The Expedition (Edited by Kibishi)
"Come on spike!" Twilight shouted in frustration, she and her expedition group of three guards and four archaeologists along with two of her friends, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in an exploration mission for the search of an ancient temple.
The Temple of Harmony.
"I'm going, Twilight, geez!" and her Assistant dragon too. Her expedition group was assembled and ready to go, they were waiting for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The Cyan Pegasus was always for an adventure, something that Twilight saw as an advantage she needed, she is a good flyer and could scout the area faster than any other pegasus. For Fluttershy... she needed her, her talent on the animals would be extremely useful in the aggressive fauna of the forest itself.
"Ugh! She is the best flyer, but she always comes later!" said Twilight, Frustrated, it was understandable with Fluttershy, having a rational fear of the enchanted forest but was also wanted to go for the exotic animals that reside inside the forest, she would have to admit that she felt guilty in manipulating Fluttershy's love for the animals for her goal in that way.
"Look out, here comes the dash!" came a voice from above, a cyan blur landed in front of the group causing a rise of dust around the ponies who coughed and waved the dust only to see the Cyan Pegasus with a Rainbow mane, Rainbow Dash, with a cocky smile.
"Rainbow! You're late!" blunted the Lavender Princess, Rainbow groaned.
"Come on, Twilight! It’s not like we are losing time, also, where is Fluttershy? She is late too!" as the moment she said the name of her pegasus friend, Fluttershy appeared with some saddlebags with her, trembling in fear apparently, but trying to act confident, much for Twilight’s amusing and Rainbow's own frustration.
"Alright, everypony ready?" Asked Twilight, the group, dash along with the guards saluted, the archaeologists were prepared half an hour ago, Fluttershy just 'meep'd, Spike sat on twilight’s back as they began their journey into the Everfree forest.
"Stop!" a voice came from behind, it was Rarity...
"Rarity? what's going on?" Asked Twilight, Rarity also has some saddlebags with her. She is going with us? Thought Twilight.
"Oh I just Thought going with you in this expedition thing."
"Why the change of heart, you said that you didn't have time." In fact, it was true, only Rainbow dash and Fluttershy offered themselves to go with her (she implored and begged to Fluttershy to come, she used a spell to calm her panic attack but still was a challenge to convince her) Applejack has a job in the farm and Rarity once said she had orders, Pinkie has to take care of the twins, Twilight couldn't help but be confused at rarity's change of opinion.
"Well, I got a card from the same client, she could not pay for more, so I completed with my quota earlier than anticipated." She joined the group and finally entered to the Everfree forest...
***
The walk was strangely silent as they entered deep into the enchanted forest, one of the archaeologist, Old Discovery, an old stallion with a gray coat and hoary green mane with a magnifying glass as a cutie mark, was talking with Rarity about their work, Fluttershy was next to the guards while hiding in her own mane, Rainbow Dash was scouting, flying over the group searching for dangers and paths to avoid, however, being a danger lover she couldn't stop the fact that she wanted something to happen.
Twilight hoped not, she hated conflicts like anypony else, all except the hot-headed pegasus that flew over their heads.
"Hey Twilight, what is this "Temple of Harmony"?" asked spike, she never had time to talk or lecture spike about it but now it was time to do so, the archaeologists she lead are like minded individuals that theorized the temple in the past. Only legends and history books mention said temple but never mentioning its location...
Until now...
"The Temple of Harmony, Spike, is where the elements of harmony were created; Starswirl's Journal stated that the creators were people with vast knowledge and power, their minds linked with one and another, living without secrets and in constant harmony."
"Eh Twilight, You said people instead of ponies, they aren't ponies?" Asked Spike this time it was Old Discovery’s turn to answer.
"Well, Yes Gentledrake, the journal never mentioned the inhabitants being ponies or equines at all; we believe that they were called "Protoss"."
"Protoss? what a lame name for the ancient harmony-bringers" Rainbow dash said while landing next to rarity, the former groaned by her friend's uncouth attitude toward everything she considered "lame" or "uncool".
"Rainbow! be more respectful! without them, Equestria would be nothing!" Blunter Rarity, it's true, the elements of harmony were vital parts of the conclusion of many conflicts in Equestria, the Gryphon War during post-Foundation Era, the Unicorn Civil War, Discord Reign of Chaos and Nightmare Moon Banishment... their friend ascension to princess hood.
"What? I'm still saying that their name is lame."
"Well, Lady Dash, Protoss, as Starswirl named them, it was more the name of their species, his journal says about the name of their "tribe"." said another Archaeologist, Lucky Bone, a young adult unicorn mare with brown coat and dark red mane. Light bulb as a cutie mark "Their Tribe's name is 'Sa'Dalarim'."
"Sadah what?" said rainbow dash and spike incredulously in the same time.
"Sa'Dalarim' in their language. Starswirl deciphered it as 'The Guardians."
"Guardians? now that's a cool name" Said Spike, Rainbow nodded.
"G-girls?" another voice sum to conversation it was Fluttershy's.
Now this is going to be interesting thought Rarity, Fluttershy was never part of any conversion around stranger ponies; Rarity knows that, all her friends know that. if she has something to say it could be important or it’s something she’s bothered by.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" asked twilight.
"I-I t-t-think we should r-r-return." Twilight rolled her eyes, once again she use her soothing spell, relieving her from her early fear. They continue further as Rainbow Dash flies again, searching for nearby danger.
***
Hours passed as they advanced... much to their dismay, there isn't much to see aside from trees, bushes and rocks. wild manticores were no problem with Fluttershy's talent for the animals, much for the guard's luck.
"Twilight, I hate to sound like that we’re lost but... we are sooo lost.." said rainbow dash as she landed next to the guards, they nodded affirming her response, Rarity in the other hoof, was rather calmed, while internally she was screaming... Fluttershy was no better, she was about to have a heart attack.
"Rainbow, we are no lost-"
"Do you have a map?" asked Rainbow.
