"The Dragons arrived all too late to help us." Prologue
I woke screaming. That dream, it came again. Why does it keep haunting me? I thought as I sat up and laid my head in my hand, breathing heavily. I looked at the sheets of my bed, examining the designs.
I got up, and wrapped my housecoat around me, then went into the little kitchen that Byrin and I shared. I brewed some tea and thought about my dream.
It had been real. The dream was a part of my memory. A terrible part, that always chased me in my dreams in the mortal world. I tried to escape it here, in the mountain and valleys that I had created. But it followed.
I went back to my room and changed into my usual attire, a long white dress with the shoulders-blade region open. I fixed my hair into a ponytail, with my bangs forward, and left my room, traveling to my fields. As I entered, I saw that dawn was upon the horizon.
I began my usual morning rounds, meeting travellers and telling them about my realm. I started in the Weyrs, then moved to the Fields down below, and checked the forest, seeing my new charge.
As it became late in the day, in the early evening, I finally finished all the errands and travelling I had to do. I sat in the fields, with my rainbow fire-lizard Memith perched on my shoulder.
I sighed and clutched the dark blue gem that hung around my neck. I asked the heavens to give me my gift, and they responded. The wind picked up, swirling around me like a cyclone. My long side bangs lifted into the air, and my dress ruffled in the wind. I saw the blue energy come out of my jewel, and swirl in the wind. The energy then attached to my shoulders, becoming my wings. I felt the attachment plunge into my skin and latch onto my shoulder. I felt the weight of them as the became solid. And then I regained feeling in them.
I stretched and spread them, and pumped hard once, twice, three times, and I slowly lifted off the ground. I rose higher, until I was as high as the rising sun. I closed my eyes, and then I felt a blast of coldness. I backwinged, and opened my eyes, only to find that I had flown through a rouge portal. To where, I didn’t know. As I look over the land, I saw the plain dotted with equines…
But they had horns like deer. I twirled, taking in the land. And I remembered where I was.
Tir’na’bainne’gile’lair. The Land of the Milk White Mare. Home to the Manhon Pah’llocks, a creature that had been almost decimated by a Land Shark.
I saw The Clan of the New Dawn, but I soared over them to the Rocky Tors. There I found the Clan of the Black Dove.
I landed on the rocks, and was immediately seen by the black mare, Cavida I think. She stared at me with golden eyes.
I moved down, looking for on Pah’llock in particular. Her name was T’sarnoth.
I had always been fascinated by her, and my fostered Pah’llock, Nianth’halah, was mates with her son, Cathanla.
Finally, I found the paint mare, lying in the dying sun’s light with her flits twirling in the air. The moment I got near to her, those ears pricked right up and she turned to my direction. Her flits flew forward, and greeted me, and urged me to come meet the mare.
I came forward, and said the basic Allorian greeting, “Haram Salu,” which means Good Day. She bowed to me, and smiled, with the sun in her eyes.
I sat down beside her, and she leaned forward, and sniffed me cautiously. I explained to her who I was, and she smiled, and her flit, Yadii, explained that she remembered my name.
Memith chirped to the other flit, and he replied back in series of chirps. T’sarnoth motioned her head towards Yadii, like she was speaking with him in her mind. Her eyes looked hopeful, and then Yadii turned to her, and her head drooped a little.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Yadii turned to me. *She wishes to tell a story, but I can’t make a mind connection to you. She wants you to see the story as well as hear it.*
I thought for a moment. Then I looked at Memith, who caught onto my drift. He flew over by Yadii, and spoke mentally with him, telling Yadii that his empathy might be able to boost his, and since he was connected to my mind, I could pick up the thoughts.
Yadii explained this to his mistress, who’s face brightened, then turned more solemn again. I felt a twinge in my mind, a connection from T’sarnoth.
Then I heard a sweet voice, almost bell like. It was soft, and quiet, like a secret that had been unlocked for the first time.
“I am about to tell you a story, of love, of life, of sorrow, and most of all, hope. All I ask is that you remember, and remember for always…”
Before I could recoil, my mind was sucked from myself, and when I opened my eyes, I was not seeing through my own eyes, but the eyes of a joyous filly that had lived in the past.
And So It Begins... My clan arrived at the meadow where the winter solstice would take place. I pranced beside my Mother, tossing my head in joy, making my horn-ring jingle. My hooves crunched in the snow that covered the ground. I glanced around, trying to find some of the weanlings that I had met at last year’s festivals. My mother, Sa'vaea, nipped my rump and told me not to be shy. I rubbed my head against her ribs, now heavy with another foal. Then I trotted over to the more open part of the field.
