My Endless Darkness Chapter 1 Don’t ask me to be brave

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I remember that day, the day that any part of me that was still a foal was cruelly snatched from me and my heart turned to darkness. The day was a normal calm day, with the normal ponies wondering around on their daily business and I was a solider of the Equestrian army on a day off. I have never forgotten the calm in the air that day had, I was calm and happy. There was never a calmer place than that of my home town, Hopetown. I was in the center with my sister as we were wondering round.

“So bro, do you know where you’re going to be assigned?” she asked, my sister is the most amazing mare around, she is a white Unicorn with a light red mane, her cutie mark is in the shape of a quill and ink pot “You know you shouldn't be nervous”

I looked at her and giggled “I’m not nervous, I’m just curious and I’m hoping for the best, Silverlight” I said trying to sound real cool about it but doing a poor job of it. I had just completed my basic training in a town only a few miles from Canterlot and had come back to Hopetown to receive orders of where I’d was to be assigned. “I just hope it’s somewhere not too far from here”

We headed for home, I have to admit as a stallion, I’m nothing special, I’m a Pegasus who’s black all over with a white mane and my cutie mark is in the shape of a sword and shield. For years I was an outsider, not the kind of pony who others wanted to associate with but I was cool with that, I was a loner by choice. The reason is simple to understand, when my cutie mark appeared it was clear what my purpose was and no pony liked it. Serving in the army in Equestria is both a great honor and curse; on the one hoof you’re defending your home but on the other in a culture where friendship is valued above most things, a pony who kills is scum and has no place in any level of society. I have always been close to my sister even if we are different but that’s normal for me, I was close with all members of my family and it was part of the reason I joined the army.

As we approached the section of town our home was in, something seemed wrong and I could smell something burning. We turned a corner and the sight that awaited us was horrible beyond description. Our home was among many burning buildings, the air was full of soot and I had trouble breathing. The worst part was the bodies, there was so many of them and there was blood everywhere. I had a hard time processing what I saw but how does one make reason of murder.

“AHHHH!” screamed my sister with a voice full of pain and despair “Bravesteel look!!” she was pointing her hoof at a broken window where we could see our mother trapped in the fire “We have to get her out!”

We ran over to the window and jumped through the window, I was hit by the enormous heat and felt like my skin was beginning to boil with blisters. I wanted out but knew that wasn't an option, our mother needed us and we weren't going to abandon her. We struggled forward, Silverlight using her magic to put out the fire while I tried to get close enough to grab our mum.

“Mother! We’re here!” I screamed regretting screaming as smoke filled me “Please! Mother! Grab my hoof” my hoof was now close enough to grab hers. As our hooves locked I pulled her towards me, we then turned and ran out of the house. Not a moment too soon as we collected ourselves the house collapsed burying whatever remained of our family. I turned to our mother “Mum, who did this?!” I asked shaking with tears and anger.

She weakly raised her head “I..I..didn't…see..see…who..” she flopped in my hooves.

“Mother?” I asked in a voice way too small for me. I put my hoof on her chest, I counted to ten and felt no heartbeat. “No,no,no it can’t be! Mum no, wake up, please, you can’t die!” I screamed I could feel my composure leaving me and I wasn't alone in that.

Silverlight screamed as she burst into tears, tears trickled down my face and I was filled with sadness. It left me feeling empty and cold. We sat there for what felt like hours, we didn't speak or move and we didn't want to. After a while I stood up and looked around for clues but except for more death and despair found nothing.

An hour later the moon was shining above us but what did we care our home and family were gone. So what if Princess Luna was doing her job, was not it also the job of the princesses to ensure we were protected and here we were crying over the corpses of our family and friends. I looked in the direction of Canterlot, it was impossible from this distance to see it but I didn't care. I wanted Justice.

“Bravesteel, what are we going to do?” she croaked, her eyes were a blood red color and she was shaking “We should check the rest of town” she suggested

“But what about Dad? We haven’t found him” I asked with a croak of my own

“We both know, Dad’s dead, he would have been in the top floor when the fire started and Mum did not make it out” she cried “So what chance is there that he did, we both know he was a unicorn and unlike you, he can’t fly!”

I knew she was right but I did not want to face it. Despair was all I felt as we walked away from the site of our former home. We headed back towards the center but we realized that there was nothing to head to because there was nothing, just a smoldering pile of ash and bodies of ponies of all kinds. We walked looking for survivors but for about half an hour we found no pony. Then a cry, a cry of a foal, a foal in pain and we charged towards the sound, my wings would not allow me stay grounded and I took off.

I could see the outline of a small shape in the distance, I flew as fast as I could, desperation fueling my system. The desperation to reach the foal and help as best I could. It took me less than minute to reach the foal but it felt like an eternity. I landed with a thump near the foal and could see it was a small mare earth pony next to the shape of another mare earth pony.

“Hey, Kid are you okay?” I asked as I approached , the worst possible question I could have asked but I've never been good at the social thing “Do you know who did this?”

The foal looked at me with a strange look and then did the thing I was sure she wouldn't do, she ran forward and hugged me “My..my…sister...she’s not moving help her”

I was a bit startled but I walked over to the older mare and placed a hoof on her neck and my heart sank with horrible thump. She was dead. My mind went so blank, what now, dare I turn and tell the worst truth possible or could I lie? No, I thought she deserves the truth but was that my place.

“Bravesteel!” I heard a voice shout, I turned my head and was so relieved to see Silverlight “You shouldn't fly ahead of me! It could have been dangerous!” It’s probably worth pointing out that my sister is seven years my senior, something for which I’m often grateful for and here’s why, she has better foresight than I do and she uses reason over emotion. “Honestly you can’t keep relying on luck”

As she approached I pointed to the dead mare, I whispered to her “she’s dead but I don’t have the heart to tell her sister over there” indicating with my head towards the foal. “Please help!?”

Credit where credit is due, no matter how mad my sister was with me, she was able to adjust to any new circumstances and this was no exception. As soon as she glared at me, she assumed the look of a very calm mare and approached the foal. “Hey, are you okay? My name is Silverlight” she asked the now shaking foal “Can you tell me your name?”

The small foal looked at Silverlight with a mixture of fear and sadness “My name is Applebliss. Is my sister okay?” she asked but I got the feeling she knew the answer. The air was stiff with the smell of blood and sadness. I look back now wishing I was a better brother but I knew no amount of sugar-coating would change the outcome. “She’s all I had left?”

Again credit to Silverlight, the way she handled the situation was a marvel “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that she’s okay. She’s dead, but I’m sure you have other family?” she said in a voice that was so soothing it melted my heart “We just lost our family and we can understand your pain but we have to be brave for them, can you be brave?”

At that moment I thought that the foal was going to burst into tears but was studded when she sniffed and wiped her eyes “Yes, I can be brave” she croaked but I got the feeling the scars in her heart would never heal.

If I’m honest my next action was heartless but it had to be done “We have to leave here, let’s head to Canterlot and inform the Princesses of this atrocity” I said with a bitter voice, I felt anger, hate and hurt for those who had massacred our friends and family. Silverlight stared at me as if I had just stated the worst possible thing. Applebliss was looking at me with what could only be anger. “I’m sorry but if we hang around, another village might suffer the same fate as Hopetown and there might not be survivors!”

