asleep. I awoke to someone nudging my side. “Nightshade get up.” “I don’t want to.” I argue and roll over. “Ok then, you’ll be sorry.” “Huh?” I look up to see Crystal holding a bucket of water. “Don’t.” “To late.” SPLASH “I’m up!” If there was a ceiling above me I would have gone right through it. “HAHAHAHA!” Crystal dies laughing looking at me completely drenched. “So why’d you have to dump water on me?” “Your brother told me to wake you up using any means necessary.” I shiver as a slight breeze blows over my wet body. Its around 3 or 4 am so I’m not surprised it's cold. “Here.” Crystal hands me a towel. Around me are old looking pillars and stone ground moss and vines cover them. “So where are we anyways?” I ask. “I have no idea, however this is better than just sleeping out in the middle of a field.” Crystal harnesses the cart to herself. “Come on Seabreeze and Charcoal have already set up camp.” We arrive at the camp Seabreeze and Charcoal setup, there are 2 tents facing a fire pit made out of random stones. “What happened to you?” Seabreeze had a look of confusion when he saw me. “You told me to wake him using any means possible, so I did the responsible thing and dumped water on him.” “Yeah, the responsible thing.” I said in very sarcastic tone. “mmmmm I can taste the sarcasm in the air.” Joked Seabreeze This got a laugh out of everyone, including myself. I took a seat near a campfire Charcoal had set up, and I tried to dry off. Seabreeze got some food from the cart and started to mix ingredients into a pot over the fire. “So you two are Blacksmiths from the redback mountains?” Charcoal inquired “Yes and we were looking for a book on a very rare and special type of smithing. However we ran into some trouble and stumbled into your village.” Seabreeze explains as he stirs the stew. “A rare type of smithing you say? May I ask what type of rare smiting?” Seabreeze peaked charcoals interest. “A very rare and hard kind of smithing to learn, one that my father had taught me. It combines the basic forces of the universe with metals to make magic metal and gemstones. So I went on an adventure to find more about this kind of smithing.” “Interesting, I have heard stuff about that kind of smithing. I have a blade made by a magic smith, it helps me see in the mine shafts.” Seabreeze stopped stirring the stew and poured into 4 bowls. He handed one to each of us and then sat down next me. The soup was a basic chicken soup so nothing special but it taste great either way. “Thank you.” Charcoal took a few sips from his bowl and then looked up to Seabreeze again. “So is there any chance you could show us some of your creations?” Charcoal’s eyes were full of hope. “I don't have all of my creations, but I have a few I could show you.” “Please do!” Seabreeze put his bowl of soup down and headed over to the cart. He then pulled out a sword still in its sheath. “This is one of my nicest blades while not as powerful as others, is the best looking.” He pulled it out in front us to expose a curved blade almost like a snake. It was blue at the center and silver at the edges, the guard was just as curvy as the blade but was made of a blue steal. The hilt was a tightly woven perma ice thread laced with an ice and frost gem. I have seen this blade before, it is atleast my second favorite. “This is the frost blade, a simple name but a fitting one.” “And I thought the blade I had was amazing, JUST look at this. Even if Equestria is safe and without need of weaponry, you blades are art instead of mer weapons!” I going to have to agree with Charcoal. Seabreeze’s blades and tools remind me of art rather than a simple tool or weapon.   “Ok now that you saw it..” Seabreeze began to return the blade to its sheath and put it in the cart. “What? You're not going to demonstrate for us?” “Do I have to?” “Yes” I stifled a giggle when we all agreed in unison Seabreeze brought the blade back out from its hiding place, using his fetlock he lifted up the sword. He then swung the blade to his left and doing sent out a blast of frost at a pillar. Ice and frost climbed up the pillar almost completely covering it in ice. He then did a 360 and pointed the blade back at the pillar, the ice on the pillar cracked the stone. The pillar crumbled and turned to dust from the ice, The blue stallion then swiftly pointed the blade up and a explosion of snow soon followed. Covering us in a thin layer of snow and ice. “Is that all?” Charcoal while impressed thinks seabreeze can do more than make a little snow. We all looked at him with the same expression of confusion, how can that not enough for you? He just turned stone into snow. Before I could say something Seabreeze did something unlike himself. “You haven't seen anything.” Seabreeze had determination in his eyes as he walked over to the cart and retrieved a small box made out of gold and silver, with patterns made out of gems. Normally Seabreeze is modest and level headed but when he feels challenged or threatened that calm demeanor is gone. I saw this happen once before during a party, the determination to prove someone wrong. We were invited to a nobles party on the Lunarsolar lake, we are frequently invited to such parties so nobles can one up each other in there game of power. By getting the royal family to attend your party was something nobles would brag about for