A/N sorry this ones a bit long and there's alot of crap to get through, just hopefully future chapters won't be as all over the place but the length will most likely be the same. I just thought you would want to get all the introductory crap out of the way... Kind a like taking a big pill, better to get it in one go.
Bright skies and calm winds surrounded a walled off city. Within that city, chaos had made its home. It was odd for it was not malicious but rather exhaustive, and it was all due to a celebration that was about to take place. All the citizens within the area were preparing their wares, the decoration, and over all setting the tone of both mirth and sorrow. This was how it had been celebrated for the past millennium, for the current ruler was only one of two, and was sorely missing her sister. A feeling only worsened by the celebration and the ruler's inevitable task.
To the outside observer the sight would have been alien. Equines… Some plain, some with wing, some with horns, and all with its own distinct coloring, were shuffling about with an almost unnatural fervor to celebrate the red eclipse, and perhaps see their ruler, Princess Celestia. A rather stoic looking Equine with all three both wings and a horn, and only two currently known and accounted for with such traits.
Her task was to raise sun, and the moon in such a way that the moon turned scarlet red. It was the latter that tore her spirit apart, for her sister, Luna had previously held domain over the raising the moon. But unfortunate circumstances had ensured Celestia had taken that mantle, as well as the unerring guilt that the consequences bore from her and her sister's actions.
Celestia, had tried to push those thoughts away, but every time she pushed, they pushed back harder. Ultimately retreating to her quarters, she could not help herself from breaking down, but she had her duties and recovered her composure.
The stage was set, the festivities begun, the odd mixture of both merriment and mourning permeated the air, while small fillies and colts had lost themselves in laughter while remaining oblivious to the true nature of the festival. The music, the sounds, and smells of local cuisine among other elements had a significant effect the lessening the uncertain mood the princess was in, but to say it was completely eliminated would be folly to do so. The hours had begun to drag on and as that sacred hour had neared. Celestia was adorned with gifts, she had proven herself as benevolent and contemplative in the past and was rewarded as such, and would continue to be rewarded throughout the night.
Then the hour was upon them, and all of those who had been so raucous turned silent with anticipation. With one great blast of energy, Celestia commanded the sun and moon to align, to which they heeded. The sky now had one red orb which in turn painted the sky that very hue. But what should have been a calm moment was quickly disturbed.
A mass of swirling energy had manifested in the center of the courtyard where the grand display had just taken place, and everyone who was in attendance had fled in panic. Or at least all but the princess. She was absolutely terrified, but also positively enraptured. And even if she had wanted to leave she couldn't as the mass of energy's could cause serious damage.
But as the energy dissipated, a small, bipedal, and mostly furless form had been revealed. Celestia could not help but step forward, and the small thing recoiled in fear at the sight of the new gesture. Although the small thing had had raised its arms in defense it never took its eyes off of her, and that when she could tell that it was a child. Of what species she did not know, but she knew it was angry, scared, confused, and if the small but audible rumbling noise coming from the child was any indication, hungry…
That sound of hunger had woke an instinctual and protective side within Celestia. She had wondered what to do. Should she have sent it to an orphanage, put it under guard, or leave it to fend for itself? Before she could decide 2 guards clad in brilliant gold armor had entered the courtyard. With stone gazes they rallied to their leader and looked primed to attack the, to them, the unknown and potentially deadly creature.
This action had made the creature even more terrified, ultimately leading the child quiet sobs. It didn't understand what was happening, it had faced the prospect of dying, and it had been here for only five minutes. It just couldn't stop itself from shaking in fear. It wanted to run, but found itself unable as it felt that its legs were gripped by a thick and unseen hands. It was that moment the Princess had made a decision, obviously the unknown element to the child in front of her would have made it impossible to be accepted without a radical and unexpected Idea.
It was then she decided to order her soldiers to stand down, and employ the one inalienable right regarding orphans. It was easy to adopt him legally, he had nothing here, but emotionally was particularly turbulent but she learned a great deal about the child regardless. First it was a male. That was discovered when she first bathed him. Second, the child was only five years of age, and was only beginning to learn of the world. 3. His name was Eric, his last name before the adoption was unknown, but his full name now was Eric Solarium Suum. And last, he socialized well enough but gave off an aura of coldness to those around him.
Two years would eventually pass, and in those two years, he would be educated. First were the basics. Reading and writing came naturally to him, he already spoke the language well in his first week, and he could spell just on phonetic input. The instructor could not truly specify what had caused this Eric's excellence in both reading writing, but the instructor had theorized that it was simple escapism. Math was adequate, with no real passion or enthusiasm. Eric did not excel, but he did not fall behind either. Those basic studies gave way to more advanced studies, such as law and the arcane.
It was during those studies, that Celestia took a personal pupil, and Eric made her acquaintance. "Hi. My name is Twilight Sparkle." She greeted "You must be Eric." "I am it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Sparkle." He replied. He could tell that she was older by at least 3 years, and treated her with the respect of an elder. "I heard you like to read." She stated "What have you read recently?", "Not much, for my studies in law and magic have taken my recreational time, but as for the last recreational reading I've done, I've read about Daring Do's journey to the underbelly of the crystal empire. Of how the ruins contained almost no information or relics, but the architecture hinting at the possibility of a civilization before the equines had settled there." "Oh! That's one of my favorite series, Eric. I especially like the one where despite her best efforts her nemesis steals the relic from her, but she ends up going on a far more grand adventure and finds out…"
He found no reason to interrupt her talking. But it did get a little long winded as time dragged on. They talked, and talked on matters ranging from no relevance to those of the most earth shattering importance. But as the clock struck seven at night Eric began to pack his things, "Miss Sparkle…" he started but would not finish as Twilight stopped him. She ultimately informed that they were friends and that he could refer to her as just Twilight.
