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// Chapter 1: Awake 
// Story: Etherial Dawn Book One: Dawn 
// by masterchef227 
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Authors Note: We are now back in present day Equestria. I will make editions as necessary too my typos and grammar errors. I will be busy with schooling of course, but I am greatly inspired too continue working. My thanks goes to the author's out there who are advocated writers. As well the editors who take time away from their days to edit stories like mine! :D


Chapter 1: Awake


Heading East, through a forest known to be called death, in the middle of the day. He had no idea what was going on, only that he had the intentions too find out what exactly happened. Etherial Dawn was not a pony to be messed with, yet, neither was the young filly alicorn from what Rogil had last told him before whatever is going on happened. He stated, "She did a double back-side summersault and landed feet first onto the crash pad I had put there! It was incredible!" He was enthusiastic about her abilities at the time. Though he had too admit it sounded a little far-fetched. That and that she knew the art of Shilem. He was just returning back from Ambertown with Rogil as his only company. The crisis sort-of resolved at Ambertown he had started to head home with Rogil at his heels.
Etherial kept remembering, trying hard to focus on memories 200 years prior. He noticed a guard running to him, panting. The guard told him something that made his expression turn too fear, concern, and confusion, or at least that is what it looked like. Etherial and Rogil both rushed too castle, and noticed that there was a light coming from the North Wing. They ran very fast until they reached the hallway. He was coming close too the third door where Elysia was when... "Hello?" Sounded a voice, it was soft, a mare.
He turned around, looking precociously at a young mare. She had a purple coat, a star cutie mark surrounded by 6 smaller stars. She had a violet and navy-blue striped mane. "Hello." He replied simply, unaware of what too say or do. "May I ask what you are doing all the way out here in the Everfree Forest?" She asked, inquiringly. So it seemed that The Forest of Death was now called, "The Everfree Forest." He thought in his head. He thought of a response then replied, "I do not know my dear, it seems I have lost my way back home." He tilted his head solemnly. She said in return, "Oh dear, I am sorry too hear that. Are you from Ponyville?" She looked curiously at the stallion.
Etherial was completely lost on what too do, or even say. So he just replied, "No." This was true of course being how he hadn't ever heard of a place called, "Ponyville" until just now. She said with concern, "Then where are you from?" Etherial looked at the purple pony, she was a unicorn. He had never really seen much of any unicorns, only a few alicorns that entailed her majesty and Elysia. They had horns, which meant they could do magic, and that was all he really knew of unicorns. He then thought about his answer, "Somewhere very far away from here." This was untrue as he actually had no idea where, or even really when he was. He guessed 200 years after he was last awake, based on the sundial.
She looked even more confused then before, then asked, "What's your name?" He figured this was something he could tell the truth about. "Etherial Dawn." He said with a slight bow towards the unicorn. She blushed, yet was taken aback by his politeness. She stated, "Thank you." and then moved on too say, "I understand that you are lost? Would you like some help finding your way back?" The purple unicorn seemed kind enough, and rather generous. Maybe her majesty did manage to get all the elements back without his help. "Actually, I am lost in more ways then one my dear Ms.?" He inquired of the purple unicorn. She stated, "Sparkle, Twilight Sparkle." She gestured kindly, and he shook her hoof. "A pleasure Ms. Sparkle." "Please, just call me Twilight." She seemed to be kind enough, but then recognized where they were. Though she seemed confused, she asked him, "Would you like to come stay with us for a while?" Etherial nodded.
"May I ask what the date is today?" Etherial asked, while walking down a stingy path away from the dilapidated sundial. "It is the first of May, 21,328 A.B. (After Birth)." This confused him even greater then before he woke up. It was 11,127 A.B. when he was at his castle running for Elysia, but now... No, he couldn't think about it he wouldn't, yet there it was. It was almost exactly 10,000 years belated to what he thought the present. "Hey are you alright?" Twilight asked, concern spreading across her face. "I have been bet..." He felt light headed and sick then fainted, too twilight's horror. The rest went dark after that... then too his ephemeral delight, he was back in the castle.
When he tried to speak, he couldn't. Well his mouth was moving, and he could feel his vocals vibrating, but there was no sound emanating from it. The room now seemed blurry and kind of vague. He was in between the door frame when he heard a scream. It was Elysia, and she was suspended in mid-air in front of him. Her mane was rigid and thin, her aura was non-existant, and her eyes hollow blackness. She screamed again, tears of blood deluging her body. Her mane was shooting out in every direction, and she began to speak with a voice, eerie and dark. 
