The Return
*****
My name was once a legend to all, but it has been ages since that was the case. I was a great warrior once; renowned, loved, feared, and hated. No one race ruled over me, all saw me as a pony. But I was much more. I have wandered through the lands of our fair world. Helping where I could and even where I shouldn't have. This has brought many things to happen, one was that there was now a race of ponies with horns and wings. But I am getting ahead of myself. I can't rightfully tell a tale if you don't know my name. I am called Venterra, and I am the last of the chosen.
*undisclosed time*
I climbed through the jungles south of the Equestria boarder. There was reports of disappearances in the area, and the local governments refused to look into it. As I continued I heard voices ahead of me, making me climb into a nearby tree. A small group of rugged gryphons passed under me, "I'm telling you. We need to stop before the local governments decide to send someone after us." the gryphon at the tail of the group said.
The groups leader stopped at turned to face the one who spoke, "No one asked your opinion feather-brains. We are here to gather enough slaves to construct what the mistress wants. We need a few more then we are done."
The gryphon who spoke first spit in the face of the groups leader, "I'm done with this." the gryphon flapped its wings and started to fly upward. I motioned to stay quiet when he saw me. He just nodded and kept flying up. I sighed to my self as I looked back at the now slightly smaller group of gryphons. I placed my hoof against the trunk of the tree and pulled a large piece of bark from it. I used a little magic to strengthen and sharpen it, before I jumped down in front of the group my cloak hiding my body. They laughed at me.
"Why are you laughing fine gentle-gryphons?" I asked using magic to through my vice making me sound feminine.
"Look fellas, this mare thinks we are some fine gentle-gryphons." the leader said while laughing, "I say we show her how wrong she is. Grab her!" he ordered as the other two gryphons charged me. I brought my sword made of bark up in my magic and made a horizontal slash once they got close. The two gryphons' heads fell to the ground with a wet thud.
I released the magic that was changing my voice, "Now you see, I really don't want to kill you…." I started as I slowly walked towards the last gryphon, "But unless you tell me where your boss is I will kill you." I threatened as the gryphon looked at me in fear, "There is no need to be scared. Just tell me what I need to know." I stopped right next to the gryphon, just before he pulls his sword out and slices his own throat, "Damit!" I yelled, "Why do they all off themselves. I thought that of all races the gryphons would still have a backbone." I fumed to myself, "I guess I better go find the slaves that they captured." I started walking through the trees in the direction that the gryphons came from. Most of the wildlife is hiding mainly because unlike the sentient races of the world, they have not forgotten what the Chosen could do. I stopped when I heard a whimpering in the bushes to my right. I slowly walked towards the bush and pushed out my way. On the forest floor I see a small wolf with two broken legs, and right behind the wolf is a the dead body of a grown female wolf. I knelt down and moved my hand close to the pup, causing it to shy away, "It is alright little one." I said softly as I started to pet the wolf, "Lets get out of this forest once I finish my current job." I picked up the pup and placed it on my back. I then continued on my way towards the slaver camp.
*two hours of walking later*
I climbed into a tree on the outskirts of the slaver camp, and place the now sleeping wolf pup in a hole on the tree. I stand on the tree branch for a time and watch the patrol patterns of the slavers. To say the least I am not impressed. They left numerous holes in their perimeter, one of which is in front of me. I jump down and slowly make my way to the cages in the center of the camp. Narrowly dodging a few guards of various races excluding pony, dragon, or zebra. Once I got to the cages I scanned for guards and then moved to start releasing some of the prisoners, all of which were female ponies and zebras. They quietly thanked me as I moved through the cages, none of them knowing what would happen to their captures once I trapped them all. I told the mares the way out of the camp and watch them leave, "Time to get to business." I growled as I lit the nearest tent on fire and waited as the fire spread to all the tents. All the guards noticed me at the center of the fire and started to form a circle around me, "This is hardly fair," I said laughing, "All of you against me. I hope you have a trick to survive." my laugh slowly became a cackle as my horn glowed and I grabbed all the guards in my magic and pulled them to the ground, "Now tell me who is the leader of this slave operation. I would very much like to have a few words with you." every guard looked at a single person and my eyes followed landing on the only diamond dog, "So it is you!" I laughed, "I should have known it. You are the only diamond dog here. While there is at least ten of all the other races here." I quickly snapped the neck of every guard except the single diamond dog, "Now that we are alone." I said as I approached him, "Would you mind telling me who hired you?"
