The War of Equestria

by rainbowtiger00

Tragedy, and Sorrow

The soft dirt was pushed aside by his stick as he dragged it across the ground in order to make a symbol beside the large circle on the ground. Twilight was doing the same on the other side. Spike was reading out what the symbols were supposed to look like to them. Jonathan decided that he had enough with the weird dreams, therefore, he chose to help Twilight make the circle instead of sitting on the sidelines. The mid-afternoon sun beat down on them as they worked, painstakingly etching every tiny bit of each design.

They were out near the Everfree forest, but close enough to the town that it was a short walk to Twilight's castle. Part of the remolding was that thanks to the Crystal Empire, it got a crystal finish to it. Meaning that there were things like the crystal table, crystal bed and crystal doors inside. And that the outside made it look like it was carved from crystal.

Jonathan bit his lip as he worked. “Okay, if this works I will end up at the ruined castle with probably one of those creatures nearby. First thing, defeat the creature. Second, go to the town as fast as possible. Third, apologize to Argon and Lena.

Fourth, ask Elder Onyx Ashstone to please take this necklace off my neck. Fifth, get Corina a white pet bunny. Sixth, get Trisha fresh meat.” He sighed. Was the baby born now?

Did he miss it? Was Trisha sitting in her house, worrying that he as well had died and that she had lost all of the Markson family? Was Rayon guilt tripping Lena and Argon, without Jonathan being there to give Rayon what he deserved? Jonathan stiffened as a worse thought came to mind. “What if the creatures did attack the town?”

His gut ached again. He jabbed the stick in the dirt again. The summer heat fell on his brow. It was a very hot day out. His halberd was on his back.

Twilight flapped away to the edge of the circle. She grabbed a piece of chalk and drew it across the designs as quickly as possible. His necklace glowed brightly. She put away her stick and sat down.

“Okay.

Here we go. I'm going to do things slightly different this time, in order to allow for anything that would happen if the poem causes something to happen. Jonathan, stand right here in the middle of the circle.” Jonathan slowly tiptoed to the middle once more. Spike settled beside Twilight as they worked out the final details on the spell mentally.

“Hold still now.” Twilight's horn glowed with a pinkish aura. The air around him turned into a dark purple color. The fire itself was light lavender that was glowing. He felt shivers crawl up his back.

Jonathan felt an ethereal wind push at his locks, making them move along with it. The necklace lifted into the air as well and began to glow. Jonathan winced internally. “Here we go again.” He looked at his back.

Two large, glowing outlines in the shape of a pair of wings had appeared onto his back, just like the ones before. He felt his forehead. A horn was on there, like the one before. He glanced at his chest. An outline of a six-pointed star with five other stars was glowing there.

Jonathan glanced at his hands. His hands bore the outlines of a single leaf on each. Then finally, he looked at his legs. An outlined tail lay there, moving as he moved. Five other marks were on his legs, two on his left, three on his right.

The two on his left were each a mark of something. One was of three balloons. The other was of three diamonds. The three on his right were also a mark of something. One was of three apples.

The other was of three butterflies. Lastly, one was a cloud with a lightning bolt coming out of it. The outline of Twilight could be seen through the dark purple air. “Okay. Spike read the poem out loud.”
Spike grabbed the piece of paper and cleared his throat.

“Oh moon that shines in the sky
The moon I see, the moon I love
I ask you lady moon with your wings
Bestow upon me the bravery I need
to conquer, to win, to do anything…

So bring the thing I seek lady moon
with thy shine, with thy light
Cast upon me, I beseech you
Cast bravery, honor, and gain
So that I may sing like
the wolf that howls your name

Let me be the lone wolf
Oh moon that shines in the sky
The moon I see, the moon I love
I ask you lady moon with your wings
Bestow upon me the bravery I need.”

Jonathan stared at Twilight as she waited for something to happen. "Spike, is there anything else?" Spike looked over the paper but shrugged.

"Nope."

Twilight groaned. "You have got to be kidding me." Jonathan sighed. His shoulders hunched over. He looked down at the crackling purple flames.

The very tips of the flames were turning a brilliant, beautiful blue. "Twilight, I think that did something." Twilight glanced at the flames and blinked in surprise. "Wait. They aren't supposed to do that."

Spike stared. "Johnathan, your runes."

He looked down at his chest. The six pointed star with the five other stars and the leaves were glowing much brighter than the other ones.
Jonathan watched the flames as they turned from purple to blue. The ethereal wind blew in his face harder, stinging his eyes. His necklace lifted in the wind and floated above his head.

The chain was at the bottom of his chin. The air turned from a dark purple into a midnight black.

A smell reached his nostrils. It was the smell of the air he smelled on a day when the rain had come and went. When the air was fresh and clean. He reached out a hand toward the spot where he last saw Twilight's figure but then halted.

His hand was wrapped in glowing white chains. A quick glance all over his body confirmed that every part of his body was wrapped up in chains. He began to twist around in order to get them off. "Twilight! Is this supposed to happen?"