Applebliss suddenly said something that surprised me because how could I have forgotten “Ponyville has a princess” she stuttered with such a small voice “I want to go there”
To her credit Ponyville was closer and Hopetown did not have a train station so the decision should have been obvious. I looked at my hooves and then at Silverlight “We’ll take a vote” I said, looking back it was stupid idea “I vote Canterlot”

Silverlight looked at me and groaned “Ponyville, it will take us only five days to walk there however Canterlot will take twice as long and we have no bits”

Applebliss looked at me and smirked for the first time “Ponyville” she said simply.

Silverlight shook her head and turned “Well, come on then, we should start for Ponyville and if we hurry we might get there sooner” she said, as Applebliss ran ahead, Silverlight turned to me and said something I've never forgotten “You did well”

As Silverlight trotted ahead I looked at my wings and felt a strange sense hope. Little did I know the next five days would be the days where I would need that hope. I looked back at the smoldering remains of Hopetown and walked away, with the feeling I would never see it again but I didn't care and I was ready to do my duty. No more time for feeling down and I wanted to get my chance at my new purpose.

Chapter end.

My Endless Darkness Chapter 2 Our five days of Hell Part 1

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If you asked me what the meaning of the word despair was, I would say the five days that followed the destruction of Hopetown. It was a nightmare beyond that word, our journey was full of all sorts of dangers and the darkness of our doubts nearly broke us.

The first night was the beginning of our doubts, I sat up all night keeping watch, and it was a terrible ordeal. We had set up camp by a river that ran next to a field full of heather and in a patch clearer than most we prepared for the night ahead. As the night dragged on by, I was filled with a sense that some pony was watching us but I was wrong, what was watching us was far worse.

It was just an hour or two before dawn when I heard the sound I had feared, the sound of many steps in the distance and I knew we had a minute maybe less to run for it. I began to shake Silverlight and Applebliss awake but we didn’t have time to run so we hid in the long heather. Applebliss was still not quite awake; Silverlight was a quick riser and was staying quiet. It was then we saw what we had feared, into the clearing a creature that all ponies feared entered and began to sniff the ground, a Timberwolf. These were wolves made entirely of wood, they had a reputation as well that only foolish foals didn’t respect and fear. One of these monsters was bad enough but then seven more of the accursed beasts followed the first one.

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribs as they drew closer, they were almost following the same root we had taken to the heather and I looked up praying to anyone to help us. A tear trickled down my face, I was terrified and I wanted to fly but if I did that would mean leaving my sister and Applebliss to a fate so terrible it didn’t merit thought. I decided to prepare to fight, I was a solider and this was what I was trained for. I looked to Silverlight trying to tell her my plan and she shook her head with tears flowing down it.

There was suddenly a noise coming from the other side of the clearing and it drew the attention of the wolves from us. It gave us all the time we needed to slip away. It was the first of too many close calls and it wasn’t even the worst.

As we walked along, the landscape slowly changed into terrain that made me nervous, there were far worse things in equestria that Timberwolves and the terrain was now more dry. It spanned out into a vast dessert, I knew from experience there were things that lived here that were bad news and I estimated it would take us a day and a half to cross the dessert.

The sun was beating down as we walked, the sand was coarse and it made my poor hooves itch with pain. We kept walking but it was clear by halfway through the day we couldn’t walk any further, it was too hot and Applebliss was struggling to keep up. As we rested next to a sand dune, I looked around for water but couldn’t see a speck.

“Mr Bravesteel, I’m so thirsty” complained Applebliss, who was sweating profusely, she looked terrible, the heat was clearly getting to her and if we didn’t do something soon she would be in real trouble.

“Bravesteel, you have to go look for water and food!” cried Silverlight her voice was full of panic, it scared me that she was so scared and it must have shown “We have no time for this! Go! Now!” she then snapped.

I didn’t need to be told a third time, I began to flap my wings and took off. I gained as much height as I could, my eyes then began darting across the countryside and it wasn’t long before I spotted a source of water. It was far away and would have taken us a few hours to reach on hoof not to mention it would have taken us far off course.

I flew towards it, I pushed myself to fly faster but I wasn’t at my best. Ordinarily I’m not the greatest of fliers, I don’t venture into the higher skies unless absolutely necessary but my body was so tired it hurt to flap my wings. I also seemed to be struggling to get anywhere as fast as I usually did.

“Come on!” I yelled in frustration, I had already been gone for twenty minutes and it was annoying that my wings weren’t working as they should. `”I have to hurry!”

Finally I landed next to the lake. It was enormous, I was lucky to have found it and I grabbed a nearby bucket, I suppose that should have alerted me to the illogic of there being a bucket there at all but I just dipped the bucket into the water. As I pulled the bucket out I noticed something was missing, the water.

“What the?!” I spat, I kept trying to fill the bucket but it would not fill “Come on, please, work” I cried

“Hohoho” a voice suddenly laughed, a creature suddenly appeared it was a confusing mix of a creature. It had the head of a pony but the rest of it didn’t match “Oh what fun”

I was now angrier than ever, I looked up at the creature and I was unable to hold back my total rage “You son of a nightmare!” I swore I stamped my hoof in rage “This isn’t funny!”

“Now, now no need for such language!” said the creature who seemed totally bemused by me and my apparent totally desperation “How about this? I’ll help you if you do something for me!”

I was not in the mood to be some deformed creature’s play toy but what choice did I have. No, I didn’t need his help and I didn’t want it. Applebliss, if I don’t get help she could die and it would be entirely my fault. But I didn’t want to because I didn’t like him.

“Well, what is your decision?” asked the creature with an almost all-knowing expression on his face

“What do you want?” I growled dreading his response.

The creature smiled, which made my stomach do a 180 and he said “I want you to do as I say in five days’ time”

“Okay deal” I said without a second thought.

The creature raised an eagle’s claw and snapped its talons. We were suddenly back with Silverlight and Applebliss. I did what came instinctively; I got myself between the creature, Silverlight and Applebliss. The creature drew closer; I readied myself to defend my sister and the ill foal.

“Come now there’s no need to be so defensive” said the creature in a hurt voice, which led me to believe he was making a fool out of me but he was here to help

“Now first off for introductions, my name is Discord and yours are?”

At the mention of his name my mind began to race, I vaguely remembered an old legend about a creature with that name but couldn’t think of its importance to the situation. Regardless my mind was telling me to prepare for a fight. As it was the creature had a look of mischief about his face and I wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face.

Silverlight was the first to speak up “I’m Silverlight, this is my brother Bravesteel and the foal is Applebliss” she said clearly trying to judge whether Discord was friend or foe “Can you help Applebliss?”

