The Burning Past

It was raining as a light black male Pegasus with a brown mane and tail and wearing a black cloak, was flying above a dark forest. He kept flying until he saw the place he was looking for. The forest ended as a deep valley came in to sight. On the edge was a small grave and a old looking sword.

"hey, Clever..." greeted the Pegasus as he landed in front of the grave.

The Pegasus soon notice that the grave stone was cover in over grown vines and quickly remove them.

"There!" smiled the Pegasus as he can now clearly see the words of his dead friend once more "sorry I haven't visited in a while..." trailed off the Pegasus as he sat next to the grave and stared off into the valley below.

The Pegasus just sat there and didn't speak. The only sound that was made was the wildlife that was still out during this downpour but to the Pegasus, there was a other sound...Sounds of ponies, young and old, screaming in great pain. He didn't flinch as the ghosts from his past, soon took form around him.

"...I still see and hear their cries, Clever..." Whispered the Pegasus as he turned to the grave "...Ever since that dark night...The memory still burns in my mind..." As he rubs his forehead with his hoof "...I'm surprised I didn't go insane yet!" Laughed the Pegasus as the world around him, started to form into a small village and it was being consumed by flames...

Flashback

"Burn it all down, boys!" Ordered a old looking gray unicorn, as he watched his men burn down a few buildings "leave nothing standing! The princess orders this village to be purge!".

"...We should help them..." Whispered a young Pegasus who was completey covered in gray armor as he tossed a large flame bomb into a nearby building.

As the Pegasus landed to refill his pack for more bombs, he heard his name as an older light gray male unicorn with a black mane and wearing light armor, ran up to him and spoke "Hyperion! Come with me!".

"what's wrong, Clever?" Quickly asked Hyperion as he opened his helmet visor "You look like you seen some-" that's all Hyperion could say before being dragged away by Clever's magic.

As both ponies entered an old abandoned warehouse, yet to be touched by firebombs, Clever spoke. His voice enraged, with a hint of regret and sadness "Do you know why we're burning this village down!".

Hyperion remembered the briefing that him and his squad got before entering the village and answered his close friend "that Epidemic, that is spreading across Eq-".

"WRONG!" Shouted his friend as he cut Hyperion off and quickly dashed over to a large crate to kick it open "THIS IS WHY!".

Hyperion was in shocked to see a small group of healthy village ponies as they were tied up and gagged. Without asking any questions, Hyperion quickly help his friend as they freed the ponies. As the village ponies was talking among themselves, Hyperion finally ask some questions and Clever quickly answered.

"Our squad as been lied to, Hyperion! The real reasoned we're burning this village down is because Celestia is wiping out the small rebel group that was forming here!".

Hyperion quickly remembered about the rumors about a small rebel group that was forming in the east but he thought it was just rumors and nothing more. Before he could reply to Clever shocking truth, his friend spoke once more.

"Celestia elite Solar Guard, came in and wipe out the rebels" Clever turned to the doorway and spoke again as he watched as his teammates burn a nearby house "...We're just here to leave a message..." trailed off Clever as his sadness finally won over his anger.

Hyperion walked over to his friend and watched the scene as more building was set on fire. He knew what his friend wanted to say but he too didn't want to say it but he said it anyway.

"...To anypony who dares to start or hide a rebel group..." Whispered Hyperion as he placed his hoof on Clever's shoulder.

The two ponies soon gathered the village folks they saved and was about to let them escape as the two soldiers ponies exited the ware house. Sadly their commanding officer spotted them and surround them with a few elite soldiers. Clever explained what he uncovered but their commanding officer didn't care and ordered Hyperion to burn the warehouse down, while the village folks was still inside.

"w-what!" Said Hyperion as he was given a flame bomb "I can't-" that was all Hyperion could say as a blade hung under his throat from an elite soldier.

"DO IT BOY OR YOUR DEAD!" Shouted the commander as he rose his hoof as a sigh for the elite soldier to get ready to kill Hyperion.

Hyperion slowly faced the warehouse but as he did so, he caught Clever's eyes and there was more sadness than before. With one threw, the warehouse was on fire...So was the ponies inside as they screamed in pain...

End of flashback

The memories of the village ponies as they burn to death, was replaying in front of Hyperion as he started to laugh. The dark memory of that day, was always haunting him since he left the army with Clever. He believed he got, use to it but in truth, he was slowly going insane.

