> Nature's Dogma
>  by LoosePartyCannon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Home and beyond
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A storm was quickly approaching from the horizon, the black clouds crackling a deafening roar. Unlike the soft, calmer storms of Equestria this one wasn't planned and structured, this one was formed by nature. I started humming to myself as I finished planting a few seeds in my little farm and pulling out the carrots, tomatoes and other vegetables I planned to cook for dinner that night. As I left the farm, closing the crooked gate behind me, I walked up the fractured stone pathway to my cabin, next to the old wooden fence of my garden, and I couldn't help but admire my home. 

It was worn and damaged by the passing of time but no force on this planet, sieges or storms, would bring it down. It had a red tiled roof with a stone chimney rising from it with simple stone and mortar walls and glass windows with painted wooden shutters. It would seem simple, ugly even, to most people but to me it was perfect. As I climbed the stone steps I took a moment to take in the world around me. To my right I saw rolling landscapes of picturesque scenery with flowing rivers, never ending forests and snow capped mountains and even further east laid the world I left behind. To the west even further up the already treacherous mountain were jagged rocks, mountains, harsh snow, blizzards and monsters better left forgotten to the annuals of time. I lived where most people called the End of the World, it got its name because no one has made it through the mountains and made it back. I've been across countless times and it is most certainly not the end of the world, quite the contrary. On the other side lies lands untouched by ponies, creatures both beautiful and dangerous and species ranging from furless bipeds who lived in small tribes and beasts of scaly and feathered skin who lived in swamps and surprisingly both make great conversationalists. I often traded with the natives for foods and supplies from their lands, I believe they call me the 'fuzzy vegetable horse'. Sounds better when they say it.

I stopped thinking about the world long enough to hear my stomach growl, a long day of farming and meditation works up an appetite. I walked up to the old, blue wooden door and unlocked it with my horn, after all, keys can be copied but a magical signature couldn't. I walked inside and closed the door behind me, locking it tightly. I cast a spell and lit the candles and lanterns around the room, basking everything in a cool, orange glow. In the far left of the room was my archaic, king sized bed, to my right was the kitchen, to my left the study and living room, my bathroom behind a closed door on the opposite side of the room and below me a cellar full of alcohol, frozen foodstuff and relics. I'm not an alcoholic but I like to keep stock for the times I keep company. I walked over to my kitchen and prepared a meal with the freshly farmed and cleaned vegetables, A salad with a nice dressing sounded divine. As I started cooking I looked out the window and drifted away to thoughts of when I lived a grander life. 

It was nice having anything you wanted at a moments notice and it was heartwarming to know that so many people loved you, respected you and feared you. But I don't regret leaving it all behind me, I grew tired of warfare, politics and seeing people I loved die...And making countless mistakes. So like many of my kind I left, we went to different corners of the world, some further than that, and lived contently. I never regretted leaving the world behind, here I couldn't endanger those around me. Those that didn't soon tore each other apart in what many called the Immortal Divide. Immortals killing each other over power and greed, alliances and kingdoms rising and falling with the shifting tides of trust and creeds. Many of my kind were hunted down and killed for their powers, Many came for mine. Their broken bodies now lay in forgotten graves along the mountain slope. When one immortal dies the rest cry for him, for a loss that massive is felt throughout the world, through the thousand year war no one cried for there were too many to cry for. In the end few were left, only two spirits of good and evil where left and many watched from the sidelines. Tierk was the first to fall and be locked away, Discord followed shortly after and then the Second Sister Luna was banished years later. Thus marked the end of the Immortal War, with Celestia, the Broken Queen, sitting on the throne. Our numbers are few but we still remember those dark days, we few promised to never repeat the same mistakes. Never again would we few Immortals seek power we should not own. 

My thoughts were cut short as I cut myself with my kitchen knife, which was most likely as old as myself. I didn't really feel it but I was still surprised all the same. I used my magic to clean the wound, seal it and wipe away the silver, watery blood that has stained my fur as I washed the knife clean. I don't know how long I had spent reminiscing but the sun was setting and my meal was finished. Grabbing a bowl and fork I placed the meal on the rustic table I used for both researching and eating and sat down on a worn, oak chair. Though it was a simple and beautiful meal it was lacking something, perhaps a nice, smooth red wine would go well with it. Standing, I hurried to the basement entrance. I descended the rickety stairs down to my cool cellar and looked around for the perfect bottle. After a small search I came across a dust covered, emerald green bottle bearing the ancient mark of the old Griffin kingdom, a clear sign that this was once brewed by a royal brewmaster. Funny, when I bought it it was worth a few gold pieces, now it was beyond priceless. If the Griffin Warchief knew how much of this crimson beverage was hidden here, along with a few Griffic artifacts I've acquired over the years, he would probably start a war for it. I wouldn't blame him as some of these relics were probably his family's at some point. As I started walking up the stairs I felt...Something. A sudden rush of magical energy, a boom in power and a call of new life.  

It was...No, it can't be. If its true then...A new Alicorn has been born! Oh what wonderful news! This was a grand and joyous occasion! As I sat down at my table and shakily poured myself a glass I pondered. If this is true then tradition says the nearest elder are or stallion Alicorn must welcome him or her to this world alongside their parents. It was hard to raise an Alicorn as they had the power to change the world and many more creatures would sense this too, some no doubt wanting to steal it for their own. As I checked the plains of Equestria and beyond for the nearest Elders I was shocked to find that I was the nearest stallion. 

"Hmm...Well then, looks like I'm going to have to go on a bit of a pilgrimage, after all traditions are sacred, especially for something as momentous as this." I thought to myself with a bit of a sad smile. After spending a few...Centuries alone, I could go for a short trip around the world.

The night was loud as the storm raged over head. I Spent the night packing my supplies, writing a letter so my neighbors from over yonder hill would be aware of my absence if they came visiting, after all, who knows when I’ll be back. I cleaned my dishes, placed a spell on the broom to keep cleaning while I'm gone, nothing worse then coming home to a messy house. Before I went to bed for the night I went back to my cellar and walked past my bottles of ambrosia and frozen foods to my vault built into the rock wall of the cellar, swiftly walked inside and quickly pulled out a few relics.  

My white wooden staff, Der'nael Sol. carved from a branch of the First Tree, it had spells, stories and curses inscribed into it from years past that seemed to glow with multi-coloured ethereal light and a beautiful black, crystalline orb on top being carried by small branches intertwining around it. The orb was one of two born from the First Tree, one of the rarest gems in the world and also one of the most powerful conduits for magic. Inside the murky depths of the gem glowed hues of invigorating orange, calming blue, infernal red, emerald green, golden yellow and every now and then a white, translucent soul would swim amongst the colours. The orb softly hummed a calming, almost angelic tune that was hauntingly beautiful.

I also took with me my short sword Nael'tus. though long since retired and broken it had seen me through much bloodshed and would serve to protect me once more. The glimmering Naelstone blade was so sharp it could cut through a wall of steel and the golden handle had a bright shine to it that seemed to illuminate the room. In the sword's guard sat a round, deep green emerald that smelt of grass and morning dew. Running up the blade in order was a ruby shaped like a kite that contained a raging fire in it near the base of the blade, a polished cushion sapphire so blue and well cut it looked like water, an oval of translucent hambergite that seemed to faintly emit the sound of a spring wind and to add to the look running along the blades cutting edge was a fine line of black, earthy obsidian. The end of the blade was a jagged, horizontal cut that was clearly not intentionally made. Along with the gems, inscribed into the blueish silver blade was the story of its creation, the archaic, poetic and powerful words were etched so elaborately that it looked more like a pattern of intertwining vines, streams of water and fire and the souls of animals flowing between the cutting edge of the sword and the gems. Unfortunately, the story was also cut in two. The writing and the animistic designs were abruptly stopped, leaving the story unfinished to all.  Wherever the other half of the blade is, it has probably been corroded beyond recognition or hung up in some lord's estate; A memento of times past and lore forgotten. The grip was wrapped in a hardened cloth like material with archaic lettering on it to add some grip with the blade, though I mostly held it with my magic. Despite the lose of its other half, the blade still resonated with my presence and almost seemed ecstatic to let me hold it.

I then grabbed my robes and saddle bag. The robes were old, older then me even, the small tears along the robes legs and faded patterns were proof. The robe sported a regal blue color with a faded golden trim and silver rune markings in said trim, it also had a hood to cover my head from rain, snow or anything else that could hinder my travels, and since it covered my entire body it had my destined mark design, the white, opulent First Tree with fire and ice for leafs and stars for roots, on both sides of my flanks. My saddle bags were plain brown with the same mark stitched onto it, made by me at a much younger age. 

The last few things I took were precious only to me and held no historical value. A small gold and silver necklace with a scratched fire ruby in the heart shaped wooden pendent. The purple wood used in the pendent was from the ancient Everfree trees that make up the heart of the now called Everfree Forest far from here. Some say the wood's cursed, I say it's enchanted. The necklace's creators had long since passed it on to me and they probably would have forgotten they even gave it to me.

The next thing I grabbed was a simple linen white shirt, brown belt and dark black trousers, just for warmth. 

Then, various charmed wood and stone bracelets with various sigils and hexes carved into the surfaces. One stood out to me in particular: the one given to me from my mother, passed down for generations. The golden and silver wood and chipped stones used no longer exist and the markings aren't listed in any known scripture but it still comforted me deeply. The bracelet still pulsing in sync with my own heart.

A leather tome so tattered, faded and scratched I'm amazed the cover still remained attached. The cover bore my mark, though all colour and the book's title had long since been removed. Within the tome were various diary entries, experimental notes, memoirs, sketches, life lessons and teachings. Everything I have learnt, taught, thought and experienced had been put to rest here...Somehow I never seemed to run out of parchment.

And finally a pristine, cloth doll of a red Alicorn. Made for me eons ago, it was the only thing that remained from my childhood aside from my book and bracelets. The eyes had been replaced from rocks to black orbs and it was slightly faded but the charms I'd placed on it had kept it intact had absorbed any major damage. Hugging it tightly, I placed it and my other items into my saddle bags. 

I took these mementos up stairs and left my bags by the door, my robes folded on a chair, my sword sheathed in its old brown belt and my staff next to my bed. Most Alicorns don't need to sleep, but it helped me relax. As I quickly checked around the house to make sure all was in order I realized I had started to smell from my long day of chores and farming, so before I went to bed I decided to have a warm, relaxing shower. 

The bathroom like the rest of the house had stone walls and a wooden floor, though I had thrown down the hide of a fallen animal to act as a mat. The bathroom was small, only needing enough room to fit a bath shower, sink and toilet. Stepping into the bath I turned on the shower. It was an old griffin shower, built to accommodate people bigger than ponies comfortably but the old pipes and machinery that feed purified rainwater had been needing more and more of a fix up over the years, shame I was never good with technology. The water was as fresh and clean as always and I was soon taken to a world of heated bliss. As I got out of the shower and toweled myself off I looked into the my mirror.

I was a tall stallion with a long horn and big feathery wings. My coat was the same shade of blue as my robes, my eyes were fire red, my mane and tail were deep blue, crimson red, lush green and clean white. My mane covered the right half my face and draped down the same side of my head and the back of my neck.  Most people would find me already a strange sight but my feathers make me even more of a rarity. Instead of them matching my fur they were different shades of brown, green, blue, red and white. The colors matched those of soil, grass, water, fire and air and were colored in a way with no discernible pattern but always seemed to change colors when I cleaned out useless feathers. I didn't look masculine, like almost all of my kind I was thin, tall, graceful and athletic, though I was in fact quite powerful.

After I had finished washing myself I crawled into my warm bed and slowly drifted into the realm of sleep as the rain crashing against my window and roof made a beautiful lullaby. Equestria had become a magnet for magical disturbances lately. The Elements rediscovered, Discords brief, yet intense, escape, an invasion lead by a Changeling Queen, the Crystal Empire resurfacing and now this?

