Chapter 7: Fighting and finding
>>>You will rediscover yourself. You will find the old and the new. The old will be your foundation, the new will be your monument. You will take what is yours and smite those that wronged you. You will seize power, and you will rule. You will be their broken king.<<<
History.
Spring Mist slowly stepped out into the night. The stars were twinkling brightly against the deep blue-black. The moon shone its pale light across the little sleeping town of Ponyville. He took in a deep breath, letting the cool air invigorate his weary body. The dark cold brought new life, making Mist feel… clean, refreshed.
It was nearly dawn, and Twilight Sparkle would be rising soon, expecting Mist bright and early to begin a new day of testing. Mist trotted briskly down a road that was becoming very familiar. Mist enjoyed that – the familiarity. His life was foreign and full of unknowns. The simple consistency of walking down a street brought some hope to an otherwise hopeless life.
Mist looked to the East, and could see the first slivers of light reach into the sky. The library tree could be seen in the distance, a few of the lights already on. Mist moved quickly as the sun rose, cresting over the mountains in the distance. He finally reached the door to the library, and knocked gently. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal the purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle.
She smiled. “Good morning, Mist. Come in, come in. Quiet, though. Spike’s still asleep.” She ushered him into the library. Owloysius sat on a windowsill near the door.
“Hoo,” he said.
“Hello, Owloysius,” replied Mist with a nod.
Twilight pushed him in the general direction of the downstairs area, where they would be able to do their testing without waking Spike. The door to the basement opened, and Mist trotted down the stairs, seeing the numerous scientific machines that Twilight owned as he went.
“Well somepony’s in a rush to get started,” said Mist, turning to face Twilight as she too walked down the stairs.
“No sense wasting daylight,” she said simply, “Besides, I have plans for most of the day.”
“Oh?” Mist inquired.
“Well, more like we have plans for most of the day.”
“Again, oh?”
“I can tell you later. Now, though, we work.” The unicorn mare pulled out a clipboard and a pencil, preparing to take notes. Mist found a comfortable seat as he felt the bulk of one of Twilight’s instruments situate itself on his head. Immediately one of the machines began making noises, ejecting a long stream of paper with various scribbles and figures.
“You’ll have to explain to me how these things work again,” Mist said as he looked worriedly at the machine.
“I will. Later. Now… Any nightmares last night?”
“Yes.”
“The same as the others?”
“Yes.”
“And are you doing your mental exercises?”
“Of course. As soon as I wake up.”
“Can you remember anything more?”
Mist had a distant look, as if searching a horizon. “I remember my old friends. Mostly. I remember names and faces. Some are more blurred than others.”
“And no pain?”
“No. Only if I remember too much, go too far back.”
“Do you remember anything from home?”
“Some things. I was a guard. On the night watch. But I wanted to be a scholar, study the night sky. An astronomer. And I remember everything about the night sky. Every star. Every constellation. Every phenomenon. All of it.”
“Well that’s new. And every star?”
“As far as I know. Apparently I enjoyed the topic quite a bit.”
“Princess Luna would love to meet and talk to you. She’s always interested in new ponies joining the astronomy tower in Canterlot.”
“I hardly think I’m cut out for that. And why would Princess Luna care about a pony like me? I’m nothing. I don’t have a life, a history. I’m broken and scarred. I’m barely a pony at this point.” Where some feeling of melancholy should have been, was an empty space. Mist was resigned. Not unhappy. Just resigned.
“Come now, Mist. You can’t think like that. Sure, you might have some mental… issues, and you may look… … a little hard on the eyes sometimes, you seem to be a good pony. Just in this week, I think you are a wonderful stallion. Always eager and helpful, if a little reclusive.”
“I know, it’s just… Do you have any idea what it is like, waking up in a strange place, shattered, unable to remember your past, then being told that your home has not existed for an untold number of years?”
“I can’t say I know anything, but that’s why I am here to help. Now… how are your scars doing?”
“They seem better. The doctor said that most should heal fairly soon. I mean, normally, they’d be there forever, but they are healing for some reason, so the doctor is just guessing right now.”
“Well, good. Once they clear up, you should start feeling better about yourself, and perhaps some more positive thinking will emerge.”
“I can only hope…”
“Well, I only have a few more questions, and then we can get ready for the rest of the day.”
Twilight continued the interrogation, carefully reading the figures and graphs produced by her tools. Mist obliged, answering each question as it came. Just another part of life. Unremarkable.
************
Princess Luna sat in her quarters, pouring over a pile of books. Some were regular books – history texts, spell tomes, spell theories. Others were not so normal… bound by magic incantations, they held some of the most powerful spell rituals know to ponydom. Dark magic, forbidden magic. Ancient and terrible.
Luna grunted, throwing a book across the room with her magic. Frustrated, she shoved the other books away and buried her head in her forelegs. She silently cursed herself for her inability. As the mental beating subsided, a cold chill blew across her back, making her shiver. She looked around for an open window. Finding none, she was ready to toss it aside as her imagination when her eyes fell upon one of the books she had pushed aside.
It was open to a page in the middle of a chapter. Luna picked up the book and flipped back a few pages. A chapter on eldritch and primordial spirits and powers. She moved back to the page she found and read the musings of a pony who penned himself only as ‘The Thinker’, written in one of the oldest of Equestrian languages.
While it is well-established that the heavens were created by and connected to the ‘pseudo-deities’ Luna and Celestia, there exist other forces that predate even those great beings. They may be among the most obvious and overt, but there are others that are far more subtle. Spirits of time, love, hunger. It seems there may be a spirit for everything. And of course, no pony could forget the terrible rule of Discord, spirit of chaos, or the earlier spirits that fed off of hatred and disharmony, the Windigos.
