It all began when a pony wanted to walk. A pony wanted to walk, talk and feel, and to be able to distinguish dream from reality - not initially for any conceivable purpose, but merely the instinctive tourism of infancy. When that pony would walk, he would open a door in front of him, and the image that followed would become his first discernible memory - a small neatly-made bed, a circular striped rug in the middle of the floor, and several magical appliances and artefacts - then this pony would walk out, not in confusion, but in wonder. Such a pony would soon be discovered by an aged, wise wizard, standing high above him with a proud, yet dominant stature, and a menacing, yet not hostile stare. The small pony would droop his head, not in shame but in respect, and wander back to the room in which he was more familiar with, his own. Now in his own room, the age-old wizard stares from his balcony towards the Southern Lands, almost an intricacy in his eyes as he gazes towards the setting sun. Yet at that moment, the small grey pony, who's soft viridian mane covered his nervous eyes uttered softly.
"Are you happier with me here, Daddy?"
The old stallion looked behind himself, and down at the young colt, seemingly shaking in anticipation of the wizard's response. "Young one, had I not entrusted myself to care for you as one of my own, you might not have been able to ask any pony that question. I am beyond happy to have you reside within these ancient walls, and while the sanctuary of loneliness is a virtue I somewhat adore, the humbleness of a family is a gift I cherish just as much. Now, it's time for you to rest, young one. The night calls to keep you safe within her realm."
The small colt gave a humbled smile, and turned his wavering attention to his own room, and walked out slowly but calmly, the soft tapping of his hooves echoing quietly down the hall-way. "Indeed... had I not found him that day... those creatures... they would have taken him, destroyed what life he could live in safety and happiness. They shall not receive what they desire...But when he is of age he must learn his own defence, for I cannot protect the both of them forever. That day..."
The age-old wizard walked down the violently windy gorge, returning home from his long journey in the Southern Lands. The crackling of the stones around him as they fall into the dark ravine below echo throughout the chasm, yet as he walks ever onward, different noises emerge, alerting the stallion's senses and leading him to ready his blade within his magical aura. "The beautiful sounds of the wilderness are being corrupted by the vicious screams of battle. Somewhere... somewhere a fight is brewing, I must discover the source of this!" He began galloping through the gorge at top speed, his moon-lit blue cloak breezing through the winds, and the jingling of his bells ringing throughout the rocky cavern.
Not long later, and the stallion was covered behind a towering rock, hearing the violence of combat merely inches away from his hiding place. The clashing of steel ringed throughout the rocky terrain, and the violent battle-cries of the warring ponies penetrated the atmosphere with sharpness akin to their blades. "Vile... corrupting the peaceful atmosphere of this beautiful land with their bloody combat... This must end!" The stallion readies his blade, but halts for yet a moment as he hears the two figures speak.
One figure, hooded and cloaked in pitch-black garments bellowed furiously, "The child is integral to what our interests and desires hold, fool. Your foolish wife already died trying to pitifully defend her child's meaningless existence, and now you will fall to the same fate, the edge of my blade piercing your foolish heart. Step away and give the child to me, and you may yet have a slow death!"
The other, a towering dark-grey stallion, his viridian mane flowing in the wind, stood his ground and yelled defiantly, "You think us foolish and pitiful for defending what's most dear to our hearts? HA! What would you know of love and cherishing what is close to you!? Dark creatures like you, who find pleasure and satisfaction in the torture and suffering of others, you're a blight on the shining light of our proud land, and you will not be allowed to destroy what we work so hard to defend! Defend yourself!"
The two battled endlessly, swords clashing and hooves beating against one-another viciously, and small spits of blood beginning to coat the landscape around them. With one final grasp of his blade, the proud protector of his child charged forward, lunging his blade tip-first towards his foe, screaming with a final act of defiance and love, "For my child I shall strike you down, even if it means dying in order to save what I hold precious to my heart! Die, monster!" Both figures charged. A sharp stabbing sound immediately drowned out any other sound audible within the area.
"...Hahahaha... Foolish wretch... You died just as you lived, foolishly trying to protect a meaningless existence..." The cloaked-figure laughed menacingly, yet began to cough up his own blood, as the blade of his foe penetrated the right of his chest, seeping his dark blood down the now owner-less blade and barely missing his vital organs. As for the creature's blade, it was rammed right through the heart of the once defiant protector, who's life drifted away in an instant, feeling little pain - perhaps an unintentionally merciful death from his foe. "Ghahaha... Gllhk! Won't... last long like this... going to have to flee. Haha... D-don't worry, little one... I'll be back s- GLAHCHK!"
The wizard's blade slashed right across the creature's chest, ripping his heart in two and spilling his dark blood to the floor. "You shall not harm this child, fiend... Whatever you are, you shall not defile the last remnant of this deceased pony's family, and you deserve a death far more painful than what you gave him." At that moment, he rammed the blade deep into the creature's lungs, yet still hearing his faint breath. "Gahh...Glk-hah... hahahahah...! K-killing me w-won't... stop my people... Starswirl. Do... as you wish, we will find you one day... Glhhkkk......" The creature's menacing voice slowly faded, and his body fell upon the wizard's blade.
"It seems even ancient creatures know my name... let's find out just what you are." Now removing his blade from his foe's chest, he slashed the dark garments to reveal its figure. "...No... no it- it can't be... If... if they are after this child, that means..." The wizard hesitated no longer. He levitated the young colt into his cloak to prevent him falling to the cold of the night, and slowly guided their way back to his home, leaving the scene of two violent deaths behind him. Starswirl's expression, once calm and collected, was now of fear and disbelief. "It can't be... Why could they want this poor child...? I must discover why this child is so special to them... I shall take him under my tutorship and lead him in the right way. For now... he can never know of what happened here, but one day, he shall learn." Lowering his head, he heard a faint weeping coming from the tiny child, who teared up quietly yet didn't cause much fuss, as he was comfy within the wizard's tattered cloak. "Hush, young one... you are safe, now... your parents will not have fallen for nothing, I promise that to you now. I shall protect you, young one." He then gazed at the small veil that the child was left in, and saw a small tag labelled 'Wild Encounter' written in worn but eligible text. "I see... so that's your name, is it, child? Very well... I shall protect you, young Encounter... sleep now, child. Sleep." Starswirl galloped back through the cavern he once came through, taking a right-turn in order to proceed back home, not once looking back at the gruesome aftermath he had left behind, and hoping dearly he would never have to return.