"Well, No-"
"Then we are lost" Finished Rarity, she hate to admit but Rainbow was right, they were lost deep in the Everfree Forest, she hated this dreaded forest, so many legends that made this place cursed and dammed by Celestia herself, while she say she never did such thing, she couldn't help but feel... observed.
Rainbow flew again searching for a way back to the town to guide the group, but she found something more...
"Guys!" Rainbow Shouted, gaining the attention of the group, Twilight the most.
"I found some ruins over there" she point a hoof over a segment of ruins and a cave nearby, Twilight and the Archaeologists cheered, they found it! they galloped towards it, the sun beginning to set; they made it to their destination. It was what they were expecting, some ruins lay in front of a dark cave leading to the unknown...
"We did it, Your Highness, we arrived to the entrance of the temple!" the group cheered and begun to set a camp near the ruins... for tomorrow they'll begin their purpose of their trek
That very same night, they ignited a campfire and starting to plan in what to do tomorrow, the cave was obviously the entrance of the temple, they could separate with a group for the cave while the rest would examine the ruins, Rainbow wanted to accompany Twilight along with Lucky Bone and a Guard to the cave, Fluttershy preferred to be outside with the rests of the archaeologists and the two guards, Rarity preferred to stay outside than being inside of a "terrify and dusty temple that could damage her mane and coat"
"Twilight?" Spike began.
"Yes, Spike?"
"What looks like these... Protoss things?" It was an interesting topic that spike made up; the archaeologists expressed their curiosity as well.
"Well, Starswirl mentioned them early as muscular bipedal beings without a mouth and nose with strange but powerful magic." this raised some questions among the group, while the guards didn't say anything, they were curious as well.
"Wait a minute... Without a mouth and nose? how the hay they talk, eat or breathe at all?" asked Rainbow Dash curious,
"To talk, probably using telepathy, to eat, I actually don't know, the same I could say with breathing."
"Probably their nose exist but in another part of their anatomy," pointed out Old Discovery, "the same could be said with their mouth" they began to speculate about the former inhabitants of the temple, when tiredness hit them, they entered to their respective camps to rest, they all were shared with another pony or two more, the guards took turns to observe in night time, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy shared the same tent, Rarity offered to share her tent with some archaeologists while others rest in their respective camps.
***
"What are you doing here, Little one? ..." Twilight was flying but wasn't the skies of Ponyville or equestrian in all...
She wasn't in her planet anymore. She was floating, swimming among the stars, constellations and nebulas filled her vision, she couldn't understand why she was dreaming this but it was beautiful...
"What are you doing here...?" again a voice asked her, its echoes in her mind, was masculine and deep but soothing and calm.
"You and your kind are no welcome here..." again the voice said to her, while the sentence sound hash, the voice didn't lose its calm tone, the nebula's starting to surround her as two bright blue eyes appear in front of her..
"You should return to your own... and leave this place... forever..." the moment the voice talked to her, the eyes glower.
"Why? we just want to learn, is important to us!" She shouted in her defense... the eyes only blinked
"Then, your fate is sealed..." the eyes and the nebula's dissipate, fading away, leaving Twilight alone in the cold space...
***
"Twilight? Twilight! Wake up!" the voice of spike filled her ears as she wake up her odd dream, she groaned.
"Twilight, you gotta see this! there is an odd panther in the temple's cave!" an odd panther? she thought, getting up and exiting she headed to see the temple's entrance, some archaeologists along with Fluttershy and Rarity were up too, it was early morning already.
"What strange feline, I never see this kind of panther before!" exclaimed Fluttershy, her fears gone; Rarity as well was surprised.
"Twilight, this breed of feline exist in any book you own?"
"I don't know, What's going on?" asked twilight, shifting her gaze from the group to the temple's entrance there was, indeed, an odd panther, laying on the ground in the middle of the entrance, its upper half's fur and forelegs are dark blue while its lower half and hind legs have dark vertical stripes with reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside... it was indeed strange.
"Look! he has a necklace!" the said necklace was golden with a blue glowing crystal in it
"none of my books said anything about this kind of... breed, must be new species!" Twilight brightened upon seeing it, she made a notebook, a quill with black ink on the tip appear, and started taking notes. Fluttershy walks slowly to not startle the panther; the odd cat did the same with her, upon meeting each other, the panther purred and show affection by licking her face.
"Awww, she is a cutie..."
"Wait, 'she'?" asked twilight as well some ponies, curiously. "I know the gender of an animal when I see it, its part of my special talent. Also, she seems to be tamed..." she pointed to the necklace.
"You mean… that someone still lives in there?" asked Lucky Bone, the blue glow in the crystalline orb on the feline's necklace didn't fade, in fact, it glowed with more intensity, soon, the panther’s glow in bright blue then... disappeared... only to reappear in middle of the entrance again.
"Did she just... teleport?!" all the ponies were awestruck in the display of the odd creature, that soon disappears again... leaving the ponies confused and amazed.
"Okay... that was weird" Rainbow dash's voice startled the ponies from their shocked trance. Twilight was taking notes furiously while Fluttershy and the rest were still confused.
"Did that cat used magic?" asked a unicorn guard, Guarding Sword.
"I don't think so, it didn't feel like magic at all!" exclaimed the alicorn princess.
"But that cat just teleported in front of our eyes, Darling, how can you explain that?" pointed Rarity.
"I'm... not sure..." Twilight hated to admit it but she doesn't know what the panther just did, yes she could theorize it but it won't reveal anything, just speculating in something that could be proved wrong. she shook her head and shifted her gaze to the entrance.
"We should... begin, maybe we could find answers inside..." said twilight while looking at the cave... the entrance to the Temple of Harmony.
Author's Note
First of my starcraft entry! WHOOO!
Thanks Kibishi for the editing. :D
Revelation Part 1: The Temple (Multiples Editors)
"My thanks, Preator, tell the Prelate and his Dark Templars to be ready for the ambush, however I do not want blood shed. Capture them and bring them to the Palace's Prison, I want to talk with them, soon."