Discord was now looking between Silverlight and me “Wait you two are siblings?” he enquired looking about ready to laugh “So you are both blood relations?”
I was about ready to stick my hoof where the sun didn’t shine when Applebliss coughed “Can you help our friend? Or not” I snapped

Discord then snapped his paw and was suddenly he was in a doctor’s uniform complete with silly glasses “Now what appears to be ze the problem?” he asked in a very silly voice that sounded like he was from the town of Hooflin “Open up and say yah” he said to what I assumed was Applebliss until he took my shout in his paw and rammed a thermometer in.

“Mmmm” I mumbled

He ignored my attempted protest “You are suffering from a condition called Supaseriousitis, it’s a curable condition but first you need face paint stat” he said as a painter’s pallet appeared in his paw “Now to apply ze cure”

“Wait! Stop” I yelled, too late the paint went on and I couldn’t do much to stop him. It took him less than ten seconds before he was finished. As I looked at Applebliss and Silverlight, I knew I must have looked ridiculous as they were having trouble containing themselves before they both were rolling in laughter. “Get me a mirror” I groaned dreading the outcome.

Discord was also trying not to laugh at his own work as he handed me a mirror “Oh my” was all he managed. As he rolled with laughter “You look tickled pink”

He wasn’t wrong I looked into the mirror and was horrified “I’m Pink!” I screamed, it wasn’t just my face but my whole body looked like a different pony’s body “What happened to my wings?”

Discord calmed down long enough to say “I used a special paint called body switch paint; you switched with a pony in Ponyville” he explained laughing part of the way through “Before I forget I promised to help you didn’t I” with a snap of his claw a rug with what looked like a picnic appeared next to Applebliss “Now there should be enough water in the basket to get you to Ponyville”

Silverlight calmed down and said “Thank you, Discord”

“Remember Bravesteel in five days, I’ll collect your debt and I expect payment” he said with an element of danger in his voice before he added with joy “Good luck everypony” then he disappeared.

As we sat and ate the lunch that was on the blanket, my mind swarmed with thoughts as dark as a moonless night and it ate me up inside. What was Discord about? What did he have in mind for me and how would it affect my fate? Did he know something about Hopetown’s attackers? Regardless we had a mission, I would burn Discord’s bridge when I came to it and I would not allow Hopetown to go unavenged.

Applebliss was by now looking a lot more like herself, it was an encouraging sign but the danger creatures like the Timberwolves presented could not be ignored. I began to feel the strength in my legs grow and I prepared to start walking but Silverlight placed a hoof on my tail.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked clearly concerned, as it happens Silverlight can read me like a book “We need to stick together and I know you mean well but Applebliss has to be our priority” she gave me this all knowing stare that always made me fall into line. We waited until Applebliss had finished and was ready to walk.

After that hours continued to pass, as we walked across the seemly endless expanse, I was behind our group keeping an eye on our tails as I couldn’t shake the feeling we were being watched, it was probably the heat playing tricks with my poor mind but still.

As we stopped for the night by an old ruin in the sand, I was still convinced we weren’t safe but that was hardly news because we were as safe as we were the night before and we knew how that had turned out. This night I got the chance for some much needed sleep as Silverlight took the watch. As I lay my head down on my hooves there was one thing I was grateful for, the welcoming embrace of sleep and I had the chance of beautiful dreams.

As I slept my dreams were as pleasant as I could have hoped for, I dreamt of my favourite things in Hopetown and it made me happy. I dreamt of days spend reading the adventures of Blazeheart the great detective pony and drinking a welcoming glass of my mother’s homemade Lemonade. Then my dreams went weird as I turned the page, a shadow appeared over the book and the pages went blank.

A voice boomed out “TELL ME ABOUT HOPETOWN?!” it boomed as I looked around everything was changing and it scared me. I began to run for all I was worth but found myself getting nowhere quickly.

As I turned to face where the voice came from I was meant with a mare unlike any I had seen before, she was a dark blue colour, her mane billowed behind her, I thought looking at her that she was unicorn but what kind of pony had this kind of power. As she approached I found myself shaking, I remembered I was dreaming but did that remove the danger I was in, my mind told me, I was in more trouble than I could comprehend.

“YOU ARE IN DANGER!” the mare bellowed her eyes flashed white.

“Who are you?!” I screamed

Before she could answer my question, I was rudely shaken awake by Silverlight who had a look of pure terror on her face and in the dawn’s early light she never looked so terrified. As I got up I could see why, a huge sandstorm was approaching but it was what was in front of it that scared me and with good reason. A huge herd of Buffalo, there had to be at least sixty and we were only three.

Silverlight looked at me and said “Is it them?!” she still looked terrified.

I gulped and looked at Applebliss; we had to hope this was one of the friendly tribes of Buffalo and on one hoof that was likely. However there was one tribe to consider the tribe of Chief Ironhorn and they rarely spared even a foal, they didn’t tolerate ponies on their land.

As they drew closer we quickly were running out of options, then a crazy idea entered my head but was I brave enough. Then my mind was set “Silverlight, take Applebliss, run for Ponyville and don’t look back!” I screamed preparing to charge myself but seeing Silverlight had not moved I turned my head “GO! NOW, THIS ISN’T UP FOR DEBATE! NOW GO!”

Silverlight used her magic to put Applebliss onto her back and looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, don’t do anything stupid. She then ran and I was convinced it would be the last I would ever see of them. I started to try and use my muscles that my wings were usually connected to but I was still pink and my wings were absent. So I did the only thing I could do, I reared onto my hind legs and yelled “For Equestria’s eternal light!”

As I began to charge forward, I knew I didn’t stand a chance but as long as I bought time for Silverlight and Applebliss it didn’t matter. The buffalo were now close enough for me to feel the sand shift under my hoofs, this made me what nothing more, than to turn and run away but I kept charging.

A few more strides, I could see rocks shaking to my left and it filled me with an unbelievable level of fear. They were so close, I could see the surprised look in their eyes that a pony would dare charge them and I was still terrified at the prospect. It was then that the buffalo stopped in their tracks, I stopped as well but more out of surprise.

A large buffalo stepped forward and said “Hey, what are you doing?” he said with a voice that seemed to be completely surprised “We could have crushed you” the concern in his voice left me completely confused. As the buffalo surrounded me, I felt totally done “Relax, we’re not going to hurt you” the buffalo soothed.

“Why were you charging towards our camp?” I asked, looking back it was a stupid question

“We charge through here at this time of year!” another small female buffalo said “We didn’t know there was a camp there. Why were you camping in such a stupid place?”

I then sat on the ground, I explained what had happened two days earlier and I noticed the looks of horror that the buffalo were giving me. As I covered the details of my parent’s deaths, I heard a choked sob from behind me but I kept going. As I drew to our lucky escape from the Timberwolves, the buffalo looked studded and I couldn’t blame them. I didn’t tell them about Discord but I did cover my nightmare. “So when we heard you guys, I tried to cover for Applebliss and my sister” I finished.

The chief of the buffalo remained silent for what felt like a good long while, then he mumbled “So where are you heading?”

“We’re heading for Ponyville to see the princess that lives there” I explained.

