Ƭняɛɛ Яιиɢƨ : ˩ɛɢɛи∂αяʏ

[Bear.]

Really, This Is Just A Story I'm Writing. You Could Read It If You Want, But Please Don't Post Anything Until I'm Done Writing.

Note: This Is A MLP Story, Just So You Know.

[Bear.]

---

[Bear.]

___

➸ A Mare Walked Through The Empty Halls, Her Dusty Blue Coat Drenched With Sweat And Dirt And Blood. "Oh, The Crown," The Mare Said, Her Voice Laced With Sarcasm, “The Greatest Treasure Of Tirath-Tunail." Her Heavy Footsteps Echoed Throughout The Cavernous Throne Room. She Picked Up The Golden, Bejeweled Form Of The Crown, And A Red Glow Formed Around It.
➸ "I See You Have Claimed Your Share. I Have My Own, Mind You, So It's All Yours." The Glow Dissolved, Leaving The Crown To Clatter To The Marble Floor, Which Seemed Impossible Loud Here. A Stallion Walked Up To Her, His Fur Pristine, Unscathed, Though He Had Just Walked From The Battlefield
➸ "I Thought You Were Dealing With The Soldiers." The Mare Seemed Rather Disappointed, And Possibly Angered By This, The Fact That He Was Here, But Did A Well-Enough Job Hiding It, Though He Saw Through Her Disguise.
➸ "I Have Taken Care Of Them, It Was Simple Enough." The Malicious Glare In His Red Eyes Seemed To Confirm This, And She Relaxed, Though Was Still Rather Irate.
➸ "Oh, Flite, I Almost Feel Sorry For The Poor Little King And Queen," She Said, Her Voice Soft And Low As She Stroked The Crown. "They May have Been Nice People..."
➸ "They Were Weak, Nightengale, You Foolish Foal, And Weakness Is Death."

[Bear.]

➸ It Was Stuffy Inside The Old In, And It's Thick Wooden Walls Held In A Lot Of Heat From The Burning Fire Nestled In The Corner Of The Crowded Room. Stallions And The Few Mares That Were There Jostled Around The Tables And Other Inn Patrons, Bumping Each Other And A Few Of Them Getting Into Hoof-Fights Over These Little Problems.
➸ We're All Mad Here. She Thought, Shaking Her Head Slightly, But Not To Spill The Tray Of Drinks She Had Balanced On Her Back. I Am The Only Sane One In All Of The Daelands. She Knew This Wasn't True, But it Seemed So, As She Stepped Over A Group Of Wrestling Stallions Who Were Rolling Around On The Floor, Shouting Inaudible Curses Into The Crowded Room.
➸ A Stallion Walked Through The Dust Towards Her. He Had A Serious Face, Covered Partially By A Sparse Beard And His Long, Dark Hair. "Fancy Meeting You Here." She Said, Staring At Him In Discontent. "I Thought You Left For Battle." She Knew He Had, And Had Been There, For He Was Scarred And Dirty, His Sword Stained Scarlet With Blood.
➸ "I Did." He Said Gloomily. "We Were Winning, We Had Their Army Running, But He ... He Was ..." He Stopped, And Was Suddenly Out Of Breath, And He Leaned Back, Falling Into One Of The Chairs That Were Scattered About The Room. She Pulled One Of The Other Chairs Around And Sat Next To Him, Pressing A Wet Cloth Onto The Gash On His Neck.
➸ "Who Is 'He'?" She Asked, Her Voice Trembling Ever So Slightly With Fear And Worry.
➸ "I Need To Get To A Hospital." He Replied, His Voice Full Of Pain, "Meet Me In The Morning, At The Old Cartinian Tower.

➸➸➸

➸ It Was Raining That Morning. She Had Been Working Late, And Was Tired, But Her Lumpy Straw Mattress Wouldn't Allow Sleep. She Had Stayed Up For Hours, Staring Out Her Window Into The Pouring Rain, Thinking About What The Stallion Had To Tell Her.
➸ She Wanted Nothing More Than To Sleep, Anywhere For At Least Five Minutes, But The Roosters Crowed Outside, And She Decided She Would Have To Go See The Stallion.
➸ The Rain Was Cold, And It Pierced Her Fur Like Tiny Knives, But Still She Walked Through The Storm. I Have To Get To The Tower...She Though, Though If This Weather Persisted, She Might Not Be Able To Without Catching Hypothermia.

