The jungle, as dangerous as it is, has seen hundreds who believed themselves to be brave and strong, enter its mists. The jungle had seen many hunters whose predatory prowess was indeed impressive, and often times, better than most real predatory animals. To operate in the jungle still require much care and caution. One false move could, and more often than not would, lead to one's demise.

With predators of all shapes and sizes, poisonous insects and snakes, carnivorous plants and treacherous terrain, it was a dangerous place to be. Despite all the dangers a small figure shrouded in a cloak trudged through the obstructing foliage.

Hacking and slashing with a machete, the cloak pushed forward.

The cloak's trek had been a long one, with it's trail starting from the very edge of the jungle a few kilometers back. A strained grunt accompanied each swing of it's blade as it struck the greenery. Relentlessly it continued to attack it as it advanced, never stopping for anything.

When the large mosquito and other insects buzzed around it's head, which was often, a series of furious female grunting could be heard. A beige hoof would swat them away to no avail as they returned only moments later.

"Oh buzz off!" The voice ordered, swatting at them again.

Although clearly female a sense of confidence surrounded her. Like a mist it reached out into the air and defined her presence. It may have been such confidence and determination that deterred many predators from her path, but none can say for sure. One thing is certain, whoever this cloaked figure is she is a force to be reckoned with...

"ACHOO!" The female sneezed inelegantly. She continued to neigh sporadically as she flailed her blade into the shrubbery.

Or perhaps one often looks too deeply into things.

The sound of thunderous roaring was caught by her and her ears swiveled back to hear it fully. "They're close." she muttered. It was only a few minutes after that the mare had to change her slow trudge, to a frantic full gallop. She pushed through the jungle's overgrowth, no longer caring to clear her path.

With a leap she soared over a small crevasse. A quick glance down would have reveal it to be a spiked pit fall. Several bare skulls of griffons, ponies and many other creature, who were unprepared, littered it`s floor.

The mare, unfazed by the sight, only quicken her pace.

A low hanging vine appeared in front of her motion blurred vision. Unable to avoid natures noose, before it could snag her neck, she swung her head quickly to the left. The blade in her mouth easily cut through creating two strands of plant matter, and effectively rendering it harmless.

"ROAWR!"

The series of the predators chasing her remind her, yet again, that they were hot on her trail... And by the sounds of it, closing fast!

The mare had long ago reached the maximum speeds she could move while in the forest. If she could get into an opening she could take off and most likely leave them in the dust.

"Get her!"

"But then there is him..." The mare muttered, instantly recognizing who the hate filled voice belonged to.

The high pitch whoosh of a projectile glided through the side of her hood, landing directly into the tree in front of her. Sparring no time, she quickly yanked out the arrow, taking off in another direction. Only a second later another arrow landed where she once stood.

She let out a small hiss as the metal tip glanced her rear. Red liquid quickly showed in the second gape in her cloak.

"Too Shallow!" She yelled back with a smile. "You're going near sighted my friend!"

Another hate filled roar priced the air only making the mare's smile larger as she galloped on.

Deep in the Southern Jungle a certain earth pony of bland coloration chaotically ran about. Far below the canopy was a assortment of equipment strewn all over the ruins. A series of bleeps and bloops emitted from the machines as they performed whatever purpose they computed.

The chiter chater of a fax printing joined the sympathy of noise. Lined paper soon spilled onto the forest floor like a gutted animal spills it guts.

The Doctor's ears quickly picked up the sound. Nearly tackling the machine, he pressed his face against the paper, studding the readings with full concentration... For three seconds.

Having absorbed all the data he needed, he moved over to another station. Taking up a pen in hoof he joyfully scribbled some equations on paper. The entire page was soon filled and he rushed back over to a set of hieroglyphs.

"Hmm..." He scrunched his snout in thought.

Seconds later he hurried over to another machine bearing a screen on a movable tube.

*Bame*

A large blast of light bathed the ruins and faded in an instant. The machine made a whirring noise followed by ringing bell.

"Hmm...?" The Doctor hummed thoughtfully. "Well how about this?!"

With a face graced with determination he galloped into his blue box.

More sounds filled the air as he performed experiments inside. Bells, gongs, hammering, the buzz of electricity, and for a reason unexplained to all dogs barking and cats hissing.

Soon the pony reemerged. He buried his face once more into a stone tile decorated with the ancient language. As he his eyes bored into them his face changed from confused to confused and disgruntled.

"Why can't I read you?!" He shouted at the defenseless carvings.

The cloaked mare was still galloping for her life. The mare ducked behind a tree just in time to hear the vibration of an arrow on the other side. Sweating and breathing heavily, she lead against the bark if only for a moment.

"He just doesn't give up." She groaned.

"HISS!"

The pony did not even have time to act before a snake sunk it's fangs into her left foreleg. She yelped in surprised,yanking the reptile off her.

