Still Mountains, Silent Valleys

Chapters

Chapter 1 - A Thousand Years Ago
Chapter 2 - A Grand Library
Chapter 3 - Scavengers

Chapter 1 - A Thousand Years Ago

Year 0, Day 0
"I think these roads should be torn up and set with stones properly, again," snorted Lucky Cinnamon (a bright red Pegasus with a yellow mane and sharp yellow eyes) as she trotted up to the pony-drawn cab with her husband and brother, "They are all too rough."

"Oh, wonderful," sighed Autumn Crown (a dark blue Pegasus with a pine green mane and aquamarine eyes), Lucky Cinnamon's husband, "Are Aff we talking about roads again?" He sighed in resignation as he turned to pay the cab-driver-drawer the fare for the travel ahead.

"Look at all of these uneven bumps!" continued Cinnamon, completely ignoring Crown's mutterings, "I mean, I won't be surprised if we hit a pothole that is so large that we topple over completely! Where we will be then, eh?"

"Sister, please calm yourself," interjected Shining Comet (a dark red Unicorn with a dark blue mane and dark eyes), Cinnamon's brother, "We can't have a good time if you always find something to complain about! Come, let us get into the carriage and be on our way."

"Oh, if you insist, Comet," replied Cinnamon, sighing in a rather exaggerated manner, "But while I get in please be a dear and remind me of exactly what we are to be doing. I will admit that I was not at all listening to our travel plans earlier today."

"We need to visit our cousins in the colony of Baltimare today," explained Crown, painstakingly, "They are soon to have a foal."

"Oh, wonderful! Dearie me, I had almost forgotten about the baby!"

"I'm sure you did," muttered Comet. He helped first Cinnamon and then Crown into the carriage. Before he himself got in he gave their surroundings one last glance. They were in Canterlot, just south of the massive shining Castle of Canterlot. Street vendors bustled about on the cobbled street, and smoke rose from mud-and-clay chimneys. The sun was shining bright in the sky, with only wisps of clouds dashing across the dashingly blue sky. Light from the sun reflected brightly off of glass windows, revealing rich merchandise that lay inside like treasure in a chest. A happy and content murmur rose from the masses of busy ponies as they went about on their daily business.

"Personally I will be glad to get out Canterlot," said Cinnamon suddenly, interrupting Comet's final observations of the grand capital of Equestria, "It is simply too crowded and stuffy. I will welcome the fresh, country air."

"There are more reasons that just that to be appreciative of leaving this place," added Crown, a little more seriously, "The Town Criers have been speaking of the invasion pressing closer. Some even say Equestrian forces are making a stand at the Galloping Gorge."

"Oh, and now we are talking about this dull war again?" cried Cinnamon, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will handle this crises with ease, like they have with all of the others problems that have cropped up over the years!"

"The Shadowed Empire is not something to consider lightly, dear," replied Crown, his face somewhat worried, "I even hear tell those monstrous Changelings have been assisting them from inside Equestrian lines. We could be dealing with a serious problem. A serious problem indeed."

"The Changelings? Those jesters cannot even hope to fight against our fair princesses!" exclaimed Cinnamon, still as jovial as ever, "And, verily, the ladies and I were discussing some intriguing gossip relating to that very elements of military amalgamations! You see, Bright Harp said she heard Lady Twilight Velour saying that she heard from one of the Canterlot Head Guards that King Sombra was attempting to work out some form of alliance with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"

"Cinnamon's information is actually true, I believe," added Comet, "Some of the guards talked with my friends and me about escorting King Sombra here earlier under the cover of night. It seems the Crystal Empire is in as much danger from the Shadowed Empire and the Changelings as Equestria is. I know you don't agree with Sombra's views on monarchal politics, but few do. But an ally in this war should be welcomed with alacrity at this point."

Crown said nothing, but doubt plagued his eyes, and his brow furrowed worriedly. Cinnamon laughed brightly and snuggled close to her husband.

"Do not worry your head, dear Crown," she said, "Look about us. You see these buildings and that castle? This is Canterlot, the grandest city of Equestria. Not even Manehattan can equate to this glorious place. How can you even imagine those silly Shadowed Soldiers and those dull Changelings marching upon this place?! Equestria will pull through this… It always does."

Year 0, Day 12
"Can these steam engine contraptions take any longer?" whined Rushing Boulder (an earthy brown Earth Pony with a mossy green mane and dark green eyes) as he leaned against the ticket booth, pressing his muzzle into the thin pane of glass that separated him from the pony dispensing tickets for the train from Baltimare to Canterlot.

"I'm sorry, sir, but these trains are liable to be delayed from time-to-time," replied the pretty young female Unicorn from behind the counter, "You will simply have to bide your time."

Undeterred, Boulder pulled out a crumpled letter from his saddlebag and waved the wad of paper in front of the glass for the Unicorn to see. "You see this?" he asked sharply, attempting unsuccessfully to sound like a disgruntled father, "This is a letter from my employer in Canterlot. He said that he recalculated my holiday times, and decided that I have overstayed my vacation! And so he sent me this letter stating that if I was not back at the firm within six days, I was going to be fired. I got it today, but it was sent from Canterlot four days ago! How fast do these trains go, again?"

