Chapter one: Discoverings under the raging sun
"Come one everypony, dig faster. We've got to reach sandstone before sundown!"
The sun was beating down on the Naroonu desert, the relentless rays of Celestia did not make the inhabitants of the sandy wastes any happier with life. But worse was it for those who were not used to it.
As was the case with Daring Doo, and the rest of her crew.
It had now been eleven days since they'd discovered the tip of the ancient ruin. It was of similar architecture to most of the Zebranian pyramids built by the nomads as resting places for their leaders and shamans. But that little niggling adventurous sense within Daring had made this all the more exciting for her, and of course the fact that she had to present at least something to both the museum and her sponsor.
Said sponsor was Ponyville's resident multi-millionaire, filthy rich, who was approaching her even now.
"Miss Doo, I don't feel that shouting at your colleagues has any positive effect on their working capability." The stallion said carefully. He had a small handkerchief with which he was wiping his forehead free of sweat. "I think that it might have the opposite effect."
Daring dropped from her elevated position to be face to face with her employer. "Look here mr Rich, I know that you've spent quite a deal on this journey. But when it comes to my crew I'd like to make the decisions myself." She turned with a smile towards the diggers. "I've worked with them for years, their skin is thick enough to take it."
Filthy Rich nodded understandingly. "Of course miss Doo, I understand." He looked towards his tent. "Would you accompany me for a short time?"
She shook her head quickly, "I have to stay here. What kind of leader would I be if I were to leave my crew without sharing their pains?"
"Miss Doo, another job of the leader is to look out for her crew. If the one paying you were to cut off now, what would your crew say?" Filthy rich asked, he meant none of it. But there was no reason for the archaeologist to know that.
Daring shook her head and flashed a quick grin. "You're one slick bastard aren't you?" She asked, making Filthy rich chuckle. "Aight, I'll join you, but don't you try anything."
Filthy rich let out a hearty laugh. "Miss Doo, I am happily married."
"Not everyone lets that stop them." The grin she wore lasted all the way to the tent, and until she sat down opposite of Rich. "Now tell me what exactly it is you wanted to talk about."
"Please, don't let business get in the way of comfort." He indicated towards a small fridge next to her chair. "There is a variety of beverages available, alcoholic and non-alcoholic."
Daring opened the tiny door and picked out a small bottle of water, she had no desire for anything else. She popped the cap off on the edge of the table and guzzled down about half of it before slamming it back down. "Better?"
Filthy rich nodded with a smile. "Much, I'd prefer to be in company with you when you aren't dying of thirst." He leaned forward in his chair and crossed his hooves on the table, and put on his usual business face.
"Miss Doo, what exactly is so special about these ruins?"
The question jumped out at her. While Filthy Rich was by no means uneducated, he never came across as one interested in Archeology. And secondly she hadn't found anything special about the ruins, they just seemed like the run of the mill Zebranian pyramid.
"I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean....." Daring leaned forward a slight bit and raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"Miss Doo, if you're bluffing then you're doing it surprisingly well. Because as far as I know then this is not Zebranian in any way." As he spoke he pulled out something from beneath the table. It was a rather small object wrapped in linen. He pushed it towards her and she had to do everything in her might to not jump at it. In stead she calmly unwrapped the linen, until a small chain came into sight.
A gold necklace, with a cross serving as the main ornament.
"Where did you get this?" Daring asked, she stared at the small piece of jewellery with awe. The cross had small runes running all along the edges. It seemed almost warm, but not the relentless heat that came from the sun, but more like the warmth of another pony, a nice radiant kind of warmth.
"I actually found it randomly while walking through the excavation site. I kept it safe from anyone who might've stolen it." That last statement made Daring frown. "I'm sorry miss Doo, but I don't know your crew as well as you do, and in my profession misplaced trust can mean failure on levels no one can comprehend."
Daring nodded, but her focus was entirely on the necklace. It was solid gold, and no gems. As far as price went it would be able to fetch you a dandilion burger with nothing extra, if that. But those proficient in cultures and history would see that the design was not only unusual, but also alien. It was clearly not made to be flashy or pricy, the lack of any gemstones made that clear. The only other types of ancient jewlery Daring had ever heard of was those worn to appease gods.
