Ponies of Deltora: Monsters and Magic

Day one, Time 3:00 PM

Applejack and Farley had been traveling along the road for many hours without seeing a single sign of life. No settlements to provide shelter, and no people for services. Southern Lapis Lazuli territory was quite bleak and barren. Despite this, the two continued on towards their forbidding destination, much to the Meresman’s charge. How ironic for a rider to be lead by a horse to battle. He looked at his captor, who was busy inspecting her map. “If you have a map, why do you need a guide?” The orange pony turned to him and let the rope drop from her mouth in an almost challenging manner. He looked at the mare and his eyes seemed to whispered No thank you my dear.

“Ah may have a map of the area, but Ah’m still a stranger. Ah need somepony who knows this land.”

Farley smiled at the orange pony. “Smart answer, on one hand I can tell you how many people I’ve met who would say that.”

Applejack gave him a confused look. “Ya’ll are taking this pretty well aren’t yah?”

The man simply shrugged his shoulders. “Lady Luck had dealt me a hand, and I’ve decided to play it. Even a bad hand can still win you the pot.”

“Gamblin’s a vile thing. Best t’ just avoid it if yah asked me.”

Farley laughed when she was finished. “Welcome to Lapis Lazuli territory, home of the Mere tribe and gambling hub of Deltora. Which reminds me; how far are we from the Broad River?”

Applejack looked back at the map. “If we keep at this here pace, we’ll be there before tomorrow noon.”

“Well then let us be off.” He said coldly. “I don’t wish to keep the sands waiting for too long.” Obliging, Applejack picked up the rope in her mouth again and they headed off. For over two hours they traveled along the road, and while the countryside began to grow livelier, they still didn’t see anybody. All this time they traveled in silence, each one lost in their own thoughts.

Applejacks thoughts were currently on her family back home in Ponyville and how much they must miss her. She could just imagine Applebloom and Big Macintosh going out to search for her, only to come out empty hoofed and heartbroken. Could they even pull on, after what happened to their parents? Her thoughts then drifted to her friends, lost and scattered who knows where. For all she knew they could be in this territory, over sea, underground, or they could still be in Ponyville. Who knows what dangers they were facing right this moment? These thoughts made Applejack feel even worse than when she had deliberately run away from everypony because of her pride. Is this karmas way of paying me back?

“Does something trouble you Applejack?” Farley asked, snapping her back from her thoughts.

“It’s nothing.”

“Those eyes don’t look like they are troubled by ‘nothing’. They look like they worry for things they cannot see. And they fear what will happen to those they love.”

Applejack looked at him bafflingly. “Yah sure are a strange one. One minute yah attack me, now yah comfort me.”

“I told you earlier I didn’t want to take you, but desperate men do desperate things.”

“How desperate we talkin’?”

“I’d prefer if we didn’t speak of it now” He said calmly. Suddenly he looked towards the road and listened. Applejack quickly followed suit, and soon they could hear the sound of horse’s coming from farther along the road. Quickly they dashed for the rocks and remained hidden until a grey covered wagon pulled by a single black horse came into view. Sitting at the rains was a human concealed in an emerald cloak. Swiftly the rider pulled the reins and beckoned the horse to stop. It then lowered itself from the wagon and looked at the rocks the two companions were hiding in. Applejack tried to look at the riders face, but all she could make out were two eyes that blazed like fire.

*****

Time, 5:00 PM

A cloudless day greeted travelers along the Costal Road, and the winds blew soft and cool from the Ocean of the South. To some it would be a perfect day for traveling, but not for a particular white unicorn. Rarity had been traveling along the road for almost the entire day, and it was beginning to leave its mark on her. Her mane, still stiff with salt from the coast, was an atrocity, and her neatly cared for hooves were going to need a good weeks care to repair the damage from this poor excuse road.

Rarity’s thought went back to the old sailor from The Finger. The white unicorn wished she could have remained with him for a bit, but she had been given a mission of great importance. It seemed that diamond bag was indeed meant for her, for upon opening it she found water, food, a letter and map fragment.

Rarity

You begin the game at The Finger, far west of Diamond territory. Head north to the main city of Jaladin, home of the warrior Jalis. Convince one of their knights to surrender his helmet and you shall receive more help.

Best of Luck (You’ll need it)

Whoever had sent it obviously knew of the situation she and her friends were in. She especially didn’t like that part about a “game”. Was that all this was to somepony? And more importantly, who could do this and why? This caused something to flash inside of Rarity’s memories. For a spit second an image appeared in her mind. She tried to make sense of it, but the memory was too fuzzy.

Suddenly the wind picked up, scattering the mares already tangled mane into an abomination. She didn’t have any time to worry over it however, for the wind also brought something that caught Rarity attention. Traveling along was the distinct scent of fire and smoke mixed with blood.

Fearing for her friends, or any other creature that may be in trouble, Rarity headed off in the direction of the smoke. It didn’t take long to find it, but she wished that it did. She was standing in the middle of a large field of tall grass with bushes growing sparsely among it. The plants and rocks were all red with fresh blood, and everything was burning. Finally, lying bloodied and butchered in the center was a vast glittering mass.

Something had happened here, something terrible.