"If this one is not stopped by the greatly-increased war effort, then it will be here with enough time to take you to Canterlot by the deadline set by your employer, sir," replied the Unicorn.

Boulder groaned again, and seemed like he wanted to keep whining, but he was (fortunately) distracted by a group of ponies who were talking with an Baltimare town crier who had just finished his rounds.

"What is the issue with the transportation to Manehattan, Vanhoover, and the Crystal Empire being completely cut?" exclaimed one disgruntled pony to the town crier.

"The Shadowed Empire apparently cut through our defenses in the northern sections of the Unicorn Range, adjacent to the Smokey Mountain. They – along with the Changeling masses – are right now supposed to be marching southeast to our emplacements in the southern ranges. Due to the fact that the whole northern section of Equestria (aside from Manehattan) is overrun, Canterlot saw fit to cease any attempts for public transportation in that area." replied the crier, almost apologetically.

"Why doesn't anypony seemed worried about this?" cried another pony, who fairly much looked like she was going to faint.

"I do not mean to prematurely create glad expectations for anypony," explained the town crier who was as calm as a cucumber, "But Princess Celestia did indeed released a statement yesterday declaring that King Sombra of the Crystal Empire has formed an alliance with Equestria. Crystal troopers are supposedly en route now to our southern emplacements on the Unicorn Range."

"Excuse me sir!" exclaimed Boulder, "I could not help but overhear that you said you have information pertaining to Celestia making a statement yesterday! How is it then that this letter I have in my hoof was sent six days ago, and it takes four days to arrive?! I claim civil injustice and inequality!"

Everypony promptly ignored Boulder.

"So," said yet another pony, looking up at the town crier with apprehensive eyes, "I still don't see how this should affect me going to see my grandmother in Vanhoover! She has rheumatism! What happens if she falls over?"

The town crier shook his head. "I am very sorry indeed, but Canterlot cannot risk sending out steam engines packed with civilians willy-nilly through enemy lines!"

"Is this what this is all about?" cried Boulder, attempting to be heard over the crowds again, "The war? Is that why my letter was delivered in such a grossly sluggish manner?"

Everypony just continued to ignore the disgruntled Earth Pony.

"And what about my dress supplies?" cried another pony from the growing crowd, "I ordered lace and a plethora of sequins absolutely eons ago from Manehattan! I want my money's worth!"

This rather selfish statement sent the rest of the crowd into an uproar over the shutting down of the northern-running railroad systems.

"I wanted a vacation in Tall Tales!"

"I want my sequins!"

"My grandmother probably fell over! I feel it in my bones!"

"My letter arrived four days slower than Celestia's stupid message! I want a refund from the postal system!"

"Everypony please!" shouted the town crier, "I understand that all of you are disgruntled, but you all have to understand how deep Equestria is in this massive war. I know all of you want to be travelling north again, but you will all have to be patient. This alliance with the Crystal Empire only recently was forged, but assuredly good things will result. If all of you will only wait a couple weeks, you will all see the Shadowed Empire and the Changelings vanquished, and the northern-running railroad systems up and running again!"

"He's right!" cried the ticket-dispensing Unicorn from behind the ticket counter, "Our wonderful and beautiful alicorn sisters have never let us down! This war will be nothing but another victory story for the annals of history soon enough!"

Year 0, Day 30
"This rain is dreadful," muttered the carriage-driver-drawer, Bubbling River (a dark purple Earth Pony with a shockingly bright red mane, and an azure pair of eyes), as he trotted up to the massive, shining, iron-wrought gates of Canterlot Castle, "Figures I am the one chosen to perform night duty just because I slept in on Monday by accident."

Dark clouds had gathered heavily in the skies above Canterlot, and massive drops of water were bucketing from the skies above to pound down on the leather top of the carriage and the head of River. The streets were completely abandoned because of this onslaught of water, and, more importantly, because of the threat of a siege that was hanging even more prominently over the heads of the denizens of Canterlot than the rainclouds themselves. Water ran in wide rivulets through the uneven cobblestones of the many paved roads that ran like a gigantic spideweb through Canterlot and Canterlot Castle.

River snorted out droplets of the rainwater as he drew up as close as possible to the overhanging battlements adjacent to the gates. Shaking the rain from his mane, he rapped a hoof sharply against a gigantic steel bar, one of the hundreds that intricately made up the ornate front gates of Canterlot Castle. Rubbing his eyes as if he had been woken from sleep, a Canterlot guard poked his head over the ramparts arching over the gates and called down, "Who goes there? Friend of foe? If ye do not come in peace, then be off forthwith! However, if thou hast the blessing with our fair ladies, then come forth and step in!"

"You must be new here!" shouted up River, unamused by the silly little spiel he had been forced to listen to, courtesy of an obviously green-nosed guard.

There was a pause…

"You can't tell."

River rolled his eyes. "Young sir, I have picked up ponies from these very gates more times than you have had hot dinners. Not a single gate guard has ever said something that long and pompous. You clearly are new here."

