> Amicitia est paenitentiam
>  by NotComfyPenguin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Part 1: Ex cinere
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The frosty wind, echoing off the cavern roof with the hollow moan of an old man, rushed at me, turning the sweat on my forehead into chunks of ice and trying to break through the skin and steel of my armor – I no longer felt it. My body ached from the pain of many hours of battle, my weakened hands clutched my trusty sword and shield more out of habit, and my dainty light helmet in the shape of a crown of thorns seemed heavier than a blacksmith's anvil.

"Go away, carrion eaters." I growled softly to a flock of crows that had come to a great feast given them by the knights. The black birds did not respond to the quiet threat and cawed furiously, cursing among themselves for another piece of still-warm human meat and pecking out the eyes of the dead.

"Is everything quiet yet, Gabriel?" My brother John's haggard voice snaps me out of my stupor. Where was this boy who found time to play tricks and make the reverend chaplains laugh at his childish pranks? A tired old man with a depleted face and black circles under his eyes was asking me questions. John's mail shirt was torn to shreds, and his shield looked like a bristling hedgehog.

"Yes, while they are away, they are preparing a new attack."

"Three more of our brothers died of their wounds, and...Annabelle woke up, maybe you want to…"

When I hear that cherished name, I push my brother aside, rushing toward our last line of defense, which separates our chapel from the battlefield. My Annabelle, my fragile flower that I loved with all my heart. Yes, the priors did not approve of marriage, regardless of whether it was a brother or sister of our order, but our love was so pure and vestal that Grand master Mortimer himself blessed our future union. This spring, we were supposed to be married, but a terrible cataclysm on its scale thwarted our plans.

No, our glorious order of Saint Balaur did not falter, but accepted the ordeal that God had sent us as a prior knight should. We, forgetting about sleep and fatigue, rushed to all parts of the country - rescued the wounded from the rubble, provided food and temporary shelter, treated the sick and gave them everything we had. Annabelle and I worked as hard as anyone – we didn't have enough time for even a fleeting glance, a bare touch on each other's hands, and an hour of rapid sleep together next to each other seemed sweeter than the wedding night.

But such wounds do not heal easily, there is an aftereffect – growing out of nowhere, like a weed, the Legion of Black Stone, which was led by a merciless and cruel warlord Appolion began his senseless bloody war just for the sake of the war itself. We have heard the sad news that many worthy knights of Eschfeld, and samurais from the East have joined her army, mercilessly violated their codes and laws. There was a black sheep among us who thought of himself as a wolf – the very name of this scoundrel and sinner who opposed the very law of God began to sound like a curse. Vortiger - he is the one behind this battle in the cave grotto that served as our fortress and temple.

Yes, the bodies of his henchmen, including the Black Priors who succumbed to his lies, cover the floor of the cave, but our brothers and sisters lie motionless among their bodies, bravely fighting to the last breath. I am ashamed that we could not carry their bodies out and bury them with proper dignity – we can only hope that the snow will gently wrap their bodies in its white shroud.

Again I reproached myself for not keeping track of her, for not protecting her when she needed my strong shoulder and shield. I was so engrossed in the battle, fighting the black-and-orange-uniformed brigands side by side with my future bride, that I didn't even notice when Annabelle just fall on me. I barely had time to catch her – a light, almost weightless figure; even through my gloves, I felt strong warmth, as if I put my cold hands in a sun-warmed fruit. The heat flowed through my fingers straight into the snow, as if trying to warm the frozen January earth – and it was only when my hands turned scarlet and the black arrow stings sticking out of the girl's body ceased to seem like a nightmare that I came to my senses. But only for a moment – only to throw the shield over his back and rush for the break, making his way with his sword and prayers.

"Please, God, let Annabel live, I'm not ready to let her go yet. Think of our family, our unborn children, and our grandchildren who will warm our hearts when our hair turns gray. Please, please, as I've never asked for anything in my life” I kept repeating to myself as I walked to the makeshift infirmary.
A hundred and fifty bodies covered with sheets over their heads, the low murmur of the funeral service mixed with prayers for strengthening the faith, thick lamp smoke and the smoke of bonfires, coughing, moans of pain – and twenty emaciated figures who still kept their feet, despite fatigue and reddening terrible wounds. They were just novices, just boys who didn't earn the right to carry a sword and shield, but war always ages faster than time.

"Gabriel, my dear Gabriel, where is he?" a woman's voice, quiet as loose sand, makes my heart bleed. As if blinded, I rush at the sound to the thin figure sprawled on someone's cloak. The boy on duty next to her, his hands stained with blood, stood up and walked away without a word, looking at me with sympathy and compassion.

