Chapter 1: A Mare Sorcerer Outside The Walls Of Panadon

There I was…

In the gathering hall of the Panadon Fortress. I was waiting in line for my first mission. My first advance mission in the Panadon. Sorcerers would be squealing with joy, but I for one was not happy at all. This only, for me as sorcerer, mean a lesser chance of survival.

Although there was only one sorcerer in front of me, I became very impatient waiting in line, looking where I shouldn't be looking.

"It's quite difficult not looking at a mare's rump. Especially since I never really had the time to do so," I muttered slightly annoyed. I was always trying to master a spell or killing other small fiends. Training was always what I did. It's what coursed through my very veins. To become very strong...

The hall was filled with all different types of sorcerers from your novices to your elites. I personally didn't like that fact that the walls were made from the skins of these ugly fiends. Some sorcerers would say to me that is just to give a little scare.

It sure does seem like an awkward reason, I thought as I moved a step closer behind the sorcerer in front of me. The sorcerer was cover with blue cape that was slightly torn at its edges. The hood cover its head, so I couldn't make out exactly who that sorcerer was, but my right hoof started to speak to me. Or at least it tried to.

The sounds coming from it told me that there was something familiar with him. I couldn't understand the feelings all too well. But having at least a little idea keeps me from forgetting certain sorcerers.

I strolled up to the counter as the sorcerer made his leave. It was made out of the bones of different fiends by the way. When I found out I was not surprised, mainly because I got used to my surroundings by then. The stallion at the counter was covered in a black robe and once again the hood cover his eyes.

"What mission would you like?" he said searching through some papers he had in his hoof.

"The toughest one you have," I replied.

"Are you sure?" the hooded stallion reassured him a warning gesture, "Once you go out there with this pact, you can't return till it's either complete or you're found dead. You do know that right?"

There was then a moment of silence. Did I really want to go through with this? I said to myself as I gazed at the stone ground and then to my right hoof. The pressure started to fill the air as all other sorcerers had all their eyes upon me. Am I really gonna turn this down? Yes! Why should I accept a mission just to prove how strong I am?

"Yes…" I mumbled.

"What did you say? I didn't cat-"

"I said yes! Now hand to me!" I demanded as I held out my hoof. I felt quite at ease even though my heart was pounding madly. He dipped his hoof in some ink and pressed onto the paper the Panadon's stamp of approval, and then handed it to me.

I snatched the paper made my leave from the hall as well…

"Finally!" I said trotting out of the gathering hall doors. I dropped the scroll in my saddlebag and covered it over with my brown cape.

"Now I could venture out of this place, and get started on my own journey, traveling the world all on my own. I am finally fed up with these missions, and I'm tired of sleeping on stone bed."

Yeah, it wasn't the best of places to be other than staying away from arch fiends of other places. I felt so alive at the fact the I could be free from the fortress itself. I rushed out of the gates with an abundance of joy.

[center]***[/center]

As I finally got outside of the fortress, I smiled tossing my saddlebag into the air. I felt all the freedom, and I knew I wasn't going to go back."Yes! Freedom's finally mine!" I shouted up into the sky. I felt… alive, I felt stronger. I noticed the capacity in the amount of air I took in increased as I breathed the fresh air the world had to offer me. Then I looked back at the giant fortress. I couldn't help but feel sad for the friends I was with inside that giant prison, everything so controlled. But that was passed me know, I couldn't go back. I turned out towards the world.

Gazing at the ground, at strode my hoof slowly along the earth's soil. I decided for the streak I have made in the ground to be the starting point for my adventure.

Yeah… This is where it begins, I thought trotting off into the forest. For some reason I felt that every tree I gazed upon the need to laugh. I didn't really know why, but I guess I just felt extremely happy.

I traveled a good distance into the forest. The area I was in was dark for the most part. Streaks of light came down from different spots and had stretched as far as my eyes could see.

I took every step with great caution. I'm very excited about venturing places all on my own. But I don't want to be the unlucky sorcerer who died just outside of it either. My pupils swayed from side to side as I slowly traveled through the dark and silent forest.

The pressure was on. My focus was beyond what I could see, and If I could just make it to the other side of the forest. All I need is some time, I thought. Just then, I heard something move with great speed behind me. I felt I should turned to see what it was, but my arm starting burning, and it somehow started giving me the thought of running. I trotted across the forest keeping near the stream of lights. I went hastily through any thicket or branch that stood my way.

