3/6/16; Flashback

Yunalesca lost track of the days since she'd been brought under the mountain, through dark halls of stone. The blue torches they lit them with seemed pretty at first, but it didn't take long before she started wishing for.. something else. Anything else. Natural light. After she had gotten put in this cell, this prison, she had tried her best to get out.. but her magic couldn't pull or bend the bars. There was nothing to pick the lock with, and even kicking them in a fury did nothing. So now she was.. stuck here, with nothing and no help other than regularly delivered meals by ponies who wouldn't talk to her. They were a bunch of crazies, too caught up in their cult and strange worshiping to have any sort of heart to set her free. She'd slept when her body tired, but she couldn't guess the time nor the passing of it- it might as well have been an eternity, or a timeless place for all she knew by now. Yuna huffed and stared at the wall, despairing, bored and angry in turns.

Gleaming Echo stepped down the halls of the mountain hideout with purpose in his step. He always felt so empowered when wearing Lady Nightmare's raiment! And it was this empowering feeling that finally brought him to the upper levels were the prisoner had been kept. Gleam had been one of the ponies that brought the fortune teller in after all and had noticed something the rest of the cult had yet to... Beneath the shawl was a pair of wings! The pony held in the cell was an alicorn! To hold one of the blessed ones was a sin in this cultist's eyes; even if she was NOT lady Nightmare! Finally the cultist came to the prison block. An inclination of his head to the nearby guard and he stepped through the door into the cell block and made his way down the various cells to the one he knew the 'seer' to be at. As of this moment he looked 'normal' save for a slight unnatural glow to his pupils.

Yunalesca made a quiet noise in her throat, one of irritation, a muffled nnngh as she continued staring at the rough brick wall. She wondered if she ought to ask them for any sort of reading material, or a puzzle.. anything that might waste her time until she felt like sleeping again. That in itself was enough to stave off boredom, but how long until she grew bored of sleeping and dreaming? Yuna's head cocked on her pillow, noticing in the endless silence there were.. hoofsteps? They sounded like hoofsteps, somepony was approaching. Yuna rolled a little onto her stomach, legs folding beneath her as she turned to watch the hall through the cell bars. A visitor, perhaps, or were one of those bastards just passing by? Either way, Yuna would have someone to harass, even for a little while.

Gleaming Echo paused before he entered view and let out a bit of a sigh. His horn lit up and a hood he had on was pulled up and over his head. Clearing his throat he stepped out into view, the only distinguishing feature being the glowing to his eyes. "My apologies for your accommodations." he'd say as he took a moment to survey the bars and the obnoxiously bare room. There was literally nothing for the poor mare to do but stare at the wall! It made a raw spike of anger flow through his system but he forced it back.

Yunalesca heard the hoofsteps come to a halt just outside her cell, and she was almost tempted to get up and go look. "Finally, somepony came." She said with sarcasm thickly lacing her voice. His face, she couldn't see much of it but.. there was an odd glow. "You better be sorry." The alicorn snorted, rolling out of her bed in one fluid motion to step up to the bars that kept her prisoner here. And with one of her captors standing on the other side. "I've been bored out of my mind and I have no idea why I'm even here! What do you.. you freaks want me for anyway?" Yuna ranted, another chance to lash out and point her anger somewhere. Other ponies normally didn't talk to her or give her snarling any attention, but this one however.. "I don't want to be here. If I did something, whoops, sorry, but I don't deserve this."

Gleaming Echo rolled his glowing eyes under his hood and gazed upon the now standing form of Yuna. "Because the 'high prophet' deigned it necessary for a seer to be brought into the fold. Whether voluntarily or not." he'd say with a tone of voice that belied just how amused he was at the topic himself. "Of course... I cannot say how long you will be here before somepony comes along to... help you." he'd say with a somewhat quiet voice only to incline his head. "I know what you are, fortune teller, and I do not approve of their treatment of one of the blessed ones."

Yunalesca wrinkled her nose at him and his answer, but her, a seer? It was an interesting word to describe her, and she couldn't help but think about how true it was. She had visions, occasionally, more often triggered by something than not. They were hell to deal with afterward, especially if they were fractured and confusing. Funny how she didn't see this coming, but she would say nothing to the cultists. They would just hold onto her all the more. Yuna narrowed her eyes at the minute pause, wondering what he meant by it and 'help her.' Kill her, or free her? Yuna backed down a little, straightening from her aggressive stance upon his comment and felt a twinge of fear. "What do you know?" She asked, suspicious.