There was yet another moment of silence as the guard up above thought of the most cutting comeback.

"I am wearing a uniform."

"Look, sir, I am not amused by your youthful rants. I am glad that someone died and made you 'king' but I really have a job to do. Please open up the gates and let me into the courtyard. The Captain of the Guard requires me to ferry him to downtown Canterlot."

"You can't just bully me like that! I'm a Canterlot Guard! And I'm not glad that someone died and made… you… taxi driver…?"

"You can't even make original insults."

"You're an original insult!"

River did not even attempt to say anything. He simply facehoofed nice and hard. Fortunately for him, another pony came to his rescue: the Captain of the Guard, Shining Night.

"Woah there, private. I know Bubbling River. He is a friend. Go back to your post, I will take it from here."

"Yes sir!"

There was a moment of silence as Shining Night (a bright white unicorn with a royal blue mane and pair of eyes) watched the young guard pony gallop back to his post. Then the captain poked his head over the ramparts and called down, "Greetings Bubbling River! I will be down in an instant!"

Shining Night retracted his head, and in less than a minute he was shoving one of the massive iron doors slightly ajar through the thick, sloppy mud so that he could squeeze through.

"Wonderful weather, eh?" snorted Shining Night, wincing as he glanced up at the ocean's-worth of water pouring down on top of his head.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, sir," replied River orienting his carriage so that Shining Night could scrambled into it with ease.

Shining Night did so with alacrity, and the carriage was on its way. For at least a dozen minutes there was nothing but an uncomfortable silence, but suddenly it was broken by Shining Night, who began to babble rather nervously.

"I must say this weather really reflects the mood that is hanging over the grand courtyards of Canterlot," murmured Shining Night.

River said nothing, but he cocked his head to one side to imply that he was indeed listening to whatever the Captain of the Guard had to say.

"Dark things are going on, I tell you," continued Shining Night, "It's been fourtenn days and not a single pony has seen Princess Luna. Celestia has said nothing on the matter despite our pestering, and Crystal Empire King Sombra keeps to his room in the far eastern towers. Many of the guards have begun to speculate that Luna has gone missing from this land altogether. Banished, fled, eloped… We don't know…"

Shining Night paused to sigh loud and long. River glanced at his old friend, prompting him to continue.

"Either way, mayhap Princess Luna is doing the right thing… By going missing, I mean. I tell you, something terribly dark is going on between King Sombra and Princess Celestia. The two are almost never absent from the Magical Arcaneium. They spend nearly every second of every day working in there, and all the while countless good ponies are dying on the Unicorn Range, fighting against that cursed juggernaut that is those Shadowed Empire ponies and those hideous Changelings. Many guards are even beginning to wonder if we need to actually prepare for a siege upon Canterlot… But Celestia has still said nothing on the matter yet."

River slowly rolled the news over in his head like a foal inspecting an intriguing pebble. After a moment of consideration he said, "King Sombra and Princess Celestia spend almost all of their time in the Magical Arcaneium, you say? Well, I may not know much about the magickas, but I reckon those two are thinking up a spell of sorts."

"Yes! I was actually about to comment on that!" exclaimed Shining Night, leaning his head out of the carriage to look at River, ignoring the water being dumped upon his head by the heavens, "Just yesterday I talked to the court mages. It seems… It seems that they are detecting colossal magical signatures from the Arcaneium. In fact… In fact they are so strong that… that Midnight Lily, the youngest of the mages, died of a magic-induced stroke. That is how strong the magical signatures are. But Princess Celestia will let no pony aside from King Sombra into the building. She says that 'all will be revealed and all will be well in two days' time,' or something like that."

A worried rumble escaped River's throat as this news reached his ears. This was worrisome news indeed. Shining Night continued with his narrative.

"Anyway, it has been an absolute hoof-full in the barracks. The guards, the mages, and even the scholars are thinking of naught but mutiny. As you already know, everypony else in the city seems to think the same. Hence the curfew, the restriction of inter-city travel… The unselective army drafts… Mutiny and panic everywhere… It seems everypony within the walls of Canterlot have lost faith in our fair princesses."

River cocked his head back slightly so that he use one of his eyes to look at Shining Night's worried features. "Have you?"

Shining Night slowly sat back in the water-free environment of the interior of the leather-covered carriage as he murmured, "I do not know, my friend. I heard from the field generals yesterday. The Unicorn Range is total lost cause… and Crystal Empire soldiers never came. But King Sombra is still here, Princess Celestia is being secretive and enigmatic, and the two spend all their time in an Arcaneium that is starting to have a massive influx of magical power. And now Celestia claims all is to be put to rest within the next two days… Well, I went to school, I can put two and two together…"

Shaking off droplets that were running rivulets down his soaking mane, River said, "A spell, I would say. Perhaps something to help with this war?"

Shining Night's eyes brightened. "Of course! King Sombra and Princess Celestia must be creating a spell of sorts to help fight against our enemies! Perhaps even Princess Luna – wherever she may be at this moment – is helping! We must not lose hope. 'All will be well in two days' time.' That must be when the spell will be released. It will be released, and the enemies will be vanquished. Life will go back to normal. Right?"