I saw a group of Weanlings playing tag. I recognized a couple of them. I joined the racing group, and I promptly tagged as ‘it’.
“T’sarnoth’s it! T’sarnoth’s it!” One pinto sang happily. I then realized that it was Memith, who I had met last year, when we were foals. His coat was splattered with every color imaginable: black, brown, palomino, grey, and dun. I laughed, and chased a silvery-dappled weanling named Tarben’anu. She kicked up her heels, and I wasn’t able to tag her. I always thought that Tarben’anu looked like a spirit, and now she looked like a ghost ship sailing through a sea of grass. She was on her way to becoming a Spirit Singer, for she always had a tune in her head.
Then those thoughts left my mind as I spied another filly, Rah’nitha. Her bright fire-red coat stood out. I ran towards her, and she bolted, the whole little herd running away from me. Finally, I nipped Rah’nitha on the rump, tagging her.
We continued the game for hours, until it was early in the evening. A whole group of fillies, including me, decided to take a walk before the festivals began. I walked beside Allani, the daughter of our Lore Keeper, and Cavida, a black filly with golden eyes. We were chatting about the things we usually chat about: Colts, swimming, colts, which cliff was scarier, colts, and which place in the fields were the nicest for grazing.
I broke off from the group with Tarben’anu. Allani followed us, and we came to a grove of trees, where we all lay down for a rest. We just looked around for a while in the dying sun, feeling the breeze in our manes and the fresh scent of solstice in our noses. Then Tarben’anu began to sing a song my Mother has always sung with me. Even though I was not much of a singer, I joined in, my raw voice backing up Tarben’anu’s trained one. Allani also sang, and her trained voice rose with Tarben’anu’s, the two singing in harmony. We sang until the sun was low and the torches were lit.
We rose and walked towards the bonfire area. We were laughing, and soon Cavida, Memith and Rah’nitha joined us. As we neared the bonfire pit, Allani trotted over to her Dam, and snuggled up beside her. We waited for the bonfire to be lit. I couldn’t wait, for I remembered the dances that had taken place. I had been awed at the fast moves, and how their legs seemed to be made of liquid, and how they gracefully stepped across the dancing circle. Rah’nitha leaned over to me.
“I am dancing this year! Oh…I’m so nervous!”
“Why?” I asked. “You’re a great dancer.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it. If you flub up, we won’t know!” Cavida laughed and gave Rah’nitha a small push.
I looked forward at the bonfire pit and saw my sire, bringing the torch to light it. The moment the first piece of wood licked up with fire, we exploded into wild cheers, rearing and whinnying as loud as we could. The fire began to spread, creating flickering lights and the first dancer took her place in the ring.
She was young, and I recognized her from last year when she preformed as a weanling. Her movements were quick and accurate, be she still needed training. She finished her dance, and bowed. We gave her loud cheers, and the young mare moved out of the ring.
Then, Sa’nitha entered the dancing area. I remembered Sa’nitha. She was also a weanling, though a couple seasons older than I. My mother once told me that Sa’nitha dances like a cobra: beautiful yet deadly. I was always wary of Sa’nitha because of that remark. I was looking forward to her dance. My Dam had told me that Sa’nitha’s piece was the event of the evening. I stood, patiently, waiting to see her body move to the rhythm of the music.
She began her dance. It started of slow, like a sweet song. I heard a pan flute and singer begin to play as she danced. Then the dance began to speed up, with more moves in a faster, more upbeat tempo. I watched her transfixed on her moving body, which looked more like a liquid than a Pah’llock. Her mane flew in the slight breeze, and her hooves worked furiously to keep her moving. I heard the bells tied to her ankles ring with the beat. Her eyes gleamed in the fire, full of excitement. Then finally, with a loud stamp of her hooves, Sa’nitha ended her dance. She was sweating and panting, but the mare smiled at the wild response she got from us. I reared and whinnied wildly.
Sa’nitha bowed a trotted over to her friend Azinth, the freak-filly. Azinth was coal black all over, except for her dark purple mane. Azinth always seemed to have her forelock hanging over her eyes, giving her a comfortable, more casual look. I didn’t know Azinth well, but I secretly wished that I had a colored mane, not my plain black one.
Then, Rah’nitha sighed, and stepped out into the ring. She began, with a flute as her music. As she danced, her body became fire almost, and her orange mane became the flames. She danced with all the skill and grace she had, her hooves almost slipping on the smooth ground. Her eyes burns and I could see the sweat developing on her little body. Then, her music began to slow, and so did her movements, until the music held on one note. Then, Rah’nitha raised her head and shouted “Everybody! Join the dance!”
