//-------------------------------------------------------//
               Origins of the Crystal Empire               
                      -by TwilaDerp-                       
//-------------------------------------------------------//
//-------------------------------------------------------//
          Chapter 0 : Food, Shelter, and a Story           
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 0 : Food, Shelter, and a Story
Northern Equestria, the cold white plains of the continent that doesn't give up it's secrets willingly. The only sign of life that can be seen in the area are three young mares, who had come here to find there fame and fortune.  First there is Heather, a unicorn botanist who joined the group so she can get some extra bits to stay in business and have the money to buy rarer and more beautiful flowers.
In the middle of the group is a Pegasus named FlameWing and joined the gang because this is the perfect chance to get into the history books.  And at the head of the group is the pony that made it all happen, an energetic unicorn named Trinity who has always been in search for adventure and danger.
As the day went on Heather started to slow down and fall behind. "Can we rest please, my hooves are aching and I think one of them are swollen."
"Alright Heather, but just for a minute, we need to get to get as far as possible today if we are ever going to get to the mountains by nightfall." They walked a little more and found a rock outcrop that they could sit behind and used it as a wind breaker. Heather took a canteen of  water out of her pack and a pouch that contained some leaves.
"What's that for" FlameWing asked as she settled down next to her.
"Just some Boswellia, Feverfew, and Aloe Vera leaves that I brought with me to stop swelling and sooth the affected area." She  said as she took out a Mortar and Pestle. Taking two leaves of each she started to crush them into a pulp. She then added some water and, with that, it turned into a paste. Then she some of the solvent with her hoof and started massaging it over her swollen hooves.
"Here, take some and rub it on any sore spots you have." Heather said as she pushed the mortar toward her two acquaintances.
Trinity took a sniff of the stuff and recoiled in disgust. "That stuff smells putrid, it's like a dog burrowed into a hole and died! Isn't there a way you could, you know, don't have to breath out of my mouth for the next two days?"
Sighing, Heather opened her bag and pulled out another pouch. " I did bring these for some tea, but if it's the only way to get you to stop wining about the smell, giving up one or two wouldn't hurt." She pulled out some Spearmint leaves and tearing them up, put them in the mortar and crush it in with the paste.
Trinity sniffed it again and, seeming satisfied, took some and put some on. They then turned to FlameWing, who without arguing, took the last of it and covering her front hooves and the base of her wings. Heather then took the mortar and, after cleaning it out with snow, put it away.
Trinity got up and put on her pack, started walking onwards. "Thanks Heather, that helped a lot, but we really need to get going if we are to make the mountains by nightfall." And so there continued on into the white tundra.
It has been 4 hours since they rested at the rocky outcrop, and the sun was setting and looking ahead they saw in the distance the mountains that hold the key to there fame and to be put into the history books.
"There it is fellas, the Prisma Mountains, if we make good pace we should be able to get there by nightfall." Trinity said as she sped up her pace so desperate to get there.
All of a sudden, a snowflake floated  down and landed on Heather's nose. She giggled and wiped it off. "Look guys, it's snowing!"
Trinity and FlameWing looked up as more  snow fell.  Trinity, looking quite alarmed, quickly took off her saddle bag and took out a long rope"
Quickly, tie the rope around midsection." She ordered. throwing one end of  the rope at FlameWing. She caught the rope in her mouth and looked at Trinity with a confused expression.
Flamewing spits out the rope, "Aren't you overreacting a little, there only a few snowflakes and we're going to set up camp soon anyways.
"Have you ever heard of the phrase, when it rains, it pours, well that literally happens here. But instead of pouring it's actually a huge blizzard, that can bury you within hours. So please tie yourself and hand the rope off to Heather, I don't want anyone getting lost out here. we need to stick together." Trinity tied the rope around herself and put her pack back on.
Then a huge gust of wind came up and almost lifted FlameWing off her feet, and, just like the wind, all argument FlameWing had was gone. She tied the rope and handed it to Heather, who did the same. Now with them tied together they trekked on, as the snow above began to fall fasted and faster.
Soon enough there was a foot of fresh powder blanketing the frigid ground.  The group was at the verge of hypothermia and needed to find shelter soon.
"There has to be a cave or something out here" FlameWing yelled through the snow. "Someplace where we can stop."
Heather, who was falling behind stopped and sat down. "Keep moving Heather, we can't stop." Trinity yelled to her.
"Give me a minute, I need to rest a little bit. Heather whispered, barely audible over the wind howling above.
Trinity then jerked the Rope, causing both of her acquaintances to fall on there faces. "NO, if you stop then you will die, the only thing keeping you warm is also the thing that is getting us to our destination. MOVING FORWARD! NOW LET'S GET A MOVE ON!"
She then went back and helped Heather out of the snow.