But what kind of Zebranian god had anything to do with a cross?
There was only four religious symbols in the Zebras ancient culture. The fang of Huet'matal. The claw of Zul'warak. The feather of Nilveglar. And the hoof of Qhuetzhoatl, the god that represented the Zebras themselves. A cross was mainly used by griffins as a form of public execution. And the nearest griffin settlement was about 3000 miles north, and they'd certainly not make a decorative jewlery piece that exemplified execution.
Actually, Daring corrected herself, they'd be the ones to do exactly that.
She looked back up at Rich after examining the cross for about a quarter of an hour. "I've got to admit Mr. Rich, what you've found is intriguing and interesting. But I've not got too high hopes. Often me and my colleagues have found strange things in digging sites and immediately declared to the world that a major new discovery had been made, only to find out that it was some five year old fillys birthday gift that she lost while on vacation." She pushed back the necklace, "I wouldn't hold out much hope is what I'm saying."
Rich nodded. "I just wanted to run it by you in case you might've known something."
She nodded back, "I completely understand." She pretend looked at her foreleg, despite there being absolutely no watch there. "Now, if I may I'll go and watch how my crew is getting on."
She didn't even get out of the tent before a colt barely above the age of 17 rushed in and bumped into her.
"Oh dearest Celestia!" He babbled, "I am so very sorry Miss Doo, but the others choose me to go and inform you and I just got so excited that I got to be an important part, because I don't get to do that often and I-"
"It's fine kiddo, now what is it you need?"
"We've found the entrance to the tomb Miss Doo." The colt grinned. "We've begun unearthing the entire archway, but the foreman thought it best that you oversaw the operation."
"Lead the way kid!" Daring encouraged him, waving toward the exit. "We've got some serious spelunking to do."
"Okay....... This is definitely not Zebranian....."
Daring was standing alongside the rest of her crew, Sparkling ruby, Rough shovel, and then the odd fourth wheel, Filthy rich. Watching the hired diggers unearthing what they'd thought was a Zebranian pyramid.
When first the entrance had been unearthed, the speculation began.
The entrance was huge, easily allowing a carriage to enter, and then some. But the size wasn't the mystery, rather the architecture.
The runes that they'd seen on the cross were plastered all across the edges of the huge archway. With some new ones appearing here and there, but pretty much all of them seemed to be the same sentence, as the letters appeared in the same order continually.
But even more alarming was the statues beside the entrance.
They were alien and weird, bipedal with incredibly detailed armour that hid everything from sight. In many ways they resembled a dragon, if they were only slightly larger.
"Ruby, do you know where these runes are from?" Daring asked, dragging a hoof over the words that were hidden in plain sight. "And more importantly, can you translate them?"
Sparkling ruby flipped through a small notebook with haste before shaking her head, "I'm afraid that it's gotta be a no on both accounts Daring." She turned he notebook towards her boss, "my compendium has no information, and it has details on all races going all the way back to before the union of the ponies." She closed it and stuffed it into her saddlebag. "Short and short, I can't really tell you anything."
Daring nodded before she turned to the geologist of the group. "Rough, you got anything?"
He huffed slightly before scratching his head, he almost looked sad. "Well, the building itself Is hard pressed sandstone held together with blood, not unusual for ancient buildings in these parts." He scratched at the surface of the building until he found what he was looking for, a small white lump sticking out of the wall. "And bones have been used to strengthen the structure, all in all very standard....... But then there's this."
He walked over to one of the statues, where he literally kicked forward before bucking as hard as he could into it. Standard procedure.
If the statue hadn't gotten a bump, Instead of shattering.
"It's made of iron, both of them." Rough said, stating the obvious. "Which normally wouldn't be so odd, but the tests I've taken seem to indicate that this building is no older than 2000 years..... Iron was expensive back then." He prodded the statue to emphasise his next point. "And if my calculations are correct, then this is about 300 tons per statue."
Rich whistled lightly. "That much to build something that ugly. Seems like a waste."
