//------------------------------// // Chapter 17; Unwanted Deception // Story: The Wander Through Lands Unknown // by Tomas Lutwig //------------------------------// The running was tiring, but it was what I had to do. After a while the shouting voices faded into the quiet that was the forest, the same near silence that sent shivers down my spine. A vigilant eye was all I could have, along with an annoying voice in the back of my head. 'Maybe I should go back... I mean I did kill Tirek when he had no powers what-so-ever. I mean the ponies were always so forgi-' 'No!' I shouted in my head to the mental voice and the feeling in my gut to turn around and try to make things right with them. 'I don't even remember my family because of them. The six may not be directly involved, but they're just pawns to their 'flawless leader'!' A hand came up to my face and I let out a sigh as I dragged it down tugging lightly on my beard. 'I need to get out of here' I thought, the same anger that had fueled my actions having simmered down as I had made my escape. Looking around myself nothing stood out as recognizable which sent shivers down my spine. All the trees looked the same, the grass, even the canopy of flora looked exactly the same. The only difference, which was barely noticeable at all, was the mixture of plants and rocks. Without any discernible path, with all the ways before me looking inhospitable. Swallowing hard I started towards a gap in the trees pushing through the tall grass with my boots. The light that pushed through the trees from the light of day seemed to dim as the canopy of the forest thickened. Sounds unnatural to the forest started making their way to my ears, making fear crawl up my spine. Looking around quickly I recognized the sound of hoof clops on the earth. 'Damn, seems they haven't given up' I thought. Searching for a place to hide was fruitless until I looked to the trees. Jumping up to grasp one of the lower branches, I mentally thanked the two minotuar for forcing me to do pull ups having been unable to do them before. I climbed into some of the higher branches before noticing the clops getting too close. Stopping dead in my tracks I held my breath as I noticed the orange and yellow colored pony ran into view looking at the ground. I cursed mentally as I realized what she was doing in having caught my tracks and following them. Coming to the end of them, the apple farmer looked around and I prayed silently that she wouldn't look up. "Now where in tarnation did that feller go?" I heard her mutter walking quietly around the tree stopping again before the end of my boot prints. A small 'hmm' was muttered before she looked at the tree next to her and looked up. I sat there with held breath for a moment as she squinted at me. 'Damn it' I thought as she opened her mouth. "Now ya'll should get down from there" I heard her say an angry look coming to her face. "Shoulda known better" I said remaining in my place in the tree. "Tracks are too easy to follow. But I don't see why I should go anywhere near the pony who's strong enough to buck apples out of trees" I chuckled. The mare grew an annoyed look before changing her position to the tree making my eyes widen. "Apples ain't the only think that fall out when I buck a tree" Apple Jack said readying her hind legs before I spoke up again making her stop. "Alright, alright farm girl er mare" I said before starting to lower myself from branch to branch before hopping out of the tree in front of her. "I'd rather not go back to the Princsses for punishment, but I'd also rather not hurt one of my favoite ponies" I said making her look at me strange. "So could you be a dear and let me go?" "Favorite pony?" she asked confused before shaking her head. "I duno what got into the head o yours, but I don't reckon I can let ya be. Ah mean the princess told us you were inducted into the guard today! What's the point in throwin that all to the wayside and runnin off?" Letting out an sigh I looked at the farm mare wearily. "I explained it back there and you still don't get it" I said making her only look at me questioningly. "How much do you remember of your parents?" Apple Jack looked stunned before disbelief grew in it's place. "Now Ah don' know how that's got anythin to do with-" She started before I held up a hand. "My point is, how would you like losing all of those memories? All of the memories of people who loved you and cared of your well being?" The mare looked at me shocked before anger replaced it. "Now listen here mister Ah-" "It's a terrible thing to lose, those memories. Not knowing exactly who you are, or were as it should be" I said, looking at the tree, but keeping the apple farmer in my peripherals. "I can only remember the basics of my world at best, a little of the justice system, how corrupt it was and how much I despised it. I remember I loved my family, but