Gleaming Echo let out a chuckle as he sat back on his haunches and gave her an amused look. "I know that underneath your shawl lie a pair of beautiful wings." he'd say and even though the tone of voice that came from the robed one was soft the smile that appeared was rather savage. He could hardly help it with the blessed raiment causing him to be so... amused! Hehe.... He hardly ever felt more alive than when he wore Lady Nightmare's Blessing! "I also know that you have visions according to our sources. The high prophet wants that ability... He believes with the guidance of 'night' you'll be able to harness it." he was barely holding back a laugh only to sigh and turn to take a step away. "Of course he has to convert you first. But I think you have a stronger will than he. If you can survive in this madhouse for long enough you'll see the day again."

Yunalesca couldn't hide the expression she made when he came forth with that information, her dark eyes widening in shock. He knew. What else he had to say made a lump form in her throat, rendering her speechless for a moment. How? How could they have guessed? It.. It could have been a string of coincidences, that's all! Or so she'd tell herself. This had cooled her anger immediately and something like panic took its place, even when he started to turn away. Was he leaving? Yuna moved towards the bars, her step quick. "I can't. There's no way.. You can't just leave me here. Who could possibly help me when we're in the middle of bucking nowhere? I don't have anypony who ca-.. who will come looking for me!" Yuna managed to speak at last and she was ashamed of herself for reaching out, but this was the first conversation she'd had in.. a while. Even before capture, other than telling others fortunes or doing what little she could to help. It was damning that doing good things for other ponies was what got her here in the first place!

Gleaming Echo turned to look back at the mare with an odd look. "But you are one of the blessed? By the sun and moon why do you believe that nopony will come?" The cultist approached the bars again and came to a stop outside of touching range. He didn't know if she might lash out at him of course. The cultist's expression seemed to harden under his hood. "If nopony will come, then help will come from within. There are those of us who will not suffer this blasphemy!" he bit out and began to pace. "But there are more of those who believe in the high prophet than us.... We must be very careful." he was thinking to himself. He knew maybe what... three ponies? Even then he didn't know how they would react. Even he was seeing that ponies were starting to act rather strange.

Yunalesca bit down on her lower lip, hard, for a moment frustrated with her own silence on the matter. She didn't want to let anypony in, or tell them anything. She had nopony who cared. Her mother maybe, once, but she hadn't talked to her in a year or so, not since.. Her ears pinned back. "I don't know why you keep calling me that. I'm not blessed.." Yuna made a strangled noise, like she was trying to talk but stopping herself from making a peep at the same time. She let himself talk and mutter to himself, watching him pace as she struggled internally. "I'm a loner, a wanderer." Yuna managed. "Will you help me then? There's nothing I can give you to pay you back, but.." She shrugged helplessly and sat down before her legs threatened to give way by themselves.

Gleaming Echo made a rather strange sound in the back of his throat that was half snarl and half sigh. "Alicorn are the blessed... To have done something so great the heavens themselves have smiled upon them. Examples for everypony to follow in the end, be it Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Lady Nightmare, the 'new' princess ~ And even you...." he'd spit out the majority of the names though Nightmare and 'you' were both softer. "Should the time come, yes I will help you. But you must continue to resist all who come to your cell...You will likely know it when the time comes." he chuckles and simply sits across from her.

Yunalesca knew that much, and she knew what she was, but not the reason her wings had come to be. So she had done something considered great that day she saved her village, great enough that she was given.. wings. By what, or who? What else it changed, she didn't know, other than changing how others saw her now. "I'm not like the princesses, not at all." Yuna thought that of herself, even though the princesses had done good things themselves and lead Equestria with fairness. She couldn't be like them. Yuna averted her eyes to stare down at her hooves, hiding her relief when he agreed to help her. "I'm.. glad to hear it." There was a 'thank you' on her tongue, but it remained to be seen if he really was helping her or if he was just getting her hopes up, or tricking her. ".. If it's a chance to strangle them like I wanted to do to you when you first showed up, I sure as hell will.. but, I gotta ask. What's your name?" Yuna tried to recover herself, just so she wouldn't look.. weak.

Gleaming Echo snorted and inclined his head. "I bet if you were to remove that shawl you'd be just about as pretty as they are. Alicorn are suppose to be the best of pegasi, unicorn, and the mundane pony." The comment about wanting a chance to strangle her a cultist was actually rather amusing and it caused him to let out a laugh. "You will most likely get a chance to strangle yourself a cultist or three should the time to escape come." The unicorn looked rather hesitant as he gazed through the bars. Dare he give her his name? He eventually let out a sigh and nodded to himself. "My name is Gleaming Shield.... My friends like to refer to me as 'paladin' or even 'warden'." he'd say with a small smile.

