Ballad of a Vahlok (FIXED, CHAPTER 1)

[Willowmist 12]

Hello everypony! Me and two other of my friends on ROBLOX made a joint story about our family, 'The Vahlok's Platoon.'

 

It's a prestigious group of the Empire of Tamriel's best swordfighters, and apparently, writers. (I know we aren't the best writers in Equestria but there aren't many good writers in the Empire of Tamriel x.x)

 

Anyway, I'd be pleased if you read it.

 

There is a bit of blood and death and stuff, but hey.

This is the absolute LEAST amount of blood/gore you'll see in my stories.

 

 

Anyway, here it is. Hope you all enjoy it, and if you can, please leave constructive criticism! We are relatively new writers and slightly confused.

 

Prologue

 

Back in the days before modern Equestria, and even BEFORE the days where the species were separated, times were even darker. Instead of arguing and bickering about helping each other, each species didn’t help each other at all. They actually were at war. The Imperial Pegasi, The Unicorn Thalmor, and the Stormcloak Earth Ponies all waged bloody war on each other with no hold out.

 

The Stormcloaks owned a lot of Equestrian land, the Thalmor owned Canterlot and the Canterlot Castle, and the Imperial Pegasi owned Cloudsdale and a section of modern Fillydelphia.

Commander Hurricane’s great grandfather, Dathuran, was the current leader of the Imperial Pegasi. Although the Earth Ponies owned much land and many troops, the Pegasi were faster and stronger.

A prestigious mix of Unicorns and Pegasi, the Vahlok’s Platoon was one of the most honoured positions in the Pegasus Empire. Only the best of the best were chosen, and only the best of the best who proved themselves got through. The family, however, were almost born with sheer skill and courage, though that does not make them invincible...

 

As the blade drove through Peyt's lower throat, everything grew darker and silent to her, like her vision and hearing were taking a break from their day-to-day job they do. It must be so hard, working for all hours of the night and day, inspecting their surroundings, making sure nothing is there that could bring harm. The assassin twisted his blade, worsening the wound and grinding cold steel against Peyt's spine. A cold chill shivered through her body as her spinal cord was cut and the pain was taken away. As the cold-blooded killer pulled the steel shortsword from Peyt's neck, the General fell to the ground on her back. The world faded, and her hearing was like the ear-ringing sound of tinnitus, only amplified three-fold. The warmth of her blood beneath her head was, at some extent, welcoming. There was no pain. No feeling. Peyt thought death was going to be terrifying, violent and rough.

Yet it was peaceful. She had never felt such peace in her life before. She was free to prance through Sovngarde. She was ended of the stress of being a General. The stress of helping to lead an army 1,000 strong. The stress of just being her.

As she lie there on the cold ground, she cracked a smile and closed her eyes. She was gone. She was free.

 

Chapter I

The Assault

 

General Kroniid Vahlok cursed silently, and ordered a soldier to get him ready for travel.

It was a long day, traveling across Equestria. Only yesterday had he heard of Peyt's demise. Following that, he was told by a Thalmor Courier that one of their own unicorns had done it. The unicorn Heroimine had ordered the assassination of Peyt. He rode day and night, hour upon hour, toward the Thalmor territory to which Heroimine was hiding. He took no breaks, he was going to kill the unicorn no matter if he died along with her. He was going to avenge his daughter.

Upon arrival, he caught glimpse of seven Thalmor. Two of them being Poisoncrow and Heroimine. Five unicorn guards were stationed on a wall with their elven bows.

"Too easy," muttered Vahlok as he crouched down. He moved through the bushes quietly, making sure not to step on so much as a twig. He readied his bow, and an arrow flew into one of the unicorns chestplates. The other four were startled, looking in all directions. Another arrow flew into a unicorn’s hoof. The unicorn staggered back, and was struck down by yet another arrow.

Two of the unicorn guards remained, then one. Though this unicorn finally caught sight of Vahlok, and shot an arrow. The arrow cut Vahlok across his front leg, and he winced at the pain. He readied the last of his arrows and shot. The unicorn fell limp. He ran stealthily through the gates, and looked around. "There are no more Thalmor but Heroimine and Poisoncrow..." he muttered silently. Vahlok drew his sword, and began to pace behind the unicorns. Poisoncrow had looked back, and was startled when he saw Vahlok charging with a sword.