"Yes, Executor. Based in Shalai's recovered information, they are an archeologist group, it would seem that their leader is using one of the ancient relics as a crown... Do you think it is time?"
There was silence
"Executor?"
"... Bring the Council, the Judicators and Preator Solam... Yes, it is time, old friend."
***
"Alright, Lucky Bone, Rainbow Dash, Strident Spear; you all are coming with me. Are you sure you don't to come Dr. Discovery?" Asked Twilight, her small group ready to go. Old Discovery and the rest of the Archeological team decided to stay, along with the other two guards. Fluttershy decided to stay too for two reasons; 1: Fear of the darkness, and 2: in case of that panther might return.
"No thanks Your Highness, these markings are to be studied and then sent to Canterlot's Starswirl Institute before going to Manehattan's Hoofbrand University to decipher them, it'll be a honor if you share your discovery when you return" Twilight nodded but there was something bugging her. Rainbow Dash always wanted action, but being inside of a temple wasn't exactly exciting.
"Rainbow, I have a question for you. Why you want to be with us? This is a archeological research, not something from Daring Do's Books."
"Non-sense Twilight, this is an ancient temple, there are always traps, cultists or even great treasure waiting for us to take it!" replied the cyan pegasus. Twilight rolled her eyes thinking that it would be beneficial to bring her with them, she could need some muscles and Rainbow, for being more athletic, would do nicely.
"Alright if you insist, just don't complain about it being boring." she shifted her gaze to Lucky Bone, whom was eager to enter to the temple.
"You're ready, Miss Bone?"Lucky glanced at Twilight as she nodded in answer.
"Alright, we're off, we'll back in a hour. Spike, you stay with Rarity and Fluttershy, be sure to be there with everything they need" Spike saluted, before Twilight and her team walked toward the temple, leaving the rest of the group outside.
Fluttershy was wondering about the odd feline that was on the entrance few minutes ago, she was a beautiful big cat, with a odd color of fur but was majestic. Unfortunately she couldn't understand how she could use magic, specially advanced magic such as teleportation. Most unicorns, that aren't like Twilight, take days, weeks or even months to master it yet a cat just used the ability twice.
Rarity was offering her talents in finding buried artifacts and ruined runes while Spike dug for her without thinking twice. The guards patrols the perimeters while archaeologist do their works, their orders are to protect them until a new squad of guards arrive along with more archaeologists, but something was... off... It was too silent, there weren't even birds chirping arround.
"Hey, Red Wall, have you wondered why we are here, with these archaeologist?" the pegasus guard, Iron Feather, asked to his Earth Pony partner, a robust earth pony guard. The pegasus recieved a nasty glare from him.
"We are here by order of Princess Celestia and Princess Sparkle herself is leading this expedition, have you already forgot that?"
"Oh, Sorry..."
"Sorry? that's all that you can say?!"
"Just forget it, alright?"
the two guards resumed their guard, unaware of the five pairs of glowing green and purple eyes, observing them, waiting for the right moment ...
***
Darkness... Overwhelming.
Since all her vision was dominated by darkness, it was a good thing that Twilight hadn't a fear of the darkness or she would be like Fluttershy, scared of her own shadow, they walked, deeper in the cave's depths, a new sound fills their ears, weak but still there. it was water.
A waterfall
"What the hay, a waterfall?" exclaimed Rainbow Dash
"Not a waterfall, but spouts, we must be near to the Main Sanctum."
They continued trotting to their destination, the darkness was getting annoying, they reached to the their destination, the inner sanctum, the sound of water falling filling their ears yet they still couldn't see anything.
"I think I could be more useful on this." Lucky Bone's horn glowed, not to cast a spell, but to illuminate part of the place. A statue, or rather, a destroyed statue, stood in the center of the chamber, only the legs remains of the once glorious statue, the debris and such scattered around it.
"Twilight, this doesn't looks like a sanctum or anything similar..." commented Rainbow Dash
"Whatever it is... these ruins aren't a product of time; this statue was destroyed by force..." pointed out Twilight, indicating the fragments scattered around them.
"What do you mean; magic?" Asked Lucky Bone.
"I don't know but the bricks that used to make up this statue... don't seem like normal rocks or stones... enchanted perhaps?"
"What? They're just rocks!" Rainbow grabbed a piece of the debris and threw it, watching as it fell into the water, gained the shocked glares of Lucky and Twilight.
"Rainbow! What have you done?!" cried Twilight
"What?! it's just rocks Twilight, its nothing but a bunch of ruins!" this gained the irritated stare of Twilight and Lucky.
"Ruins that we like to try to study, in order to find out more about the creators of the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow, aren't you at all curious about where your Element come from or how it's works?!"
"Geez, Twilight, calm down, we just entered. Can't you just illuminate this place, no offence Lucky." Lucky just nodded, understanding what she meant. While her special talent is finding things using her magic as a flashlight, Twilight is an alicorn and before that, she was the most talented unicorn in all Equestria when it came to magic.
"Fine, but don't do that again." Twilight's horns glow and shot a ball of pure light, illuminating the entire chamber but faintly.
"I retract when I said this isn't a sanctum, this place is huge!"
"And there is more to see, that hallway probably leads to the main altar..." they all nodded, the guard just followed them and went into the hallway, getting deeper in the strange temple, Rainbow was more bored than ever, Twilight was right afterall, it wasn't like Daring Do's latest book: "Daring Do and The Voice of the Darkness". Surprisely, the villian was like Nightmare Moon, the author confirmed that they had used the 'Mare of the Moon's Legend for the character. and the book started in a temple, like this one. no traps or aggresives natives, it was easy until a locust menace called The Zer-
"Look!"
Rainbow Dash's thoughts were interruped when Lucky Bone spotted a strange blue light at the end of the tunnel, they rushed towards it.
Upon reaching the it, the light gave way to a sight that was completely unexpected, amazing and scary at the same time...
It was a large gold rimmed banner floating in the middle of a pit, held aloft by a large metal object from which the blue light originated from.