River looked off into the distance. The cobblestone roads had fairly much become rivers, and dirty water cascaded around and over the polished stones. All cottages visible were shut tight, and not even a small spark of light could be seen from any of the windows. The abodes looked like grotesque faces, with black, dead eyes. All was silent. The hills beyond the grand city of Canterlot were also dark and disturbingly obscured by the falling rain, and the distant rumble of thunder rolled lazily across the water-soaked sky. No lighting was to be seen.

"Right…"

Author's Note

Hello everyone! I shall close off this chapter by explaining why this story exists. I have spent a lot of time exploring many different story genres, and have even contributed to some. However, one of the most intriguing genres I have seen to date is the post-apocalyptic setting. Sadly, this genre has been beaten to death by countless zombie and/or survivor stories. There are a couple of stories that get it right, but for the most part these stories are simply full to the brim with gore, horror, and controversial morality-related subject. Nonetheless, the post-apocalyptic genre is a treasure trove of unseen ideas, and I have wanted to siphon off a bit of that treasure for a while. And so I have decided to take this as a challenge to venture into the post-apocalyptic setting, all the while diverging off the well-trodden path. This post-apocalyptic story will not be about horror, violence, or moral conflict. Instead, this story will be about wonder and discovery. How wondrous is a land that once was, but then was forgotten, only to be discovered again? Think about it. And while you are doing that, do not forget to leave a comment!

Chapter 2 - A Grand Library

Year 1000, Day 0
"Where is she? She is usually here on time!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle. She looked about frantically, even going so far to search the bushes near the bank of the pier. She then looked up at the dark, star-filled sky, and then back at the dark silhouette that was the town edge of Canterlot. "She is always here on time!"

Einar chuckled a little as he watched Twilight go a little wild from worry. As she searched the bushes for the umpteenth time, he looked at the sky. The lights from within the town somewhat washed out the pinpricks of light that filled the sky when he looked out his bedroom window every night, but out here, near the Canterlot river, he could see every detail. Vast constellations and breath-taking cosmoses stretched for untold eternities across the serene black canvas of the night sky.

After a moment of breathing in the crisp night air, Einar replied, "Be calm, Twilight. Though I could be wrong, last time I checked Trixie was actually ten minutes late every time we've met."

Twilight stiffened as she remembered that he was completely right. She glanced back at Einar sheepishly and grinned nervously at the navy blue-coated Unicorn (with the mark of the north star upon his flank) as she replied, "Oh, I forgot about that completely. That is true… I guess I just really am too excited about this!"

Twilight skipped in place, as her worries were momentarily overcome with the excitement of what was to come.

Einar blew back a strand of his aquamarine mane as he replied, "I agree with you! If Trixie delivers like usual, our research will be advanced considerably!"

Twilight nodded vigorously. "Oh yes! And imagine… Books! Ancient Books! It's been months since I have seen a single one from the Lost World! But I can't think of another thing for which it is worth waiting. I mean, we have learned so much from what we have managed to procure!"

Einar grimaced a little, his dark purplish-cyan eyes clouding a bit with annoyance. "With that I agree as well… Just not with that last couple we managed to get. I will personally say they were less than stellar."

Twilight could not help but stay excited at this point. "Probably. But I thought that recipe book was really interesting! Who would have thought they found a way to stuff crusts with anemones in a way that did not sound terribly disgusting?"

Einar rolled his eyes. "Last time I checked, recipes were in no way helping us find out more about the Castle of Embers."

Twilight nodded her head slightly, but a ghost of a smile still danced upon her lips, and her eyes were still bright. "True too! But as we said previously, if Trixie is able to find another jackpot, then perhaps we will be able to continue to learn about whatever happened to that massive castle in Canterlot and why no pony can enter it!"

Einar returned the nod. "One of the world's great mysteries. I just wished more ponies shared our interests in such things. I mean, why did Canterlot even have a castle in the first place? Where are the blast marks from? Why in the name of The Lady of Dying Light is there a giant glowing bubble of impenetrable material surrounding the Castle of Embers in the first place?"

Twilight thought about the tirade of questions for a moment. "If you think about it, we really are no closer to learning about the Castle of Embers than we were a couple years ago. We have learned quite a bit about the City of Coulin though!"

Einar sighed lightly. "Yes, but even that strange city, bane of Foal Mountain, is shrouded in the mists of ignorance. It seems to me that the more we uncover, the more we find is obscured by the shadows of time! No pony really knows anything about even Canterlot for Ember's sake! Or anything else for that matter! Were there other towns in this land alongside this one and Ponyville? Mysteries everywhere."

There was a rustling in the trees farther down the bank as a voice echoed out: "Mysteries that Trixie can help reveal… For a price, of course."

Twilight leap at least a meter in the air and whirled about. It was Trixie, trotting across the sand of the bank to the small pier that Einar and Twilight stood upon.

"Trixie! Gott kvöld! " exclaimed Twilight, "You're here!"