Heroimine did not see Vahlok, however. She was cut down by the sword. Vahlok had his vengeance, or did he? "Heroimine!" Poisoncrow screamed, his face covered in Heroimine's blood. "Kroniid, how could you?" Poisoncrow had hissed. "This unicorn had the order to assassinate my daughter, and justice has been delivered."

"Oh, you old fool! I am the one who ordered the assassination!" Vahlok was startled at this, but he soon began the charge. Though just before his sword made contact, Poisoncrow had vanished in a thick cloud. Vahlok cursed, and stepped back to the gates. Once he was ready, he galloped off to the Imperial Palace.

 

Chapter II

Vengeance

 

When Vahlok had arrived at the palace, he stormed to each of the Imperials. He ordered them in a straight line, and picked out the few who were in his Platoon. The rest were to head off to guard Augustan Hold.

"Crusaders! We have a mission now. It was not Heroimine who had assassinated Peyt, it was Poisoncrow all along!" The Imperials gasped, then asked questions. "But what shall we do, General?" One had asked. "We will assault them, of course. Show them what the cry of vengeance does to one poor soul."

So each of the Imperials marched behind Vahlok, and together they headed off to Poisoncrow's domain. Soon they had arrived, and they each saw familiar figures. Old friends, they were. Kendov was among the crowd.

"Ah, General Kroniid Sah Vahlok," Poisoncrow started, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "You murdered my daughter Poisoncrow, and it is time for you to pay for it!" Vahlok screamed, his family and Platoon behind him all yelled things like, "FOR PEYT!" or "FOR THE PLATOON!" They began the attack. Imperials and Thalmor alike fell to the ground, and Vahlok had managed to sneak behind enemy lines along with his family. When they entered in from a gap in the walls, they saw Poison manning a siege weapon. "Gildanian, I need you to create a diversion." Vahlok had asked. "Yes, Father!" Gildanian rushed off and stood in front of the weapon.

"Hey, Poisoncrow! Over here!" Gildanian yelled, and as quick as a cheetah, leaped out of the way just as a large arrow from the siege engine whizzed where he was standing. Vahlok had been behind Poisoncrow the whole time, tapped his shoulder, and let him have the time to turn around.

"Wait, wha-" Were Poisoncrow's last words. His bloody body fell to the ground, Vahlok's sword sticking all the way through. He had yelled, "VICTORY FOR THE PLATOON! FOR PEYT!" and they executed the last of the Thalmor. After the long eventful day, they all traveled back to the Academy for a quick break, then to train some more.

 

Chapter III

The Break of Dawn

 

Once they had arrived at the Academy, had a refreshment, and went to the sword fighting arena, this bright light had appeared. It blinded many Imperials, but Vahlok only seemed to stare. The purple, circular light, hovering 2 inches off the ground, showed an image of a tall, skinny, and black figure. As Vahlok stared into the eyes of the figure, he muttered, "Peyt..." Then the light disappeared, and the figure was still standing there. "PEYT!!" Vahlok had rushed forward, scanned the pony in front of him, and reassured himself. "IT'S YOU! YOU'RE ALIVE!" The family gathered around Peyt, and began to cheer.

And so here we are now. Poisoncrow was dead, along with the elf Heroimine. Peyt is back. The cries of happiness. General Vahlok didn't think it could get any better.

Vahlok left the room to the others, and walked alone to his quarters. There he picked up his helmet, a black, metallic-like stone, carved with intricate designs. He placed it on his head, and covered his head with a cowl. He adorned some black robes to hide his armor, and set out on foot.

He told no one what he was going to do, only nodded at a few Imperials trotting by. He walked through the grass of Ponyville, snowy mountains of Canterlot, the clouds of Cloudsdale, until he arrived to a small Thalmor embassy. He pushed open the door, unicorns pulled out their gleaming swords and pointed them at him.

"Who are you?" One of them shouted. "I know it was a decoy. Where is Poisoncrow." Vahlok demanded as the unicorns glanced at each other blankly, then turned back.

"Poisoncrow's ali-" One of the unicorns started, but was cut-off. "Tell me. Or I will behead this unicorn!" Vahlok yanked at the nearest unicorn's mane, and pulled her towards him. "Tell me!" Vahlok raised his sword to the unicorn's throat. "Where is Poison?"

