Written by F.D. Meister
Art owned by AssasinMonkey
Link to Picture
The year was 2,000 B.C. (Before the Corruption) or B.C.L. (Before the Corruption of Luna) Most of the world still asleep.
Nations, great and small, kept to themselves. Most of what breathed life and roamed across the world, beyond the beyond the boundaries of the Royal Sister's kingdom, were all foreign to the subjects of the Everfree Forest.
Celestia and Luna, the princesses and sovereigns of the kingdom, wanted to expand and fellowship with other nations and sent a group of pioneers with one messenger up to the farthest part of the North to get a general analysis of the north region and what was out there.
Five members was tasked to carry out the expedition; three sojourners, one soldier and a messenger. They had to leave at dawn and travel on up. They traveled for two weeks, avoiding all possible trouble.
The leader's name was Sound Sight, a unicorn messenger who was excellent at picking up sound and anything that moves from a thousand four hundred yards away without distraction. He was known for his crystal blue eyes, his blonde mane and tail, and most importantly his quick hooves able to get to and fro without sound on most terrains.
The group had reached the coldest parts of the North region, mostly just snow as far as the eyes could have seen. That part of Equestria was what the equines would soon call the Frozen North.
Each member immediately got themselves prepared, placing on their old and worn, thick cloaks. Their armed themselves with their swords of iron, and saddles of copper. And each member, being fully equipped, held their positions for what the next step would have been.
"Alright," Sound started looking out before him at what seemed to be a never-ending horizon of snow and heavy wind. "We're going to move ownard into this great and trying journey of snow."
He looked over to his soldier and friend, Stout Hoof. A strong and plenty skilled soldier he was with his black mane and tail, hazel brown eyes, and caramel coat. His armor made of iron, and his sword and shield were of steel.
"Stout, we will leave our crate with you. We cannot take it beyond this point, so we'll leave you it and use you as a return point for anything goes wrong."
"Understood," Stout responded.
"Understood" was Stout's response to most things. He was considered a true soldier by anyone who has ever met him. He does all that he is told to do and does it without any questions.
Sound looked over to his other members."Okay. Flora, Lumberjack, and White, we are going head out on what could possibly be our last expedition. I know how much times you guys have heard this before, but it could be very easy to forget sometimes."
Flora, scratching through her scruffy red mane, spoke up and said, "Well.. we don't know what's out there, but I doubt it would be a case were we will die or something, ya know? I-"
"How do you know that, Flora? Us making it all the way out here with our lives is a miracle, praise the sun and moon goddesses," Lumberjack said pushing his sword down into his hilt. He shot a glare at her with his golden brown eyes, blowing aside some of his silky dark hazel mane.
"You know, like what's up with you. It was only an opinion," Flora responded, frustrated at his remark. Her green eyes squinted as a strong wind blew by.
"Come on you two, let's get along here, okay? We're like over two weeks out here. If we argue now, then... then nothing will be resolved and we eventually destroy each other," White stopped and looked over at Sound, who trotted through both Flora and Lumberjack.
"You guys should really listen to her. She could teach you two a thing or two. Now let's get on with what we have to do," Sound said, trotting off into cold, fog-like, strong winds.
The three followed. But before he couldn't see them anymore, Stout called out to them.
"Guys."
Sound and everyone turned back to him, there faces seemed to be without expression. Stout looked at them put a hoof to his head, saluting them and said, "May Princess Celestia and Luna guide each of your hooves." He stood there for a moment, putting down his hoof on the ground. He looked at Sound's eyes and said, "Don't die. Try not to die."
Sound and the others faces came back alive for a moment, showing worried expressions all over.
Sound smiled to calm everypony's worried soul and said, "We will try. That's as far as I could promise to anyone." He turned his head and continued onward.
"We'll be back, Stout." Flora agreed following Sound. Lumberjack and White turned and followed in silence.
Stout watched the members trail off further into the Frosty North. As a royal guard and loyal soldier of the Sun Goddess army, all he could do was wish them well.
"Farewell, my one time friends."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The four unicorn members traveled onward for three days in the Frozen North. They have not seen much civilization save a peculiar race what they would be later called crystal ponies. Cold and harsh winds battered against their bodies.
Sound was getting a little weary. His members were also weary of getting nowhere with little analysis. Sound was determined to go back with something extraordinary to their princess despite not having found anything significant.
A few more days has passed with them traveling up through the North, with each passing day Flora and Lumberjack arguing with each other and the dangerous squabbles only getting more and more violent. In there most recent fight, Flora received along her left cheek while Lumberjack had received a sword slash along the left side of his body.
White was completely in shock and at the same time depressed, deeply saddened at their bitter hate towards each other and how it was only getting stronger.
Sounded didn't care much for them. All he was really concerned with was finding something worth showing or telling upon their return.
The two getting into such heated arguments began to bother his mind a lot but did nothing to stop them. Although he was a messenger, there was nothing his frail body could have accomplished getting in between two mercenaries.
But at that moment, he had a loud and strong roar. All the members had heard it, and both Flora and Lumber had stopped arguing.
Who dares to tread upon and cause uproar upon the dining place of the Windagos.
A crashing series of wind and mighty thunder came upon the four unicorns, and they were afraid. A giant plume cloud of scary and terrifying blue came down before them and they saw a giant blue horse. Its presence had them all trembling uncontrollably.
Its eyes of bright glowing light, its great stature, the mysterious that moved around its hooves, and its body of transparent blue shook their souls. It stomped down, making the earth tremble beneath their hooves.
