Equestrian war

by Blackdust

Of the old and of the new

Centuries ago, there was a minotaur that believed that there was a race of silent observers locked within the land itself, giving the Elements of Harmony and the Spirits their powers. She studied hard on all forms of magic, and when she realized she didn't have enough time, she did what she thought best. She brought some of these Observers to her world, her dimension, her home. What she didn't realize, was that these Observers were dangerous, and they soon found her notes after killing her, and summoned the rest of their kind, sacrificing themselves in the process.

They then saw all the ponies, and how each one had a different mark on their flanks, these newly summoned Observers were unaware of their power, let alone the importance of how each one reacted to another. They began drawing the marks on paper, so as to keep track of them and what each one did. When they ran out of that, they used the walls. Then the ceiling. Finally, the floor. And when all the space possible was taken up, they realized the one place they could still write on. Themselves.

These first marks on the flesh are what we now know of as the Runes of the modern day. But at the time, they were shocked and amazed at the transformations some of the runes gave them. Then they got to some of the shadier marks... The ones that made some of them insane, or murderous. These ones finally exposed them to the world as they had to flee for safety from the mad ones that were trying to kill them. At the time, their best fighters stayed behind to hold the insane Observers back, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the mad ones.

For years the mad ones would bring terror and destruction to the ponies, minotaurs, zebras, griffons, dragons, and changelings of the world. The few Observers left alive and unmarked took up a new name. Human. As each one was slightly different in hue somewhere on the body, man for each one was as fierce a fighter as the next, so they each saw their allies to their left and right as their fellow man. Not woman and man, or boy and girl, but Man.

The Humans went to war alongside the denizens of Equis against the mad ones and they won each battle and skirmish. But they were still losing ground as they were losing food and supplies. The mad ones were too coordinated for almost mindless monsters, there were other forces at work. The other Spirits had been summoned to Equis so as to counteract the biggest threat the mad ones had, Discord. So the last of the Humans turned to their fellows and asked to be able to summon the Spirits of Harmony to the world. And while the price wasn't too steep, it was steep enough to make the allies curse the Humans, saying they were just like their mad fellows.

The Humans did not take kindly to this, and proceeded to fight their previous allies and summoned the Spirits in that hall. They were grateful for being summoned to resume the war they had, but were horrified at what the Humans had done, so they cursed the lot of them. Mad and sane, young and old, sick and healthy, all had the curse of being hunted by the darkest of demons Equis had to offer. As soon as that curse was set down, the mad ones, barely able to hold on to their mind and physical bodies at the limit of possible extension, collapsed, dead before they even hit the ground. Some even died standing up, staring blankly to the sky.

---

"...And that is the legend that we have on our existence in this world," Johnathan said to the princesses, ending his sad tale just as he crested the hill to the village that he used to live in.

"That is... Accurate, Johnathan..." Celestia said, clearly trying to hide the tears in her eyes, and sorrow in her voice.

"To think, that's why nopony opened the vault back up after those monsters showed up in Ponyville..." Twilight commented, dazed at the news.

Luna was trying not to cry herself, and didn't trust her voice. Instead, she wrapped one of her wings around the human as best she could.

"Johnathan...? What exactly is this place, if you don't mind my asking?" Cadence asked.

For a long moment, Johnathan was silent as he looked around the place, sorrow flowing across his features before he said, "It's home."

Author's Note:

A little on the short side for a chapter, but hey. At least I'm back!