One of the unicorns shouted. "We don't know! We have nothing to do with this!" But Vahlok didn't care, he brought the sword closer. "Don't think I won't do it, I have no pity for your kind." A unicorn, young, maybe in his 20's, ratted out the location. "He's hiding in Skyrim!" Vahlok then released the unicorn, and stormed out the door. He heard the elves beating the young one behind him.

 

Chapter IV

A New Day Arises

 

Back through Cloudsdale, back to Canterlot, Vahlok set course once more. He trotted through the grass and snow of Ponyville, and asked the locals if they had seen a unicorn wandering around. One was able to tell him, and he set off for the destination. He arrived at a small hut, roughly 10 feet in width.

He burst down the doors. Vahlok aimed his sword around, and caught glimpse of an old, shadowy figure. The figure took off his cowl and stared at Vahlok blankly. "Poisoncrow.." Vahlok muttered, but kept Poison cornered. He saw another figure move, and it was Kendov. Poison grabbed a nearby dagger and slashed at Vahlok. "Who are you? How have you found me?" Poison started. Vahlok removed his cowl, and ebony helmet. "Vahlok.."

Poison darted for the nearest sword, and then made contact with Vahlok’s. They exchanged blows for what seemed like an hour. Finally, Poison landed a blow on Vahlok's chest, but made no damage. "What?" Poison said in disbelief as he stared at the black-robed warrior in front of him. Slowly, Vahlok removed the robes and dropped them to the floor. Poison stared blankly at Vahlok. "Nice new set of armor. That will make a great decoration on my wall."

Poison sliced at Vahlok, but he parried. Vahlok dealt a blow on Poison's left shoulder, then spun around to damage his right. Poisoncrow dropped his sword, gasping for breathe. Kendov stared at his comrade. "You've won, Vahlok..." Poison started, but was cut-off. Kendov's sword stuck out of Poison's throat.

Kendov plucked the sword out, and kicked the body away. He stormed outside, and galloped for the mountains. "Kendov, wait!" Vahlok shouted, but couldn't keep up.

 

Chapter V

The Start of a New Era

 

Vahlok returned to the academy to find his family waiting with worry. "Where were you?" His wife, Rikke Faal Sos Vahlok, demanded. "Business. Personal business." He trotted back to his quarters, and placed the head of Poisoncrow on his wall.

He thought all day about Kendov, where had he gone? Was he okay? He gathered a few members of his family. Gildanian, Clavicus, Peyt, and Krolit. They set off to find Kendov, in the mountains of Skyrim. They galloped, day and night, to the Throat of the World. They asked questions, but knew there could be no answer. But they saw one of the Greybeards point, and there, was Kendov. "Fus ro dah!" They heard him shout.

Kendov looked back, and saw the Imperials gathered. He looked shocked, stepped back, and almost ran away. Vahlok grabbed his robes, and pulled him back. "What was that?" Vahlok demanded from Kendov.

"Im.." Kendov looked away, but Vahlok forced his head back. "I'm dragonborn..." Vahlok stepped back, furious, but confused. All of the dragons were dead now. Vahlok looked around, Gildanian had only nodded, Peyt seemed to be playing with her sword again, Krolit poofing a fireball, and Clavicus just standing, as usual.

Vahlok stared at Kendov. "You're lying." As he said this, Peyt had done something horrible. She stabbed Krolit in the back, killing him. She sliced at Clavicus, but he parried. Vahlok rushed at Peyt, but was cut across his front leg. "Ha Ha! You fools, I was never the Peyt you all know! The Peyt you know is dead!"

 

Chapter VI

Through Krolit's Eyes

(Takes place during Peyt’s coma)

My life drained out of me. The sword slashed my heart... I was dying and there was nothing I could do. I felt my legs go numb. I forgot everything and stared up at the sky of the Throat of the World. Life... had ended.

I woke up feeling dirt under my body. I was in afterlife, or more correctly Magnus' Afterlife since I worshipped that particular god. I get up feeling weary and look around. I come to terms that I am Aetherius.

"Seems, you are awake, Krolit." says a voice behind me.

I immediately turn around and find myself looking at a tall stallion, which was glowing a white color.

"I am dead, or so it seems. What happened to the fight on the mountains?" I ask.

