The Lost Hero

Festivities and Fires

8:00 A.M.

"Grams! No!"

"Twilight, wake up."

"This can't be happening, PLEASE no!"

"Twilight, you're just dreaming, wake up."

"GRAMS!"

"Wake UP!"

I woke in cold sweat, my heart beat wild from the dream I'd just had. I swallow, looking around my room as if to make sure everything was still as it was the day before and wondering where the voice had come from that had made me wake. When seeing no one, I shake my head and take in slow breaths. After gathering my nerves and calming down a little bit, I toss the blanket off of me and get up to go shower. After I dress, I evaluate myself in the mirror before leaving the room to start my day.

I headed downstairs, probably looking like crap from my rough start, and turned into the kitchen to find Grams looking over a letter. I feel relief with seeing she's alright and tell myself that my bad dream was just that; a very, real, frightening, bad dream "Good morning." I tell her, going up behind her and looking over her shoulder at what she was reading.

"Good morning Twi." She tells me, giving me a tired smile before holding the letter up for me to read "It's from the Mayor. He wants to see you right away." She tells me.

I take the letter from her and skim over it "What does he want me for?" I wondered out loud, not really expecting her to answer me since I was reading the letter for myself.

"Dunno, just wants to see you." She tells me before getting up and going to fix herself a bowl of oatmeal. It was then I realized that morning was a fend for yourself morning when it came to breakfast so after I read the letter I grabbed an apple and made my way towards the hallway "Well, guess I better go see what's so important he needs my help with it." I say, reaching for my boots to slip them on. I struggled like usual. When it came to putting on the boots, it was like fighting a giant snake… only I was forcing my foot down its mouth. But I guess I couldn't complain. I was the one that chose to wear them.

Behind me I hear Grams call my name. I looked up and see her peering at me around the corner from the kitchen "Do you still plan on going to the festival…?" she asked me, a pitiful look on her face like she already knew what my answer would be.

"Yes… and I'm kind of assuming the Mayor wants me to do something for it seeing as how I got this letter the day of." I tell her.

She sighed, and came out from the corner, reaching behind her to unclasp the silver chain around her neck. When she's in front of me, she holds out the necklace and tells me to take it.

I look at with her wide eyes "but that things like… your baby!" I gasped, pushing her hand away.

But she stuck it right back in front of me and told me more firmly to take it "I've had this thing for years… and it's brought me good luck and I feel that it's protected me. Please, Twi… Just take it. It'll keep you safe." She tells me, her eyes pleading.

I continue to look at her for a long period of time, feeling my heart break for bringing her to do this. I sighed and looked down at the simple little yin yang charm. It'd seen so much. She'd had it for as long as I'd known her and she'd once said it'd belonged to her daughter who'd she lost to Iblis several years ago. I knew how much it meant to her and I was afraid to take it… but then I looked up and saw the look in her eyes. Firm and confident as if she truly believed that whatever bad things were to come, I'd be protected from them because of this necklace. I hesitantly reach up and take the necklace from her, biting my lip as I looked it over. I'd always loved the necklace and I've told her it many times but I'd never imagined that one day she'd give it to me. After a moment, I finally clasp it around my neck, making her give a relieved smile "It looks beautiful on you." She tells me, before she takes me in her arms and hugs me close "Please be careful." She adds.

I squeeze her back "I promise Grams, everything will be fine." I tell her, before letting her go and going out the door towards the barn.

Instead of taking Casanova to go see the Mayor today I decided I'd take Masquerade. She was the more agile horse and the better jumper. She was also much more obedient than Casanova.

We didn't go at full speed towards the Mayor's home like I would have with the other one. Besides being more obedient, she also wasn't impatient about anything. So I was able to enjoy our time just slowly trotting along the road, allowing me to look over the lake. I tried my best not to think about my dream and rather more on what the mayor might want from me. It wasn't common for him to want to see me for anything. Despite the fact I'd protected him and his wife almost ten years earlier from Iblis's creatures, I wasn't that important to the village anymore. Not that I really truly cared.

We have to cut through the Town Square to get to the Mayor's which allowed me to see that the entire place was still abuzz with last minute preparations for the night to come. I felt myself growing excited once more. Forgetting about the dream and my Grams' bad feelings, I tried to think about what my plans would be for the night. I'd probably hang out more at the games and I KNEW I'd be entering any singing contests that might be held. And the food… there would be plenty of delicious things from sweets to actual meals. Just thinking about it made my so much more anxious for the sun to go down.

