“Where the bloody hell have you been? The cats already eaten your food, so don’t blame me if you get hungry later” The elderly mare was more than a little irritated by my rather late arrival back at the cottage. Behind me were several full baskets of the crystal berries.

“Sorry Auntie, I came back down to borrow you baskets and collect some fruit. Hey! Maybe you could use some to make jam, I used to love your home made preserves.”

Pewter pushed past me in a blur, “Where in Equestria did you find these ?! I know you said you’d been able to find some, but I thought…”, she paused, “…You followed that old path up the hill didn’t you? How many times did I tell you not to go up there !?”

She was livid, her eyes narrowing as she advanced on me grabbing a ladle in her magic. With an almighty swing, she cracked me right on the muzzle, “Ow! Auntie, for Celestia’s sake pack it...Ow!”. Again and again the old mare hit me with the thing, her voice breaking as she shrieked,

“And how many bloody times have I told you not to blaspheme in this house!”

Tingles appeared from the kitchen covered in what looked like flower. My saviour darted forward and grabbed the ladle from the enraged grey mare and stood between us. Aunt Pewters chest heaved and she neighed angrily before trotting off to leave us alone by the bubbling cauldron.

“Are you alright?”, The tangerine mare asked me.

“I am, thanks, she has quite a strong swing for an old timer”

“That’s not what I meant…you’ve been gone for nearly the whole day. We were worried sick.”

I had to admit, I’d lost track of time up there picking berries, in the sunlight after my conversation with the Meadow and, well, whoever it was.

“Sorry”, was all I could manage.

“You may have been ‘worried sick’” came the voice from the kitchen, “but I wasn’t, you bloody young fool”

Tingles and I shared a smile and laughed quietly. Auntie may be a cantankerous old mare but she had a heart of gold, if a little ‘tarnished’, these days.

My reactions were put to the test when a shiny brass object flew at me from across the room. My horn glowed and I snatched the thing from the air and levitated it to my hoof, it was a small brass pocket watch. My dad’s old one, mine. I thought I’d never see it again…

“Auntie…how?”

“All your things are here, what they could salvage anyway. Not much I’m sorry to say. I cleaned the watch up and kept it for you, together with that tatty old coat and hat you liked so much.

“My coat and hat!”, I cried, pocketing the watch in delight. Aunt Pewter produced a box from a shelf which held a number of items from my home. They showed some evidence of…burning.

Pewter glanced at Tingles, “Nopony told him yet?”

The agency pony shook her head, “The day you and Meadow were attacked, your home, Mitres and Dawns, were firebombed. The fire crews managed to save your house, but its been cordoned off as a crime scene ever since. Some ponies even think its cursed and wont go near it. I’m sorry Cap, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you about this”

Auntie motioned to the box, “That big Pegasus and this one here,” she pointed at Tingles, “brought you what they could get their hooves on before the house was boarded up. I think you should be thanking her.”

I tried my best to smile, but…my home? For some reason, since I returned to Equestria, it hadn’t registered in my mind. Everything had just happened so fast, like a roller coaster of events, one after the other. I suppose it was all academic now anyway, I mean, how could a dead pony go back to his house? I’d have to have a word with Warlock and see whether there was anything I could do, perhaps sell it? Nopony need know what happened to the money and I could always put it towards a new one elsewhere.

What saddened me the most, was that was where Meadow and I had lived together, had planned to start a family. Had started a family.

“Thanks Tingles”

She smiled at me and trotted back to the kitchen. Aunt Pewter, watched her go, “I think she likes you nephew, must be the old family charm” she cackled. Sometimes, she really did seem like the local witch.

“Auntie, please. We’re not like that, she’s my partner in the agency”.

Pewter snorted in derision, “Bollocks!”, she poked me in the chest with her hoof, “The sooner you wake up and see what right in front of your face the better. She’s good looking too that one. Looks a bit like an orange, with that coat and mane, might make the foals look a bit off. Never had a Pegasus in the family that I can remember…”

“Auntie for…”, she shot me a glare, “Look, I need to ask you some things, can we speak, please?”

She nodded, magicking down a set of glasses and a bottle of brandy from the shelf, “I want to ask you some things first Fairlight. To begin with, I want to hear everything that happened to you…”

I face hoofed, “Oh goddesses! Not again! I’m going to have to write a book about this…”

Aunt Pewter paused in filling the glasses and smirked, “You want my help don’t you?”

I sighed in resignation and began…

****************

I finally reached the part where I joined the agency, auntie needn’t know about the coffee shop. That terrible scene was one nopony should have staining their memories. Pewter stretched, her joints creaking like the chair she occupied, I had no idea how old she was but she was still quite spry for a mare her age. She called over her shoulder, “You can come in you know, my dear”.

Oh shit, I’d completely forgotten about tingles in the kitchen, and by the look on her face, she now knew everything. Her eyes were wide as she approached, looking at me in a new light. Was it fear I saw? Wonder? I had no idea and to be honest, I didn’t want to know either. Everypony I grew close to became entangled in the disasters which I attracted like some furry lightning rod. She didn’t speak nor, I noticed, did she seem as confident in approaching me as she once had. Sitting on her haunches, the tangerine mare fiddled with her mane while Aunt Pewter continued her interrogation.

“Did you happen to meet anyone up on the hillside while you were there?”

Damn...damn…DAMN! How did the old bag now about that? Oh, but she did, and the look on her face said it all.

“I did, a grey pony from the herd, and…Meadow.”

“And what did they say to you?”

“What everypony else has been telling me, that I have to master control of this spirit.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Did they tell you anything else?”