not who they were" I said putting my head against the tree. Glancing at Apple Jack I saw she had a look of sadness on her face, but it was mixed with her determination. "I remember that I hated how people treated each other, how much the power hungry and the uncaring of the innocent and weak brought forth a wish to end them" I said picking my head up from the tree and looking back to her. "Apple Jack, I thought before I would endure the punishment for what I had done, but Tirek's punishment became mine, to be imprisoned for a thousand moons" I said making her eyes widen, but only slightly. "I only lasted two years of those thousand, before I lost it, before the princesses took my mind and broke it. Now..." I trailed off. "I just want to be away from this place, the thought of being a guard was attractive as it could fuel my lust for heroics, but after talking with someone...." I trailed off again before looking at her with a tired smile. "I just want to leave, to wander." The apple farmer looked at me, her eyes filled with, sorrow perhaps? It was only a moment though before they filled with conviction. "Ah'm sorry to hear that partner, but here in Equestria, ya gotta pay for whacha done no matter what hand ya got delt." She said making a sigh escape from me before I chuckled. "I can't say I don't respect you Apple Jack." I said stabbing the butt of my spear into the ground before offering out a hand. Sticking a forehoof out I shook her hoof before I let go of and took ahold of my spear pulling it from the ground, "Though, I am sorry" I said swinging the spear as hard as I could into the cowpony's head, the hard oak lance making a dull 'thunk' as it knocked into her. Apple Jack's face showed pain for a moment as she fell to the ground, dazed. Sprinting past her I didn't look back even as another "Git back ere!" was called from a still unstable voice behind me. I cared little for the deception, hating it in fact, but I couldn't let her call her friends so that princess of theirs could put me back in stone. I ran through the forest again, paying more attention to my surroundings, trying to keep from leaving such an easily followed trail. Looking around I held my breath for a few seconds listening for any sound, having hid on the opposite side of a tree from the direction of the earth pony. After a few moments of the sounds of the forest, I let out my breath trying to keep from panting from the run. 'You'd think I would've gotten better with this running thing' I though looking up at the jagged tree top. Having run done laps, pushups or other exercises every time I messed up when being trained by the two minotuar. The thought of the two made my stomach sink, and only sink more at the thought of my previous actions. "Damn it" I muttered under my breath wishing I hadn't knocked Apple Jack upside the head. 'Probably very little possibility of making friends with her after this' I thought taking a step forward from my position before freezing. 'What am I going to do?' ran through my head. A shudder ran through me before I looked around again. 'Why did I have to kill that stupid minotuar?' I questioned, reflecting back to my first few days. 'I deserved a punishment, but... a thousand moons?' 'How long would I of been in that prison? Only lasting two years before losing my mind, I can't say that's surprising, but...' I continued to think as I walked through the forest. Anger started to build in my gut again as the thought of insanity crossed my mind bringing back the emotions I felt for losing my memories. 'That's why I decided to leave' the answer came halting my indecision as I walked on. Just then the flapping of wings was heard among the sounds of insects and small animals making me dive for the shadow of a nearby tree. Looking up to the darkened sky I saw the shadow of a pony against the stary background that was the night sky. Keeping still, I silently prayed that the ring of fog accompanied by the darkness would make them pass over, but that hope was dashed as a lavender light emitted from the pony's face shining enough light for me to recognize the mare, if the color of the magic wasn't enough. Something similar to a spotlight shown down through the trees making small lights appear on the ground. Looking at them as the light moved, I realized them to be the insects that littered the forest's floor making my stomach drop to a new low. The magical spotlight moved through around the area finding different lifeforms including a small mammal of some sort who scurried away quickly under the light. The thought of fleeing came to mind, but a barely heard sound made Twilight whirl around to sine the light on what looked to be a mouse or other small critter who like the previous one scurried away from the accidentally broken stick. Twilight continued to search around for a moment, her light coming concerning close to my