"Long day tomorrow, It will take quite awhile to reach Equestria...but it will all be worth it. A new Alicorn foal..." I whispered to myself as I embraced sleep.

I had gotten up early to make sure everything was prepared and that nothing would burn down the house while I was away. The last time I went on an adventure my garden was a mess. After I checked everything I left my abode. I turned around and put a note on the door and walked down to the edge of my estate. As I made my way past my garden I turned around to look at my little piece of land. The rustic house and small garden, the few pieces of land I can truly call home. I didn't know how long I was going to be away from it but I knew I was going to miss it.
> Walking back into reality
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

2nd of the-
5th of the sixth
1st of the 3rd, Year of the Awakening. 
Morning, nearing the Forgotten Sea.
5 days since I left home.

Dear journal, though it has been a long time since my quill has brushed your pages, I feel I should document the coming adventure. I have lived a secluded life, and I cherished every minute of it, but I now find myself being thrust back into the world by tradition. The journey back to Equestria will be a long one full of fright and peril, but I couldn't call myself an immortal if I was worried by a few raging seas. Never the less, I must find the nearest village and see if I can find myself a captain brave enough to get me close to It, from there I can hopefully find a few old friends.

As I signed the small journal entry, I looked around the scenery and noted anything out of the ordinary. The endless grasslands and trees that separates the mountains I called home and the rest of the world passed by a few days ago and now I was nearing the coast. I was walking down a lonely dirt road, made long ago by travelers on pilgrimages like myself, though I was going in the opposite direction and I was a bit more prepared than most other people. The path was lined with tall trees which leaves blocked out the sun casting shade over the road, and the only sound that could be heard was the constant rustling of leaves from the strong ocean breeze and the sounds of animals running about somewhere deeper in the foliage. Stopping for a second I closed my eyes and let my hooves burrow slightly into the moist dirt, allowing the grass covered in early morning dew to brush against my fur. I breathed deep in and relished the taste of the morning wind combined with the gentle breeze from the sea. 

"Ahhh...I love mornings." I said to no one. But before I could continue on, a branch snapped behind me, spring into action I drew my sword with my magical grip and raised my walking stick/mystical staff into a defensive position. Weapons at the ready and with my dark robes on, I would look menacing enough to deter most interlopers. 

"Hark! To whom thought it wise to ambush me, come forth and show thine self!" I shouted as menacingly as I could in common, It had been years since I had used the basic language of most races as I preferred to use the Old Tongue. Standing at the ready, I awaited the fiend to show himself. I was expecting a blood thirsty Minotaurian raider to come screeching out of the woods with a battle ax firmly in his hands and a mad glint in his eyes, instead a cute baby Jackalope shuffled out of the foliage. Brown Jackalopes were somewhat of a rarity as they weren't native to colder climates like Teria, The Everfree Isles or anywhere near The Tear or the Western lands in general, but somehow they end up in the forests. Some people call them pests due to their insatiable hunger and sharp antlers, I can't get enough of the cute, demure things. The baby was small enough to fit in my satchel and couldn't have weight that much, then again they were deceptively strong and could run like a bat out of hell so I wouldn't try touching one unless it wants to be touched. This one's shaggy brown fur looked dirty and stained with what looked like...Blood. Upon closer inspection I could see small cuts and gashes along its body, could it be poachers? It was clear from its constant shaking and it's wet, matted fur that it was scared, injured and alone. Instantly, I lowered my weapons and slowly walked closer to it, trying not to scare it off. 

"It's ok young one, I won't hurt you." I said calmly in Old Tongue as I got near the frightened babe. It was trying to look frightening by growling and staring me down but it was clearly terrified. 

"I wish to heal you, please let me help you." I said quietly as I got down near the ground and levitated my saddlebags off. The Jackalope was shaking like a leave but he didn't shy away from me as I inspected him or her from a safe distance making sure to stay away from the antlers.

"Minot cuts, possibly from a sword, arrow head or a trap. A sprained hock and knee on the left hind leg, either from continuous running or a trip wire of some kind. Definitely poachers..." I muttered to myself as I looked the shivering animal. Reaching my left hoof inside the brown bags I had placed next to me, I opened the flap and looked inside for a small pot. 

"Lavender, coffee beans, paprika-ah here it is." I said aloud, slightly spooking the bunny as I pulled out a small, earthy clay pot with a few scratched lines on it. 

"Now then, I need to you to sit still, this is a special salve extracted from a mixture of herbs and a bit of my own magic. It might burn a bit but trust me it will help with the wounds. Will you let me apply it?" I ask as I took off the top of the pot, letting light shine into it, illuminating the orange cream. I looked down at the scared animal and I knew from the hardened look in its yellow eyes and its tensing body that it was ready. 

"Ok...Don't say I didn't warn you." I said as I applied some ointment onto my hoof, giving it an orange shine, and slowly started rubbing the salve onto the few cuts on the side and back of the little jackalope. He made a few small grunting or screeching noises but didn't stop me, strange as they were usually easily frightened or angry, territorial creatures who would usually kick you with their hind legs or run off if you tried agitating them. After a few minutes of rubbing in the fragrant herbal cream the wounds were already closing up from the fast acting natural agents. The sweet little thing was now grunting, stretching its leg out to test the joints and running in circles around me with a heart warming smile on its cute, bunny face.  

"Huh, you're a tough little guy aren't you? Now then, where's your burrow? A tiny thing like you shouldn't be out in the open without your mother, I believe Timber Wolves stalk the coastlines." I asked worried that he might be seen as a easy target. He seemed unsure but screeched something that I assumed meant 'follow me', It had been a very long time since I had talked to any type of creature besides birds and the very few visitors who made it up the mountains. Scampering into the thick tree line, exotic and poisonous flowers and past all the thick shrubs I raised my robes hood and trotted after him, I assume its a he, off the beaten path.   

It was nearing mid day now and the sun was beating down on my covered back as I followed closely behind the beast, suspecting that a monster would jump out and attack either of us. The beating waves of the raging ocean where now clearly heard over the sound of wind blowing the leaves, the faint crackling of twigs caused by all kinds of creatures or the sound of wildlife flying over head or singing their songs. We had being seemingly avoiding the beach head despite us being so close to it I could almost feel the grains of sand beneath my hooves. 

'If memory serves me right then the shore was less than a kilometer away and held much fewer obstacles so there must be a-' My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the sounds of screaming and running. Looking up I saw that the bunny had run on ahead through a large patch of grass and shrubs and if its alarming cries were anything to go by, he was in distress. Drawing my sword and channeling a hex into my staff, causing the fire opal to glow and the white shaft to radiate a faint light, I bolted through the thick layer of bushes and shrubs into the clearing on the other side. I expected a manticore in need of calming or a pack of Timber Wolves in need of a good trimming, instead I saw a blown out hole that could have once been a burrow and clumps of bloody and matted fur lying around. The clearing was barren of trees or shrubs, the only shade from the scorching sun being the tall blades of grass, but everywhere piles of dirt and...Jackalope gore. The young rabbit was in clear distress and was running around frantically and screeching, looking for its family. 

"Why...Why would anyone do this?" I whispered in disgust and anger, stomping my right hoof into the ground in rage. It had been a long time since I was genuinely angry, annoyed and upset yes, but I had never been this furious. Someone had done this, and someone was going to pay for what they did... 

As I breathed in slowly to try and calm myself I walked cautiously towards the now crying Jackalope, curled up in a ball in front of the smoldering ruins of his home. Sheathing my broken longsword, I placed my staffs end firmly on the ground and knelled down behind him. 

"Let it all out, little one, for soon we won't have time for mourning. I promise you, I will find who ever did this..." I said in a calming then displeased voice as I scooped up the weeping babe and embraced him in a heartfelt attempt to calm him down. After a while of us just sitting there, him crying his tiny eyes out and me infuriated at the audacity of whomever intruded upon this clearing, I heard a noise unlike any other. It was like a thunderclap without the ground shaking volume or vibrations. It repeated multiple times before I stood up, placing the emotionally damaged bunny on my back through levitation as I decided to grasp my sword and staff in each hoof, using the staffs end as a walking stick. 

"Do not worry young leveret, this will not go unpunished. 

Elsewhere
The Western Plains, Coastline. 


"merde, merde, merde!" I shouted in alarm as I flew full force away from my pursuers, who seemed content to either fly after or fire at me from below. I had been flying for what felt like hours when in reality it had being mere minutes since I had being spotted. 

"Come on down here lil' birdy! We won't hurt ya, promise!" One of my attackers shouted in a heavy Trottingham accent. These guys where shaddy as all hell, I knew that before I took this job, but I had no way of knowing they were so well armed for a rag-tag gang of pirates. 

"Here's an idea; how about we go our separate ways as connaissances?" I asked, trying desperately to distract, slow them down or just get them to stop trying to kill me. 

"Sorry lass, you should have know to stay out of other people's business. I would say nothing personal but that's a bit cliche don't ya think?" He replied, turning my head around I got a good look of the coming horde. I was hovering about thirty feet in the air, well above the ever expanding treeline and crashing, blue waves. Behind me flew about three griffins and two pegasi, all wearing similar garb; torn shirts with makeshift leather armor and torn up pants mostly used to accompany the belt carrying their cutlasses and flintlock pistols, though the griffins leading the charge would most likely prefer to use their sharpened claws instead of their swords, for the personal touch. Below me on the sun bleached sandy shores where three changelings all armored up and levitating rifles and two earth ponies in light, leather body armor who preferred to use a Cestus over a conventional weapon, though when your greatest strength is your kick and punch, work with what ya got I guess. The group was shoddy to say the least and where nothing special, but their pistols and rifles made me a target, but if I go ground side I'm worse off. Thinking quickly I slowed down a tad to let my pursuers catch up to me. I kept turning left over the water then turning back around towards the tree line, all the while throwing in a few minor aerobatics to throw them off or confuse them. 

"Got ya now sweetheart." I heard a griffin behind me cackle out. Looking back, I saw him wrap his talons around my back leg and pull me back. Just as planned. Faking a gasp, I donned a shocked expression and feigned struggling.

"Ha, where you t'ink you goin'?" He asked while laughing. As his buddies showed up, hovering around like a pack of hungry vultures, they realized a bit too late what my plan was as they screamed and flew off as I reached my left arm up to my chest, upholstered 'Anne' and aimed. 

"Down, au revoir!" I said cheerfully as his jovial expression dropped. Pulling three of the eight flintlocks caps I aimed straight for the twits face and pulled the trigger. Two things happened next; his brains, teeth and eyeballs were now flying through the air in a pasty, red mess and I was also now in free fall. Quickly adjusting, I flapped my wings and changed my trajectory so instead of slamming head first into shallow water, I changed directions at the last second, barely touching the water and then sand. I was going to fly straight into the treeline that was two hundred or so meters ahead and closing, and from there safety. 

'Ok, almost home free-' my thoughts were rudely however, as I heard a loud, ring bang and a tearing, searing hot pain through both of my feathery wings as I came crashing down into the sand, rolling a few dozen meters forward. 

"Gah! L'enfer putain! La douleur est insupportable!" I screamed in pain as I looked behind my back and saw the wound, it wasn't as bad as it could be and was mostly a flesh wound, but I wouldn't be flying anytime soon. As I sat there twitching my bloodied wings, I slowly got into a kneeling position and looked around the area to find a strategically sound area. I had thankfully crash landed behind a row of big rocks about twenty meters away from the treeline, but if the constantly whizzing bullets flying around where any indication, then running out of cover would be suicide. the shade provided by the massive, bending over trees provided a nice amount of shade that could hind my if I leaned out of cover, but it also hid their shadows if they were approaching, and this sand made moving around a bitch. Deciding it would be wise to prepare, I ran into cover behind the small wall of rocks. Sadly, the griffins above me where still pretty miffed about their old friend who's now food for the sharks.

