The Tale of a Storm

by Tempestus

Prologue

Author's Note:

So I decided to reboot this story and take a completely different direction with it. Prologue is fairly short, and the back story will hopefully start during chapter 3 or 4.

Stay Brony Everypony

Enjoy the story.

8-23-2020
Story edited by FlutterJackDash

The Tale of a Storm

Prologue

-The dungeon of the Crystal Spire-

My vision swam as everything came into focus, my surroundings slowly coming into view. I lay chained to the wall of a small cell with it's only defining feature being the dark and somewhat damp crystals that continued universally out of the wrought iron cage door. The slow clip-clopping of multiple hooves could be heard echoing off the crystalline walls of the filthy halls that made up the dungeon. Newly returned to the world, everypony had been too occupied in trying to defeat King Sombra to check and see if he had any prisoners.

That he did.

“I've got two more over here sir!" A young voice stated as cell doors could be heard being torn off their mounts and tossed aside to the opposing wall from the force of strong magic.

"Easy now, we will get you to the medical wing and have you fixed up soon. Have some water and oats while you wait for the next unit of medical ponies." A slightly older and husky voice said to the ponies they had just liberated.

It was my understanding that the dungeon had been enchanted to prevent the prisoners from dying unless they were deliberately killed. So far as I was aware, those who survived the battle and were taken prisoner with minor wounds were still alive. I, however…

"Prince Armor!" The young voice shouted to a white and blue unicorn stallion that wore purple and gold armor.

"What is it, Lieutenant Sentry?" He questioned the blue and pale tan pegasus who was now standing in front of my cell; the one where I had been chained alone.

The rest of what transpired sounded as if I was underwater, muted voices, the cell door being ripped off its mounts. I spared a glance to my body, still encased in my shattered armor that once gleamed silver in the moonlight. My large leathery wings tattered to the point flight would be impossible.

"Sir, we need a medical team down here. He’s covered in blood!" This, Sentry shouted.

Ignoring the panicked shouting, I took a moment to peer at my side more closely. The armor had been torn asunder by his scythe and I could see the wound that had felled me; the same one I had cauterized with my own dragon fire. My blood and perhaps a fair share of my former enemy’s cover my body from snout to hoof. I looked back at the two soldiers and where they had entered the cell, my movements steady albeit slow. I had hardly laid eyes on them before the pale tan one flew off while the white one… the Prince had remained to keep me company.

"Don't worry, we will get you help." The Prince reassured me, placing a hoof on my intact shoulder guard.

"My… d-daughters…?" I coughed, blood speckling onto his armor, though if he cared he didn't show it.

"I don't know who they are, but this dungeon is packed with ponies. If they are here we will find them." He replied just as several ponies galloping could be heard up the hall.

My vision began to fail me as I gazed upon this stallion, this Prince. We had failed our Lord, we had failed the Empire, and this one pony would be our saviour.

Everything went black.

----

Beep…

Where am I?

Beep…

What is that sound?

Beep…

My hearing was the first thing to return, followed closely by my sense of smell. Antiseptics filled the air meaning they must have taken me to a cleric of sorts, likely an Earth Pony.

Beep…

I tried to open my eyes. Only to be assaulted by harsh light, forcing me to close them near instantly. I heard somepony gallop away from where they had been next to me. I reopened my eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to Solaria's sun. Well, it wasn’t my passed Queen’s sun nor King Lunarum's moon reflecting off the snow we had bloodied. No, a single unholy bright light assaulted my charcoal features.

My surroundings were plain white with light grey accents and hints of light purple. This included but was not limited to; the walls, the floors, the ceiling, the tables, and even the bed that I had been laid in. Lunarum's majestic beard, even the sheets were a bright and untarnished white!

"Where…" I moaned, my throat so dry that my normally deep voice sounded more like a sack of rocks being scraped against a metal plate.

The galloping in the distance returned, with several sets of hooves beating the crystal floor. It halted just outside of the open door and I was once again greeted by the white and blue unicorn stallion from before.

"Out of everypony we recovered, you were in the worst shape." He stated as he approached my bedside.

"How… how many are left?" I asked, swallowing hard and already knowing that a vast portion of the two hundred thousand I led into battle had perished.

"Roughly around a thousand. I didn't realize that Sombra had taken so many prisoners." Armor, I recalled his name being, said.

"Not many… we were... two hundred thousand strong…" I answered slowly, my breathing still a bit ragged and my voice far too dry, "How long?"

At first everypony in the room stared at me with wide eyes before Armor spoke again, "It has been a thousand years."

I wanted to reply, I really did…but at that moment all I could do was lay there and drown in the realization that nearly everyone I spent my life alongside was gone.

One thousand years, at least one hundred ninety-nine thousand casualties on our side alone… Faust forgive me, for I failed.

"Umm ahem, sir? Are you alright?" Armor asked me.

"Nay, this has been a revelation. I have failed in my task" My crystalline red eyes stared past him, lost as to what to do next.

"No, you survived." He replied, placing a hoof on my shoulder, "You have nothing to worry about. You have my word."

I was silent for a moment before my eyes slowly shifted to meet his, "Pray tell, I heard you are a prince?"

"Yes. I am Shining Armor, Prince of the Crystal Empire, former Captain of the Royal Guard, and husband to one Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." The way he spoke made it sound as if his introduction had been rehearsed, "Now, I don't believe that I know who you are."

"Well that is no simple answer, Prince, but I suppose my name shall suffice." I laid my head back and took a deep breath, "I beith the Captain General of the First Lunar Crusade, Lord Tempestus."

“Well then, Lord Tempestus, I believe that once you are out of this bed we will need to discuss many things." He smiled, "That said, I believe that there is a young bat pony mare who is giving the doctors a hard time by asking for you. I will be certain to let her know that you are doing well."

I am more well off than the rest of my troops. Though I do ponder if it were best that I had instead succumbed to Master Death and renounced my hold on life.

Wait… bat pony?

I was about to ask what he meant when my eyes felt heavy and the dreamscape came calling.

Hello darkness my old friend...

Comments

[The-Hidden-Fox]

HeLlO dArKnEsS mY oLd FrIeNd

[Zepher]

9728934
I'vE cOmE tO tAlK wItH yOu AgAiN

[3-tap]

9969214
BeCaUsE a ViSiOn SoFtLy CrEePiNg

[Javarod]

Hello darkness my old friend...[/qote]

https://youtu.be/u9Dg-g7t2l4

[Bronycommander]

An interesting start