Twilight didn't answer.

Jonathan looked for her figure, but he could no longer see her outline. He continued to struggle against the chains. Then he halted. "Wait a minute. These chains are the same ones that dragged me here."

He stopped struggling. The wind continued to blow against him. The summer warm turned into a freezing chill. Johnathan felt himself shiver in the cold. Little white specks flew in the blowing wind.

All of a sudden, the air turned a bright white. He took a step forward. Then he tripped on his fallen halberd and fell flat on his face in a pile of cold, wet snow.

Jonathan blinked, and raised his head up. There shouldn't be snow on the ground. His eyes widened. He was in the ruined old castle. Quickly, he turned behind him.

The statue was there, the water was frozen into ice, and the outstretched arms covered in snow. Jonathan felt a massive grin spread on his face. He stood up and jumped. "Yes!" He cheered.

"I'm back! I'm back!" His foot slipped on the snow, and he fell back down. "Ow." He sat up.

Snowflakes floated down from the open roof and landed on his hand. Jonathan felt the excitement wear off. He frowned. "Since when did it snow in August?" He stood up and hooked his halberd on his back.

An ice cold feeling settled into his stomach. All the high-quality weapons that had been there before were now gone. Jonathan slowly turned to where the stone doors covered in vines were. They were broken in pieces on the ground. One of the creatures lay on the pieces, slain.

A sword wound was on its neck, and on the shoulder was a pure white arrow. The burning stench rose from it. Jonathan's nose wrinkled. "A pure white arrow?" He thought.

"Could those dreams be true?" He shivered. "Argon! Lena! You here?"

He called out. No reply. He carefully stepped over the creature. He walked down the dark, slippery hallway, and into the other room. His breath blew out in a cloud.

There wasn't any snow in this room. The statues of ponies were still standing along the walls.

Jonathan found that now he could make the distinction between Pegasi, Earth Pony, and Unicorn. The books were still littered on the floor, yet some looked like they had been kicked.

He walked down the stairs and looked at the altar. The feather and the scroll were gone. He went outside. Snow covered the ground completely, surrounding the trees.

The skeleton of the pony was gone, and so was the train. In their place was smooth, clean snow. Jonathan grabbed the end of his halberd. He stabbed the snow with the end until he found the railroad. Clattering the end along the tracks, he walked ahead.

The farther he went, the more concerned he became. The forest was silent. It should not be silent. If it had indeed snowed in his absence, the animals of the forest should be out and about, looking for food. Deer should be wandering around, nibbling the bark.

Birds should be flying through the air, landing on the branches and twittering their music. Rabbits should be hopping about in the snow. The silence was utterly unnatural. The ruins of the houses were gone as well. All that was left was snow.

He called out several times more but received no answer. He reached the place where they had found the railroad, and stopped. There was a black-maned horse, with a very dark blue coat standing there. It was saddled and had several bags on the saddle. The horse nickered at him and stomped a hoof.

Jonathan snorted. “What are you doing all the way out here?” He walked past the horse, checking the area for the owner. “Hm, I don't see anyone.” A crunch sounded from beneath his foot.

Jonathan glanced down and lifted his foot. There was a lavender blue feather edged with pink lying on the snow. He blinked. “Another one?” A wind blew from the direction of the town, sending the snowflakes scurrying.

Along with the wind came the smell of smoke. Jonathan's head snapped up. “Smoke?” His gut clenched. Quickly, he ran toward the town road.

Jonathan halted when he saw another creature. This one was also dead. And beside it was another. And another. And another.

He continued to run. The road to the town was littered with the bodies of the creatures. His head was facing the ground as he ran. He breathed in short gasps and ignored the burning of his ribs and legs. Then his foot caught against one of the bodies.

He fell.

Jonathan caught himself on his elbows to avoid a face plant. His lungs were burning, and he panted. The smell of smoke was stronger now, and with it came another smell. The smell of rotting bodies. Voices sounded some distance away.

Jonathan raised his head to look at the town. His eyes widened.
The town had been destroyed. Houses were now a crumbling, charred ruin. Rotting bodies of people he once saw every day lay in the streets.

Dead.

Next to them were more bodies of the creatures. Jonathan could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Tears fell down his cheeks, fast and hot. One word echoed in his mind, over and over. “No.”

Argon, Lena, Trisha, Felix, Corina, the five Sisters, the unborn baby. Were they okay? Who was responsible for this? Two men came out from a house. They wore red, brown, and gold armor.

Both had a hood over their heads. They seemed to be arguing. One was carrying two large brown bags. The other was picking up anything that was of use or value. Then he turned around and placed it in the bags.

Jonathan stiffened.

The corners of his vision turned blood red. Somebody screamed an animal-like scream. And the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of one of the men with his fist outstretched. Both men cried out in shock. And one was lying on the snow with a bloody nose.

Author's Note:

Tell me what you think.

Comments

[HolidaySpree]

Scary. Things took a turn for the worse.

[Blackdust]

Lovely. But you don't need to tell us what happens every time the runes activate.