"All will be answered in due time, mortal."

"Let it be known that you have been maimed by an alternative personality of Peyt." he says solemnly.

"How d-" I ask, suddenly stopping.

"Now since you have been quite faithful to me, and I need a... servant, in Nirn. You have two choices. Stay here dead, and learn all knowledge of the universe. Or enter the Nirn, and resume your spot with the living. You will be forced to do favors of mine for your living life." he says, sighing.

"Which do you choose. Knowledge, or life? The foundations of Aurbis has already bended upon allowing your dead spirit to be here, so choose fast."

I think for a couple of seconds and then reply:

"I choose life because knowledge will come eventually." I say slowly.

"Your choice, mortal."

The world spirals into darkness.

The world suddenly emerges, as if a veil of darkness has been swept aside. I feel my mortal body being reformed on the spot it was stabbed straight through. I look around and see my brothers, Alexia and Kroniid sitting on the ground weeping. For they had lost Peyt’s alternate personality in the thick blizzard, and I in death. That's when Alexia happens to hear my gasp as I draw in air once more. She stares at me, and the blood being taken back into my body. I sit straight up and start to look around.

"You're alive..." gasps Alexia.

"It's a long story." I start.

"But we have a real problem. Peyt has taken on a substitute personality."

I stay standing up. “Father... He went to get real Peyt, and...” Alexia stops to wipe away a tear. “Father was killed there. I brought back Peyt, but she’s badly wounded. She needs help.” I stare at the ground for what seemed like eternity. My father, dead? I shook it out of my head. Father is dead, and that is final, but Peyt is still alive, though not for long. She can still be saved.

"Even, though I just came back from the dead I am willing to carry Peyt off the mountain. Before she becomes conscious again."

I reach down and pick up Peyt noticing the blood covering her body. Alexia beckoned to the rest of the Vahloks', and we set off in silence.

 

A Week Later...

 

Peyt had not woken up from the drama on the mountain and was still in an induced coma. When we had first set out for this place I had to bound a cut on her flank, which we had no clue how it got there. The path was uncertain ahead, but one thing was certain that we have to get her out of this coma. We decided to head out to the closest temple of Stendarr to drive out this curse. Only one problem with all of this. The fact I am a werewolf. But we still were set on the course this was the only thing to do.

 

Chapter VII

A World of Awakening Horror

 

"HELP!" screamed Peyt within her head.

"NO!"

The world spun black as voices continued to spin around in her head.

"KROLIT! GET UP!"

The voices began to drown out, and a white circle was visible in the center of her eyesight.

"Get up..."

Peyt awoke to freezing cold winds and an aching neck, still not coordinated enough to finalize an answer to where she actually was. Her hoof was wrapped loosely around a steel blade, cut, dented and bloody, yet she was unsure of it was hers or if someone else owned it. She began to gain feeling, and the blur covering her vision was gone. As she turned her head, she was greeted by a horrific sight. Augustan was burning to the ground, and the blood of herself and her fellow Imperials covered the pure white snow. She couldn't get up, she didn't have nearly enough strength to do something as strenuous as that at this point. She could only watch as the fortress become engulfed in the inferno.

As Peyt continued to attempt to get up, she spotted a silhouette deep in the blizzard. It only watched as she finally got up and turned towards it. It wore a sinister black cape, and now that her vision was completely rehabilitated, it became apparent that it was female. "W-who are y-you," she shivered. "Answer m-me!" The silhouette began to trot forward, across the broken stone bridge that connected both sides of the canyon. It stopped at the other side, and pulled out a... something.

But wait. Peyt knew what this was. This was a revolver. This was an instrument of death. She'd used it before. She was going to die.

The silhouette pulled the trigger, and Peyt fell to the ground.

Peyt's vision rattled again, and the voices flooded her thoughts.

"KROLIT!"

"The Peyt you knew is dead!"

"Help..."

Peyt's eyes opened to a figure with straight, jet black hair and sinister red eyes against a dark, bloody background. It glared at her with a disturbing closed-mouth grin. "Good morning, Peyt Vahlok." The brown-haired Legate just stared at the girl in front of her. "Shy, then? Well, I am your alternate personality." Peyt's eyes widened as the words left the mouth of her 'alternate personality.' "What do you want?!" muttered Peyt angrily as she glared at her. "I want the location of the Vahlok family's hideout."