"Well, Twilight…" he restated "…it's starting to get late and I must return to my quarters for the night. It was an honor to meet you" the sentence earning only a nod and a smile that stated likewise. After dinner with Princess Celestia as he had done every night he washed up and placed his head to rest on his pillow and soaked in his surroundings. It was a regal room the ceiling adorned with gold and jewels, with the center of both the ceiling and floor adorned with a mosaic sun, and a doorway leading to a balcony
Celestia entered the room trotted up next to her adopted son's bed. "So you met my newest pupil today?" she asked to which he only nodded to the affirmative. "She was nice enough, we talked about books and ancient architecture amongst other things." He stated "That's good. Good night." And with that statement she retreated to her room right next door. It had dawned on Eric that they never really talked, and it was not for lack of her trying either. He realized that he had shut her out, had not been trusting, over all been petty.
Eric could not really give any reason not to trust the mare who had taken in and cared for him, so he considered just dispensing with it, after all two weeks from now would mark, not only his third year in this realm but eighth. Resigning to the night, he fell asleep. Unfortunately peace would not have him, for perturbing and discordant images of violence had haunted him.
It was the day before his birth date. Thirteen night terrors, each one night they came more vivid and focused than the last. His grades were failing, he became even cooler towards those around him, and looked tired all the time. The world seemed to be moving too fast around him, and he was too exhausted to even try to catch up with it.
Eric tried to stay awake, and remain vigilant in his studies but without proper rest that endeavor fell apart. Then Twilight entered the library, and noticed her friend looking burnt out. "Eric are you okay?" she inquired only receiving a nod in response. Before Eric knew it the day was done, and all he could do was attempt to rest once more.
Fate was twisted however, as the night terrors that had plagued had come again, and with a diamond like brilliance, he dreamt of what happened to him before his arrival. When he was four he was the happiest child on earth, He had a mother and father who loved him. He went to school and had friends, a race car bed, and other things a boy of his age would have. A day before his fifth birthday, his mother was driving home after a movie he really wanted to see. He recalled that his mother told him that tomorrow was going to be a great day.
But it was when he was at his happiest that the worst had happened. The car they were driving in was T-boned right off the road. Eric remembered being absolutely scared witless and wide eyed. He saw the car flip over twice and land in the woods that were adjacent to their point of origin. He was only spared by the fact that he was in his car seat on the passenger side, as the brunt of the force was absorbed by the front of the car on the driver's side. He heard a moan of pain and fear emanating from the driver's seat.
When Eric went to see where it came from he saw a large, black tree branch had forced its way through the seat, and while his four year old brain couldn't understand what exactly was wrong, he knew his mom was hurt. Before he could even process the thought to ask, he heard his mother say that he was going to be okay. She constantly repeated those words to Eric, and while he was still scared it seemed to calm him down. They were in the woods for three hours until an ambulance came and rescued him, but what he saw made him go silent, his mother had passed as soon the ambulance came.
It was the next six months that were particularly hard though. In the first half of it, his father became completely despondent, all he did was drink himself into oblivion, a goal that was met which had resulted in Eric being sent to an orphanage. Eric hated it there, it wasn't home. He didn't have his friends or his bed, so he ran off into the woods around the orphanage.
Celestia woke to the sounds of silent screams, restless shifting and footsteps. While all the noises had upset her, the footsteps for some odd reason unsettled her the most. She entered the room out of worry, and without hesitation. What she found scared her to the core. Her son was about to jump off the balcony. She would not let that happen. She cast a telekinesis spell on the child, dragging him to his bed and admonishing and yelling at him, all while being on the very verge of tears.
All Eric could see was, anger, fear, and sorrow in the princess' face. The last one took away any will to die. As much as he wanted it all to end, he hated seeing the one who had cared for him for the past three years seem so saddened. But he knew she only cared for him and that's what had made him hate himself. How could he get so low, how could he want to kill himself when he had no reason to? He felt the emotions coming off of his adoptive mother. He felt all the anger, the frustration, fear, and sorrow, but in that vortex of emotion he felt safe.
Eric could not hold the tears back anymore. He couldn't take it anymore. He hugged his mother finally accepting her, and said just three words "I'm sorry momma…" Celestia was shocked it was the first time that she heard him say that word. For the past three years he was so passively cool to her and the affection she attempted to show him, that finally hearing that one word "mommy" she could only embrace him back. They stayed like that for a few minutes before she asked what drove him to consider such an action, and he told her everything. He told her about how the dreams started, the accident, his mother and father, and the orphanage.
Soon after, Eric had fallen fast asleep in his bed with two differences, His mother was now holding him, and he was sleeping peacefully. The next day was a slow one but now that all the barriers were finally eroded, he was much happier for it. He felt re-energized He made sure to greet the servants and guards. The next few years would be different as he was no longer held back by some incorporeal cloud of darkness…