"Now that's creepy. There's no way a banner, or any object, could float without any form of magic..." said the guard. Twilight was fascinated and somewhat scared. However, sh e frowned upon hearing her escort's comment, but he was right, there weren't any spells that could sustainably hold objects in the air without a unicorn present to refuel it, only special enchantements and runes charged with unicorn or alicorn magic could hold objects in the air but the magic would be maintained for an hour or so before fading, it was essentially useless for anything other then minor tricks or convenience
This was different, however. She couldn't sense the magic on it at all, not even with a spell! she start to take notes in the dark
While observing it she notice the same glowing orb that the odd feline had on it's necklace was present on the metal object holding the banner. Most probably the feline's necklace and this banner have something in common. She used her magic to grab the banner but failed, for some reason she couldn't understand, the banner either repelling her magic or outright negating it.
"T-This can't be good..."ucky Bone tried to do the same only to fail aswell, her magic was repelled by sort of anti-magic field that surrounded it, not even the guard could effect it, she requested the help of Rainbow to bring it down. she did so without any sort of problem, strengthening a theory that Lucky Bone suggested; Anti-magic talismans. This coincided with Twilight's own Theory; enchanted talismans. Unfortunately this would mean the relic would be charged with magic but that would contradict the lack of feeling of magic around them. For further study, the brown mare kept the banner to show it to the rest of the team upon returning.
Continuing their trek inward, they started to talk among themselves, all except the guard
"So, Lucky Bone, wha kind of discoveries do you think we might find down here?" The purple alicorn asked, unable to contain her awe and nervousness at being in the ruins
"I believe some kind of altar or more of these crystals, we could use some of them for research." was the reply
"Maybe, we could learn much with these crystals, could prove useful in Equestria's Security. but... there is something that is worrying me."
"Wow, Twilight getting scared? the temple is getting you?" smirked Rainbow dash, walking too as she couldn't fly very well in the dark.
"Incredible as it may be, yes, first the panther and now the floating banner. The Panther used a very complex form of teleportation but I didn't feel magic being used, Still, she used it twice right in front of us. The floating banner is the thing that got even more uneasy, it's been floating over a pit for possibly thousands of years and magic seems to be useless upon contact. This was what Starswirl mentioned. Complex but powerful magic, this people, the Protoss are both amazing and scary."
"But they don't seem scary now, this temple is nothing more but ruins as Miss Dash said early."
"I... Wouldn't count on that." She stopped, her small team stopped as well looking at twilight strangely.
"As Fluttershy said, the panther is tamed, the necklace on her neck is the proof of that."
"that's debatable, your highness, Fluttershy could be just speculating-" Twilight shook her head at Lucky's response.
"I know Fluttershy, Miss Bone, her special talent allow her to talk with the animals, she can understand them and they to her, if she say that the panther is tamed, is enough to say that somepony must be living here or ..."
"Or what, Princess?"
"... or someTHING is."
***
"Hey Red! I think I heard- Ugh!" Iron Feather's sentence was cut off when something grabbed his neck tightly and threw him to the ground, suprising the archelogists and the elements bearers (plus the dragon.)
The guard was down for the count
"Iron!" before Red Wall could react, that grabbed the other guard grabbed his tail and mane, lifting off the ground ramming him into a thick tree, leaving him unconscious. Another guard was down
"What's going on? - Augh!" one of the archoelogist was kicked on the head, another's punched repeatedly. The unicorns fired their magic as beams, but hit nothing. They eventually got punched and knocked down, leaving them almost all unconscious
Rarity screamed and Fluttershy was frightened to the very core. Some ponies wanted to escape or fly away, but they got blocked by something invisible, like a forcefield. Rarity shot her own magic blindly, wanting to hit something, but it was futile. Fluttershy was so scared that she didn't anything but tremble in fear.
"Don't worry, Rarity I'll-" the baby dragon didn't finish, falling to the ground, unconscious. "Spike!" shouted Rarity.
"Show yourselves rufians!" She shouted defiantly. she shot more magic beams until one of them bounced off something. Rarity brightened but her expression quickly faded as something grabbed her mane and lifted her off the ground, making her scream in fear and pain, Fluttershy too. The same force grabbed her mane and a wing tightly. The defenseless mares bucked and kicked in an attempt to liberate themselves. With a loud THUD, Fluttershy's kick managed to hit something.
It begun to appear in front of her.
Slowy, a ghostly image of a grey bipedal being appeared. It was mostly covered with rags, two glowing purple eyes and a bracelet that was formed from somekind of purple blade made of energy. Quickly more of then appears, some with less clothes others covered with mostly bones... and then another in front of Rarity.
It was big, with an armor made only with bones of unknown creatures, it hadn't a bracelet-blade, but a scythe and instead of purple energy, the weapon had green energy emanating from it, the clothing that had covered the mouth falls revealing something... shocking to her.
It had no mouth...
"Y-you are a..a... " She fainted before she could complete, same happening with Fluttershy...
***
"Guys, Look!" Rainbow Dash pointed to the end of the tunnel, which, like the banner's light, was glowing with blue light but with more strength they rushed in, entering to a new chamber... it has markings, runes and crystals... all glowing in cy an color. A completely illuminated room.
it was amazing, incredibly amazing. Not only the room was filled with these crystals but they also floated by themselves in some columns, runes beneath them making a pattern. There was even a protoss statue, intact! Twilight was awestruck, taking notes and examinating each column and runes, Lucky Bone and the guard took a good look of the statue, its eyes glowed cyan too.
Rainbow Dash found...
"Guys?"
"Can you believe this? Runes, inscriptions and even more of these crystals! an gold mine of knowledge!" Excliamed Twilight.
"And a intact protoss statue! We could learn more of them in physics term, oh so many theories for them!" Exclaimed Lucky Bone.
"Guys...?"
"No only that, look! Energy based crystals! Imagine equestria with many of these! No more expensive electricity and no more candles!"
"GUYS!"
"What Rainbow Dash?" both over excited mares stopped their trance of possibilities to look up, annoyed by Rainbow's call. she only extended her hoof pointed at what looks like an Altar.