"Annabelle, I'm here," I say, fighting back tears as I touch her hand and pale face and try to stop my fingers from trembling. How much she had suffered during these months: the black circles under her eyes, the haggard cheeks had lost their color, and the ring finger was tied with a thread so that the ring I had given her would not fall off. And she was still as beautiful as the first day we met. Lord, do I really deserve such a wife?

At the sound of my voice, the girl opened her eyes, and my heart felt like steel bands of terror. All three of the arrows that had pierced the armor had hit her badly, and Annabelle's eyes were now clear and now bleary. I looked into them and didn't know if my beloved could see me.

"I see you," she says, trying to calm her rapid breathing and keep her stance until the end. "I'm so happy, Gabriel. I've never felt so happy in my life, I swear to you. And I thank God for bringing me to you."

"Annabelle, please,"  the treacherous lump rises in my throat again. "Save your strength, and you will live. You will rest while we slay these murderers and robbers. And we will share happiness together, and…"

"Gabriel, it's so nice to hear your voice,"  the girl smiles at me affectionately. But on the right cheek, the smile continues its course, becoming a trickle of blood. " Only the head is so heavy, and these black birds are circling around. My dear husband, I am so sorry for you…"

Her body shudders twice in my hands, and the soft fingers that a moment ago touched my face fall powerlessly with her hand. I don't want to believe what just happened – I see it, but my whole being denies it. I just hold her body tighter against mine and howl helplessly like a wounded animal, not calming down until we are pulled apart. My bride's body is laid with the others, her head covered with her own cloak – now she is indistinguishable from the rest of the fallen brothers and sisters, and the prayer will be one for all.

"Brother Gabriel, what should we do?" someone asked me. " All the chaplains are dead or missing, and the high master is left with two brothers to let us escape and regroup."

"Relic," I say, my voice unexpectedly firm. "We must not allow these brats of the human race to defile it, too! All who can stand up and hold a sword with a shield-get up and help those who are unable to walk. If we are to die, we will sell our lives more dearly. And remember – faith is our shield!"

I go first, leading the neophytes – very young boys, many of them under eighteen. Yes, I am leading them to their death – but I will go to meet the Lord first, taking with me more murderers and heretics. Better death than dishonor. I want the death of all my brothers and sisters, humble servants and wise chaplains, and above all, my beloved, not to be in vain. With a bash of my shield, I open the doors to the battlefield – or rather, the abyss of Hell.

In the front ranks, standards and banners held high, marched men clad in steel and leather, their shields locked together to form a solid wall. Their boots clattered as they crept along the stone gallery, and ahead of them all loomed a familiar figure, towering like a statue. The armor though reforged and covered with a thick fur ermine coat was faintly recognizable, but the monolithic teardrop-shaped shield with a flamberg sword and the "crown of the penitent" helmet on the head immediately distinguished the traitor prior.

"Vortiger, you vile coward and traitor! How dare you show up here!"

"Look, the puppy is trying to growl like a wolf!"  Vortiger's cheeks, horribly scarred by the renegade brand, stretched out in a grin, showing his sparse teeth.  "You're showing off to your lady, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll take good care of your Annabel, if she's still alive, which I doubt."

" I have already slain you when you fell into heresy and trampled on law and honor."  I try to keep my voice steady, even though I'm filled with a mixture of anger and grief. "But don't expect any mercy from the master this time, and you won't get away with it."

"The master, that miserable old idiot, was always stupid and ignorant. He has no slightest idea how pathetic and insignificant his ideals are," the traitor prior snarled at the memory of his humiliation. "But fortunately, he and the chaplain's Council are on my side today, aren't they?"

Upon hearing this, the marauders respond with loud laughter and raise sharp spears topped with terrifying trophies. I recognize with a shudder the severed heads of the venerable chaplains and chapter master Mortimer himself, and their hands and feet, still covered with warm blood, are raised on spears after them. But the most monstrous dagger in the back was the appearance of brother John, who came from somewhere out of a crevice in the rocks – in the hands of the traitor was clutched a small object wrapped in scarlet velvet, which was handed to Vortiger with a bow of his head.

My heart sank – there was no doubt it was a Relic. A Vessel of Miracle.

No one knew where this artifact came from, or why it was so revered – some said it was sent directly from heaven. Others - that it sprouted from the earth's interior. The master himself claimed that it was the war horn of the horse that the original founder primogen Balaur himself had fought on. But are there unicorns? It still seemed childish to me, even though I reproached myself for such blasphemous thoughts. But whatever it was, this curiously curved corkscrew bone, no larger than a small dagger, could dispel fears, longing and resentment just by its presence.