"Time will uphold my commands, and you shall be washed upon gray sands. Ashes fall and voices scream, at the absence of their beloved king." After this, she dropped too the floor. She began to shrivel up and dry, he screamed.
"Wha!" He shouted in surprise. Etherial definitely woke with a start, cold sweat protruding out his pours, and his breathing was fast and erratic. He noticed he was inside a what looked like an almost perfectly white room. He was on a bed, the likes of which he had never seen. It had beeping machinery and other sorts of wizardry all about it. He noticed that his heart was pounding, and one of the machines was beeping and showing lines. It made ridges and beeped in perfect sync with his heartbeat. He suppose that it was used for medicinal reasons, though unsure.
He heard hoofsteps coming from the outside of a door. It had a window that was unclear, and a metal handle gripped on the opposite side of steel hinges. He guffawed at the place he was in, if her majesty had heard him tell this story she would have been hysterical. The hoofsteps became louder and louder until finally the door opened with a pure white coated pony entering. She had an orange mane, and a red cross cutie mark. As well as a hat with a red cross insignia placed in the center of it. "Nurse Red-Heart my dear... Etherial was it?" He nodded. "Well I must say, you are quite the talk of the town at the moment. The fact that you were in there, with Slendermane around and everything..." She sighed deeply.
He had no idea what she was talking about. He assumed he was in the placed called Ponyville, an infirmary most likely, and his nurse was standing near the entrance. But Slendermane is where he got lost. He knew The Forest of Death, or in this case, The Everfree forest had dangers, but whatever Slendermane was, again, had him lost. She noticed his confusion and merely sighed deeply again, "My dear, my dear... You do not know what Slendermane is?" Etherial nodded which was met with tumultuous sound of, "What!!!!" Resonate throughout the whole building. Apparently everyone could here their conversation but how, he had no idea. She continued chattering, "Well I will explain the legend too you deary."
She grabbed a vial filled with a clear liquid, sucked it up with a syringe, and put it into a clear bag. Which he noticed was going into his arm. He was terrified of his situation, though he noticed no imminent danger."You see..." The Nurse sat down as she spoke, "There is a legend of a terrible creature, living inside the forest. Though, now he seems not too be a legend anymore." He nodded as Nurse Red-Heart continued. "He has no face, but wears what seems to be a suit. He is said too have tentacles streaming out from his back." He imagined a pony, faceless and wearing noble attire in the middle of the forest, he shuttered. Yet at the same time believing that this was merely a child's tale. His relief was short as he noticed that her expression was serious. Noticing this, she sighed. Then moved too shrug her shoulders then continue, "He is great and terrible. He is said to ponynap anypony who dares too enter into his realm. Though this is an exaggeration, as apparently it would seem, he only has been ponynapping a few who wonder off into the forest, and sadly these are mostly fillies." Her expression was grim, this reassured his fears immediately.
Etherial seemed interested greatly in learning about this creature now, and where he was. He tried too get up when the nurse shouted, "Wait! You can't go yet!". He felt the urge to roll his eyes, but thought better of it. He inquired, "When may I go dear?" She responded, almost non-chalantly as though the previous shouting never occured. "You may leave tomorrow morning. It is 5:23P.M. right now, so get some rest dearie." He did so rather reluctantly as she left the room. He noticed that indeed it was sunset outside, as the windows gleemed orange, tainting the curtains with the color. He fell asleep as soon as he laid back onto his pillow. He realized how exhausted he was as a myriad darkness crept into view. He gladly accepted sleep, as his mind needed rest from the nervous breakdown he was close too having. And the last thing he heard before he slept was Nurse Red Heart closing the door behind her.
Slendermane, the monster Nurse Red Heart describes was unheard of in his time. But his time was 10,000 years ago, and her majesty, Rogil, and even little filly alicorn Elysia were all dead by now. He was alone, knowing no one but the kind hearted ponies he had met. Nurse Red Heart and Twilight Sparkle, they were the only two ponies he had met so far in this new age. But he had tomorrow to research and find out what was going on, for now, he slept.
In his dream, he was again back at the castle. He sighed, "Why in Equestria is this happening too me? Torturing me with taking me away from my home, then make me have nightmares of it. Why?" His words were lost too himself, this time he was in the dining room. It was similar too how it was the last time he was there, but there were some differences. There were violet flames emanating from the torches. The table had a blackened veil around it, not silver as it normally was.
The entry doors were wide open, but beyond that pitch black dark. He was wearing his clothes from when he left, his coat however was black. He began to speak, "Is anypony here?". He was speaking, but not of his own will this time. He was merely watching as the events took hold in front of him, and he was lucky enough to get a first-person view of it. He thought too sigh though he couldn't. Etherial Dawn was not himself in this nightmare, because he felt dreaded. He was close to the verge of tears from what it appeared, but he didn't cry. His eyes hurt with the pressure he was holding back, then he heard somepony's hoofsteps. He turned around and saw Rogil, but he was disfigured in a way. He was wearing crimson armor, with a feathercap helmet, christened with the Duskfire insignia.
