El Turnia: Becoming Fire *DISCONTINUED*

Chapter 13: Dead Friendship and Ponies in The Stars

I struggled to keep up with grandmother as she ran towards the castle gates, my legs were still stiff and sore and my breath was coming in short gasps.

Why did he come now? I thought he got out five days ago! Where has he been all this time?

My heart thumped painfully as these thoughts rushed through my mind and as I rushed out of the castle these thoughts were answered. I looked around, most of the guards were making a force field around the city, in the distance I could see that the other cities had done the same. Then I saw a group of guards surrounding a limp body of a violet alicorn.

"Christilia!" I shouted as I saw the body laying lifeless on the cobblestone bridge. "What happened!?"

One of the guards turned towards me and spoke in a voice barely audible:

"The Jewel Empire was attacked by the Time Warper, she fled here, but... she was gravely injured and by something much worse than we've ever seen before." he said as he pointed towards green veins that pulsed all along her body. "She's... well... your majesty she's... she's dead."

I took a step back, shaking my head I tried to stop myself from crying.

"No... no! This can't be happening it can't be!" I said but nopony answered.

"Gloria I just- oh my god! What happened?" grandmother strode over to Christilia.

She bent down to take a closer look, her eyes flooded with sorrow and she spoke softly:

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." her voice was strained as she spoke these words. "Gloria this is what happens when... it takes over."

I walked over to look at my lost friend and almost immediately backed away. Christilia's body was no long her own, her eyes were blank and unseeing, her body was slowly being taken over by the veins, and her horn was dull and no longer contained any sign of ever holding magic. Fury coursed through me as I looked at my friend.

He did this, Time Warper did this! He will pay!

Then I bowed my head in grief.

I never got to tell her that I-

My thought were disturbed by one of the guards calling out in alarm.

"He's here!"

Alarm bells sounded and the ground shook harder and harder. I spun around to face the gates of the city as a massive shadow fell over the sun blocking the light, I looked ahead to see a figure detach itself from the dark mass and walk towards me. Time Warper was bigger than I thought about as big as my grandmother, he was entirely black and his eyes were deep pools of never ending darkness, he smiled manically and his fangs glinted in the remaining glow from the sun. He walked towards me, my heart raced and my legs froze in place, I couldn't move, I wouldn't move. Blood pounded in my ears as he got closer and closer to where I stood frozen to the spot in terror, but then I felt something stirring deep inside of me, courage, strength, bravery, and loyalty surged through me and my instincts kicked in. I quickly formed a small force field around me and Christilia, but Time Warper just laughed and walked closer.

"That won't stop me you know." he said looking at me. "I'm here for revenge and no measly force field is going to do any difference."

He snarled and his horn glowed.

"I know of the prophecy and I know you're the only one that even has a slight chance of defeating me!" he prowled towards me. "But not if I have anything to say about it!"

"You won't once I'm done with you! I'm here for revenge and no measly trash talk is going to stop me!" I said barring my teeth in defiance.

Time Warper stopped and looked at me and I stared back, his horn glowed brighter and once more I began to panic.

What was I thinking? I can't stop him! I have to run! Now!

But somehow I stopped myself and stood still ready for his attack. His brows were furrowed in undisguised hatred and annoyance. I waited and waited but no attack came.

What is he doing? What is he waiting for?

And as if he'd heard my very thought he raised his head and was about to strike when something big and yellow barreled into him knocking him off course. Grandmother had saved me.

"Gloria run!" she yelled.

"I can't leave you here!" I yelled back.

"Yes you can! You have too!" she shouted. "Now run!"

My heart said to stay but my brain said to go, my legs moved faster and faster, I had no idea where I was going, I just ran. In the distance I heard Time Warper cry out.

"You can't escape Gloria! You'll be found!"

I had no idea what he meant so I kept running. Finally when I new I was far enough away to stop I halted and panting took a look at my surroundings, I was in a dark alley full of crates that carried who knows what and piles of broken tools, shattered bottles, crushed wheels, and almost anything else you could imagine that was no longer in its finest state. I carefully maneuvered my way around the best I could trying not to step on shards of glass or splinters of wood. Finally I sat down and looked up at the stars, the stars had always been held sacred by the pony race because our ancestors were there and each star was a beacon of hope, joy love, and so much more, I had never prayed before had never had to to tell you the truth, but that evening as I sat in the alley looking up at the sky that changed.

Make grandmother be safe and make sure Christilia is welcomed in your land she was a good pony, please help us, please.

And when I looked up I saw a shooting star fall across the night sky and then I smiled the slightest of smiles and as I drifted into sleep I had one thought:

Thank you.

Author's note:

Hey everybody! Just wanted to say that the last part where Gloria is praying is based on a true story of when I prayed for the first time and I did it at night outside and when I had finished a shooting star literally flew over my head crazy right? Anyways just wanted to clarify that! Peace!