"Watch out Mr. Rich," the colt who'd first informed Daring of the progress said, "often times the inhabitants stay even after the rent of life is due."
"That's just old rumors kiddo," Rough said, giving the colt a lighthearted punch on the shoulder, "you're scaring away our sponsor you lil bastard."
Rich smiled lightly, "I'm anything but superstitious my dear Shovel."
Daring shook her head in fake disappointment. "Are you three done having a dickwaving competition so we can get moving?" She pushed her hat up so her entire face was showing, "I'm itching to explore this place."
"You'd be itching to explore a 50 year old abandoned warehouse if you thought you could find something of value." Ruby was shifting through a large book, this one with a rather large Zebra head on the front, a turquoise serving as its eye.
"Not true," Daring said through clenched teeth, but a single 'oh really' glance from Ruby was enough to make her mumble, "maybe 60 years old."
"Quit yer lollygagging, we've got a pyramid to explore." Rough beamed with excitement before running on ahead with the colt in hot pursuit.
"Is it even possible for Rough to keep calm for one minute, without breaking stuff?" Ruby asked no one in particular, apparently wishing to have a conversation with the air around her.
"Good question," Daring pushed her hat back down so it just covered her forehead as usual before turning to Rich, "are you interested in joining us?"
Rich shook his head, "I think this is better left to the professionals."
Daring nodded, "you're probably right." Before turning around and walking towards the black emptiness that was the entrance, the statues looming overhead like guardians.
"Those things freak me out," Ruby whispered, staring at the huge alien statues with awe and fear. "They look nothing like what we've found before, and yet they seem so oddly familiar."
"Yeah, I get what you're saying." Daring nodded, the way the statues rested their gauntlets on those huge swords gave off a certain amount of intimidation.
"Well," Ruby shook her head to clear her thoughts, "let's save that for another time, as you always say..."
Daring grinned, "When you're going into tunnels, remember to tunnel vision."
"Exactly."
"What in the unholy name of Nightmare moon herself is this......?"
The four of them had just exited the dark tunnel that theyd first entered when the pyramid had been unearthed. It had been nothing special, just a long dark path with more of the odd runes they'd seen outside. Torches had been a necessity of course.
They weren't a necessity any longer though.
The cave like thing they'd entered was surprisingly well lit. But not by fire or sunlight, but rather there was a gigantic shimmering cross in the ceiling. It wasn't relentlessly warm like the sun, but rather the radiant warmth that Daring had felt from the necklace was even stronger here.
But despite however comfortable the artificial sun made them feel, the landscape before them had them shiver in fear.
It was a city, that much was certain. A rather beautiful one at that, with towers and buildings made of pure marble, presumably the richer part. But the rest were well crafted sandstone structures, like the pyramid outside.
But there were blemishes. What looked to be ponies and various other races were locked in place, with weapons held high in either jaws or claws. Some were impaled to the ground with large pikes, their blood was dried and slowly decaying, dripping from their open wounds onto the ground.
"Are they dead?" Shovel prodded one of them curiously, which resulted in the zebra falling to the ground and shattering as if glass. Shovel turned around in embarrassment, trying his best to look innocent.
"It must've fallen over."
Daring rolled her eyes, "you shouldn't be allowed near anything shovel, lest you'd break it."
"I don't think they're dead though," the colt said, popping open an eyelid of one of them, somehow. "Otherwise, how're they standing up."
"Statues then?" Ruby asked, examining a unicorn mare who seemed to be haunched over something, which after further search was a small filly. Ruby's eyes grew wide as she was what the mare protected her child from, a large earth pony, wearing the same armour as the statues outside carrying a large axe, readying to chop her in half.
"You really think ponies would make statues like this?" Daring asked, prodding the large griffin with the axe, it fell down, though it didn't splinter like the others, rather it was just lying there. "Out in the open, blocking a road?"
Ruby nodded, "good point," she winced at the griffin statue, "also seems rather like a rather morbid choice of artwork."
"I've seen worse," Daring shrugged. Remembering some old griffin statues that depicted gutting of ponies with rusty kitchen knives, and that had belonged to a simple village family.