"You betrayed us my lord, you left us behind. We are all dead, its all your fault." Rogil spoke, with his voice, but it was empty. It was hollow, as though something was missing. His words hit Etherial hard, he screamed at him. "I would never!!! ITS YOUR FAULT I LEFT!!!" He yelled at his best friend, Rogil laughed. "You are despicable, leaving me to care for Elysia, and when I failed she died. It's all your fault..." He vanished. This left Etherial stunned as he collapsed too the floor. The king sobbed harder then he ever had before in his life. The room began to glow dark at this.
Sounds were heard, they were eerie, dark, and as incandescent as the room around him. He turned and before he could comprehend what was coming pain surged through him. He was afraid that he was going too die, but at this he was falling. The floor had disappeared, leaving him in mid-air. He began to swell with rage. "THIS IS UNFAIR!!!!" He tried to yell, and he looked at where he was falling. Then he was on top of the peak, near the Solstice Stone. This left him no longer falling but visualizing what was atop the altar. He was walking up when Elysia showed herself. "You left us too die."
"No." He said at once. This was unfair, all of it. What was going on what was happening. Then she herself spoke the ancient language he had used to open the gates. "Silis en voramore." She said in a snake like voice. With the end of that phrase, he was thrown off of the peak falling down all over again. He was gliding seamlessly past the castle. As he was falling, the windows shined brighter then the sun, and then everything went white before he even went past the bridge to his doom. He opened his eyes, and was relieved too see the white room with its indecorous furniture.
Cold sweat again, breathing heavily, he sighed and spoke aloud. "I need to get too work." He got up, but not before the door opened revealing the brilliant white Nurse Red Heart. She sighed, "You cannot leave yet, it is merely 4 in the morning." He was startled by this, but when he noticed that the sun was not shining in through the windows, revealing stars and the moon. He nodded once realization flooded through his mind. He had been asleep for 11 hours. 
The dream felt longer. "And how, may I ask did you know that I was leaving?" She looked up, and smiled. "Actually I was coming in too check up on you, your heart rate was way above the normality for a sleeping earth pony." He understood, "Of course my dear, but I cannot go too sleep again after 11 hours of it." She smiled wider, then laughed lightly. "Alright, but however that doesn't mean you can go out yet. I assume you were just having a nightmare." He nodded, "Well then!" She exclaimed, "That means I get too inform you on what's going on." She was kind in the way she spoke too him, and in the way she communicated. She was a very friendly person, who though impatient, friendly. He remembered her stated, he tilted his head slightly, "What is going on?"
"Well, first off while you were out Pinkie Pie was ecstatic, she has a whole party planned for your arrival." She stated. A whole party planned for his arrival, he was used too this sort of thing when he went to visit royalty from other kingdoms but this was unheard of. He smiled with delight at the prospect of ponies throwing parties just for new comers, making them feel welcome and introducing them to everypony. Now all he needed too find out is who this Pinkie Pie was, what sort of clothing to wear, and what kind of party exactly he was attending.
He was impressed with himself overall. I mean 10,000 years later and he hadn't jumped off a cliff yet? This was what certainly worthy of a metal, and maybe a princess mare or two? He laughed inside his head, it felt good though it wasn't out loud. He merely smiled, and then asked.
"May I ask who Pinkie Pie is?" She looked shocked at first, but then seemed to remember that he was new here. Boy was that the understatement of the past ten millennia. "Oh, she's a wonderfully kind, energetic, and crazy pony who has the ability too make friends easily." She smiled once she had finished saying this. Clearly she thought highly of Ms. Pinkie, and now so did he. Too think that someone could make friends easily in his time, was like saying that mountains get up and start tap dancing at parties. He laughed at the prospect, though again internally as he did not want Ms. Red Heart too think that he was ungrateful for it.
"I have another question for you my dear, can I leave yet?" He inclined his head though only slightly, this was enough to make her blush rose red. "Well, now that you mention it. I did say this morning didn't I?" He nodded, though not entirely sure if this was true. He beamed at her as he was eager to get out of the wherever he was. Not only that, but he wanted too see what happened in the last 100 centuries. "I suppose then you can leave when Dawn touches the sky, Mr. Dawn." She laughed at her poor attempt at humor. In politeness he reciprocated this, though upset at the thought of being here longer.