"Go fuck yourself!" the diamond dog yelled.
"Now that is not nice." I responded as I stopped in front of the diamond dog, "Now, you will tell me or I will slowly remove every limb you have, and I will use my magic to keep you awake through the hole thing." I snapped with a sadistic smile.
I could feel his body trembling in my magic, "Fine, fine!" he yelled in fear, "It was the Cult of the Nightmare. They only told me that they needed a lot of mares." I snapped his neck.
"Thank you." I spat on his dead body, then I made my way back to the tree with the pup inside it. When I got to the tree I climbed up and picked up the wolf, "Lets get you to a vet." I said softly before I teleported away.
*The outskirts of a small town in Equestria*
"Alright little buddy we are here." I said as I looked at the napping pup on my back, "Lets just hope that she is awake." the moon sat high in the sky as I approached a small little cottage that was built into a hill. I knocked on the door and waited. After a few moments the door opened and a tired looking yellow mare with a long pink mane and tail, "Hello Shy, it has been a while."
"Venterra?" she asked sleepily, "Why are you here so late?"
"Well I was taking out a slaver camp and I found a young wolf pup. The poor thing had both of it's left legs broken and it's mom killed." I responded as I used my magic to bring the pup in front of me, "Do you think you can help it?"
Fluttershy looked at the injured wolf and nodded, "I will set and cast her legs, but she will need somepony to take care of her."
"I guess that I can. I don't have any other missions to go on at the moment." I said as I looked at the wolf, "You know it has been a long time since I have had any animal that was not afraid of me."
"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked.
I only smiled, "I wish I could tell you, but that secret has kept me alive and out of any dungeons in other countries."
"Oh…" she looked at me, "Will you at least stay the night and come meet my friends tomorrow?"
"Yeah I guess that I can. Lest get inside and take care of this little one."
Fluttershy nodded in agreement before she led me inside. I closed the door softly so that I did not wake any of the sleeping animals in the small cottage, "Ven, could you help me keep the poor thing asleep when I set her legs?"
"No problem Shy." I responded as I set the pup on a small table. The green glow of my magic shifted from the wolf's body to her head so I could dull the pain, "Go ahead and do your thing Shy." I said before Fluttershy forced the pups leg bones back into place before she placed a cast on them.
"That should do it. The cast wont take much longer to dry so you can just place her on the small animal bed by the sofa." she said as she started to pick up her medical supplies, "Ven, you can sleep on the coach ok. I don't have a spare bed so that is all I can really offer."
"That is fine Shy. I normally just sleep on tree branches." I said as I sat on the couch, "Night, talk to you in the morning Shy."
"Night Ven." she walked to her room and closed the door.
*The next morning*
I woke up and looked out the window. The sun had yet to raise and everything was quiet. I slowly got up and straightened my cloak, before I checked on the small wolf sleeping by the sofa, "At least you are safe now little one." I said softly before I walked outside, quietly closing the door behind me, "It is beautiful here," I said as I walked to the small creek, "I guess that is one of the reasons Shy stays here." I was to busy talking to myself that I did not see the orange earth pony mare walk down the path that leads to Fluttershy's house.
The orange mare eyed me as she walked over the bridge, "Ah don't know who ya are, but ya are trespassin on my friends property." she said pulling me from my little day dreaming episode.
"I don't know what you mean miss. I am just here to do a favor for my friend." I responded as I walked over to the path.
"Ah don't know who ya friend is, but you need to leave. Shy don't do well with random ponies around her animals." the mare responded as I got closer.
