Chapter 1

     The sun was setting behind the trees, making the clouds turn pink. The mountain glowed a majestic purple as it loomed overhead. Down below, a herd of deer grazed peacefully in an open meadow. At first glance, this seemingly peaceful landscape doesn’t looked like it houses creatures of both light and darkness. It doesn’t seem like this is the battle field of a never ending war between good and evil.

     A black Pegasus soared through the air doing her wondrous flips; she was engrossed in her own thoughts. She has lived alone for most of her life because, despite her black pelt, she was considered a creature of darkness. It was only a week ago that the black mare, Midnightshadow, had landed in a field to graze. A herd of nearby unicorns noticed the black Pegasus land and they confronted her with their horns lowered into an attacking position. They kept telling her to leave.

     “But I’m not evil!” she had pleaded to them. The unicorns wouldn’t have it and Midnightshadow flew away.

     Midnightshadow slowly glided just above the ground before she lowered her legs to continue to slow her decent. She galloped around a little bit before she completely stopped. She folded her raven black wings and sighed.

     “If only someone would give me a chance,” she said quietly to herself.

 

     A stallion Pegasus laid on the ground with his wings high in the sky as he rolled around, smiling with joy. Although he was pure black with purple metallic flame markings and a dull white mane, he had earned himself a grand reputation as one of heaven’s war horses. Ironically, his name happened to be Diablo, which means “devil”. Diablo had left the heavens when he got into a little feud with his rider and has been living on his own for a couple of days.

     He flagged his hooves in the air as his heavy body rolled up to his feet and rearing to help get the dirt off. He landed with a snort and his ears pricked when he noticed a strange new figure not too far away. “Hello?” His voice echoed low and sweet.

 

     Midnightshadow turned her head when she heard the sound of a strange, new voice. She saw another black Pegasus standing not too far off looking directly at her. Cautiously, she backed into the darkening forest, trying to make herself invisible. She lowered her head and folded her wings over her face.

     “They’ve found me,” she muttered.

     Diablo recognized the small form of a mare and took a step closer. He folded his wings, pricked his ears, and held his head a bit low as his curiosity gets the best of him. He wanted to know who this mare was and why she was trying to hide from him. “Hello? Black mare?” he called again.

     Midnightshadow shuddered as she peeked out from behind her wing and noticed the black Pegasus approaching her. Too late, he’s going to get me. “Please don’t take me away,” she pleaded.

     Diablo tilted his heavy head, growing taller as he drew near her. "Take you..?" He asked, his eyes showing confusion as he then snorted. "Oh no! I would never!"

     She cocked her head in confusion. "What? You mean you're not an evil Pegasus wanting me to join some kind of a demon army?" she asked and took a step towards him.

     Snorted, stomping his front hooves in disbelief. "Of course not! Even if I was I'd ask you to join the heavens, never the hell!" he stated, his wings opening slightly.

     Midnightshadow shrunk away at his tone. "Oh...I......I didn't know," she squeaked.

     His ears went back, feeling bad about his tone he then lowered his head to the ground while his dull white mane covered his face. "I'm sorry; I used to be heaven's war horse, and so I might be a bit rough toned,” he whispered.

     Midnightshadow lifted her head. "A war horse? For the heavens?"

     He nodded, lifting his head high and proud as he shunted his weight, slowly moving to his side as he did a heroic stance. "Yeah," he smirked.

     She took a stretched her neck to get e better look at him then asked. "What's your name?"

     "Diablo, ma’am." He said, proud and obviously having his manners intact.

     Midnightshadow giggled and pawed the ground nervously. "I have never been referred to as a 'ma'am' everyone just calls me the Curse One or the dark Destroyer or something like that," she told Diablo openly.

     He snorted, walking to her as he towered high above her, lowering his head to her height. "Oh, I’m sorry for that. What is your name?"

     “My name is Midnightshadow but you can call Shadow for short," she turned her head away from Diablo, still unsure of him.

     “Ok, Shadow. I wonder why you got such a dark name." He tilted his head, watching her reactions closely.

     Shadow lifted her head in alarm. "Wha-What do you mean?"

     "Well, you’re so nice. It's just seems impossible for such a dark name," he said.

     "Oh I- I'm not sure. That's just what my mother decided to name me," Shadow replied relaxing a little.

     "Oh ok." He lifted his head up, looking at the sky and smiled. "Can you fly?"

     She smirked. "I don't know, let me see," Shadow galloped forward and leapt into the air. Her raven black wings beating the air around her to help her gain altitude. She did a series of flips and twirls to show off a bit for Diablo.

     From the ground, Diablo smiled. Rising up to Shadow’s challenge, he jumped off the ground; his heavy body cut the wind to create that sonic boom sound. He circled Shadow, neighing playfully as he did a few circles to.

     “Not bad," Shadow commented passively. "But can you do this?"

     With the mighty flap of her wings she flew higher and higher into the sky before angling her body downwards and diving back down. When she had gained enough velocity, she twisted her body so that it spun rapidly. She looked like a shining black bullet piercing through the sky. Shadow rocketed closer and closer to ground but at the last possible second, she opened her wings and pulled up. She flew in wide circles around Diablo to slow down her momentum before she fluttered in front him, grinning triumphantly.

     "Beat that!" she challenged.

     Diablo smirked, flapping his heavy wings as he did the same thing, going up in the sky. He spiraled down, wings spread back as they glittered like stars as he spun, looking like a tiny piece of the night sky even close up. He opened his wings last second, on his back as he rolled to face skyward, doing rings around Shadow. "You don't know what's coming," he teased.