“We can’t offer you much help, since we have our kin to think about that live near Hopetown and they may be in danger but we will give you some water and food” the chief said with a sombre look as his herd gave me a bag with a flask of water and a bag of oats “We wish you all luck”

As the herd prepared to leave a few members gave me words of encouragement and respect. It was then that the herd took its leave; the sight was amazing and will be a sight I’ll never forget. As their hooves pounded the sand the sand formed clouds as high as mountains and the sound was loader than the falling of a thousand trees. As they turned and charged past a huge sand dune, I watched as they disappeared from sight and realised they had changed direction away from our camp.
While the situation had turned out to be harmless, I still could feel my heart beating hard and mind breaking under the pressure. I sat in the sand and cried into my hooves. It was all too much, why did we have to suffer, why was fate treating us like this and what gave it the right.

As I walked towards the direction that Silverlight and Applebliss had taken I couldn’t see any pony, I kept walking it was then that I saw the outline of trees in the distance and I assumed they were there. As I walked I could feel the wind whip around me, it dug into my eyes and caused my mane to blow out of order. I had been walking for half an hour when I saw the sight I had been waiting for.

“Bravesteel!” Applebliss screamed as she saw me approach, the look on Silverlight’s face was amazing a mixture of joy and disbelieve. They both had tears in their eyes, as they embraced me in a hug but I pulled away “We thought you were dead”

I shook my head “We got lucky. Now who’s hungry?” I said trying to make it sound light hearted but upon seeing the look on their faces “The buffalo were charging towards us because they didn’t know we were there. They didn’t mean us any harm”

Silverlight sighed “Well I suppose on the plus side, we are ahead of schedule and only one challenge remains” she explained I turned my head towards the forest and knew what she meant “However the dangers we’ll face in there will be beyond what we have faced so far!” as if to drive the point on home, the forest was filled with the sound of a monster and it was terrifying.

Applebliss stared at the forest with a look of complete fear “What is that place!?” she was shaking uncontrollably and I shared that feeling.

I swallowed hard “There are legends told of the forest! It is said not even chaos resides there, as it is too dangerous” I said unable to keep the fear from my voice “It is known as the Everfree forest”

“Wait!” Applebliss stuttered, recognising the name and it clearly terrified her “My grandmother told me stories about it and we can’t go in!”

Silverlight was clearly as scared as we were but she calmly stated “If we don’t, another town could suffer the same fate as Hopetown and we owe it to Equestria to raise the alarm” Applebliss and I looked at her knowing she was right but dreading the outcome “However, I won’t ask you to do something that either of you don’t want to do but I’m going in”

Applebliss swallowed “I’m in”

I had to admire Applebliss’s courage and it inspired me to say “I’m ready to get going!” I raised my hoof into the air and said “Let’s get through this together!”

We turned to face the trees, I still remember that first step towards it, my hoof was shaking with a new feeling, hope and I knew in that moment there was no turning back. As we crossed the line that separated the desert from the forest, the air was full of a smell of rotting wood, I had to stare at Silverlight for emotional support but looking at her, I knew none of us wanted to do this.

As we walked through the forest, the thing that struck me was just how quiet it was, there was noise but it was somewhat subdued. The bird songs were so quiet, the sound of the wind was so reduced I found myself going mad but what bugged me was the lack of noise from animals larger than a bird.

As we walked the forest seemed to darken with every step, the sun should have been shinning above us but because of the branches above us, I couldn’t see the light. Applebliss was just ahead of me when she tripped on something, I helped her to her hooves and saw what she had tripped on, and there on the floor of the forest was the still shape of a wolf!

“Is it dead?!” Applebliss asked fear trickling into her words; I placed a hoof on its neck and knew something was very wrong “What’s wrong?”

Silverlight shone a light on the wolf, confirming my concerns; the wolf was dead but was encrusted in diamond which was a billion times worse. There was only one creature in Equestria that could do this, a creature so terrifying that no living thing would live within twenty miles of it, it was the only monster that the army was trained to run from and still one had not been seen in an age.

Applebliss looked at me with a look that confirmed the look on my face “Bravesteel, what’s wrong, why are you shaking?!” She asked

“A Sapphire Dragon!” I mumbled as I turned to Silverlight “We need to get out of here! That monster only need to breath on us and we’ll join this wolf in crystal death!” she looked at me with trepidation

Applebliss suddenly screamed. There it was not twenty feet away, I had only seen pictures of it in class of deadly creatures, back at the training camp, it was eating another wolf that had been encrusted in crystal, its size is what startled me the most, it was as tall as the town hall of Hopetown, it’s skin shone with a bright blue colour hence the name, the tail was ended with a sharp spike and it was holding the wolf like an apple.

“What now?” I whispered to Silverlight, the dragon was now sniffing the air and I felt for sure we were going to be discovered.

Silverlight took lead, she pulled Applebliss and I into a nearby bush “Shhh!” was all she said.

As the claws of the dragon came down to the spot I had been standing in not ten seconds before. It felt around, when its claws came around the still form of the wolf, it grasped it and pulled it up. The next sound we heard was bone chilling, the crunch of crystal, followed the sound of crystal being ground up and I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the wolf.

Silverlight however was now using her magic to pull on my mane “Come on, while it’s eating!” she whispered “We can sneak away!” we began the long process of sneaking through the bushes, the sound of the dragon eating never far from ear shot and I thought more than once we were going to be caught. After an hour we could no longer hear the dragon eating, Silverlight poked her head out from the bushes and gave us the all clear. All we could see of the dragon was a small blue dot through the trees. “Safe” Silverlight sighed

“Safe, is the last thing we are!” is all I managed.

“You know maybe, you could be grateful we made it away from that thing!” Silverlight snarled. She and I were now getting ready to fight the other as our faces were practically boiling.

Applebliss then got between the two of us “Please, don’t fight, we shouldn’t let our guard down but we should be grateful we were able to escape that monsters gaze!” she reasoned with us and we all calmed down.

I remember the feeling of fear creeping in amongst us; we had not been in this accursed place for two hours and already were beyond scared. The rest of the journey would take us two more days and we needed to find a place to set up camp for the night before this place became too dark to proceed safely. We continued through the dark mess of the forest danger never far from our minds.

We suddenly spotted what we had been hoping for a place that looked as if it could serve as a defendable location, it was a cottage, it looked as if it had been abandoned for centuries, the windows were broken, the door looked like an old wooden splitter, the paint looked as if it peeled years ago and I could feel something in the air.

“Well it looks better than what’s out here” I joked looking to Silverlight, who seemed to be looking deeply concerned about the cottage “Oh, come on, what harm can a look do and it’s not like we have a list of possible campsites we can go!”

Silverlight sighed “Calm down, you have a point but remember the forest cannot be trusted!” she tapped the side of the cottage, she then turned and looked towards the sky which seemed to be getting darker and we were out of time “Okay let’s go in!”

The door was stiff, we struggled to get the door to shift, finally after pushing for half an hour the door gave in but what awaited us was something we didn’t expect.

The outside had been so damaged; the inside however looked like some pony had just gone out to the shops five minutes earlier but how?!
Silverlight went in deeper and looked around “This seems strange but it’s not like we have a choice!”