➸ Finally, She Saw The Jagged Brick Edge Of The Old Tower Peeking Through The Half-Bare Branches Of The Late Autumn Trees. In The Dim, Foggy Light that Filtered Through The Clouds She Saw The Vague Silhouette Of A Stallion, Outlined Against The Grey Overcast Sky.
➸ "You Came!" He Shouted, And She Nodded, And Transported Herself There. A Unicorn's Magic Can Only Be Used In An Emergency Case Only, As If Used Excessively, It Can Corrupt The User.
➸ As Her Eyes Adjusted To The Darkness Of The Inner Rooms Of The Tower, She Thought About How This Could Be A Trap, If She Hadn't Known This Stallion Better. The Thick, Dusty Walls Were Practically Soundproof, And The Tower Itself Was In A Remote, Uncharted Area Of The Daelands. But She Knew Him Too Well.
➸ "The Dark Lord's Power Has Been Awoken," He Said, His Voice Solemn And Eyes Narrowed. "And They've Transferred."
➸ "To Whom?"
➸ "The Son Of The King. Prince Flite"

[Bear.]

➸ "But Why, Corsair?" She Asked, Thinking Aloud More Than Asking. "Why Would A Stuck Up Brat Like Him Want To Destroy The Wor-"
➸ Corsair Held Up His Hoof To Silence Her, As Shuffling Could Be Heard Outside The Tower. It Must Not Be As Soundproof As She Thought.
➸ He Drew His Sword, Chipped And Cracked A The Poor Old Thing Was, And Stepped Silently But Threateningly Towards The Heavy Wooden Door Of The Old Cartinian Tower, The Hilt Of The Sword Gripped Tightly In His Mouth.
➸ He Quickly Slashed Through The Old Rusty Hinges Of The Door, Causing The Door To Fall On The Intruder, Who Yelped In Pain From Under The Giant Wooden Slab That Had Just Fallen On Top Of Her.
➸ Occarii Quickly Lifted The Door, And Revealed A Blood-Red Mare Lying Beneath It, Looking Rather, Er... Broken. Her Wings Faced Directions They Probably Shouldn't, And A Pale White Tooth Lay Beside Her Confused Face. They Were Both Too Concerned With Helping This Poor Pony To Notice The Tooth That Lay Upon The Ground Had Been Sharpened To A Point.

➸➸➸

➸ "I Have Come From Rather Far" The Pony Coughed, "All The Way From Fli- Er, Trine-Tyrna." She Coughed Again, Raindrops Spraying Off Her Coat.
➸ Occarii Was Suspicious, But They Had Welcomed This Mare Into Their Tower, So She Must Be Safe Enough, Right? Corsair Still Seemed Suspicious, But He Did A Good Job Hiding It. This Pony Looked As Though She Had Gone Through Quite A Few Battles Herself, Considering The Grey Scars That Ran Across Her Body.
➸ "What Business Do You Have This Side Of The River?" Asked Corsair, Brushing His Hair Out Of His Eyes And Staring Suspiciously At The Newcomer, "And Who Might You Be?"
➸ "I Am Zarieth, Of The Sky Dynasty Of Cain-Mynuur." She Replied, Serious And Proud, "I Have Come Her By Orders Of Her Majesty, The Queen Iradellis." She Tried To Rise Into The Air, But It Seemed That Her Wings Had Been Badly Crushed. She Coughed, And Fell To The Floor.
➸ "You Are Hurt," Occarii Knelt Down Hand Tried To Lift The Wounded Creature Onto One Of The Hay Bales Inside The Old Tower, Which Would Make A Good Enough Bed For The Pony, Atleast Until She Could Get Her To A Hospital.
➸ The Pony Lay On That Hay Bale, And Silently Closed Her Eyes, And Turned On Her Side Away From Them, Noiselessly Laughing At The Poor Suckers Who Had Let Her In.