Many kings, dukes, counts and barons have come to us just to look at this curiosity – but only a few have been allowed to do so. I saw how their faces changed after visiting the artifact-some were filled with thoughts, others were crying with happiness or accumulated sadness.

I was jerked out of my memory by a squelching sound as John's body slowly fell to his knees, then collapsed at the feet of Vortiger, who was fastidiously wiping his sword on the edge of his fur coat.

"Ironically, I can't stand traitors," said the prior. "Sheep who would eat their own kind if they were anything like wolves. As for you, Gabriel, prepare to see a real miracle."

Vortiger throws his shield to the ground, then lays a rag on it and unfolds the edges, illuminating his disfigured face with the warm yellow light of the Relic.

"Warm, tender, affectionate," such nice words out of the renegade's mouth sound worse than the hiss of a swamp viper.   "That doesn't belong in my world, the world of real predators!"

"Brothers!" I see Vortiger pull his sword arm back for a swing. This monstrous act of the highest blasphemy must not take place. "Follow me, attack! Ad profundis!"

"Ad profundis!" the neophytes are running at my heels, showered with arrows. I see several warriors running forward with their shields and spears out, but I don't stop – on the contrary. I burst in, howling the litany of the Knight, breaking the shield barrier - neophytes entwined with soldiers in a deadly battle - spots of scarlet blood staining armor and cloaks.

I felt the air behind me tense and quiver as someone swung a weapon to end my life. A neophyte leaped forward to cover me, and raised his shield just as a sharp sword whizzed past my ear.

With a snarl of rage, I swung my sword in an arc, knocking the attacker's weapon far out of the way. I catch a glimpse of genuine surprise on his face just before the blade cuts open enemy’s gambaison and the belly, releasing the guts.

The young man who had saved my life fell to one knee and let out a long moan as the breastplate of his armor was pierced through and blood spurted out in a fountain. A bearded warrior with a bloodstained face came at me.

Blind with rage, I swung my blade, and my trusty sword cut the thug almost in two, passing through the helmet and splitting the opponent's sword into small pieces. 

“You cannot be distracted by them, you need to have time to ... save...the Relic!”

One last tug and time stood still. I saw Vortiger's dreadful sword fly with a clang like a grave bell and the horn begging desperately for salvation – and it was so close to me. It seemed that it was only necessary to stretch out a hand – and the priceless relic was saved! At the very last moment, out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of metal: a heavy iron ball on a chain, flying straight at my head, knocking me over. I barely have time to regroup and get to my feet when the enemy soldier launches his weapon at me again – I intercept the chain in one movement and send the ball back to the enemy's head. A moment later, his head in helmet slides off his shoulders and falls to the ground with a muffled groan. But this sound was not made by a dead man, and Vortiger's laughter, full of malice and venom, confirms this – the Vessel of Miracle was just destroyed by the hands of a traitor.

"Vortiger...you are a monster, a fratricide, you…Brothers, come at me!" but when I looked around, I didn't see a single familiar face alive. Only other people's faces red with anger and sin, which are ready to tear me to pieces at the first word. "All right, I'll send you to the judgment of God by myself."

"Stop shaking the air, Gabriel," sighed the prior. "Look around you and be appalled at all that has happened because of you. After all, this could not have happened if you were a wolf and not a sheep."

I stare at the broken artifact in a daze – as the horn paled and dried, and the warm light it radiated grew paler and paler. As if life itself were leaving him, I could see Annabelle dead in my arms again.

"You were strong enough to handle me, and I underestimated you, and I paid the price. But you acted against your sincere desire to kill the renegade – you took me to trial, knowing full well that no one would kill the prior. For all his sick justice, the master understood what rumors would go out in the event of execution – priors, the best of the best, knights without fear or reproach become ordinary brigands .Instead, I was humiliated, dishonored, and thrown out, making a monster of me and naively hoping for my repentance or just going somewhere far away. And what has my life given you? Your bride is dead, the lights of wisdom are decapitated, your future generation of priors perished in your desire to save at least the Vessel, but even here you failed. Tell me, how does it feel to be the last of the clan out of your own kindness?"

"Don't try to confuse me with your chatter,  I'll decide my own penance."  I am the one, who is lying now. He's right, absolutely right about everything. "But I’ll give you redemption, if you're so hungry for it. Don't expect any mercy from me. For Annabelle, for the brothers, for the clan, and for myself, Amen."

"Finally, there it is!" Vortiger roared in triumph, grabbing for his sword and shield. "The words of a true warrior! Guys, if he kills me, he'll lead you, you hear?"