He took notice that he was wearing a soft sort of cloak. But it was thin, tide by a string on his back and colored teal blue. The bed had sky blue bed sheets, and made of some sort of material at the end of it. There was a white cabinet in the corner of the room, on which stood some flowers and a note from Twilight Sparkle. He picked it up with his hooves, and opened it too read. "Dear Etherial," She wrote. He continued, "I hope you get better soon. I was surprised to see you near that old sundial, which was claimed by historians too be at least 12,000 years old. Which makes it a valuable land mark, but no one seems to come visit it or even study it. I thought I should also invite you too my home at the library, you can ask Nurse Red Heart for directions. I am eager to talk, if you are heading home, I would ask you too visit briefly if its not too much trouble." He sighed, then Nurse Red Hear began to speak,
"She sent you those flowers, Twilight did. She was always nice to everypony, considerate of others." He nodded in agreement. And then continued too read, "I was glad I found you before Slendermane did, believe me when I say I was surprised too find another pony in there besides me." There it was again, Slendermane. This must really be a problem why doesn't the government do something. "Princess Celestia asked me too study the sundial even though the woods were thick with danger." With her majesty gone, he had assumed someone else was in charge. He got 2 answers in one sentence. The hierarchy sent Twilight too research the sundial, and this Princess Celestia was the new ruler. He continued, "I hope too see you soon, much to discuss. Please feel better, Twilight."
At the end of this he re-read it again so he made sure that he soaked up every bit of information this piece of parchment gave him. Nurse Red Heart was tending to one of the machines when he spoke, "Where does Twilight live?" She replied, "Just head down the pathway, make a right turn down sugarcube corner, then keep going until you reach the library. It is a hollowed out tree made into a livable place. It also is the town's public library, Twilight sure does love to read from what I hear." When she finished he repeated the directions inside his head.
Once he was sure he remembered it he said, "Thank you." He nodded then layed back down, then noticed something that made a smile flicker across his face. It was no longer 4 A.M. as the sun was peering over the horizon. He got up, and looked inquiringly at the mare. She noticed and replied, "You may want to wait a little while before leaving. And eat those flowers before they go too waste." He grabbed the glowers and ate them up in less then a minute. "Whoa there, slow down just a bit." She asked imploringly, but he just kept eating. He hasn't eaten since before he woke up, which was 10,000 years ago. So you have to admit that would work up something of an appetite. He finished by drinking the water, and burped lightly. "Excuse me." He said, hiding a smile.
She looked as rigid as if she just saw someone get have a heart attack. Heck, she looked like she was going to have one. He laughed, "I am sorry if I scared you." He continued too laugh. She pointed her hoof towards the door, he looked while still laughing. His laughs quickly subsided, as he saw a brilliant alicorn. He thought poorly of his performance in her presence, but she seemed to retain composure. She had an ethereal mane, with blue, pink, and teal in it. She had a pure white coat, and a sun for a cutie mark. He also noticed a platinum crown on top of her head with a pearl at the center piece. He recognize it as his crown and his pearl, but instead of the pearl floating the pearl was inside the center of the crown.
He assumed immediately who it was, but before he could make any more assumptions, Nurse Red Heart spoke, "My princess, its an honor." She said with a bow. The princess had a solemn expression, though she smiled slightly. Something told me she knew something, and that was anything but good. But he sighed with relief as she asked, "I understand you are acquainted with my student, Ms. Twilight Sparkle." He gapped in awe, Twilight Sparkle wasn't just doing a favor for the princess, she was her student.
Princess Celestia looked at him with violet eyes, that seemed to pear inside his soul. He was speechless, he had never seen such beauty as this before. She was as equally if not more (though he would never dare say so outloud) beautiful then her majesty. This alicorn had a certain majestic around her, she was quite a sight. "Ye.. yes your majesty." He stuttered, not daring to make eye contact. He began to sweat a little around the hooves, and began too be rather uncomfortable. But she simply smiled and said, "Call me Celestia." He looked up and beamed at her. She was kind, and seemed to prefer being called her name. This was not really common among the royals in his day, especially too complete strangers.
"I had just completed raising the sun, I was hoping you could accompany me as I understand you were also invited to my student's home." He nodded, her voice sounded as majestic as if rays of sun were surrounding her very being. He then payed more attention to her words, "Raising the sun?" He asked politely. This reciprocated confused looks from the two. "Don't you know? Its my duty too raise the sun, I have been ever since I was a filly alicorn." He was not immortal, nor were any of his guard. The queen was the only thing close to immortality that he knew. She actually just had a very large life span. Princess Celestia must also be a near-immortal. He didn't know much of what was going on, only that hopefully he would find out.
