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Pain. Pain was what he felt as he walked down the dirt road, iluminated by the moonlight. He felt pain, tiredness, but on the other hand, satisfaction, as he did what he was meant to do. And above all, he wanted to sleep, but he didn't allow himself to close his eyes for more than a second. He's been through this before - if he would close his eyes, it would've been the last thing he done in this life. So he struggled to go on, pulling his back left hoof behind him.

'One more step... just one more...' he kept saying to himself 'you've been through worse, you pathetic bastard, just one...more...step...'

As he approached the town, he thanked Luna for making it bright enough to light the surroundings - without it, he would've wandered for much longer, and probably wouldn't make it even that far. Yes, Luna... he will thank her later, now it was his life at stake.

'Yes, keep going... one more step... just get..to..that bloody tree...' Pain. He would get to that tree, rest for a little moment, then continue down the main road. Pain, so much pain. 'Just a few.. more.. steps...' He would've groaned, but he didn't had enough strength to do so. Besides, the tree was so close - vision of getting some rest gave him a little bit of energy, just enough to get there. 'just six..more..steps, ybastard...'

The pain... it was so strong, he couldn't go on like this anymore... Just get to that tree, there will be rest there..wait, I can't rest, I must go on, in his mind a seed of panic was sown it's okay I won't rest, just lean on that tree, that's all, I'm not gonna rest for a moment! He felt even more and more pain as he walked one, and it forced him to let out a quiet groan.

Yes, the tree, now I can just lean on it for a moment, not gonna close my eyes for a second, just take a deep breath... he did so, and closed his eyes in progress. He then hastily remembered what he was NOT suppoused to do, and with great effort he looked at the world again. In the east, he could see the sun raising, sky going from dark blue to bright orange, he thought 'I've seen what I've seen, beautiful and dark things in my life, I guess I could die in peace now.' Remnants of his common sense were getting more and more quiet in his mind, and then he couldn't hear them. He stomped as hard as he could on the tree he was leaning on, and noticed that it was as giant as the trees in Zebras's homeland. 'Well that's a nice last thought' he thought for a moment, and then he fainted.

A loud knock coming from the outside. Then another, and silence. Ugh, who would need a book so early, it's not even dawn yet! purple unicorn thought, rubbing her eyes with her hooves as she slipped out of her bed and walked downstairs, to the doors. 'I'm coming, I'm coming...' she said sleepily and yawned. As she approached the door, she heard a loud thud from the outside, which awakened her up a bit. He opened the doors, curious to see what pony would wake her up so early, and froze in shock.

Behind the door, was laying a light brown stallion, with green mane, wearing tattered vest and cape. His left backhoof was sticking out at a wierd angle, his head was bandaged, and she could see several bruises through the clothing.Omygoshomygoshomygosh what should I do omygoshomygosh Twilight panicked at first omygo- no, Twilight, calm down. This pony here needs help, and you are the only one nearby that has awakened. she calmed down, and picked the stallion up with her magic. It was unnaturally hard to lift him up, even though he was a bit less than the average build. She gently put him down in the middle of the main hall, and then ran off to the bookshelves. Healing spells, healing spells, healing spells... where in Celestia did I put them?! she didn't had time to look for them, she will just have to do it from the memory. She knew them pretty good anyways, as Cutie Mark Crusaders kept getting bruised, as well as five of her friends, who trusted her more than the hospital ponies. She stood by the injured stallion, noticing his well-kept, though battered-up now mane, and lowered her horn. Purple unicorn's horn glew as she casted a spell, healing all the stallion's serious bruises, and stopping the bleeding from few wounds. She again felt that it was harder than usual to use her magic on that pony, but she didn't had time to think about that. She sighed and turned around to grab a blanket to cover the pony, and as she turned back around to the stallion, she saw his green eye open, looking at her. She froze, looking at him, then she smiled.

'You're awake! That was fast, I didn't quite expect that. My name is Twilight Sparkle, I found you lying by my library. Where did you even get those wounds?' she looked at the stallion, who breathed deeply few times, and shook his head.

'You.. don't want to talk about it now?' unicorn asked.

Wounded pony nodded.

'Well... that's okay. You must be either very tired, or lost a lot of blood, and I guess it's the former, as I checked up on you, you seemed pretty okay, you see I know these handy spe-'

'Thank... you.' stallion said with difficulty. And then, he fell asleep.