I barely noticed that we'd finally come to a stop in front of the mayors. I shake myself into reality and remove myself from Masquerade's back. I give her a loving pat on the neck before turning to head up the steps to the house in front of me.

The Mayor's home was the most beautiful in the town. It was also the largest. The outside was decorated in gardens and fountains and around the back there was a huge fenced in field were several heads of cattle roamed and devoured the grass.

I stopped at the door and knocked lightly, turning and looking around as I waited. As I did, I caught a glimpse of someone walking around the side of the house. I was only barely able to make out the color of their quills and their length and I could have SWORN it looked like the figure from the day before. I was just about to follow and go see who it was when the door opened next to me.

"Twilight! I'm so glad you came!" the overly cheery voice of the mayor hit my ear. I glance at the rhino with a little smile "Thanks for inviting me, sir." I tell him as I step inside the house when he motioned me to do so.

He shuts the door behind me and leads me out into a glass room overly looking the cattle in the back of the house. He offers me a seat and then poured me a cup of tea without even asking if I wanted some. After he put it in front of me, he gives me the bowl of sugar before taking a seat across from me "I can only assume you got my letter, right?"

Uh, duh? "Mhm, I don't know if I'd be here if I hadn't." I give a forced laughed as I scoop a little sugar into the tea.

He nodded and made a face as if he realized how stupid his question had sounded "Yeeaah… right then. As you know the festival is tonight and I'm going to be making a speech about the hero." There he went, stating the obvious again.

I barely paid attention to him as I stirred my tea, trying to drag out my having to drink it as long as I could. I hated tea, but I didn't want to be rude by not drinking it.

"So, what do you think?" he asked. Apparently he'd asked me a question and I hadn't heard. I'd let it slip passed because I thought he was still stating the obvious.

Crap, now I seem like a jerk for not paying attention… I thought to myself as I look at him in a way that said I didn't hear him "hmm?"

"I asked if you would take my place in retelling the story of the Hero and Iblis." He asked me, looking slightly annoyed in having to repeat himself.

I take a forced drink of the tea, trying to think it over as a way to distract myself from the disgusting taste. Once I put the cup down, I look at him with a little smile "Sure!" I tell him, getting the idea of what I could do for it. It'd been a while since I'd used my abilities and I figured… hey, why not put a twist on the story? I nod again "It'll be fun." I tell him.

His grin split his face into two halves "GREAT! I'll go on first and introduce you and then after that, I'll motion for you to come up and tell the story. I can't wait to hear what you come up with." He tells me. He then adds that after I finish my tea I can see myself out before getting up and leaving me alone. I rolled my eyes and laughed at how rude that seemed to me. For all he knew, I could go around the place and steal something… not that I would. I looked over at one of the girls who worked at the Mayors house as a maid and motioned to my tea "You want the rest?" I ask, in which she smiled and politely told me no. Damn. I stood up and drank the last of the disgusting liquid before nodding to her goodbye and heading for the door where Masquerade was finishing the last of some flowers that she'd been left alone with.

I gasped and quickly went to her "Oh lord, better go before someone sees that!" I laugh before mounting her and taking off towards the docks so that I could go over how I was going to tell my story.

The music from the festival could be heard as I trotted along the road towards the town square on the back of Masquerade. Casanova seemed disappointed when I'd returned home to get ready and tell Grams of what the Mayor had wanted, to her dismay since it meant I'd have to stay longer than just a couple hours, and then left again with Masquerade instead of him. That probably made him pretty butt hurt but hey, I'd make it up to him later.

I smiled as I we rounded the corner into the hub of the action where many people danced, played games, and made fools of themselves. And I knew that I'd be doing the same thing in a moment. We walked slowly, careful not to get into anyone's way until we made it to the center where the stage was set up. I dismounted and tied Masquerade up next to it knowing that the moment I was done with my speech, I'd be heading home. But that wouldn't be for a while.

I made my way through the crowd until I came to a line of game stands. The prizes were carved trinkets and stuffed animals for children. As well as tasty treats for those who didn't want the other things. I gave the stall man a couple coins and he handed me a wooden ball that I could use to aim at the wooden pegs behind him. The more I knocked down, the better. I threw my first ball but missed completely, making me pout at my horrible aim. Giving a laugh he handed me yet another ball.

This time it hit the center of a stack of 9 wooden pegs, sending them all tumbling to the ground around him. He gave me a third ball and I threw it to hit a tower of three. All in all, I earned a small carved sculpture of a panda bear. I knew Grams would love it so I stuck it into the pocket of the jacket I was wearing.

