Phantom of The Pale: Prologue

My name is Phantom Mane, and this is my story. I was born and raised in the Crystal Empire near the end of King Sombra’s reign, several years before it disappeared. My father was a blue Unicorn, and my mother a golden Pegasus. All foals born in the Crystal Empire at the time were recorded in a census to make sure they were put to work as soon as possible. I was different. When my parents had me, they kept me hidden at home. I existed, but was never seen by anypony but them, like a phantom. I was their little phantom, and the name stuck. At the time King Sombra was planning to repurpose the Crystal Heart, and without it the Crystal Empire would need some other way to protect itself from the vicious cold outside its shield. The King thus had every available pony, not just the Pegasi but Unicorns as well, begin training for the eventual life we would face controlling the weather without the Crystal Heart. This included my parents. Dad began teaching me all he could in the precious few hours he had off about weather control. As he put it, “These spells may be the only thing that save you. Well, them and your mother.” He smiled when he said this, but I could tell he was scared. Without the Crystal Heart we would have to rely on shifts of ponies to control the weather, and there was no way it would be anywhere near as effective. I was only young. Foals don’t do so well in the cold. Food in the Crystal Empire was strictly controlled, all we had to eat were dry grains and oats. We lived in a small, bear-bones house near what used to be the marketplace so there was never much that needed taking care of, either. As you can imagine that left a lot of free time in my day with nothing to do and little to eat. I was young, I got bored. I was supposed to stay away from the windows, my parents were afraid somepony would see me and I would be taken away to work. I knew this, but my curiosity was too strong. When my parents weren’t there I loved to look out the window at the world I would never know. I was usually pretty careful, but I still remember that one day I wasn’t. There was one window I liked best overlooking the old marketplace. I would peek up over the windowsill, just under the curtains so as little of me was showing as possible. One day I must have zoned out because it was like I blinked and there was this old mare looking back at me. I was so shocked I froze, but she didn’t say anything. She just gave me a small, sad smile and her eyes shone with kindness. We both stood there for few moments before the mare slowly turned around and trotted away. I got a pretty good look at her, and judging by her appearance she matched the description of one of the mares Dad had seen working at the library. Dad said she seemed nice, but he always warned me nopony could truly be trusted anymore. Under King Sombra’s rule, everypony was equal. Except those that were “More Equal.” You became “More Equal” by turning on your neighbours. Turning somepony in for possessing something illegal would get you food, a better job, better hours. It only cost you your soul. I think the King allowed it so there would be just enough love directed towards Him to power the Crystal Heart. Truth be told, while Mom and Dad hated this upper class of ponies, I never could bring myself to. At least some of them had to have foals just like me that they were trying to feed. Trying to love. Others were separated from theirs as soon as they were old enough to work. Not many of those broken families ever saw each other again. Knowing that, I can’t help but pity them. They were betrayed by a King who didn’t treat them as a King ought to, and in turn they perpetuate the betrayal. They barely got to experience the love all ponies should and in doing what they did, they ensured they never would again. I considered myself lucky to have my parents, when so many others didn’t. My dad used to joke about how if there was ever a Changeling invasion, we would be the first to go (much to Mom’s disapproval). With the Empire in the state it was it was highly unlikely the Changelings would have any interest in coming here anyway, though. In spite of this, rumours of Changelings still cropped up from time to time and spread like wildfire. From everything I had heard, Changelings were vicious, savage creatures who struck quickly and without remorse yet nopony had ever heard of an attack. Still the rumours spread. I used to wonder if they were started by King Sombra to keep us all in line. It was a hard time for us all, made a little more bearable by each other. Mom and Dad would work while I stayed at home and when Dad got back he would teach me what he had learned that day. Life went on like this for several years. It was one fateful day while I was practising weather magic that I got my cutie mark. Mom was also there, it was one of the few occasions where both my parents’ schedules lined up just right so that they could be home together. It should have been a proud moment and there was pride in my Father’s eyes as I looked over at him. But as I looked I could also see despair. My cutie mark was a tornado, a weather cutie mark. On a Unicorn. He was so proud, but it killed him to know I had gotten a cutie mark that was so unnatural. I looked