I stepped out first, prancing in my own beat, trying strange moves. Soon, others began to follow, until all six clans were dancing and singing. We sang all the songs we knew, and learned new ones. I danced with my friends, Memith, Rah’nitha, and Tarben’anu. I stopped dancing to look for little Allani, and saw her dozing at her mother’s side. I trotted over to her.
I nuzzled her and she looked sleepily at me.
“Do you like the solstice little one?” I asked, smiling at her.
“Yes…but I’m tired already!”
“Ah…just wait until it is time to eat! Then you won’t be able to stop moving!” I nuzzled the filly on last time and trotted over to my Dam.
I just look at her, dancing with my Sire, and I joined in. I laughed as I watching my mother try to dance gracefully, but her sides wobbled as my sibling tried to dance as well. She kept speaking to it, asking if it want to be a dancer. I joined in, asking the little foal if it wanted to dance with me. I danced by my Mother, then slowly back over to my friends.
As we danced, fireflies whizzed above our head, welcoming the winter. I was glad for only the small amount of snow on the ground. I didn’t slip, and it was easy to dance in.
Then, there was a shine from behind us. I turned my head and squinted at the bright light. It was a portal, and I could see a lumbering shape moving out of it. I strained to see.
Grey tendrils of mist licked out of the Portal, and around the large creature coming out, and the shape of dark dragons. Finally, the portal began to close, taking away the light, until the fire behind me and the full moon were the only ones shining. My night vision had been almost ruined, but I could see a dark shape, which was the creature. The festival continued around my friends and I, but we just stared at the creature.
“What is it?” Rah’nitha asked me.
“I don’t know. What do you suppose it wants? I’ve never seen a creature like that before,” I replied, my curiosity beginning to spark. As my vision returned, I could see that it was gray, with a long, thick snake like body. Its head was blunt, much like a sharks. Its eyes were flat and black, and it had a small dorsal fin on its back. It’s body was held up by four short legs, each with four front taloned toes, and one back claw.
Nobody noticed the soulless dragons soaring over us, spiraling down, looking for prey. Nobody except Rah'nitha and I.
Soon, everybody was looking, but still dancing. Rouge portals were common, and large creatures such as this sometimes came out. But, they had always been on their way, not bothering us. The others ignored it, but I had a deep, sinking feeling about the creature. It didn’t look docile at all.
It seemed to look past us, and to the flickering light of the fire. It’s eyes focused on us, and the light dancing across our backs. Then it raised its mighty head, and roared, its mouth full of jagged teeth. It’s head came slashing down, throwing Pah’llocks everywhere. I stood still with fear.
Then everything began to happen at once. I heard the name “Bulette” screamed many times, so I assumed that was the creature. Portals began to open, and Pah’llocks tried to leap through them. But every time the Portal revealed it’s shining light, it caught the Bulette’s attention. It would lunge at the Pah’llock, either with its leg or tail, and send it flying.
I began to run, my hooves flying over the soft ground. But then, I ran past Allani, who was galloping towards the Bulette. I stopped.
I saw Allani’s dam walking towards the Bulette, her whole body glowing and singing a spell. Her mane and tail blew in the non-existant wind, giving her a ghastly yet powerful look.
“No Mother, NO!” I heard Allani scream as the Bulette raised it’s paw, and smacked her dam across the field. She landed on a tree, her back broken.
Allani began to charge the Bulette in blind rage. No! I thought and I ran after her. I didn’t believe that I was running back, but my legs would not stop. I had to leap around a lot, avoiding portals that had been opened, but not closed.
I was only a couple of meters away from the strawberry roan foal. I stopped as I saw the Bulette prepare to strike.
Allani was sent flying, her little body glowing with some kind of white aura. But before she hit the ground, a portal opened, and she fell into that.
“ALLANI!” I screamed and ran to the portal, almost daring to leap in after her. Tears streamed down my face, falling into the portal.
“T’sarnoth!” I whirled at the scream, to see the Bulette towering over my Mother.
The Bulette’s head snapped forward, fastening on her hind leg. It halted, lifting my beloved Dam high into the air. She screamed in terror and in pain. I saw her blood run down her leg and into it’s mouth. The Bulette began to swing his head back and forth, playing with my Dam. She screamed in pain, and I saw that her leg was ripping off.
I lowered my horns, which were just growing in, and I charged the Bulette. I couldn’t let my mother and unborn sibling die!
I could only hear my hoofbeats on the soft ground. I could only see the snow flying by me. I could only think of my mother.