After I was done with that game I headed to a stall where the prizes were jewelry. I didn't really look at them but decided that I'd give the game a try anyways.

All I had to do blindfold myself and throw a dart. If it stuck to a number, then depending on the number I got a prize. 1 I got a ring, two, I got a bracelet, and three, I got a necklace. The more coins I paid then the more darts I got.

I paid for five of them. He then handed me a black piece of fabric to wrap around my head and cover my eyes. I did as I was told and soon I was being handed the first of my darts.

I tried to take aim from memory, keeping one hand on the counter to steady myself before I threw the dart. I heard it hit… and then fall to the ground. Darn! I pouted and held out my hand for the second one.

He handed it to me and the moment I had it I aimed and threw as hard as I could.

"WHOA! Watch where you're aiming that!" the guy joked at me, knowing full well I couldn't.

"Ha ha, very funny." I told him, but I grinned, because I'd hit and heard it stick.

The next two I knew landed without falling but the last one I threw fell to the ground. With a little pout I reached behind me and untied the fabric so I could see what I'd hit. Before me I saw that I'd hit two ones and then one two, meaning I could either get two bracelets, four rings, or a necklace and a ring. Going with the third option I looked over the necklaces.

My eyes stopping on one that was hidden behind a pretty pink stoned heart one. Hanging there was a yin yang sign attached to a leather cord. It was almost exactly like the one around my own neck; only this one was pained stone, not pearl and onyx. I point to that one, deciding I'd either give Grams back hers, or ask if she wanted this one in return.

After I took it, I slipped it around my neck and looked at the rings. Seeing that a little girl had been watching me the entire time, I smile and ask her to pick one out for me.

She does; a pretty purple stoned one that she offers up to me. I shake my head and tell her to keep it, in which she grins and runs off to show her mother who wasn't too far away. I wave as the mother looked up at me before turning away to go find something else to do.

Music, unlike the songs already going, hit my ears from somewhere away from the stage. I headed towards it, curious and hoping it would be one of the contests that had been done last year. I hadn't won, but I came in close second.

I saw that there was a smaller stage, actually it was a cart that had been sat on some stone blocks so that it stayed balanced, where a crowd of people were sitting around and eating and drinking. On top of the stage a girl and boy sang some song they both must have liked together. I leaned up against a stall, watching them with an amused smirk. The girl was horrible, the guy amazing… though I knew him as a jerk. I waited for them to finish, before going to see if there was a line. There wasn't.

I had to give a coin to go up and sing, which I totally didn't mind, and once I was up I felt the eyes of the crowd shift to me. I was known as someone who would sing shamelessly in public so most of them knew that I wouldn't have a hard time doing it. After seeing who their next ear murderer was, though I'd been told many times I was pretty nice on the ears, I sifted through the songs I had listed in my head until I found one I liked.

"We're waiting!" someone called and I give glare in their general direction since I didn't really see who it was who had spoken. After doing so, I finally picked something out and started.

I clapped the rhythm in my hands, though I would have snapped if I could have done so without using my abilities, and started to sing out in my strong, confident singing voice that I believed would make a howling dog stop and tell me to shut up "I've been waiting on the sunset, Bills on my mindset I can't deny they're getting high! Higher than my income, Income's breadcrumbs, I've been trying to survive…" I sort of swayed and bobbed my head to the song, a bright smile my lips as I saw that feet were tapping to my voice "But you gotta keep your head up, oh, and you can let your hair down, eh. You gotta keep your head up, oh, and you can let your hair down, eh." I breathe here and continue "I know it's hard, know it's hard, to remember sometimes, But you gotta keep your head up, oh, and you can let your hair down, eh." The entire song I'm smiling, letting myself get lost in my own voice. I loved it and it was the most fun I'd had all night. I attracted more people to the stall to eat and watch me and by the time I was done, the crowd had almost doubled. I bow when I finished and jumped down, my heart pounding from the rush of being in front of a large crowds and singing. No matter who you are it's always nerve racking to perform in front of a crowd when there is a chance you'll mess up and embarrass yourself.

Soon enough the time came for the Mayor to make his speech and the crowd began to gather around the stage. I pushed my way towards the front so that I could be able to reach the stage easier once he called on me to take it from him.

"Welcome! Welcome everyone to the 8th anniversary of our beloved towns creation… and the fall of the accursed Iblis. Welcome… Tonight I stand before you to tell you of how grateful I am that we can all be here together, happy, peaceful, unafraid, and above all else… alive. And who do we thank for that?"

The crowd around me shouted "The Hero!" and I have to cover my ears from how loud it was.