The image of Meadow and the grey stallion drifted into my minds eye, “The stallion told me that there was nopony alive who knew how the wendigo’s used to control their power, that their fortress was destroyed and the knowledge lost. He said I should take strength from my friends. Something like that anyway.”

Aunt Pewter harrumphed, “Arrogant old fool”. She leaned towards me, “You would do well to follow his advice. There was something else wasn’t there, something Meadow said to you?”

I scratched my head, she had. Her words were still clear as if she had spoken them moments ago, “Ponies aren’t meant to be alone. Don’t cut yourself off from the love of those around you.”

Auntie nodded sagely, “Hmmm, true. But that wasn’t actually what I was getting at. I think you know what I’m talking about don’t you?”

I looked across at Tingles, a single tear fell from her eye to land on the dark wooden floor. It glistened as it fell, a tiny star in the gloomy room, her green eyes shining while she stared at me. She saw the monster within me, the demonic form. I knew what Pewter was trying to do but even if I’d let Tingles offer herself to me, there’s no way she would have done it now, not after hearing my tale. I could only hope it hadn’t ruined my working partnership with her, but I doubted it. Wist, now Tingles. Goddesses, nopony would want to work with me and who could blame them?

I fixed Pewter with a stare of my own, “I know what you’re thinking auntie and the answer is still no. I’ll find another way to deal with this, thanks for your help, but I think I’d better go, its probably dangerous to be around me.”

“And that exactly the sort of bollocks I expected to come out of your mouth!” She slammed her glass down on the table and whirled round to look back at Tingles, “Look at him! He’s a bloody mess, girl. You’re going to have your work cut out helping this one. Honestly, I don’t know what you see in him.”

“Auntie! For the Godddesses sake!” I shouted.

She wasn’t impressed, “Oh shut up! Stallions are thick as bricks, always were, always will be. Now then, lets all enjoy a nice brandy and dinner together. Afterwards, we’ll go for a walk.” She grinned expansively, showing her teeth, “All three of us”. I balked, there was no getting away from her this time.

It was evening by the time we were trudging back up the hillside. Aunt Pewter had packed lanterns and food for us as well as other odds and ends which were duly placed in saddle bags. As the stallion, I had been designated pack mule for this journey. Leading the way, aunt Pewter made good time, and we could still clearly see the hoofprints I had made earlier in the day. Judging by how overgrown the track was, I’d probably been the only pony up here in a good long while.

Tingles walked next to aunt Pewter when the track was wide enough, the two of the chatting away like a couple of hens. I couldn’t hear what they were saying and I suppose in a selfish way, I was glad of it. I was running over what I’d been told earlier, I had to control this being within me. It was so easy to say and in the Wither world, it had been easy to do. Why had it been easier there than here? It didn’t make sense. I still had its power chained up within me but I could also feel its desire to escape, to run free. There was always that background ‘need’ as well, that desire to feed. Berries would placate it, but that wasn’t what it desired.

I could feel it scratching at my subconscious, wanting to be noticed. I took my mind off if by looking fixedly ahead…at Tingles rump. She had a decidedly well formed rear for a Pegasus. For one more used to flying than walking, it was surprisingly well developed. Strong and lean. Her green tail swished from side to side and I could just make out her cutie mark peeking out from under her overcoat, it looked like…”

“Looks like you’ve got an admirer!” auntie cackled, looking back at me. Tingles fixed me with a look, her cheeks flushing a deep red, like mine.

Thanks auntie, now my partner thought I was a pervert too.

I took a deep breath and held my head down, goddesses, did it take this long to reach the top when I was collecting the berries earlier ?

Eventually, I noticed we’d broken off from the main track onto what looked like a game trail, with auntie forging on ahead. We continued along the sun dappled trail for a few minutes until we reached the edge of a clearing, white stones dotted about the edges of it like teeth bleached in the sunlight. She motioned me on, “We’re here Fairlight, come on, lets get the fire going and get comfy. This may take a while”.

Following her directions, we set up lanterns around the edges of the clearing and set a fire in an ancient iron brazier that had been covered over with vines. It showed signs of regular use despite its condition, and it was soon crackling away, sparks and heat radiating outwards.

“Why are we here Auntie? This is all a bit surreal if you ask me” I stated, catching my breath. The saddle bags were surprisingly heavy, particularly going uphill.

She smiled at me distantly, watching the dying rays of the sun as it dipped below the edge of the horizon. With a suddenly chirpy voice she announced, “Why are we here nephew? Why, we’re waiting of course. If we weren’t, we’d be doing something else!”

Tingles chuckled behind me, she was sat on her haunches running her hooves through her mane. I turned back to the old grey mare, she was damnably exasperating at times and I told her as much. She just rolled her eyes and returned to study the horizon.

It was very quiet here, no wind noise, no birds…still. The air felt old too, like it had lingered here for an eternity and had simply never moved on, I felt a little unnerved in the light from the lanterns. The brazier was welcoming, warmth always is I suppose, but once again, I was unsure of what was going on and this time, it was aunt Pewter’s turn to confound me. The old mare had been sat watching the sun disappear behind the horizon, the moon beginning to rise in its place, and at that moment she rose to her hooves and walked over to me.

“Stand here Fairlight and don’t move, whatever happens, you have to stay here. Do you understand?”

I nodded, if there was one thing Auntie knew, it was magic, “Yes Auntie, I’ll stay here”

She smiled and took out a pair of gourds from the saddle bags, walking around me chanting in a language I didn’t recognise. Her horn glowed with a blue light while she sprinkled silvery sand from the gourds. She passed me on a wide circuit, once, twice, getting nearer and nearer. I was at the centre of a spiral of sand, Tingles standing over by the brazier watching intently. She looked as fascinated as I was.