"That's funny because Fluttershy is the one I am doing the favor for." I smirked as I saw her frown.
"Oh ahm sorry sugar cube. Ah thought that ya meant to harm Shy. Names Applejack." she said as she reached her hoof out.
"That's fine." I responded as I shook her hoof, "Friends protect each other. Names Venterra by the way." I said as I turned and looked back at the cottage, "Now just to wait for Shy to wake up." we didn't have long to wait before the lights in the cabin turned on and a worried Fluttershy walked outside, "Better go tell her that I am still here." we started our way toward Fluttershy, and waved. She saw us and smiled before she started towards us.
We stopped not to far from the cottage, "Ven I thought that you left." Shy said with a small tear going down her cheek, "I thought that you left that pour puppy with me even though you said that you would watch her."
"Don’t you worry Shy," I said softly, "You should know that I never break my word. It is against what I stand for." I wiped the tear away and she smiled.
"Thank you Ven. I guess that you really do care about everypony's feelings like you said." Fluttershy said.
"Uh Shy, do ya mind if ah ask a question?" Applejack asked. Shy motioned for her to continue, "Where did ya meet Ven here?"
"Oh, well a few months ago he came with a young bear who was extremely sick, and since then he comes when he finds hurt animals." Shy responded.
"Well now that makes sense sugar cube." Applejack said, "So why don’t ya come with me, and you can meat the rest of the girls."
"Sounds good Applejack." Shy said as she nudged me forward towards town.
"I don't think me going into town would be such a good idea girls." I pleaded, but they didn't listen.
"It will be fine Ven. They will love you." Shy said. I think that this is the most forward thing I have seen her do over the time that we knew each other. I sighed and started to walk on my own. We walked into town without incident, but I knew that something was going to happen. I hated the feeling. I tried my best to ignore it and continued to follow the two mares. We stopped outside of a large tree that had a sign that said 'Golden Oaks Library'.
"So why are we at a library?" I asked utterly confused. They just ignored me as Applejack knocked on the door.
After a few moments a young voice called, "Coming, and you better have a good reason for coming this early!"
The door opened and what I saw caused me to jump back and summon my sword. I pointed it at him which caused the two girls to gasp, "Ven! Put that sword away mister!" Fluttershy yelled as she stared me down. I returned the stare and shook my head.
"Not while there is a dragon here." I growled.
"I said. Put. It. Down." Shy commanded as she got closer to me. Well to say that I was paying to much attention to Shy and not my surroundings is an understatement. A beam of purple magic struck me in the chest causing me to drop my sword and fall to the ground. All I heard were muffled voices as the world went dark.
*Third person*
Ven's body slowly fell to the ground as he passed out, "Is everypony alright?" a lavender unicorn mare asked as she moved closer to the door.
"Yeah I'm good." Fluttershy responded as she looked at the unconscious Ven.
"Me to." Apple Jack said.
"Who is that?" the unicorn asked.
"Well… That is my friend Venterra. I have never seen him act that way. He has always been so nice." Shy responded as tears started to fall, "I just wanted him to meet you and the others Twilight. He seems so lonely. It is almost like he intentionally pushes ponies away when they try to get close."
Twilight picked Ven up in her magic and brought him inside. The little dragon watch with worry as he was brought inside, "Spike, I need you to send a letter to Princess Celestia, asking her to come and help us." Twilight said as she laid Ven down on the coach, "Applejack could you please go get the rest of the girls. While we wait for the Princess."
"Sure thing Twi." Applejack responded before she left.
"Now Fluttershy what do you know of Ven?" Twilight asked as she looked at Ven's covered form, "And why he has that black cloak?"
"I don't know much. He won't talk about his past. All I do know is he makes it a point to put himself between danger and those who cant fight for themselves. As for the cloak, he has never taken it off in front of me." Fluttershy said, "I'm sorry that it was not much."
"That’s alright Fluttershy. You told me what you knew." Twilight responded before a tall white alicorn teleported into the library, "Princess Celestia!" Twilight exclaimed before she bowed, as did Fluttershy.