The red snake hissed again in the grip of her hooves. Bearing it's fangs, it threatened to bite her again. It was quickly tossed away by her a few feet away.

"HISS" It spat, coiling around a rock.

It was now the pony could get a good look at.

A red snake with three black stripes along it's mid section. It was small perhaps only two feet long. it eyed her with it's yellow eyes, hissing periodically as it reared up, revealing it's deathly pale underbelly. During its hissy fit she inspected it's fangs. Long dry and white was a relieve for her to see. She knew this snake to be "Iram Maxilla", a poisonous snake. It was discovered by the Emerald Family in the Everfree a few hundred some odd years ago. It's bite, although not deadly, has devastating effects on the mind. Ponies injected with it's venom will start to hallucinate within two hours. The pony will become easily enraged and openly attack unprovoked. It even has long term effects. Once bitten the mind will be left scrambled. The victim will only be a shell of what they once were often rambling and screaming out of no where. What is scariest about the rambling however is that all victims at one point or another will mention the word "Sotek". To this day no pony knows what that means or how those bitten, even if separated by a vast ocean will utter the same words. Naturally it was a great relief to see the dry fangs instead of those fresh with venom.

Even still, she quickly check her for leg for any signs that she might have some in her. Finding none, she made a makeshift bandage out of her cloak. She let out a grunt of exhaustion as she took off again, leaving a very pissed off snake between her and her pursuers.

The pony galloped hard despite her own exhaustion. Every step was accompanied by labored wheezing and profuse sweating. She pushed through another bush feeling the thorns dig into her coat and drawing small droplets of blood. On the other side she was greeted with a large open area. Sitting between her and the other side was a wide crevice.

Without any hesitation she summoned what remained of her stamina and bolted right for it. With a wipe of her head his through off her cloak, releasing her dirty gold wings. The distance between her and the gape decreased and she spread her wings for flight.

With a great leap she soared into the air. Her eyes shot wide as her ears swiveled around to catch a noise.

"Tch!" She swerved to the left to avoid a speeding projectile.

The black arrow missed her by a few feet but had done what it was indented to do. The mare had altered her path to match that of a Jaguar just beneath her. With a roar it leaped with feline precision and tackled her in mid air.

It grappled her with it's claws sinking into her flesh. She yelped at the pain and landed a solid hit into it's jaw before it could tear out her throat. The Jaguar recoiled back, but before letting her go, it slashed her left wing with a single claw. The mare cried again as the large cat used her to leap back to safety, leaving her to fall into darkness alone.

With a damaged wing she could not hope to escape. She spiraled out of control plummeting like a stone into the split earth. The light quickly receded and disappeared from her sight as the darkness swallowed her whole, like some delicious treat. Down and down she went with nothing but the deafening sound of rushing air and her screaming to accompany her.

*Bame*

Another blast of light coated the ruins. The pony rushed over to another instrument and examined the screen. Endless streams of numbers and letters rushed by his eyes, feeding him the information he desired.

"Oh I see." His face relaxed. "You all existed before..."

His relaxed expression washed away as quickly as it had arrived. He stared at the screen a second time in hopes he had been wrong. But like so many times before, he was not.

"B-But... That's not possible." He spoke slowly and quietly, as if something was listening. "But that would mean..."

He rushed into his box with a small metallic cylinder in his mouth. Reaching the console he pushed the first lever he came into contact with. Within seconds he pushed several buttons and pulled three knobs.

The construct made a loud thump followed by some wheezing. When it was done he rushed to the door. The door swung open to reveal a small ball of convulsing energy in an empty darkness. It was only the size of a pin prick, but released the only light in the space.

The Doctor spared no time to admire the tiny ball and quickly pointed his metallic cylinder at it. It made a high pitched whine as it performed its task. He waved it around a few times as the pitch changed. Once he was certain he was finished a small panel on the device slid away. Satisfied with what he saw he closed the double doors.

Moments later the tiny sphere of energy exploded. It expanded far and wide, scattering itself over the vastness of space. The beginning of the universe.

Meanwhile the Doctor had returned to the clearing, where his equipment still beeped and buzzed with activity. He operated the machines, drawing up a mental map of knowledge. To help him organize his thoughts he rambled aloud.

"The stone is..." He quickly scanned the stone with his device. "three billion years old. Equis formed only thirteen Million years ago and the language perhaps even older. That would mean this species were visitors on this planet, not one of the primary species that evolved here." He mumbled under his breath before continuing.

"But there is no indication of a vessel capable of travelling through space, they arrived through some other means. Perhaps personal teleporters? No, no not possible. For many members of the same race to land in the same area with such an unreliable method is unlikely. What if...? The race that did arrive were posing as gods?" The doctor began to pace around the clearing as he racked his brain for answers.

"But that does not explain how they got here or why this stone is older than the planet... Or why I can't read it. To think this is the second language the Trardis and I can't decipher. What secrets this place must hold." He looked into the darkness of the entrance the tree revealed. "And all of it... Is down there."