Auntie was one of a long line of unicorn mares in our family who kept in touch with the older magics. Many these days considered them antiquated, out of touch and even ‘quaint’. But when a mare was having trouble with a pregnancy or crops failed for no apparent reason, many of the villagers would seek her out rather than risk the modern hospitals or officials in the towns and cities. At heart, as much as these ponies pretended to be modern, they were still superstitious and traditionalist at heart. Was this what Luna and Celestia were trying to protect? The old ways of our people, our roots, so to speak?

The grey mare returned to the outside of the spiral, reversing her steps, shaking a dash of the powder out ever few steps and shouting out to the sky above in that weird language. I would have found it slightly comical, only I knew my aunt too well, I trusted her skill more than anyponies.

I was startled by her clopping her hooves together and crying out into the night air, her horn flaring bright white. But that wasn’t the only thing that had grabbed my attention, it was the sand spiral around me. It was glowing, shining brightly in imitation of the moons light as Luna rose it into the night sky above us. In the ethereal light, it was like I was floating between two seas of stars, one above and one below. Quite beautiful really.

“Fairlight…listen to me”, Pewter called, “call upon your power, reach out to it, gently but firmly. Keep a tight grip on it and keep your mind focussed on me. You are my family, my kin, our blood ties are strong, your mothers blood runs in your veins as her mothers runs in mine. Remember we are family, I am here for you…do you understand Fairlight?”

I nodded, “Yes auntie”.

“Good boy. Now, open your mind, reach for the power within you…”

Closing my eyes, I controlled my breathing the best I could, letting the world around me fade away until I could hear only the crackle from the fire and my own heartbeat, the breathing of my body, the blood flowing through my veins. My body relaxed, the tension unwinding and seeping away, the aches and pains so noticeable before, faded until they were no more than a memory. And there…there in the corner of my consciousness, cloaked in bitter cold fear and pain, the small sphere of ice blue light waited.

I followed the chains of my control, traced them to the expectant power and grasped them, pulling them off one by one. The light intensified, I could feel it questing, wondering, asking…’why was I doing this?’ The chains slipped off until finally I reached out and felt the icy touch of the spirit. It backed away, unsure of me, anger and suffering radiating from it…betrayal…

Images of Meadow flashed through my mine, smiling, crying, her face twisted in pain. She cried out for me, the vile images of her tormentors floating around her, laughing at her, goading me, challenging me.

I ignored them all. Meadow was with the herd, these images meant nothing. Gates and Melon Patch would meet their end one day, and it would be me who brought them to it. Vengeance would be served, but I was the one in control, I was the master here.

The ice cold screamed through me in a burning torrent, a tempest of magical anger and hate. I felt me body changing, the pain of the wings bursting from my back, my teeth growing, altering, the power building. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, goddesses, I had missed this feeling.

The spirit wasn’t finished with me though, like a different creature altogether, it threw images at me of Shadow; Maelstrom, the duchess, striking her across the ground, the lake creature tearing into her body and lastly, worst of all, Shadow…alone and crying out my name. I was powerless to help her, the spirit knew this, exploiting my fear, my loneliness.

Wordlessly it offered me power, strength, we would bring Shadow back and take revenge on the bastards who killed my wife…my foal…my little Sparrow Song, her face looking up at me…”Daddy? Are you coming home soon?”

Inside, my resolve quavered, my heart aching. Goddesses, why…

A cry of utter despair, thick with the unyielding cruelty of a winters night erupted from my throat and up into the starry sky. I opened my eyes and saw the snow beginning to fall around me…and so it should, my heart was as empty as the Withers. Everything had been taken from me…everything, there was nothing left, simply…nothing.

“Fairlight!”

A pulse of light and heat caught my attention from across the field of starlight, “FAIRLIGHT!”

I stared, my vision tinged in blue, focussing on the grey mare holding a staff with a prancing bronze pony atop it. Feathers and bones hung down from the figure, red gems shimmering as if ablaze. She was so familiar, “Mum?”, I hissed in the otherworldly voice of the wendigo.

“Fairlight, its me, auntie Pewter. We are family, you and I, remember the bond we share. Meadow is safe, Sparrow is safe. You will find Shadow soon and there are those who love you here. Can you understand my words nephew?”

I nodded, the spirit was calming now and I could feel its rage coming under my control. It was phenomenal, powerful and exciting to know that at any moment, I could unleash its fury. But this was not the time, my Auntie stood across from me, and there, a tangerine Pegasus, watching me with huge saucer like eyes. Despite all she had seen, she had remained brave enough to stay with us…with me.

I stretched me wings and shook out my brilliant blue mane, “Yes Auntie, I can understand you.”

“Good”, she sounded relieved, “Now Fairlight, try to remember the feeling you have now, the control, the sense of being one with your spirit. Listen to it, befriend it, but keep your awareness and focus on remaining yourself. You are strong my Nephew, all our family are strong, we share the bloodline and you must heed its call now. Remember who you are... Remember our history…remember”

I closed my eyes and tried to think back, but to what I wasn’t sure, my mother? My father? I could see them standing there in my minds eye, smiling and congratulating me on joining the watch, mum kissing my fetlock better when I’d fallen playing hoofball, Dad helping me build a tree house. Further back…grandfather holding me as a foal and granny, hugging my mum as she lay in the hospital bed.

Further back…Mum as a teenager, being bullied in the school playground and a young stallion coming to her aid, standing by her. He struck out, bucking one of the bullies to the ground watching the rest run off. She looked up at him with tear filled eyes, those big, love filled eyes.