"Shes behind the boulders! Git her!" I heard a changeling scream in rage. Doing a once over I took stock of my supplies. 'Anne' with a few extra bullets that can get me through this, an iron dirk, a few pouches full of medicine and bandages, a pouch of dry food and my half empty canteen. using my talon, I ran a finger over my clothes and armor to see if anything was badly damaged. My dark red buccaneer jacket with golden buttons was still in good shape, with its usual sandy smears and rum stains here and there, the leather bandoleer underneath was there, the only difference being the opened holster. The nice, breezy puffy white undershirt was still somehow spotless. my black pants, despite being torn along the bottom of the pants legs, were still in usable condition and offered sound protection. My light, sandy yellow feathers contrasted well against the soft blue feathers I had around the edge of my wings and on my head where ponies would say my 'mane' was. The feathers on my head were held back in place by a dark red bandanna which let a few feathers hang loss underneath giving me a slight fringe. My sharp talons were stained slightly gray around the digits because of the copious amount of gunpowder I work with but I never mind the smell. 

"Hey, if you come out now we might not kill you!" jeered one of the Earth pony who I could practically hear the smug smile on his face.

"I love it when they think they've won, makes tricking them so much easier..." I said slyly as I slid open my pistols chamber. Unlike most conventional weapons, 'Anne' was loaded with eight barrels that had to have individual pellets and gunpowder feed in and the barrels usually had to have some kind of lubricant. Thankfully though, I knew a better way; paper cartridges. Unlocking the flintlocks chamber, the front half of the gun came off on a hinge and sat there. After removing what was left of the spent cartridges, ash, I opened one of the pouches I had on my pants belt and pulled out three other cartridges. The cartridges were custom made to include everything I needed for the gun to fire(gunpowder, a bullet and other useful ingredients including some Oxidizer so I don't have to clean up any mess left over. 

"We're going to give ya till the count of three to show ya face, or we'll blow it off when we get ya." I heard the Earth pony in charge of the pursuit shout in an aggravatingly loud voice. Using one hand to steady the other, I grasped Anne and prepared to fight for my life. Again. 

"One..."
"Two!..."
"trois!" I cried violently as I raised my head over the rock formation. In front of me stood ten targets, all grounded and forming a firing line with melee troops behind them no doubt waiting to charge me. Clicking the first barrels lock back, I aimed for one of the Changeling rifleman who was a bit slow to draw. Squeezing the trigger, his green brain matter was now decorating the sand and trees while his black chitin did a good job of scaring his friends. Stepping into action, I clicked the second barrel and took out a Griffin armed with a pistol, like his friend his face exploded in a brilliant display of gore. At this point they were firing at me, thankfully their aiming was atrocious and all they did was chip the rocks around me causing flacks of the rocks to fall into the sandy ground. Now the melee line was charging and despite my Dirk, I knew I held no change of killing them in close quarter combat. Shifting priority I was able to ground two of the charging griffins by shooting their chests, which didn't stop them but managed to trip them up. Now with only four bullets I quickly shot at the other charging forces and was only able to clip them and slow them down. 

'Two dead, six injured, good enough.' I thought as I readied my Dirk. I had no time to reload my gun, but I had softened them up enough to stand a chance. 

"Come on you fuckin' bitch!" Shouted one of the Earth ponies with Cestus on all of his hooves. He was a sea green mess of brown hair and reeked of salt but he was built like a brick wall. He started swinging haphazardly and even though he missed, one of his leather gloves lined with steel studs clipped a rock and cracked it badly. 

"Why. Won't. You. Die?!" He screamed, each word punctuated by a wild jab. It didn't take long for me to sidestep him before he got tired and opened himself up to a strike. Leaping back, I raised my Dirk and aimed for his throat. Hopping forward, he was unable to avoid my attack as the blade went clean into his veiny neck. The good news was that he was dead in seconds, the bad news is he took my knife down with him. As he fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood, I had just enough time to sidestep the coming murderer. 

"Oi! You killed Tommy, you twat!" shouted the Trottingham pony from before, he had a mish-mash of browns and blondes making up his fur and mane. He was decked out in basic leather armor and a striped shirt, but it was kinda useless as I jumped him, causing him to drop the parrying knife he had in his magical grip. With him on the ground, I punched his horn hard enough to crack it, causing him to scream profusely. As he raised one of his hooves to punch me, I raised my right and and dragged it across his face in a quick, jagged motion. Believing he would soon bleed out from the massive gashes and chunks now missing from his once mangy head I looked up and was ready to charge the coming Griffin. He was scared but accompanied by the only other melee troop who seemed determined to crush my skull, either that or he was constipated, kinda hard to tell with ponies, their angry faces are kinda stupid. Running over to the now dead Tommy, I was reaching down to pull out my Dirk until-

CRACK! It hit me like a ton of bricks, the pellet ripped straight through my side. I don't know when, but one of the riflemen though it was a grand idea to fly over head and shot at me, and as I felt the sensation of tearing flesh and searing hot metal, I knew it was tactfully sound. Collapsing on the ground, I was truly scared. 

"Merde...Putain je ne peux pas mourir ici se il vous plaît ... Père pardonne-moi ..."I sputtered out in between sharp gasps of air. Shit, this is the end, I thought as I heard the sound of sand crunching under the weight of hooves as a tall pony covered in a dark robe stood over me. 

"Ha, la mort m'a finalement pris ..." I said faintly with a smile as I drifted off to sleep. 

one minute ago.

"The noises are getting louder..." I stated aloud as I ran towards the beach and the sound of the thunderclaps. I had been running not stop and despite the large amounts of branches and shrubs I had slammed into or avoided for the Jackalopes sake, I was blazing down the dirt path. 

"We're almost-" 

""Merde...Putain je ne peux pas mourir ici se il vous plaît ... Père pardonne-moi ..." I heard someone sputtering out in Grific, from the sound of it, a young women. Roughly translated, she said:"Damn... Fuck, I can not die here please ... Father forgive me ..." Stopping, I levitated the little bunny of my back and onto the ground, he looked at me like he was pleading for me to stay. 

"Listen little one, whatever happens, don't run out there, let me handle this ok?" I pleaded as I tried to calm him down. He looked up at me with his tiny rabbit eyes and nodded before bouncing into the small bushes that lined the beach. Sighing, I readied my sword and stepped past the trees blocking my path. The beach was beautiful. Gorgeous yellow sand, clear, sparkling water and an endless line of green, lush trees. If it weren't for the dead bodies, this would be someone's paradise. The bodies were mutilated beyond the point of this being a simple sword fight, the faces seem to have been blown clear off and the bodies had gaping holes in them. What was used? Spells can't do this kind of damage to a physical form. As I stepped forward onto the beach, the first thing I noticed where the small group of people, the other was a female griffin lying on the ground with a small hole in the side of her body. 

""Ha, la mort m'a finalement pris ...", death finally caught me, she said with a small laugh and a cough. Her voice was young and charming, her accent clearly a mix of old Grific and the accent of most pirates or deckhand. Her features were both delicate yet hardened, as if born beautiful then forced to grow strong. Looking up at me, it was clear she thought I was Death, and seemed to be openly embracing her fate as she passed out. Kneeling down, I pulled out the jar I had used before and started rubbing the gel onto the bleeding wounds on the Griffin's wings and sides, I then searched her for bandages and got to work levitating them and bandaging the wounds. After that was done I checked her pulse and saw that she was fine for the time being, looking up I realized I had more pressing matters to attend to. 

"Oi, what the fuck are you doing helping her you bloody idiot! Don't you know who we are?!" One of them shouted at me, not amused by their arrogance, I stood back up and leveled up sword at them while also pointing my staff at one of the, Changlics I think their called, who was holding a strange wooden stick with metal in it.

"I shall only ask this question once, so listen well knaves: Was it you whom assaulted this maiden and killed the Jackalopes?" I asked with malice lacing my words as I stared down the cocky, marauders who were oblivious to the winds picking up and the waves growing stronger. 

"Yeah, we did. Jackalope make good game and the nosy bitch had it coming. What are you going to do about it?" One of them mockingly asked as a fire started burning in my eyes...
> Strangers from strange lands
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before me stood six injured, profusely sweating, armor clad bandits; all ready to gore me on their collective weapons. Two Earth ponies, a Changlic, a Griffin and two Pegasi. In my left hoof I clutched my white wooden staff tightly and in my magical grasps I held my gem encrusted sword. They were sizing me up, running their scarred eyes over my cloak covered form and trying to figure out what I was. 

"If ya' leave bub, we ain't gunna fellow ya, jest a thought." One of the Earth ponies, the brown one, said with a small cackle as he banged his front hooves together in a futile effort to intimidate me. 

"And what, pray tell, will you do with the maiden behind me?" I inquired as I looked back at the jacket wearing griffon who was laying in the warm sand. 

"Well, that's for us to know and you to not know, huh?" The Changlics said, his voice raspy and dry, doubt not used to such a tropical environment. 

"If you are insinuating that you have something malicious in store for her then I fear you'll have to duel me first. I will warn you once, I shall spare no quarter if you raise your weapon against me..." I said as I prepared myself to charge them, lighting my horn a little as my naelstone sword began to glow. 

"Hah! He thinks he can scare us?! Boys, you know what to do." The Griffin said as he and the other pirates, aside from the two earth ponies, raised a few wooden sticks of various size. The Changlic raised his long stick with metal in it and leveled it at me, as they did this I knew they were going to try something. 

"Now!" Shouted the Pegasus as a series of loud bangs echoed across the beach. Acting fast I raised a small, translucent shield around me as whatever they were firing at me bounced harmlessly off, causing small ripples in my shield. 

"Shit, reload!" A Pegasus cried in alarm as those that had fired those things at me acted frantically and tried to do...Something to their sticks. Despite their best efforts they were still fumbling with their equipment thanks to the small and medium sized injuries to their limbs. The two Earth ponies who had no stick in their hooves looked at each other and charged full force at me, only tripping slightly thanks to the wounds in their legs. 

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" They shouted in tandem as I lowered my shield and walked towards them. They swung their front hooves at me in a futile attempt to hurt me with their studded gloves. Side stepping the brown one I levitated my broken sword to his throat and cut with such speed that the untrained eye couldn't have seen it. Now with his companion grasping at his neck the blue one tried to buck me in the face, no doubt it would have resulted in a broken jaw given the size of his legs. 

Steeping back and around I whacked him violently in the stomach with my staff, causing him to keel over and vomit on the sand. As I stomped on the back of his head, I was meet with the sound of a loud snap as his neck gave way. 

"D-Dear gods!" I heard one of the Pegasi say behind me in shock and awe. Turning around I saw some of them were frozen in terror while the Changlic and the last griffin ran in terror. 

"Leave befor-" I tried to warn them to flee but was interrupted as one of the two Pegasi tried again to hit me with his queer weapon, only to damage the service of a rock three meters to my right. As I ran forward he dropped his weapon and pulled out a rusted cutlass, meanwhile his friend choose to wield his tool as a club, moving the object to hold onto the long, chipped bronze part. 

"Give up, you can't win." I said plainly as they charged me, determined to strike me down. They attacked at once, the gold, cutlass wielding one aiming for my head while his orange partner tried to hit me in the side of the back. I raised my staff above my head, stopping the cutlass as it collided with it's wood, not even leaving a dent. I positioned my sword in the way of the instrument and cut it clean in half, sending bronze metal scrap, dark brown wooden splinters and a foul smelling black powder flying everywhere as the blade finally stopped once it reached the other side of my would-be assailant's neck, causing his head to roll off and land without a sound in the sand as his bleeding body soon followed. 

