Flames of Equestria

by Mick0339

Chapter 11- Old Memories Surface. Bonds are Formed.

In a world of peace, there exists conflict. In a world of sorrow, there exists pleasure. In a world of wealth, there exists poverty. In a world of power, there exists weakness. In a world of grief, there exists happiness. In a world of regret, there exists promise.

And in a world of pain, there exists rage.

The read-headed girl smiled at the young Aldon. Adorned in simple farmer's clothes, with the background as such: a crop of corn and wheat. It was a beautiful sunny day out. Birds chirped, as the breeze passed by, all the while, Aldon looked at the happy-go-little girl. She was a child, and he loved her as family. She was family to him. A little sister, from when he was adopted and brought in as family to her mother and father.

"Come on! get up sleepyhead. Let's play!" she said, as her smile widened, bringing the sun up higher as it did. Aldon looked up at her clothed body, in a small, rosic dress. It was a light pink with deep red roses adorned on in a spectacle. It was her favorite dress, and she wore it whenever she could. It made her happy. Aldon had a family, and his family had a son. He was happy.

Her crimson eyes dawned on Aldon a second time as his head got up from under the shade, as their german shepard ran around in circles waiting to join in the fun. It was a peaceful day, and Aldon would enjoy it for sure.

"Alice, what do you want to play?" the young voice asked.

"I don't know. You're the smart one silly." Aldon lightly blushed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm not that smart," He gave a full-hearted smile in return, "how about you come up with the game?"

"Ok!" She said, chuckling and pacing with her small, innocent hands on her chin. "Let me think."

Aldon and the german shepherd waited in anticipation. "How about Hide and Seek?" Alice asked.

"Ok, that sounds fun. Are you up for it boy?" Aldon asked the dog, to which it wagged it's tail in hope they would start sooner. "I think he's up for it." Before he could finish his thoughts, Alice began to run off, yelling back to them.

"Ok, count to thirty, and don't peek!" She finished off with a practical scream as she ran. Aldon and the pup of a dog turned around and seemingly counted, the dog's tail still wagging. He was happy. The guilt-stricken man was a boy and he was happy. He would trade everything to have that life. As they counted down, the world got darker and darker. The tree grew larger and larger as forest spread around him. Laughter; maniacal laughter sprouted as figures stood up. The scar on the man's face revealing his happy face.

"Hello boy." The man was adorned in holy robes, with a book of the gods in his hands. His lackeys adorned similar fashion, but held no book, and no equal intimidation. The scar on his left eye gave proof to that.

"What's going on? Where am I?" the small boy asked. The dog began to bark as it summoned up on its protective powers. One of the men, with the robe head on, adorned a knife, opting to stab the dog, silencing its barking with a yelp of pain. The man gave a hearty, rich laugh.

"The little pup just didn't seem to want to be quiet. I think it understands now though." The group, which continued to increase in number began to laugh in unison.

The boy ran over to his small companion, who had a look of mortal pain. "No. It'll be alright boy. Please, don't go." Aldon was shaking, tears running down his face. His world turned for the worse, when the dog crumbled in his hands, dust floating in the winds as again the scenery changed. It was his house, and Alice stood in front, her back turned, facing the closed door. Aldon had tears streaming down his face as he looked to his adoptive sister; his family.

He got up and ran to her, which is when she disappeared and he heard a scream from the inside. He slowly opened the doors, only to be crushed to bits. His heart was about to implode, while his mind was going to explode. His mother, his father, they were lined in the back of the living room against a wall adjacent to the kitchen. Their bodies were mutilated, and destroyed. It only got worse as he looked in front of their corpses: Pumpkin, the pumpkin loving german shepherd. His companion, his friend, and his pal. His head laid on the floor, giving into his fate of slow death. Aldon slowly moved to the dying dog, holding the pup in his grasp. It was exhausted just breathing as his eyes looked into the boys. Aldon's tears multiplied, and the dog's died, as it too lost life. It was dead in his grasp.

Laughter outside. He lifelessly got up to see something that broke the final cord. His sister was pinned up to a tree, tears streaming down her face, as her jugular was cut open. The men around her were raping her dead body, revelling in it. Aldon fell to the ground on his knees, looking at the tree, and into his sister's eyes as they glared at him. Her face of fear, horror and sadness. The smile was gone and replaced with death.

A man turned around, "oh look, he came to us. This makes things easier. Come on boys." They all slowly descended onto him, with their weapons held in two. daggers, and books of the gods, all of them. However, out of the corner of everyone's eyes a shadowed figure disappeared as the scene went on.

His final cord was broken, and the emotion was released. "Let me take over. Let it flow. The one emotion you can count on. Let them suffer as you have suffered. Engage your fury! Release your RAGE!"

