The Angel

El Malak [Solar Light]
Pegasus Male
Ascendant [Paladin/Cleric]
Talent: +2 Blast

Skills:
Pegasus Flight [Racial]
Dogfighting [Racial]
Empower Weapon [Multiclass]
Blast [Evil]
Heal
Compassion

Inventory:
Golden Platemail Armor
Hierophiete [Magic Greatsword]
Belt Pouch of Holding [Rope, Food, Water, First Aid, Tents,
Sleeping Bags, Books, Scrolls, Maps, Spare Clothing, Robes,Bits,
Etc]

Traits:
Solar Light was born in Saddle Arabia, far to the south, past
the Bad Lands, through the desert. The son of two Earth Pony
peasants, he was mired even in his childhood. His wings came in
too large and too bulky, far in excess of bulk for his small
size, such that as a foal he could wrap himself in his pinions
for warmth. And worse yet the cities of the western desert knew
not of pegasi, and flying things were there unheard of. Though
in every other feature the young creature was perfect. His coat
was pure white, his mane long and golden, flowing over his
shoulder in shining locks that glimmmered in the daylight. His
parents were nomads, who wandered with a tribe of Arabians who
were called called Ahl al-Youm, the People of Day, though they
could not remember why.

The young stallion grew quickly in the desert. He learned the
way of getting food when it is scarce, and how to find water
where others would not see water. He learned the names of many
things, and was talk to read and to write by the merchants, for
the boy was clever and good at counting, and honest besides [a
thing of note, for the Element of Honesty is nearly unknown in
the cities of the western deserts]. One evening, as he lay in
his tent, a poisonous serpent slithered into his tent as he lay,
and bit him on his neck. For three days the boy lay innert and
in delirium, knowing not if he was alive or dead. On the fourth
day he heard a voice telling him to get up, and head to the
place it would show him. And so, though not in the body, Light
headed through the deserts to the north, till he came upon a
cave which is called Hikmah, for it was a Palace of Wisdom.
There the voice appeared to him as a spirit in white, with the
sun at her head and wings that filled the cavern. Spirits of
fire rose and fell around her, going up into Heaven and down
into Tartarus, speaking in strange languages and calling to one
another. Then also did he see a great black shadow consume the
scene, and a large warrior in gold standing before the shadow,
his eyes with rage.

When he awoke he was in his tent, alive, the poison had left
him. He picked up his stick and marched, for his tribe had left
him alone, with only his parents with him, for they feared they
would die without water if they lingered longer. A day hence
they came upon the tribe, surrounded by raiders. When the young
Solar saw what was becoming of his people, his rage filled him,
and taking his stick he took to the air, flying at his foes and
striking them till they died or fled, saying praise be Celest,
the Compassionate, the Merciful, though he knew not what he was
saying. When the Ahl al-Youm saw that Light was a warrior, and
spoke with conviction also, and that he flew through the air
[which nopony in all the cities of the western desert could do],
they named him El Malak, because he was angelic in their sight,
and took him for their leader.

Thus did the boy grow to stallionhood, leading the merchants
through all the cities of the western desert, absorbing their
wisdom and taking their knowledge into himself, and learning the
thrill of the Sandworms surfacing at morning, and the cool light
of dusk at the capital of Jannah and the dancing of the veiled
mares, and learning the proper way to hold a sword and fight an
enemy without killing him [for Malak was compassionate and kind
and loathed violence in all forms save when necessary]. When at
last he came to the age of reason, he left his people to the far
north, for he was overcome with visions calling him onward. So
beginning his pilgrimage, he took only his sword and his cloak,
and headed again to the cave that is called Hikmah. There again
he saw a vision, of three lights in a ring, one white, one blue,
and one pink. A purple light started to rise to join it, and
others trailing, but again the scene was swallowed in blackness.
He heard a spirit calling to another light in the east, beyond
the sun's resting place, saying "How long shall it be until all
these things are fulfilled?", and another answering saying
"There will be three thousand evenings and mornings, and then
Darkness will come from the Icy North, beyond the Gates of
Firdaws.".

