The Burden of Hope

by Mykola

Chapter 1: Contact

The stallion had been walking for what perhaps could have been hours or even days, he couldn’t tell as the sky had remained a stark black night that was sprinkled with few stars. The tiredness that crept along his very being had at several points lead him to believe that he must stop and rest, but the stallion couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being followed and that if he did stop: he would be attacked.

The snow beat upon his body in torrential gusts from time to time. Sometimes there wasn’t a whisper in the air, but in random and violent bursts he would be covered and caused to break into a violent shiver.

The stallion started to wonder whether or not he was in some afterlife. After all, there was no living thing for as far as the eye could see other than himself… but why then would he feel as if he was being followed?

The stallion shook his head as he continued to press on through the wasteland, his hoofprints leaving a long trail from where he started to where he was walking now. Restless and constant questions bounced around his head as these whispers occupied every space in his mind. He shook his head again, he couldn’t focus on those. The stallions eyes traced up the spire that branched out and reached into the sky: his sole beacon of hope.

He continued his trek across the landscape. The stallion suddenly stopped, as something tugged at his senses and led his fur to stand upright. His ears fanned around as he quickly glanced around, using his sole eye to try to spot out something he couldn’t confirm existed. He couldn’t bring his legs to move, as instead it seemed as if he should take the defensive position.

Defensive position? How did he know what that was?

Suddenly there was a low growl, as the stallion’s head immediately spun around. His eye scanned quickly over the ‘animal,’ before a silent terror tore around his now vacant mind. The beast stood upon stalky-wood legs with a body that appeared to have been made of several shards of petrified wood as green eyes burned inside of a head that looked too eerily similar to a wolf’s. Within seconds, this beast was flanked by three other animals before the creatures reared up their heads and howling a blood-curdling screech.

The creatures began to charge the lone pony, as he lowered into a lunging position. His eye danced around between the shapes that were charging him, before his legs were released and he could find movement once more. The stallion immediately started charging toward these ‘wolves,’ his mind tuning itself like a fine instrument before he launched himself into the air.

The heads of the ‘wolves’ traced him, as the purplish energy surrounded him once more as the stallion watched the light intensify and swirl at the bottoms of his hooves. Suddenly, the strange cold energy burst from his hooves as the purple consumed and exploded the wooden frame of one of the beasts before the stallion landed and rolled across the snow. The three other creatures turned and faced him with eyes that burned for a lack of empathy for what befell their comrade.

The creatures roared again as the stallion’s legs locked in place, restricting his movements arbitrarily again. The cold of the energy he utilised bit at his being as he panted out exhausted breaths. His once empowered and fearless mind was overtaken by the concerns and terror that occupied his head not even but few seconds before.

Why would this strange power abandon him right after it proved itself?

One of the creatures lunged at him, as the purplish energy danced around his being once again as if it were a barrier and shield this time. The stallion flinched as he turned his head away, not willing to stare death in the eyes again before he heard a second and unexpected sound… or rather, a voice.

“Get on the ground!”

The stallion’s legs complied as he fell to a prone position on the floor, as suddenly a blurred shape slammed into the wooden body of the ‘wolf.’ It shattered immediately, as the green lights that once burned intensely in it’s head faded and died. The stallion whipped his head to the strange thing that saved him, noticing that it was a pony much like himself: but she had wings.

The mare stood immediately upright, as she looked defiantly into the eyes of the remaining ‘wolves’ that stood against her. Suddenly three other winged ponies slammed into the snowy ground in front of the prone stallion, as they fanned their wings and exaggerated each feather that lined their impressive shapes. The two other ‘wolves’ stared, but they did not stare at the ones that came to stand against them… but the stallion knew and felt that their cruel and oppressive gaze focused on him and him alone.

The ‘wolves’ backed away, before they turned and scattered away from the place they sought to make a killing.

A perfect silence settled on the place where there was once roaring and yelling, and remained there for a few moments before the slow and quiet whisper of the wind brushed against the ears of the five ponies that remained at the scene.

The first pegasus offered a brief though welcomed chuckle, before she turned around to look at those who followed her. They all looked to her as one wrapped his wing around his torso and bowed, before he offered a quick quip: “Our foes have been vanquished as commanded, your majesty!”

“Keep talking like that and I’ll be expecting a crown!” The lead pegasus responded as there was a sudden chorus of laughter among the ranks. She then turned her attention to the stallion who still lay prone on the ground, as she turned and made a slow and friendly approach to the one she came to defend. When the stallion looked at her, he quickly saw the white armour that she wore atop her well-kept purple mane and her brilliant blue eyes.

She lowered her head to be level with his, as her smile soon stiffened into a concerned look: “Are you alright, guardsman?”

The stallion stayed silent, before he looked away from her.

“Where is your team?” She said, only being greeted by silence. She waited for a moment as she continued to look at the stallion, before she sighed: “Can you hear me? Can you talk?”

“I can.”

His voice surprised the mare as much as it surprised the stallion. The stallion didn’t know why he just said that, it seemed to him that he couldn’t or at least didn’t know--didn’t remember--how to. The mare smiled, before she offered her hoof to the stallion. He could feel a sudden strength return to him, as he took her hoof as she helped lift him up to his hooves. He stared at her with some surprise, something that obviously she caught on to.

“What?” She asked, “You thought you were the only pony around here?”

“I…” The stallion offered, before he sputtered out.

“You don’t remember…”

The stallion was surprised by what she said, as she continued: “None of us remembered who we are… I’m sorry, I just thought you were a part of some squad that got torn up by timberwolves. Have you thought of a name for yourself?”

“Thought of a name?” The stallion asked. It seemed odd to him for whatever reason that he was the one who chose his name, but he pushed that thought aside as he continued: “N-no. I haven’t.”

“You better think of one before the Lord General finds out,” the pegasus chuckled, “he’ll never let you live that down! I’m Skyrunner, and this is: Fixed Wing, Spinner and our beloved cheerleader: First Flight… y’know, ‘the reason we encourage everyone to select their name before Proud Defender finds them.”

“I’m proud of it!” First Flight cried, “Selected by the Lord General himself!”

“Don’t lie,” Skyrunner laughed, “it only makes us all the more suspicious!”

“Why don’t you remember your names?” The stallion asked.

A sudden silence fell upon the pegasi who rescued him. They stood there in some solemn and awful sorrow, as immediately the smiles and the laughs they shared froze and faded away. The stallion felt as if he had just tore joy away from ponies that needed to relish it. Needed. He lowered his head as a guilty and repentant foal would, as he closed his eye in regret for what he had said.

“Don’t feel bad…” Skyrunner sighed, “we need to return to Grad: the only place we can find refuge nowadays.”

“Grad, is that--”

“Where the giant Christmas tree is?” Skyrunner completed loosely, “Yeah. That is where it is. It’s a short fly, but a bit further a walk. We’ll accompany you! Y’know, to keep you safe from anymore timberwolves?”

“That would be appreciated.”

Skyrunner smiled once again when the stallion said this, before she gestured to the three other pegasi as she pointed a hoof in the direction of ‘Grad,’ the ‘giant Christmas tree.’ The pegasi immediately bowed, as they replaced their wings to their sides as the armour they wore clinked and the coats they wore fluttered. She then turned back to the stallion before she responded with a positive and trusting smile.

“Then we ride!” Skyrunner exclaimed.

Author's Note:

Thanks to everyone who has read the story so far! I am a bit new to the fiction, as I have only started to watch it after about a century putting it off, so I apologise if there are any mistakes!