For twenty years, they were together. They never left each other’s side. Feilbach was happy being with Amber. She was his first real friend, and the only pony he trusted. No matter how many years passed, she was the only pony Feilbach would talk to. He loved her, and would die for her in an instant. She returned his feelings tenfold, never leaving his side, and always comforting him when he would have fits of sadness.

Twenty-seven years later, and he still couldn’t get over his parents’ deaths. Only now, he had Amber to help him cope. They stayed together, happy, in that field. Ponies would pass by every day, look up at them, and wonder why they hardly ever left the tree. After so many years of being together in that tree, Amber couldn’t resist asking him…

“So, why’d you pick this tree, anyway?” She looked at him with innocent eyes, the same eyes as the day they met.

Feilbach pondered this question for a few minutes. He could barely remember the reason himself. “This is where my mother died. On this spot. The Princess told me this tree magically sprung up right after she died… This tree ended the conflict on these plains. My mother’s last gift to Equestria…” A tear dropped from Feilbach’s left eye.

Amber didn’t know what to think about this story. She believed him, but such an emotional memory is hard to interrupt. “That…That’s deep, ain’t it?” she asked quietly, gently.

Feilbach smiled, “Yeah. Deep. But the tree is dying.” Amber’s expression immediately changed to one of horror.

“Dying?! But…But why?” Her eyes started to tear up. Now that she knew what this tree meant to Feilbach, that news was devastating.

Feilbach chuckled, “Because, it’s magical. The kind of magic that doesn’t exist anymore. The war ruined that magic…” He paused to swallow an angry scream. His eyes grew larger, “The Triad of Magic that made up our world… When the three countries fought, that Triad broke. Sol, Luna, and Love aren’t united any longer…”

Amber remembered reading in historical texts about the Triad. There was a bond between Equestria, Everfree, and the Changeling nation that neighbored them. Equestria was known to control Sol, Everfree controlled Love, and the Changeling nation handled Luna. When the war started, and the bond was broken by greed and power, the Triad disappeared…

“That’s…sad. The Triad kept this tree alive?” Amber asked softly, placing a hoof on Feilbach’s shoulder.

Feilbach’s eyes returned to normal, as did his breathing. He spoke angrily, “Yes. Now, may we drop this wretched subject?” The two of them sat there the entire day. Neither one said another word. They just sat there, watching the ponies below them and seeing the beautiful sights of the plains…

Amber looked at Feilbach for the first time with a feeling she had never felt for any pony before: Pity… She pitied her friend, because she knew what would happen when the tree died. She knew that before long, she would be losing her friend…

Next Chapter: Chapter 8: Citrine Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 17 Minutes