So that was that that, we were all too tired to argue, we bolted the door, I stayed up a little bit longer but tiredness took me and I fell into a deep sleep. The previous night’s nightmare suddenly started again, the same mare was there, she stared at me with the same look and I grew fearful.

“Tell me about Hopetown” her voiced boomed as load as a trumpet “You need to tell me!”

“Why? Who are you?!” I screamed back fear had left me, in its place a sense that I had to prepare to fight and I was not backing down! Not now and certainly not when my purpose was realised. “Tell me!”

The mare suddenly seemed to calm down “Well done!” she said I could how see her more clearly and I realised I had met her before it was, Princess Luna “Your fear of sleeping was clouding your senses”

“So when you appeared last night, I was overcome with fear that you were going to hurt my friends” I said remembering the feeling that I had, had the previous night

“Fear can cloud our minds and in dreams that fear can manifest itself” Luna explained as her expression seemed to be trying to show sympathy “I’m sorry you were so scared but please tell me what hap…”

The sound of the door of the cottage slamming open interrupted my dream, as the cottage stuttered from the impact, I looked up to see a unicorn glad in a white rob, he had a long white beard and his presence in the building seemed to fill it with power. I jumped up, charged him, his horn glowed bright and I was sent flying into the wall behind me.

“Who are you?” his voice was so deep and angry but at the same time it seemed to sound like a voice that spanned the distances of time itself.

Applebliss, I noted was hiding behind Silverlight who then said “We’re sorry, we were just passing through on our way to Ponyville, when we saw your cottage, we needed a place to sleep and we didn’t know that you lived here” she stared at the old unicorn with honesty filling her “Please accept our apologies”

The old unicorn’s eyes suddenly soften “It’s quite alright, I’m sorry your brother just gave me a start but I need to know who you are?” he said his voice suddenly filled with compassion. He then released the spell holding me to the wall.

Silverlight began to tell the story of how we had wound up in the old unicorn’s cottage. A few times his reactions were so subdued, at points I thought would shock him, he seemed bored and he seemed more interested in Silverlight, it made me feel uncomfortable.

Silverlight then said “So we realised we had to set up camp and we spotted your cottage, we thought it was abounded and we forced the door open” to which the old unicorn nodded “Please accept our deepest apologises!”

I then couldn’t take it anymore “Who are you?!” I interrupted.

The old unicorn smiled “I have gone by many names, not just throughout this world but in worlds as varied as the kinds of flowers that grow” he explained, he looked at me and a weird sense of amazement filling me “I have been known as the greatest wizards throughout other worlds some of them had names like Zordon, Gandalf, Merlin and Dumbledore”

Suddenly the cottage was filled with images of strange looking faces that hung to the walls of the building, some were ponies, some were green, some were orange and some had beards. I was amazed “So what name do you go by in this world?” I asked wondering “Why do you travel through so many worlds?”

The old unicorn looked at me with a soft smile “I travel those worlds to maintain the balance of good glorious magic in those worlds. I travel to meet new, fascinating heroes, invaluable heroines, to see sights beyond imagination and to explore magic to expand the possibilities” as he explained this a face of a strange creature flashed in front of my face, then the sight of a beautiful landscape and it was so amazing “In this world I have been known as Starswirled the bearded”

My Endless Darkness Chapter 2 Our Five Days of Hell part 2

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There was a studded silence in the room, we were in the same room as a legend of Equestria, and he looked at us as if he had just offered us a cup of tea but none of us could believe it. This was Starswirled the bearded, the stallion that more stories had been written about than any other combined but that was impossible. It was said that Starswirled had died just before the rise of Nightmare Moon, it had been said without him the princess had been tempted down the root of darkness but then again no one knew where he was buried.

Before we could say anything Starswirled said “I want to make you an offer” he directed his attention to Silverlight “I need an apprentice, you seem headstrong, intelligent and capable of learning the complicated magic of this world and others beyond it”

I couldn’t help myself but say “Yeah right. If your Starswirled, you could walk up to Canterlot, they would give you five apprentices at the drop of a hat but you choose a pony whose special talent is writing!” I looked at him with the most confident stare I could muster “you’re nothing but a liar!”

“Bravesteel, do not accuse me of lying, when you’re lying to yourself and pretending you haven’t been visited in your dreams!” he said giving me a look that clearly stated don’t lie to me or else suffer my endless wroth.

“How?” my voice was working properly but confusion was gumming up my jaws “You know!”

The faces on the wall contorted into frowns “I have travelled throughout time and space! You think your mind is safe from me! I can see your destiny before you and change it in a heartbeat!” his voice boomed as if all his previous lives were speaking at once, the room was darkening as they spoke and I could feel my resolve leaving me “Your sister’s destiny and your own are separate rivers that flow. If I ask her to become my apprentice, don’t let your jealousy blind you and accept her decision!”

In my heart, I knew, I had no right to stop Silverlight, this was a once in a entirety offer and it was unlikely she would ever receive such an offer ever again. Silverlight was my sister and as a brother I had to support whatever her decision she took.

Silverlight then asked “Can I talk with my brother alone?” to which Starswirled and Applebliss both nodded, they walked out of the door and once it was shut “Tell me something, what happened to the pony that use to be my brother?” I couldn’t see her face in the darkness.

I looked at the door unable to face her “I’m here” I said in a voice that neither confirmed nor denied.

I then heard her sniff “You know, my brother used to be a pony, who would put others ahead of himself but Starswirled was right” she cried, as I turned I saw tears leaking down her face “You don’t care anymore about doing the right thing! Please accept my decision and please be my brother again!”

Then I couldn’t stop myself, I stepped forward and put a hoof round my sister “You know, you mean the world to me and I will support you in whatever decision you make” I sobbed, tears were now running down both our faces “Please don’t forget” We then spend twenty minutes talking about Starswirled’s offer and Silverlight made me swear to protect Applebliss no matter what. I spend the time thinking about how I would say goodbye and it tore me up inside.

There then came a knock on the door, it then swung open and there stood Starswirled and Applebliss. We stood up from the floor, I couldn’t stand the tension in the room but in my soul I knew, I was about to say goodbye to my last family member and no amount of mental prep could prepare me.

Applebliss was hugging Silverlight “Please don’t go!” Applebliss said with tears streaming down her face. I knew how Applebliss felt but there was nothing either of us could do to stop what was about to happen. I did what I had to, I put a hoof round Applebliss and pulled her away “Please, Bravesteel…no…you can’t!” she screamed into my chest.

Starswirled’s horn then glowed, and then before I knew it Applebliss was sound asleep “I’m sorry, I do not mean to cause you this pain but understand that Equestria needs powerful unicorn like your sister and that time is drawing near” he said as he reached into a drawer and pulled out a strange looking neckless that had a strange white coloured stone on it “Here, this necklace will guide you through the forest safely and it will guide you to a safe spot for sleep tomorrow night” he placed the necklace around my neck “Oh and I suppose I should undo that troublesome Discord spell”

I was suddenly aware that I had my wings back “Thank you” was all I managed as I looked to Silverlight “Good luck” I then took my leave with a brief hug from my sister, I carried Applebliss on my back and I knew if I looked back my heart would break. I’ve never been one for big shows of affections when it comes to saying goodbye and if I had tried it would have made the pain worse. By this point it must have been the really early morning, even though I couldn’t see the sun, the forest seemed somewhat lighter and it was safe to continue on to Ponyville.