I kept going forward and ever faster. I couldn't stop. Fear kept me going. I didn't want to die. No, not in the forest just outside the fortress. I've waited too long for such a simple death. My lungs started to burn. My breathing became short and difficult. I heard the destructive sounds of the monster coming ever so closer behind me. I felt as though my life was coming to its unfortunate end.

My body came to a halt, and stumbled to the ground and then tumbled down a small hill. The dust the filled my throat and made me cough about. I slowly got up and turned behind only to meet the terror of the monster that towered of my tired body. I dropped on my rump and looked up in complete despair.

I looked up at the monster body. It appeared to be confused. I mean it looked like a monster with deformed parts. It had eye were his arm should be, and his mouth were his forehead would be. It was a very confusing and quite disturbing site.

My body was cover for the most part in mud. I couldn't move, and I couldn't yell. No pony would've heard my screams of despair before my death, but I at least wanted to do that. But upon further thinking… maybe not. After all, I didn't want to be known as a scaredy cat.

The hideous monster grabbed me up by the hand. I felt all of its power as it started to crush every bone in my frail body. The pain became unbareable. Breathing only became evermore so difficult. This is it, I thought as everything became wavy.

This is end...

This was truly the end for me, I thought as eyelids closed. It was only waiting to be freed from my mortal body. But something happened.

I opened my eyes and tried with the little energy I had left and looked down at the monster. To my surprise, the monster had a hole with molten lava flowing down its legs.

Now who could've possibly done that, I thought as I looked around. I watched down on both sides but saw nothing.

The arm of the monster broke away, and I fell to the ground. I laid on my back deeply in pain. I was relieved to be alive, but I started thinking that maybe it of no use that I was living now that I can't move, just as much value as a rock.

"Here I laid on my back bleeding to death in the of a forest just outside the fortress," I said to myself gazing up at the light which came from a small opening of the branches.

I spent the last moments to my end wondering why did it have to be there, and why me?

A shadow slowly came over my eyes. I became afraid. I didn't want to die, I thought. I wanted to live and see beyond these common lands.

I prepared the best I could have for the worst but instead of my soul being taken by death I have been given life. I became better and stronger by the moment. It's quite an odd feeling for what I actually expected.

When the healing sensation had left me, I felt whole with life again, ready to move forward once more. My vision became clear again. I hopped up with joy. If anything, I had to thank the stallion that just saved my life.

Or so I thought...

When I had turned to meet the sorcerer, I was completely dismayed. Mare sorcerers were never this strong in battle till now of course.

"Did you kill...?"

She looked straight through me with those cold yet innocent eyes of light green.

"How did you get outside without a partner?" the mare asked as she pulled off the hood of her dark crimson cloak.

As she asked that question, I thought of the consequences that followed not having one. At most times, not having a partner meant death without trial. Not following the rules of Panadon usually meant that anyhow.

I guess going back with my pact still in my saddlebag meant at my life to be spared, I thought as I went towards the bag near the monsters hand.

"I don't know... uh," I said as I turned back to her while opening my saddlebag.

Her voice was beautiful. Sadly, I didn't have the words to fully describe the sweet and soft sound of her voice. I actually forgot she was asking me a question.

"Wait what did you ask again? Really sorry about that."

"Well, I had asked how are you gonna get back?"

"Easy, I was just gonna go back using this pact right here," I said as I showed her the pact.

"Uh..."

"What?" I asked as I looked back at what I thought was the pact. My eyes widened. All I could've thought was me never returning to Panadon.

"Whelp, guess that's exile for me," I said as I sighed in full regret.

"We have to get out of here, or else we will encounter more monsters. So follow me or die," she said as she trotted off further into the forest.

I was pleased for a bit. Now I didn't have to worry about dying at least. But another thought dawned on me which kept me from proceeding onward. Did I have to follow her wherever she went? If I did, for how long?

I didn't learn much from Arcane School, but if I did learn anything it was that you couldn't trust another sorcerer for long. But in any case I followed her. I had to. I mean, where else could I have gone without putting my life in great danger?

Following her was my best and only option at that point. I had to survive, I had to live. I didn't know what it was that compelled me to do this, maybe perhaps my right arm, but I just must go on.

"Are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

~Fin