Turning my attention back to the first striker I pushed him away with my staff, causing him to stumble, as I ran my sword into his chest, causing him to shout in alarm and pain before I struck him in the side of the head with the jeweled end of my staff, causing a loud reverberating thud to ring out as he feel to the ground with a faint, milky blue light in his eyes. Looking up from the dead Pegasi I saw the last two far off in the distance, no doubt going to enlist aid. sheathing my sword and holding on tightly to my staff, I flapped my wings swiftly, blowing my dark blue cloak enough to see my body underneath. slowly I rose from the ground and rocketed after them, my cloak, mane and tail blowing gracefully in the wind. I quickly caught up with them and before they could react I pounced on the Griffin and whacked the Changlic in the back with my staff, causing the bug to fall to the ground as I and the Griffin both came crashing down. The fall was less then ten feet but before we had even hit the ground I was already assaulting the Griffin. 

"I yield, I yield!" He shouted, begging for mercy. I stopped punching him with my free hoof but kept my hoof ready. 

"Why should I forgive you? You attacked a family of innocent animals for sport, burnt their home, attacked that female Griffin back there and tried to cut me down where I stood with your outlandish weapons. Why should I spare you?" I asked with venom in my voice. 

"W-W-We needed the food! A-A-and that bitc-I mean, that lady was gonna ruin our plans! We had to! W-We thought you're gonna h-help her! Please you gotta listen to me!" He cried, clearly giving me excuses instead of answers. I was considering letting him go with a few bruises and a broken ego, but then his pleading act fell as I felt something tear through my side as one of those loud bangs cried out. With a small grunt, I fell to the ground and felt my sides burn from the strange object piercing my body. As I feel I saw the Changlic use it's long stick to pick itself up of the ground and hobble over to his friend. 

"Thanks there mate, fucker almost had me...What the 'ell was he?" The griffin asked in clear amazement. They must think I'm dead...Fools. Closing my eyes and slowing my breath, I waited for the right opportunity. Slowly they laughed off what had just transpired, gloating loudly about their supposed triumph. As they wiped themselves off and looked each other over for serious injures they failed to notice the small, narrow cylinder of water floating up from the waves, held in a faint blue field.

"Don't know, don't care. Lets grab what we can of 'im and finish off that girl, she saw too much...Huh, how what's this staff made off? It's wood, but nun' I've seen 'round these parts...And look at this gem!" The Changlic asked his friend as I felt him try and pull my blessed, ancestral staff from my hoof. 

"Bloody gits still holdin' on tight to dat thin' huh? Just cut the hoof o-" The griffons annoyed instructions were tragically cut short as a long, sharp chunk of ice embedded itself in his side, killing him instantly. As he collapsed in a pile of ice and blood, his Changlic friend screamed in shock as I rose from the ground, the wound in my side closing rapidly as a small, dented ball covered in silver blood came out of the wound. Looking up in pure hatred I sized up the cowering bug with contempt as he readied his weapon once more and fired, only to have the ball be grabbed out of mid air and thrown back at him, breaking the chitin around its left foreleg. 

"You...What are you?!" He asked in shock, hate and fear as he held his wounded leg. I leveled my hex covered staff at his head. 

"I am the last of the Elementals." I declared with pride and strength as a swirling vortex of red, incendiary energy entered the pitch black orb before a large beam of fire shot out and incinerated the Changlic where he sat, killing him instantly and near painlessly. Turing away from the large pile of black ash that was once a living creature I surveyed the small battlefield and sighed in disgust at myself for what I did, though I knew I had to fight or they would have no doubt brought more to challenge me. Walking back over to the injured female Griffin they had hoped to harm, wobbling slightly as my body began to repair any damage both internal or external I might have received during that little encounter, I picked her up and placed her on my back, making sure she wouldn't be prodded by my sheathed sword. 

With a sigh I looked around for the small Jackalope and saw it peek it's head out from a large, green bush with various blue wild flowers growing on it. 

"It's alright little one, the bad people can't hurt you anymore..."I said, trying to make it feel some form of happiness or closure. Instead it seemed puzzled by the unconscious Griffin lying on my back. 

"Don't worry little one, she wasn't one of the bad people...I hope. Would you lead me back to your home? I know it must hurt but I need to find somewhere to aid this Griffin somewhere off the beach that could be safe and if possible I wish repair as much of the land as I can." I asked, knowing it would be hard for the little child to go back there. Instead of refusing he sorrowfully accepted and lead me back into the woods. Knowing I had much to do, I prepared myself. 

Hours later

I awoke to the sounds of a strange, mystic voice, completely unintelligible yet held a sense of peace. Despite my splitting headache I was able to listen to the voice clearly. It was a young, soothing and beautiful voice but seemed to possess a sense of understanding and intellect that would suggest he was a sage of some kind. His voice was lyrical, seeming to sooth the soul like a harmonic song, despite making no sense. Slowly, as if being guided by the voice, my eyes opened to a orange light. Above my was the late evening sky boarded by the dark green leaves of the forest trees. Despite the pain in my neck, I turn my head to the left towards the center of the clearing and what I saw will forever remain in my mind. I saw a large hooded figure, completely obscured by the dark blue and gold robe around him, casting some form of spell. Around him and in front of him grew countless flowers of unknown genesis. The colours were extravagant and so diverse that it was like a rainbow had landed in the clearing. Slowly what had once been a large pile of dirt in the center was covered with lush, dark green grass and then even more flowers, the colours were so vibrant that it was like a painting. 

"Wow..."I said silently as the strange figure continued to chant something alien while swaying slightly. His chant was soft, sweet and melodic like a bittersweet song. As he sang the cool wind seemed to gently blow the petals of the leafs into the air. I noticed for the first time a small little Jackalope, barely bigger then a new born, crouched in front of the large, flower covered mound. Slowly, the singer ended his song after sometime. The wind died down to a mellow breeze and the flowers continued to sway in the wind. The figure rose from his spot on the ground quietly and walked over to the Jackalope and said...Something. It was still in that strange, song like dialect. With a single nod the Jackalope hopped away from the mound but froze when he saw I was staring at it. With a loud squeak the figure turned around, a large white staff that was previously hidden by his form at the ready; when he saw it was just me he visibly relaxed and smiled warmly. 

"Yes, good. Finally, awake you have." He said in very broken Griffish. His voice still held that sweet, young and air to it but it was now lacking the strange, tranquil tone. He had a calm and kind voice that had a noble accent you'd expect from some rich, foppish wanker. He sounded like he'd never been angry before in his life and his tone of voice gave the idea that he could sing ya to sleep if he wanted to. Calming, handsome, strange and mystic of some kind, a dangerous combination around these parts.

"Um...Yes I'm awake...What are you and where are we?" I questioned, trying to sound as unfazed as possible. With a little chuckle he lowered his hood and I was finally able to see his face. He was a tall, beautiful Unicorn with one of the biggest horns I'd ever seen. Sharp and polished as if it'd just been clean, it had a clear aura surrounding it like it was casting an unseen spell. His mane was a mix of leaf green, darkish red, ocean blue and plain white. His face, though hidden partially by his straight, scruffy mane, was the definition of attractive. His eyes were a bright, infernal red and his warm smile housed a set of sparkling, spotless teeth. His serene, youthful features looked so flawless and happy, like he'd never frowned in his life. He seemed gorgeous and charming, but when one has my line of work you tend to be a bit skeptic.

"Guy is name. I'm a Unicorn. Clearing? Minutes away from beach." He said with a quizzical look, as if he was struggling to remember how to talk.  

"Look, can you speak anything else? It's truly painful to hear you butcher my language." I said with an unimpressed look. He seemed to chuckle a little before rubbing the back of his head.

"My apologies, Griffish is not my first nor second language. I found you injured on a beach with ruffians chasing after you, I dealt with them and brought you to this clearing." He said fluently. He seemed well versed but spoke in a somewhat antiquated way. 

"Right, about those bastards, what happened? I remember some hooded figure looming over me as I bleed out on the sand, damn blighter looked Death...I take it that was you?" I asked rhetorically as he sat down a meter or so away from me. 

"Yes, I followed the sound of loud thunderclaps and came across those brutes. Pray tell, why where they after you?" He asked, genuinely worried.  

"Those twats had been causing trouble all over the area, it would be foolish not to try and hunt them down. The last I saw of them they were running after me and greatly out number me as well, care to elaborate on how you managed to escape with me? For all I know you could be some mysterious friend of theirs trying to lull me into a false sense of security." I asked, wanting a decent explanation and reason to trust him. 

"I didn't escape, I fought; If you want prove that I'm an ally then you need only walk back to the beach, 'tis a grizzly scene to behold." He answered with a neutral look as he opened up his left saddle bag, the brown buckle and cover obscuring his face slightly. I knew there was some truth to his words but why he would he go out of his way to help me while putting his own life in great danger? 

"Okay, so what do you want?" 

"...Pardon?" He asked as he lifted his head out of his bag, genuinely confused. 

"What do you want. You must want something in return, I highly doubt you'd have rescued someone like me out of the goodness of your own heart." I said with a hard look. He was obviously playing the fool, no one would help a buccaneer around these parts. 

"Well then you are going to be disappointed. I could have avoided those barbarians but they'd done more then enough to irk me and if it means I would help an innocent women then I couldn't ignore them." He stated with a strange sense of justice. 

"Right, innocent, sure, let's go with that. What do you want from me?" I asked with a slight roll of my eyes. He may be able to convince himself with a few words and a kind look but I wasn't an idiot, I knew he had ulterior motives. 

"Well...If you can point me in the direction of the closest town and I'll be on my way." He said with a small smile as he went back to searching through his bags. 

"Heh, the nearest town is a days trip that way." I said while point into the direction of the sea, winching slightly as my wounds weren't completely healed. "You're lucky you found someone who happens to own a ship big guy, otherwise you'd have to swim. There's no one around these parts who'd give ya a ride, only crazies, pirates and outlaws at The End. Hope none of them are you." I said with a small chuckle as he gave me a quizzical look. 

"The End?" 

"You know, The End of the World. No ones gone out to the Far'lai Alps and came back. Back to what matters, you want to get to a town and I'm offering a ride, you want it?" I asked, trying to steer him back to what's at hand. 

"Hold on..." He said before pulling out a small clay pot of some kind. "Not that I have a problem with the offer, but why are you insisting on helping me when I merely asked for directions?" He inquired as he opened the pot, letting out a pungent smell of honey, wheat and grass. 

"A women of my caliber in my field of work can't be owning favors to every clocked stranger now can she? 'Sides, I say we're even if I offer you a lift." I said with a small smirk as he started to take out small piles of the strange, yellowish goop that smelt funny. 

"Hardly, I saved your life and you're offered me a voyage...What do you do by the way? Your outfit seems most peculiar." He asked curiously as he began rubbing the goop into his dirt covered hooves. 

"I'm the soon-to-be most revered corsair this side of The Sundering Schism." I said with a small amount of pride and ambition. His cheerful smile and calm attitude seemed to vanish in an instant as I said those words. Swiftly, he looked at me accusingly. 

"You're a pirate? A criminal?" He interrogated with an accusing stare. 

"Hold on there buddy, I've done nothing criminal, to much to lose just now if I ruined my reputation. What I meant to say is that one day I'll be the greatest captain that ever lived, though all I got to show for it is a boat and some mates. Still, it's something...Heh..."I hastily said with a nervous chuckle as he slowly got back to doing...Whatever he was doing. 

"My apologizes, I've had less then stellar experiences with pirates in the past...Most recently a few hours ago." He said with a small, apologetic grin as I saw a small, blood stained tear in the side of his cloak. 

"Damn, you were shot? How are you still standing?" I questioned, awestruck that he could have survived a bullet to the flank. 

"Shot? huh, I suppose I was shot. I'm in relative comfort thanks to this ointment, now hold still you suffered a horrid wound to the side of your body." He said, somewhat unsure about the first sentence, though I quickly stopped him when I saw he was planning to rub something on me. 

"Arrêtez! I mean, stop. I can rub whatever that is on fine, don't have to be so creepy about it..." I said quickly as he handed over the small jar. 

