The Missing Bard

by Kiniro

Chapter 16: Dreams Part 2

The Missing Bard

Chapter 16: Dreams Part 2

These past few hours had drained me both physically and mentally. The combinations of my injuries, my self loathing on how I let Fluttershy get injured and the loss of my precious guitar that I had carried with me over the years. While I had been cooping better as the day went on, but the thoughts and pain continually lingered on. It all took a very big toll on me and now the thought of rest was a very welcome idea after all of this.

I had laid in bed for sometime, with my mind racing with transit nodes of thought of the mysterious Meadow Song. Trying to make sense of him, his ability to play Ragnarok, a similar guitar that fired arrows and Applejack's theory of the pony's magic. However no matter how many times I tried to connect every piece of information together, it always came to the same problem. The original bard that played the song of Ragnarok had perished due to his inability to control the song, but yet, he did exist during the reign of Tristam the First, considering each king ruled for roughly one hundred years. My final thoughts before I let my mind relax and going completely blank, were "Could this bard have fought in King Tristam the First's grand army against Satan Morroc..."

As I laid on the bed, I felt a nudge on my back pushing on me, but I shrugged it off wanting to continue on with my sleep. But as I tried to shrug it off, I felt the nudge get stronger and then followed a slap on my back and I fell of the bed. "Ow... damn it. Who is trying to..." I stopped my sentence as I opened my eyes and found myself inside a trench.

"Are you alright kid?" I heard a male voice call to me, I looked in its direction and found myself lying on top of Lightning Strike. "That was extremely close, thanks... for saving me." Lightning Strike mentioned.

I quickly realized that I was revisiting my past, unable to alter my movements, I was a puppet in my own mind, and no longer in control. "Yeah... I'm alright, Captain, and you would have done the same to me." I replied only to here more of the magical bombardment land near by, but it seemed weaker than the previous blasts that had been hitting our positions.

"CAPTAIN LIGHTNING STRIKE!" I heard another male voice call out, also being vaguely familiar. I crawled off Lightning Strike and we both arose from the ground covered in mud. "Captain! We have arrived! The Cavalry has arrived, were do you need us?" I heard the voice call out again. We both turned around to greet the voice, seeing another armored individual from head to toe, but instead of the Royal Seal on his armor, he had a giant cross on his..

"Good, so the 3rd Cavalry is here to reinforce us. Captain Fayd, good to see you make it to the big dance." Lightning Strike greeted the individual. "I see you're still wearing your old crusader armor, whats the occasion?" Lightning strike followed with a laugh.

"I'd rather wear my crusader armor, its not as well plated as yours, but you know me better, I'd rather be nimble and agile than over encumbered. What can I say, its kept me alive and that's what matters." Captain Fayd retorted.

"I can't argue with that, good to see you again my old friend. Any news on Lieutenant Marcus and his Ranger Platoon?" Lightning Strike asked.

"Yes I do actually, Lieutenant Marcus has devised a plan to get the 25 Morroc Ranger Platoon and flank their position from the right, over by those hills over there." Captain Fayd pointed with his finger.

"Fayd?" I asked interrupting the two officers conversation. "Is that really you?"

Captain Fayd quickly turned to face me. "By Odin's name, Kiniro! My boy what the hell are you doing here?"

"Its a long story Fayd. I just got swept up in this really." I tried to explain.

"Yeah Fayd, I picked him up a few months ago. He had been traveling near the eastern forest town of Payon, he had gotten ambushed by rebel forces. He had held them off quite well for some time but they had brought up almost an entire regiment to fight against him alone, he was outnumbered, but he was vicious but it was to much for him. Luckily for him, I had sent elements of the Royal Guards to do recon in force to see if Payon was either a threat or supporter of the kingdom. The rest well, you can imagine how it turned out." Lightning explained.

"Well, Kiniro you take after your father, rest his soul. I'm sure he's looking down from Valhalla and I'm sure he's proud of you. But even though I wish you weren't involved in this conflict, but at the same time I'm glad that you're here at least now I can watch over for you just like old times." Captain Fayd commented.

"Thanks Fayd. I know I had left at an early age to be an archer then quickly followed my path to become a musician. I never did get to say thank you for taking me in with your family when I was a child." I replied.

"Its alright, Kiniro. It's what your mother and father would have wanted." Fayd stated.

