It was dark.

Around me, the snowstorm smothered the light, leaving me a well of blackness.

I was alone. Everypony else had fallen away, I was the sole creature surviving this storm.

Why was I alone again? The cold... So hard to think.

They stopped halfway. Why?

I couldn’t think. The cold was sleeping into me, freezing me.

I deserved this... Maybe?

I did something.

Right... I did a bad thing. That’s why I’m alone.

But where was I going? I can’t see anything through the snow. It was just so cold...

I knew I was almost there. But I didn’t know what there is, not even where.

The darkness was smothering me. Except...

Was that a light?

Am I... Not alone?

Was I safe?

Stumbling forward, I kept watching the light, but it drifted further away.

My mind felt fuzzy...

It was just so cold...

No...

It was dark.

My eyes flashed open as I awoke, cold, in a pool of water, a glimmering light above me. My lungs were full of air, though I didn’t know how long that would last as I thrashed my way to the surface.

Everything was so foggy... I... Who am I?

That moment of uncertainty fled as I hit the surface, breathing in fresh air, my mind clearing suddenly.

That’s right. I’m Flash... Flash Sentry. I’m a Royal Guard in the Crystal Empire, serving directly under Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, as well as the recently born Flurry Heart.

I came here- “Damnit, it’s cold!” I swore, my coat soaked as I stepped away from the pool, my hoofsteps echoing in the cave it resided in.

I went over to the travel saddle I had shrugged off before diving in, taking out a few blankets to wrap around myself, and hopefully warm up a bit. Underneath where the blankets were, there was a book, pages yellowed with age. ‘Lost Tales Of The Crystal Empire.’

That’s right... I thought. This pool is a lost tale. ‘The Lake Of Frozen Memory.

I came here to forget... Something.

Now it’s frozen.

Now I’m free.

Okay, I’ll admit, I did not remember making a follow up to this story. Apologies for 200 extra words.