His head burning his vision, and his understanding failing him,
El Malak flew past the farthest city, and into the Bad Lands,
where dragons are. Finding the land hospitable, he tarried,
living there for three years stretching his massive wings over
the canyons and plateus, and living on berries and nuts. During
this time he came across many creatures of the wild, and slew
them or drove them off. But after over one thousand days, the
voice spoke to him again, as he laid down to rest, calling to
him from his camp fire. The voice said "A fallen angel you will
be, if you tarry here. Head to the north, for rightly is the
canyon behind you called the Gates of Firdaws. Get up and go to
the land of your fathers, for doom is coming from the Icy North,
which is cursed by a Shadow".

And so again Malak headed north, until he reached Equestria, the
land of his fathers. When he saw green grass, and rivers that
flowed in all seasons, and beasts that sang and played instead
of kill, and cities that stood in the sky, he fell down and
worshipped, praising the sky and the moon and the air and the
flowing waters [because the Arabians of the cities of the
western deserts knew not the names of any gods besides these],
and most of all he praised that Voice which called him onwards,
for it had indeed let him to Firdaws, which in the language of
his people is Paradise.

As he wandered, covering in a robe of yak's fur, and holding a
sword curved like a moon, into this land, he did eventually come
across a group of traders wandering through the woods, and,
being hungry, went to meet with them. Now quite obviously when
the traders from Appleloosa saw a deranged and large wingd
pegasus coming at them, with long ragged hair and a dirty robe,
they did panic and flee, forcing the Angel to give chase.

Till quite by chance a group of Paladins, who swore their souls
to the Sun and the Moon and Love, seeing this scene, took to the
air and battled him. El Malak fought with muscle and sinew, and
his great wings which bore him aloft with greater might then the
tiny appendages of his fellows, but eventually he was caught and
bound, and taken north to Canterlot to be tried. By sheer
chance, a wizard lived in Canterlot, young in years, who spoke
the obscure and ancient tongue of the Ahl al-Youm, and gave word
to the Princess what he had said and heard and understood, the
Voice that had called him hence from so very far. Right away was
Solar Light freed and bathed and given bread and cheese and
fruit to eat, and red wine from the Unicorn Valley to drink, and
water also, and he rested in the palace for three days, and
things went well with him. On the evening of the third day,
Celestia called the strange pilgrim to her, and using magic
asked him to explain all that had happened that called him there
from so far, and being told, her thoughts shook with fear, for
the shadow in his vision was called Sombra, and it was a
corruption and a death to all ponykind, but she herself stood
stoic. El-Malak was to be educated in all the wisdom of
Equestria and all the magic of Friendship, and also in the ways
of the knights of the Sun. And when the Angel asked the name of
his benefactor, who rewarded him so highly for delivering such
pedestrian news, he fell down and worshipped, for at last he
recognized the Voice that called him hence, though the Voice
itself did not remember him. And he sang out praise be to the
Sun which gives the Day, and gave me Life and Dreams and
Purpose, and which called me out of the lands of the south to
this place which is rightly called Paradise, and more rightfully
called Equestria, because it was a Land fit to be lived in.

And so the Angel, at this point still quite in his youth, was
trained in every detail that was mentioned, and in the use of
the large swords of the Paladin, and in the healing arts, and in
Compassion and when it should be applied, and when it should be
withheld, and he soon found that his large wings, too often a
burden that slowed him, also gave him great strength, so that he
could fly in armor heavier then any other knight before him, and
stay shielded by more then faith. Over the next few years he did
distinguish himself, racking up the dead, slaying bandits and
undead and Changlings and much else, and his visions ended and
he was content. He learned all that Equestria's scholars could
teach him, of mathematics and the sciences and the arts of
magic, and how to read the stars like a map, and how to see how
much time remains in the day by looking at the Sun, how to fight
in heavy armor and with a great sword, and most of all he
learned the arts of strategy and warfare, because he knew the
Shadow Called Sombra still lurked to the far and Icy North.