He smiled and nodded "The Hero who risked, and possibly gave, his life for ours. Who's memory lives within us and who's mark stands tall within our beloved Town Square." He motioned towards the statue "He's to thank! If it were not for him, the people you see around you," he paused for effect "could possibly not be here. Your children's lives would be in danger with every waking moment… and resting. So thank him, thank the hero for all that you have and let us hope, that if he is still out there, that he will return to us and personally be able to accept our gratitude for all he has given us." He calls, making the entire crowd roar with their agreement. He waits for them to calm down before he again continues "But some of us do not remember those terrible days." He looked around the crowd, meaning the children "Some of us don't remember how hard it was for us to live with each passing day and thus, to really know what they need to be grateful for, need to be reminded." He says, as he rests his eyes on me and extends a hand towards my general direction "Twilight, our fearless protector who made it her sworn duty to keep us safe during those long years. Who fought off the Biters, the Takers, The Stalkers, the Brutes, and the Titans… who gave us hope for living… and who was the first to see our Hero and witness his epic display of bravery to take down the monstrous Flames of Disaster!" I roll my eyes, thinking he was going a little overboard with his speech "She will be retelling the story of the days before the sun. Of the days of fear, please… listen well. And be thankful that our lives are how they are today." He finally finishes, before taking a deep bow and motioning for me to take the stage.

As the villagers cheered and whistled I slowly made my way along the edge of the crowd until I came to the steps that lead up to where I'd be standing. As I make my way up I begin to snap my fingers, getting into a rhythm, and causing a layer of smoke to begin filling the air around the crowd. They noticed it, but kept their anxious eyes on me. I knew it'd take a lot of strength to create what I wanted, but I was determined "Almost a decade has passed since those times…" I begin softly, but loud enough for everyone standing before me to hear "Our world was a living hell." I say, my snapping finally taking a rhythm and beginning to activate my abilities "The charred remains of all that lived littered the ground, from loved ones to the haunting shells of homes. No life grew from the ground. No grass… no trees… and the sun was nothing but a legend. Something that you told to children in hopeful stories of bravery… in stories of what the world would be like if Iblis hadn't existed." I tell them, my crimson eyes closing "Can you picture it? Can you see the devastation around you?" I went silent for a moment, but no one answered me. And then in the next moment, my eyes flash, and I increase the speed of my snapping. All around me and the people I was speaking to the world shifted into chaos. The ground cracked, allowing imaginary lava to fill the chasms. The buildings burst into flames and the smoke became suddenly thicker. Only I could be seen through the haze; me and the terrible creatures that flew through the sky.

A scream emitted from the crowd, but it was silenced by someone telling them that it wasn't real "Before the sun and the night sky there was only smoke. Smoke and fire and ash. Iblis was the terror that controlled our lives, who lurked in our dreams and who was responsible for all that was in shambles." Above me the monstrous image of Iblis arose from behind the homes. I made him turn and look towards the people before he slowly fell and vanished. Around both the crowd and I, lava filled more cracks that I created "Iblis was a god! And to our dismay… he couldn't die. He'd fall to his knees and vanish into the lava pools he created… and then he'd rise again only a few days later. Hope was… nonexistent." I say in a defeated voice.

But then I looked at the crowd with fierce eyes. Above them the takers began to dive bomb, acting as if they were going to come down and carry someone away. Around us I created an army of takers and titans, in which I created an illusion of myself that could take them down. Slowly but surely I took each down… until the last fell and behind us, coming from the lake that had suddenly replaced the houses, I created the frightening figure of Iblis rising from the lava.

I drowned out the screams and noise from the crowd as I focused on my snapping and the pressure I was putting myself under while I tried to maintain the illusion of Iblis towering above them all. The image wasn't as large as the true Iblis but I knew I couldn't possibly make it bigger without draining myself of all my energy.

Then the figure appeared to challenge the great being. Cheer echoed around me, as they saw him appear and stand before Iblis… a mere speck compared to his great size. He turned blue green and the two began to battle "The hero fought as hard as he could, delivering precise blows to the gem on the great beasts head and dodging whenever Iblis tried to crush him. Such bravery!" I called.

Finally, after many displays of courage from the hero and many blows to the forehead for Iblis, the mighty titan began to fall towards the lake. The cheers that blasted around me were almost too much, but I maintained it for just a bit longer as I showed a small band of faceless survivors and myself begin to cheer for the hero…. Then, a moment later, the Hero fell to his knees and began to melt into the illusion as it began to fade into what the world truly was now "The silver hedgehog I saw that day was a valiant protector indeed… but to this day… no one knows what befell our hero… was it death? Did he fall to the lava from his tired limbs? Or did he retreat into the charred forest where he watches us to this day?" I ask, before stopping my snapping completely and making everything that was left vanish "No one knows." I repeated.