Trixie nodded as she cantered up to them and tossed a massive pile of bags down beside her. The wooden planks of the pier creaked with the weight of the bags' contents. "Exactly ten minutes late. As Trixie always says: 'if customers are not willing to wait upon Trixie, they are not worth serving'!"

Einar pulled a face. "I think you have the ideals of customer-hospitality all askew, Trixie."

Trixie simply grinned smugly at the Unicorn. "But Trixie is allowed leeway in even that. After all, what other certified scavenger is smart, clever, and brave enough to venture to the foothills of Foal Mountain to find you ancient books? You have how many of those from the Lost World now…? Fourty, isn't it? If Trixie is not mistaken, that is eighty to one hundred percent more than any other pony in Canterlot and Poyville, correct?"

"Yes, yes, we owe you a lot, Trixie," replied Einar, "But we are not here to allow you to guilt trip us into allowing you to inflate the prices. We are here to discuss…"

"Are those some Lost World books?! Can we have them?!" interjected Twilight excitedly, looking over Einar's shoulder, her eyes lingering upon what looked to be a heavily mottled leather casing for some kind of manuscript.

Trixie continued to smile winningly at Einar as she winked at the ecstatic Twilight. "Indeed they are, Twilight Sparkle! Trixie found an interesting one in what looked to be an abandoned town hidden away, having sunken almost completely into the marshes of the foothills. Trixie worked hard to recover these. It was a miracle that this one was even in good shape! Trixie figures it must have been at least a few hundred years younger than the other ones Trixie managed to find a score of months ago."

Einar looked at Trixie curiously and carefully used magic to pick up the book. He gently flipped through the pages, his horn illuminating the rotting and smeared pages with a soft blue light. Though the thing was most certainly suffering from severe water damage and ageing, it was actually shockingly in good shape. Einar's stomach did a somersault with excitement, and he almost began to tremble. He had not seen something so completely devoid of critical damage for years now.

As he handed the book for Twilight to inspect, he turned to Trixie and did his best to keep a poker face on. If Trixie caught on that this book was incredibly valuable, she would be bound to increase the price to obscene levels.

"It is indeed younger, by the markings," said Einar, "The edges are ruined, but for the most part it is in good shape."

"Trixie thought the very same thing," said Trixie, "And so she decided that it was most certainly worth… 1,500 Kolis. But since you are a frequent customer… Trixie will sell it to you at 1,000 Kolis."

Einar's stomach went from somersaulting in excitement to clenching painfully in worry. Even for Trixie, a thousand Kolis was an exorbitant price, at least a seventy percent increase in price since the last time.

"That much?" asked Einar warily, "As I previously stated, this book has suffered heavy water damage around the edges, and the ink is smeared terribly on some pages. Its quality is no more impressive than that of the books you sold us last year. I will go with 700 Kolis."

Trixie sighed dramatically. "Trixie almost died while searching through the marshes for this special book. There were Draugr there. Elding… Trolls… A set of terribly distressing creatures. Trixie has no life insurance… And thus… 950 Kolis. Remember… Draugr…"

Einar's eyes did not waver. He and Twilight had barely enough together to make such a price, and that would leave them broke for many months to come.

"As I said previously: basing off the quality of this book, what you are asking is too much. I will go with 800."

"Ahhh… Trixie will go with 850 Kolis. And if you try to drop it even a little… Well, I am sure Trixie will eventually find another bjáni that wants booksas badly… somewhere…"

"Very well," said Einar slowly, his eyes never leaving Trixie's for a moment, "850 Kolis it is."

Einar slowly turned to Twilight and whispered, "Well, we are pretty much officially broke."

Twilight looked up from the pages of the prospective book that she was intently studying. "Don't worry too much about it, Einar. If we continue to work hard, we can make up for it. And if it means anything to you, I believe investing in this book is a brilliant idea. Unlike the last book – that turned out to be nothing but a recipe book, as you recall – this book seems to be some sort of log… I think for the Lost City of Coulin!"

Einar turned back to Trixie, who was waiting expectantly with a greedy hoof outstretched. Einar proceeded to slowly count out 850 Kolis from his and Twilight's money pouches. He put the pile of gold, silver, and copper into a large bag and hefted it in Trixie's general direction.

"Takk fyrir, Trixie looks forward to doing business with you two wonderful young ponies again," said Trixie. She dropped the money pouch into one of her many voluminous saddlebags and hoisted the whole lot upon her shoulders. Slowly she began to trot off towards the skyline of Canterlot, humming a little tune.

"I think she mean something more along the lines of 'Trixie looks forward to draining every last Kolis from you two wonderful young ponies again.' And she's not even that much older than us!" muttered Einar, almost indignantly.

Twilight, however, did not seem overly put off from their massive loss in monetary resources. All that mattered to her at that moment was the book that she and Einar had just purchased… and the knowledge hidden within.

"I haven't managed to do much but skim it so far," said Twilight, entering into her Twilight-Study-Mode, "But I have picked out some valuable points. There has indeed been a mention of the Skyfall event."

Einar looked over her shoulder with interest as Twilight flipped to the first page that mentioned that seemingly important term.