Yunalesca's forehoof drifted up to the shawl draped down around her shoulders- it took her a moment to register that he was complimenting her. Her... pretty? His laugh startled her, she wasn't expecting that what she said was even funny. How could it be? "Sounds good to me." Yuna muttered, dropping her hoof again and peering back up at his.. well, not face when it was hidden, but his eerily glowing eyes. "Gleaming, huh? I'm.. Yunalesca." Yuna stated, unsure if there was any point in learning his name. She had long since given up caring about learning names or faces, when they would be out of her life anyway- always traveling, always on the move, never wanting to make a connection. "Flashy titles. They must trust you a lot." Yuna observed, feeling that such a detail might be useful.. if he was intending to break her out. It was hard to trust, but she'd be damned if she didn't admit that this was the first positive thing in the immeasurable.. days? weeks? that had passed.

Gleaming Echo let out a quiet hum and smirked some at the alicorn on the other side of the bars. "I'm one of the few combat medics in the service of Lady nightmare. A great deal of trust was placed upon my shoulders. Trust that I find that I cannot return in the face of the travesty they risk committing!" the unicorn slid to a standing position once again and sank into a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Yunalesca." he hesitated and gave the alicorn a look. "Perhaps I can try to find a few... books for you? I will not be able to come often but when I can..." he left the statement open-ended. He'd try to bring her what he could!

Yunalesca could definitely see the cult's trust in him handy, and that vicious part of her hoped it hurt like hell if and when he broke her out of here. Betrayed his own. She wondered what exactly this travesty he spoke of was, but that she could answer for herself no doubt. 'Converting' her, or whatever it was he'd said. Yuna blinked at the title, surprised to be addressed as 'lady,' but she nodded to him, a little numbly. "Yeah, I'd.. really like some books. I don't have anything to do.." Obviously. "Just, anything would work."

Gleaming Echo dipped his head and moved to stand. "Very well then. I will keep it in mind!" The cultist turned and let out a bit of a sigh. "Alas I believe I must leave before the guards outside the door begin to suspect something.... I will return when I can." And thus the cultist turned and unless stopped he'd head down the cell block once again and to the door.

Yunalesca leaned towards the bars a little when he stood and made to leave. She understood that well enough, but she almost didn't want him to go- she had somepony she could talk to. Still. "Yeah, alright. Do whatever you have to." The alicorn said, neutral, and watched him go without trying to stop him. It was imperative to her that they pull this off, and she didn't want to sabotage it because she was bored (or even lonely?). Once he had gone out of her sight, Yuna got to her hooves and moved back from the bars, but she didn't return to her bed- instead, she paced to give her hooves something to do while she thought everything over. Later, she might sleep.





Gleaming Echo found himself walking down a very familiar hall some five days later. This time he wasn't wearing the raiment and felt rather calm, but he still felt a towering rage over what his compatriots were doing to the blessed one in the holding cells. In his robes were several different books! Of course what she did with each were up to her - As would hiding the items in question. Under the mattress might work fine. In any case he stopped long enough to greet the guard and stepped into the cell block once again, making his way down to Yunalesca's cell.

Yunalesca found that having somepony to talk to, however briefly, had done her a little good. It was something new, a change that broke up the monotony since she had been imprisoned here. She felt lighter for it, and what small burning coal of hope in her chest was enough to keep her afloat for a few days. To keep it, Yuna had to tell herself that she wasn't going to achieve freedom in one quick stroke- it would take time. Patience. She had to wait, even for whenever Gleam? Gleaming? decided to visit her again. If he would.. Yuna's ears twitched as she picked up on the sound of hoofsteps, and she rolled out of her bed to wait at the cell bars to see if it was him.

Gleaming Echo came out into view to see the Alicorn standing and waiting to see just who it was. "My apologies about taking so long Lady Yunalesca." the cultist offered the alicorn a bit of a smile. There was no glow to his eye this time. "I managed to procure a few books, but I had to wait a few days before I could cite a medical checkup as a suitable excuse to come see you." he sat down on his haunches a little distance form the bars. His horn lit up with golden light and four books floated out, each seeming rather worse for wear. It wasn't very easy for an isolated group of cultists to get 'new' books after all. And it took Gleam a few days alone to find books in modern Equestrian script!

Yunalesca eyed the approaching cultist a little warily, wondering if it was him. There was no telltale glow from underneath the hood.. but when he spoke, it told her enough. She took a few steps back from the bars, trying not to look too.. desperate. She wasn't, really, not a lot. "It's no big deal." The alicorn shrugged dismissively and her eyes went to the books that he pulled out from underneath his robes. She had the feeling she wasn't allowed to have them, or anything- was it meant to break her, leaving her in this cell to boredom? Yuna wrinkled her nose for a moment. "What all did you manage to find?"