months after the gathering. The party had started out fine and stayed that way for the better part of the evening until... FLASHBACK! Seabreeze’s POV I swear if this mare does not leave me be I might have to resort to more drastic measures. I for a better part of this party she has been following me and pestering me with hollow compliments and endless ramblings about how rich she is and how much power her family holds. She herself does not hold any power, all the family power and wealth goes to the father and his firstborn, that would be his son, Medallion. She has to marry into wealth and power for example marrying royalty would qualify as marrying into wealth and power, a lot of it. Lets go see how my brother is doing, a perfect excuse to get away from them. I turn around to the ponies dressed in their finest trying to win my heart for one reason or another. “This is where I take my leave for a while, I need to check on my brother to see how is faring during this gathering.” Most of them looked satisfied with that, except for one. The mare. “I will accompany you there.” Damn it, I give her credit for effort its more than nobles normally give to anything besides getting more money and power, oh wait. “There really is no need for that I will be just fine on my own.” She looked even more determined now “But how can be at ease knowing the fine Price of our wonderful land is alone, some of the party goers here want to use you are leverage in their game.” Oh really i never would have thought such a thing. “That being said I simply must accompany you to meet your brother.” Great now I have no way of getting away from her. “Very well.” I don't know if she decided to ignore how I said sound unbelievably unhappy I was about this or just didn't hear it. She walked up next to my side a bit too close for comfort. She was a Nightpony unicorn dark purple coat and flowing blue mane. Most stallions and even some mares would die to have a mare like her interested in them. She is so close to my side I honestly have no idea how she is isn't touching me. As we walked she was sending a clear message to any other mares watching, “Hes mines”. After nearly an eternity I saw my brother with my friend Golddust, a Lightpony pegasus, he had dressed up for this party, wearing a full suit covering his golden coat, his watery mane looked recently cut . He lives in the modest part of the city but despite that he has been my friend since we were fouls, the only other I have known longer is Crystal. I had invited him to the party so I would have someone to talk to. After a while he went with my brother to keep an eye on him while I went to deal with the nobles. “Seabreeze!” Golddust came up to me gave me a hoof bump. This small gesture of friendship clearly disgusted the mare next to me. “How dare you?!” She had jumped back and pointed a hoof at Golddust “Not only do you disgrace us by being commoner and pegasus at that. You disrespect the prince, you should be thrown out of this party, no be thrown in the dungeons for the crimes you have committed!” Every eye at the party that could hear these accusations turned us. Golddust and I looked at eachother for a second in confusion. “Come on I will have the guards take of this heathen(Not sure if that's the right word).” She turned got between me and Golddust and started to pull me in another direction. “Guards remove this scum.” I had about enough of this. Before the guards got to Golddust, who had a very worried expression, I broke free from her grasp and stepped in front of Golddust. “What crimes has he committed?” I looked straight at the mare. “What ever do you mean there obvious, he's just a commoner and a pegasus so he clearly snuck into the party uninvited. And he disrespected you, he needs to be put in his place just like the rest of his kind.” I was getting really angry at this mare, I can deal with the nobles most of the time but when they think that they are better than anyone else including different races of pony. It is not something I take lightly and I have been known to stick up to such things despite them being nobles. “I have you know that Golddust here is one of my best friends and he is my plus one. So he is invited and did not disrespect me. As for him being a pegasus, I am pegasus and what makes me better than anyone else?” Despite everything this mare still had the look of determination however it had weakened ever so slightly. “You are different because you are a prince, you being a pegasus is just misfortune that you took after your mother instead of your father like your brother.” She was asking for a beat down however such thing would not “be approved”. “It honestly doesn't make sense why you would want to be friends with him.” Ok I have no idea how i'm keeping a level right now.   “Come on Golddust lets leave, we have no need to stay here.” Instead of continuing this battle of words or rather keep it from starting. We were going to leave, however she would not allow that. “How dare you turn your back on me?! I will not stand for this disrespect!” She’s trying to start something in order to make me look bad or get something out of me. However she forgot the crucial part in the nobles game, always have something the other needs or else it all fails, like right now. All of the yelling had attracted quite the crowd of nobles. That would change anything Golddust, Nightshade and I were already making our way out. We didn't get very far before a different voice came into play, must older feminine voice. “How dare you insult my daughter!” Oh great looks like poked the beehive. I turn around to see a older mare standing in front of the younger one, I recognize the older one. Of course the mare that had following me had to be a darkstone, one of the families against my mother and me. The older one, Mapleleaf darkstone duchess of edge way landing, she tried relentlessly to get my father's hand in marriage. She was devastated that he chosen my mother, a pegasus and commoner at that as well. She ended up marrying some other noble I believe, black beetle darkstone if I'm not mistaken. Despite wanting to tell off both of these ponies, I decided that the better option was to leave, well try to leave again. “You have disgraced us all by showing your cowardness and not face me!” OK no one calls me a coward. I stop dead in my tracks and slowly turn around to face Mapleleaf. “What did you say?” “I said you were a coward not to face me. What I don't understand how your father is proud that his kin was born a pegasus, such a disgrace on the royal bloodline. Your mother is a black stain in the royal…” She was cut short as my hoof connected to her right cheek. The crowd of ponies nearby and everyone else at the party gasped or looked at the scene that lay in front them in disbelief. “Don’t you dare talk my mother like that!” I was outright pissded. I walked right up to were she sitting with a hoof on her cheek where I struck her. “If anyone is showing disrespect and disgrace it is you by insulting the queen, my mother!” I would continue if a rapier hadn't appear in front of me. I looked at the source to see Black beetle with anger and rage in his eyes. “HOW DARE YOU! I shall not stand for this, I challenge you Prince Seabreeze to a duel to the death!” The crowd gasped yet again, jeez how many times is that going to happen tonight? “Very well I accept your challenge, when will it be?” I have practiced swords for years and have almost become a master swordsmen. “It will be right now! For all to witness your downfall!” Oh great, absolutely wonderful. “Very Well right now it is.” I never leave home without my blade, so I summoned my personal sword. A thin blade as it closer to the tip curved back like a katana, made out of darkness infused mythril and fire essence edge to burn my enemies. The hilt made out of tightly packed dragon scale and a spherical gemstone on the end. Dark beetle had a simple hardened steel blade and mythril edge, for most that blade would cost a fortune. Ponies gave us room forming a circle around us. Normally I would try to avoid such conflict but after what she said about my mother I didn't care. I also will not stand for him looking down on us because of our race. He will be proven wrong when he loses to a pegasus! And without a word the duel began but it would not last. Black Beetle attacked first with a quick overhead swing, I blocked his sword making a loud metal against metal sound. He was quick to take another swing, to my left this time. Again I block but instead go defensive I performed right slash for this cheek, he barely parried it as it left a shallow cut on his left cheek. He backed up and we began to circle. “So the Prince knows how to duel but will it be good enough? I doubt it.” Beetle taunted “Says the pony that couldn't block my slash.” I retorted   He launched himself at me with a left slash at my throat, I dodged it and launched a right slash of my own for his blade in order to disarm him. He blocked my attack but our blades were locked in a battle of strength now, Beetle is stronger than me but because of how I attacked him it made us even. Before long the place where our blades were locked together began to melt, my blade is cutting through his. He grunted and then quickly backing away ending the battle of strength. I didnt see it coming and went sprawling forward, Beetle slashed at my left forehoof, I attempted to block but failed and he put a deep cut in my leg. “Ahhh!” while not fatal in any way shape or form it hurt and would leave a scare. Before Beetle could attack me again another blade stopped him from slicing my neck. The blade that stopped him was a large broadsword made out a pure jet-black metal that shimmered in the moonlight. The blade part was made out of metal the changed from purple to midnight blue randomly giving an effect that the blade was made out of clud. “Enough.” A calm voice sounded from behind me. I know that voice, oh, dad. I slowly turned my head to see a calm expression not the stern angry face i thought I was going to see, however I have never seen my Dad ever really get angry.   Beetle was quivering at the pony he was looking at. “King Moondancer what a pleasent surprize.” His evil voice almost visible in the night air. “I was just about finish my duel.” “And on what bases does this duel rest on?” My dad asked keeping his calm demeanor. My mom had rushed over to me with a towel and some bandages. “Are you alright?” She asked me, I nodded she then wrapped my leg in the badges after cleaning off the blood with the towel.   “He insulted my daughter and my family!” Beetle looked absolutely pissed. “Is that so or is it because he refuses to court your daughter?” “Well...that has….um.” “I rest my case, we shall take our leave and don’t expect to see us at anymore of your parties anytime soon.” With that he made his way to the exit, Nightshade, mom, Golddust and I followed after. Once we were outside the gates, Goldust went up to me dad who looked like nothing had happened at all. “Your highness I would like to apologize for what happened If I hadn’t…” Dad cut him off. “Golddust there is no need for formalities, and it was not your fault so there is no need to apologizing.” A carriage approached us. “Seabreeze and I will walk, take Golddust home.” I looked at my Mother and Goldust with a worried look, she gave me a reassuring look. They boarded the carriage and left. “Follow me.” I did as I was told and went into step next to him. Back to the present! He brings said box over near the fire and opens it. Inside there is a purple cloth that looks to be very expensive, but what's inside the cloth is worth much, much more. He unfolds the cloth and pulls a clear crystal out. It did not, however, stay clear for very long. Merely seconds after he picked it up it turned into a smoky black color, it also started to change its physical shape to look like it was made of smoke. With a small toss into the air the crystal began to float right in front of him. The gem now had an almost cloud-like mist around it as it floated. “I didn't know they could talk.” Charcoal looks like the thing is going to kill him by being near it. “Its n-n-not dangerous is it?” “Not at all, Why don't you say hello Nightgale?” “Hello Charcoal, My name is Nightgale, the God Crystal of young master Seabreeze.” “Um nice to meet you.” I’m trying so hard not to laugh at the current scene unfolding in front of me. Charcoal looks like he’s a step away from peeing himself. Nightgale flew back over to Seabreeze. Seabreeze moved right in front of the fire and sat down, he picked up one of his hoofs and the fire moved with his hoof. “Wow!” Charcoal’s expression changed from scared to death to interested. As Seabreeze moved his hoof the fire followed it, he made circles, squares, he even made a pony. Then he made a rainbow out of fire. Charcoal is sitting there like he's seen the gods themselves. Crystal and I have seen this before, but it still amazes us. “You might want to stand back.” I moved behind one of the pillars, Charcoal moved behind another pillar and Crystal went behind a broken piece of wall. Seabreeze propels himself right into the sky and then does something that most would call suicidal….he dives right into the fire. Charcoal gasps. Nothing happens, suddenly the fire turns to a jet black and Seabreeze shoots from the fire. His wings look like they are made of fire, a trail of rainbow fire flows behind him. He gets higher and higher, before he stops about 15 feet above us. He spreads his wings out, the fire following him collides with him and shoots out in all directions. The flames turn into dust and float about the same level as he is. Then the dust begins to glow, move towards Seabreeze and orbit around him. The dust gets very dense around him and thin on the edges of the dust cloud. The dust forms into a galaxy, and now that I look closely, right behind him is the galaxy he copied. I’m pretty sure Charcoal died from awe. Seabreeze slowly floated back down, sweat covered his face. The dust fell to the ground slowly still glowing, making a very majestic and surreal scene. “I’m pretty sure I died and went to heaven.” Charcoal said with amazement. “You mean you didn’t die?” I retorted back. “Cheeky bastard.” Charcoal looked to Seabreeze “That was awesome, can you do other stuff as well?” He was acting like young colt meeting their life hero for the first time. “I would love to show off more of what I can however I am exhausted from today and performing that it takes a lot out of you. And I believe that it is time that we rest, the sun has almost risin.” “I agree with Seabreeze it's time to get some sleep, the sun is almost up.” Crystal suggested as she went to her tent bringing Charcoal with her. I went with my brother to our tent, inside are two sleeping bags and our saddle bags on their respective side. Seabreeze climbed into his sleeping bag and I went into mine. It was silent for a while before I spoke up. “Are things going to be better in Equestria?” “Don’t worry, everything will turn out just fine wait and see. ok?” “Ok, if you say so.” “Goodday Nightshade.” Everything fades into darkness There are dark trees everywhere, they’re so tall I can't see the tops. A green mist covers all of the area I can see. This place has a strange feel to it, like it’s not real, but it looks real. “Where am I?” I got no response. I began to walk into the mist, I don't know why I started to walk into the mist. There is no path, just a feeling to keep walking forward. I walked for what felt like hours, and nothing but trees and mist. I feel like walking for no reason other than to keep going and not turn back. As I walked I got a feeling like someone or something was stalking, I started to walk faster, the feeling didn’t weaken if anything it got stronger. Sweat ran down my face as I took off in a sprint. As I was running I looked behind me to see what was chasing me.          A knife struck me in the heart as I did “AHH!” I fell to the ground and everything went black.