Luna skimmed through some verses, finding one of interest.
One item of interest in connection to spirits is one already connected to a powerful being. The stars. While undoubtedly Luna’s creation and wards, they seem especially susceptible to the machinations and whims of any who has enough power and understanding. It is said that a mortal creature can be ‘bound’ to a star, holding a piece of their essence within. Once this essence is in place, it can in fact affect the area around it. It gains sentience. And while weak alone, enough bound stars could affect even our world below.
Luna read the information carefully. It was nothing foreign to her, but what came soon after surprised even her.
Many of these spirits are immensely powerful, and are known to affect areas outside of their typical reach. They oft enjoy toying with mortals, offering promises in exchange for a multitude of services or things. But perhaps the most startling offer is the greatest gift of all: immortality. It seems Luna provided the means for everlasting life. There have been tales and whisperings of spirits who have bound not just a piece of a pony to a star, but the entirety of the pony, rendering them immortal and sometimes with great power. Though these are only theories and rumors.
“Find something interesting?” Luna heard a voice above her. Looking up, she saw Celestia.
“Yes, in fact. Some rather interesting musings about spirits and binding spells,” Luna replied. “Did you find anything?”
“Yes, something on the Nightmare.”
Celestia opened a book she was carrying.
The Nightmare.
Once of the most malevolent creatures to plague the world, it feeds on sorrow and anger. While it may not be particularly unique (see: Windigos) or even threatening in that regard, its true terror comes from its inherent deceit. It will defy its nature, allowing happiness and love to grow within its victim, only to later destroy all good it that pony’s life, feeding off of the greater loss and sorrow.
Aside from insatiable hunger, little is understood about the Nightmare’s motives, but it seems drawn to ponies in power. It will often target noble families or royalty. However, barring access, it will inflict itself on entire towns and villages.
The Nightmare has been recorded keeping victims in a state of oblivion to their plight, allowing them to continue their lives normally. This inexplicable behavior seems to completely defy the Nightmare’s nature.
It can only be concluded that the Nightmare is an unknowable force, and one of the greatest beings to inhabit this world, rivaling perhaps even the Royal Pony Sisters, Celestia and Luna.
“Are you ever surprised by just how little we actually know?” Luna asked, finishing the section.
“Always. One would think we know everything, but alas, I am constantly surprised by even old information,” Celestia replied. “But now we have a somewhat better understanding of the Nightmare. Now what did you find?”
Luna showed Celestia the section she had found. They looked to each other, formulating possibilities. Celestia was the first to speak.
“Those implications are… terrifying, to be honest.”
“That much power, and no moral guideline to keep it in check. But still, it doesn’t quite answer to question of just what happened to the star… I need to go back.”
************
Spring Mist walk next to Twilight Sparkle. It was later morning, and the pair was walking away from the town. Toward the Everfree forest. The wild and gnarled trees were in clear view, the dense shrubbery below coming into focus.
“So, remind me again what we are doing…” said Mist as they walked.
“We’re going to see if we can’t get some of your memory back through some rapid exposure and possibly reduce pain associated with memories by having you experience and then grow accustomed to it,” replied Twilight as if it were the simplest thing in Equestria.
“That’s… cruel. But if it works…” Mist said uncertainly.
“It works.”
“Alright, but why are we going into the Everfree forest? You never actually told me.”
“And I will do so when we get there.”
The two ponies kept walking, eventually coming across a path that cut through the forest. Strangely, there was no overgrowth. The path was clear, the plants stopping almost uniformly. Mist chose to ignore the forest, walking continually forward.
The walk took little over half an hour, and the pair of unicorns finally reached a small bridge that stretched over a rather large ravine. On the other side lay a mass of ruins, of what looked to be a castle. Mist stopped short of the bridge and looked around.
“Twilight, what is this place?”
“This is what remains of Everfree.”
“What?” Mist’s eyes widened. “There’s nothing here! It was a city!”
“Mostly what remains is the ancient castle. The other areas of the city were either lost is an event known as ‘The Collapse’ or were just overgrown after they were abandoned.”
“No. This is wrong. What happened here?” Mist began breathing rapidly, looking around frantically.
“Mist, calm down,” Twilight said, putting her hoof on his shoulder. “I know this is hard for you, but look at how far we’ve come already. You remember the city, and there is no pain. That’s pretty good progress.”
Mist ran. He ran across the bridge, toward the ruins of the castle. He reached the front door, slowing only a moment before continuing. He reached the large central room, and looked ahead. There, in the middle of the room stood a large pedestal.
“Mist, what is it?” Twilight panted out from behind him.
“This is where is happened. This is where I rose.” And fell
It’s time, Mist.
Author's Note:
Hello dear readers! My sincerest apologies for the later-than-I'd-like chapter! Life has a way of getting... in the way (far funnier in my head). I hope you are all enjoying the chapters so far!
Once again, anything you'd like to see, ponies you'd like to meet, questions you want answered, shoot me a comment below (or if you're shy, I guess a PM will do too).
May the stars bless you with their beauty, and the moon light your way in the dark.
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First!!
Just wanted to say that you have a wonderful story, that I enjoyed part one and am looking forward to the continuation.
1411942 hehe, thank you so much! I hope it lives up to your expectations!
wow this is awesome :) let me guess Nightmare comes into play :P
1423240hehe, we'll see
1423859 I know :)
Gotta say those were some damn convenient books that the sisters found
Celestia: Luna, where'd you find that book anyways?
Luna: Oh it was in the Plot Convenience section of the library.
Nah but it was an understandable way to introduce the workings of nightmare honestly I cant think of another way to do it either so i'm just giving you shit