I was about to bash him with the shield and finish him in one hit when the floor suddenly shuddered under my feet. The first blow was followed by a second, even harder. No, shifting earth plates or subterranean rocks were not uncommon, but this was not like this. It was as if an unknown force was expressing all its righteous fury, preparing to bring it down on the heads of the warriors present. I look at the Relic and can't help but cry out in surprise – both parts of the horn were hitting the ground like a stranded fish, and each new blow was accompanied by another wave of unknown force.

"Die!"  I barely raise my shield in time to block Vortiger's curved sword. Our blades crossed, sending out showers of sparks – again and again. We fight to music of chaos - the screams, the clang of metal, and the clatter of boots as the Legion of Appolion flees in panic. But fate itself is against their desire to survive – huge chunks of the ceiling fall on the heads of the soldiers, cutting off lives and filling up the passages. Burning eyes, clenched teeth — we fought to the death. The weapons clanked so fiercely that the blue sparks of lightning turned yellow, bounced and fell on our shields with a terrible hiss.

Vortiger snarled with rage when I barely dodged the blow and swung the flamberg again. I paused for a moment, and only at the last second parried the traitor's blow, knocking him off balance, and then made a counter-thrust, aiming the sword straight at the false prior's chest.

"Yes, that's it! I will avenge everyone – my bride, my brothers and fathers, my honor!”

But the unexpected happened: there was a terrible grinding crash, and a shadow flew at the two of us. I manage to make an incredible leap to the side, dodging the rock that splits the floor of the cave with a giant crack, but two pieces of granite fly off and stab me right in the knee and face. Flashes of pain, my leg goes numb at once, and a nasty noise in my ears and a black haze before my eyes make me lose my clarity of mind.

"Eternal torment to you, Vortiger!" I don't know where I'm going, cursing and hitting the air. Another step forward – and the next moment the foot falls into the void. I try desperately to keep my balance, but the lunge has already sealed my fate for me – my body falls into the darkness of the Abyss, rushing towards eternal darkness.

Meanwhile, somewhere else

"Spike, have you forgotten anything?  Paper, pens, ink? The Black Tail belt's Starfall should start any minute - it happens once in a hundred years!"

"Twilight, you asked me again for the tenth time, so I will answer Yes again."  the purple dragon grimaced. "I have checked all the instruments several times, and all the indicators will be measured and recorded properly."

"I’m sorry, Spike." Twilight Sparkle apologetically smiled. "I'm just so excited, it's not every day that Princess Luna herself asks you to document all the data for such a rare event!"

"It's all right, Twi. Want some cocoa?"

"Not yet, thanks for your concern," pony thoughtfully smoothed her mane with a hoof, straightened monocular to her eye and looked at the instruments. "So many indicators, I don't even know where to start…By the way, what does Dash say?"

"This storm surprised her," Spike said, taking a sip of the fragrant drink. "Todays morning she gathered all Wonderbolts and promised that the night sky will be clear as a tear, but the storm just appeared as if from nowhere!"

Twilight nodded, for a storm like this had never appeared in Equestria before. The instruments chirped, squeaked, and creaked, recording incredible readings of wind, rain, and air density.

"Well, well, well, the increased concentration of iron, the conversion to oxide ... …So, the decay of particles through dioxide, the burning of ozone, mhm…Sweet Celestia, what is this?”

Out of the corner of her eye, pony saw something strange in the blue-black storm sky – a glowing point, briefly illuminated by a zigzag flash of lightning. As she leaned against the telescope and focused, Twilight gasped – it wasn't a star. This shining point flew across the sky, leaving a trail of dim light behind it. The Princess finally calmed down and exhaled. Celestial bodies and foreign objects did not interest her very much during her studies, because research in this area was extremely sparse and was based mostly on guesswork, not facts. On the other hoof, Twilight would be happy to explore an unknown object from all sides - or just give it to the Friendship School for study. The problem was how to determine where it would land. None of the Pegasus will fly in this weather!

"Interesting," the Princess whispered. Apparently, the object fell somewhere in the Everfree forest. "Very curious. Spike, we'll visit Zekora in the morning."
> Part 2: Prima conventus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spring came to Equestria earlier than usual. Nature had already woken from its winter sleep and looked less sleepy and uncertain. Every day it begins to come into its own and gain strength. Water in reservoirs in spring is clean and renewed. In it, you can see the azure sky and clear sun. The sky is filled with the cries of migrating birds returning to their homeland. With spring come warm days and a new life.

The sun was very warm in spring. Ponies love spring because it brings back from distant lands ringing nightingales and larks. Well, along with the snow, hearts also melt. The soul is filled with feelings of joy, awe, faith in the best. It's so easy to love everything and everyone around you. Spring is a time of renewal of nature and the birth of life. During this period, people fall in love and give flowers. That's probably why there are so many of them everywhere.