Aldon practically leapt out of the bed in the basement. Looking over the room. He had cold sweat all over him, and with the valves unlocked, tears flowed down his eyes. He did not even wish them so, but in fact, the tears were flowing, and the river wouldn't be stopped by any dam.

---

Hammerhoof was awoken, and stirred by a sound he knew very well: tears, and fear. He directed his gaze at the human across the barrack's room. The concealed man moped, and let the water works run. He was in a mix of emotions, ones that Hammerhoof knew, and some he still hadn't experienced in his life. However, the man was his subordinate, and it was his job to help him through the job, giving him pointers and advice.

He was also a friend. They might have just met, but Aldon was one of the only creatures to know suffering like Hammerhoof. The Changeling hordes for Hammerhoof, and the Gods for Aldon. He slowly got up off of the bed and approached the sobbing, wrecked husk of a man, weeping for the nightmares to stop.

"It's better just to embrace them sometimes." Aldon looked up to see his pal looking at him, compassion in his eyes. "I know what it's like to experience pain," Hammerhoof moved to sit down next to Aldon on his bed, giving a friendly rub on his knee.

"I was helpless," Aldon said, "I couldn't do anything to stop them!" He began to slowly scream to himself. "Her face; Alice, I'm so sorry!" His tears continued, "Mom! Dad! I'm so sorry!" He continued, opting to place all four on the floor and slam the concrete ground. He slammed it, and gave all of his grief to it; all of his sorrow; and his punches only increased; all of his hatred; and all of his rage. The concrete began to crack, bending to the man's will as he continued to pummel it in anger.

"They took them away from me!" He said, as the ground shook. Hammerhoof began to rub the enraged man's back. "I couldn't even stop them! They laughed at their deaths. They couldn't even let her body be in peace," Aldon shuttered. "They had to take her innocence away, even in death."

Hammerhoof was struck with memories of the past. He experienced the pain too. Everything he had just said, was rolling in Hammerhoove's head. Hammerhoof's wife. His son, and his baby girl. All earth ponies, who held a quiet, peaceful life in Canterlot. They were happy, and content with living poor, if only to enjoy eachother's company. They didn't want money, or wealth. Not even a good job or anything, but just a happy life. A life of love, happiness and shared experiences. Their little cottage was dwarfed by the rest of the city. They were mocked, bullied and even trampled on by the nobles there. They didn't care though; Hammerhoof didn't care, because they had each other.

Then they came; the demons in the sky and on the ground. The scourge of the earth came and took it all away. Hammerhoof couldn't do anything. The changelings held him down, while they extracted the sustenance from his family. Then, with no mercy, they were slaughtered in front of his eyes, swords through their guts, and daggers in their jugulars. In the last second though, they all had a smile on their face.

"Don't blame it on yourself," The pink mare said, "please survive, for me!" She said, as the life faded from her eyes. Hammerhoof was surrounded by grief, and then the changelings decided he was next. But his wife's words, and their memories would live on. His last chord snapped as well. Ponies always said, Earth Ponies were inferior, without any suitable advantage, but Hammerhoof felt one. A changeling dropped his sword, as it moved in to hold the pony down. "Keep our memories alive!" His wife echoed in his head. Without hesitation, he upheld the sword and slew them all. Their bodies littered the street. After that day, no one ever commented on him again. Not the nobles, not the unicorns, not even the princesses themselves. He was given a job as a royal guard as compensation for his protection of Canterlot. For saving innocents from Changelings, but all he did was listen to his mind, and seek vengeance against the scourge. By the end of that day, he was the feared one, and the Changelings were prey, running from the sight of him, with sword in hoof, and red in his eyes.

Hammerhoof explained this all to Aldon, eventually calming the madness down. He said it as a story, and his water works broke loose too. "My wife asked me never to blame it on myself. But, I was there, and I didn't stop it," Hammerhoof bluntly said. "I loved her; I loved my wife, my son, and even my little girl. They couldn't even spare a child, as they used it for their own sick games."

Aldon still wept, but instead of alone, they wept together, letting loose the memories of their pasts. Hammerhoof no longer gave Aldon any mind as a subordinate, or a soldier, but a friend. Someone who's experienced the same pain, the same grief, and the same anger. He was more than a friend to Hammerhoof now; he was a brother, and the feeling was mutual.

That night, bonds were formed, as pony and man formed brotherhood through stained pasts.

Author's Note:

Well, uh yeah. Tell me what you think, and hope you enjoy!

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?

[Mick0339]

7428021 Rusty. Hammerhoof is like an old drill sergeant, who's seen a gruesome past. Aldon's voice would be slightly lighter, but still have the flem in his throat.

Or you could think of rough gladiator voices, or things of such. Bottom line is, they don't sound like innocent children; the whole concept of their voice is up to you though. I merely just say it in my own words.

[Fireeaters]

I don't remember any spelling errors this time, so I guess just grammar.