"My apologizes again, I didn't mean to do anything untoward, I simply thought you'd be in to much pain to do it yourself." He said with a small amount of redness in his blue cheeks. 

"I'm fine, not the first time I've been shot." I said as I dumped a small amount of the strange, glowing gel like stuff. 

"Is getting shot a common thing around here?" He asked with genuine intrigue and worry. I had to stop myself from laughing, mostly because it would hurt to much.

"Heh, If I wasn't sure if you were a Tourist I know now. Yes, getting shot is how some situations tend to end around here. Boy, how dumb are you?" I asked with a small smile as I looked at my bullet wound with a small bit of worry.

"I like to think I'm well versed in world knowledge...Though I may be lacking in 'current' knowledge. Just apply the ointment directly to the wound and let the herbs work their gifted magic. If you'll excuse me, I need to use the lavatory." He said as he quickly rose from the ground and dropped his bag and belt which had housed a longsword I'd previously not seen. 

"O-oh, fine, didn't really need to know that but sure..."I said as he walked off into the bushes. Alone, I opened my red and gold armoured jacket and inspected the wound. With a small whistle I slowly touched the wound. Whatever was in that clay pot worked wonders. A few hours ago I had been dying on a beach and now my wound was little more then a small hole with some dried blood over it. I expected it to hurt when I applied the cool medicine, instead it soothed the wound and made my body feel better then before. My sandy yellow feathers seemed to gleam with new found luster and my cloudy mind was clear and ready. After a small amount of rubbing I closed my jacket and wiped what was left of the ointment on my black and stained pants leg. Standing up I was amazed at how great I felt. Stretching my once damaged wings out wide and also my limbs I couldn't help but laugh at how amazing this mans medicine was. If he felt inclined to I would have to get the recipe.

Looking around the quiet clearing, my eyes were drawn to his baggage, more accurately his leather sheath. From a distance I could tell the belt was made from some old and no doubt rare materials but whatever was inside that holder was shiner then a whole treasure chests loot. Letting my curiosity get the better of me I reached out and picked up the sheath and tried to pull out the blade. 

"Aïe! Adroit!" I cried in pain. I don't know what was etched into that sword's handle but whoever placed the hexes on that thing knew what they were doing. The instant that I rested my hand on it it felt like I'd touched lava. I went to blow my hand but saw it was completely fine, no burn marks or blisters, nothing. As I inspected my left hand I heard what sounded like someone clearing their throat and felt a small tapping on my right hand. Looking down I saw a small, feral Jackalope with an angry look on it's face.

"And what's your problem runt?" I asked, still annoyed and in pain from my foolish attempt to pull out the mystic sword. The second I insulted it it looked shocked but quickly began pointing at the sword and the bushes were that guy just went. 

"Yeah, I know it's his, I wasn't planning to steal it furball I just wanted to check it out. Since when can food be so judgmental?" I asked myself, clearly bothered by the ugly look I was being given by the little thing. As I went to place the sheathed sword back next to the bags I accidentally knocked over his saddle bags, spilling the contents out. 

"Merde..." I said with a sigh as I placed the sword on the ground and begun to place everything back inside the bags, all while that annoying rabbit glared at me. Most of his stuff was simple supplies and pots, nothing overly remarkable. But, as I stuffed the last few supplies he'd packed into his bags I felt something very soft and very hard at the bottom of the bags. Despite previous outcomes, I gave into my curiosity and pulled them both out.

Thankfully they weren't cursed to set thieves on fire or something. The soft thing turned out to be a small kids doll of some Alicorn. His mane and tail were a combination of various reds, oranges, yellows and greys that resembled a mix of fire and ash. His coat was dark red, much like his gem stone eyes. The cutie mark, as the Equestrians call it, was a large, flying phoenix with a trail of ash behind it. Despite the childish look, it was clear that this thing was made with love and care and the materials used were clearly expensive. The eyes alone must have set this drifter back a bit. Thinking it better not to hold onto something that could easily break, I carefully placed his doll back inside his bag. 

The other item was a large, recently dusted and faded leather book. Much larger then any I'd seen before. Turning it around to look at the front I was somewhat surprised to see that all too familiar giant tree. Despite lacking colour it's hard to mistake such a distinct design. The thing smelt old and musty and I suspected I'd tear off the pages with a slight glance, so out of respected I didn't look inside the book. But just as I went to stuff the volume back in I heard the rustling of leaves and saw the vagabond enter the clearing. 

"Sorry if I kept you-Oh! I see you're up and about!...And going through my possessions...Why are you holding my grimoire?" He asked, switching from apologetic to surprised and lastly suspicious.

"Sorry, I knocked over your bags and went to put everything back in, I didn't mean to pry or make you nervous." I said with a small smile, hoping he bought my bluff and ignored the small rabbit thing. "I must say, I'm surprised that you're a follower of the teachings, what with you being a Unicorn." I said, trying to shift the conversation.  

"Teachings? What teachings?" He asked, confused and still suspicious as he grabbed the book and yanked it out of my talons using his surprisingly strong magic. 

"You know, the Teachings of Gaia? That old ass storybook from way back when, I thought only old people, shamans and the local church still practiced that stuff." I said, giving the abridged version. He seemed somewhat shocked for a second before going back to normal. 

"I wasn't aware of that, it's simply an old heirloom. Tell me more about these 'teachings'." He said, intrigued. He had a somewhat distant look in his eyes and his voice sounded nearly nostalgic. 

"The Teachings of Gaia, at least from what Father has told me, is some old scripture from the Immortal Ages. It was written by some long dead Alicorn or something and is basically just a bunch of spiritual nonsense about the world mixed in with a few life lessons, stories and holy rules. You'd have to talk to Dad if you want the full story but that's what I remember him telling me about that piece of writing from the Church." I said, somewhat bored and uncaring.  "That mark, the Eternal Tree of Life, is synonymous with the Church." I said while pointing a single claw at the tree on the cover of his old book. He seemed surprised beyond believe but quickly recovered. 

"I fear I now have more questions then answers...If you're partial to it I'd rather leave as soon as possible Miss?" He said as he buckled his saddle bags, which bore the same mark, up and also secured his sheath and belt. 

"Liz." I said as I checked my pockets for my stuff.

"As I stated before, My name is Guy. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."He said with a weird smile, as if he knew something. I could tell that wasn't his name but everyone has their secrets I suppose. 

"Guy huh? Strange name for an Equestrian. Raised by Griffins?" I asked, trying to get as much out of him as I can. 

"No, but I had a few Griffin friends growing up. You mentioned your father knowing more about this religion, is he a priest or monk?" He asked. 

"Heh, you can say that..." I said with a small smile and laugh. "I'll lead the way, once we hit the beach it shouldn't be far till we find my boat." I said as I began to walk through the foliage, but stopped when I heard something hopping. Turning around I saw that annoying Jackalope was tailing Guy. 

"Hey, you got food chasing after you."

"How dare you? Bo is not food, he's my companion and is too young to be left alone without a family." He said, defensive then sympathetic as he knelt down and petted the Jackalope, which had a hurt look that was quickly replaced by a contented look as he patted it. 

"Bo? It has a name? And how the hell do you know it's orphaned?" I asked, confused and giving him a very suspicious look.

"He told me, and that small mound of flowers was his burrow." He said dead serious as the small Jackalope looked saddened. 

"Wait...He TOLD you? Are you drunk or just superstitious? And while we're at it, what the hell were you chanting when I woke up?! That's far from Equestrian, Griffish or Minotaurian." I asked, suddenly questioning this strangers sanity and he's race.

"Yes, he told me, why are you looking at me like that? And I was merely speaking in Old Tongue." He stated like any of that made sense. I slowly gathered myself before I continued. 

"Old Tongue? That long dead language mentioned in scripture? Right, and I'm the Chieftain of the Blood Plains. How do I know you're not a Siren in disguise?" I integrated, slowly backing away. 

"...What do I have to do before you'll trust me?" He asked after grumbling something under his breath. I thought for a bit before I came up with a request.

"Take off your cloak and clothes." I instructed with a demanding tone in my voice. His face turned beat red and he seemed shocked.

"W-What?! Why?" He questioned, stuttering slightly as he raised his left hoof up slightly and in front of him.

"If you're some kinda fish pony you must have scales of some kind!" I said, hoping what I said was true. He gave me a baffled look.

"No!" He firmly said. 

"If you don't take off your robe then I won't give you a lift, and good luck getting into the town without a local with ya." I said with a small smirk as he was stuck in an ultimatum.

"Gods...Fine!...Oh Gods this is so degrading..."He shouted with a huff, though continued to comment under his breath. He slowly took off his robe, clothes and sheath and stood still, he shied away from my gaze as I looked for anything suspicious. 

Like his facial features, he was gorgeous. He was tall, maybe a talon or two taller them me if I were to stand close to him. His body was athletic but not overly muscular, just enough to show off his muscles and features but not to make him look bulky like a farmer or a guardsman. His fur was a royal blue, something rarely seen in ponies outside of Unicorns and nobles. He seemed to take good care of his body showing no signs of unnecessary fat, any birth defects, abnormalities or wounds. His legs were long and seemed well suited for running, though his fetlocks and hooves seemed caked in dried dirt and stained his shinny coat. His mane flowed down to his back and his multi-coloured hair didn't clash with his fur, despite the vastly different colours. His tail matched his mane and hang lazily down, the bottoms of the hairs ruined by small amounts of dirt. His cutie mark was that of a few floating leaves of various colours, what I'd expect from someone who looks like a hippy. 

Overall he seemed normal for a Unicorn: attractive, graceful, well kept and dignified. The only abnormalities I could spot would be his long, sharp horn, his stained fur and hair, his somewhat vague cutie mark and the very uncomfortable look on his face which matched the mortified look in his big, red eyes. Aldo, I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something...Something important, but I couldn't see what.

"Are we about done? I'd feel MUCH more comfortable wearing my clothes again..."He hastily said while bouncing on his hooves slightly, it'd seem funny, adorable even, if it weren't for the fact that I didn't find it amusing.

"Yeah, sure, but be warned; I got my eyes on you. You try something and it'll be the last mistake you make." I threatened with a warning tone and a hard look in my eyes. It fell on deft ears though, as he was more occupied with putting on his now grass stained robes. Aldo he was holding it in his magical grasp it must have touched the ground or something. 

"Now that that unpleasantness has been dealt with, can we PLEASE move on? I would much rather make some progress towards this town before nightfall." He said as he calmed himself down, his little pet looking at him an expression of sympathy as it lightly tapped him in his left hind leg, almost like it was trying to pat his back. It seemed to work though as Guy smiled and lightly patted the thing. He levitated the small rabbit onto his back, picked up his supplies, secured his belongings and looked at me.

"So, onward Liz?" He asked with a small, comforting smile. He seemed like a sweet, naive guy but something told me he wasn't telling me everything. 

"Sure, when we reach the beach head I'll know where to go." I said as we walked off in the direction of the beach.

Gaia
Twenty minutes later
An hour till Nightfall

We were now a small ways away from the bloody, corpse covered battlefield. I'd covered Bo's eye's with my wings and told him not to look. Liz seemed in awe at the scene but quickly got over it and continued to walk.

Liz was a peculiar women. She wore foreign clothes, the likes of which I'd never seen, and carried one of those bizarre sticks. Her clothes seemed regal in design but were stained by sand, dirt, grass, possibly blood and various odd smelling chemicals. She spoke with a funny accent I'd never heard before. It was a strange mix of strong, powerful Minotaurian accent found commonly in the Northern, snow washed lands the Minotaurs crawled out of and a more regal and a more calm, refined Griffish accent, one heard throughout any Southern land ruled by the Griffins. It was odd, her voice was mysterious yet calming, graceful yet uncultured and brutish and she spoke like a laymare.

