Seven Trials of the Raven King
Chapter One: Summons
“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
The noise was becoming unbearable. At first nothing more than a tickling whisper, it had evolved into a hissing cacophony that seemed to shred at the inside of her skull. Twilight pressed her ears flat against her head in a futile and frustrated attempt to muffle the horrid clamor. A white hot spike of pain throbbed relentlessly behind her left eye, causing her to land a bit more ungracefully than usual atop the cobblestone steps descending to the tree of harmony.
It had started in the early hours of morning before the sun had even breached the horizon, in the comfortable darkness of her room the whispering crept over her like fine tendrils of mist. Barely encroaching on the edges of her sleep addled mind. Initially it had been too quiet to understand; vague and slightly lyrical in sound, then, like the breaking of a damn a great wave of voices crashed against her senses so mercilessly she was nearly knocked off her hooves.
“The tree. The tree. The tree. The tree. The tree. The tree. The tree.”
The chant was relentless and maddening; The sound dragging its hysterical fingers over every inch of her sanity. It was occasionally punctuated by cries for help that were at times, indistinguishable and growing disturbingly fainter by the second. She had recognized the voices instantly as her friends; Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack, and she had heard each as they endlessly chattered and screamed in unison. There was, however, one more voice that she could not distinguish that seemed to screech louder than the rest, was it the tree itself crying out? The realization slammed into her like a blow from a manticore. Without so much as a backward glance she had bounded out of the library to check on the welfare of her friends. Perhaps this was a mistake; certainly things were not as grave as they seemed. They were gone. She half-galloped, half-flew back to the library, a sense of urgency quickly starting to boil over into full blown panic. Twilight jotted out a quick message detailing the situation and roused Spike to send the message to her mentor. Hopefully Celestia, and maybe even Luna, would arrive at the tree shortly after her. Soon after in the fledgling light of morning , with the voices in her head reaching a fever pitch she had taken flight to the one place that had seemed to demand her attention from the very start, the tree of harmony.
The steps descending to the cave below seemed endless and mocking, the echo of her hoof-beats bounced off the surrounding cliffs in a hollow cacophony. Even with the first rays of light beginning to warm the morning air there was an unavoidable sense of wrongness that made the landscape around her appear disjointed and alien. She hugged her wings tighter against her small frame. With each step closer to the tree the voices grew louder and more desperate, her eyes pricked and watered in pain. When she made it to the shadowed maw of the cave the sight that greeted her caused a fist of icy fear to clamp around her heart, and with a staggering swiftness that left her breathless all the voices in her head become hushed.
“Sweet Celestia…” Her whisper was like a thunderclap in the stillness. The normally crystalline bark was tarnished and splintering, the heart of the tree a shining gash of obsidian that slowly radiated outwards in spider web like cracks. Each element of harmony, usually so striking and vibrant, appeared muted,; each pulsing erratically with an inky aura. The limbs of the tree were littered with hundreds of ravens, each as silent and still as a sentinel, lending to the illusion that the tree had sprouted a set of jet colored leaves. Nestled at the center, amidst a tangle of braches, sat a titanic nest. Its profile was daunting; constructed of blackened and thorny vines, burnt branches, an assortment of small bones and skulls as well as shining trinkets, strands of broken pearls, cracked gems, glittering silverware and bits of twisting wire. It was a macabre piece of art. At the center of the nest a formless bulging mass began to rise. What at first appeared shapeless became a rippling cascade of silken ebony feathers. Shuddering, massive wings unfurled and extended, the tips breaching the farthest extending branch of the tree. A graceful neck, collared with golden plumage bowed then straightened. Slowly a regal head emerged, sleek and defined in the dim glow of the tree. A crown of belladonna, heavy with dark berries like black pearls, wreathed its feathered crest. Four pairs of lilac luminescent eyes rolled to face her, eight pupils dilating and contracting to pin pricks.
“Ah…Twilight Sparkle, I wondered when you might arrive.” The voice murmured in her mind; dry as autumn leaves, crisp as cracking ice, and cold as a yawning void, it echoed hauntingly in the caverns of her bones. There was a moment of hesitation before she spoke, her words sounding small in the monumental space.
“Who are you? What have you done to my friends? To the Elements of Harmony?”