"Look in that...." their eyes followed rainbow's hoof and saw something even more... shocking
Author's Note
Chapter 2 was edited by multiples editors.
The Editors are;
Loner Spartan
Power Overwhelming
ZarPaulek
I used differents parts of the same but edited chapter for this.
For the Editors: I feel bad in using multiples but I was seeing what editor is more concrete of the three..
And yes... I promised Pylons, happy?
Revelation Part 2: Lost City of Aldiram
Revelation Part 2: Lost City of Aldiram
"T-that's a... I have no words for that!" Exclaimed Lucky Bone. Twilight's eyes widen while looking at the floating structure in front of them, the small group was in awestruck; Lucky was taking notes along with Twilight, while Rainbow was examining the structure. It is Golden in color with a blue light glowing in various parts, the crystal itself was the strangest part, she could feel a tingling sensation inside of her while she approached the crystal.
The group noticed that it was floating, the rings were moving around the large crystal in the middle, the altar itself has its own illumination, with glowing runes marked in the floor just below the two other statues, unlike the entire temple made only of stone, this structure's rings are made of metal and aren't affected by time.
"I cannot believe... unlike the entire temple, This... Relic, looks like new!" expressed Twilight, She and Lucky were examining it. Twilight was looking at the golden metal rings while Lucky focused on the Crystal alone, Rainbow was just looking at the statues while making faces at the stone's face. She didn't care to much about this whole expedition now, if it were gold, she would be interested, but Crystals, Jewels and Rubies are the most common thing in Equestria, and the Crystal Empire's theme is basically self-explanatory.
Heck, even Spike eats gems for breakfast!
"Wow... this is... I have no words for this Relic.." Said Twilight, examining it from top to bottom. The external ring seems to stop its rotation suddenly, gaining the attention of Lucky and Twilight, Rainbow gets amused.
"Heck, now you broke it, good one, Twilight" The Pegasus grinned while Twilight frowned, Lucky was just staring at the duo, while the guard didn't look too happy with Rainbow's comment.
"I didn't even touch it, not even with my magic, How can you can blame me so fast?" Objected the princess.
"Geez, Twilight, every time you see something new and unknown, You always..." as Rainbow and Twilight entered into an argument, Lucky observed the rings by herself noticing a symbol, the same one as the banner, however it looked more glorious in the ring rather than in the banner, it gives off a faint glow compared to the rest...
"Princess, I think I found something odd on the external ring." This caught the attention of Twilight and Rainbow, both finishing abruptly with their discuss ion.
"What is it, Lucky?" She pointed to the symbol in the ring, the symbol had a round blue circle, similar to...
"A button?" Said Rainbow Dash, surprising the brown and lavender mares, the guard chuckled.
"It cannot be a button, it's too flat." Injected the brown mare.
"Of course it can be button, this place is so weird like Pinkie Pie during summer days" Twilight's shuddered remembering these days, a complete parade of nonsensical and inexplicable things and with Pinkie Pie and Discord... thanks to the reformation of the chaos god and Pinkie's randomness, Ponyville's Mayor called these days, as "Pink Days" in the town, laws of physics during these days doesn't exist.
"Well, I can assure you that It's not a button." Said Twilight.
"Then, Press it! Prove it!" Challenged Rainbow, Twilight's eyes narrowed and rise her hoof carefully touching the relic's button, feeling relief that it is a flat texture and not a mechanism.
"See? It's not a button, a flat structure such as this doesn't have any-" Before she could finish her lecture, the Relic's crystal began to glow with enough force that blinded the ponies, few moments later, the crystal stopped glowing resuming it's normal faint glow confusing the group slightly.
"What was that?" Asked the unicorn guard.
"See, I told you it was a button!" Exclaimed the Rainbow.
"Alright, I see your point Rainbow... So, Lucky Bone what do you think just happened?" Asked Twilight.
No response.
"Miss Bone?" Twilight asked again, she was puzzled by the lack of response.
"S-she is no t here Princess!" Shouted the guard, it was true, she was missing, not even a yell or anything similar, she just... disappeared without trace. Twilight tried to use a search spell, but she got nothing but residual energy. This can't be good she thought.
"Eh Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said weakly.
"Not now, Rainbow" Twilight used the same spell, even other search spells, but she got nothing. Rainbow called Twilight again, but this time, she said something she wouldn't have thought to hear in Rainbow's Voice...
"H-help..." Twilight shifted her head toward Rainbow Dash, her expression of confusion changed to horror upon seeing what was happening to her Pegasus friend.
She was vanishing rapidly before her eyes, her hind legs, wings and great part of her body was already missing, leaving only her forelegs and head.
"Rainbow!" Screamed Twilight, her horn glowed and started using multiple spells to help her friend, but every attempt was in vain as only the head of rainbow remains, she was in tears as well as Twilight, she was losing to whatever was happening to her friend.
"Twiligh-" Rainbow's voice cut off... Twilight crumbles to the floor with tears streaming down from her eyes.
She's gone.
"No... this is not happening... Strident Spear! ... Strident?" She look up for her escort only to notice that...
He was gone too, she was alone in front of the relic, sobbing openly, she couldn't do anything to save her friends or even notice her group was disappearing. She couldn't believe it, she was useless, not even her most powerful magic did anything, not even-
I don't feel my hooves or even my lower half.... NO! She looked at herself, to her horror, she was disappea ring like Rainbow Dash, the mentioned areas are already missing and her forelegs are quickly vanishing. No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! I don't wanna d-die... she thought in fear, her entire body was already missing leaving only her head, surprisingly alive. But quickly vanishing..
She closed her eyes, accepting her fate...
***
"Executor, I got news from the prelate and his dark Templars, they got most of the Equinoids and are heading back to Albiram in a Shuttle."
"Most?" Said the Executor.
"Yes, reading the mind of one of them, they discovered that the leader of the Equinoids are inside the ancient outpost."
