Angel of Nature: Defender of Equestria
Chapter 1: Equestria Beckons
Ok, just a quick note from me before we get started. Excluding the second chapter, I will be aiming to upload one chapter on this same day each week.
Everfree, Angel of Nature and resident of the Heavens above, was roaming through his own domain within the Heavens. It was a peaceful landscape, to say the least. Wildlife was running all over the place, although they were tame and were all friendly to one another, streams seemingly ran on by without so much as a whisper, the surrounding forests had their trees swaying slightly in the light breeze that filled the area.
This nature filled land was known as the Garden of Tranquillity
This was the true peace that the Angel of Nature loved, the peace and tranquillity that he loved. As a result, he was quite content with living in the Gardens for the rest of his Angelic life. Standing up and facing the direction that the breeze was coming from, Everfree spread his arms and wings, embracing the breeze, smiling slightly.
However, the peace wasn't bound to last forever.
"I knew I should have come here first." A voice spoke out from behind him.
The wildlife in the area was spooked by the sudden presence. However, Everfree's radiating aura calmed them substantially, causing them to resume whatever it was they were doing as Everfree dealt with the disruption in the peace, the quiet and the tranquillity. For the most part, the Nature loving Angel didn't need to turn around to see who it was talking to him, so he kept his arms and wings out wide, also shutting his eyes this time which was accompanied by a sigh.
"It is my domain, after all, Izhull. I don't have power over Nature just for the sake of it." He responded.
Not that Everfree could see it, but Izhull nodded. "I understand that, but there's always the chance that you could be elsewhere, which I'm starting to really doubt."
Everfree chuckled slightly. "I prefer Nature and solitude over most other things. You of all Angels, well Archangels, I would expect to know this Izhull. It's not like we haven't known each for centuries."
The Archangel couldn't help but laugh a bit himself. "Yes, well, you may have to leave it behind for a while."
Everfree's arms dropped and his wings sagged slightly as he felt his inner peace melt away.
"Where am I going now?" He asked with a resigned sigh.
"To the world of Equis, and specifically to the country of Equestria."
Equestria? The name rang a bell within his mind but he wasn't sure if the current information he possessed was up to date or not.
"Equestria? Is that not the land in which Princess Celestia rules alone after having banished her sister to the moon?" Everfree asked.
"It is indeed." Izhull confirmed with a nod.
This time, Everfree turned around so that he was facing the Archangel. Everyone knew how much Everfree liked his space, Izhull most of all, and he was standing a fair distance away from the Nature Angel. Everfree was glad everyone respected the fact that he liked his space, but they didn't have to stand so far away, it wasn't like he was going to bite them.
But one of his friends might.
"What am I going to be doing?"
Izhull hesitated slightly, and Everfree picked up on it, not liking it.
"You are going to be guiding Princess Celestia's student, whom I believe is called Twilight Sparkle."
Everfree raised an eyebrow in question. "Guiding? Shouldn't Ezra do it then? She is the Angel of Guidance after all."
"And I would send her if it wasn't for the fact that Celestia somehow managed to contact me to request you personally."
That shocked Everfree, causing an eyebrow to raise as well. Very few creatures outside of the Heavens ever knew the means or the way with which to contact the Heavens, let alone an Archangel, to do so would mean you'd have to have a tremendous amount magical power within you. He knew that Princess Celestia was a powerful being, but to able to contact Izhull...he had just gained a new found amount of respect for the Sun Princess. Then again, he was thoroughly confused as to why she was even asking for help from an Angel.
Why would she be asking for me specifically? I deal with Nature...there's another reason for her summons I feel...
"I guess I should be leaving soon then?"
"As soon as possible." After which Izhull left the Gardens, leaving Everfree once again with his many friends.
Everfree sighed.
He had just recently returned to the Heavens, or his domain of Nature to be specific, after having gone to another world. As the Angel of Nature, it was his job to watch and care for the many species of that world and many other worlds. However, he was never allowed to directly interfere with the natural course of life, despite being the Angel of Nature.