“T’sarnoth! Get back here!” I heard someone cry. I think it was Tarben’anu. I ignored her.
I stopped, right in front of the Bulette. It looked at me with keen intrest. It grinned, showing me it’s blood stained teeth. Stained with Pah’llock blood. My Mother hung limply from her leg, her eyes glazed over with pain and her breaths were heavy and laboured. It tilted it’s head at me, and dropped my Mother. She landed with a loud thump, and she rolled a little, almost oblivious to the pain. She lie still in the bed of snow she landed in.
I lowered my horns again, and bundled my muscles, and bolted at a fiery gallop. Then, I felt a huge impact on my side, and I was flying. I thought I heard someone call my name. I landed on the ground with a thump, and I rolled. A shock of pain ran through me. I moaned and lie still.
I could see another Pah’llock challenge the Bulette. He was sent flying as well. I lay still for many moments, praying that I would not die, and that my friends made it to some Portals safely. My side was tingling where the Bulette had struck me, and from the chill of the snow on which I lay upon. I saw the dark dragons dangle a palamino filly over an open portal, then drop her in. Then, as my vision began to fail and I felt death, I saw the shapes of dragons in the sky. I recongized them as Shasva, a golden female, Gafni, her daughter, and the twins, Habif and Zanoth. I saw them battle the dark dragons in the sky above. They swooped in over the Bulette, which I could hardly see. Then the night was illuminated with their fire, burning the Bulette. I heard it’s great cry, and the dragon’s roars. As I sank deeper into the darkness, I caught the scent of the Bulette’s charred flesh. But the dragons had arrived all too late.
Let it die… I thought, Let it die... and I sank into my death.
I woke, and looked into darkness. I was able to sit up, but my side pounded with a slicing, fiery burning sensation. I lay back down, and waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then, when I could see, I struggled to my feet.
The white snow reflected the moon’s glow, making the world dim, but not dark. The plain looked like a warzone, but instead of soldiers, Pah’llocks were strewn across field, most of them dead.
I stumbled over to my Mother’s body, and the snow around her was soaked with red. I kneeled beside her head, and gently nudged it. To my utter amazement, she moved, her head turning and staring into my eyes.
“T’sarnoth…my san’sha…I thought you were dead…” She heaved a heavy sigh.
“No, Mother, I am alive, as are you,” I replied, worried. Tears began to form in my eyes.
“I will not be alive for long san’sha. Life is leaving me…”
“No!” I cried, and my tears fell freely onto her blood stained coat. Only then did I notice that I was kneeling in blood. Her blood. I stood up, my black stockings now ruddy. “Help! Somebody, help me, please!” I cried to the darkness, and turned around, hoping to see a form in the distance. Hoping to see someone who could help us. I saw only darkness.
“T’sarnoth…” my mother whispered.
I knelt beside her again. I could see the pain in her eyes. Her breaths were long, and getting farther apart. I saw the life in her eyes begin to drain, and she whispered to me.
“Remember this night, and always remember…” Her last breath trailed off, and her body went limp, her head gently falling to the ground.
I looked at her, my emotions filling me. I began to sob, burying my head into her limp neck, wishing her alive. No matter how many wishes, no matter how many tears, I have never recovered from the moment.
I lay by my Mother for a long time, quietly sobbing and wishing her happiness in her journeys ahead. Finally, I stood, I walked away from the body, to see what other horrors lay ahead. I can’t suffer anymore now, since I’ve already felt the greatest pain, I thought
I walked across the field, trying to see who had been killed. I saw Rah’nitha, already dead, lying under a tree. I supposed that she had been knocked to the side as I had, except I landed on the ground, and she on a tree. Her legs were broken, and she had bled to death.
I saw Memith, lying on the ground. I saw his sides move, and his eyes blinked out tears. I stood by him, but he didn’t notice me. He just lie there, in blood, trembling. I gently nudged his head and I lay down beside him, pulling his head onto my forelegs. I sat with him until his body was still and he went limp. He was able to squeeze out some words to me before he died.
“I tried to, I tried to save you…”
I saw so many others…so many bodies of friends. All dead. Many had their legs crushed, and died from the loss of blood. Some were torn apart. I cried as I saw each one. I felt so alone. I was the only Pah’llock alive.
I was in pain. My whole side burned in agony, and I figured some of my ribs were cracked. I didn’t know how I had survived. Finally, feeling beaten and blood-stained, I retreated into the forest, to a little grove, where I lay down and tried to sleep.
I woke the next morning in pain. Somehow, I struggled to my feet, and I stood, swaying, my legs threatening to give way. I began to walk back to the fields, not believing what had happened. It was all just a bad dream. A really bad dream, I thought as I made my way to the field.
