Religion in Equestria Chapter 1 - Faith

>Day 3
>You still do not know how you got here but you at least managed to find some food
>Something killed some sort of bull-like creature and only had eaten half of it
>Plenty of meat for a good meal as long as you are out of here before other scavengers come along
>You really needed this.
>No food for three days, barely any sleep to speak of, and the constant threat that those creatures would return
>Some sort amalgamation of eagle and lion that dive bombed you when you went for a drink at the stream
>Now you know to only head for water at night but that leaves you open to the crocodiles
>You eat the raw meat. Not daring to start a fire lest you draw unwanted attention
>It makes you heave but you are able to keep it down
>So now that you finally have some food in you its time to find some shelter
>Maybe if you follow the stream north it will lead you to a road or something

>Day 6
>Following the stream north led you to this wonderful grove of trees
>They have some sort of fruit you have never seen but it is sweet and moist
>It cuts through your hunger pains wonderfully
>You also found tracks that you have come to know belong to those...things
>easy to spot from the large bird prints
>You notice they only show up mid afternoon to just before dusk
>This has let you use the mornings
>You feel like you should be wandering more out into the grasslands but this area looks arid
>Who knows where the next water source would be
>A couple hours walk upstream from the grove you spotted some rubble you could hardly see it from the stream but it was pretty damn big up close
>It was surrounded by a herd of those bull things
>You learned quickly to stay the hell away from them
>Maybe you will check it out tomorrow

>Day 7
>SHELTER GLORIOUS SHELTER
>For the first time since you came here you finally feel safe enough at night to get some decent sleep
>The rubble you saw was a crumbling wall to some sort of fort thing
>Inside you found a tower about 3/4 collapsed in on itself
>The ceiling of the bottom floor seems to be supporting most of the rubble the rubble
>After forcing the door open you found a workable living space
>About half of the room is filled with crumbed stone and rotting wood beams but its more than enough for you
>There are some strange things about this tower however
>The roof is just barely shorter than you so whoever built it was shorter than your 5'11"
>Also the doorway was quite small as you almost have to bend half over to get in
>But by far the strangest thing are the carvings all over the walls
>The sun and moon are everywhere. Every bit of every wall has their own motif of night and day
>But the ceiling is where its really beautiful.
>A white winged unicorn silhouetted against the sun bearing a banner with a single phrase "Celestia"
>on the opposite side of the of the image is a black winged unicorn silhouetted against the moon bearing a banner "Luna"
>Just being able to read those two words gave you comfort
>Wherever this place is has intelligent life.
>Somewhere

>Day 19
>You are starting to get a hang on hunting some of the creatures out there
>You found some rusting metal spear heads among the rubble
>A little sharpening and some work gave you a weapon to use
>You have taken a small deer-like creature that on its own and one of the bull like ones at a watering hole
>The meat only lasted you three days each before it was too rotten to stomach
>It made a nice change from the fruits and berries you had been living on
>You wish you knew how to preserve hides for use
>The one time you tried it rotted away
>You are proud of your chimney hole you made
>Now at night you can have fires without anyone being able to see the flame and the smoke wont choke you
>As you lie there every night you cant help but look at the painting on the ceiling and wonder what these Celestia and Luna were
>Were they gods to these people? You don't know. But their image comforts you every night as you lie down to sleep
>You feel as if they are almost watching over you

>Same Night Canterlot
>Princess Luna sister to Princess Celestia once more raises the moon as is her duty
>However once again it feels different
>Lately it seems that each night the task that usually wearies her for most of the night is tiring her less and less
>Tonight you do not even feel weaker at all, its almost as something is helping you
>And Tonight you intend to find out what that is
>As your chariot pulls up beside a balcony you say
>"Celest are you present?"
"Yes! Luna come in!" A voice replies "What brings you here so early? Its just after Moonrise usually you are resting now."
>"That is true my sister. However I desire to speak with you regarding certain matters." You say as you step onto the balcony.
>Out steps your sister who smiles at you warmly before seeing the serious look on your face
"Oh dear whats happened now?" She asks as her smile falters
>"It is not so much what hath happened but what is currently occurring." You respond "How have your powers been?"
>She looks at you curiously
"They are the same as they have been. Why do you ask?"
>"Then doth thy not feel it? My powers have drained me less and less over the last fortnight" you say "I do not feel the effort of raising the moon these last three nights."
"I do...Well now that you say it I feel much less tired from raising the sun lately. I just assumed I had been sleeping better." She looks you in the eyes "Do you have any idea that might be causing this?"
>"Nay sister I do not." you say with a sigh "That is why I came to you. I do not even know if this means anything at all."
"Sister perhaps it may not be just us? Maybe all unicorns are feeling a boost in power?" She ponders aloud "For now we will keep an eye on the situation and I will ask around."
>You nod "Let us hope this is nothing. Equestria has had more than enough problems recently."