She had lovely sand yellow feathers and a cool patch of light blue feathers on the top of her head and also around her long wings but she seemed to barely worry about her appearance as her hair was a mess, her wings were in need of a preening and her outfit seemed in need of a cleaning. She swaggered around like she was a Queen yet looked more like a filthy commoner or someone who just got back from a tavern brawl. She was perplexing to say the lest. 

"How far until we reach this vessel of yours Liz?" I asked, not really because I wanted to rest or anything along those lines but merely because I wanted to make some substantial progress. 

"Not far, I had to hide the little thing when I saw that those buggers were camping near the coast. Their supplies were really shitty so I didn't grab nothing." She said as she scanned the trees, periodically snapping her eyes to her stick thing. 

"Very well...If I might ask, what is that you're carrying with you?" I asked while pointing at her weapon. She seemed confused then surprised.  

"...Are you telling me that you have NO IDEA what a gun is?" She asked, giving me an odd look. 

"Yes, I'm a bit out of the loop when it comes to modern technology." I said honestly. 

"Where have you been living for the last few decades? Under a rock? Guns are a Griffin weapon made a hundred or so years ago. Functioning as a small canon, its for personal defense but can be used for warfare. There's bigger kinda firearms for different uses, like taking down multiple people in a single shot or blowing a hole in the side of a building. Some places have banned these things or stick to swords, cannons and other old weapons 'cause their dumbasses but there's no better tool for a traveler.  This is a multi-barreled pistol built by me and a few mates, but mostly me. eight mithril barrels, a smooth, black wooden handle and gold flower patterns engraved into it. Made just for me and loaded with paper cartridges, Anne's the most powerful thing I own." She said as she twirled the thing around her talons and stared at it lovingly. 

"Sounds powerful, but unnecessary. I think I'll stick to swords and magic if I can." I said as I continued to walk with her.

"Suit yourself big guy, but don't blame me if someone shots you in the gut while you're trying to cast some useless spell." She said with a small smirk. 

"If it was a live or death situation, I doubt I would be casting a 'useless spell', if one even exists. I hate to annoy you but where is your ship? I can't see it anywhere along the beach." I asked, repeating myself. 

"Right over here, just past theses rocks." She said as we approach a long, jagged stretch of rocks that served to divide the beach. When we stepped past them and into a small, hidden stream that ran from somewhere inland and out to the ocean. Hidden along the natural wall was a small boat. It had a somewhat big sail, enough room for six normal sized people to sit, excluding larger races like Minotaurs or drakes, a rudder at the back and a raised piece of rusted metal at the front, it looked like it acted as a shield but it seemed unnecessary. It looked more like a raft then a boat and I doubted it would be safe at sea. 

"This...Is your boat?" I asked, surprised and somewhat disappointed. 

"This is my boat's dingy, don't worry it's sea worthy. Come on, the less time we spend around this beach the better, I'm sure those dead pricks have friends that are gonna start lookin' for them." She said as she started pushing the boat out to the sea. I helped her out by picking up the boat with my magic and placing it out a far bit. She almost stumbled though, and gave me an annoyed look. 

"A bit 'a warning woulda been nice." She said as she walked towards the boat as I followed her. Lifting up my robes, I followed her, softly walking through the water. 

"Okay, the trip should be about...Ten hours?" Liz said as she flapped her wings and flew into the boat. 

"You sound unsure." I stated as I stepped onto the little boat. 

"Well, the wind seems unfavorable and we'll be going against the tide for awhile." She said as she raised the sail and picked up a pair of oars and began to row. I calmly placed my bags on the floor, underneath a bench, lightly levitated Bo off my back and next to me and patted him on the head to calm him down. I knew he wanted to come with me, but he was still afraid. Looking back at the tranquil shore behind Liz, I decided to reflect.

'It feels like eons since I went on an adventure. Five days since I've left and I've already killed a group of people, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. This will all be worth it though, a new born Alicorn...' 

"Hey, you okay? You're kinda freaking me out." Liz said as she stared at me with a confused look. I blinked and looked at her. 

"Apologies, I was just thinking about things." I said with a soft tone. Liz turned around and looked towards the shore, her eyes drifting to the blood stained area. 

"Hey, don't worry about it, those landlubbers had it coming." She said, trying to console me. 

"Oh, I wasn't worried about that, I knew they were horrible people but it was still upsetting. I was just thinking about how long its been since I've traveled." I said with a hint of nostalgia.

"What'd you do last time you left wherever you life?" Liz asked, though I was unsure if she actually cared. 

"I went on an adventure." I said simply, not wanting to go back to that part of my life. 

"Wasn't a good time huh?" She asked, looking towards the horizon. 

"No, it was not." I said as I rested on the bench, curling up under my cloak to fit in the boat as Bo hopped on top of me and curled up. As stealthily as I could, I cast a spell. There was a noticeable, soft roar coming from the wind as the sails suddenly blew out, carrying the boat towards our destination. 

"WOW! Huh, guess we'll be getting to the Isles sooner then I thought...Hey, you may want to catch some shut-eye, it'll be awhile." Liz said as she grabbed onto the boats side and then composed herself and grabbed ahold of the rudder. 

"Sleep sounds wonderful..." I said happily. I smiled to myself as I let my body sink into fatigue and I slowly fell asleep, praying I would have an uneventful slumber and that my rest wouldn't be clouded with nightmares. 
> The Everfree Isles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Times Long Past...

Val?...Val?...VAAAALLL?! Come on, this isn't funny anymore! We have to go home!" She shouted into the tall, dark brown trees. Her cute voice ringed out for probably miles. She stood in the centre of a small clearing, barely bigger then the moss covered log she was standing next to. Laughing menacingly, I crept up on her, using my magic to mask my hoof steps and sticking as close to the ground as I could, not caring about the itty bits of shinny green grass that was gonna get stuck in my fur. 

"Val, I know you're in here somewhere, come on, if we're late moms gonna ground me!" She shouted again, sounding more annoyed and desperate. Creeping up next to the log behind her I approached her.I got so close that her green, wavy tail was right in front of my face, almost tickling my nose. 

"Val, if you don't show yourself RIGHT NOW, I'm going back with-"

"RRRAAAAAWWWWW!!"I shouted as loud as I could, bellowing a roar of complete and utter strength and not something comparable to a kitten, as I pounced on my prey. Her silver fur bristled with fear and she squeaked loudly as she fell down. 

"AAAAAHHHHH! Val! Get off you jerk!" She said, trying to hide her tears. Laughing victoriously, I got up and helped her up.

"Aw, don't cry, it's not your fault you suck." I said smugly as she rubbed her pink eyes. 

"You suck! And how did you sneak up on me? You're like the biggest kid around." She said with a small smile as she poked my muscly and completely not flabby sides. 

"Hey! Shut up! And I guess my awesome sneaking skills are just another thing you'll never know about me." I said with a blush and a hurt voice  before I picked up a smug tone and walked back in the direction of home, away from her. 

"Val, I know enough about you to know you suck at sneaking, the hide-and-seek scores prove it. Come on, what aren't you telling me?" She said with a small chuckle before sounding genuinely worried. 

"Ancestors, I'm not hiding anything. Come on Solly, lets just go home before you start getting all mushy and girly on me." I said with a huff. 

"I'm not getting 'girly', I'm just concerned. You're not really the shiniest rock in the vein." She said, running up next to me, her bright green mane and tail blown back from the short jog, letting me see her magenta eyes.

"Gee, thanks Solly, really know how to make me feel warm inside." I said sarcastically. 

"If you want people to think you're smart, stop being dumb. Look, I care because I worry about you okay? So will you tell me what you're hiding?" She asked, looking me in the eyes.

"...Dang it, I can't say no to you...Look, it's nothing big...I've just been...You know...practicing magic..." I muttered out, not being able to look her in the eyes. 

"WHAT?! Val, why would you do that?!" She screeched as she ran up beside me, a mixture of anger and fear on her face. 

"Relax Solly, nobody knows but you and me, it's not a crime if I don't get caught right?" I said, with a cocky smirk and a mischievous look in my red eyes. 

"Val, this isn't like taking Seed's apples or throwing itchy powder at Mytharil! If you got caught you'd be in SERIOUS trouble!" She said, her loud voice irritating my blue ears. 

"This is why I didn't want to tell you, you'd make a big deal about it. Come on, it's just sound suppression, doubt I'm gonna attract a daemon or a liche or whatever. You're making it sound worse then it is." I said, defending my harmless fun. 

"There's a reason we're trained under supervision with the Elders Val, they know what they're doing." She said, her normally soft and squeaky voice weirdly serious. 

"And I know what I'm doing, I borrowed some books from Dad, it's all really simple." I said while picking up my pace, trying to brush her off. 

"Val! This is wrong! You can't just run off and play with magic in the Woods, it's not safe and you know it!" She practically screeched, her shrillish voice much louder then the soft cracks of dead wood and the swaying of the dark green grass in the evening wind. 

"I don't see what the problem is! The first Alicorns didn't study or follow rules and it turned out great for them." I defended myself with an increasingly annoyed tone. 

"Two of them also died from their own Hubris Valestar; you'd know this if you'd actually listen to a few stories." A third voice said. He had a deep, mature voice and seemed to be very unimpressed by something. Me and Solly turned to face the voice and saw the butthead it belonged to. He was tall, about three times as big as me or Solly. He had spotless white fur and a flowing mane of silver and gold. His iris' were like steel and his big muscles, long horn, flawless wings and radiant aura made him an imposing sight to most people. I just thought he was an ass. 

"Oh, hey Novi." I said, more annoyed now that he was here. He seemed to visibly twitch at my nick name for him, which was kinda funny.

"Nova? What are you doing out here?" Solly asked, confused and relieved at the same time. 

"Father sent me to find you, he assumed you'd run off with Umbra in search of something. Now then, what are you two shouting about?" Novi said with a small smile at Solly, before going back to frowning at everything. 

"Val stole one of his Dad's Grimoires!" Solly said, accusing me. 

"What?! Valestar, explain yourself!" Novi demanded, his voice booming loudly. I was slightly scared by his evil look. Slightly.

"Hey, I said I borrowed it! I'm gonna put it back, honest." I defended, trying to meet his glare.

"That's not the point! You know you're not allowed to practice unsupervised! None of us want another...'incident' to deal with, especially if its you're parent who'd have to deal with it..." Solly said, her tone a mixture of sadness and anger. 

"Hey, I know wha-"

"No, you don't know what you're doing; if you did you wouldn't have stolen a grimoire, from your father no less, and minced about in the woods like a fool!...You're aware I have to tell your parents about this, correct?" He said, punctuating his sentence with a short sigh.

"What?! No, you can't! They'll ground me for sure!" I pleaded, my crafty facade falling as I tried not to shake in fear.

"You'll be lucky if they don't tell the Elders about this! You could have endangered everyone in our clan for nothing, now give me the book." Novi ordered with an out stretched hoof. I stood still, keeping the book hidden under my left wing.

"Come on Val, just give him the book, you're already in big trouble." Solly pleaded, trying to calm the situation. 

"...N-no." I said, trying to sound tough but only just managed to say a single word.

"Valestar, you're still a child and you're allowed to act foolish, but what you've done is moronic and possibly life threatening, give me the book and I promise you I won't tell your Father everything." Novi offered, still determined to get the tome from me as he slowly walked towards me as Solly watched from behind him, she looked like she was sad, which she should be.

"I-I...Fine..." I stammered out with a defeated sigh, using my wings to place the book in his firm, out stretched hoof. He seemed to visibly relax slightly but was still livid. 

"Good, now move. You know where the clan is. Sister, a word." Novi said as he place the book in his left saddle bag, using his silver magic to unbuckle the strap which had his mark on it: A single, glowing four pointed star. As I walked back in the direction of home, my head nearly scrapping the ground, I could just barely overhear Solly and Novi's conversation, but I was more scared about what Dad would do when he found out what I did...