As the group further examined the statues, they heard the scream of the colt that had accompanied them. They hurried towards we're they'd heard his voice.
And saw him on his haunches, staring wide eyed at a collection of the odd statue things.
"What's wrong kiddo?" Daring asked, dragging the colt to his hooves. "What happened?"
The colt pointed a shaking hoof towards one of the statues, this one was rather huge, even larger than most buffaloes Daring had ever seen. "It-it blinked........ And stared at me!" He hurried up with the help of Daring, but he fell again as he tried to scramble off. "Statues don't blink miss Doo!" He yelled, "That doesn't and shouldn't happen ever!"
"You sure the sun hasn't scorched your brain?" Ruby asked, prodding at the side of her own head, "Because you're kinda talking nonsense."
"I'm not mad!" The colt shrieked, hurrying to his hooves and dusting himself off aggressively, "you take a look for yourself and tell me if I'm crazy or not!"
Daring shook her head and closed in onto the large statue the colt had been so afraid off, she peered curiously into the eye of the statue, and as expected she saw nothing.
And that was the weird thing, there was absolutely nothing.
The outside looked like stone, but the eye was completely black and empty, like the entire of the inside was filled with ink. She tried experimentally knocking on the outside, but it sounded solid.
She tuned to another one of the statues, this one was a rather bulky earth pony wearing what looked to be a chain mail coif going into the same plate armour the statues outside had been wearing, although fitted for a pony. She peered searchingly into the eye...
And saw a raging inferno.
She felt an unrelenting rage, as if she was ready to punch through the nearest wall with ease and then proceed to destroy every last little bit of it.
She pulled back from the flame she had seen within. She felt warm, like she'd just travelled through the sun and come back to tell the tale. She peered into the eye again, but this time she saw nothing but grey stone.
She turned back towards the rest of the group. "Sorry kiddo, I'm just not seeing anything here." She shrugged, and the colt lowered his head in embarrassment.
Shovel put a hoof on his shoulder and cracked a smile, "relax kid, sometimes the atmosphere of these kinda places get to ya, and you just start seeing things." He turned toward Ruby, with the smile now having turned into a humongous smug grin, "like when Ruby here ran from a crack in a castle wall because she saw "the ponynomicon" or something along those lines."
Ruby scowled, "The book was rumored to be in the castle of the two sisters, how was I supposed to know that it was just a walled of bathroom?"
"The sign that had been on the outside maybe?" Daring raised asked sarcastically, making the entire group, all except Ruby, giggle heartily.
"We're gaining nothing by standing around," Shovel said, turning towards the inner part of the city. "Let's go, maybe we'll find some clue as to what this is further in."
"What is this trickery?"
The inner part of the city had yielded nothing other than confusion. The statues had completely disappeared, and there had been nothing in the houses. Not even the most basic form of living like furniture, or even dinnerware. Just empty buildings and a town square with even less in it.
But apparently it has been the largest building that would yield the best results.
The temple, as it would seem it was, looked strangely Thestralian in its design. But with a tinge of something alien. The statues outside completely clashed with what was in here. While those were alien and odd, these resembled actual ponies, or other creatures like griffins, buffaloes, changelings, and the like.
In the far end were a rather huge throne, wherein there was a single inhabitant. A skeleton of a Zebra, at least it looked like a zebra, judging by its build. But more interestingly was the object in its hand, a small crystal orb.
"A scryers orb kiddo," Daring answered, wrenching the small ball from the dead clutches of the deceased. "Used by magic users to record important information, if were lucky it still works." She tossed it to Ruby, "got anything?"
Ruby's light red magic quickly enveloped the small orb, which in turn caused it to spark, and her to smile. "It's working fine chief, although it's missing some parts apparently."
"Activate it miss Ruby," the colt hurried on, "And let's get this mystery solved."
Ruby nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating as hard as she could she poured magic energy into the crystal ball. Soon, glowing lines of ley energy started seeping from it, and created a circular pattern above, in which a picture appeared. Of the same throne room they were currently in.
"My Lord Xubkana. We bring before you the prisoner that was caught near the city, he claims to represent something he calls the order of the light!"