"Inside of the Narezim's designated outpost? Now I understand why he wanted go there personally." Said the Executor.
"There is more, Executor. The outpost's Pylon has activated and teleported the leader of the Equinoids and her group, they are now near the City's perimeter."
"Send a small group of warriors to bring them to the Palace for questioning." Ordered the Executor.
"It will be done. The Council and the Judicators are here,but we received a message from Preator Solam."
"What's wrong in the Province of Alkior?" Asked the Executor.
"It seems that the Gryphons finally discovered the island, there are detachments of troops and explorers landing on the coasts. Preator Solam are awaiting orders from the capital."
"Answer him, tell him that Alkior's cities and bases must remain hidden, if the Gryphons get any further... Attack, leave no survivors." Said the Executor.
"It shall be done."
***
"Princess!" Nothingness was the first thing that Twilight saw, she wondered herself if this was the afterlife? However.. However, she could feel her limps.
Twilight! Wake up! She could feel her body as well, her heart was beating and pumping blood, she could feel the air through her fur and mane, the sound of water falling and somepony calling to her.
"She is waking up!" Yes, it was voices calling her name and title, these were the voices of Rainbow Dash and Lucky Bone, they are alive? She opened her eyes, her vision was blurry, but she saw a blue, white and brown forms, looking down at her.
"Rainbow Dash, Lucky Bone, Strident Spear, are we alive?" Her vision adjusted allowing her to see her friend, the archeologist and her escort. Rainbow was embarrassed, Lucky was relieved, Strident was glad to see the princess alive, they were in a dead end now. In another part of the temple, there was some light shi ning in at the end of the hallway.
"We are alive princess, it's good to see you healthy as well." Answered Lucky Bone, who gained the confused glare of Twilight, all of them vanished, disappeared thanks to the relic in the altar that Twilight activated. She thought they were all dead.
"But how? I thought that all of you were... dead" Twilight didn't wanted to remember how Rainbow vanished, Lucky Bone only giggled.
"It didn't kill us it seems, but teleported us instead." Lucky began to explain "It seems that the relic, was not really a relic, but a device, it teleported us to another part of the temple." Twilight's started to get up with help from the guard and Rainbow Dash "Now lets us start to make sense that why the temple was unprotected from Treasure Hunters and Raiders? There weren't traps after all."
"But... why send us to a dead end with a exit?" Twilight pointed down the hallway, sunlight entering the possible exit for the group.
"It probably isn't a dead end, Look" They looked back to the wall, there was the same symbol of the relic glowing faintly.
"We just touch it and get back easy as-"
"NO!" Rainbow's little speech ends abruptly from Twilight's outburst. She looked quizzically to her ascended friend.
"Sorry... but we can't risk to use that again, what happened if we got separated or worse? We would be trapped here forever!" Said Twilight.
"The Princess is right, we can't use it again, Miss Dash, we don't know what will happened to us next time, we got lucky to be together rather than separated in different rooms and trapped with no way out." Said the Escort.
"Alright... so.. . what are we waiting for?" Said Dash, her hoof pointing to the end of the hallway. They began to trot toward the exit but the walk was a quite long one. When they finally reached the exit the feeling of air flowing through their manes and fur they were starting to miss the feeling of fresh air, but for Rainbow Dash, she loved the feeling.
"We are getting closer, I wonder what lies on the other side.." Mused Twilight.
"I think there would be more ruins, probably from a different architecture."
"I hope so." Dash commented, still uneasy by how tricky that the last relic or "device" and worse... Twilight saw her in a weak moment and crying.
"Eh Twilight... Can you not tell anypony that I was... eh... crying? Twilight looked at her friend quite confused, but smiled.
"Rainbow, You and I thought you were dying, it's normal hav ing those emotions in your last minutes of life, I thought I was going to die. I was desperate, but when it reached my head I... accepted it, I thought that there was no point in fighting it."
"Still I don't want anypony knowing that. I have a reputation you know!"
"We are here!" Announced Lucky Bone, they reached the outside, "I never thought I would miss the sunlight." Muttered the guard, Rainbow Dash quickly flew outside, Lucky and Twilight were conversing in about many other possibilities, and what they discovered, including the Relic Device from earlier, Lucky and Twilight came up with a new theory, traps in disguise and teleporters, the temple is probably built with closed rooms and dead ends, making it near impossible to steal such structure.
Suddenly Rainbow lands next to the guard she pointed toward the edge of the cliff to him, for a minute he thought it was a trap or eve n a prank, the worst case, was a murder attempt, but what he saw while in the edge of the cliff surprised him..
"Princess? you need to come and see this..."
"Not now, Strident, we are coming to a conclusion that the Protoss could have been the most advanced race in the history!"
"Well, I think they are FAR MORE advanced, look at this..." signaled the guard, for curiosity, both Lucky and Twilight decided to take heed and observe what he was seeing, Lucky thought it was a trap, and the guard was attempting to kill the princess, but when they reached the cliff's edge..
They could't believe what they are witnessing. Rainbow landed next to Twilight, all of them with mouth gaped open.
"Twilight... I think that... we found a city sized treasure..." whispered Rainbow, Lucky was no better, she was basically in trance on the golden structur es, all of them looked like new and shining proudly, there were structure similar to the one found in the temple but the rings looked more simple than the former, all of them held in the air, but the most farther looks like tiny gem compared to the Pyramid-like buildings.
"This is... a city?" Asked Twilight, the city itself could rivalize Canterlot.
"This proves that the Protoss race may still be alive!" Said Lucky Bones
"May? why not alive and waiting?" The sudden voice in their head startled the group of the ponies.
"Who said that?!" Shouted Rainbow, looking around for the source of the voice, the guard became alert as well.
"Behind you." Analyzing the voice, it was masculine and rough, his voice echoed in their minds like a telepathic message. The ponies turn around only to see three grey bipedal beings in golden armor with b lue markings, the most shocking part of the bipedal giant it was his face.
He had no mouth or nose and his eyes were glowing blue.