Back in Reality

"Hey, Wake up!" Liz said with a huff, lightly kicking me. I opened my eyes and looked around, noting the faint outlines of islands in the near distance. The sun was just rising over the horizon and it's purple and orange light basked the calm waters in a reflective light. 

"Where are we?" I asked, after a small yawn as I rustled my wings slightly. 

"Nearing the Everfree Isles. Hey, do me a favor and let me do the talking. The guards have been a bit...On edge lately, and the fact you're Equestrian won't help." She said, her brash and boastful voice shifting to dead serious.

"Have the Equestrians done something I'm unaware of?" I asked as I checked my cloak for any stains or tears and made sure my spells were still holding. 

"Not the Equestrians on a whole or anyone probably from there, but outsider Unicorns and Earth Ponies have been linked to a few...Disappearances lately. A strange, tall Unicorn with no name recognizable around these parts will raise more then a few eyebrows." As she hinted at what had happened I surveyed the waters around me. The water was still deep blue but the plant life and coral at the bottom was mostly grey and there were no animals in the water. The air felt still and lifeless and the sky seemed empty, the world seemed devoid of life and none of this felt normal in any sense of the word.

"Odd...Is there something wrong with the water around here? I don't notice anything abnormal..."I said, trying to sense if something was affecting the ecosystem.

"I don't know, but a few months back the fishes just stopped coming near the islands. Creepy, I know, but we were able to find where they had moved to so we didn't loss our food supply or nothing. But then the coral started greying and it's just gotten..."Anything she had to say was no longer important as I finally got a glimpses as to what was happening to the wildlife. 

I felt something...Cold. It didn't seem to fit in here, the aura this...Thing was emitting was sinister to say the lest. I couldn't 'see' it in the literal sense or feel it physically but I could reach out for it like any magically gifted creature could. I felt it somewhere out there in the isles, like a small smudge on a work of art or a tiny little itch on a body. I went to grab it, to see if I could fix the problem here and now but the instant I latched onto it...I felt a sense of pure, unadulterated dread. My mind was hazy and my visioned blurred but I could see it clear as day. It looked thick, oily and almost like writhing tar, but I knew it was something worse. It whispered out to me in a language only Alicorns could have understood...It told me things I didn't want to hear...

I shouted in fright as I severed my mental connection with...What ever It was. 

"Woah, the hell? What's wrong with-"Liz said with a mix of confusion and curiosity before being interrupted by someone shouting angrily. I looked around and was baffled. I had been gone in my mind for a few seconds, nearing the isles, and here we were right in front of a small blockade of wooden ships. We had seemingly drifted into the isles, as we were surrounded by smaller islands that housed dying trees, brown grass and barren sand. Further north was the town these people were most likely defending...I still couldn't understand...How long was I out and what had happened?...

"Halt, who approaches? Identify yourselves!" I heard a voice shouting threateningly. I saw on the boat closes to us a Diamond Dog with one of those 'guns' Liz mentioned, but it was much longer, bigger and seemed to be made out of mostly metal with only a large wooden handle. Their ship was bigger then ours but that did not mean it was a warship. It seated twenty or so Diamond Dogs and all of them wore a metal chestplate that depicted a black tree covered in green vines, metal pauldrons and greaves with various scratches and strange burn marks and a material that looked similar to hide underneath the metal. They all seemed inadequately protected for a proper brawl, too much of their bodies were exposed for the enemy to exploit and the hide armour would do little to stop a killing blow. Still, a pack of Diamond Dog hunters was an intimidating sight regardless of weaponry or protection. 

"Relax Snowball, it's Liz. I went out looking for those fuckers who swinged by yesterday." Liz said with a confident voice. The guard seemed less then impressed.

"You? Taking on a band of pirates? Unlikely." The Diamond Dog said, his gruff voice holding a hint of old age. 

"Not ALL on my own, this guy here saved my ass." She said with a small chuckle as she pointed at me, barely keeping up with the conversation as I held my head with on hoof and tried desperately to catch my breath. 

"A Horn head all the way out here?...What's wrong with him?" The guard asked, both cautious and curious as he tightened his grip on his weapon. I felt Liz grab a hold of me in a fake display of comforting. 

"One of those bastards poisoned him, it's slow acting but he's already suffering, I need to get him to a healer." She said, her voice sounding genuinely worried as she continued to act like she was keeping me standing.

"...What poison is it?" The Dog said, clearly suspicious. 

"Crystal weed, nasty stuff that is." She bluffed. Any herbalist or druid of proficient skill would know that Crystal weed was completely harmless to all races, sans Stone Dwellers, but these guards seemed to buy her lie. 

"Crystal weed? Ain't never heard 'a that." Another guard said, either confused or seeing through her lie.

"Na mate, that stuff killed me uncle in Stonehaven, it's true it is!" A guard replied, possibly a Zebra, sounding terrified.

"What the fuck you know about herbs anyways?" Another guard shouted back.

"Know enough to know you're a dickweed!" The original guard retorted, earning a small laugh from the surrounding guardsmen. 

"Enough!...Fine, you can take him to the healers but once he's able to move he's on the first boat to Dala'hin. It's better he doesn't stick around anyway...And keep his weapons in your boat, we can't have armed strangers." The guard said as the small line of boats split and regrouped so we could get through. As I feel down into my seat, my head still splitting, I felt Bo start patting my back. It didn't do much, but I understood the sentiment. Liz steered us into town silently as I slowly looked around, trying to get a sense of my bearings. 

The town was...Different to what I expected. It was placed on the edge of the largest island in the surrounding cluster, with a large, dense forest in the center of the island. The morning sun cast dark shadows over the hamlet. The buildings were old, wooden and very rustic. The bigger ones had stone supports or structures but were still primarily made out of the dark brown wood found in the forests. The houses and buildings seemed to be of various ages, some looking centuries old, some brand new and some dilapidated. Along the harbor sat multiple stores, warehouses and a single, two story tavern of some kind. The village was guarded by a tall, black stone wall, the vines running up it almost reaching the top of the four story shield. There was a long dirt road running straight from the harbor into the center of the town. In the center sat a small, ancient looking church of some description. Whatever it was dedicated to was unknown. 

Slowly, we pulled into the harbor, picking the only port that was available, right in front of the tavern. Shakily, I got off the boat. 

"Pardon me, but what the hell is wrong with you?" Liz inquired as she gave me an odd look.

"Apologies, I...Sensed something disturbing..." I answered to the best of my abilities. I knew a non-magically gifted individual wouldn't understand.

"'Sensed'? You're gonna need to tell me a bit more then that before I carry your sorry arse around town." She said skeptically. 

"How do I explain this...Imagine you could feel, smell and hear things that weren't there. All magical beings can sense magic, though the less talented feel it more as a calming wind if it's good or a horrible gut feeling if it's bad. Those who hone their talents or are naturally gifted can see and feel things all around them that others cant." I tried to elaborate, dumbing it down as best as I could.

"Right, and how does 'sensing' make you look like you've got the runs mixed with the crazies?" She bluntly asked with a lot of skepticism. 

"As we approached the isles I felt something horrendously wrong. It's...Indescribable, but think of the most awful moment in your life, it was like someone had concentrated that intense feeling of woe and anguish into a hex...I don't know how long I was in contact with whatever it was but when I severed the connection we w\ere already at the guards." I said, still shivering from the thoughts it planted in my mind.

"Merde, I thought there was something wrong with you. Are you saying you were 'sensing' this thing for an hour?" She asked, finally understanding why I was so disturbed. 

"Sensing is the wrong word, forcibly latched to it would probably be a more apt description." I said, trying to calm myself with an old spell known to heal minds. 

"Bon Dieu...This all sounds WAY out of my element...Dad might know something about it though, he knows a lot about spooky shit." She said with a slight chuckle.

"Wonderful, where might your father live?" I asked, hopeful that he might be able to inform me of the situation. 

"Last I checked he was living out of the church, come on I'll lead the way...Oh, and welcome to the Everfree Isles...Before we go you might wanna put your little snack in a bag or something, most people here hate Jackalopes, see them as rodents." She said, barely sounding energetic as she welcomed me and warned me.After hiding my mystical staff and broken sword in her boat, I sneakily and softly placed Bo in my satchel, opening one of my jars to give him a biscuit to keep him happy before following her through the small town, often she would point out local attractions or give advice on how to survive here. The buildings were even more dreary up close, and the posters and pictures lining the walls display missing people and children did not help to alleviate the dark feeling of the town. The town seemed to be populated by Griffins and Diamond Dogs, all bearing no tribal or pack markings. The residents who noticed me seemed annoyed or aggravated by my presence for no known reason. 

"Fucking horn heads..." I heard someone jeer from one of the alleys that separated the closely placed buildings.  

"Don't mind them, they may hate you but they won't do anything." Liz said, looking around at the few people watching or waving back to the kids or adolescents that called out to her.

"Pray tell, why do they despise me?" I asked curiously. I wasn't afraid, if one of them tried something it would be highly unlikely they would succeed in a brawl. 

"They're worried you'll blow someone up or something."

"Blow someone up?" I quizzically asked, confused by how straight forward she thought her answer was.

"That's what you Unicorns do right? Blow people up or levitate things? Scares the crap outta some folks." She asked, sounding like she thought she was right.

"Well...Yes I suppose you could say some magic created specifically for combat can be used to blow someone up, though it's more like you're enveloping them in unstable fire or incinerating the area around them, it's much harder for a pyromancer or any sage to cause a caustic explosion." I informed, shorting the information I'd studied about the art of warfare and magic.

"Damn, remind me not to get on your bad side; we're here, welcome to the Isle's one and only church." She said with fake enthusiasm. The building was tall and had a small courtyard bordered by a wooden fence wrapped in plants. In the center of the small courtyard was a stone fountain with a large stone tree in the middle, and next to the fountain was a battered, wooden board with even more posters of missing people attached to it with a few religious quotes or passages written on faded pieces of paper . The building itself was the most beautiful thing in the antiquated village. It was made of old, white stone and had stainless glass windows with bright and vibrant colours, depicting scenes from some story or another. The church had simple wooden shingles on the roof and a few stone figures that mounted the corners of the old church. The entryway was sealed by two opulent, reinforced wooden doors with metal handles and carvings, displaying an intricate rose pattern made of iron. Slowly, Liz pushed the creaking door open, allowing us in. 

"Incredible..." I muttered to myself as I saw the inside. Though small, the church was clearly built with love and effort to detail. The roof was supported by large stone columns with green glass vines running up them. The windows all depicted ancient Alicorns in various, yet familiar settings. Some were locked in ancient wars, some showed the formation of the Alicorn ruled nations, and the largest one at the far back of the room behind a wooden pedestal where a preacher would address his flock showed the birth of the first Elementals, and from them Aliernael. The rooms floors were grey stone covered by a long, leaf green carpet running down the center between the pews, yet the stones never felt cold to touch. The walls were lined with tall windows, which served to bath the room in a splendorous mix of colours, and the occasional statue of individual Alicorns. In the pews laid a small gathering of weary yet faithful people. There was a small mix of kids of various races to the left, a family of Griffins to the right and at the front of the room, underneath the large mural depicting the Elementals, was a large, intimidating figure kneeling in prayer. 

Slowly, Liz and I approached the tall figure. Sensing a presence, the giant ended his prayers, stood up and turned to face us. It was a tall, sapphire blue Minotaur. He was easily two feet taller then me, no doubt a descendant of a warrior clan. He had two sharp, ivory white horns that pointed out from his head, parting his well-kept, silver hair. His hair was long and braided, the individual braids falling down his back with one on each side of his long neck running down his chest. From the look of his face I could tell this was a man who had seen many battles. His large, copper eyes were both where they should be, but his left eye bore a long, crocked set of three scars that started at his eyebrow and ended at his nose. His nose was slightly broken, giving it an asymmetrical look. He had a small, but prominent, cross cut scar on his right cheek and had a small cut on his chin. Despite the signs of age, he was still in his prime, was clearly masculine and looked oddly young for his age, his serine smile adding to his appearance. He had  bags under his eyes and had a few crows-feet marks but he still seemed to be fit and active. 