"Never!" declared the purple-caped Vahlok as she tried to attack her, only to find out her hooves were chained to the wall. "Enough." scowled her alternate personality as she drew a dagger. She slashed at Peyt's upper leg, creating a large gash. Peyt winced at this, but quickly regained her composure. "I killed your brother, and Alexia is here in captivity as well. You might as well just give up the position," said the alternate personality, spinning her dagger around her hoof rather quickly.

Peyt stared at her alternate personality, mouth agape.

"KROLIT-"

"AGH!"

Peyt yelped as her black-haired copy jabbed the dagger in her flank. "You're going to talk or I am going to make you, Peyt." The Vahlok glanced impatiently at her alternate personality.

"You plan to make me talk by cutting me?" She said with a smile, ignoring the searing pain emanating from the gaping slash in her flank. She wanted to grasp her wound, but the chains hanging her from the roof suspended her from movement. The gash near her plot continued to take in fresh air, urging Peyt to just want to cover it more. Still, it was to no avail. "No," corrected the alternate personality as she held up half a lemon."I plan to make you talk with this."

Alexia could hear loud screams from down the hall. She wished she could cover her ears, But the leather straps attached to the rusty chain-link hanging from the roof prevented it. How deafening the ear-rattling yells were. How bone shattering they were. How familiar they were...

 

Chapter VIII

The Torture Room of Peyt

 

"AAUUUGGHH!"

Peyt screamed as her alternate personality squeezed lemon juice over her wounds. She had never felt such pain in her life, not ever. Her urine was all over the floor by now, and her leg was covered in shiny red liquid.

"TALK!"

"NO!"

Her alternate personality squeezed again, causing Peyt to squeal even louder. Her flank stung horribly, and her mouth tasted of dried blood and frothed saliva. Still, she did not spit it out. Not even a hint. She'd rather take this on forever than giving away her family's position, but at this point she would probably find out on her own, due to the 'army' she had been blabbering about not twenty minutes ago. Peyt looked up at the sinister red eyes of her alternate personality with teary eyes, filled with agony. Then, the brown haired Vahlok lowered her brow and tried to look as angry as possible.

"I'm not gonna tell you-"

The alternate personality squeezed yet again.

"AHHH!-OUGH--"

Peyt's scream was interrupted by a stream of vomit followed by a hacking cough. She began to drift away, into a black blur of some sort. She'd lost too much hydration in too many ways. Her vision was being overrun by images of her life. Her entire lifetime was flashing before her very eyes. She-

Peyt's eyes widened as she gritted her teeth to sight she saw.

A syringe stuck out of her chest, labeled 'ADRENALINE.'

"There WILL be no relief, Vahlok." The alternate personality pulled out the adrenaline shot and went to pick up her dagger again. She picked it up from the tool table, and spun it around in her hoof. "Nice dagger, huh?" she asked Peyt rhetorically. "Huh?" she repeated. "Sigh, still not cooperating. I guess this will teach you to appreciate it more..."

The demonic alternate shoved the dagger into Peyt's lower abdomen and twisted the blade hard. Peyt vomited blood, getting silky red mess all over her alternate personalities arm. "Quite the mess-maker, hmm? I can fix that." The alternate personality reached for another lemon half.

"Goodnight, Peyt." she announced.

"Goodnight, you- AHHHHHHHH!"

Peyt fell limp, the shake of the chains and armour rattled through the building.

Alexia needed to get out of these chains. Fast. But how? She began to remember Gildanian giving her a pair of his hidden blades. She then started to formulate a plan...

 

Chapter IX

The Joining of Two Factions

 

Kroniid and the family, Gildanian and Clavicus, looked solemnly at the trail of fire and blood covering the path which Peyt's alternate personality took during her escape. The family traveled back to the palace, to speak with the Emperor.

"Yes, Legate Vahlok?" Emperor Dathuran asked as they trotted into the throne room. "Sire', Peyt has been taken over by some out-worldly personality. She has already killed Krolit, and we must find her before she does something... horrid."

At that moment a courier ran in, shouting for Kroniid. "Legate Vahlok! Legate Vahlok! Alexia has been captured by Peyt!" Kroniid's jaw dropped, he stared at the heavens, shouting in his mind at the gods. "Where is she?!" Vahlok demanded.