I fell, faster and faster, images of ponies I didn’t know and somehow on an instinctual level, did, rushed past me in a blur.

The world stopped…then started again.

With a deafening roar of noise I was plunged into what I could only describe as an image from hell. I was on a hillside, ponies, thestrals, minotaurs, thousand upon thousand of them, blanketing the land as far as the eye could see. Black shining armour and weapons glinted in the half light, battles cries and shouts making the air vibrate around me. The air shook as a war dragon swooped low over me and with a massive beat of its leathery wings, climbed steeply upwards to keep station before a large group of armoured pegasi.

The pegasus in the centre spoke briefly to the great creature and it swept away, back the way it had come. I watched in awe as the huge lizard returned to where a large group of its fellows awaited.

Across the valley before us, lay another mass of creatures. Mostly ponies from what I could make out, banners flying in the breeze, silver and gold armour glinting in the sunlight that bathed their army. They too had dragons, not as many, but there, in the centre of their number, was a large white Pegasus in golden armour. Hard to make out at this distance, but there was no doubting that this one was their leader.

The pegasus…no, alicorn, who had spoken to the dragon, landed nearby. She strode up to the party I was with, her mane and tale flowing with the stars of the night sky, her eyes flaring like supernovas. The silver armour glittered, contrasting with her crescent moon cutie mark. We all went to our knees before her, she was our leader, our princess, we would follow her unto the end of the world and beyond if she commanded.

A blare of trumpets and a great cry went up, the enemy were advancing. The princess nodded to us and we took flight, my wings beating powerfully, sending me up into the sky for a panoramic view of the battlefield. The armies looked to be almost endless, and evenly matched. The rumble of hooves and battle cries blotted out everything except the trumpeted commands of our army.

Beside me, a brilliant white creature appeared, her eyes burning blue like her mane and tail. A delicate silver chain with a golden heart hung from her neck, while her great wings kept her on station. Thick clouds of white fog wreathed her hind quarters and she smiled at me, my beloved wife, Arathea.

“Are you ready my husband?” She called to me, white mist dripping from her maw.

I laughed, gazing into those beautiful deep blue eyes, “Of course wife! For the enemy, I am as ready as I am for you!”

She laughed heartily and glided up to me, embracing me in her forelegs and pulling me into a deep kiss. Our breath mingled, sampling each others life energy, the sweet taste of love…of life.

Arathea broke the kiss and drew up next to me, “Come my love! Its time to play!”

With a great howl of mixed joy and anger, we swept down upon our foes, unleashing our power into their midst. Great swathes of ice and blue fire lashed through the creatures below sending screams of pain and fear into the air. It was...rapture, the thrill of the hunt, anger unleashed. I inhaled their energies released into the air as I passed above them, breathing another pulse of blue fire into the mass below.

A bellow followed by a yellow-white jet of flame shot past me making me barrel roll to avoid it. The enemy war dragon charged me, claws outstretched and reaching. Beating my wings I pulled up into the thin cloud layer, the giant creature in pursuit. I wove my magic into the vapour trail behind me and circled the dragon which tried to rake my flank with another blast of fire.

We circled and danced around each other in a ballet of blue and yellow light. I blasted blue fire at the war dragon, eliciting a scream of pain when my attack struck its shoulder. In retaliation, its fire caught my wing, sending a shock of pain through me. I cried out in anger and drew in all my power for the final part of my plan. The dragon realised too late what was happening.

The white cloud was now almost completely covering its scales and starting to freeze. Clawing at itself and trying to crane its neck the thing attempted to burn off the ice. It was all far too late, the flame barely guttered, the great wings stiffening. With barely a cry, the dragon dropped like a lead weight to the ground far below, crushing those unfortunate enough to be in the way of the enormous corpse. I grimaced, how I would have taken joy in feasting on that beings life energy. Still, no time for that, there were many more for me to taste this day.

Although the battle must have lasted for hours, I barely noticed it. I strafed the enemy lines, killing countless and maiming many more. Their numbers were seemingly endless but I felt like their energy, their impetus was being blunted. A great cry of excitement greeted me, “Maroc! We’re doing it! We’re winning!”

Arathea looped around me, her joy palpable.

I laughed with her, “Don’t let up my love, there are many more who need our help to send them to the next world, and I for one will not be happy until I have tasted a dragons energy!”

She laughed, “You haven’t already? How slow you are! I’m already on my third!”

The brilliant white wendigo mare flew off in a trail of cloud to dive down on the enemy forces below. I had no time to watch her go, my own foe were awaiting me, and I hated being late.

Fighting rolled back and forth below me like waves upon a beach, reinforcements being brought up, trumpets blasting orders. And then, up above us, it was as if the world had taken a breath. The princesses faced one another, one white, one black, the sky divided between them…day and night. I couldn’t hear what they said to one another, but what happened next could never be forgotten. Purple and black lightning burst from the princess of the night narrowly missing her sister, who replied with a brilliant flash of intense heat which missed its target but slashed through the ranks below.

Where it hit, troops were instantly turned to ash, smoking furrows in the ground marking where once living beings had been. Within moments, the gaps were filled by more warriors engaging the enemy of our princess, our goddess, Nightmare Moon.

With redoubled efforts, I screamed down like an avenging spirit upon the creatures below, blasting them with my magic, freezing their flesh and rending their bodies. My princess had called and we had answered, I would fight for her and help usher in the eternal night.