over at Mom. She wore the same expression. Nopony knew what to say, so we just held each other. I felt their tears sliding down my neck. Me getting my cutie mark sparked a fire in my parents. Indignation pure and bright as Celestia’s sun. King Sombra might not have given me my cutie mark but He was the reason I got the one I did. It was so wrong and they knew then we could not stay here any longer. We planned an escape but it was not a selfish bid to save ourselves, we were going to Yakyakistan. We would ask the Yaks, beg them if need be, to come to the Crystal Empire’s aid. This was for all of us. This was for freedom, a concept I still had yet to grasp. To get there though we had to cross The Pale. A barren waste of snow and ice, devoid of life, engulfed in a perpetual storm. It was impossible but it was our only chance. It took weeks but we finally saved up enough food for the trip. Dad estimated it would take about 4 or 5 days to reach Yakyakistan by my pace. They didn’t want to take me but to leave me here would condemn me to the workforce and I might never see them again. As Dad grimly put it “We might not see you again anyway.” There were tears in both my parents eyes as he said this. Nopony survived The Pale, though many tried. Some were trying to escape. Their punishment? King Sombra gave them what they wanted. He sent them out into The Pale without any supplies. Nopony ever saw them again. We were ready to go but we still delayed leaving by a couple of days. Dad had pulled a few strings by calling in a favour with one of the librarians (I think I know which one) which allowed him and Mom to work the same shift at the library. It allowed him to do more research on Yakyakistan and for him and Mom to be together for our escape. We had a real reason for staying but I also think we were looking for an excuse to stay a little longer, steeling ourselves for what was to come. The plan was to leave just before dawn. We wouldn’t last long out on The Pale at night, but we couldn’t be seen leaving either so we planned our escape for changing of the guard. In truth there weren’t many guards patrolling our border anyway. Nopony was foolish enough to try to leave and nopony could survive the trek to the Crystal Empire from beyond The Pale. The only safe ways in or out were via train but they were heavily guarded. It was so quiet when we left. All I could hear was the sound of our hooves crunching in the dead grass and weeds that had grown up among the cobbles of the once-proud street. It was a glorious moment for me, my first time outside. Oh how I longed to explore and see all the things until then I had only heard about or glimpsed from my window, but we had to keep going. This would be the first and last time I would see it like this. I remember vividly as we approached the magical barrier how the temperature dropped the closer we got. It was the first time I had experienced such cold. It seeped through the blankets we had bundled around ourselves and the cold stung my eyes, but it was nothing compared to what was to come. As soon as we pushed our way through the barrier, we were nearly swept off our hooves by a howling gale. Snowflakes shot past my face like daggers. The cold was breathtaking. I couldn’t hear either of my parents, I only knew they were still there because they pressed themselves up against me on either side, keeping me steady. Dad tried his best to direct the worst of the wind away from us, but one pony can do little against all of nature. The word “nature” doesn’t really seem appropriate to describe it. There was nothing natural about this storm. If the sun was rising it was impossible to tell, the sky was filled with snow. It was so dark Dad lit up his horn. I could tell even this small act on top of what he was already doing cost him greatly. We pressed on. It was a terrifying moment when only a few feet from the barrier, we lost sight of it altogether and were engulfed by the blizzard. We stumbled on for hours; the sky never lightened, the wind never lessened, and we could only hope we stayed straight. Dad borrowed a compass from the library before we left but whenever we didn’t have it out, it felt like we were drifting farther and farther off course. We were all freezing and we had nothing to make fire with and nowhere to do it. The faint point of light from the sun, when it did finally rise, did nothing to warm us. Dad decided then we could go no further. We still had no idea how much progress we had made but we needed to get out of the wind. Since it was all he could do to keep the wind from flattening us, Mom and me began digging a small cave into the snow at our feet. Sometimes we hit ice and had to dig around but eventually we hollowed out enough of a space for us all to fit. It was tight, but while it wasn’t warm by any stretch of the imagination, it was still less cold than outside. Since we weren’t in as much danger of frostbite, and we were out of the wind, Mom pulled out our supplies of food. We both had some grain, and I remember wondering if King Sombra gave us food like this deliberately because He knew how hard it would be to eat it out here. Dad was too tired to even eat, using so much magic had drained him and he soon fell asleep. I soon followed. I think it was the next