     Shadow smiled at him and touched her muzzle to his neck. "Tag!" she flew off. Her wings flapping rapidly to try and out fly the other Pegasus.

     He flapped his wings; he hovered there in surprise for a moment before he charged after her. His wings flapped hard as he easily catches up. "Almost,” he whispered.

     "Almost but not quite," Shadow whinnied over her shoulder and dived down. Her wings tucked against her sides to make her go faster.

     Diablo rolled his eyes, closing his wings as he dived down to her, his heavy body making him go fast as he then opened his wings as they touched her side a bit roughly as he then flew high up again. "Tag."

     Shadow laughed and pulled up. She flew after him. "I'm going to get you!" she chanted to the wind.

     He laughed, watching the sky start to go into a soft orange, flying smoothly as he watched the sight. "You won't see me soon." He grinned.

     Shadow flew up next to him but didn't tag him. She watched the sight with him. It was a sight that she had seen many times before but now, it seemed as though she was noticing it for the first time. "Thank you," she said after a minute.

     He tilted his head, the sun slowly setting. "For what?" He asked.

     “For being so nice to me. Everyone I meet thinks that I'm some evil, horrid Pegasus just because I'm pitch black. But you didn't judge me for my color, you judged me for who I was," Shadow explained and looked at him and smiled.

     "Shame on them," he said, his head turned to the sky again as it was now night. Not even being seen besides hide feathers that shine like the stars, his black coat shining also from sweat.

     Shadow lifted her head to watch the rising moon. "Yeah, it's wrong but that's what they do. That's why I live by myself. Diablo?"

     He smiled under the night shade, picking up speed as his wings are heard flapping as he flew in front if the moon. His wings high as his head is held mighty, his whole body shines under the light as he whispered. "I've always been alone.”

     "Why would you be alone? Do people make fun of you too?" Shadow asked, she was surprised by his comment.

     "When I was a foal, I was tiny and weak; no one thought I could grow to be a good stallion, not at all! I was picked on daily, my mom disowned me as I weaned. I have a terrible life past but, that’s behind me,” he explained, slowing down a bit.

     "I'm sorry to hear that," Shadow said sympathetically. "Diablo? Will be my friend?" she asked shyly.

     He smiled softly, slowly flying to Shadow's side as he rubbed his head on her neck, being a bit bigger then hers. "Yes, of course!"

     Shadow whinnied happily and rubbed her head on his neck. "Oh thank you! Now I have a friend!" she exclaimed happily. She flew ahead and did a back flip, her black pelt shining in the moonlight.

     He laughed, flying slowly down to the ground. His heavy body hitting hit and sounding like an earthquake has happened. He stood there, watching Shadow with a smile before trying to lie on his side, falling like a mighty giant.

     Shadow continued to fly in the air for a bit longer, maybe I could show him my secret place, she thought. She landed gracefully down next to him. She folded her wings and nudged him excitedly. "Come on Diablo! Don't go to sleep yet I want to show you something!" she trotted a little bit away before turning to make sure he was following her.

     He sighed, gathering his strength to get up and then trotting after her. "I'm coming!”

     Shadow led her new friend deep into the now dark forest. Their pelt shimmered in the moonlight that trickled through the cracks in the trees. Every now and then, Shadow pointed something out to Diablo. She showed him her favorite weeping willow tree.

     “I used to sleep under here when I got lonely,” she told him. “Something about the leaves brushing over my pelt while I slept help comfort me.”

     Diablo nodded solemnly. “That’s too bad.”

     They finally made it to her favorite part of the forest after a few more minutes. It was at the edge of the tree line but it overlooked a meadow. The grass whistled softly as the breeze blew through it and the moonlight dyed the grass a dark shade of blue-green. Shadow laid down on the ground.

     "Just watch," she instructed Diablo quietly.

     After a few moments, the northern lights danced across the sky, illuminating the stars around them. They glowed in different shades of green, blue, and purples. The light waved and dipped down from their place on the mountain peak as if they were moving with the natural pulse of life itself.

     "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked as the view took her breath away.

     Diablo watched, the lights reflecting off his eyes. He smiled warmly, his own words caught. "Northern lights...Amazing. You know, my friend in war, he died wishing to see this. Now I know why," he told her when the words found their way back to his lips.

     “What was your friend’s name?" Shadow asked turning from the lovely sight to look at her new friend; a sight that could potentially be lovelier.

     "Slash. He was skilled in those wars...I always followed him, we were a great team. He taught me everything." He smiled, looking at Shadow with soft eyes and a handsome smile.

     "What happened to him?" Shadow asked.

Diablo frowned, his ears lying flat as he slowly turned his gaze away. "He. Died not long after out last war. He was badly damaged in the chest and bleed to death. I dragged him to here, he died watching these lights. I gave him his last wish.”

     Shadow shuddered at the thought and turned away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push," she apologized before looking back at the magical lights.

     "It's ok...” He turned his gaze toward her again, his eyes showing passion before quickly looking back at the lights.

     Shadow got to her feet. "Those lights always end at the tip of the mountains do you see that?" she asked him. She pointed with her muzzle to the top of the mountain.

     Diablo nodded his head as he flops down to sleep. "Yes."

     Shadow walked a few paces away from him before flopping down herself. "Maybe tomorrow we can fly up there and check it out. What do you think?" she asked him with a yawn.

     He shrugged, nodding. "Sure."

     "Okay! I'm so excited! I can't wait till tomorrow! Good night Diablo," she said before laying her head on the ground and waited for sleep to overcome her.

     He chuckled; closing his eyes as he passes out instantly, sleep over coming him. Little did he know, that he was in for something more than just a trip up the mountains.