ORIGIN

James had been cooped up, forced to lay down and rest for as long as possible. He couldn't- he had to get on his feet and walk around, lest he lose his muscles. Today... he was an adult. What a way to spend it.

He limped heavily, his hind leg held up nearly to his belly, bound in vine rope and held stiff by sturdy branches to keep everything in place while his body healed. A few times he'd found himself trying to heal what he could, but unfortunately, his magic just wouldn't come. He still tried, however. Just for a bit of relief.

Another try and another fail, though he wasn't sure what he expected. His magic had abandoned him, despite what Ari said.

Or perhaps... it was waiting.

Frustrated, he took off at a forced lope, which was easier than a trot with his strides being easier to handle. He made his way up an incline and stood atop it, staring down from above. A winged creature- a bird, he thought- swooped by, letting out a cry before taking off. How free it was to soar and fly as it pleased, it's delicate body to be used for a great thing, rather than to be a restraint. Bitterness welled up and he stamped a hoof in frustration, mouth downturned.

James' ears perked up at the buzzing, and his brows furrowed deeper as he tried to locate it. A noise echoed in his ears, a familiar sound that he could have placed as Sun's voice before the lights started to drift down. His jaw dropped in awe, head swiveling to follow the lights as they glowed around him, surrounding him. It was so strange and mystical that it stole the words out of his mouth.

The bridge took him by surprise, even after what had already happened, and he couldn't pick his jaw off the floor. He stared out over the bridge, eyes finding the woman's form.

"... What- who are you?" he asked, "Where did you come from- are you real?"

He limped forward a step, enraptured by everything that was happening. The gap between him and the bridge was one that he could have cleared any day, had his leg not been broken.

"H-how can I help you?" he asked, already trying to find a way to get across somehow. Perhaps a bit of telekinesis? Though with his magic being as finicky as it was, he couldn't be sure of it's reliability.

James didn't catch the stutter, already pretty overwhelmed. He stared down at the gems and swallowed the lump in his throat, ears down. He could... he could help. But his leg.

A moment passed and he clenched his eyes shut. Screw his leg. Strength came from within, damn it!

"I'll help!" he said, and pushed off of his good leg to make it over the gap, eyes on the gems rather than the woman.

He'd help them. If Ari were here, he'd do the same, he just knew it.

James gasped as his hooves failed to touch down, and the illusion vanished. His hind feet scraped the cliff and he let out a terrified shriek, legs kicking out as he plummeted down to the ground below. He didn't have enough time to scrounge up a spell, his body smacking onto the hard stone floor.

He lay on his side, legs sprawled out with his mouth parted in a look of agony and betrayal. He couldn't breath, unable to draw in a breath as pain coursed through every vein like someone had pumped hot lava into them. He could barely do anything aside from try to stay awake, though it was growing harder and harder as the seconds passed.

Purple started to envelope him, veins of pink and yellow spreading throughout as he was slowly surrounded, his eyes rolling back into his skull as he gurgled weakly, lids falling shut as he disappeared into the oval chrysalis. Layers formed over layers, purple, then pink, then yellow, then white, meshing and curling over each other before hardening and stilling. Blessed darkness overtook him, and he felt...

Nothing.