"I hate to break up this reunion but, Captain Fayd, are your troops in position?" Lightning Strike asked.

"Oh yes, sorry my friend." Fayd responded quickly. "Sorry Kiniro we will have to play catch up later."

"Whats the plan Fayd?" Lightning Strike asked.

"Well if my intel is correct, the city is heavily defended, but its mostly magicians using magical bombardment to keep everyone here at bay, but now that the 3rd Cavalry is here, we can swoop in and make a breach." Fayd stated.

"Isn't that a bit risky?" Lightning Strike asked.

"Extremely, but we don't have a choice here, but we are the fastest cavalry regiment in Tristam's army! So I hope they know how to cast their magic quick enough to be able to hit us as we make our charge toward the city walls." Fayd stated with heavy enthusiasm.

"Very well, promise me you will take care my friend." Lightning Strike responded.

"Yes Fayd, please don't die out there." I requested.

"I will try my best, I can't promise, but I will try my best." Fayd replied. Fayd then quickly placed two fingers in his mouth from the same hand and made an extremely loud whistle as if to call out to someone. Quickly a giant bird with small wings covered in plate armor and worn a saddle on its back, had run up toward our position and jumped in the trench where all three of us had been talking. "There there Enden..." Fayd said to the bird while petting its head, and then quickly mounted his feathery steed. "Be still Enden. Lightning, follow my regiments charge, we shall do this together."

"Agreed friend, you go, I go." Lightning nodded his head to his fellow officer. "ROYAL GUARD! WE ARE TO FOLLOW THE 3rd CAVALRY IN THEIR GLORIOUS CHARGE TO RETAKE THE CITY, ON THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN FAYD OF THE 3rd CAVALRY. MAKE READY YOUR WEAPONS AND MY GOD BE WITH YOU! FOR PRONTERRA!" Lightning Strike yelled to his troops.

"FOR PRONTERRA! FOR KING TRISTAM! HUZZAH" I heard thousands of voices cheer out in unison followed by cheering.

Lightning Strike had nodded to Fayd signaling his support. "We are with you, all of us." Lightning told Fayd.

"Just what I want to hear." Captain Fayd stated taking a deep breath. He looked down for a moment at his steed, followed by looking at us and finally the all the troops that occupied the trench. Fayd slowly exhaled and then reached down for his saber that he had sheathed on his side. In one swift stroke, he grabbed his saber, released it from its leather prison and pointed it skyward.

I looked at its magnificent glory as it pointed upward. Even seeing the sun shine off the blade, I shaded my eyes with my hand as it nearly blinded me. I turned to see Fayd, and nodded to him. Only to receive the same back as a response. Then he quickly pointed his sword forward, and I saw him quickly look around again. Finally to hear the words that we all expected, anticipated and dreaded all together. Fayd screaming at the top of his lungs. "3rd CAVALRY AND ROYAL GUARD! CHARGE!" and he quickly took off on his steed.

I heard the thousands of voices that had been recently cheering do so louder. I looked around at the trench seeing Royal Guards go over the top of the trench. Followed by what looked like hundreds of armored soldiers on giant birds jumping over the trench to enter the no mans land that had been established. As I looked in amazement, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I quickly looked over to see Lightning Strike signaling at me. "HEAD OVER THE TOP! I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU." Lightning Strike yelled.

I attempted to climb up over the trench to fall on my behind and my guitar fell by my side, but that didn't stop me. I pushed myself back up, picked my guitar and slung it over my back. Lightning Strike positioned himself placing his two hands like a cradle and signaled me to step on his hands. Following his instruction I placed my right foot on his hands, he pushed me over the top and I fell flat on my face in the mud.

I slowly pushed myself back up and wiped the mud off my face. I opened my eyes to see the sight of the once beautiful city of Pronterra in the distance, ablaze and finally the city wall in front of us. I had quickly shed a tear seeing that the capital of our great nation was being destroyed, but it filled my heart with hate. "Kiniro! MOVE UP! I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU." I heard Lightning Strike call out.

"YES SIR!" I responded, quickly swinging my guitar around off my back into my hands and caressed it tightly. I looked around again to see many armored soldiers both on foot and on their birds rushing forward. I felt Lightning Strike tap my back to signal that he was right behind me, and I began to run forward toward the city wall. As we both ran forward, I heard a loud whistle and turned to my side to see Captain Fayd on top of his steed accompanying us as we ran forward. All of us were brought together as friends, family, and allies. Fighting for the freedom of our great nation and this reassured me.