"Y-you a-are a..." Lucky got suddenly interrupted by one of them.
"A Protoss Warrior, a Templar, a zealot... You all are under arrest!" Two blue energy blades appear from his bracelets startling Lucky and Twilight. Rainbow Dash and Strident enter a defensive posture between the three warriors and the two mares.
"Why we are under arrest? For what charge?" asked Twilight, she didn't like it, first contact with the harmony bringers and suddenly arrested?
"Entering into restricted area! Now cooperate peacefully or we will be complied to use force!"
"What the hay, I don't who you are or what you are, Protoss or not, I will not be arrested!" Yelled Rainbow Dash, before she coul d fly and attack the zealot, a force field appears around the group, including Rainbow Dash and the guard. Behind them a hovering metallic golden snake with a single blue eye and a sphere on its back observing them from the outside.
The guard and Rainbow Dash were attempting to break free, but it useless the force field was to strong.
"Please, Stop, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, my team and I didn't know-." Her plead was cut off by the same warrior that talked to them interrupted. He turned and started to speak to the metallic snake.
"Electrify the force field." They all screamed in pain...
***
"Executor, news from the city's inner perimeter, the warriors managed to capture the rest of the Equinoids, they're coming back to the palace"
"Good, Preator. Any news from the Province?"
"Yes, Executor. The Gryphons reclaimed the island for their kingdom, still unaware of High Templar Solam or the existence of our domains."
"I still don't understand why we should remain hidden in a planet full of primitives.." A new "voice" enter to the conversation
"Judicator, we are hidden to no cause a disaster to the young species, they are not ready for us and our reveal might cause ill on the masses."
"I still don't see the necessity of conserving such waste of civilization, even more we shouldn't still be doing this and claim this world for us if we want to study the rest of this planet for more relics. At side note: Why are we studying these artifacts if we aren't allowed?"
"the Conclave never approved our studies on the Xel'Naga's relics, only the Shelak Tribe were allowed to do such task. Indignated, W e self-exiled from Aiur searching for the right planet. This world was touched, visited by our gods, we are here for millennium, and we still have many to discover, many to see, but also this planet is our home, but is more to the actual natives of this planet, we shouldn't do such thing just for knowledge" Said the Executor.
"But we must remind you that we held contact with Aiur until its downfall by the Zerg, We send our warriors to defend our home world until their last breath, we rescued civilians and we even rescued you and various members of the Judicator Caste, you and few others requested to live here, while the rest found their way to Shakuras" Said other "Voices" this ones is more annoyed from the Judicador's claim.
"We allowed you to spread the light of the Khala to our cities, we allow you to advice us, to help us govern." Said Another voice, this one was more old and dominant.
"We are one of the lesser members in the Heraichy, they don't pay much heed for us, but we still got a voice in the protectorate." Said a female voice in the group
"Indeed" Mused the executor.
"Then if we must remain hidden to no cause 'ill' to the younger natives of this planet, why are we revealing ourselves to these Equinoids, why not kill them?" Asked the Judicator.
"They are a special case... They hold holy relics"
"Holy Relics? Xel'Naga Origin?"
"No... our own." Finished the old voice.
***
"Ugh... my head where I am?" She woke up still in pain by the shock from the force field, she got up to see that she was in a golden room, instead of a door, it had a blue force shield.
A prison.
"T his is incredible... just incredible, first contact only to be imprisoned by a supposed lost race.." She said with sarcasm.
"Twilight, you're awake!"
"That voice... Rarity?!" it was indeed Rarity, not only that, but the archeologist team is here along with the guards, the Pegasus, all of them, have their wings tied to a rope made of energy, the source of this energy comes from a small silver device on their backs, the unicorns horn are covered of what looks like a "jammer", jammer's are made for unicorns or magic users to hold them in dungeons and prisons, the unicorn prisoners can do only very limited levitation, but these Protoss jammer's seems to be unique, Twilight notice that they can't do even the levitation spell, making them looks like earth ponies with a horn attached to their forehead.
For being an Alicorn she got both the rope and the jammer.
"Rarity! Why and how are you here, why is the team here!?" Rarity started to explain everything, the attack by these Protoss "savages" and getting unconscious, the other last thing she remember was waking up in a cell.
"Horseapples, I can't believe they throw us into prison, us, the holders of the Elements! They should adore us instead!" The voice of Rainbow can be heard from the rest of the group, she sounded angry, indignation and tired, possibly for trying to break the device on her back by herself.
"I don't know Rainbow, I can understand the reason toward us, we entered in a temple of what it seem to be restricted, but they shouldn't be so aggressive toward us, we didn't really know if they still existed until now."
"I don't know, maybe because they want to maintain their secret society intact?" Lucky Bone's voice is heard, but su ddenly the sound of a door opening and a shield weakening is heard, nopony moves or said anything. Twilight rushed toward the force field along with Rainbow, Rarity and Fluttershy, the former was trembling in fear. Waiting to see their captor's face to face.
"It seems that you and your companions are awake, we were really expecting your arrival 'ponies'." It said a voice in their heads, startling Rarity and Fluttershy and most of the archeological team, this voice was different, while masculine, not only sounds rough, but also old and deep.
"I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic. My team and I want to know, why we are being imprisoned? We are just a-"
"Archeological group wanting to know about us and our the ruins?" He come to view, revealing his form, he was using the same armor but with purple markings instead of blue, he also had glowing purple eyes.
"Yes, but how.."
"We can read minds, Young One, we only do that if we want a piece of information we require from others."
"Yes but that's no answer my first question." Objected Twilight.
"And I have no rights to answer you." He replied.
"Watch your mouth Freak, she is the Princess of Magic and you will treat her with respe- Ack!" Rainbow was interrupted when she suddenly began to levitate, the power of the Protoss chocking her, scaring the group, but Rarity and Fluttershy protested, Twilight's protested too but her friend was still in the air.
"I am not talking to you, Pegasus, I'm talking with your leader" His voice sounded only to Rainbow Dash, but she was running out of air and was suffocating fast, she grew weak, her strength leaving, her life abandoning her...