The raven cocked it’s head to the side, four of its eight gemlike eyes studying her analytically. After moments that seemed to drag out like hours it spoke again “I am the Raven King.”
Twilight waited to hear more, but nothing else was given; the silence grated on her nerves like sandpaper. She stomped her hoof in frustration, irritably flapping her wings “My friends, the Elements.” She prompted, her voice rising with the roiling agitation and potent fear.
The Raven King spoke again, in a slow and unhurried voice “I have done nothing to your friends really, it was the Tree of Harmony who acted as an indirect result of my magic.”
“I don’t understand.” The violet mare shook her head, her brow furrowing with the effort of trying to comprehend.
The great bird ruffled its feathers, beginning to preen the ring of delicate gold plumage haloing its neck. “My magic is not like this tree’s. Yet it is a great source of vitality and power. With the Elements back in place it has become an impressive venue for my children and me to prosper. Since our magic is not alike, it is corrupting, evolving, adjusting, into something new entirely. The tree recognizes this change as a threat, and has, in a last futile attempt to lend more power to itself, drawn each of your friends inside their respective elements.”
“You’re lying,” Twilight hissed, magenta magic beginning to spark around her horn “If the Elements drew in my friends why haven’t I gone as well? Tell me the truth this time.”
A booming laugh echoed through the cavern, crackling like firewood, and splitting like peels of thunder. The raven’s great beak clicked shut, and again the speaking resumed in her head, this time laced with a sinister mirth. “Miss Sparkle have you forgotten what you have become? Alicorn magic is unlike any magic possessed by most in this land.” With a gesture like the downswing of an axe the King swept away a tangle of vines that had previously been hiding her Element. It was still bright, looking outlandish and obscene against the all consuming blackness that had draped itself over every inch of the tree. She squinted then, seeing for the first time that at the farthest points, her gem was growing dark. “You see,” he motioned with a gusting flap of one of his great wings, “Your magic is much slower to corrupt, it is much stronger.”
Twilight’s eyes scanned over the scene, her mind racing for a solution, her accusatory words dying on her lips. For the first time in her life the Elements, her friends, were not there to aid her. She needed more information, needed to wait for the guidance of Celestia and Luna; surely they had encountered this king before in the past. Wonderingly she, again, shook her head, her gaze slipping to her hooves as she became lost in thought.
“You can save them, you know.” The rasping voice snapped her from her speculation. Her head whipping up so fast it nearly broke her neck. “You can save them, and the Tree, if you play a game with me.”
Her gaze was incredulous.“What is it that you propose?” She queried.
“You have time…” He tapped the surface of her Element with a curling dagger-like talon. “Before this fully corrupts, use your new magic to enter each gem and retrieve for me one of my golden feathers.” To emphasize this he seemed to shiver as he fluffed out the glittering plumage. “This is where my magic lies. Bring it back to me, and I will free your friends. If you manage to do this before your own element falls, I will leave this tree. If, however, you fail; you will be dragged into your element like all the rest and I will get the added benefit of your newfound power.”
“Why give me the chance? Why not just wait?” She realized it was foolish, but Twilight felt compelled to ask, her curiosity and thirst for knowledge unquenchable.
A great sigh rustled through the cavern like the turning of ancient book pages. “I am old, Miss Sparkle. There is little to entertain me anymore, and I do so enjoy a good game. What fun would there be in taking a prize, if there were no fight first?”
“I don-“ Her words were cut short by a thunderous caw.
“Do you really have time to ask questions, Twilight Sparkle? Your light grows darker by the second. Do you accept the terms of my proposal?” The Raven King’s eight eyes flashed like stars in a void.
Twilight hesitated; Celestia and Luna still hadn’t arrived, but the lives of her friends, and herself were on the line. Not to mention the fate of the Elements, and perhaps Equestria itself. She steeled herself and stomped a hoof with resolve. “I accept your terms.” Her voice cut like glass through the cottony silence.
“Promise me, Twilight Sparkle.” The King's voice was ominous and low.
“I promise.” she breathed her words like an executioners blow.
Author's Note
I haven't been on the fan-fiction scene in years. I hope that my writing is suitable, and that you enjoy this journey we're about to embark on! Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I appreciate any feedback.