day when I awoke, it was still so dark. Mom must have dozed off as well. Both Mom and Dad were used to working hard, but nopony could last long doing what they already had. It took some effort to wake them, but soon we were all ready to carry on. The snow was a little thinner and we could make out the sun just above the horizon but we still could not see the sky through the snow. The wind had not lessened at all. I remember feeling hungry but we had already eaten the meal we planned for today. We made better progress that day, but it was still only mid-afternoon before we could go no further. We made another snow-cave and climbed into it. I would later learn that it was around this time the two Princesses Luna and Celestia began their assault on the Crystal Empire. That night while we slept was the night the Princesses banished our King deep into The Pale but not before He could commit one final act. One last spell, full of hatred, to spite all of Equestria and rob them of their victory. He cast a curse over the Crystal Empire. Not just the Kingdom, but all its’ inhabitants, everypony who had ever belonged to Him. The worst was done to those still in the Crystal Empire. He might as well have killed them. He erased their memories. He erased who they were. The Princesses might have saved the ponies of the Crystal Empire but the mares, colts, stallions and fillies they used to be are long gone. The ponies that wander the streets today are not the same as the ones who used to sweat and bleed under King Sombra’s rule. The ponies we knew, however fleetingly. The Pegasi and Unicorns that worked alongside my parents and the Earth ponies they both knew. The mare from the library who smiled at me from the marketplace. All of them gone, leaving nothing but hollow shells wearing their faces. They say our King was compassionate once. That He used to love somepony. That He used to care about His subjects. I cannot believe that. How could anypony who has known love do something so vile? They tell me we were gone a thousand years but for us it was like no time had passed. When we awoke, the winds had lessened. It only took a millennium. We were able to see the sky for the first time since leaving the Crystal Empire. It even seemed a little less cold. Being unaware of what happened back home we pressed on for Yakyakistan. We seemed to be making good progress but just when things seemed to get better, they got infinitely worse. On the horizon we saw a dark shape protruding out of the ground like a dagger. It stretched high into the sky and as we approached, it blotted out the sun. I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, a feeling I’m sure my parents shared. Still we made for the tower anyway since it was the only thing we’d seen besides ice and snow since we left the Crystal Empire. I guess we hoped it might be Yakyakistan. Nopony we knew had ever been there or knew much about it. Dad couldn’t read very well, he was self-taught but he read what he could on Yakyakistan before we left. We knew they built imposing fortresses out of wood to keep out the wind and while we couldn’t tell what the tower was made of, what else could it be? My feelings of unease grew as we approached. Whoever built this tower was no friend to us. We were about to turn around and carry on further Northwest when a door at the base of the tower began to open. I hadn’t noticed it at first because it blended in so well with the rest of the tower. Then they came streaming out of the doorway. Windigoes. Dozens of them. I knew what they were from stories I’d been told. The temperature plummeted as they glided silently towards us, they knew we had nowhere to go so they took their time. I was still a little behind Mom. They had definitely seen my parents. I don’t think they’d seen me yet. Mom turned to me with a look of determination in her eyes. She took the scarf from around her neck and wrapped it around mine. She was breathing heavily and looking back, I think she was preparing to die. Dad was in front of her gathering all the magic he had left to make one last stand. I still remember Mom’s last words to me: “Run. Get as far away from here as you can and don’t come back for us! We both love you very much… we’ll always be with you.” She gave me one last kiss on my forehead before she shoved me around in the opposite direction from the tower. I was so shocked, I just ran. But not before I saw what happened. I couldn’t help it. They encircled Mom and Dad, whirling around them faster and faster. As I watched ice began to form on my parents’ hooves spreading up their legs. They tried their best to fight back but nothing they did had any effect on the Windigoes. Dad’s spells shot straight through them, Mom’s kicks hit nothing but air. The ice began forming faster and faster and within moments they were both frozen solid. I had stopped. I sobbed harder than I ever had before. The Windigoes began streaming back inside, save one, smaller than the others and trailing towards the back. To this day I don’t know what made it notice me when all the others left me alone but it did. I saw it through bleary eyes turn it’s deformed and elongated head towards me and snarl. It was on me in a heartbeat, I scarcely had time to react before it had knocked me