The focus of the orb was a Zebra, this one a rather regal looking one. He bore a tribal crown with the different marks of the gods emblazoned on its edges. He was wearing a large fur cape, and several necklaces to show his status. He was lying outstretched on his throne, with what looked to be servant plucking grapes which she carefully inserted into his mouth. Without a doubt, this was some pony of high power.
"Well what are you waiting for my dear General, bring him in, please. I'm curious as to who this stranger is. The Zebra said, he switched position so he was leaning forward in his throne. He casually waved his servant away, she bowed and retreated to the shadows.
The image shifted, and then they saw a group of Zebra guards wearing stiff leather tunics. They'd surrounded what looked to be an earth pony, wearing the exact same armour as the statues outside.
"Welcome stranger, to the kingdom of Zebthijat. I must say It is rather brave for an outsider to go so close to our walls. What brings you here? A brother who wishes friendship?" The Zebranian king withdrew a small dagger from within his cape, it was made of pure gold, with small gems inserted into the hilt. "Or a fool who wishes war?"
The earth pony didn't even blink, he merely twisted his head backward and withdrew a small scroll. Which he promptly held aloft in the air despite his lack of horn. It was surrounded by a warm golden glow, that seemed awfully like the fiery illusion Daring had witnessed earlier.
"At the behest of my Commander and protege, Wrath, protector and follower of the holy light, I Lietnaunt colonel Bulvark Earthshatter bring the following message from our lord and ruler, Purist Thunderwrath. Your walls house within them the followers of the Dark One, and if we are to not take this city by force, you will scour your lands in search of these criminals, and bring them before High Priestess Wisdom herself. If such action is not taken, you and your people will be subjected to the purge, and none shall be left alive."
The scroll somehow went up in flames, to the utter surprise of everypony in the room, except the earth pony himself. The King, Xubkana, however didn't look surprised. Rather, he seemed unhappy with the situation, which was not unjustified.
"You can tell your ruler Purist Thunderwrath, that we will report to him if we find anything. But if he even comes near our walls, he will face the might of the chosen of Qhuetzhoatl themselves, and afterwards none of his will live to tell the tale."
The earth pony nodded.
"I will give my regards to our highlord" he said, before saluting and leaving the room.
Xubkana waved his general towards him.
"Make sure he doesn't leave our lands alive."
And just as the image subsided, a new one emerged, this time of Xubkana standing on a balcony. Watching the horror unfold below him. Apparently this Order of the light had kept to their promise, because currently hundreds upon hundreds of various races were pouring into the city below, all of them wearing the same armor as the Earth pony from before.
"My lord, the forces of the order are pouring In from the main gate, our ground forces have been almost completely wiped out" the general whom had just entered said, saluting as best he could with a large gash going from hoof to shoulder.
The king turned around to face his military commander. He had bags under his eyes that clearly showed a lack of sleep. "How about the Foals and Mares, how far are they from the extraction point?"
"They'll be on the run in no time sir." the General answered. His eyes shifted before he let his foreleg fall and took a tentative step forward. "My liege, would it not be best if you were to escape the city with the Civilians. They will need you now more than ever."
The king smiled tiredly before shaking his head. "They'd just get hunted down afterwards. If I am to truly save them now, then I am more needed here than anywhere else."
The General sighed and stepped back. ""I admit, I do not understand. But you have not lead us wrongly before. I will follow your orders my lord, even if it leads to my death.""
"Thank you general. Now go, you have a city to defend."
The General nodded and saluted before turning around and walking out of the room. The king sighed and turned back towards his bedroom, desperately seeking guidance from some unknowable force. He felt as if the gods had abandoned him, even as he followed their strictures to perfection, they had left him to fend for himself.
"My king, there is a way out."
The voice seemed to come from nowhere, but as the king whipped around as quickly as he could a newcomer appeared. He, she, or it was wearing a cape as black as coal, and it's head was almost completely hidden, safe for some hair.
"Who are you? And what are you doing within my most sacred chamber?" The king asked, voice quivering. "You're with them, aren't you? You and your order!"
"Actually, my king, it is quite the contrary. We are the followers of "The Dark One," magic users."* The unicorn introduced himself. *"The ones that this order hunts, and kills."
