Ponies of the Dragonlance: Ponies of Autumn Twilight

by Crystal Teacup

Chapter 4: The Guardian speaks

The sun had risen almost to its zenith when Sunny woke up. The clearing was filled with the song of birds and the smell of flowers. She yawned and looked around. She and her friends were still lying in the middle of the clearing. Small woodland creatures played all around them, some snuggled with her still sleeping friends, especially Hitch. In the light of the sun, the clearing seemed almost divinely calm and beautiful. She sighed.

„It truly is incomparable to anything else, isn’t it?” A soft voice said behind her. Sunny turned on her heels, almost expecting to see one of those dreadful dragonponies. Instead, she saw a small doe smiling at her. “You don’t need to have any fear while you are here. This place is a sanctuary blessed by an old soul. If anything evil tried to get in, the place would defend itself, and even moreso anycreature in it. You are safe. Your friends should wake up soon. Once they are awake, my father would like to speak with you.” The doe turned around. Some birds settled on her back as she walked away from the clearing, leaving Sunny alone with her friends.

A few minutes passed until her friends slowly woke up. Hitch woke up last, surrounded by a herd of rabbits and squirrels. “My head…” the friends held their breath, “It feels amazing! No more ringing, nothing! Seems like everything I needed was a good nights rest. Hah! As if Hitch would fall to somepony like those...things.” They all laughed. For a moment, all their worries were washed away, like they did not even belong to this world. They left the clearing in the direction the young doe had left.

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After only a few steps through the forest, they reached another clearing. Woodland creatures were carrying food to a table in the middle of it. A few chairs, seemingly grown from the earth, surrounded it. And at the far end, they saw their host. The white deer smiled at them. “Come and sit with us. We have important things to talk about. And you should all feast on the gifts of the forest to strengthen yourselves after the hardships you have been through.”

The friends, and especially Hitch, did not need to hear that invitation a second time. They didn’t have a feast like that in a long time. Even before they got interrupted in Solace, they had been on the road for weeks since they had last seen a good tavern. And now they saw food aplenty. Roasted potatoes, fresh vegetable stew, apples, pears, peaches, a salad. It was a wonder that Hitch didn’t eat the table too.

Their host smiled as his guests filled their stomachs. Once everypony was filled to the brim, he rose his voice. “It had been too long since last an outsider sat with us. And long will be the time until the next time we will be graced by guests. But for you, my dear ponies, the path will be grim and dark. Trials wait ahead of you. You carry hope and Unity with you, yet there will be times when your own hope and unity will be challenged. Death awaits you on wings of shadow.” The friends looked at each other. “But do not despair. As long as you stay true to yourself, you shall find what you are searching for, and so much more. You may not have been born to be heroes, but destiny decided that you should be such. We believe in you.”

For a few moments, silence engulfed the table. Sunny was the first to shake off the surprise. “We do not strive to be heroes. We are simple ponies trying to find traces of the old times. Heroism is something best left to people with more conviction and abilities.” The deer laughed.

“True heroes do not try to be heroes. They do what needs to be done. Destiny has spoken, young Starscout. You can do what needs to be done, or you can try to close your eyes from the truth. Your decision may either save this world, or doom it for eternity. I sincerely hope that you choose wisely, my little pony. And always remember, in every darkness there is a light. No matter how dark your future may seem, look inside yourself to light your way.” He sighed. “As much as I enjoyed having guests, your destiny awaits you in the east, and it should not be left waiting.”

Hitch scratched his head. “But we are on our way to Maretime Bay. That’s to the west. Why should we go east then? What awaits us in the east?”

“Death and Darkness lie in the east, noble Trailblazer. But so do the answers you are seeking. Canterlogic does not hold the truth you are searching. You have to search in the past to find what is needed for the future. Wings of Shadow hold the key to the Light. And now you should take your leave. A long way awaits you. My friends will carry you as far as they can, but it is your responsibility to find your way into the long lost City of the Sisters.”

Zipp, with eyes wide open, stood up. “You are saying that we should go to a very dangerous place, which we never even heard of, just because you tell us to? Why don’t you tell us what exactly we have to expect there, since you know so much?”

A deep sigh escaped the lungs of their host. “Sadly, I cannot. I was born here, I was raised here, and here I will take my last breath. I know what I know, and I know that this knowledge will be needed by those heroes who will carry the Light of the world. But what those words mean, I have no clue. It is knowledge passed down through the generations, since first my kind became caretakers of this sanctuary. Maybe it came from Her Who Build This Place. Maybe it is even older. But there is Darkness in the East, and you shall bring light into it. Being a hero is not easy, Zephyrina Storm. But all of you carry a spark inside you, a spark that shall set this world aflame so it can be cleansed. Aöways remember who you are, and you may overcome your fears, and any obstacle in your path.”

Two shadows blotted out the sun. “Ah, they have arrived, and thus we shall part. I doubt that we will see each other again in this life. Young Heroes, may you stay true to your convictions, and you shall see the light that shines within you. May kindness guide you until then.”

The shadows descended upon them, and giant claws snatched them up. The white deer smiled a sad smile. “Do not struggle. My friends will not hurt you.” The rocs carried them up into the sky. The Deer turned away, and mumbled to himself, “Now it is in your hands to guide them. May your kindness shine upon them in their darkest night, my Mistress.”

Once the rocs had left their sight, the young doe left the shadow of the trees and sat down besides her father. “And may our Master make sure that their path takes its fair twists and turns.” Her father nodded, and their sight shifted towards two statues, hidden deep beneath mountains of foliage, but there to be seen by those who knew what they were looking for. And the two guardians smiled, knowing that, at long last, their duty could finally be at an end.

Author's Note:

Well, finally found some time to finish this chapter. Life hasn't been exactly nice to me the last one and a half years. I won't promise that I'll get the next chapter out soon, but I hope it takes less time than this time.