The Choosing [1]
"Once a year on Wyrmtail isles, do such events occur. The good at heart, filled with life, get what they do not deserve. A humble, scary, sacrifice, to protect the ponies life. One or two, four or five, is enough to suffice the wyrms."
-Book of Wyrmtail 1:6
Wyrmtail isles drifted off at sea a thousand miles from equestria, so they were isolated from them, living their own little lives, unaware to the events of what happened there, and there existence. Five isles made up them, first was Sitrogg the island of flames, second one Nimburg the island of ice. Third was Kotrek the island of earth, fourth was Nidghe island of magic, and the fifth was Wyrmtail, the untold isle that held the Wyrms, also which is where the sacrifices were sent every year. Wyrms were gigantic dragons, except slimmer, they had no legs no they slithered like snakes, but had wings which they used to fly around the island with. An ancient peace thousands of years ago between the ancient lords of the isles and the wyrms said that every year one or two, four or five ponies would be sent off to the island, most likely to be eaten. This kept the wyrms from invading the other islands and wrecking mass havoc, which has happened before. Long ago they believed that it was just a myth, that there was no wyrms and they were sending off their own kind for nothing. They waited, and for days after the sacrifices were meant to go, nothing happened. But, the fifth day after, the sky turned red. From the island came the wyrms, eyes ablaze, they lit the island aflame and destroyed villages, until the villagers begged their forgiveness, which was given to them. They knew then it was real, and not giving up the few lives every year would result in destruction, death, and even... Extinction.
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Silver Wick rushed through the village carrying bundles of paper, ink, and other various pieces of equipment. He slammed into Pig breath the butches, knocking the butcher over. "Sorry Pb!" silver yelled back as he rounded the corner and came to the laboratory. He rushed inside, the security guards barely acknowledging him, for he was often late and had to hurry to his study before his master became angry with him. The laboratory was huge having three floors, the room was oval shaped, on each side having staircases spiral upwards to the next floor, and to the third. Silver rushed up the stairs onto the second floor and cascaded down the corridor, thirty seconds before he was late! He flew through the door with the plaque above it labeling "Room 556: Mr. Brainhoof" already most of the students were inside. He slowed to a trot and approached one of the desks and sat down, the bell rung and from the desk, a humungous grey pony with frill gray hair, a monacle, and a thick grey beard stood up and approached the front of the classroom. "Good afternoon class!" he said joyfully "Today is a special, or rather saddening day." he went on "Today is the day of sacrifice!" the class stared, everyone in the village dreaded this day and they knew why "As you all should know, on this day all the ponies and colts from all four of the islands gather here in our town square, and put their name is a large machine." he stopped for a moment, eyed the class, and went on "The machine has two choices, to pick one pony as sacrifice, two, four, or five. Once the amount is selected it randomly selects five of the thousands of names which were placed inside the machine. The machine spits out the slips of paper with the name and the town mayor reads the names off. The people whose names were called will be gathered, if they try to leave they will be stopped. All the sacrifices will be gathered upon the ship, and the captain Von Ludwig Greystout will drive the ship to Wyrmtail island, where they will be dropped off, and left for whatever fate the wyrms see to for them." he finished, the mood in the room went from happy, to dark quickly.
"A young brave colt will brave the wyrms. The wyrms heads, claimed by his hoof and sword. He will return bravely to the island. The people will jump for joy, and a feast would be held in his name, the scourge of a thousand years, finally gone." -Book of Wyrmtail 3:15
Silver Wick left the laboratory. He returned to his house where he took a short nap, which lasted until a few minutes before the sacrifice choosing. He awoke to his bell, and the shouts of people outside his doorstep. He looked out the window and found that hundreds of colts, and ponies were walking down the street to the square. He jumped out of bed and slipped his bag over his shoulder and rushed out the door, joining in with the crowd of ponies.
They made it to the square. The square was huge! In the middle was a gargantuan fountain which had a armored cult wielding a sword, fighting off another colt in heavy armor wielding a club, that was the battle of the brothren which had eventually brought all the four pony tribes together, to become on, the Wyrmtail tribe. The townhall stood before him, on the steps stood a brown colt whos orange mane whistled witht the wind. Wennmore Cav was the mayors name, the Cav name was famous throughout the isles, one of the richest families. He stood straight looking amongst the crowd, answering questions from the press with simple answers like "yes" and "We do not know who will be sacrifice" and "Of course it isn't rigged." Wennmore was guarded by six white colts wearing formal suits with black and white checked ties, with bluetooths in their ears, and kept their identities covered behind shades. Thousands among thousands of ponies and colts waited nervously in the square, hoping that their names were drawn, even though the chances were slight for each pony, it was still a nervous moment. "Attention! Greetings to all ponies of the four isles! Sitrogg, Nimburg, Nidghe! And finally our island, Kotrek!" the croud was silent "Sadly. Today is the day we will be choosing who is going to be sacrificed to the wyrms this year, a sad day indeed. Now if you all will, each of you come up and write your name on one of these slips of paper." he said motioning his hoof toward the machines. The machines stood at least ten ponies tall, it was a simply siler box with two slots, one slow for inserting slips of paper, and the other slot which shot out the sacrifices. Ponies justled forward, quickly writing their names on the slips of paper, and putting it into the machines slot.
After it was all done the mayor stood, and smiled. Then, he frowned. "It is time." he began "For the choosing" gasps and sighs could be heard amongst the croud, even some crying nervously, others panicking. The machine made a loud hissing noise and the first paper shot out. Then the next, then the third, and finally the fourth piece of paper, the final one, shot out of the machine. The mayor picked up the papers from the growned and carefully looked them over, he frowned. "Time for all of the ponies and colts to know who will be chosen!" his voice boomed. He took a step forward and withdrew the four slips of paper "First one! Fire Sparkle." A tall, slender, beautiful blue pony with a flowing purple and green mane stroad forward up to the mayor, her face had no signs of sorrow, her face was stern and brave. "Second! Scooter Bug!" someone shouted no, but a small young pony strode forward. She was small, brown fur and a beautiful golden mane. "Third! Zip Zop!" from the croud a tall colt walked toward the mayor. He was wearing large red earphones, an Ipony strapped onto his side, his fur was bright green and he had a brown mane. "Fourth and final sacrifice!" the mayor shouted, the tension couldn't have been greater. "Silver Wick!" His mouth was open and he was in shock! He was a sacrifice, this was bad! Thoughts of his life was running through his head, his heart was beating fast, sweat pouring down his face. Slowly he trotted forward, passing several ponies who gave him worried expressions, one or two of them patted him on the back and said "It will be alright." but he knew it would, he would be dead within the week. Silver came up the steps and met eye to eye with the mayor who gave him a sad expression. "We are sad for the four here today who will be sent to Wyrmtail island, whos fate will be decided by the wyrms themselves! Let us hope that their fate is good, and somehow they will live, or utterly destroy the wyrms!" a hearty cheer came up from the crowd, silver staggered backwards, his head throbbing, and blacked out.