Trials of Change- Ch.1 The Return

Chp. 1 The Return

-Finally, cobble stone instead of that ghastly gravel- thought the lone cloaked figure to himself as he continued to trot further and further down the road away from the Frozen North.

The wind picked up as if trying to slow his descent from the North. The bitterness of the cold nipped at his hoofs, and the snow fiercely blew into his eyes trying to blind him. But over the course of his self imposed exile to the North, he had grown accustomed to the harshness of the frozen tundra. But this evening would be different. He had been traveling great lengths over a period of 3 years to get to this point; he would not be kept delayed any longer than need be.

-Curse this bitterness; it is as though Discord himself was against me from returning!- But then he felt his bitter cold face form a hearty and warm grin on his lips. Had it been so long, so long that he had almost forgotten that Celestia had sealed Discord in stone. But then as quickly as his grin formed on his face, it turned to a grimace. If memory served him well, which it normally did? That was right before he had left and Luna became Nightmare Moon, and thus imprisoned.

As thoughts turned to memories, he pressed on to what seemed like to be for hours in his quiet descent from the north. The only company he had was the sound his cloak flapping in the in the sub-zero winds. But soon another sound came to echo in his ears. It was the sound of hunger clinging to his belly. He had not eaten for days, nor would it do any good for him to stop and look for some provisions. There would be no more food to be had until his unexpected return to Equestria. But he even knew that he would need to eat sooner rather than later. His life depended on it.

Soon through the darkening skies and on top of a rather tall and snow covered hill he looked down. Before him, he finally saw his beacon of hope and salvation. A place of radiance, and of course the final chapter of his three year quest to getting back to civilization after being gone for so long. He saw the Crystal Empire in the far horizon.
Finally, I am just a matter of hours away from my second major step to getting back home He thought to himself, however no amount of joy would allow him to even temporally forget his deepening hunger. Nor would the bitter coldness allow him to stay warm while standing in place. He defiantly started walking, regardless of how much his body wanted him to collapse.

“The ice shall not claim another life!” He proclaimed into the darkness in pure defiance, but the snow and wind continued to get stronger and stronger in defining him a secure final march to the Crystal Empire.

Soon after what seemed to be another few hours, he began to feel a warm and steady breeze. The foot hills became shorter, and shorter. Thus easier to scale in the bitterness, soon the massive crystals stood before him, and the city beyond it.

He stopped at the line between the snow and the crystal grass. He looked down at his hoofs, and then at the city. He took in his breath calmly, and collectively. He had no clue what he was about to trot into, but no matter what it was, he knew he had returned. He stepped over into the Crystal Empire.

It was still night time, no doubt he would eventually be met with some short of guard. But it mattered not to him, he knew his place. He knew what their place was, and that was how the natural order of things came to be in Equestria. So no harm shall be caused.
He soon trotted into the City itself, it was more beautiful than he remembered. Perhaps it was always this beautiful, but it had been just so long that one would forget such glowing warmth, let alone appreciated.  But he couldn’t stop quite yet. He had to find a place to stay, and before he could pass out in the street.

Suddenly, he stopped and perked his dark ears up. He listened quietly, and sure enough he heard the almost forgotten sound of clanking armor. It wasn’t in a rush; it was in a steady pace. It was as though he or she was on patrol. No doubt it was a royal guard of Equestria making sure all was secure. The sound of the stepping feet continued to get closer and closer.

-Should I wait until after I get some rest?- He thought to himself, but then after a minute, he decided that now was better than none. He spread his legs apart, and stretched his one wing to his deepest remorse. He made the wind pick up, his horn glowing in the dark street, his cloak rippled in the coil. He heard the armor clad pony pick up his pace.
“Hey! Who goes ther-” The Guard began to shout as he rounded the corner with a lantern magically being held up by his Unicorn horn. He stopped in mid sentence as his eyes widened as he saw him standing in the center of the street.

With a single movement of his wing, he threw his one wing into the air, thrusting his cloak off of his tall shoulders. His horn glowed a reddish violet color, causing his cloak to turn into dust, and the glow of the lantern to brighten.
“You’re-you’re an Alicorn…” The Guard stuttered in disbelief “W-w-who are you?”
“Of course I am.” He said gently with a smooth and controlled voice “Who am I? Send word at once to her majesty that General Steel Heart has returned.”

All the guard could do was nod, and hurry away to send word. Normally he would follow, but not today. He had used too much of his strength to make show of his return. Now everything around him darkened, with his eyes weighing heavily, his legs gave out beneath him causing him to fall onto his side. He knew he would wake up soon, very soon. But this time, he would hopefully be in the good graces of the royal family.

-This will be the last time I will ever show this much weakness and ill judgment- he thought to himself as a smile of joy crept across his face. After all he was home, and now there was no turning back.