His colossal, strong body was covered by a mix of armour and clerical garb. He wore a massive, majestic mithril breastplate that proudly displayed a white tree with fire and ice leaves with the sun and moon in the two top corners above the tree. The breastplate was battered a small bit but shined and radiated light, a testament to it's upkeep. His arms, though obscured by a large brown cloak he wore with a simple knot around his neck keeping it in place, were clearly protected by a similar piece of armour. His hands were visible and they were protected by a silver gauntlet that showed an open palm covered in flames on each fist. His legs, though less armoured, were still shielded. He wore a mithril cuisse on each thigh and greaves on his legs but kept his hooves exposed and protected his knees and exposed parts with silver chain mail. The armour on his legs were white as well but bore no markings aside from lines of embedded obsidian running around the edges of the metal, like his chestplate and greaves. Connected to his belt was a large green tabard that showed the white tree from his breastplate but also had a line of Old Tongue embroidered beneath the tree. 'To Aliernael, We pray. To Vaie'o'tus, We send. In Athernael, we'll rest.' 

Aside from the impressive, but incomplete, set of armour he wore a simple brown cloak, a belt with various pouches, a simple cloth shirt and silver chain mail under his brestplate that could just be seen beneath all the plated metal and a gold necklace with a wooden pendent. He was a tall, well-built man who radiated kindness and compassion but also bone shattering strength. 

"Ah, I see you've finally returned home Elizabeth, in one piece and with a guest no less! hmmm, he doesn't look like the kind of company you keep...Tell me son, what is your name?" The large Minotaur stated with a hint of disappointment and relieve towards Liz, or Elizabeth, and then asked me with a warm smile. His voice was gruff, deep yet quiet and soothing. He had an odd accent I couldn't quite place. It sounded like a cross between the brutish Northern Menotari tribes and that of a more lavish member of the Equestrian aristocracy: cool, suave and only holding a hint of pretentiousness. 

"Guy. And you might be sir?" I stated then asked in a meek tone, not because he might of been seen as intimidating to most but because I was only just shaking off the feeling of paranoia. Before he could answer, Bo peaked out from my satchel and looked around quizzically, almost as awestruck as I. 

"By the Gods, he's adorable!" The Minotuar exclaimed with a cheesy grin. Bo squeaked in fright and burrowed deep into my bag. 

"Ha, my apologize, I simply adore Jackalopes! Their so small, fluffy and strong at the same time! Um, where were we again? Oh, yes of course. You said your name was Guy correct? Guy, a simple yet strong Griffic name, either means warrior or life, depending on the origin. It's a powerful name given to powerful people of the land. I am Father Magnus, guardian of the Everfree church of Alier. Welcome." He said with a content smile, no obvious signs of pride or confidence, then proceeded to do a simple bow with an open hand over his heart. With a nostalgic smile, I closed my eyes, placed my left fore hoof across my own heart and knelled in front of him.

"My, I wasn't expecting a Unicorn of all people to return a customary bow. Are you a follower?" He asked me with a happy smile and raised eyebrow, impressed by my simple greeting.

"No, I am  just familiar with the ancient greeting. I must say, I'm surprised to find a house of worship so rooted in archaic times...I didn't think any knowledge of the Dawn of Life was know to mortals, didn't the Alicorns take that knowledge to their graves?" I asked, genuinely shocked to see so much history in such an unassuming place.

"Yes, they most certainly did. Before the last of the Elemental Alicorns died in their final stand, two young Alicorns handed our forefathers their live's work: A series of books, tomes, grimoires, scrolls and journals detailing the Birth of Alierneal, the first Alicorns, the creation of the races and so much more. But it wasn't just the origins of life these books held, but the knowledge of the spiritual, the ways Alicorns lived their lives in peace and prosperity, the ability to harness and nurture the power of the land and the teachings of Gaia." Magnus instructed. He seemed honored to educate me as he had a starry, mystified look in his battle damaged eyes. Magnus' daughter seemed far less impressed, merely rolling her eyes at his little description. 

"I...See. And these ancient tomes are stored here?" I asked, mortified, honoured and baffled at the implications of his story. 

"Alas, no. They've been held in the ancient library in the Cathedral of Alier for centuries, far to the South East. We have a few copies of Gaia's notes, studies and memoirs if you would enjoy some light reading, or perhaps you'd like to learn some natural healing spells? It's so disheartening how little the denizens of this radiant forest care for such history." He asked with a hopeful tone. 

"He's not here on a pilgrimage to learn about life Dad, he's here because he thinks we're all in danger." Elizabeth informed, getting to the point. 

"How do you mean? Aside from the usual bandits, what's threatening us?" Magnus asked seriously, his face remained calm but he seemed more focused and stoic. 

"As we approached the isles I felt an odd magical presence. It took me awhile to locate it but when I did...It was like being submerged in fear and hopelessness. When I was able to break free of it's hold we were already docking with the town. There's something very close, and it has only malicious intents." I told him, looking him dead in the eyes and speaking with no hint of humor or guile. 

"...Describe everything you felt and what it 'looked' like, every detail is important." Magnus instructed as he turned around and swiftly walked into a corner of the church, into a small side room guarded by a simple wooden door. He softly pushed open the door and strutted in with purpose. The two of us plus Bo followed shortly after. 

His side room was more like a miniature personal library packed wall to wall with towering piles of books. The walls and ceiling were made of the same materials as the rest of the structure. There was a single table and chair in the room, placed in the center. It was clearly built for the churches custodian as it was bigger then any table I'd used. The table and chair were wooden, hand carved and featureless. placed on top of the table was a set of four candles, all of them placed in large holders meant to be handled by either magic or Minotaurs. There was a single natural light source placed in the roof. It was like a mosaic with the sun and moon intertwining with the stars scattered around them. It would look spectacular when the sun or moon hanged over I'd wager. The walls were lined with tomes of religious descent, historical recounts of battles and skirmishes and even novels of the comedic or romantic type. The books were either placed neatly on the ground in small, knee high piles or placed in the tall, ceiling scrapping book shelves. Most of them were bland, brown wooden shelves with simple carvings of flowers or pedals. But, on the other side of the room was a large, closed cabinet. Unlike the other shelves which were unguarded and open to all, this one was blocked by two doors, both opened only by a key. The cabinet was onyx black and looked like someone had tried to burn it. 

"It felt cold and sharp, like a frozen blade cutting me to the bone. It looked like a writhing mass of sentient tar and felt about the same...And the sounds...The less I say about what it whispered to me the better." I told him. Even though it was short, he seemed to understand what I was describing.

"Yes...I have an idea on what this could be, I pray I'm wrong..." He said as he removed his necklace. He did something to his pendent and with a loud click the pendent slip apart and inside was a small, delicate key.

"That's where it was the whole time? Now I feel like an ass for checking every individual pew." I heard Elizabeth mutter under her breath in Griffic with a clearly annoyed and disappointing tone.  

"If I couldn't hide these particular items from you, I wouldn't be fit to hide them from someone determined to steal them. I took my vows very seriously Elizabeth, you know this, and in those vows I swore to protect innocents from godsless relics like these." He replied in Common, startling Elizabeth. With a soft groan, the two doors swinged open and from them poured a torrent of disquieting energy. Lining the shelves were numerous warped, malicious artifacts of dark origins. Some were gnarled and rusted weapons, I noticed a few crystals and gems holding swarms of eerie, grey souls, a large skull that came from a creature I'd never even seen and rows of black bound books. I heard Magnus chant something under his breath as he slowly pulled out a large, faded book. He turned around, placed it on the table and sat down, all without making a sound. The book was simply titled 'A Necromancer's Guide to the Void and it's Inhabitants.' 

"Um, Dad, why do you have this?" Elizabeth asked, sounding very unsure and surprised. 

"A few years ago, I and Sister Rose caught a dark sage trying to hide himself in an abandoned house. We were able to pacify him and send him to the guards for imprisonment. This, along with a few items I had to send to the Cathedral, were in his possession. I couldn't let the guards take something possibly dangerous and selling it would be both morally and legally wrong, so the Church confiscates, removes the curses or bound souls, studies or simply destroys the items taken." Magnus said matter-of-factly as he flipped through the pages, all of them showing various horrors and daemons and how to summon or banish them.

"So, you were sitting on a pile of lethal, dark magic voodoo crap all these years and didn't tell me?" Elizabeth said, sounding both impressed and hurt.

"Well, how do you tell someone about the various cursed and corrupted things you now unfortunately own without making said someone curious? Even when people know it'll kill them, they still go looking for-...Vara hus met..." Magnus muttered as he shook his head.

"Magnus, what are we dealing with?" I asked without hesitating. He looked at me and merely chuckled.

"Guy, whoever and whatever you are, you're not just an Unicorn, no Unicorn could survive contact with a Soul Reaver..." Magnus said he showed us the page he'd stopped on. Soul Reavers...I'd only seen one before and the mere though of it disgusts me. Foul apparitions born from the suffering and anguish of a tortured spirit. The only way to summon it is to magically rip it from the Afterlife, a process said to be excruciatingly painful, and bounding it to the body of the deceased. Rotten, bile spewing, blinded and in a state of permanent misery, these creatures won't stop killing in anyway possible until they're finally slain. The only time I'd fought one was eons ago when a gullible Necromancer summoned a Soul Reaver and placed it in a minotaur corpse. Within an hour, the hamlet this mage lived in, and the sixty odd villagers, were dead. Bodies torn asunder, blood drained from vessels, disease and rot already eating away at everything in a mile radius of it and the survivors mentally scarred. It took thirty Paladins to kill it and release the trapped soul and by then we'd already lost a platoon of guards and what remained of the town had to be razed...  

"W-What the fuck is that?!" Elizabeth shouted in fear and revulsion.

"A soul trapped in a monster that needs to be put down..." Magnus said as he stood up, placed the book back were it belonged and locked the cabinet.

"How the hell do we fight it?" Elizabeth asked, less disturbed but still unnerved. 

"We? No, you're staying as far away from that abomination as possible. I, a few dozen guards and any of our knights still stationed here will hunt it and kill it." Magnus said as he continued to look through his book shelves, now searching the many scrolls laden with magic. 

"You're just gonna ditch me? Why? I'm the best shot in this whole damn sea!" She defended herself.

"You're also cocky, irrational and lack far sight. And ultimately, you're my daughter, I won't risk losing you, end of story. Now please leave me and Guy alone, we have much to discuss..." Magnus said as he stared her down. Livid, Elizabeth stormed out, loudly opening and slamming the door. Sighing, Magnus sat down and rubbed his temples.

"Will she be alright?" I asked. Fights and family feuds weren't new to me, but they never ended well when it came to live and death situations.

"She'll be fine...Now then 'Guy'. I don't know who or what you are, so far you seem kind and you most likely saved my daughter's life. I would thank you, but now isn't the time for rewards or congratulations, something is out there threatening my home and I won't rest until it's either been put to rest or smited with fury...There's one thing I need to know before we continue." Magnus said as he stared at me, the warm, serine facade gone, showing a hardened, disciplined Minotuar Paladin. 

"And that is?" 

"Are you going to stay and fight? You're free to leave, you're no ones prisoner and I wouldn't dream of forcing someone to fight a daemon known for a high mortality rate...But I know you're no ordinary magic user, you're something else and I could sense that the minute you walked up to me...I thought you were a gifted unicorn, what with your height and horn, but after finding out what we're dealing with...No dancing around it, will you help us?" Magnus said, laying everything out. The fact that he could sense me, even in close proximity was ludicrous. A Minotaur with magic would be like an Earth Pony with talons or a Unicorn without a horn: Impossible.

Aside from that, everything he said was true...Without a second thought I looked up at him, determination burning in my eyes, and simply said "Yes."