03. Breaking the Horse

It was noon when the horses arrived at the outskirts of Anthracite. They were met with the smell of burning coal, and their hooves were covered with soot. Legend says that the folks living in Anthracite never truly saw the sun, for it was always engulfed in a thin black haze.

Slowly emerging from the fog, came two riders on horseback. 

“You couldn’t make it easy, could you?” the Wrangler moaned, his first words for miles. “My suggestion. If you care at all about your worthless mother, you’ll learn to do what’s asked of you. You should consider yourself lucky.”

Before Blue had the chance to speak, the Anthracite riders took the reins from the Wrangler.

The Wrangler sighed, “good luck with this one,” and set off towards the canyon.

The riders removed Blue’s blindfold and led him towards the town. “Welcome to your new home, kid.” The townspeople popped out from their saloons and shops to catch a glance of the new horse. To Blue’s surprise, he heard cheering in the streets.

“You ever hear ‘em go this crazy?” the rider shouted to his partner.

“They ain’t all this special breed. You see that Wrangler’s face? We got us a killer.”

“Look around, kid. Must feel good to be somewhere that wants ya.”

The riders walked Blue to a mansion that sat beside the only river in town. Exhausted and dehydrated, he attempted a dash towards the water but felt the pull on his reins. “You drink when we say you drink.”

“You best not be pulling on my new stallion” A voice beamed from the mansion steps. He took a long pull from his wooden pipe. “That’s my boy, and I’ll break him how I want.”

A tall man descended down the stairs, his boots echoing with every step. His clothing suggested that they were once vibrant and multicolor, with only fading drab hues remaining. He left a trail of tobacco smoke that quickly disappeared into the Anthracite afternoon. His eyes widened as he approached Blue, admiring the depth of his color and the strength of his body.

“I’ll take him from here.”

It was a tougher journey than most, but Waylon was finally able to break Blue. Through his training, W was able to gain the trust of Blue, and a kinship began to form.

Blue already had a chip on his shoulder the moment he stepped foot on the grounds, and the special treatment he was given didn’t serve him well around the stables. He had an eagerness that aroused resentment around him. When the other horses viewed him as an outsider, Blue was naive to the entire situation. 

His reputation would truly be sealed when coming home in his first battle. The men from Anthracite were in a skirmish with the rival town, Zephyr, at the foothills of the Fountain Range. Zephyr sought to take the high ground, and climbed high into the mountains, with W and his men following close by. 

Along the way, Waylon noticed the dead bodies of two Anthracite men not of his crew, bullet holes littering their bodies.

Under the cover of a new moon, Waylon and his men sought to flank the force from Zephyr. They followed the river upstream until there was no river left to follow. What they found instead was a great fountain, from which all the river water flowed.

Blue no longer needed permission to drink, bent down and sipped the precious water. Suddenly, his eyes began to glow a sun bright orange and his mane stood straight up. Blue bucked straight up into the air, knocking Waylon to the ground. He let out a scream which revealed their position.

Worried, Waylon and his men tried taming the beast, but he rebelled. The Zephyr fighters quickly descended upon the Anthracite. Blue charged full force at them, impervious to all their attacks. He killed nearly half their men, with the other half retreating and fearing for their lives.

His rampage lasted only a matter of minutes, and he quickly fell to the ground and passed out. By the time he woke up in the morning, he had earned himself a new name, “Blucifer”. 

The mania had worn off, but something had changed in Blue. That morning, as they descended from the Fountain Range, Blue couldn’t help but admire the beauty of his surroundings. He deeply breathed in the mountain air and the smell of the flowers. There was something grounding in the feeling, as if it was born of a memory.

Upon arriving at the outskirts of Anthracite, he tasted the staleness of burnt coal. He shuddered. The horse had returned in body, but his mind was fixed on the fountain.

Breaking the Horse

Man and Blue, the bluffs and buttes

You and I, the hand and hoof

they wouldn’t advise it

but i wanted to fight it

Trust is but a breath away

But thirst will take us first today

i’m learning the feeling

but it doesn’t come easy

I see my younger self in you

Back when I was living true

How do you figure

Changed by the river?

The water wears upon us all

None stay dry before the falls

So what does this mean now?

What I’m meant to believe now?

I was a rider without

just a fighter in doubt

And I was in need of a home

Can’t do it alone

But i’m broken and blue

And i see it in you, blue

Follow me I’ll lead the way

Until I’m trailing you someday

Is he a protector

Am i his defender?

What lies beneath is only ours

What I share with you is no mirage

I never expected

But now I’m dependent

The world may be a battlefield

But fate will keep us ever sealed

We’re in it together

For worse or for better

I used to think I’d seen it all

That’s when life began to stall

You long to be wild

It’s there in your smile

Blue you bring the best of me

I promise you my honesty

Don’t be mistaken

I’m here with you Waylon

Never seen the light of day

Bright as when I look your way 

I was a rider without

just a fighter in doubt

And I was in need of a home

Can’t do it alone

Yeah I’ve been waiting to find

Another one of my kind

Cause i’m broken and blue

And i see it in you, Blue

A silent noon, the setting sun

The death of days has just begun

Broken branch, a dripping stream

No longer just a distant dream

The trail it fades, from false to true

You look to me, I look to you

Tonight will be a challenge, yes

I’m confident we can contest

Why’d i arrive here?

Will i survive here?

Does he want to control me?

Or can he console me?

I’m scared and i’m silent

We’re headed for violence

We’re climbing the mountain

Now I’m sipping the fountain