Around me light flashed again and again, whole units of ponies, minotaurs, thestrals, annihilated in the crossfire from the battle in the sky above. The fight below was becoming uncertain. Emboldened by Celestia’s attacks, the enemy had gained heart and pushed harder, our troops holding but struggling to stem the tide.

Our thestrals swooped down to burn then with lightening and fire, our wendigo’s similarly raking their lines. In response, enemy unicorns helped shield a good number of their army but it was not enough to save all of them.

Many died, on their side and ours. The Celestian armies dragons and griffins devastated our ranks, fighting with the thestrals both in the air and on the ground.

And then…the end came. A whirling of colour around Celestia coalesced into a great beam of rainbow light, blasting into our beloved Nightmare Moon who simply…vanished. The world held its breath once more, the armies below stopping to stare upward, the night sky disappearing and bathing the warriors of the night in sunlight. They broke.

In fear, many dropped their weapons and ran. They didn’t know where to run to, only wanting to escape the vengeance of Celestia who was even now diving on them like an avenging golden spirit. Her terrible magic lashed out again and again, hundreds, thousands dying in an instant. Those who hadn’t already fled, retreated. Some stayed, trying to rally their comrades around them only to be cut down by the heartened Celestians.

A flash of brilliant light blinded me and I fell, my right wing no longer attached to my body. Agony cut through me like a white hot knife, I’d never felt such searing pain like this in my life. I gathered my magics around me in a thick cloud to arrest my fall, hoping that it would cushion my landing to some degree, then I would find Arathea and we would get away from here.

“Maroc!”, the distressed shout of my beloved grabbed my attention and she swept down to catch me in her forelegs, blue tears leaking from her blazing eyes, “Oh Goddess, no, my love…”

“Its alright Arathea, I can restore my wing later. We must escape quickly, the Celestian’s have the field.”

She nodded and helped me to the ground, with a kiss we turned to run. Our troops rushed past us in a desperate rush for safety, wherever that may lie. I knew where we must go, we had no choice.

In our retreat, Celestia’s vengeance was terrible, her beam lanced out through our ranks, mercilessly. This wasn’t a defeat, it was extermination. A dreadful pulse of white hot energy cut through the ground next to me, turning the world to steam and ash. A minotaur, his leg gone, crashed into me, sending me flying across the ground only to pick himself up and crawl away with a drive borne of desperation.

“Arathea!”, I called. I couldn’t see her, “ARATHEA!” I shouted for her again and again, but of my wife, there was no sign, except…in the steaming, molten furrow of Celestia’s magic, amongst the still falling ash…a small silver chain with a golden heart.

I picked up the chain in my hooves, ash and mud clinging to it, all that remained of my beloved Arathea. I choked back the tears, the pain and outrage filling my soul, “NO! Damn you Celestia, damn you to bowels of hell!” I snarled and turned, blasting blue fire up into the sky at the princess. It was useless, my power was depleted and she was too far away. I would have to escape now, mourn my love later, there was something I had to do before it was too late.

I had managed to slip away into the forest, many others had found refuge here too, but it was only an illusion of safety. The vengeance of the Celestian’s would not so easily be sated, and the sensible ones pushed on, myself with them. Ahead, a minotaur argued with a thestral, an officer judging by his armour.

“We must rally what we can, form a rear guard. Get your warriors together and help me defend this position”, the thestral officer commanded.

The minotaur gave a sarcastic laugh, “You are mad! Our army is defeated, routed, look around you! There is nothing left to defend you fool.”

The officers eyes flared, “Damn you, you coward, stand and fight!”

“Out of my way or I will cut you down where you stand!”

I tried to get around them but the officer pushed in front of me, “You! A wendigo, we need your kind here, I beg you, stand with me and help the others to escape.”

“Sir”, I tried to reason with him, “The minotaur is right, there’s nothing left to save. We must escape now, the army is gone!”

He pulled out a sword and held it before my eyes, “You’re both cowards! If you will not stand with me, then you will serve as an example to the others.”

With a shout, he swung the sword at the minotaur, cleaving the creatures throat open. The horned beast gasped for breath, clawing at its wound and sank to the ground twitching it life away. I saw my chance and lunged for the thestral, my fangs sinking into his throat. He shrieked, dropping his sword and tried to blast me with his fire, but it was all over. His life energy leeched from his body and filled my maw with its delectable flavour, but it was not enough. Moving to the minotaur, I breathed in the creatures spirit to replenish my own, channelling my magic to heal my wing.

The pain was simply exquisite, re-growing bone and membrane, muscle and sinew, my new wing formed itself in a swirling mist of white and blue energy. I was tired, most of my recent energy spent now, but I could still fly…and fly I did. With a bound, I took to the air and headed for the fortress, for home.

I followed the river below, the green rolling hills and farmlands, to the edge of the black forest. The river narrowed on its path through the trees and I traced it to the base of the foothills, onward up into the blue mountains beyond.

The white clowds around me gradually grew thicker, denser, becoming a solid wall of swirling white around my beating wings and then, ahead, the great fortress of the wendigo’s. The scale of the fortress was staggering, a mind reeling blend of ice and stone, needle thin spires reached up to the heavens, turrets and sky bridges gave the structure an elegant and otherworldly beauty.

Unlike when I left here with Arathea, the skies were empty save for the occasional bird. The once lively fortress had buzzed with life, song and laughter. The cold barely touched our people and the fear which we struck in the hearts of the local denizens, even in the princesses lands, lead us to construct this place, our sanctuary, for our own. Here we felt the world could not touch us, but now, our princess was gone, our army shattered. The vengeance of the Celestians would reach even here, I knew I didn’t have long.