As I walked I was aware that the necklace was guiding me, it was practically pulling me along and I hardly noticed the time slip by. I was walking past a patch of poison ivy when I heard a groan from Applebliss and I stopped to put her on the ground.

As she awoke, she started to dart her eyes around “Where’s Silverlight?” was the first thing she said, she then noticed the look on my face “We have to go back!” to which I just shook my head “You have to!”

It was then that my resolve broke “I..I..I can’t” I cried, tears were now flowing like a river down my face “She made her decision. I want to so much but I must respect her decision”

Applebliss and I then hugged each other unable to stop the tears, we were there for what felt like hours as we cried and then I stood to my full height staring at the young mare, she looked at me and said “So how far till we get to Ponyville?”

I looked towards where the necklace was pulling me and sighed “Not too long, another day and we’ll be there” I then began to walk “Come on; we’ll need to ensure we get there soon and then we can grab some hay fries” I joked trying weakly to crack a smile. It was hard to look at the bright side but despite my down to earth nature, I always try my upmost to look at the bright side and then I needed to be able to.

Applebliss then smiled “Oh and some Apple pie!” she giggled “With some Strawberry juice!”

I couldn’t help but smile “Looks like we could do with some lunch” I joked as I reached into my bag and pulled out our last bag of food which was the oats, I got from the Buffalo “Well looks like we’ll have to make it to Ponyville sooner, rather than later but we should be fine”

We ate our lunch when Applebliss asked “When we get to Ponyville, when will we see the princess?” looking at me expecting me to know.

“I suppose whenever she can see us” I said without thinking, she was staring at me with a look that assumed was that of respect “We might have to find a place to stay when we get there”

“Bravesteel, can I just ask, when did you get your cutie mark?” she asked staring intently at me “What does it mean?”

I had to think back, unlike most ponies, getting my cutie mark was not a moment of pride for me and I rarely gave it much thought “I think I was about your age, I was in the forest, you remember the one by Honeydue’s place” to which she nodded “I then heard a scream, as I ran from the forest, I saw a foal from my class standing with her back to a house trapped by an enraged bull!”

Applebliss looked excited “So what ya do?”

I thought back “I did what came naturally, I ran forward getting myself between the bull and the foal” I explained.

“Weren’t you scared?”

“I didn’t really have time to be scared, I suppose if I had given it any thought then maybe but then it seemed so natural” I recalled “Anyway the bull walked toward me, I was ready to defend my classmate, then I jumped into the air and then I rammed my hoof up its shout!” I sat there still remembering the feeling of triumph

“Wow, was that when you earned your cutie mark?” Applebliss asked her eyes widening.

“No. I noticed the bull was barely fazed, it put its head under my stomach, then it flicked its head and I was then tossed into the air!” I said with a blush “it was then that my wings filled with strength, I then flew down at speed, and slammed my full weight into the bull’s back legs. There was a sickening crunch as I knew the bull’s legs were broken and it was then I felt a strange feeling on my flank”

“Your cutie mark!” Applebliss said in awe

I then couldn’t help but frown “Yes, but when I looked back there it was and I couldn’t help but cry” I said with bitterness filling my words “Despite the praise I received for saving my classmate, no pony praised me for getting my cutie mark, only Silverlight and even then I was filled with regret”

“Why?” Applebliss asked

I hoofed the ground “My cutie mark is the mark of a warrior” I mumbled “In this land, life matters more than anything else, therefore any pony that has fighting as their special talent are less than worms and I therefore wish my mark had never appeared”

Applebliss frowned “But your mark is beautiful and unique!”

“Then you can have it” I cried “I never wanted it, I wanted to save lives like my father but instead, I’m destined to take them and the pony that should have lived, died. I don’t want to live and I look for the battle that will take my life from me”

Applebliss looked at me and said “Without you, none of us would have made it this far and you always seem so brave” she paused as I continued to feel sorry for myself “You are like the big brother, I never had and if it hadn’t been for your kindness, I might not be here”

“Exactly, look where we are, in the most accursed forest in all of Equestria, so why do I continue?” I asked

“Because you have a kind heart”

“What part of warrior pony don’t you get?!” I fumed “No kindness exists in my heart!”

There was silence as we finished our lunch, Applebliss looked at me with a mixture of what must have been anger and sympathy, and I then began to tidy up our few remaining supplies.

“Are we leaving?” Applebliss asked me in barely more than a whisper

“Yeah” I said as I waited to feel the tug of the necklace “This way” As we walked on, we did come across a few problems, including a lone Timberwolf which I dispatched before it could howl and then we proceeded.

After a few hours the forest seemed to darken, it was then that we spotted the light of a lamp in the distance and we walked towards it. As we drew closer we noticed the lamp was being held by a pony! Except it was unlike any pony I had seen before, it had black and white stripes all over it and was looking for something.

“Applebliss hide, behind that tree!” I whispered, indicating to a tree on our right, I had a terrible feeling this creature knew we were coming and we had to be careful. I knelt down, trying to stay out of the lamp’s glow, the strange pony then turned its back to me and I knew my moment was then. I charged forward, put my hoof around the pony’s neck and pinned it “Your clearly looking for something, care to tell me what it is and I might consider letting you go”

The strange pony seemed unusually calm “You have no need to fear me, Bravesteel. I received message to request that I might take you and care for you within my home” the mare said “Where is young Applebliss?” I nodded in the direction of Applebliss, as she approached, I did not let the stranger up and maybe I should have relaxed but here’s the thing, I’m stupid “They call me, Zecora”

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow “Who’s they?” I growled “Tell me!”

Zecora then said “The ponies I have met do”

Applebliss then tugged on my tail gently whispering “Let her go”

I couldn’t help but fume “Fine” releasing my tight grip on Zecora’s neck.

Zecora stood up rubbing her neck “My home is a short distance from here, follow me” she said pointing towards a clearing behind her “We should hurry, the dangers within this forest destroy the ignorant and none are obvious” we then walked towards the clearing and as we approached I could feel my hooves exhaustion adding to my eagerness to get to safety but never willing to drop my guard.

A question was bugging me “Hey Zecora, why do you live here?”

Zecora turned her head “First you must tell me, why you are ashamed of your cutie mark?” she said, my surprise very clear as she looked at me “Is it that you fear your power or do you want something more?”

I looked away unable to find the words “I..I wanted to be like my father, a healing pony, instead I’m meant to take lives and that makes me sad” I said despair making me search my heart for the answers “My father was a lead in Equestrian medicine and my destiny is almost meant to undo his work”

Applebliss stared at me “I didn’t know that, was your father the unicorn, Mr Swiftmane?” she said her voice in awe, I didn’t answer but I did nod. As we discussed this we walked through the door of Zecora’s home what struck me was how spacious the place was

Zecora reached for my hoof “All ponies are given a talent for the betterment of all” she said and she smiled “You act like your talent is the worst”
I felt anger fill me “You don’t get it, it is the worst and no amount of denying the truth will change that! My talent means I will always be fighting! When I got the blasted thing I broke the legs of a Bull! He didn’t survive that blow!” I screamed remembering the day my father had told me and just how ashamed he had looked “I’m nothing but a murderer and not worth saving!”

