A Glimpse of Paradise

Golden Shield moved swiftly through the dense woodlands, escorting the latest dig crew to arrive at the sight. His wing grasped the blade, ready to strike, although uncomfortably. Who would have known his first assignment would have taken him through the depths of the Emerald Forests to watch over some over-enthusiastic dig crews sift through dirt.

        Being a part of the Royal Guard wasn’t particularly a fun job. Gold knew that from the start of initiate’s training. The instructors made that abundantly clear, yet that didn’t stop any of the initiates from continuing their journey of becoming part of a growing organization dedicated to protecting Equestria and her citizens. But Gold had hoped for an assignment closer to home rather than out in the middle of nowhere.

        Upon his arrival, the guard’s transport wagons were almost torn apart from the severe storm surrounding the forest like a field meant to separate any contact from the outside. The fact that they were able to get in was a miracle according to Hearth and her team. There were openings that needed the right timing before a proper entry was made, but Gold’s caravan helmed through it all. He had hoped the journey had been worth it.

        Vines hung over the path the group followed, like fingers trying to snatch up the ponies. Hooves crunched fallen leaves and frost, armor plates noisily shifted together, easily making the group the loudest part of the forest. Birds fluttered from time to time; coming to and from the direction of the dig site in small groups every thirty minutes, or so it seemed. Their songs could be heard, even when they weren't visible much like the tools from the research teams.

        Twenty Royal Guards escorted the scientists, only three of which were actually familiar with the land. The researchers, unlike the guards, were so preoccupied with themselves and news of the recent discovery. It must have been quite the discovery if they had easily forgotten the near-death experience hours ago.

        Aegis walked beside Gold and noted the annoyed expression on his face. “Don’t worry, we’re almost there according to Hearth’s navigation spell and map. Should be just another half an hour before we arrive at the dig site. When we get there, we’ll at least take a little break while the archaeological teams figure out what they’ve actually found.”

Gold’s ears twitched. “What is it that they’ve found? Why drag us so far north?”

“Its...” Aegis paused. “Hard to explain. You’ll see it when you get there. You’re not going to believe it.”

Great, Gold thought, rolling his eyes. More mystery.

If there was something worth hauling over a quarter of Canterlot’s Guard garrison, then there must have been something huge here. Gold knew he wouldn’t be there if that wasn’t the case. He shivered, letting his armor rattle and let out a sigh. The further they walked, the more visible the mists from their breaths became. If the Emerald Forest felt like winter in the middle of fall, Gold could barely imagine how cold the cursed place would be during the freezing days of winter. He’d wager his breath and tongue would freeze just as he opened his mouth.

A noise resonated through the woods and all ponies stopped in their tracks. Gold felt his wing grip his sword, while he listened past the silence. It came once more, sounding like a zap of electricity echoing through the forest. Hearth continued forward, as did the Aegis and two other guards. The new batch of archaeologists exchanged uncertain glances, but slowly continued to follow Hearth, albeit in a more cautious manner.

“It’s alright,” Hearth announced with a slightly irritated tone in her voice. Gold knew it was mostly directed towards the researchers, but he felt that he should be included in the addressment. “Just the dig teams up ahead. We’ll be there in about an hour.”

Gold followed, jumping after each zap roared louder and louder. What in Luna’s name could they have found out here?

Just when Gold thought there was more jungle waiting for them, bushes had become more abundant and soon after the trees started to become a rarity.

As the cluster broke through the clearing, Golden Shield’s hooves stopped moving him. A chill ran down his spine as his eyes drifted towards the archaeology camp. Hundreds of tents were barely hidden in the dense jungle the path led down the cliff. The dig teams must have been there for months to be able to clear through the immense jungle and unclothe the earth itself.

Golden Shield’s mouth quivered, trying to find the words to say. It wasn’t the metallic glints  in the ground where ponies had been standing around that made him utterly speechless, nor was it the alien constructs being hauled to the camps. The artifacts reflected the sun’s light like a mirror visible from miles away, as did the underground structures being unearthed.

It was the tower rivaling Canterlot Mountain that had drained all words from him. The twisted spire of metal glowing brilliantly in the distance shot some kind of beam from the top like a beacon to the stars above. Thick thorns protruded from the tower like thorns from a metallic rose without the actual flower. He could hardly imagine how high the spire truly was. From what Gold could tell, the tip was barely touching the heavens, carving a great divide between the clouds.

“By Celestia...” Gold managed.