"There's that sensation again. Right in the back of my mind, promoting me to just jump into it. To take the risk and find what has not been seen by anyone. And all I have to do is go in there..."

"Well can't do without my number one assistant! Discovering something new together, she will be so excited!" The pony smiled as he trotted over to his impossible blue box. Just before closing the door he stuck out his head to see the large tree. "Don't you go anywhere."

It was dark. A dark void of of nothing. No light penetrated into the deep crack in the earth. Soulless and devoid of all life, empty and unwelcoming, a valley of sorrow... It was all these thing. "The Nether Gate" it was often called, The place where things go to die, either from the fall, or from the overwhelming pressure it brought down on those who where unfortunate enough to survive the fall. Trials that were far worse then death would drain them of all hope, leaving nothing but sorrow. It was enough to drive any bright mind mad.

It was uncommon for anything to mishap into the Nether Gate, but it did happen from time to time. whether it be some animals fight for food and territory, or some would be hunter, it was rare, and worse, to survive the fall. The darkness was quick to destroy any sanity and hope for the victim. They quickly succumbed to either maddened rambling or mindless wandering, all mere husks of what they once were, it was unfortunate the path of starvation was not so quick.

They were all lost in the darkness alone.

They all suffered in the darkness alone.

And they all died in the darkness...

Alone, With not a soul to console them.

Despite the victims being robbed of sight there was something one sense could focus on. The sound of water continuously rushing past. Cold and as dark as it's surroundings it pushed forward never relenting in it's journey, occasionally bringing a deceased passenger. Ferrying the dead who had fallen and died. They would gracefully float along it's surface allowing the flow to carry them where it pleased. This was partly to the fact they were dead of course.

If it were possible to see in the abyss, it would have been a strangely beautiful but ominous scene.

Even now a new corpse had joined in on the journey and was gently being carried away. It was the corpse of a pegasus a rather rare occurrence in that space. In fact any form of life was seldom but this one in particular was a surprise. Never the less it would be carried to the same place as the others. The pegasus floated calmly on it's back it's mane flowing freely in the water's cooling grasp. Limp, like any corpse, she bore a tranquil demeanor to the point it was near goddess stature.

Although color was a mute thing there, it was easy to tell "it" was a "she" by touch alone. She was lucky to have been facing up rather than down. Those who float down on their back, stay up longer.

It was more dignifying that way... and dignified she was. Her chest slowly raised and fell as the unnatural liquid carried her. She was far from dead. A clam shell on the outside, battered bloody by unknown forces but still functional. A miracle by definition.

"Opri."

Unbeknownst to the pegasus the flow of the water halted. The very laws of physics bent so that the water's master could perform what she wished. The frail body was slowly raised into the air by the water as it pushed her up. A small spark flickered above her. It wavered slightly before exploding into light. For the first time in millions of years, light graced The Nether Gate.

Gradually the light faded and in it's place hovered a translucent figure. Slender frame hovered parallel to her. It was a dim blue with flat face and small wise eyes. As if pushing off an visible wall, it floated over to her. Her long locks and thin dress dragging behind her. She gracefully halted inches from the mare's face, observing it a moment. She twisted her whole body to flip around and see her from all angles. once behind the mare she outstretch a limb translucent limb with five small appendages. She ran them through the feathers and settled on a gash seeping with blood. A flash of light later and it was no more, leaving not but a scar.

The specter worker around her body tending other scraps and bites her facial expression not ever changing until she found herself in front of her again. For the briefest moment pity danced across her eyes. The moment was fleeting however, and she hovered even closer than before. She brought her face beside hers and over her left ear.

"Călătorie nu este încă peste." She breathed ever so gently. The pegasus remained motionless,suspended in the air. "Fii puternic. Drumul este plin de greutăți." The ghostly figure moved a set of appendages across her face longingly. After the peculiar moment she pushed herself away.

The water in turn slowly returned to where it yearned, carefully bringing the pegasus as well, and gingerly placing her back. The specter meanwhile regarded her with a curious expression. Her image flickered and her light weakened. The water around the mare slowly stirred, ready to move obey physics once again.

"Trezește-te," The ghostly women whispered, disappearing from sight. "Daring Do."

Author's Note

Sorry it's been so long since my last upload. It was a long prosses deciding where I was going with this story but I think I got it all ironed out now. In the near future (hopefully) I will be asking for OC's of ponies and gryphons. I suggest that if you are interested in adding some that you hold no strong attachment to them, because they will MOSTLY be used as "Red Shirts." Please don't start throwing characters at me, just keep them in mind, on paper I don't care, but please wait till I ask for them.

On another note I need to address character tags. The tags you see on the story actually don't match the act to well. So instead of fiddling with such few tags I have decided to add the tags, or stars, of the act in the act chapter. Let me know what you all think.