Applebliss started to cry “Bravesteel, ya’re so busy putting yourself down that ya don’t see it!” her tears were splashing onto the floor and my heart grew heavy “Your talent might mean more than ya think!”

Zecora patted Applebliss on the back “You must look beyond your experiences and answer me this question” she said with a flat tone “Could your talent mean something different from what you think it does?”

I stopped myself from replying, what did she mean, my cutie mark was a sword and shield, weapons, used to take lives and I had never questioned that fact “What other meaning is there?” I asked

“Have you ever heard stories told of an Earth pony with a cutie mark in shape of an axe?” Zecora asked “Known as Ironblade”

I thought back, Ironblade was known as the first knight of Equestria but might as well have been the only knight, the earth pony was famed for the twin axes he wore on his hide legs as well as his marvellous strength, he had disappeared in a battle with a creature named Tirek and since then he was the only pony to earn the title of knight. His axes were now the possessions of the Unicorn, Shining Armour, it had been said no pony had been able to wield them since Ironblade and I frowned.

“Yeah, so what? An old legend of an old fool” I sneered, there was no way I would take this seriously “The loss of Ironblade made the princesses so sad, that no pony has earned the title and even though ponies like Shining armour have deserved the title, that won’t change and I’m not buying into this fairy tale!”

It was then that a voice filled the room from the direction of Zecora “What is there in a title? You can still live your life by the code of the knight! Go to the castle in Ponyville and you’ll find the book with the code!” the voice sounded like that of Starswirled “Unless you’re nothing more than a Pegasus that deserves to have your wings clipped!”

Anger began to bubble within me “Is that a threat?!” I yelled

“I don’t make threats, but I do make promises!” Starswirled voice boomed now coming from Applebliss “I hereby promise that Discord’s task will be your greatest undertaking!”

“How do you know..?” I began

“I’m talking to you through every lifeform around you and you ask how I know about Discord’s task. I know all that happens in Equestria!” his voice now boomed from a fly in the corner of the room, the first words in my mind were what a bunch of bull pie “Do not assume, you know of my power!”

I had to admit that was a fair point, to this day I have no knowledge of Starswirled power, anyway I stood defiant and said “So what is Discord planning?”

Zecora then spoke in her own voice, thank Celesta, “The answer will come from Kindness’s hoofs” I looked at her with what must have been a dumbfounded look “You must relax your guard”

I still look back on this and I realize there must have been an unparalleled look of confusion on my face “What in the name of sweet Celesta, does that mean? Other than I should walk out there and let a wolf eat me!” I yelled unable to contain my now complete frustration “Do I look like one of your sick magic experiments, Starswirled? Have you forgotten that my home and family are gone?!”

Applebliss mumbled “I have as well”

Starswirled voice sounded from a mouse this time but he sounded deeply apologetic “I know not who was responsible for Hopetown’s fate. I’m sorry if you feel you’re being used”

I then grumbled “I thought you knew all that happened in Equestria?”

The voice seemed to pause “Well, I thought I did but some events are hidden from even my mighty view” he said “Whoever was responsible had power beyond what we previously thought possible!”

I just shook my head “Then the danger might as well have the words bucking invincible plastered across its bucking front! That’s just perfect!” I said allowing for a moment for the information to sink in “I’ll need to sleep on this. Zecora is there a place I can go and sleep?”

Zecora smiled at me, nodded and after showing me to a corner of the place, I laid down on a pile of leaves that were in the corner, surprisingly enough it was very comfortable and I fell asleep almost as soon as my head were on my hooves. I don’t remember having any dreams that night, one moment I was putting my head down to sleep the next moment I was being shaken awake by Applebliss.

She was smiling as if the most wonderful thing possible had happened “Bravesteel, there’s a pony here to see you!” She said barely able to keep the excitement from her voice.

I got up; as I did I saw a yellow mare Pegasus pony with a long pink mane sitting at the table with her back to me “Can I help you?” I asked it was then she turned around and my heart stopped. She was the most beautiful mare I had ever seen and I wanted to know more about her.

“I..I..um..…came…to mhdm” she barely said in a whisper, so I didn’t catch the last word but I suppose I wanted the moment to last forever. She seemed so gentle and everything I wasn't.

Zecora took over saying “This is Fluttershy” I couldn’t help but be thankful that Zecora was here “I send word to her, after you went to sleep, for her to come and guide you to Ponyville”

“Thank you, Zecora we owe you so much” I said with a smile on my face, I then turned to Fluttershy keeping a smile on my face and was relieved that she had a small smile on her face “We’re ready”

We then walked out of Zecora’s place, the forest was so calm but unlike when we had entered the forest it didn’t seem to possess any malice, the sun’s rays were now penetrating through the branches of the trees above and I felt more at ease. I was so glad that we were leaving, the goal was in sight, it meant that our journey was nearly over and it wouldn’t be too long before I could find Applebliss some pony to look after her. The thought had an unexpected result; I couldn’t help but feel down.

Applebliss then turned to me “What will happen after we meet the princess?” she asked clearly concerned. This of course made my depression worse.

It was then that we heard a little sound came from Fluttershy “Um, why do you want to meet Twilight?”
I stared at her for a moment “We’re from the former town of Hopetown” I said

Fluttershy smiled “I was there a two weeks ago, it’s nice but what do you mean former?” her voice was still small but after she asked the question her face fell

“I mean Hopetown has been wiped from the map” I growled, Applebliss had tears in her eyes and Fluttershy gasped “We were lucky but there’s nothing left”

Fluttershy suddenly stopped and turned to me the expression was of pure horror and I never wanted to see it again “Why didn’t you mention that?” her voice was still quiet but her words had an element of danger “Come on, we have to hurry, Twilight needs to know and she’ll want to know as soon as possible!”

It was then that our slow walk turned to a rapid run, we were soon out of the forest barely minutes later and I could see a small town in the distance. There was a massive castle overlooking the town, it was bigger than Hopetown but what amazed me was how beautiful it was. As we ran along another Pegasus pony suddenly appeared next to me flying before she touched down joining us in the run, I didn’t need an introduction for this pony, even in Hopetown, there was almost a legend that surrounded the famed Rainbow Dash and her legendary sonic rainboom. As a fellow pegasus pony I couldn't help but stare in awe.

Rainbow Dash suddenly yelled to Fluttershy “Fluttershy what’s the matter?!”

Fluttershy didn’t stop instead she yelled back thou strangely her voice still sounded quiet “These ponies just told me that Hopetown has been wiped out!”

Rainbow Dash expression couldn’t have been more studded “No way, is this true?” she asked me to which I nodded “So that’s why you’re here?!” I nodded again.

As we ran into the outskirts of the town, more ponies were turning their heads and a few began to follow us. Looking back this was stupid, it didn’t change anything, it just drew every pony’s attention and I couldn’t help but feel the growth of my natural shyness.