>Day 31
>Fucking lions, Goddamn fucking lions
>You tried smoking some of your kill hoping it would last longer
>That only drew this pack of lions to your home
>They have been outside since last night not able to find a way in
>They circle your home watching, You can see them through the cracks in your door
>Luckily you have plenty of food but you don't have any water
>They have perched themselves around your door and are sleeping now.
>It was not cool in your home today with the fire going for smoking
>If they are not gone by tomorrow morning you will have to fight them
>You just hope that you can win
>Glancing up you see the mural
>Celestia, Luna if you are out there I could really use some help

>Same day- Canterlot Around Dusk
>You are Princess Celestia ruler of Equestria
>You have felt restless since that night with Luna
>Now you cant help but notice that extra power just sitting there waiting to be used
>It makes you want to gather an army and go drive off the dragons or put down minotaur invaders
>Things you have not done for many centuries. Things that disturb you when you think about them.
>It fills you with a sense of almost...arrogance
>You do not like it. You feel on edge now. As if you had been preserving your magic for some danger and now you are waiting for it show up
>You are eager for it to show up
>Just thinking about it is starting to stress you out
>The reports from border guards don't help you take your mind off this unease
>Increasing number of gryphons spotted entering equestrian lands
>In the west the dragons are being pushier as well
>To the north are sightings of wendi-
"IF YOU ARE OUT THERE I COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP"
>You jump to your feet magic leaping into your horn
>You look around all you see are a couple of guards looking at you curiously and an empty room
>What in Equestria was that? You certainly have never heard that voice before
>A male voice that seemed to boom in your head. It seemed tired and afraid.
>You sit back down and look around quietly
>You must have just started to dose off while reading reports
>A look out the window tells you the moon is already up
>As you gather the reports to put them away a flash of deep blue and an aura of black appear from the window
"Sister." Luna is standing across the table from you and looking a little distressed. "Did thou hearest a v-voice moments ago?" She says letting some fear creep into her voice.
>So much for it being you dosing off "Yes Luna I did. What did yours say?"
"It said "If you are really out there I could really use some help". It sounded pleading!"
>You get up and lean against her to comfort her "Yes it said the same thing to me as well. I do not know what this means but we must be prepared. I suggest you place your guards on full alert. I will do the same for mine."

>Day 68
>You have your newest hides curing by the fire
>A couple of crocodile hides that came wrapped around an easy meal
>Turns out they are quite easy to kill with a spear once you get them onto dry land
>Why did it take you over a month to discover how to tan hides
>You now a a comfortable little hovel with a grass stuffed hide bed
>Its nothing compared to what you had back home but compared to what you've been living with its heaven
>Every day you have marked into the floor to count the passage of time
>Looking around for what needs done today you notice you are almost out of fruits
>Once more you head out into your backyard
>It takes you less than an hour to make what used to be a 2 hour trip to the grove
>You are quite a bit more fit than when you first arrived
>Upon arriving at the grove you quickly pick enough of the fruits to fill your pouch and tie it closed
>You start the trip back when you notice something in the sky
>Quickly dropping to your knees and hands you make sure the hide on your back is covering you
>You discovered that while the strange creatures that fly by have good sight they are not very observant
>A couple quick prayers for luck to Celestia and Luna
>Your lion hide does the trick and they keep on flying to the grove
>You crawl for a short time longer just to make sure nothing is coming before you get up and sprint back to your home

>Same day Canterlot
>Another day and more interruptions into your mind
>You raise the sun and receive prayers
>While talking to the representative of Manehatten a prayer for luck
>While eating your afternoon snack a prayer of thanks for a kill
>While preparing for bed you hear a thanks for another day
>You and Luna have been hearing these prayers for over a month
>At first they were booming and hard to ignore but now you are used to them
>They now are a silent whisper for aid or thanks
>The first time one came thanking you for a kill you were surprised and disturbed
>Now you have heard enough to understand these are a matter of survival
>The heartfelt thanks that floods in with them is almost proof enough of that
>Luna is almost obsessively searching for a way to find out who is sending these
>You have been too busy to focus on them
>It is your duty to lead these people, while Luna tries to help she is too disconnected from them to understand
>However there is one thing you have noticed
>With every prayer comes another small surge power as if the words themselves have filled you with strength
>Whoever and whatever is praying to you is giving you this power
>The only question you have is
>Why?

>Day 81
>FUCK WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID
>*WHAM* *WHAM* *WHAM*
>You have been using your fire too much during the day
>That's how they fucking found you idiot
>*WHAM* *WHAM* *WHAM*
>You got arrogant thinking they will never find you and now they are going to kill you
>You saw them coming about mid afternoon
>Six of them carrying spears wearing armor
>You ducked inside and barred your door as fast as you could
>*WHAM* *WHAM* *WHAM*
>Luna? Celestia? Someone? ANYONE? Help! I cannot take them on my own.
>You hold your spear closer and get ready to fight.
>You may not be able to take them all out but you can at least get one
>*WHAM* *WHAM* *WHAM*
>Oh god! Oh god! LUNA! CELESTIA! I DONT WANT TO DIE YET!
>*WHAM* *WHAM* *CRACK*
>The door busts open with a crack. Two rush into the room while the others stay outside
>They seem not to want to approach me, Maybe its because you am covered in pelts and carrying a spear
>Maybe its because you look like a total freak to them
>A raspy voice outside yells "GET HIM!"
>A spear comes at you from the right
>You throw your body to the left to dodge
>And pain blossoms as a spear sticks you in your left shoulder
>The Gryphon uses his new skewer to push you into the wall behind you as the other one stabs you in the right thigh
>You let out a cry of pain and "OH GOD PLEASE HELP ME!"
>They back off for a moment, letting you fall to your knees, and look at each other surprised that you can talk
>One of them shrugs and rears his spear back to finish you when everything suddenly goes black
"NO! YOU WILL NOT KILL THIS ONE!"
>You look up and see a winged unicorn the deep black of night. Stars trailing in her deep blue hair and horn glowing as she looks at you.
"He is mine." she says quietly
>You look around and see the gryphons engulfed in a deep purple glow
>"Lu-na?" you say softly as your vision blurs and your mind fades to blackness