"Rise Twilight." Celestia said calmly, "And please tell me what has you so troubled that you would ask for me to come?"
All Twilight did was point at Ven and Celestia gasped, "Princess he tried to attack Spike for no reason." Twilight responded.
"I assure you Twilight he had no ill will in doing what he did, but be that as it is I cannot allow he to be free in my nation." Celestia said taking a slightly darker tone of voice, that scared Twilight, and Fluttershy, "I shall be bringing him back to Canterlot to deal with him personally." she picked up Ven in her magic, "I am glad you called for me Twilight. Now please take care." Celestia teleported away taking Ven with her.
Applejack opened the door and walked in. She was fallowed by a cyan pegasus, a pearl white unicorn and a pink earth pony, "Where is he at Twi?" Applejack asked.
"Princess Celestia took him. She seemed almost scared when I showed him to her." Twilight responded.
*Canterlot Castle dungeons 1st person*
I felt something cold against my side as I started to come to. I slowly opened my eyes and I was greeted with what looks like a dungeon of sorts. I reached up and felt my horn, and I felt a ring on it, "Either they force me to marry someone and then stuck me down here or this is one of those inhibitors I heard about on my travels." I said to myself. The dim torch light made it hard to really see anything, and the stone carried every vibration possible so I couldn't tell when someone was coming towards my cell until they were right in front of it, "Well it seems like I am stuck." I started to fiddle with the inhibitor on my aqua colored horn, "Come on it shouldn't be this hard to take it off."
"It won't come off." guard stallion said as he walked over to my cell, "Princess Celestia has requested your presents in the throne room." he unlocked my cell and placed shackles on all four of my legs, "This way." he said before he grabbed the loose chain on the front of my shackles forcing me to follow him.
"So what might your name be?" I asked.
"Shut it prisoner. I was told to bring you to the Princess. Not to stop any 'accidents' that would happen on the way." he responded with an evil smile.
"Alright I was just trying to end the quiet time we were having." I pouted. The guard stopped and bucked me in the face, "The hell!" I yelled.
"Stay quiet." he said as he continued to drag me towards the throne room. The trip lasted for a few more minutes, "Princess Celestia," he said as he bowed, "I have brought the prisoner as you asked."
"Thank you Sgt. Shield. You are dismissed." Celestia said. She waited for the guard to leave and then she stood up, "I will give you one chance to tell me why I shouldn't give you to the headsman for attempting to attack my personal student's dragon companion."
I chuckled as she finished. She did not like this at all, "I will ask you one thing. What do you know of the Chosen and why they vanished?"
"They were servants to the dragons. They slaughtered other races just to please their masters." Celestia responded.
"Well you have one thing right. The dragons, but they did not serve them. The Chosen served the people of the world as the ones who communicated with the dragons for the different nations. The dragons protected the weaker races. The Chosen only began to fall when the dragons became greedy. In a last effort the Chosen created the alicorns. Doing this killed all but one." I said. Celestia's eyes became wide and I smiled, "You know I am surprised that you have not tried to remove my cloak."
"Who are you?" Celestia asked causing me to laugh before a breeze of wind came through the throne room and removed the inhibitor. This caused Celestia to look afraid of me.
"I will say this." I said, "I have lived for so long that it amazes me that of all nations yours is the one that I was caught in. Even after I lost everything trying to help bring your race into being." I pulled the shackles off, "Do you know what it is like to watch your brothers and sisters kill themselves so that you may live on and train the new protectors of the world, and then have said protectors cast you aside because they saw you as weak!" I almost yelled at Celestia. A single tear fell from her face, then a torrent of tears followed, "I have done what I could to maintain the peace of this world, but it seems that one mistake will cause me to be seen as a monster. So now it is up to you and your sister Luna to care for everyone, because this was the last straw for me. I am done helping." I turned and through my cloak off revealing my cutie mark, which is a green shield with the planet on it, "And just so you know. I was against creating you alicorns. You are nothing but trouble.