The courier showed him a map, and Vahlok nodded. The Emperor looked at the map as well, then concluded the crisis. "Vahlok, travel at once to the Palace of Kings in Windhelm. Move it! And go alone, we don't want to risk any more Vahloks then we must."

Kroniid nodded to his family and departed. The Imperial Palace was averagely close to the Palace of Kings, so it was not a huge journey. Kroniid arrived at Windhelm, and the Stormcloak guards shouted to open the gates. "The Stormcloaks have retaken Windhelm, and why are they letting me in?" Kroniid muttered and continued forward.

He paced to the Palace of Kings, where the High King's housecarl greeted him. The housecarl opened the doors and allowed Kroniid entry. Rahvin Stormcloak was upon his throne, and his voice boomed through the grand hall. "Welcome to my palace, old friend. Someone is here to see you."

When he said that a tall, dark figure with black hair, and a very devilish grin trotted out from behind Rahvin. "Hello, Kroniid. Looking for someone?" Peyt’s alternate personality asked as two bodies chained behind her kept yanking at the leather straps. They were the real Peyt and Alexia. Peyt was coughing blood and both were screaming “HELP!”

Kroniid hissed at the alternate personality, and rushed her with his sword. Rahvin swung his sword and hit Kroniid across the chest halfway there. He fell to the ground.

"Hahaha! You've fallen for my trap, Kroniid. How gullible of you..."

Kroniid looked at Peyt and Alexia, and released a tear from his eyes. "I failed you." He thought.

Kroniid was kept imprisoned for weeks, tortured by the alternate personality.

But one day Rahvin stepped in, and made a promise that made Kroniid smile. "Kroniid, I'm sorry. I was such a fool to believe that monster!"

"It's fine, Rahvin. Just get me out of here."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"She will kill me the moment she finds you're missing."

"Then-"

"But there is one thing I can do," Rahvin started, "I can kill you now, and put you out of your own misery."

Kroniid thought on this for a while.

"Do it." He demanded.

Rahvin raised his axe, and chopped off Kroniid's head.

 

Chapter X

Judgement Has Been Delivered

 

At this point, lights exploded everywhere. There were an assortment of them, Kroniid's personalities were spreading. His Strict, Smart, Funny, Immature, and Stupid personalities all spreaded throughout Nirn. However Kroniid did not die, his soul itself was sent to the future, and brought back through only one way.

The future was, different. There were several factions, more worlds to be discovered. He found the Wonderbolts, The Solar Empire, The Royal Guards, and plenty others not heard of.

They focused off of higher technology than early Equestria.

Kroniid stared at the blank space ahead of him, aboard the UNSC The Light of Dawn, awaiting his return to Equestria, peacefully and painlessly.

Kroniid was free for once in his life. Or his afterlife...

 

Chapter XI

Cutthroat

 

Peyt and Alexia watched in horror as Kroniid accepted Rahvin's offer, to kill him and end his misery. Tears streamed from the girls' eyes as the deed was done. Peyt's vision still blurred and flowed, like waves of nothingness. Pictures of her and her father ran through her mind. She began to black out, slowly but surely. As she coughed up a last bit of blood, she passed out from blood loss. Alexia continued to shake her chains, trying to get one of the links to hit the button to activate her hidden blades. Crying hadn't made it any easier. Rattling of chains filled the room as a tear left Rahvin's eye and he slowly walked away from his dead friend. Finally, the button clicked and the blade unsheathed from Alexia's hoof and into the leather, cutting it almost instantly.

Alexia quickly used her left blade to cut the other leather strap, then ran to get Peyt. "Sis!" she yelled. "SIS!" Alexia cut Peyt's straps, caught the purple-cloaked Legate and sheathed her hidden blade. The blackness of Peyt's vision slowly faded away, back into an uncomfortable blur. The sound of the blood dripping from her mouth echoed throughout her ear, spiraling in her mind. The black-haired Vahlok continued to try and get her sister to snap out of it. "Sis, don't die on me now! WAKE UP!"