Gleaming Echo tried not to let out a laugh as he saw the wary but searching gaze. She was looking to see if it was him! And when she knew it was she tried to play it off! Silly mare.... "A few old history books, and a few of a popular book series that the foals have enjoyed." Daring Do of course, because what other book series were there? The cultist levitated the items through the bars and set them before the mare. "you must keep them out of sight. The isolation is meant to make you more... malleable.. to the will of the high prophet. Break you with this cell and then you'd be happy to do whatever it is that he would want in order to break the monotony, no?" he asked with an inquisitive tone.

Yunalesca wasn't sure how to feel about history books, but he had tried and it was something. It was the mention of book series that had her interested, that told her they were fiction. Stories. She had always loved stories- whether they were foals books or not didn't matter to her. A hoof lifted to drag the books now set in front of her closer and she opened one, eyeing its inner pages with some interest. Her attention was quickly broken away, gaze jerking up to where she thought the stallion's eyes to be. In hers was shock. She'd been right! "That's disgusting. You know, if they were just nice about things none of this would be such a hassle." Yuna snorted and glanced back at the interior of her cell. "But all right, I'll keep them hidden."

Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a snort. "Lady Yunalesca.... If things were only that easy. I fear that some sort of... illness may have befallen us. Some in the cult have grown... aggressive and heinous. The great prophet would normally never have condoned imprisoning one of the blessed. Unless it was Princess Celestia of course, then he'd have done it in a heartbeat." he appended as his long tail swished under the robe. "The best you can do is keep yourself entertained. I'll try to find more books to bring. Don't let him get to you should he eventually visit."

Yunalesca released a quiet huff, lips parting barely, but before she could say an 'I know that' he brought up the problem within his cult. It sounded.. serious. "Why is it happening?" She queried, grimacing. Princess Celestia had done too much for Equestria, that she wouldn't have deserved imprisonment. Nopony did. Though from the sound of it, her present company was going to be leaving again and her face revealed more of her disgust at the mention of his leader. "I won't let him. He might as well eat manure for all the good it'll do.." Yuna stated, determined, and lifted her books towards her bed. Under the mattress.. ? It'd be a bit lumpy, but she had something!

Gleaming Echo let out a wide smile, tail flicking under the robe. "Keep up that delightful spirit, Lady Yunalesca, and you just might survive." the almost feral grin was back. He took quite a bit of delight from that indeed! The determination she showed, she would definitely need it. The high prophet was quite the deceiver! "I will try to be back to see you after a few days. I'll claim I drew some blood and perhaps... you weren't eating enough?" he suggested with a noncommittal shrug. The cultist didn't 'love' Princess Celestia but at the same time he didn't hate her like many of the other cultists. She was among the 'blessed' to him as well... so it was highly likely he wouldn't try to openly work against her.

Yunalesca laid the books flat, next to each other as she shoved them under her mattress, and placed it back. There, that ought to work well enough. An ear had rotated towards Gleam, before she turned her whole head, to eye him. She could see a little of that grin- had she amused him again? "It sounds good to me. Surely its easy enough to fool a bunch of crazies." Yuna said, folding her forelegs on the edge of her bed and sat there, as though she was going to pray- which she wasn't, she wasn't any sort of religious. "If you're going to make these visits.. 'regular,' why do you hide your face?"

Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "Because if this were to be discovered and you taken before the high prophet... Well, ponies have been known to blow cover in desperation. If even you don't know which amongst the robes I am I will be able to take them by surprise." Of course there were holes in that logic since she wouldn't know who to accept help from. But... Well, there wasn't much else that he could do! His hooves were all but tied!

Yunalesca was disappointed in that answer, but from one point of view she supposed she could understand. All she had to go on would be his voice. She exhaled through her nose, faintly irritated, but there was nothing she could do about it- she couldn't force him to show her his face, just like he couldn't force her to show off her wings. ".. Yeah, okay." Yuna grumped. "You're doing quite a lot for me as it is, I guess. Let's just hope we're clever and nopony finds out, but if everything is going south like you say it is.. they might not."

Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a laugh. "Indeed! Perhaps we might not need to be as careful as I think. But alas I would rather not put the well being off one of the blessed with carelessness! That would be a heinous sin beyond that which I am willing to commit." he'd say with a scoff and a scuff of a hoof. "I'll try to also get them to give you better food... I' sure the stuff they are giving you is quite unpleasant. If I could I would strangle some of them myself." he'd say only for his form to sag. "But some of them are my friends too." he muttered only to start towards the door. "I'll be back again." he'd call back.

Yunalesca couldn't hold back a small smile that quirked the corners of her mouth while he spoke, mostly prompted by an echo of her earlier threats of strangling. "For somepony who's on the road often like me, you kind of get used to not having great meals. Still, might be nice." The alicorn shrugged and stood, quietly stepping up to the bars when he turned away and started off. "Alright then. I'm.. not going anywhere." Yuna snorted, watching him go much like before. If and when his hoofsteps receded, she would return to her bed to give one of her 'new' books a read.