Diving in through the south turrets open window, my hooves skittered on the stone floor. An old blue stallion, his eyes gleaming blue, rushed in to challenge me, his sword glinting in the light from his horn, “Lord Maroc! You have returned, is there news? What of Lady Arathea?”

I pushed past him roughly, I didn’t have time to explain. “Take your family and flee, Nelian, the army is defeated, save yourself and any you find. Theres no time!”

I rushed down corridors and stairs, past empty chambers, suits of armour and banners. The memories and trophies of past battles, the pointless vanities of my ancestors. We had sided with the night and for that we would be punished, damn those Celestian bastards, damn them all! In the distance I could hear shouting, commands, the fortresses inhabitants grabbing what they could in their rush to escape. But where to? I knew these people, some would fight, some would flee, in my desperation and heartache, I had to save the last vestige of my life that was worth protecting.

The huge door was already open. Within, shouts and the clash of battle, the unmistakable stench of blood thick in air, tantalising my nostrils. The damned Celestian’s were already here? How?! No matter, battle was upon us and I would need to pass through this chamber to my destination beyond.

Inside, the ring of steel and pulse of magic was like walking into an open furnace. Wendigo and pony fought hoof to hoof. Blood, both red and blue, spattered the floor. Bodies spread out around me, some groaning and moving, others gasping their last. I took in a deep breath of the leaking life energy, taking up a sword from a fallen warrior in my magic. Celestia’s elite pegasi shock troops, clad in their magic resistant armour pressed in on the fortresses defenders. The impudence in attacking our fortress has cost them dearly, at least twelve of their number lay slain.

A bolt of blue fire flew past me to gouge a chunk from the wall, a Pegasus howling in pain, its armour failing to protect it from the close range magical energy blast. I screamed in anger, charging the damnable creatures before me. The pegasi were quick on their hooves, but there was little they could do when attacked from two directions. Most of their attention was focussed on attacking, not defending and I cut into them with my sword and fangs, breaking bone, freezing flesh. The sword slashed through the air, opening hides and vein, viscera splashing my coat and wings in their lifes essence.

It was over as almost soon as it had begun. Quickly dispatching the wounded pegasi, I faced my warriors, weary, but alive. “My Lord! What is happening? These bastards came out of nowhere and attacked us!”.

I clopped him on the shoulder, “Herath, take your warriors and help evacuate the fortress. If any refuse, don’t waste time, leave them and get out.”

His eyes flared and he saluted, the others doing the same, “My Lord…will we meet again?”

“I don’t know my old friend”, I said solemnly, “Goddess willing, we will. If not here, then we will meet up in the next world”

We clasped forelegs, I prayed they would escape and find peace in their lives. For now, my focus was on the room beyond. Throwing its heavy oak door open, my eyes swept the great stone room. Light from the fireplace was more for comfort than heat, heavy drapes, tapestries and a deep rug leant a splash of colour to the otherwise austere chamber. A light whimper came from beneath the bed, I trotted over, bending down to catch the bed spread with a forehoof.

“Vela…Vela, its daddy…you can come out now little one.”

A small grey muzzle poked out from beneath the bed and gave a little snort, yellow eyes looking up curiously, “Daddy? Are the bad ponies gone?”.

I smiled down at him, “Yes love, they are. Come on, let me get your things, we need to go now.”

“Wheres mummy?”, the grey unicorn foal said emerging from his hiding place.

I felt a stab of pain in my heart, “She’s going to meet us soon Vela, now come along, I need you to be strong for me. Can you be strong for me?”

He looked unsure, but then stomped a forehoof trying to look fierce, “Yes daddy”. At any other time I would have laughed and swept him up in my arms, but this was not the time for that. We had to escape and get as far away from Equestria as we could, perhaps one of the other countries could take us? A mercenaries life wouldn’t be too bad, I’d probably have to drop the ‘Lord’ title though. It meant nothing now.

Sweeping my foal onto my back, I replaced the sword I’d recovered with my fathers old one, grabbing a few sparse provisions to put into a saddle bag. Satisfied, we rushed from the room just as a huge rumble shook the fortress, “Dragons”, I breathed.

Vela spoke behind me, “Daddy?”.

“Its alright Vela, we’re going to go fast now, hang on tight okay?”

I felt him dig his hooves into my coat in response. I’d strapped him to my saddle pack as best I could. Damn it, if I’d only had more time…

The fortress was now fully under siege. Fire and blue magic flew back and forth from the Celestian’s and I knew it was only a matter of time before their princess arrived to annihilate us. I had seen the Equestrian’s mercy today, for us, there would be none.

The corridors flew past in a blur, the way to the mountain pass was the only escape now unless I wanted to run the gauntlet of war dragons and pegasi. I couldn’t risk my foal, he was all I had left of Arathea and was my legacy in this world. He was silent as we ran, small fights and larger skirmishes were mere background noise while we rushed past.

Bursting from the high window, my wings snapped open, my heart thundering in my chest and I flew as fast as I could straight for the pass.

Wendigo warriors fought around me, backed up by a number of thestral’s who had sought safety at the fortress. Poor devils, all they had found was another battlefield.

Shouts and cries echoed around me, magical energy and fire sizzled past my speeding form, the pass not far ahead. Plunging down through a bank of mist, I beat my wings hard and flared just before landing in the snow.

Ahead of me, my people, what was left of them, headed up the pass. With luck, the clouds would hide them from the Celestian’s fury that was razing our home behind us. I uttered a prayer for those unknowingly helping secure our escape.