Peyt's vision returned to normal as her sister yelled. "Al... Alexia...?" she said through a mouthful of blood. ""I... can't feel my leg." Peyt slowly looked down to the mess of her left leg. A gash as well as a stabbing wound in her flank. Peyt quickly looked away and turned her head back to her father. "Dad..." she sobbed. Tears began to run down her cheeks. Alexia walked along with her arm wrapped around Peyt to support her, taking her away from her dead father. Peyt suddenly began to feel very weak. Her legs shook in exhaustion, and eventually she passed out in Alexia's hooves.

Blackness consumed Peyt's world.

Infinite nothingness taking over her eyesight.

The dark unknown closing in.

Eventually, a yellow-white flash took over her vision for a split second, and she began to wake up. She was alone in her room, bandages covering her entire flank and part of her abdomen. A bloody washcloth and a bucket sat on the left side of her bed. She sat up in her bed and looked around. A light sizzling noise and some distant chatter filled her ears. Peyt tried to get up, only to be interrupted by a sharp pain in her abdomen. She ignored it, and stood up, her left leg almost failing, causing her to wobble.

Peyt slowly trotted into the main room of the home in the Vahlok Isles, only to be greeted by the sputtering of oil as bacon fried on a pan above the fire. Krolit greeted Peyt as he continued to cook the bacon slices. Alexia and Gildanian were talking over in the corner of the main room, only to notice that Peyt had woken up. "Good morning, Peyt." greeted Alexia and Gildanian in unison. "Good morning..." responded Peyt. "What happened? How long was I out?" The entire room went completely silent, everyone looked at each other and looked back.

"A week." answered Krolit as he finished the bacon. Peyt shrugged, she'd been out for longer. She still remembered when that Earth Pony cut her stomach. She was out for 2 whole months back then. Peyt shook that, along with all other irrelevant thoughts, out of her head, and continued with her questions. "What happened?"

The room yet again went silent, but the tear that left Alexia's eye said that something was wrong. "Peyt... Dad, he... he's gone, Peyt." Alexia gulped down her sadness. Krolit and Gildanian both lowered their heads.

Peyt, as well, lowered her head. Two tears left her eyes as she sniffled. "Why couldn't I have done something..." she asked herself. "WHY!"

 

Chapter XII

The Return of Hope

 

Krolit brought his hoof down to the table, holding his head with the other. "AAAAGHHH!" He screamed, Peyt, Alexia, and Gildanian knelt beside him, asking questions. "The voices! Make them stop!" The family looked at each other, then back at Krolit. "What’s wrong, Krolit?" Peyt finally asked. "What are the voices saying?"

Krolit stopped screaming, and stood up. "They said... Gildanian, you must go to the Mages College in Winterhold, NOW! That is what the voices said!" Krolit watched as Gildanian left.

It was snowing outside, and Gildanian walked through Cloudsdale, and re-entered in to Ponyville. He looked in the direction of the Throat of the World, remembering the horrid event that happened there.

He looked down, then continued sloshing through the snow. He reached Winterhold and decided to run towards the College. He never looked behind him, he hated this place as much as he hated the alternate personality.

He walked up the paths to the center of the College, in time to see the statue of a mage split in half, a bright light gleaming through each crack. The statue fell apart, and the light filled up the night.

Gildanian almost made a break for it, but made the decision to stay where he was. Whatever it was, he would fight it.

But it was not a creature, but a tall stallion. Gildanian glanced at it, then screamed, "DAD!" Kroniid stepped off the statue's post, and looked at Gildanian. "I am not your father, Gildanian. But I carry a message for you."

"Bu-"

"No buts, I'm not your father."

"Now, let's begin, shall we? Your father is not dead, Gildanian. He is simply, divided, into different personalities. Like Peyt, but several more and much more complex. His personalities, his Strict, Smart, Funny, Immature, and Stupid personalities, are all spread apart. I am his Strict."

Gildanian looked around, then continued to listen. "Your father was sent into the future, and strange it is. But there is a way for him to return."

"You must find each of his personalities, join them together, and a portal will open, to which he will step out and finish the joining. They are spreaded through all of Equestria."

"So, all I have to do, is find his personalities?"

"And sacrifice two of them, yes."

"Do you know their locations?"

"No."

"Then how do I find them?"

"Time will tell, Gildanian. For now you have me, one part of his personality."

Gildanian stared at the part-father in front of him, then said, "Then I guess I will have to show you to the others and explain."

"Yes, you do."