A voice then suddenly rang out “Braves!” I stopped and turned to behold the colt who trained me back at camp, Shining armour “What are you doing here? Last time I checked you lived in Hopetown, I just send word for your deployment, lucky I’m here visiting Twilly!”

Rainbow Dash then appeared at my side “Hopetown had been wiped out!”

Shining armour said “So what happened?” he looked at me with a mixture of sympathy and anger “Who did it?”

I mumbled “I don’t know. My sister, Applebliss and I were the only survivors” Shining armour gave me a hard look “The attack was so quick, we didn’t see who did it and we lost my sister in the Everfree forest” I know I lied but I didn’t think any pony would believe me about Starswirled.

Shining armour looked at me “I have changed my mind, you will be assigned to my personal guard and the foal will be left with the Apple family of Ponyville!” he said clearly thinking this over “You’ll have to tell my wife and sister, what you just told me”

I didn’t care who else I had to tell, what bugged me was he was separating Applebliss from me and wasn’t asking “What! You can’t be serious!?” I said with anger thick in my voice “You may be my superior officer but I promised I’d protect Applebliss!”

Shining Armour was looking me dead in the eye “I’m sorry Braves, but I must insist, she is an apple and it is Equestrian law!” he said with a voice that told me to listen to reason “You also have a contract with Equestria’s army! You won’t have the time to look after a foal!”

Applebliss suddenly wrapped her hooves around my leg “Don’t take Mr Bravesteel from me!” she cried

Shining armour turned to Fluttershy “Take this foal to Applejack, tell her what happened and I’ll take Bravesteel to the Princesses” he said to her and two guard ponies that were standing beside her. I couldn’t do anything, Applebliss was pulled from my leg and I felt useless “Sorry, Braves, but you have to think what’s best for the foal” Looking back he had a point, according to Equestrian law, I was a pony with no way to provide for Applebliss and as it was I was too young to even have a foal. It didn’t change how painful the experience was but I still consider it a learning experience.

Fluttershy led Applebliss away, before they got out of sight I decided “Applebliss!” I yelled every pony looked at me “Look after yourself! Don’t cause too much trouble now!”

Applebliss smiled back “Thank you!” she screamed back and in that moment I was convinced I saw a smile. Then she turned round a corner that led round behind a house.

Shining Armour put a hoof on my back “Hey, you know that can’t have been easy but you did what was for the best” He smiled at me to which I couldn’t help but smile back “Now, come on, the princesses await”

I looked at him with a look of complete confusion “Wait?! Princesses?”

“Yes, Princess Cadence and Princess Twilight” He told me

“Oh okay” I said, in that moment my nerves were really getting to me. The doors of castle opened up to reveal a small purple dragon! I jumped forward, putting a hoof on the dragon’s neck and pinning him “Dragon!” I yelled

Shining Armour pulled me off “Relax, this is Spike, he’s a friend and I consider him my brother!” he explained, I was astonished but Shining Armour continued “Spike is Twilight’s number one assistant”

I stared at the dragon confused but realized that I had been silly “I’m sorry, Spike, I overreacted but please don’t be upset” I said feeling very ashamed, I looked at Spike hoping that he’d forgive me but thinking those chances were in the zero area
Spike walked towards me and said “Are you Bravesteel?” his voice seemed curious but at the same time worried, as to what he was worried about I felt should have been obvious and I could hardly blame him “Twilight has been expecting you!”

“How?!” I asked

“We received word from Princess Luna to expect three ponies from Hopetown” he said “The description of the colt matches you perfectly, she told us she wasn’t able to find out what happened to Hopetown but she told us that you were heading here”

I nodded numbly “Yeah, she came into my dreams twice and scared me silly” I explained

Shining Armour then interrupted “Then shouldn’t we send word to Princess Celesta and Princess Luna that Bravesteel has arrived”

Spike sighed “Sadly, they have been busy with an issue concerning Saddle Arabia and have decided to leave Twilight to deal with it”

I suddenly felt anger overtake me “Oh, great, the newest Princess is going to take care of the massacre of my home!” I said unable to contain my anger

Spike looked stunned “A massacre!”

“Did I bucking stutter?” I said feeling my frustration from the last few days overtake me “Yes, Hopetown is no more!”

Shining armour embraced me in a hug “It’s okay let it all out” he said, I then began to cry “There, there, you have been through a lot and we have no right to ask you to step up one more time but we need you to tell us what you know!”

Rainbow Dash who had been silent for a good while suddenly said “Come on, Twilight won’t wait forever and Fluttershy will return with Applejack soon”

I turned to Rainbow Dash, tears still in my eyes “Why should they matter?”

Rainbow Dash smiled “Twilight has a council of six other members, including your truly, Applejack, Fluttershy, an earth pony called Pinkie Pie, Spike and a unicorn called Rarity” she explained “So including Twilight and Cadence, you’ll have to tell seven others oh and Shining Armour here your story”

I was horrified “But…but” fear was all I felt.

Spike showed me to a room deep in the castle with a desk and Shining Armour told me I’d have to wait till the council was ready. As the door shut, I was left alone to dwell on my thoughts and my thoughts were riddled with doubt. Suddenly there was a knock on my door. As the door opened, a big red Earth Pony walked in and he smiled.

“Are they ready for me?” I asked

“Nope” he said as he produced a plate with a slice of pie on it.

“Is that for me?”

“Yep”

I took the pie and suddenly noticed my hunger, ate the pie and was thrilled to realize it was an apple pie “Thank you” I said with a content smile on my face.

Suddenly an older green earth pony walked in “We all came here to give Applebliss a chance to say a proper goodbye” she said it was then I was winded by the force of a small earth pony ramming into me.

I looked down and smiled “Applebliss!”

Applebliss stared up at me “What will you do? I don’t want to think about you fighting and dying” she said tears in her eyes “Please, don’t”

I pulled myself free of her “Applebliss, you made me thankful for being alive but you have a family to look after you” I said to her not wanting to look her in the eyes “After today, you’ll have to forget about me and Silverlight or you’ll never be able to move on”

Applebliss said “But how can I?”

“As I said, forget about me!”

“No, I need you”

“Take her away from me!” I said directing my focus on the big red pony

“Nope” he said pity seemed to be coming from him “Applebliss needs you as much as family”

The old green pony then looked at me “You think, your life is laid out before you but if you want we can offer you a home!”
The big red Earth pony then said “I know you must think there is no place for ya but I can tell ya that your heart is big and strong” he extended his hoof “Yep or nope”

I won’t lie the offer was tempting “No, I have a mission to complete and besides look at my cutie mark!” I fumed all the apples in the room looked and my flank “This is a mark of how I’m going to have to live my life and I will not rid myself of my fate”

Suddenly a voice filled the room “Hoho, is that what you think” with an almighty pop, Discord appeared.
So the next couple of moments would decide my fate and I had to be ready for anything that might be placed at my doorstep. My purpose might even be in danger of being changed forever. I was never going to give up to this foolish creature. Let it be said fate will not defeat me!