The colts have happily split up for spring break...almost all the colts, to be exact. The trio of bosom friends forgot about games and entertainment – as punishment for a couple of "incidents", teacher Cheerilee gave a difficult task.

«Before the end of the month, you will need to capture on paper some unusual natural phenomenon, a rare animal or bird.» grumbled to herself red Pegasus, crouching down to the eyepieces of the binoculars and trying to look at least something in the ash-gray sky. «How can you detect something if the whole sky is covered? Although if Dash will begin to clear the clouds».

«Scootaloo, do you see anything?» Sweetie Belle, the white unicorn, asked, sitting at the blank sheet of paper on which the results of their work should be displayed.

«Alas, nothing.»

«What do you girls have? I brought us something to eat.» On the threshold of the clubhouse appeared the owner of glasses and a gray mane with a basket in her teeth.

«Thank you, Silver, very nice of you.» Apple Bloom accepted a basket of food from the filly and began serving a simple snack. «How are you doing, by the way?»

«I'm fine, thank you very much.»

«Oh, it's you.» Pegasus muttered, turning back to watch.

«Don't worry.» Sweettie whispered, putting her hoof around Silver Spoon. «Eventually Scootaloo will notice that you corrected, and you will be friends.»

«Yeah, probably.» the filly sighed. She and her friend Diamond Tiara hurled taunts at the three of Cutie Mark Crusaders every day. Only now did Silver realized how cruel and heartless she had been, and for what a stupid reason – they just hadn't had time to get their marks yet!

Yes, of course, she had done many wrong things and now she must earn trust and forgiveness – but it seemed wrong to just leave her old friend. But Silver wanted to change, and Tiara, on the contrary, was becoming more irritable and aggressive every day. Their last meeting had almost ended in an big argument, and it was to be hoped that Tiara's vacation trip to Mainhattan would correct her misbehavior.

Scootaloo, hearing the growl of her hungry belly, was about to put the binoculars aside and eat some sandwiches, when suddenly something appeared in the distance, something dark against the clear gray sky.

«What is it?» Scootaloo was surprised. «A bird? A Pegasus? An object from other worlds?»

Pegasus sharpened her focus – the object falling from the sky was unlike any bird she had ever seen. Too disproportionate legs with dark yellow scales, strange brown wings hanging helplessly in rags, and...another pair of wings? No, they were just more paws – with the same scales and claws! And the sound that this unusual feathered creature made was more like a cry for help from an ordinary pony.

«It definitely looks like an end to our homework.» have realized to herself Scootaloo rushed to the exit.

«Scootaloo, where are you going?» yellow pony asked in surprise, frozen with a sandwich in her hooves. «I thought you wanted something to eat?»

«No time, I've seen something new.» pegasus said excitedly, dropping pencils and a piece of paper into her saddlebag. «Apparently, a bird unknown to science has fallen into the forest, and if we find it first – then the task is in our pocket!»

«The Everfree forest?» Silver Spoon asked, startled. «But it's dangerous, there are predators there, or you can just easily get lost!»

«Nonsense!» angrily snorted Scootaloo, tossing her mane. «Five minutes there and back, I've already run there a couple of times…Okay, along with Rainbow Dash, but I definitely remember the local glades. Or are you only brave with your Tiara buddy?»

«No, I'm not a coward,» said gray pony. «I'll be the first to find this bird!»

«Don't fight, let's join forces,» the white unicorn added softly. «If a bird has fallen, it is most likely injured or ill. We'll run and see – if the bird is big, we'll come back and ask for help. If it's small – we'll report it ourselves.»

«Sounds like a plan.»

And all four of them, led by orange pegasus, rushed into the thicket, not yet suspecting that this meeting would greatly affect the entire Equestria.



I couldn't remember how long I had been floating in the dark. I listened and did not hear, feeling only the howling of the wind and whispers in my ears. But even these unpleasant neighbors were better than the thoughts that haunted me.

«It's all over now – you're going to die. But is this such a bad outcome of your life? You died in battle defending the ideals of the order, as befits a knight prior. »

«No – you are not lost, your fate is worse than death, and you deserve it. You failed to protect your order, artifact, you sent young acolytes to their deaths, and Annabel is dead because of you. And you will be forever arriving in this Limbo, eternal sorrow and suffering without the possibility of redemption – and praise the Lord for mercy, because the lowest circle of Hell must wait for you.»

«But I'm not a traitor! I'm not Vortiger! I did not succumb to false persuasions, to his inhuman reasoning of a madman about a new world order, his hatred of morality and virtue was punished! »

«Was it? You didn't even see his dead body, did you? You are also a liar to everything, so the breath of eternity awaits you. A monstrous wind...»

The wind? It hasn't been there yet, what's going on?