"My dear, excuse me but I am not from here." He stated politely, the princess nodded. "I am aware of that, but even the gryphons know of my power. They keep to themselves because if they attacked I could just simply leave it be eternal night. Everypony knows this, never the less." She said in an uncaring tone. "Shall we be off then?" Still focused on the word "Gryphon's", and whatever the heck they were. He came back too reality. He was eager to leave, so he told the princess "Yes Celestia." He bowed, and then took of his robe. He remembered too asked if he was free to go. The nurse simply nodded in awe, and with a bow from both him and Celestia they were off.
The alicorn closed the door behind them with a blue aura surrounding it. "So, may I ask where are you from." She seemed kind, though rather curious about him. "I honestly think it would be best if we saved those questions until we reached Ms. Sparkle's home. Wouldn't you agree?" He said softly, though with a confused look from the princess. She simply nodded and they continued walking. The hallways they past were filled with ponies dressed in weird clothing, and a few lying sickly on beds on there way to other places. This was possibly the largest infirmary he had ever seen.
He was severely confused, he had major panic going on inside his head. He was terrified of what would happen, and what had happened. As they past corridors and hallways with gazes from a majority of the ponies, he couldn't help but also digress towards his home. He remembered his castle, his wife, and his friends and royal guard. He thought of Rogil and how he would laugh at this story. He would have thought he was making it up, that is, if he could ever go back. He hung his head in a sad silence. He could not even begin to imagine that possibility. Staying here in a world much stranger, and much more unique then the one he had left.
He also noticed that there were no torches, there were only lights illuminating from the ceiling and cone shaped posts on desks. This world was very different indeed from the one he had just left. 10,000 years is certainly a long time, and a lot definitely has changed. He noticed they were nearing a set of metal double doors, with glass windows. Sunlight was shining through and he could now put his mind at rest. He was nearing the end of wherever he was, and would be able to see the outside world.
Celestia pushed open the doors, revealing a beautiful natural setting. Trees were aligned on either side of them, lining up a dirt road with hoof tracks all over it. It lead to a colorful town, with architectural variances in every building. "Come, let us go meet my student." She beckoned him. He obeyed without question. As they walked he noticed a few of the ponies staring at the princess, and a few bowing. She nodded to those who greeted us and he merely stated "Hello." to everypony that would pay attention to him. 
"So, what do you think of Ponyville?" She asked. He thought for a minute then stated simply, "Its nice, quant, and has a friendly population." She smiled as he said this, he smiled in return. She continued to question him of his thoughts and feelings of his surroundings. The town, the people, even once she asked what he thought of her and he stated, "Your majesty; I must say, your beauty, elegance, grace, and kindness is that of which heaven itself couldn't muster and is what words fail to describe." He spoke as if he took pride in his answer. Not to his great surprise, she blushed. Then moved on to smile and say, "You take pride in your words, as you should. Thank you." She beamed at him. She then took a moment to realize where they were. As they turned a corner around a place called, "Sugarcube Corner", she spoke. "I believe Ms. Pinkie has delegated a party for you, this is where it will take place." I took notice that it looked like a gingerbread house with doors and windows that were actually usable. As they turned the corner Celestia nodded at a tree.
This wasn't an ordinary tree. It had a balcony cut out of one of the sides. It also had a few windows, a door with a heart shape symbol on the front, and a lantern for a light source. The lantern was not lit as it was sunrise, 7:00 A.M. EST (Equestrian Standard Time). He and the princess approached the door. She knocked on it three times. A familiar voice answered in reply, "Coming!". But Twilight was not the one too answer, A small young lizard like creature answered the door. As it opened Etherial took notice that it had a purple belly, scales, and spines that were thick green. He had claws on his hands and his feet, he had green eyes, and thick skin. He had never seen this type of creature before and was utterly shocked by its appearance.
"Oh, Princess Celestia." The creature gasped in surprise. "Twilight!" He yelled behind him, "The Princess is here, and she brought a friend." He turned back too face us, "Hey, my name's Spike! What's your's?" He asked Etherial. Etherial replied, "My name is Etherial Dawn, and its a pleasure too meet you Spike." He shook hooves with the creature. His claws were cold as he clasped his hand. Etherial would normally run screaming for the hills. How he kept his composure he hadn't the slightest clue. Once they were done shaking hands a purple unicorn came rushing to the door. Stopped by pressing her hooves hard against the door panes.
"Oh yes, Princess Celestia, Etherial. Come right in!" She gestured inside, lowering her hooves and panting. I took one glance at the princess as she smiled and walked inside. He followed her closely, greeting Twilight as she welcomed me into her home.