Sound looked up at the giant horse, terrified beyond belief. He was completely at a loss for what words should come forth from his lips. His heart pounded away really fast, his breaths began coming in short pants.
Lumberjack stood alongside Sound Sight, also trembling. Both turned to make a run for their lives, but the hind hooves were quickly frozen in place before they were even able to get a head start.
None of you are leaving this place...
"Flora! White! Save yourselves! Get away from here!" Lumberjack cried out in fear. The Windago blew upon him his frosty breath, freezing every part of his body completely to the soul.
"LJ, Nooo!" Sound cried out. The Windago roared at him, blowing at him and freezing half of his body. It then afterwards raced after the other two who trying to escape with their lives.
When they reached a few yards away, Flora looked back. She wanted to look back and see what the horse looked like one last time before leaving for good. White also had looked back, her eyes widened with fear and shock.
"Flora, don't waste staring back there! Let's-"
White watched up at the beast behind Flora, roaring up the sky as its hoof came down her body, crushing all of her bones, blood gushing out of mouth, eyes, and ears like juice from squashed melons. Her face was all she could've seen above a scene a red snow. Mumblings were all that were heard as she struggled to speak, but her attempts had failed, and her eyes closed completely.
"Oh my Goddesses, Oh my Goddesses, why has thou forsaken us," White said, looking back up at the horse which was beginning to fade before crimson eyes. Terrified, she as fast as her hooves could carry her across the vast landscape of the freezing blanket of snow.
She galloped as fast as she could, covering a few miles before finally using up all the energy in her hooves and air in her lungs. She collapsed to the ground her legs sore, the air burning her lungs as she was trying to catch her breath.
White looked around, and looked above. She repeated this process, scared and afraid the Windago would catch up with her and crush her body, or perhaps freeze her to death.
"I can-"-pant-"I can't,"-pant-"I can't go on,"-pant-"any longer." White's vision became hazy, darkness creeping in and swallowing away what she could see. Every second her vision had grown darker and darker.
"I can't..."
The Windago reappeared before Sound Sight who struggled to break free from his entrapment, breaking pieces of the ice around his hind hooves with his iron sword.
It knocked his weapon down onto the snow, then crushing it with its hoof. It peered into his eyes filled fear. It then leaned in close to the unicorn and breathed on him, freezing all of his hooves in place.
"You just a monster aren't you!" Sound charged his horn and fire a small beam into the chest of the Windago. The beam did seemingly little damage leaving only a burning area in its chest
That's what I should be asking you intruder. What gives you right to trot onto our land in the first place? What are you here for?
"Please don't do this. We only come from so far to see what was out here for our leaders."
Begging will not help you in this place. Emotions don't influence us the way it does for you ponies...
Your leaders sound weak in my book. If they really want to know, let them and see for themselves. They could even to us if they desire. Till then, you shall stay here. Pray that your leaders could free you from this with haste.
The Windago inhaled a mass amount of cold air, its chest expanding in size. Sound's eyes had widened.
"Wait, wait!"
These words are what hung in the cold air as it encased him and Lumberjack in ice. The Windago faded away and the strong winds had ceased, leaving only the flakes of snow which dropped down softly onto the vast bed of white.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Days have passed since Stout had seen them. He sat and ate from the spare ration that they had in the cart for themselves sparingly. It was when he realized the rations were running out that thoughts of his comrades came to his mind clearly.
"Sound... Lumberjack... Flora... White... Where are you all now." He quickly remembered what Sound had said to him before they left.
"We'll try. That's as far as I could promise anyone."
He looked over at his sword which had not torn asunder anything. It was still untainted and without blemish, having hurt not one soul, yet. It still kept its great smooth texture, its shine, and its sharpness.
"I should have maybe gone with them. Maybe we could've been trotting back together by now."
Stout place his hoof on the handle of his sword when what felt like sharp line of pain ran right in through the bicep of his foreleg and protruded out through the tricep of his foreleg.
"Goodness, Celestia!" Stout's face cringed as he watched blood, gushing out of his foreleg. His eyes were widened, looking around to see who was nearby, but all he saw was the clear landscape.
Another two came down from the skies, piercing both of his hind legs, making him nearly immobile. Blood flowed down, soaking his fur.
He looked up at the sky but nothing but the clear blue. His heart raced, he was afraid he was being ambushed but would die not knowing who the foe was.
That was when a creature flew down a few feet away from Stout. It had the wings and eyes of an eagle. The fore legs were claws while the hind legs were paws of a lion.
"A.. hybrid.. creature?"
It walked over to him, its beak covered in a veil of white. It had a shoulder pad of copper. When it got over him, it leaned in with its golden eagle eye and scanned his eyes.
"Oh, you're still breathing. That's good."
"Who are you, beast!" A knife was placed onto Stout's neck by a similar creature in armor.
"Aye, watch who you talk to like that you dirty mud horse."
"Argus, relax. He's gonna leave this life soon. Don't make his last moments so miserable."
"Alright, just do you came to do. We don't have time to linger around, you griffon harlot," Argus said.
The female griffon took away Stout's virginity and his seed. Afterwards, his head was removed and taken by the griffons, leaving his body to rot for days near the crate. They also had left the marking of their claws all around the crate.
White would finally reach the site two days later and would cry out in great sorrow. She went back to the kingdom and told the princesses of their failed journey and all that she had seen.
She now remains in waiting for the response of both goddesses.