I held my breath as I continued my slow descent into the dark waters of the Abyss. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my palms were wet, but I could still feel the weight of my sword and shield, which was comforting.

The air changed from a light breeze to heavy, moist, suffocating – my chest could hardly accept such an offering.

«Pull yourself together, open your eyes»

I manage to pry one of my eyes open – my left one is still closed, covered with nasty sticky goo. I gasped in surprise at the sight that lay before me, so beautiful in its beauty. The forest, which stretched for hundreds of miles around, was bright, picturesque, and more like a single organism, exuding clouds of bright butterflies or songbirds whose voices were not familiar to me until now. Everything about it was correct – even from this height and with one eye I was aware of the beauty of the geometry of these forests. Every tree, every leaf, stood properly, forming a single picture that could not have been completed in any other way.

«Lord, is this the Promised Land from which we were cast out? And all this time it was right under our castle?»

The lower I descended, the heavier and warmer the air became, and I could clearly feel my body covered with beads of sweat under my armor. The speed of the fall increased, the cloak fluttering in the wind like a banner. And only now, to my horror, did I realize that I was really falling!

I shouted, and my desperate cry was echoed, rushing after me straight into the forest canopy of giant trees. I tried to pull myself together and slow my fall, but it was not an easy landing - I broke the tops of trees and hit branches, landing heavily and awkwardly, hitting my head on the roots of a tree and rolling down the shingle and sand. The flight down the slope carried me down, hitting boulders and pebbles. I had already lost count of the bruises on my face and could only guess how badly my limbs had been damaged. The helmet mercifully softens the last blow of my head on the ground – I finally stopped and stretched out to my full height, completely exhausted.

What now? Is this just the beginning of my torment? Well, I accept them – I deserve such pain, even if it is not so severe – the flagellant rites, which I resorted to in moments of doubt, caused much more suffering. Yes, I remember my quiet murmur of prayers of repentance, the whistle of the bullwhip, and the gurgling of blood....No, the blood is not gurgling – what is that sound?

I could distinctly hear the rippling and splashing. There was no doubt that there was a pond or spring somewhere nearby.

«To get to him, to wash, to wash away the blood, to drink. Just a drink of water. It's too early to give up.»

I tried to move – it cost me a flash of monstrous pain all over my body, as if every bone in my body was broken. But the pain sobered me, snapping my passive state like a cobweb from a corner. If I'm in pain, then I'm alive. When I looked around again with my healthy eye, I actually saw a spring. It was small and dark and trickled down in a thin stream, barely breaking through the black blocks. Gritting my teeth to a grating sound of pain, I managed to roll over on my stomach. Slowly I dragged myself along the ground, inch by inch, my sword and shield still in my hands.

After many moments of suffering, I finally reached the edge of the pond. I pulled my body closer to the water and looked at my reflection with a shudder. Incalculable cuts and abrasions, a laceration across the entire forehead that covered the second eye with thick blood, a terrible look of sunken eye…

I pulled off my glove with my teeth and scooped up water with my bare hand. The water was cold, but not icy and at the same time soft and velvety. With difficulty, I brought the water to my mouth and drank it in small sips, ready to spit out the poison at any moment. A sudden soft warmth ran through me, bouncing off every part of my body. With renewed strength, I scooped up another handful and drained it in one gulp. The terrible pain receded, and I began to treat it in earnest-I washed my broken forehead with water, washing away the dried blood, washed my face, and then boldly removed my boot from my foot, which had been hit by a bouncing fragment of rock.

The wound didn't look good – the knee was badly swollen, red, and aching from just looking at it. I crossed myself, filled my hip flask with water, and began to pour the wonderful liquid slowly and methodically over my injured limb. I laughed softly with joy, watching the redness and pain go away – the swelling was scarred by another scar under the kneecap.

When I had drunk my fill and filled my canteen, I said a silent prayer of thanks for my rescue.

«And maybe this isn't Hell or Limbo? What if this is a new test that I must use to atone for my failures? Yes, there is no doubt – this is my personal repentance, which I must earn, suffer as best I can, and only then will I be granted forgiveness. But where am I? What is this place?»

I looked around for any landmarks, without success. I had been told that you could somehow navigate by the growth of moss, and I was familiar with the basics of astronomy, but the whole sky was covered with a haze of thin clouds, and the trees looked more like those that grew closer to the East.

«I need to look around.» I decided to myself, and throwing my shield on my back and my sword in its scabbard, I climbed the tallest tree I could find in the clearing. After a couple of minutes of climbing up, I was able to look around – my surprise was unlimited. A couple of hours away, the village was clearly visible – even from a distance, I noted the fact that the architecture was not like the Knights with their stone castles, nor the Vikings with their rough simplicity and asceticism, nor even the Samurai with their fragile grace. Everything was bright, positive, inviting like fire attracts night moths.