to the ground. One of it’s talons left a long curling cut along my right flank. It burned like frostbite but a hundred times worse. The blood that oozed from it quickly froze and it felt like the cold was spreading out underneath my skin. By reflex I cast a spell Dad had taught me, a simple breeze to push it away from me but this time it felt different. For Unicorns magic is used as a way of expressing yourself. Every piece of magic we perform is like casting a piece of yourself for everypony to see, Dad used to say. This was nothing like that. If magic is an expression, it felt like I was expressing somepony else. It left me feeling sick but I did cast it. It didn’t do what I was expecting either. The wind was much stronger than I intended and laced with ice and a magical energy I didn’t recognize. The blast caught caught the Windigo full in the face. I had never seen a Windigo before that day but I got a good look at it then. It looked like a young filly. At first it seemed shocked and we both remained perfectly still, staring at each other. Then it did the most surprising thing of all. It smiled. As it did, it faded slowly away into nothing. I stood there, mouth agape for a few moments. Eventually, with shaking legs and frozen tears I limped away as fast as I could. I have no memory of travelling the next couple of days. I just remember a constant, gnawing hunger. The burning sensation from my cut had changed to numbness and spread out under my skin across my entire body. The wind died down until it was but a whisper, the sun providing significant warmth for the first time since leaving the Empire. I think it was only because of this that I made it back to the Crystal Empire alive. The next thing I remembered was collapsing just inside one of the city gates too tired to care if anypony saw me. Then I knew no more. Somepony must have found me and taken me to the library because I woke up in a bed there and the first thing I remember thinking was “This isn’t our house.” In fact, at the time I didn’t know where I was and that terrified me. Then the memories came flooding back: the escape, the Windigoes, my parents… I began to cry. I couldn’t stop the tears. As it turned out, I was in the Imperial Library and of the librarians must have heard me because the next thing I knew one was beside me, doing her best to comfort me. It was none other than the mare I had seen in the marketplace all those years ago. I think that was the only reason I didn’t bolt when I saw her. I was still shocked to be sure but just like before, something in her eyes said I could trust her. In my head I knew I should run but my heart hurt too much and it was all I could do to stay upright as all the emotions I had been unable to show for the past few days came pouring out. It was a long time before I was able to do anything else but cry terrible, bitter tears. Some time later, it must have been hours, my emotions were finally spent. The librarian stayed with me throughout my ordeal and when I finished she brought me some soup. At first I actually didn’t know what it was. I had only ever eaten oats or grains. I think the mare was as confused by my reaction as I was about the soup. I guess she thought I was waiting for her to feed me? Anyway, that’s just what she did. It didn’t take me long to figure out everypony had lost their memories. I was scared to leave the room I had woken up in at first, fearing somepony would snatch me up and put me to work. With some encouragement though, the librarian managed to convince me to follow her out. I’m still not sure why I trusted her so much but I felt like wherever I went, if she was there, I would be alright. As I left the room I noticed some Pegasi in armour over by the entrance to the library. I shied away from them, fearing they might be higher-class, but they took no interest in me. Nopony really did. I asked the librarian what was going on, and she tried to answer, but she seemed confused. She said her memories were a little fuzzy. When I finally worked up the courage to ask some of the other ponies they said the same thing. In fact the only ponies who seemed to know anything at all were the ponies in golden armour I had seen by the entrance. I realized when I talked to them that they couldn’t be higher-class because although King Sombra’s patrols sometimes wore armour, it was never gold. They told me they were from Canterlot, the city of the Princesses! That was when I found out that they had come to save us. The royal guards gave me a brief run-down on what happened and at first I couldn’t believe that a thousand years had passed. It didn’t matter, though. The soldiers were just the advance party. Not far behind them were ambassadors from Ponyville (wherever that was) to prepare the way for Their Majesties Luna and Celestia! I know what I have to do now, and there isn’t much time. Mom and Dad should be here for the Princesses’ arrival. They of all ponies should get to see them coming to save us! I am writing this for the librarian who took care of me. Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t have the heart to tell you all this myself. I know you’d try to stop me anyway, and I have to do this. My parents need me. I need them. I can’t leave them. I’m sorry. -Signed Phantom Mane