As we rushed forward, I began to hear the signature whistle of incoming magical bombardment overhead. I knew that my demise might come at any moment, and I knew that my friends at my sides knew the same. However that didn't deter us from our goal at hand but, as we heard the first set of bombardment land around us, we quickly put some distance between us in the event if an explosion hit nearby.

What seemed like an eternity, we still continued rushing forward, as we dodged the bombardment as it landed near us. I quickly swung my guitar over my shoulder into my hands, as we moved forward, in the event I had to play a barrier spell. We had quickly grouped together again as the city wall got closer and closer. "WE'VE GOT THIS!" I heard Fayd yell out. "WE'VE GOT THIS!"

But as shortly after Fayd began to yell his remarks of support, the deafening sound of bombardment overhead was getting louder and louder. I knew that any moment this could be the end, I felt as if time slowed down, as if every second now was precious, and my heart was racing. I closed my eyes and continued running forward as fast as I can and I heard the explosion and then within a second, the shock wave that came with it. I felt myself being tossed upward, I caressed my guitar as hard as I could to hold it with me, and finally landing hard on the ground getting the wind knocked out of me.

I heard a loud ringing in my ears, unable to hear anything else. I felt the sudden surge of pain run through my body, I knew I must be badly injured. Not wanting to face what may have happened to me, I refused to open my eyes, and let myself die here, but I knew I had to face the truth. I opened my eyes slowly, and I saw myself covered in mud, dirt and still holding onto my guitar tightly. I moved the guitar off to my side to see what had been done to my body. No missing body parts, no blood, I was ok, mostly, I assumed. I quickly pushed myself off the ground, feeling a sudden surge of pain go through me, but I knew I had to keep moving.

I looked around to see what had become of my friends. I quickly scouted the area to see Lightning Strike being helped up by Fayd. I quickly picked up my guitar and rushed over to their side to assist Fayd with Lightning strike but Fayd's steed was no where to be found. I grabbed Lightning Strike's hand and helped Fayd pull him up. We all nodded to each other and I signaled to them that we had to keep moving. Lightning agreed with a thumbs up, and Fayd responded with a yell which sounded like "Let's go." But my ears were still ringing from the bombardment that hit us.

I saw Fayd duck down to pick up his saber that had fallen from his hands from what I assumed was the explosion. He grabbed his saber and began to pull himself up, and as he recomposed himself. I saw an arrow hit Fayd on his chest plate and penetrate his armor and he quickly hit the ground.

"FAYD!" I yelled. I quickly got down to his side and the ringing in my ears was now mostly gone.

"Get this damn... Arrow out of me!" Fayd yelled.

"I got you buddy!" Lightning strike stated and tried to pull the arrow out of him, but it snapped mid shaft and the arrow head was still inside of Fayd. "Sorry I can't get it out!" As Lightning strike held the arrow, I saw that there was this purple liquid draining from the inside of the shaft of the arrow.

"Oh shit..." I stated.

Lightning Strike looked at Fayd. "I'm sorry my friend..." Lightning said with the prideful tone of his voice escaping him.

Fayd examined the arrow that Lightning had tried to remove from him. "Its a poison arrow... Damn it." Fayd quickly pulled at my vest and brought me down to him. "Kiniro, I know I won't be left for this world long now. Those crafty bastards and their poison arrows." Fayd took a deep breath." Look Kiniro... I promised your father I'd look after you, but I won't be able to hold that promise anymore... I just want you to know, that when I raised you and helped you get out into the world." Fayd stated and took another deep breath, but it was weaker this time. "You're father wanted me to take care of you as my own, and in some ways, I treated you like the son I never had. You've made me proud... you've made your... parents proud."

"Fayd... I know you did the best to take care of me and look after me, but... I always respected you as if you were my father and I'm glad that you helped raise me. Thank you... for everything." I said with tears running down my face.

"I'm glad that for... a small time... I could call you... my son..." Fayd took one last breath, slowly faded away and his grip on my vest slowly released me.

I pushed myself up from Fayd's now lifeless body, and Lightning Strike put his hand on my shoulder to try to comfort me. I looked at Lightning to see him also tearing slightly. "We have to keep moving Kiniro, there is nothing we can do for him." Begrudgingly I had to accept this and held my guitar tightly. As I held my guitar, I began to see it glow light blue without playing it, and I felt something posses me. I began to play my guitar with chords that I did not recognize. I had a mixture of feelings over take me, hatred, apathy and sorrow for the loss of the man that helped raise me.