position making me push myself against the tree as much as possible to avoid the light. The sound of more wings caught both my and the alicorn's attention making her extinguish her light and turn to face whomever it was. A muted though tired and, on the alicorn's case, somewhat panicked conversation was had before Twilight gave a sigh. The two ponies departed not long after making me let out a breath I didn't realize I had held in since the spotlight had neared me. Looking at their previous position in the sky I turned in the opposite direction and continued in the forest. I found myself standing in front of an old and quite familiar ruin after a long while of walking. The castle of the royal pony sisters stood before me, in all it's ancient glory. While the familiarity of the place brought a strange peace to my heart, the fact that the ponies knew exactly where it was worried me, making me question if it was safe to enter, or even go near. Looking up at the moon I questioned my remembrance of it's cycle, if it had one. 'Luna raises the moon, Celestia the sun' I though squeezing my temples with my hand, 'do they just go up and back down? Or do the sisters put them in a cycle around the world simply starting them?' After a moment my fist lightly knocked against my forehead trying to remember. Movement in the sky caught my attention as the celestial object started accelerating towards the horizon while a light brightened as another object raised above it. As the sun and moon were at about the same height the sight of a purple star grew between them before dissipating quickly. 'What in the?' I thought for a moment before realization flooded into me. "The summer sun celebration?!" I asked, the sound startling a small number of birds in nearby trees making them call out and take to the sky. A feeling of dread echoed through me as I watched the sun finish it's ascension and took it's place in the sky. 'Locked away for two years, then have a year at boot camp.' I thought before my hand came to my face. "I should of remembered the damn celebration!" I nearly yelled making the remaining birds nearby vacate the vicinity quickly. "Yea! They were planning on having it two days after our official inauguration into the guard!" I continued, the feeling of realization taking my mind from the danger of talking so loudly in the forest filled with creatures looking to eat me and possibly a search party. After a few moments the thought of the sun rising brought a new fear to my mind as if that's what the ponies had to leave for then no doubt they would soon return if they had not already sent out a number of guards to take me into custody. Looking back at the old castle I remembered all of the strange and random secrets that littered the place. Making a quick decision I crossed the rope bridge cautiously before nearing the entrance. The large doors were imposing, but I was determined to find somewhere to hide. Taking a step I felt my foot impact the first step making me fall forward and throw my hands out to catch myself before breaking my skull on the edge of the stone step. Getting back up I looked down at them before my shoes caught my attention. Looking at them I realized that walking through the castle in my boots would be impossible without leaving tracks of dirt and whatever else had gotten caught in the soles. The idea of cleaning them out came to mind, but then the thought of simply taking them off beat it. Sitting down on the steps I unlaced the small sabatons that were tied to my boot covering the laces before undoing the boots entirely. Looking at the double pair of socks that were wore quite thin I removed them before stuffing them into the boots. Opening my bag I looked inside for anything that would be damaged by the boots if placed on top of them finding only the apples from the day prior. Pulling them out I realized how hungry I actually was before biting into the fruit. Flavor like nothing I had ever tasted flowed into my mouth from the juicy fruit. It was only a moment before I seemingly inhaled the fruit, core and all, before looking at the other two, red delicious and granny smith respectively. The thought of consuming these two as well ran through my mind before I shook my head and instead put them in one of the smaller pockets which I had emptied of the vines, leaves and bark before. Holding only the mask, and now two apples. Stuffing the boots into my backpack, I zipped it up with some difficulty before trying to throw in onto my back, the footwear was uncomfortable against my back, but it seemed to be a safe way to go. Getting up and turning back to the doors I climbed the strangely sized stairs before pushing one open. The interior of the castle was in much better condition that it's exterior though small holes in the arched roof showed it's age. I pulled the door closed before advancing further into the castle.