"See here?" said Twilight, using her Unicorn horn to both levitate the book and illuminate its ancient pages, "It says: 'The structure of building B has been taken into consideration. As with accordance to the Coulin Council, we must ensure that all buildings are built to withstand an event rivaling the Skyfall, with equivalent exceptionally damaging seismic patterns'…"

Einar cocked his head to one side. "This is indeed that 'Skyfall' event that is talked about in pony lore… That must mean whatever this is, it was made before the First End of the World."

Twilight nodded. "That was what I was thinking! Come, let's take it back to my house. I am all up for pulling an all-nighter reading this. You're welcome to stay with me if you plan to do the same!"

Einar actually grinned for once. "A whole night devoted to reading a book? By The Lady of Dying Light, yes!"

Twilight winked, and then trotted off to Canterlot, with Einar following closely behind.

Year 1000, Day 3
Einar opened his eyes groggily and looked at his surroundings. His muzzle had been squished into the couch that he had been using for a makeshift bed for the last couple days, and his mane was in complete disarray. Rubbing his eyes to push away the sleepiness clouding his mind, Einar recalled the events of last few days.

Ever since he and Twilight had bought that book from scavenger Trixie, the two ponies had been sleeping less and less, spending ever second of their waking time studying and renovating their purchased book with meticulous attention. Einar glanced to his left. Twilight was fast asleep, still with a hoof gently holding one of the leaves of the book. Einar groaned as he eased himself off the couch and collapsed to the ground. Scrambling to all fours, Einar shuffled over to where Twilight had passed out on the hardwood floor.

"First End of the World… The Sleeping… Skyfall… Shattered Moon…" mumbled Twilight quietly, her dreams plagued with the ubiquitous mysteries of the Lost World.

"Hey, Twilight Sparkle, wake up," murmured Einar, shaking his friend lightly, "That book isn't going to read itself."

Twilight opened one eye and looked at Einar with a violet (and sleep deprived) pupil. "Hmmmm?"

Einar plopped himself down beside Twilight and gently rolled her limp body out of the way so that he could have better access to the book. "I will grab us something to eat in a moment. I just need to finish this last passage."

Twilight waved a hoof in the air in a dazed manner. "Oh… Okay… Give me a second. I just need to stop seeing hallucinations of a… comfy… cozy… bed…"

Even at the sound of the term "bed" Einar could not help but yawn loud and long. Twilight immediately followed suit.

"Though most of this part is smudged out, I think I can make out the cataloging of several buildings that did not follow the construction regulations set by the Coulin Council. It seems there was two or three of the older houses, several storerooms, the Grand Library, a guardhouse…" mumbled Einar, leaning close to the page, his bleary eyes struggling to stay open. He failed. His eyes shut slowly and his head flopped down beside the book. He would have almost immediately drifted off to sleep, but there was a loud knock at the door.

"The door's open!" said Twilight as loudly as she could in her lethargic state.

The door handle turned, caught, and was returned to its original position.

"Twily, the door isn't," came the voice of the pony attempting to gain entry. It was Twilight's brother, Shining Armor.

"It isn't?" mumbled Twilight, almost sounding bemused by the statement, "Oh well…"

Einar, now slightly more awake than he had been a moment ago, struggled to all fours again and trotted to the door. He turned the key (which was still in the keyhole) and pulled the door open. Shining Armor immediately trotted in and looked the two ponies inside over.

"Einar… Twily… Have either of you slept at all?" he asked, his voice disbelief incarnate.

"I think I slept a couple minutes yesterday," said Einar, his voice a little muddled, "Or was that the night before?"

"You two bookworms will end up killing yourselves by doing this," said Shining Armor, his tone of voice exasperated, "Is this stupid Lost World book so important that neither of you can sleep for fear that it will turn into an Elding and vanish into the cracks?"

"That's absurd," groaned Twilight, "There has never been a shard of evidence ever stating that inanimate objects can suddenly transform into monstrous creatures. You're talking nonsense…"

Shining Armor trotted up to Twilight and slowly rolled her limp body onto his back. "Come on, I'm putting you to bed. Einar, you will be joining her."

"But the book… What if it disintegrates?" mumbled Einar, obviously not thinking clearly.

Shining Armor looked at the book for a moment. "Is it made of sand?"

"… Nei…?"

"Then it isn't going anywhere. Come on. Follow me."

His mind in a haze, Einar was barely aware of Shining Armor plopping Twilight down into her bed, and then shoving him muzzle-first into the covers beside her. Though he did not want to fall asleep again and lose precious studying time, the bed and its pleasurably soft covers proved to be overpowering. Einar curled up and began to fall asleep.

"Einar?" murmured Twilight, still on the precipice of sleep, "Did you manage to read anything?"

"Nothing of importance," replied Einar, his vision darkening, "Just several buildings that were going to be put up for renovations."

"Like…?"

"Oh, I think two or three of the older houses, several storerooms, the Grand Library…"

Suddenly Einar was very, very, very awake. A Grand Library. The term "library" meant a place full of books (something rather unheard-of in this current age), and since it was in Coulin that meant it would be brimming with ancient books, revealing secrets of the past…

"There's a library out there!" exclaimed Twilight, who suddenly shot out of the bed, her eyes bright again.