"Kiniro... what's going on!?" Lightning Strike asked, but his question went unanswered as I continued to play this melody that I did not recognize. Slowly my guitar began to glow brighter and brighter and suddenly I saw a weak aura not just surround the guitar, but me as well. "Kiniro what the hell is going on!?" But again it went unanswered. The aura began to grow brighter and brighter until it completely covered me and engulfed me. "KINIRO! By the gods... is this the... It can't be..." Lightning trailed off.

As the aura engulfed me I felt myself lift off the ground and began to levitate higher and higher. I was able to see the no mans land, the city wall and then the city interior. The song began to play faster and faster. Somehow I felt I knew the song was coming to an end soon. Feeling myself surge with energy that I had never felt before, and with the strum of the final chord I aimed the neck of my guitar downward toward the wall. The surge of energy quickly rushed from my body and seemed to get channeled through the guitar and formed a beam of light, blinding me and deafening me as I heard a loud explosion.

After a few brief moments I reopened my eyes to find myself laying on the ground with Lightning Strike looking straight at me with my guitar by my side. "By the gods Kiniro... Was that the... song of Ragnarok?" The battlefield had gone silent, the bombardment had stopped the yelling of soldiers had dimmed and everyone stood in place unaware of what might happen next.

"Loyalists! This is the rebel leader speaking! We wish to speak to the leader of loyalist forces!" I heard a female voice call out from the distance near the city wall.

Lightning strike turned to the direction of the voice. "My name is Captain Lightning Strike of the Royal Guard! I am currently in command! What is it you wish to discuss?!"

"We are inquiring on what that blast of energy was?!" The voice called out.

Lightning Strike hesitant to speak quickly swallowed his courage. "That is our secret weapon! We have a bard who knows the song of Ragnarok, and he isn't afraid to use it again! He knows that it might destroy us both!"

"By God's name! Ragnarok!?" The voice yelled, followed of a pause. "Commander Lightning Strike! We are proposing a cease fire! I for one do not want to perish like this, and I doubt neither do you."

"No I do not, the song of Ragnarok is unpredictable and it can destroy the entire world! I accept your terms for cease fire! In return our bard will stand down."

"Good! We shall have our cease fire and meet commander to commander tomorrow at dawn near the city gate!"

"Agreed, we shall retreat to our previous positions if you do the same." Lightning responded.

"Very well, all hostilities are now on cease fire. I await your meeting tomorrow." The voice responded.

Lightning Strike turned away from the city wall and turned to me and offered me a hand up off the ground. I graciously took his hand with mine and pulled myself up. "By the gods Kiniro, how did you do that?" Lightning Strike asked.

"I don't know... I just felt something over take me and I started playing." I responded.

"So the gods chose you to play the song? Why?" Lightning questioned.

"I don't know Lightning Strike. I don't know..." I replied.

"Only another tried to play this song, just like you and he failed, but the gods have chosen you Kiniro, to play it and live."

"I've heard stories that this other bard perished playing it back at the academy, and that the score for the song was destroyed centuries ago... so how do I know it?"

"The gods have chosen you. You now harness the power the most powerful magic in Midgard, they have entrusted you with it. Just like they entrusted the first bard, Aldo, with it."

"Aldo? Was that the bard you were trying to tell me about earlier?" I asked.

"Oh right yes..."

"Why?"

"Because he had a unique aura while playing his guitar just like you. It wasn't the traditional white or light teal. You have light blue which is the first case I've ever heard of and probably only. Just like Aldo was the first and only case to have the aura of yellow." Lightning Strike explained.

With those final words, my eyesight dimmed and my hearing went deaf. My hearing returned first, I had heard sounds of birds chirping. I forced my eyes open and found myself back in Twilight and my bedroom, staring at a picture of me sticking my tongue out and Twilight placing her hoof in her face. I was drenched in a cold sweat, the dream seemed so real, and it finally occurred to me, what these dreams had been trying to tell me. The connection was finally clear, history was wrong and something must have been hidden from the world in Midgard.

I slowly muttered the words. "Meadow Song is Aldo... it has to be..."

End of Chapter 16.