Prisoner of Fate

by Leondude

Chapter 2 - Night

Luna trotted onto the balcony of her and her sister's castle, ready to raise the moon to signify night-time. She concentrated onto the starry sky and, as soon as her horn glew with all her might, the moon was now in the place where the sun once was. She smiled at her work, knowing that she would make the ponies that raised and lowered the moon before her proud.

"Thou hast been blessed with a gift, Luna" Ardent said behind Luna, startling the both of them in rapid succession.

"What art thou doing hither?"

"I thought I might check on thee and thy sister to see how thou art doing in Star-Swirl's absence. I can see wherefore that he hath chosen thou to succeed thy father and those who control the cosmic entities responsible for day and night."

"May I ask thee something?"

"Thou mayest."

"Thou art a talented healer, correct? Dost thou worry that, coequal with thy curative abilities, thou canst not save everypony?"

"I do worry about that. I try to push my abilities to the best they can possibly be. But, alas, I am not like thee or thy sister. I am but a mortal pony."

"Mortality does have its benefits, Miss Cadenza."

"How so?"

"Thou wouldst eventually join the departed that they loved and missed so much."

"Dost thou have a loved one claimed by the cold hoof of death?"

"No, but Star-Swirl did inform us on the topic and I am afraid of getting too attached to my subjects only for them to depart like mayflies."

"When thou speakest of it like that, I suppose immortality is its own curse. But at least thou hast thine own sister for company."

"Blood is thicker than water, I suppose."

Luna and Ardent shared a light chuckle before letting out a little sigh each.

"Well, I best be going. Future Wonder will be gravely worried if I don't arrive back to our home soon."

"Take care, Miss Cadenza."

---

It was night time and a unicorn with a white coat, a blonde, short and wavy mane and eyes as blue as the ocean leaned onto the windowsill and stared into the night sky, waiting for his beloved to return. Then there was a knock at the door. He trotted over to the door and opened it, with none other than Ardent standing on the other side of the door.

"Do forgive me for my tardiness, my beloved" Ardent addressed the unicorn that was her significant other.

"No worries, Ardent" Future Wonder replied "I predicted thou wouldst be late tonight. Did thou succeedest in the task Star-Swirl gave to thee?"

"Sadly, no. But I healed a dragon during my travels so I consider that a silver lining."

Ardent knelt down and spluttered. Future Wonder ran next to her and helped her up.

"Thou must be careful, beloved. The more thou healest, the more the plague will consume thee."

"A risk I am willing to take if it is for the betterment of Equestria."

Ardent and Future Wonder made their way upstairs into their bedroom, with Wonder helping to take Ardent's tunic off and tucking her into bed.

"Rest well, beloved" Future Wonder told Ardent.

"Rest well too, beloved" Ardent replied.

---

It was pitch-black darkness. There was nothing in sight. Ardent couldn't even see her own hooves or any part of her body. She tried to use her magic to light her way but to no avail. She panicked in her helplessness.

"Do you really think you can keep this up forever?" a shrill and raspy voice said in the darkness.

"Who's there?" Ardent asked.

The voice laughed in response.

"Showest thyself!"

"You're weak, Ardent. A bug that just doesn't know when to stay dead. Why does Star-Swirl bother with you when he has a pair of literal goddesses as his pupils?"

"Silence!"

The voice let out another laugh that echoed in the darkness.

"Oh yes. Maybe it's because, in spite of their power, the two sisters have the mentality of a pair of little fillies. Always bickering with one another and being more concerned about things that mean very little when it comes to ruling the lands.
Especially regarding little Sunrump."

Ardent put her forehooves to her head, trying not to listen to the mocking voice in the darkness. She tried closing her eyes but, since she was already in darkness, it was no use. The voice's laughter grew louder and louder.

"You will fade away into nothing. Nopony will remember who you are and, thanks to the incompetence of Star-Swirl's pupils, all of Equestria is doomed."

"No!"

---

Ardent shot out of her bed. As she hyperventilated, she looked around and realized she was still in her and Future Wonder's bedroom. It was still night-time and the room shone in the moonlight. She looked at her hooves and noticed that both of them were now tainted by the disease. A hoof was placed on her shoulder, which slightly startled her.

"Is it the nightmares, again?"

"I'm afraid so."

Wonder embraced Ardent in an attempt to comfort her, with Ardent embracing Wonder as well.

"My beloved, thou art an oracle, correct?"

"That is what my cutie mark informs me but I am still practising."

"Will my valiant efforts be for nothing? Will my attempts at ensuring a better Equestria be left in vain? Will all the good I have done for this kingdom be forgotten and fade into obscurity?"
Wonder closed his eyes and focused on the future, his horn lighting up as he did so. He looked deeper and deeper until suddenly, he was face-to-face with a demonic visage that looked like an animalistic mare. The sight was enough to make him stumble back.

"Beloved?"

"I am fine, Ardent. Just saw something unpleasant."

"What was it?"

"I'm not sure. It may have been some sort of demon. What I do know was that I sensed death in its presence."

Ardent looked shocked at that statement.

"I may not know what fate is bestowed on you, Ardent, but know that no matter what happens and if other ponies forget your name and deeds, just know that I will always remember thee."

Ardent smiled at that statement as she embraced Wonder once again.

Author's Note:

Just a heads-up, hallucinations and nightmare sequences are going to be a regular occurrence for Ardent.

Perhaps I should mention that the symptoms of the Tenebray disease (apart from the obvious "turning into a monster" bit) include hallucinations, trouble sleeping, chronic pain, changes in the personality (almost always a more aggressive personality as a result of the chronic pain), coughing fits, and losing the ability to speak in more severe cases. Think Fibromyalgia meets Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (with maybe a bit of rabies and kuru thrown in there) in terms of the neurological damage it does to those inflicted with it.

Comments

[DmitriTheWriter]

Oh boy, time to act as the Shakespearian grammar police again!

"What art thee doing hither?"

What art thou doing hither?

"Thou may."

Thou mayest.

"Thee art a talented healer, correct? Doth thee worry that, coequal with thy curative abilities, thee can't save everypony?"

Thou art a talented healer, correct? Dost thou worry that, coequal with thy curative abilities, thou canst not save everypony?

"Thou would eventually join the departed that they loved and missed so much."

Thou wouldst eventually...

"Doth thou have a loved one claimed by the cold hoof of death?"

Dost thou have...

"When thee words it like that, I suppose immortality is its own curse. But at least thou hast thy own sister for company."

When thou speakest of it like that... (sorry, but that whole first part of that sentence was awkward)

...thou hast thine own sister...

"No worries, Ardent" Future Wonder replied "I predicted thou would be late tonight. Did thee succeed in the task Star-Swirl set thou?"

I predicted thou wouldst be late tonight. Did thou succeedest in the task Star-Swirl gave to thee?

"Thou must be careful, beloved. The more thou heals, the more the plague will consume thee."

The more thou healest...

"Showeth thy self!"

Showest thyself!

"I may not know what fate is bestowed on you, Ardent, but know that no matter what happens and if other ponies forget your name and deeds, just know that I will always remember you."

Not a grammar error per se, but it is odd to hear Future Wonder refer to Ardent with thee and thou pronouns and then suddenly switch to you near the end. It's a bit inconsistent.

Wow, I didn't expect there to be so many. Sorry about that!

[Leondude]

9809130
Heh, that's the second time you corrected me on my Shakespearen English. Perhaps I should have you edit the story for me (you know, if it's not any trouble).

[DmitriTheWriter]

9809153
Eh, I'm sure I can fit it into my schedule somewhere.