«Do not be deceived by appearances, it is quite possible that not the most peaceful peoples live there. In fairy tales, a witch lures kids to a gingerbread house before eating them.»

I made other discoveries: the forest was apparently uninhabited. There may be predators here, but I haven't seen or heard one yet. There were a lot of birds here, but they were all unknown to me, so I couldn't tell if I could eat them or not. On the other hand, I didn't have a bow or crossbow, and I didn't know how to make snares, so I'd have to settle for fish and berries I knew.

I decided to do the following for myself: to set up a safe and hidden house, find a path to the settlement, and at dusk go on a reconnaissance to find out about an unfamiliar place, but first – the business of the day. Especially since I finally felt hungry and the growl of my stomach confirmed it.

I examined the contents of my belt and pouches, a gift from Annabel for my twentieth spring. I sighed bitterly at another stream of sad thoughts and opened all my pockets in turn. There were not many items – a few rye crackers, a piece of cheese wrapped in a rag, and a hand-made rosary with obsidian beads. A leather-bound codex of my order was strapped to a chain around my waist, and behind my right boot, in a secret scabbard, was a three-sided misericord dagger that had saved my life many times in battle. It should have been enough to start with.

The forest was hospitable – the cave was found in the next clearing, a minute's walk from the stream that flowed into a small pond.

"Dark and small, but it's dry and quite cozy," I decided to myself. After setting up branches, I made a bed for myself and prepared fuel for the fire. The largest of the branches passed for a makeshift fishing rod – instead of a hook, I bent a pair of rings of chain mail with a dagger, and took the thread from my already battered cloak. The bait from the cracker bore fruit – a minute later, on the rod was a shiny fish, similar to a carp, but larger and thicker. The catch looked so juicy that I couldn't resist the temptation – I muttered a hasty prayer, washed my hands in the same pond, and began to carve my prey.

"I will eat a small piece, otherwise I will feel bad. I'm not a good warrior with a bad stomach."

I'm lucky again – the fish turns out to be female, so I get not only delicious meat, but also caviar – an exquisite delicacy. Having satisfied my first wave of hunger, I am preparing to cast again, when suddenly my ear caught the crunch of branches. Someone was coming at me from both sides at once-either they were predators, or…

I didn't bother to guess, but ran for the cave, hiding behind a rock at the entrance. The sword and shield took their places, and I was all ears as I heard voices, quite loud ones.

"I think he fell in here?"

"How should I know, but most likely yes."

"Shh, Scootaloo, and if it is a bird? If she's injured? You can easily scare her off!"

"Look, there's a fishing rod! Who decides to fish here?"

"Children? Here in the middle of the forest?" I was surprised. The voices seemed to belong to children, girls, to be exact. For a moment I felt ashamed – a grown knight hiding like some bandit from small children. "You can't be too careful, where there are children – there are adults. Besides, they probably know this place like the back of their hand, and they can quickly sneak out and report you. And then…"

A child's scream cut through my thoughts like a whip, deciding my fate for me. It no longer mattered who these children were, where they came from, or whether it was dangerous to talk to them. The snarl of the predator that followed the startled cry put an end to it - the children were in danger, and I must do my duty.

Silver Spoon crawled away from Timberwolf's unblinking gaze, trying to find a way out with her back – but only bumped into a tree trunk. The other three foals froze in place with fear, staring helplessly at the predator that appeared in the clearing, indifferent to its prey – whether it was a rabbit or a stray youngster.

The grey filly watched in shock as the wolf flexed its legs, tensed like a spring, and sprinted forward, stretching out its entire body.

"Is this the end?» Silver Spoon thought as she stared into the bottomless, open mouth of the tree wolf.

"Ad profundis!" a sudden loud cry, a flash of lightning, a thud, a screech of pain, and a huge shadow that took the form of a tattered cloak with a cross embroidered on it – all this was intertwined for the foals in one second of a lifetime.

Apple Bloom gasped – something incredible had just happened. Instead of an angry predator ready to eat helpless foals, an unfamiliar figure appeared in the clearing. It was a tall creature, even taller than Princess Celestia herself, clad in heavy armor the color of dull copper and mail, standing on its hind hooves and yet surprisingly balanced. There was no face to be seen, and the head was hidden by a mail hood and a strange helmet that looked like a spiked hoop, but even standing with his back to it, the stranger could inspire both fear and hope.

The creature jerked its hind hoof back and thrust its shield forward, shielding the foals from the whimpering wolf that had lost its paw and front teeth – the bash of the shield was devastating.