The column moved quickly and silently, even the wounded on the backs of carts barely whimpered. We were a proud people, not many of us left, but strong and true. Some called us monsters, ostracised us and cast us out, but our strength of heart kept us together. Then…the princess came, helped us rebuild, gave us a home to call our own, and when she made the call to arms, we were the first to answer. Now, it was all unravelling around us, blue blood and tears staining the ground. We would return some day and reclaim our home, but for now we must escape. My son, had to survive no matter what.

One of the fortress staff called to me, a filly not quite into marehood, “Lord Maroc, is it true? Has the princess been defeated?”

I smiled to her kindly, “Don’t worry about these matters young one, take heart and help our people through the pass and beyond these cursed lands. The past is past, the future is now and in all our hooves…in yours too. I can see in your eyes, you have it in you to become a great wendigo, embrace your true self and rise to be more than you are.”

The filly nodded, brushing a tear away with a forehoof before trotting off to rejoin the main column. I trudged on pausing only to look back at Vela who was nestled into my back asleep. He slept so much, it made me feel I wanted to take a long rest myself, I was exhausted after the fighting and the rush to escape the fortress. Fortunately it wouldn’t be long until we reached the end of the pass and the caverns that would take us deep into the earth and away to our ancestral home in the frozen north. At least that had been my plan, hasty as it had been. The Celestian’s however, had a very different plan for us.

Without warning, a rumbling boom from above us shook the pass, echoing along its length, dislodging snow and boulders down onto the ponies below. Cries and shouts of alarm rang out, the mass of refugees picking up speed towards caverns. It was close now, I could hear the wind sound changing and smell the difference in the air. Damn the bitch princess and her bastard army, could they not leave the meagre scraps of our people to flee?

The answer to my silent question came quickly in a plume of flame which engulfed the leading ponies in the column. Anypony who has ever smelt the stink of burning hair and flesh will never forget it…nor the screams of those dying in its infernal heat.

A war dragon the size of which I had never seen before, let alone in the last battle, flew low, raking our ranks. Ponies and wounded wendigo warriors replied with crossbows and blue fire of their own. In our weakened state, few could take flight and I could not risk attack, nor leave Vela here. Both options could end in death, but I was out of options. I would fight. As if answering an unspoken prayer, Herath arrived through the roiling mist and smoke, pulling up a few feet away.

“My Lord! The Celestian’s have broken through, they are on their way here now. We have to fly for the caverns without delay.”

Screams and cries from ahead and, goddess help us, behind, filled my ears, “Herath, my friend, take Vela, fly for the cavern for all you are worth and don’t stop for anything or anypony. Do you understand me?”

He stood there, eyes wide, “Lord…what do you mean? You can fly with us!”

I shook my head, “Our people are dying Herath, I don’t have time to argue. If I don’t do something, we wont have anypony left to save. Take my son north, get him out of here! NOW!”

Herath bowed and took Vela from my back and between us, we strapped him onto the warriors back.

“Daddy? Whats happening? I’m scared…”

Vela was frightened but I couldn’t do anything to ease his fear now, if I didn’t try to stop the Celestian attack, we would all die, my son would die.

“Vela, you must go now, Herath will look after you. Be strong my little warrior”

He was so young, his heart warring between his distress and wanting to impress his father, “Daddy, I’ll be brave…I’ll…”

His eyes welled with tears. I turned to Herath, “Take him and go Herath, goddess be with you…wherever she is…”

The wendigo clasped forelegs with me and without another word, shot forward like an arrow for the caverns ahead, “Daddy loves you my little one…” I called. Whether he heard me or not, I couldn’t say, all was drowned in blistering fire and cries of pain as the damned war dragon made another pass. Blasts of fire and magical energy were coming from behind now, closer than ever. My target was clear, the dragon had to be removed.

The wintery clouds shot past me, I was like a streak of purest white lightening, arrowing for my target, the black onyx dragon. It was a terrifying beast to behold, true, but one a wendigo could match with his own magical fire and ice. My warriors had faced these creatures and bested them, but we were now few, and most of those wounded. I myself was suffering from fatigue, and my magic was desperately low. If we were to survive we had to take this monster down and my first attack would hopefully divert its attention from the fleeing refugees below.

The bolt of bright blue magical energy hit the dragon slightly below its left shoulder, scoring a line back and across its spines. Splinters of scales were flensed off the beasts back in a plume of magical fire and smoke. The stink of burning hit me again, but it was a good smell, my enemy’s blood would stain the mountain side this day.

Screams of rage and fire erupted from the dragon, the great serpent spiralling in the air searching for its attacker. I’m certain the foul thing believed it could simply incinerate us from above, the possibility of attack was never factored into its plan, the arrogance of the dragon was sickening to me.

An advantage of the cloud in the pass was I could use it to help hide my location. Breathing deeply, I breathed out my own freezing mist, wrapping it round me for concealment and attack. Wendigo’s were no cowards, but foolhardiness would not serve me or my people well. It was time to press my attack. The dragon passed under me and I dove on it, sinking my teeth into its neck and unleashing a full blast of my power into the thing. The white mist cascaded over its back, instantly freezing scales which shattered like thin glass that trailed out behind the beast.

It rolled, lashing out with it claws, finding I was still latched onto its back. I sent another bolt of energy directly into its neck. Roaring, the dragon flew straight for the mountain side, pulling up and angling itself to drive me against the rocks. At the last moment, I let go and just in time. The stupid beast misjudged its approach and ploughed into the rocky mountainside, rocks, flame and blood avalanching down, yet the damned thing refused to die.