As FlameWing got up she sniffed the air, and what she smelled made her very puzzled. "Trinity, I think I'm gong crazy, but I'm smelling smoke.
Trinity turned to look at her and started smelling the air too and, sure enough, she also smelled smoke. "How is that possible, that must mean someone is living out here, because there is nothing out here to start a fire?" She started looking at the sky, trying to look past the snow. "LOOK!" She pointed to the sky where there was a dark plume of smoke rising into the air. "Quickly, we can seek shelter there." She started walking onward, as FlameWing and Heather stumbled behind her.
As they walked toward the origin of the smoke the wind started to increase and it became harder to see the smoke, and soon there was just a white shroud that hid it completely.
FlameWing flew up as much as the ropes would allow to look "I don't see a thing, it's gone Trinity, we lost it." She flew back down looking grim "Are we lost Trinity?"
Trinity just looked at the ground defeated. "Yes FlameWing we're lost, but if we're to survive we need to keep moving."
She was just about to continue walking when Heather spoke up, through her chattering teeth "L..Look." She then pointed into the whiteness, where a dark figure came out of the white flurry.  The figure that was in front of them was a pitch pure white stallion clad in a fur coat and hat. He looked about 25 years of age, but looking in his eyes, he was much older then he appeared for there was wisdom in them that no young stallion could have.
Cautiously, Trinity spoke to the stranger. "Who are you?"  He didn't say a thing, but turned around and started walking away. The three didn't know what to do, so they started following him.
As they walked on it started to get dark, so Trinity started casting an illumination spell. All of a sudden the stranger was next to her,  causing  her to lose concentration and for the light to go out. Trinity looked at him confused. He shook his head, jerked it in the direction we were walking and continued on.
After about thirty minutes a, through the darkness, a small hut came into view.  The hut was somehow made of wood and had a small window next to the door. The stranger opened the door and waved them inside.  The inside was just as rustic on the inside, the flooring had a wooden flooring except around the fire place, which was made out of perfectly cut stone. On the walls there were heads of wild beasts that he has killed to survive, and a spear with a diamond head.
The stranger walked in behind them and closed the door. He took off his jacket and put it on the back of his chair then went over to the fireplace to stoke the coals to relight the fire. He grabbed a cast iron pot that was over the fire and, dragging it over to a hook, hanged it up. He opened a hatch and, using a winch and pulley system, lowered the pot into the whole. He cranked it back up and the pot was filled with water he then took a wooden cart and put the pot on it, he pushed it toward the fire and hanged the pot over it. He opened a small closet and pulled out a blanket and put it around Heather.
The stranger finally spoke, "Stay near the fire and warm up." His voice surprised them, instead of a house voice that mountaineers usually have, his was gentle and soothing. He turned and, grabbing his jacket, opened the door and walked out.
FlameWing then looked at Trinity, "Can we trust him, he does seem kind of odd, and really quiet."
"I don't think we have to worry, he seems nice." Heather said, putting the blanket more securely around herself.
Trinity stared at the closed door "I don't know, but we don't have a choice at this time, now do we." she turned to FlameWing  "Just try and stay warm and don't worry about it."
The door swung open and the stranger came in carrying a basket. In the basket there were some fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, celery, and other nourishing delectable items. He walked over the table near the trap door started to cut the vegies in to slices, and then put them into the now boiling pot. Grabbing the basket again,  he set it down next to us. "Eat up, you need the energy." he stated as he stoked the fire, making white ashes float through the air.
"Thank you, I don't know how we would ever repay you for your kindness If you didn't show up I don't think we would be alive. If there is anything we can do for you, just say the word and it will be done." Trinity offered as she grabbed an apple from the basket and bit into it.
All the stranger did was look away and walked towered the window. "All I want from you is for you to go back to where you came from, and forget about me and this place. You can stay the night, but when the storm is over and light out, I want you gone."
"But we can't, we put everything we had into this trip and we're not leaving till we find it!" Trinity explained. "If we fail Heather will lose her flower business, FlameWing won't live her dream, and I won't be able to find another adventure like this for the rest of my life. We need this, and I have a feeling you do too."
He turned around and looked at the three mares with sad eyes. "Tell me, what do expect to find out here, in this desolate and unforgiving place. I'm hearing you say things about treasure and adventure, but there is only hell up here." He looked out the window again and in an almost inaudible whisper said, "I should know, I've lived for half my unending life." Looking at the ground a tear welled up in his eye and cascaded to the cold stone ground.
Heather then walked up to him and put a hoof on his shoulder, "What happened to you, and how did you wind up in this terrible place."
Looking at her and he smiled "Fate and Destiny had a fight, and I got caught in the crossfire. Come, let us go to the fire, eat, and tell you a legend that was forgotten long ago."
And so they did, laying on blankets by the fire, the stranger started his story about happiness, love, hate and revenge, as the wind outside chased the snow outside.