[Bear.]

➸Flite Was Draped Across The Golden Throne, His Cloak Wrapped Around Himself Like A Blanket, Chuckling Softly. He Gazed At The Crown Lovingly, Stroking The White Fur Trim Gently In His Hooves.
➸Nightengale Stepped Forward, A Look Of Concern And Confusion On Her Face. Flite's Gray Eyes Narrowed To Tiny Silver Slits, And He Began To Growl At Her, Revealing His Sharpened Fangs And Strangely Forked Tongue.
➸She Knew Better Than To Approach Him Whilst He Was With The Crown. Something Had Changed In Him So Long Ago, Something Snapped When He Set His Eyes Upon The Crown, Shining Gold Through The Smoke.

➸➸➸

➸His Narrowed Eyes Widened As He Peered Through The Thinning Veil Of Black Smoke Left From The Blast. A Crimson Jewel Glints Through The Dust, Surrounded By A Frame Of Glittering Gold; A Crown, Hidden From Prying Eyes.
➸His Tail Flicked, And He Darted Down The Passage Towards It, Eyes Alight, Tail Streaming Like A Yellow Flame Behind Him.
➸He Reached The Gem, And Proceeded To Dig It Out, Tossing Piles Of Rock And Debris Behind Him. When He Dug The Crown Out, He Nearly Squealed With Glee, But Nightengale Could Tell He Had Thought Better Of It. After That Battle, That Failure, How Could He Be Happy, Even With This Stupid Little Crown?
➸He Turned, His Wide, Happy Eyes Narrowing To Furious Slits And He Hissed At Her, And Muttered Something Inaudible Under His Breath And Stalked Off.
➸From That Day On, He Was Never The Same. He Would Spend Hours With The Crown, Practicing His Magic With It, And Growing More And More Distant And Cold Each Passing Day.

➸➸➸

➸ "But Corsair, You Had Never Told Me What Happened At The Battle." Occarii Whined,"You Promised. Of Course," She Added Bitterly,"I Could Never Expect You To Actually Keep A Promise."

➸➸➸

➸ A Cold, Biting Wind Swirled Through Occarii's Mane As She Whisked Across The Fields, Her Sword, Lightbringer, At The Ready, And She was Fully Equipped And Waiting To Dive Into Battle. Sweat Streamed Across Her Face And Flew Out Into The Wind. She Was Exhausted, But She Had To Keep Running. Wait... She Thought Suddenly, I'm A Unicorn. I Can Just Teleport Myself There.
➸ So She Did. She Knew Of The Consequences, But She Had To. When The Dust Cleared, She Found Herself In The Very Heart Of The Battle, And Didn't Even Have To Look To Find Him.
➸ In Corsair's Younger Days, He Was Strong, An Excellent Fighter, And Even A Decent Magician And Illusionist. But Those Days Are Long Over Now. He Was Old And Weaker, Suffering From Long Ago Wounds And Newer Ones Too. But At This Time, He Was Still Ready As Ever To Charge Into Battle, His Battle Ax, Dragonwing, Still Sharp And Neat.
➸ Occarii Smiled Slightly As She Watched Him, Swinging Out Her Sword To Take Out A Charging Soldier Of The Dark Lord Of The Castle Under The Mountain, Dubran. She Trotted To Corsair's Side, And They Stood, Back To Back, Taking On Soldier After Soldier, And Clearing That Corner Of The Battlefield Faster Than Dubran Could Send Out Reinforcements.
➸ They Had Finally Fought Their Way Up To The Wall Of The Castle, Where Dubran Was Nervously Pacing At The Thought Of Loosing The War.

➸ Of Course, He Had No Idea Of What Was To Come Next. A Sinister Cloud Of Black Appeared On The Horizon, And The Presumably Doomed Tyrant Took It To Be Reinforcements For the Rebels, But He Was Most Tragically (For The Rebels, Anyway) Mistaken. The Sound Of Pounding Hoofbeats Rang Throughout The Field, And Everyone, Rebel Soldiers And The Tyrant's Knights, Paused And Looked To The North, Both Expecting It To Be Their Downfall Approaching From The Mountains.
➸