But, as the forest began to make it’s way into the vast meadow, I could smell the blood. I could smell the death. And I knew it had not been a dream.
Tears began to flow again as I found the body of my mother. Beside her, I began to dig, a place where her body could return to the Earth. I ripped at the Earth until I thought my legs would rip from their sockets. Finally, her resting place was ready. I had to drag her into it. Then I found a flower, a white flower, and I placed it by her heart. Then I began to bury her, giving her soul to the place of which she came.
I sat by my Mother’s grave, looking at the field, and feeling the wind through my mane. I felt so frightened, so alone. The cold breeze from the wind added to this feeling, for it made me think of the cool Earth of which my Mother had returned to.
The day was cloudy, and I could see the wind tear patterns in the clouds as they moved by. I sniffed the wind and determined that there was a storm coming. A rain to wash away the Blood. I sighed and looked across the plain once again.
Finally, after the sun had been at its highest point, I rose and slowly made my way to the ocean. As I left, I saw Darkhorse walking up the fields, her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. Perhaps she would see my Mother, and know I was alive. But I turned, and walked on slowly, with my head bowed. I limped slightly from the piercing pain in my right foreleg.
I waded into the numbing coldness of the ocean, washing the matted blood off my legs and body. I almost wanted to freeze, so that I could join my Mother, and all of my friends I missed so dearly.
Rah’nitha, with her bright red coat and orange mane, her bubbly attitude, the way she danced…lost forever…
Memith, his mottled pinto coat and his fun loving nature, his loyalty to his friends, his bravery when he knew he could die…
Allani, poor, sweet Allani, she could never survive on her own, in another world. She was only a little foal. The cutest foal, with a strawberry roan coat and a fuzzy little flaxen mane…
My Mother, the one I will miss most of all…
I left the ocean and entered the forest, wanting to stay in there forever. I saw the creatures of the Tir scurry around, tending to their business. They had no idea that I was the last Pah’llock to still be here.
As I walked, a soft snow began to fall. I looked to the sky, and asked the stars to help me. To let me live.
I looked at the life around me. So many creatures…why did the Pah’llocks have to die? Why did the Bulette’s portal have to open in the field? And on the day of the Solstice!
I sighed and dropped my head, letting the wind dance through my mane. I welcomed the cold, almost wishing myself pain. I was depressed, I felt so alone…
I wondered how many Pah’llocks had made it out of the Tir into the Web Worlds. Judging by the fields, not many, but I realized that I hadn’t found Tarben’anu, or Cavida, or even Sa’nitha!
I smiled, and wished them luck in their survival. Perhaps one day we would all be united again. This thought greatly lifted my heart. As I thought about, the more joyful I became. I raised my head and strode through the forest.
But doubt began to enter my mind. What if they died in the web worlds? What if they didn’t make it back? What if the Bulette ate them and they never actually made it out?
I lowered my head against the oncoming snow. I found my grove and I shivered as I lay in it. I closed my eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.
The many days after began to feel like a dream. I felt detached from the world, not listening to the spirits that secretly guided me along my path. Everyday was the same, wake, drink, graze, watch the sea, graze more, watch the sun die, then sleep again. Moons began to pass over my time of idleness.
I awoke from my state months later, as I watch the surf gently splash onto the soft sand beach. I was lying down, letting the cool Spring water wash over my rear hooves and up my legs. I was at peace, something I hadn’t been for months on end.
Finally, I heard voices. A soft voice I knew since my birth, and another I didn’t know. I quickly rose and hid behind some low bushes. I knelt and lay still, watching.
The deep black bipetal pegasus strolled down the beach, speaking with another. Seeing Darkhorse for the first time after the carnage. I hardly realized that she brought tears to my eyes. Just seeing her, her silky black mane, her emerald green eyes, her long tail. I felt as if a whip had lashed my face. The cold hard realization hit me faster than I ever thought. I had given up hope on my own species. I had wallowed into a ditch of my own self-pity, and had drowned in it. I had never thought of going to the Web Worlds myself to look for my Kin. I had decided that I must be the only one alive, when in real fact there could be at least a dozen still alive, wandering worlds, looking for home.
I waited until Darkhorse was well out of sight, and I fled back to my grove. I touched my sleeping-spot with my nose, almost telling it I would return. I smiled good bye to the papillions who resided in the leafy trees above me. Then, with a new found hope, I opened a portal. To where, I didn’t know. I just knew that somewhere I would find another member of my kin, another Pah’llock. Another life, just like mine, looking for answers.