It always tore him up when all he could do was watch a creature die.
With another resigned sigh, he moved into one the forests around him, walking for some time with many of his companions walking alongside him. They tried their best to cheer up their friend and caretaker as much as they could. It worked as well due to some of the silly antics that the animals did to bring a smile to Everfree's face.
"Always bringing a smile to my face, no matter how small." He said gratefully.
The trees soon thinned out to open into a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a wooden cabin that Everfree had created with his own magic, after which he had made the forest come up and around the cabin. It was for protection as well as giving him time to walk too, but mostly protection in the absolute rare case something attacked the Heavens.
He walked inside the cabin and was into the main room straight away. He moved off to the right and opened a door which led to a bedroom with a cloak sitting on the bed, neatly folded up, and looking as if it was ready to be put away. This was Everfree's cloak that he wore when going away to watch and observe, or in this case guide. It granted him the ability to hide better among Nature as it broke up his person, making it hard to see him.
Although, it was going to be of little use to him where he was going.
Regardless, he slung it around his shoulders and did the clasp up, letting it rest at his neck afterwards. He moved his arms and upper body around a bit, too make sure he hadn't hindered his movements. With that checked, he moved out of the room, closing the door behind him and moving back into the main room where he headed over to the main door. Hanging on a peg on the back of the door was a bow and a quiver of arrows.
Picking up the quiver, he slung it over his head, letting it hang diagonally across his back, the strap over one shoulder and under the other. He then grabbed the bow and bowstring that lay next to it. He always unstrung his bow when he was done with it, otherwise, it would put tension on the limbs of the bow, causing it to snap more easily.
Once the bow was strung, he lightly thrummed it to test it. Satisfied, he walked out of the cabin and to his animal friends that waited outside. Kneeling down, he looked at them and spoke in a soft and caring voice.
"I have to go away once more my friends, for how long I do not know."
There were many sad cries and whines coming from the small crowd of animals in front of him. They had just seen him come home and were all happy to be able to spend time with him once more. Yet days later, they find out that he would be sent somewhere else again for who knows how long.
"I am sad as well to leave, my friends, but it has to be done. If you need anything, please speak with Aleera, she will be able to help you."
Aleera is a wolf with powers of ice, often referred to as a winter wolf, that Everfree had saved many years ago. She had wanted to come with the Angel to the Heavens and watch over his domain whenever he was away. It was her way of saying thank you and repaying a debt that would never be repaid, ironically.
Everfree found some of his closer animal friends, and said goodbye to them individually, mostly involving a heartwarming hug and then he proceeded to leave, stopping by Aleera first. Aleera was the one who usually missed Everfree the most and as such, their farewells were always sad.
Aleera was pure white furred wolf whose eyes were of the lightest, most crystalline like blue. Her ears were triangular in shape, standing upright most of the time. This, however, was one occasion where they were pressed against her skull.
"You come back to us safely you hear me?" Aleera demanded softly, a white paw wrapped around Everfree's shoulder.
Everfree chuckled. "I always do don't I?"
The two remained in their heartbreaking hug for several more moments. It was Everfree who broke it knowing that if given the chance, Aleera would not let go of him. He placed a small kiss on the end of her snout, scratching behind her ears briefly before standing to leave.
As he left, Everfree knew that before he went to Equestria, he should check in with Izhull first, to see if there was any additional information he needed to know. It didn't take him long to find the Archangel, in fact, he seemed to be waiting for Everfree.
"I assume you wish for me to check in periodically?"
It was what all Angels had to do when doing a job away from the Heavens. From time to time, they had to find a private and secluded area where they would communicate with an Archangel or a senior Angel in charge of them. In this case, it would be Izhull for Everfree to check in with.
Izhull nodded in response. "Yes please, every few months if possible and also give Celestia a periodic update on how Twilight is doing."
Everfree nodded. "That all?"
"Yes, good luck to you, Everfree."
Everfree nodded once again and began focusing on his inner self, willing himself away from the Heavens and to the world known as Equis, towards the country known as Equestria.