"So, you are the ones responsible for the devastation of my kingdom?"* The king asked, nodding solemnly. He quickly withdrew the golden dagger and charged towards the unicorn, pinning him against the wall and putting the dagger against his neck. *"Then you're guidance is of no use. I will deliver you and your miserable kind to the Order, and they will leave!"
"You..... Are.... Naive.2* The unicorn gasped. *"They consider all those different from them....... Impurities. Once they have gotten hold of me, you and your people are the next targets".
The king stared directly into the face of the unicorn. The hood had fallen back to reveal slick features and a white coat. His mane was a golden yellow, and his eyes..... Weren't there, a cloth covered both of them. So apparently he was blind. Xubkana let go of him, which had the unicorn promptly fall to the ground and wheeze for air.
"you say there is a way to save my people. Then tell me what it is worm, or I shall gut you were you stand."
The unicorn coughed a few times before chuckling a bit, resulting in yet more coughing."Yes my king. Your people can be saved, but it will cost you everything. And believe me, I do mean everything."
The king glared daggers at the unicorn. He despised him, more than he had despised anypony before this. This wretched weakling and his kind had caused the world to fall down onto his head, and now he was dependent on them. Not only that, but he'd have to give up his life. But, as he remembered, giving up his life would happen either way, and a least if he followed the instructions of the unicorn he could save his people, whereas the other option wasn't nearly as bright.
"tell me."
The unicorn smiled, a big toothy smile that looked ready to have his head open up like some sort of disgusting shell. But nothing like it happened, the smile was just a big goofy smile, from a small goofy pony.
He reached within the robe, and withdrew a small red orb. The exact same one as the one Ruby was holding.
"Holy shit....." Daring mumbled. The suspense had risen, and so had her intrigue. Whatever was going on had something to do with those weird statues, she just knew it.
"This is a scryers orb my king, normally used by unicorns like myself to store information. But this one is special. Within it you can store your soul, where it will forever be trapped, bound to the city. But as long as you are bound to your city, the invaders will never be able to leave. They will be trapped in stone, unable to move breathe or think, but they will still be very much alive."
The king grabbed the small orb as it was presented to him. He stared at it, with a mixture of fear and disbelief. "And how could this fail?"
The unicorn smiled again, this time even wider. Xubkana wondered if the unicorn had somehow magically increased the width of his own lips.
"Oh my king, it could fail in so many ways I doubt I know them all. It could get smashed, it could be damaged, your soul could escape it, you could deny its claim at the last second, and so many more." The unicorn answered. "But is there another way out? That does not lead to the death of your people, I mean."
The king stared at the orb again, it's clean surface reflecting his face without issue. He closed his eyes and sighed. "How would I operate this contraption?"
The unicorn smiled again, this time it almost reached from ear to ear. "Oh my king, that is the simplest of all. You merely have to...." The unicorn dashed forward with a speed that the ruler had yet to observe. He grabbed hold of the knife, but felt how it was quickly taken from him, and then he felt a jab in his stomach, a pain that coursed right through without end. He looked down to see that the dagger had gone clean through his chest, and had most likely pierced both his heart and entered the stomach.
"Die."
The king fell to his knees. But without warning his eyes started glowing. Soon a stream of what looked like water flew from both his mouth, eyes, ears, and nose. It all got sucked into the Scryers orb. Soon the flow stopped, and the king fell to the side, not moving anymore. The orb looked as it had when it had first been shown to the king. But the sound of battle outside had stopped. There were no more screams, no sounds of metal hitting metal. A deafening silence had replaced it, suddenly interrupted by the unicorn talking once more.
"Ah, my king...... My dear king Xubkana. If only you knew how much this means to me" He leaned down and caressed the cheek of the dead ruler with a tender motion. "How I will be celebrated by my brethren when I return. You have done me a great service today, and all it took was a little white lie."
And with those words the unicorn walked out of the throne room, leaving behind the corpse of the king. Whistling as he went down the battle scarred streets. Which was now filled with statues, once living breathing beings. But now a morbid reminder of what one pony's stupid mistakes could do.