After finishing his crazed laughter, Hyperion turned to the grave once more and spoke as a creepy smile was forming on his face "You never hated me for what I did on that day, Clever." Soon tears started to form in his eyes as he continued to speak "...You should have hated me! I was always weak...My parents died when I was young and that event would have made me strong for when you died...But it didn't...".

Hyperion stared off to the dark gray skies and started to laugh again as it started to rain even harder. Soon thunder flashes across the sky as his laughter grew more insane. This was the breaking point for Hyperion as the world started to warp and bend around him. There was no turning back for him now...Until he heard his name as it was bring called from behind...

"Hyperion?" Said the voice as it got closer to him.

Hyperion turned to where the voice was coming from but stilled a had an insane look on his face. He swore that he saw Clever in front of him but that quickly vanish as a midnight blue female Pegasus with a purple mane and tail, with two black streaks threw both the mane and tail and wearing a dark blue armor, was standing there with a worry look. Hyperion sanely somehow return from the dark void of his mind and quickly spoke.

"Midnight? How in Luna name did you find me?" Ask Hyperion as he returned looking to the valley below "I know I didn't tell anypony where I was heading..." trailed off Hyperion as Midnight sat next to him.

"You didn't it, Hyperion." Answered Midnight as she face him "I followed you here because I notice something was wrong with you." Midnight then turned to the grave and notice the name on it and kind of understood why he was here "...So he's buried here...".

"Yes, Midnight." Whispered Hyperion as he once again stared into the sky and notice the rain was slowly stopping "...It was my fault he died..." trailed off Hyperion as his sadness took over him.

Midnight was surprised to see him like this, since she always saw him so strong and he didn't show his emotion so much before. Without thinking, Midnight shouted at him to put himself together.

"Stop crying like a baby, Hyperion!" Yelled Midnight as she grab Hyperion by his shoulders "Get over what happen in the past and look into the future! Your one of the leaders of the rebel group called "New Lunar Republic" and your troops can't see you like this..." Midnight quickly let him go to look away from him "...Even I can't see you like this...".

Hyperion swear he saw a tear as it fell from Midnight cheek but he quickly brush it off and spoke with no sadness in his voice "Thank you, Midnight." smiled Hyperion as a ray of light broke through the clouds and hit him.

Midnight face him before wiping away something from her eyes and handed him something from her backpack.

"Here, we just got a message from 6th Battalion commander Coalheart." Said Midnight as Hyperion took the scroll and started to read it while she started to explain what was on the scroll "The raid on the Great Library of Aiur was successful. They didn't lose to many troops as Coalheart and his men recover the tomb that you and Princess Luna wanted." Finish Midnight as Hyperion too, finish reading the scroll.

"Good! When they return, we can start the first phase of the operation of the invading" said Hyperion as he pulled out the rusted and old looking sword from Clever grave and handed it over to Midnight, who tied it onto her back "Get that sword to Dark, right away. Without it, the invading can't start!" Spoke Hyperion as he open his wings.

Midnight was about to take off but Hyperion stop her as he spoke "Hey, Midnight. After this whole war is over, what about you and I go on a date?" smiled Hyperion as he notice her blushing and trying to find the words to answer her commanding officer. Lucky for her, Hyperion help her by saying "i was just joking. Besides, I believe one of our spies, keep asking for you when we get Intel from her...I believe her name was Senset or something like that?" As he rub his chin, to remember the mares name but it didn't help.

"OH! Her..." Said Midnight as she did a face-hoof and thought back when she kiss Sunset before escaping the prison "...Whatever, Hyperion. Let's g-".

"HOLD IT!" Ordered Hyperion in a very cold voice as he cut Midnight off "Remember Lance Knight Midnight, always give rank when speaking to your commanding officer!".

Midnight quickly blushes with embarrassment and saluted and shouted like any soldier will do when speaking to a commanding officer, when they made a mistake "SORRY SIR! PLEASE FORGIVE ME, GENERAL HYPERION!, SIR!".

Midnight's fear and embarrassment were quickly gone as they was replace with anger and joy as Hyperion took off to the sky and laughing. She took off after him and didn't speak to him as they reach the base camp of the "New Lunar Republic" group.

In the next coming days, Midnight and others will learn why the tomb that the 6th Battalion recovered from their raid and the sword that Dark was given to restore, was so important to the operation...

fin