"Talk again and your dead shall be swift." He let her out, falling abruptly, her lungs filling with air greedily, she is quickly being treated by Fluttershy and other ponies with medical experience.
"Why did you do that?!" Shouted Twilight, Angry for what the Protoss did to her friend, he was trying to kill her or to prove a point?
"She has no right to interrupt me." Twilight grew more uneasy with this Protoss, he just chocked her friend without even moving this was magic? She thought, even with a jammer she can feel magical flow in a unicorn or magic user however, she didn't felt nothing in this Protoss, and that's what is worrying her.
"Tribal Leader Shakum, requested you and three companions to the palace's briefing room."
With a calm attitude, he said to the princess, the small mob of ponies fills with hope, their princess will liberate them!
"Very well... Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash?" mentioning their name each one stood next to her princess friend, each one with different expression on their faces; Fluttershy in fear, Rarity in disgust, Twilight unsure, Rainbow Dash angry and indignation.
"These are your companions? very well" The Protoss Warrior deactivate the force shield of the prison, "Princess, Please, tell them that we do not represent a threat, that we are a peaceful folks." the voice of Lucky is heard from the group of ponies.
"I will do my best..." She smiled at the ponies before leaving the prison...
***
The trek was silent, no one of them talked, the golden and blue corridors were a sight to behold, very spacious too, but they didn't used candles, they used energy, the walls emitted their own Illumination from these orbs, the ceiling has more of these orbs plus blue patte rns that flow with these energy, coming from crystals similar one found in the temple. there were even holograms on the walls.
It was too alien for them...
"Psst! Twilight, we must stay alert, these guys really play hardball" whispered Rainbow, gaining the attention of her friends.
"I know Rainbow, but these Protoss are incredibly advanced, we must be primitives to them, like thousands of years a head."
"No mention the architecture, it's simply divine." Commented Rarity, gaining the confused glare of her friends. "What?" She asked.
"Rarity, these guys attacked an archeological team leaving them all unconscious including you and Fluttershy and you praise their architecture?!" Rainbow almost hissed, whispering a little loud.
"Hmnf! I confess, they are brutes, but these armors, the architecture and, oh Celestia! Even the prison design was incredible!" Rarity's eyes shine in delight, Twilight has to confess, everything looks so clean, elegant, smooth and majestic, this is not like the temple, no rocks or stone, not even dust.
"I think that I should let Spike-"
"Spike has a muzzle, he can't even talk." How did they knew about Spike's fire?! Twilight thought after hearing Rarity's immediate reply, nopony outside the town knows about Spike's magical fire, messaging between her and the princess is almost exclusively how they possessed that knowledge that fast!?
"I can hear you, even in your thoughts." The voice of the Protoss startled them, reminding them that point. He said earlier that they can read minds for information they want, probe their heads for knowledge.
"It would be wise to stop talking." He calmly told them and they did, they stopped murmuring between themselves, Rainbow gave him a nasty glare.
"interesting, You, Blue Pegasus, seems to be the most aggressive of the group, I can feel your anger." This surprised them, all of them looked at Rainbow Dash who was still staring at the Protoss warrior in front of them. Suddenly the warrior stopped.
"You want to fight me?" He turned to the ponies, they yelped except Rainbow who slowly entered in a battle stance, his psi-blades activated. The blades' size are a bit large compared to the other Protoss zealot they encountered, also glowing in purple energy. The mares gasped in the sudden realization.
"I accept your challenge, Pegasus. Outside of the ancient temple. I'll meet you there" Rainbow only nodded, the warrior turn back, deactivating his blades, and resume guiding the ponies toward the briefing hall.
"Rainbow, please, don't tell me that you gonna fight him..." Twilight pleaded, the same as her friends, but she already made her mind, she wanted this, he humiliated her back in that prison almost killing her, she wanted revenge.
"Please Rainbow, don't." Rarity begs for the well being of her friend, she did stupid things in the past, sometimes questionable things, but this was the most far stupidest thing she will ever do, dueling against a experienced warrior, she didn't know if he was gonna to fight her with these blades, but she hoped not.
"We are here, Tribal Leader Shakum is waiting inside." A golden mechanical door opens.
***
The room was nothing they ever expected, like a normal briefing room, there is a golden desk in the middle of the room, some chairs to complete it, the chairs had no legs but, they hover in the air and the desk has a holographic projection on it. .
...of the world...
"En Taro Tassadar, Ponies, I am Shakum, Leader of the Sa'Dalarim Protoss. Pleased to meet you..." The The Tribal Leader was in the other side of the desk observing the ponies from the other side, unlike the armor of the Protoss warrior, he wore a light version of it, has some robes behind it had a actual cape the most surprising thing was...
He was hovering in the air in his own.
"Greetings, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, pleased to meet you too, Lord." She tried to be presentable as possible, her friends behind her. "I'm very confused on the behavior of your people, Why your soldiers were so aggressive toward us? We barely knew about your people."
"Yes, I'm sorry for the behavior of my warriors. My friend, Executor Veriom doesn't trust outsiders usually and Dark Templar Zuram and his Narezim brethren we re recently designated to the area that your ponies wanted to study, he wanted to prove himself worthy, thinking that you were a worthy adversary, he was disappointed for the easy victory..."
"I wont forgive that brute for what he did to us, savage is what he is" She muttered, Rainbow snickered, Fluttershy just hid behind her mane, Twilight hoped that he didn't hear that comment, but then again, he was a Protoss he could just "hear".
"We can forgive these details, maybe we could just start over?" Twilight hoped that he could accept.
"Very well, Miss Sparkle. I supposed that you and your archeological team will be liberated and assigned to temporary quarters, you will all will be staying in the palace as form of apology until you're ready to go back to your land." After hearing this, the mares brightened, Twilight sighed in relief, it's a good thing that he knew the flaws of his underlings actions or things would be mighty difficult to explain to him..
"I welcome you... to the Sa'dalarim's capital city, Aldiram."