The terrible wound in its neck was pouring blood in a torrent, but still it bellowed defiance. I swooped down and up in front of the crippled creature, readying another bolt of magic. The dragon glared hatred at me, its golden reptilian eyes glowing, “Your time is over wendigo, the princess has this day. You and all your filth will be washed away in a river of your own blood.”

I smirked at the creature, he didn’t impress me and I would make sure he knew it, “You know, there’s really no need for drama. Or perhaps, where you are going, there is…”

He looked at me momentarily surprised. Then, I spotted what I knew was coming, the massive inhale before the release of dragon fire. I timed it perfectly, the dragons lungs where full, ready to incinerate his comparatively small adversary. He didn’t expect me to beat him to it with a blast, not of magical blue fire, but of mist, sparkling blue white, filling the creatures maw to bursting.

Unable to release the fire inside the dragon gagged, clawing at its mouth, desperately trying to dislodge the frozen deadly fog. Ice spread around his neck and head, the fire building inside it until the dragon was radiating heat like a furnace. I knew what was coming next and threw up a shield of ice before me a second before, with a cacophonous detonation, the reptile erupted in fire, bone, gore and scale. I was spattered with the remnants of my enemy, shaking my mane to dislodge the worst of it. Next, I had to see how many had reached the caverns.

I never made it. The blinding flash of light and heat seared past me, burning a wide patch of my fur and skin, sending rocks and melted snow into the air. Celestia flew down into the pass, the very image of an avenging spirit, beautiful, terrifying and full of rage. Her eyes shone like suns, matching the golden armour encasing her alicorn body.

Either side of her, pegasi and dragons flew through the rapidly dispersing cloud and mist, her sunlight burning away the last vestiges of cover my people had below.

The bitch herself glanced at me only for a second before sending a solid white hot beam into the mass of bodies below her.

“NO!” I screamed at her, shooting a blast of my own magical energy toward the leader of Equestria. She couldn’t be doing this ! Goddess protect us, why couldn’t she let us leave her damned lands…

Below, dragon fire and bolts rained down on the helpless fleeing mass. Their cries filled the air, pain, terror, despair, my heart resonated with their suffering. I should be down there with them, this wasn’t revenge, this was murder. The bastards wanted us all dead, every last one of us.

I dropped my head and charged the source of my hate, my anger raging. She loomed in my vision, her face set in a determined glare, horn beginning to glow - ready for another attack. A pegasi’s bolt took me in the chest without my ever seeing him. Weakened as I was, I plunged down into the pass below, the deep snow helping to break my fall.

White hot agony ran through me and I cried out, trying desperately to stand, huffing blood from my nostrils. Another bolt took me through my flank, another and then another. Pain, shock and the surprising weight of the impact from the bolts took me to my knees. Panting, trying to take a breath through the blood beginning to flood my lungs, I looked up to the alicorn princess who watched me impassively.

“Why?” I gasped up at her, “…why?”

I thought in some way, that she would smirk, grin, laugh…something, something to make me hate her all the more. She was victorious, she could gloat, goddess knew she could. We’d lost utterly.

Celestia landed a few feet from me, her horn glowing. She needn’t have bothered herself, I was finished and I think she knew it as well. Those beautiful eyes of hers, her brow brought down over them in a frown, bore into mine, “Because Equestria must have peace, we need to have peace. There has been too much war, too much suffering, the land is scarred and its people broken. So long as creatures like you exist, so long as evil exists in this land, ponies will never be able to live their lives as they were meant to. Your time is over wendigo, the time of darkness has ended, the time of sunlight is now.”

I shook my head, “And what about mercy Celestia? Will you not find any in your heart for those you have vanquished? I will not beg you…but I ask, let what few of my people remain escape, you have your victory.”

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them looking straight up into the blue sky. The princess breathed in deeply, considering her reply, “No. I am sorry wendigo, but my decision has been made. You are too much of a risk to this land and as much as it wounds my heart to do this, you must all be…removed, for the good of all.”

She called to her troops in a voice which echoed through the pass and skies beyond, “Celestians! Now is your time to take revenge upon the forces of the night, those who would plunge your world into darkness. Strike your enemy down without hesitation. No prisoners, no mercy.”

I struggled to stand, how could she? There were old ponies, foals, fillies, colts. Few wendigo warriors remained and most of those half dead already. If this was the cost of bringing sunlight to the land of Equestria, then I would gladly take the eternal night. This evil bitch was the true source of cruelty in the land.

The death cries of my people rose and fell in the pass, gradually fading away, ebbing into history along with their souls. Somewhere in the distance, I thought I heard a tiny voice, carried faintly on the breeze, “Daddy…”

Oh Goddess, my son…Vela…lost…It was all over, my wife, my son, my people…it was the end of our world. What strength now remained in my broken body was pitiful. The pegasi advanced on me, reloading crossbows or drawing swords. Some looked smug, others determined, all I saw was death coming to claim its next soul. The reaper had taken a full harvest this day.

Whatever these ponies believed, I wouldn’t let the bastards take me without fighting to my last breath. Standing weakly, I challenged the alicorn who had arrogantly turned away from me,

“Princess Celestia…you claim to bring the sun, but all you bring is death. Your hooves are soaked in the blood of foals. Your sister spoke truly, you are the true evil in this land. You took my family from me and have killed my people. I will see you burn in Hades…you BITCH!”

I poured my magic, my very life energy, into my horn and threw the brilliant blue beam at the alicorn princess. She deflected it with a shield spell effortlessly, the blast slamming into the mountainside behind her, sending splintered rocks flying into the pegasi below. I’ll say this for Celestia, her expression never changed, she didn’t smile once. I on the other hoof, even as her beam of white hot energy engulfed me…did.