Einar quickly leapt out of bed. "There is!" he cried, "And if there is a library…"

"Then that means Trixie can find it and search it for books!" finished Twilight.

Einar and Twilight fairly much stumbled over each other to reach the door exiting Twilight's bedroom. However, as Einar and Twilight grasped the doorknob simultaneously, the door swung inward, causing the two Unicorns to tumble backwards and land in a heap upon the floor. Shining Armor – the pony that had pushed the door inward – poked his head into the bedroom and grimaced.

"You two are awake again?!"

"Big brother!" exclaimed Twilight, untangling herself from a dazed Einar and rushing to her brother's side, "We just realized that the ruins of Coulin have a library hidden within!"

Shining Armor's eyes did not even waver. He was unimpressed. "Coulin. That city is by Foal Mountian, in the middle of the Lost World. It's full of Draugr and the Sleeping. There is no way you can just waltz over there to investigate a library that may or may not even be there. And what's more, aren't Lost World libraries just myths?"

"Don't be ridiculous," exclaimed Einar, getting up from the ground, "Why would something ludicrously impossible and amazing be naught but a mythos?"

Shining Armor stared at Einar. "The phrase that just exited your mouth could pretty much be considered the prime example for the term 'oxymoron'."

"Even if we can't get to Coulin, we know somepony that can!" continued Twilight happily, "Trixie! She is a certified scavenger…"

Twilight's voice trailed off as she realized she said something she shouldn't have. Shining Armor was not supposed to know about Trixie, and the ludicrous deals the two ponies had made with her to get ancient books.

Shining Armor stared at Twilight, his eyes growing exponentially in seriousness. "Trixie the Scavenger?" he reprimanded, "How many times have I told you to stay away from her?"

Translations.
Gott Kvöld. (Good evening.)

Bjáni. (Fool.)

Takk fyrir. (Thank you very much.)

Nei? (No?)

Author's Note

At this time I shall explain what this "translation" thing is all about. As I said last chapter, I am striving to make this story unique. And so, after a bit of thought, I decided to tap into a culture that I actually know quite a bit about: Iceland's culture (well, a core branch-off of North-Germanic to be exact). I can speak the language (though not fluently) and I appreciate its folklore, and so I made the decision to add some components. Not too many, but just enough to give this story a bit of additional "flavor." The ponies in this story will indeed speak Icelandic (and even Finnish, as I am an enthusiast of that nation as well and its weird, weird language). However, Icelandic (and Finnish) will not be the most prevalent language spoken, that, of course, will be English. Think of it like this: someone from a different country has come to live in a land of a different language for many, many, many years. They will speak mostly in that other language, but in times of stress, anger, or tiredness they will revert to their homeland's tongue. This story will be of the same case. Anyway, that is enough babbling for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Chapter 3 - Scavengers

Year 1000, Day 3
Twilight grinned sheepishly. "Uhhhhh… Thirty seven times?"

"See?!" exclaimed Shining Armor, "You even counted!"

"But Shining Armor," pleaded Einar, attempting to appease Twilight's big brother, "Where else were we going to get books? It's not like Canterlot has a bookstore anywhere. The Lost World is the only place where we can get assets like this! And the only ponies brave enough to traverse the land are Scavengers!"

"You mean insane enough," snapped Shining Armor, brows furrowed, "Why can't you two ponies just find some other hobby that isn't stupid, expensive, and suicidal?!"

"This isn't just a hobby!" cried Einar.

"Even if it is more than a hobby, it isn't worth it," replied Shining Armor, his eyes still stern, "Why can't you two do something else for a change? Get more friends, perhaps? Go on a date?"

Einar pulled a face. "Oh, don't start that again... You know where that leads every time. Circles."

Shining Armor facehoofed. "What would mother say…? Look, ever since you two started asking an endless stream of questions about the Castle of Embers, you two have been in no end of trouble that is all I am saying at this point."

Twilight suddenly decided to tug her big brother over to a nearby window and pointed out of it with a hoof. The sky was a bright blue and the sun was rising over the east ranges in a brilliant display of rich colors. The myriad of massive shards of the moon were just visible over the West Mountains. However, despite these breath-taking visuals, the most outstanding element of the outside world was a massive faintly glowing bubble of gold that stood vigil straight north from Twilight's house. Within the massive bubble of gold was the crumbling ruins of an ancient castle. It had most probably once been a grand sight: a castle of epic proportions, plated and painted in creamy white, gentle purples, and shining golds… But now it was naught but a ruin, blackened and tarnished from age and completely overrun by nature. The centerpiece of Canterlot.

"Look at that, Shiny," said Twilight, her eyes wide, "How can a pony look at that massive bubble of awe-inspiring power and not wonder about its origins. What was the world like before the Skyfall? In fact, what was the world like eons ago before the First End of the World? Imagine… No Sleeping, no Draugr… Prosperity and peace for all. How can one not feel utterly intrigued by the mysteries the Castle of Embers represents?"