When the War began, Solar Light again distinguished himself.
Armored in heavy golden plate, and carrying a magic sword given
to him by Celestia, he slew many Griffons and Changlings, and
led paladins and guards into battle, and saved the lives of
many. And when he would rise into the air, his shadow would cast
his massive winged siloutte upon the ground, and the people
would cry out the Angel is coming, and praise the Sun for saving
them. But alas the armies of evil were too great, and too many.
And when the Shadow came, doom was sealed.

When Sombra came to Canterlot he found the city a fortress.
Celestia was prepared to sacrifice everything to keep the city,
and the Angel had no doubts. The city would be kept, and Sombra
would die. When the Axis raged against the mountain city, spells
flew and guns fired, swords clashed with chitlin and spears
against griffon plate. Crystal Golems scaled the side of the
mountain, and the Angel led his pegasi in fierce bombardment
from above, dropping stones and light explosives, shattering the
holy mountain itself down on them, but still they came. As the
battle continued eventually the paladins and knights keeping the
city fell, one by one. The great city gates were torn open by
horrible manatech siege engines, and darkness entered the city
of the Sun. The Angel made for the escape of many from the city,
and personally guarded airship after civilian airship as they
fell back from the slaughter. Till as last the Equestrian Forces
were pushed back to the Noble Palace itself, the north star
around which Malak's spirit turned. Civilians and soldiers and
knights rushed into the Palace, fearing the horror that was
coming upon them. Yet when all were inside Malak did not shelter
himself in the walls with the others. The Angel of Arabia
slammed shut the Gates of Canterlot Castle, and waited for the
surge to come, and come it did. Changelings and Griffons, a few
at a time at first, then many roared against him, yet at the
bridge they were funneled, and Malak screamed hot ecstaties of
rage and bodies piled, funneling them only more. Till at least
did the Dark Lord, old and wrathful, come upon the Gate himself,
and the Angel felt himself small. The less said of the battle
then the better, for it was not in the Sun's favor. The Darkness
surged itself against him, releasing dark and terrible magicks.
For a mere five minutes did Malak hold the twisting Tyrant at
bay, for only a brief respite did the Angel hold the Gates
sealed shut. Yet it was enough, Malak did think. For Celestia
told him to hold the gate and buy time, and with blood and bones
five minutes did he purchase, till at the last his body, cold
and broken, was tossed from the bridge, his armor chinked and
one wing broken, to crumble slowly down the mountain side. The
Angel awoke to see the city taken, and at once he saw a vision.
The Moon was rising in the south, and a light was dawning there.
So healing his bruised body and lesser wounds, and tying back
his broken wing, Malak make himself a ship of Goldenleaf Oak and
sailed south to meet Luna, and wait the War's continuation.

Now El-Malak waits for the return to the Paradise he lost, to
wreak vengeance against the Demon of his dreams, and find his
missing god. The Angel is of moderate size, but has enormous
massive wings, far in excess of his bulk. His coat is pure
white, and his mane long flowing locks of gold. His armor is
pure gold, with solar insignias and caligraphy decorating the
hardened magic plate. His sword, a modern blade, forged in the
Equestrian style, is designed for the slaying of large numbers of
weaker enemies and can shine brightly with sunlight at his command.
He is extremely educated, especially in
knowledge of warfare, and has a great hatred for all the enemies
of Equestria, but most especially Sombra. He views Equestria as
a kind of heaven on earth, and worships the Princess [and to a
lesser extent, the other Princesses] as gods, with a
superstitious zeal that is a clear example of his heritage in
Saddle Arabia. He is extremely compassionate, and dislikes
violence intensely. When he fights, he fights like a wild beast,
and when the fight is over he returns nearly-immediatly to a
relaxed calm. He is a comparitively young stallion for one of
his station, and is most noted to Luna as a military advisor and
a powerful war hero. He is known to occasionally suffer
epileptic fits, during which he believes he is recieving divine
inspiration. On occasion, when dreaming, he will see visions,
usually very symbolic, which tell him hints about the future.
His hobbies include the study of nature, sports [especially
relating to flying], astronomy [and astrology], and simpler
pleasures of food and drink and warm clothing. Most ponies do
not know his original pony name of Solar Light, and only
Celestia called him it with any frequency.