"In the name of the Holy Church, I will not allow such misdeeds." the voice was hoarse and quiet, but it also sounded confident and insistent. Sweetie Belle shuddered – if the unknown rescuer had screamed furiously or hissed ominously, it would not have been so creepy. But it was the calm and even somewhat melodious voice that frightened and fascinated. Such a voice should belong to a mother soothing a frightened child, or to an old mister Waddle, but not to one who has just rushed at a ferocious predator with the recklessness of a maddened yak.

Timberwolf was discouraged – he was already looking forward to a feast that would satisfy the hunger for a couple of days, but he went into the territory of the predator angrier and larger. This mistake had cost a foreleg and teeth, and could now cost a life. The once-evil wolf, whining softly and with its tail between its legs, carefully took the severed paw in its maimed mouth and limped back to the forest to lie down in its lair.

«Girls, run! » before I can get my breath out and let my heart settle, I hear a yell from behind and the sound of several pairs of feet kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Wait, I don't want to..." I turn my body around and realize that I'm talking to nothing. "...cause you harm"

"Please" a small voice from somewhere below brings me to my senses. "Don't eat me, I don't taste good."

I look down, expecting to see a startled girl-all I have to do is sit down next to her, put my hand on her shoulder, and calm her down. Tell her that I am of the order of Saint Balaur, that it is my duty and virtue to protect the weak, and that I will take her home to my mother and father. But the last thing I expect to see is a small creature that looks a lot like a horse, but with a rounder face, large eyes squeezed shut behind glasses, and a strange symbol in the form of a spoon drawn on the rump.

"Great, I don't need to declare myself as a horse thief. I need to take the horse to the owner, I hope that they will listen to me."

"Please don't eat me." The horse was talking! It didn't look like a trick, was it heresy or malice? No, you can't beat a demon with a sword.

I plunged my sword into the ground, clutched the rosary, and dropped to one knee. The beads were chattering like teeth in a fever, and the lips were already making a prayer of their own.

«Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…»

Hearing a strange muttering, Silver Spoon carefully opened one eye. Instead of the wolf, another creature towered before her, no less frightening. Its eyes and most of the face were hidden by a hood and an eerie-looking "crown", but the thin lips that whispered strange words and the terrible paw with pinched rusty claws that marked Silver Spoon's head, belly and shoulders made the filly tremble with fear.

«Your kingdom come, Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us…»

"It's some kind of spell? It's the evil wizard? He just wants to eat me!" the filly went through in her head all the possible options. “He will roast me, boil, erase in a powder or just swallow whole? I’ve told the girls that it’s dangerous – why nopony ever listening to me?”

The creature moved a paw around his hip, untied a strange dark vessel, like a jar. Again this strange gesture of the four taps at different points and the sound of a pulled tube, no doubt about it, she now eat, and in the flask some kind of potion from the spiders or sour sauce.

"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory" the voice became a cry, and the paw with the flask swung. "For ever and ever, Amen!"

Silver Spoon squealed in surprise – having just been doused with icy water.

"Hmm, no burns, no ashes scattered in the wind-so you're not a demon. To be sure, they also advise you to spit on the tail, but this seems superfluous."

"That's right, thank you." the voice, hoarse with screeching, sounded strange to Silver. "Don't spit on my tail or other parts of my body, it's rude. And I'm not a demon, I'm a pony."

The voice sounded puzzled, as if its owner, who had fallen helplessly on both knees, had completely lost the thread of the story. Silver Spoon tossed her sodden mane and plucked up the courage to stand on all fours to get a better look at her companion.

"He looks scary and behaves strangely," the filly noted to herself, looking at the creature's armor and sword stuck in the ground. "Mumbles some strange speech, pours cold water, pokes with his claws. But he saved us from a Timberwolf that would have eaten us for sure – maybe he's not so bad. But he looks lost, as if he came from somewhere far away. His armor is battered and all scratched, and his cheeks are sunken – he was severely malnourished or ill."

I've never felt so lost in my life – I just didn't know what to do or what to do. An hour ago I was in a world of endless war, bloodshed, and fighting for my life and honor with the worst traitor and fratricide the world has ever seen – and now I am in the Promised Land, inhabited by wolves of branches and intelligent talking horses. What is my purpose here? How can I help them? Am I mad? Lord, if you can hear me, give me a sign. I just don't understand…

"My name is Silver Spoon, and what are you?" a child's voice snapped me out of my stupor. When I focused my eyes, I saw a grey hoof held out to me, shivering with cold or fear, but the owner was trying to be confident and friendly. May be…

I took the proffered hoof in my hand, as if I were afraid of breaking a crystal vase, and sealed the acquaintance with a weak handshake, even if only from my side.

"Gabriel...my name is Gabriel."