"Until now!" the voice came from somewhere back behind the crowd. My eyes widened as I called for whoever spoke to show themselves. The crowd parted and the one speaking stepped forward to show himself.

My eyes widened into disbelief. Standing in front of me for everyone to see was the silver hedgehog I'd been seeing. I opened my mouth to ask him what in the world he was talking about but before I can say anything my eyes snap to the sky where I see a pillar of smoke billowing from somewhere in the direction of my home. My heart stops because I know my illusions should have died out when I stopped snapping… and I realize that it's not a trick; it's real.

"FIRE!" I scream, pointing towards the pillar and forcing everyone to look, the silver hedgehog was forgotten as panic took hold of the crowd. In the next moment the entire village broke and scrambled to find things to take to the fire and put it out. Afraid of where the fire was coming from, I dash for my horse, unhitching her and taking off the moment I had her reins "GO MASQUERADE!" I scream as we take off through the crowd, knocking over several people as we headed towards the road that led us towards my home. I pushed her to her limit, suddenly wishing I'd brought Casanova instead. My heart is racing as I near the dark clouds that came up. I prayed it was a house next door, despite how bad it sounded "Please no…" I sobbed as I tried to make the horse go faster.

I rounded the last corner to find that my horrible first impressions were right… and it was my home that was ablaze. I threw myself from the saddle, not even waiting for her to slow all the way down as I landed hard on the ground, stumbled, and then took off for the house. I slammed into the door, forcing it to open as I entered the house "GRAMS!" I scream, desperately trying to get a response. I listened but heard nothing and the horrible knot in my chest became tighter. I cover my face as the fire suddenly grew into a larger pile in front of me before dying down. I push through it and tried my best not to breathe in the air "Grams!" I called, before starting to cough when I inhale a cloud of ash that had fallen from the burning ceiling. I force myself deeper into the house, peering first into the kitchen to see if she was there. She wasn't.

I go passed and into the living room, jumping back when a beam snapped and fell into my path. I screamed before having another coughing fit "GRAMS! PLEASE ANSWER ME!" I cried out, feeling tears beginning to swell I my eyes.

"…Over… here…" I barely heard the fragile voice as I heard it from farther back in the living room. I look to see that a wooden beam has fallen on top of her and she's on her stomach and trying to reach for me. I Jump the beam, ignoring the fact that the house is falling all around me. As quickly as I could I go to her I fall to my knees, grabbing her hand and holding it tight "I'm here Grams, don't worry. I'll get you out." I tell her, though I'm sobbing and my hands are shaking with grief. I stand up and tried to lift the beam off of her in a place where it had yet to catch fire but it barely budges. I try to kick it in a place where it was burned but it barely crumbled. I choke back a curse "Wait here Grams, let me try to find something to get this thing off of you!" I call to her and begin to turn. But she grabs one of my shirt tails.

"No… Twilight, just leaving me. Get out of here." She begs me, looking at me with the same desperation that I held in my own eyes. I fall to my knees once more and clasp her hand "N-no… I'll never. I'll get you out of her." I tell her, though my hope is fading.

In that moment a terrible creaking is heard above me and I look up to see that the beam right above my head is beginning to bend and break.

Snap it went before it came crashing towards me. I scream, and ducked by head.

For a moment all went quite. The fire around me slow until my world became completely still. I open my eyes and look up to see that the beam is suspended above me. I cough as I try to see how but my eyes are watering from the ash that was in them. All of a sudden the beams are thrown to the side and I see that a glowing red figure is there, standing above me and reaching towards me "It's alright, calm down." I hear before I feel his hands on me.

"NO! I can't leave Grams!" I tell whoever this figure is. I'm sobbing and trying to fight him… but then my body goes still and a strange sensation is taking ahold of me like I can't move.

"Everything will be alright, Twilight." I hear. I feel as if I can't breathe and the air is choking me. I strain to see who it is carrying me away from my Grams. I squint and try to make out the glowing figures face but his features are almost masked by how brightly he's glowing. Despite this I'm just able to make out the face of the silver hedgehog from earlier. It was then that the unnamed figure from my dream comes to mind before I feel myself slipping into blackness…

And then I faint from the lack of breath and the exhaustion I felt from using my abilities.