"Watch me," said Shining Armor. He looked at the Castle of Embers for a second, and then looked back Twilight. His features had not changed in the slightest.

Twilight could not help but roll her eyes. "That's not fair. You know what I mean."

Shining Armor sighed in resignation. "I can see in your eyes that neither of you intend to change your minds, no matter what I say. Just please be careful, the Scavengers are cunning tricksters, and I am sure you have been extorted out of your life savings more than once by now. I really need to track your bank account, Twily."

Twilight pulled a face. It was her turn to make a somewhat good-natured jab. "You don't have any of the details, though. The money that disappears could simply be a result of me going on a date with a pony you don't know."

Shining Armor could not help but grin a little at this point. "In your dreams Twily. There are two major problems with that statement. First: Einar would kill the pony attempting to woo you. Second: you would get distracted from whatever you were doing with that colt the second a pony came in with a book, and would end up never having time for your bow."

Twilight's eyes brightened. "The book! I totally forgot! Einar, we need to go to Trixie to talk to her about the Grand Library in Coulin! Let's go!"

In a flash the overly-excitable Twilight had seized Einar's right front hoof and dragged him out the door, leaving Shining Armor in the dust. The door slammed shut before Shining Armor managed to finish saying anything else.

"Andskotinn…"

"Slow down Twilight!" cried Einar, who was surprised to find himself nearly tripping over the pavement as he rushed to keep up with Twilight, who was galloping at a break-neck speed from her house. "Do you even know where Trixie could be at this moment?"

Twilight's hooves shot forward as she went into a slide to slow herself down, the air filling with the sound of something akin to tires screeching to a halt. Einar crashed into Twilight promptly, sending the two heads-over-hooves. Twilight was in no way distracted by this, however. Lying on the cold hard pavement, Twilight stroked her chin slowly as she replied, "Hmmmmm… Would Trixie be at the Ember Market?"

Einar rubbed his head as he thought about the suggestion. Ember Market was (as the name implied) a market that resided adjacent to the massive Castle of Embers. It was by far the largest market in Canterlot, and probably would be a prime location to set up shop for a Scavenger. "Yes," he murmured, "I think that would be perfect!"

Einar got up and proceeded to help Twilight up as well. The two quickly dusted themselves off and then continued in the direction of the massive glowing bubble that was the Castle of Embers. As the trotted, Einar looked about at his hometown: Canterlot. The houses around him were generally small, only one or two stories, and made of brick and wood. There were lights in the windows, and smoke rose from the tin or brick chimneys. The town of Canterlot was actually a lot smaller than it seemed from a distance, with the denizens of the town mostly living in concentrated areas around the Castle of Embers. All buildings on the outskirts were generally ruins, aged at least a thousand years. Beyond that was the perimeter, where Canterlot soldiers guarded zealously against anypony that was not a certified scavenger whom was trying to get out… or get in. Einar was pulled from his observations (once again) by Twilight, who nudged him lightly.

"Do you think there might actually be a 'Grand Library' in Coulin?" breathed Twilight, her eyes bright and wide.

Einar shrugged. "Think about it. We have a book that looks dated, but most certainly official. It is scripted in a foreman format, and it states things technically. Note that the writing was describing things within the pages as a fact, not as a possibility or a legend. I am nearly one hundred percent sure there is a Grand Library."

Twilight nodded her head. "I thought so. Come on! We are almost there!"

Twilight broke into a gallop once more as they rounded a corner store and the Ember Market came into view. The Market was actually somewhat of a grand affair, with large stalls of steel and cloth set up in clusters by the road. Everything from wares from local shops to oddities from the Lost World were on sale in this place. The murmuring of sales and bartering filled the air as the two ponies drew closer.

"Let's stick together," said Einar, looking about warily, "We wouldn't want to get separated. Knowing Trixie, she will probably be near the outskirts of this market."

Nodding silently, Twilight wordlessly complied with the suggestion and began to look about carefully. Ponies of many types and colors bustled about them, all going about their business of selling their wares by the light of the sun and the bubble that surrounded the Castle of Embers (both of which the merchants promptly ignored as if both were as timeless and normal as the other).

"Twilight!" exclaimed Einar suddenly, grabbing one of Twilight's shoulders with one hoof and pointing with the other. Trixie was languidly loitering near the edge of the massive Castle of Embers with her pile of saddlebags full to the brim with items from the Lost World.

Twilight and Einar quickly galloped over to where Trixie sat. Trixie lazily glanced up at them, considering them curiously from beneath the brim of a massive blue wizard's hat.

"Ahhhh… Gòðan daginn. What can Trixie do for you?"

"We were wondering if you would take a scavenging commission from us," said Einar, looking at Trixie hopefully.

Trixie cocked her head to one side. "It would cost you quite the amount of coin for such a thing. But Trixie digresses and admits that she is indeed interested in what you have to say. Go on."

Einar glanced at Twilight, prompting her to explain further. "In the last book we bought from you there were some logs describing the existence of a library."

Trixie's eyes lit up with the idea. Though most ponies had little to no interest in Lost World books these days, a library from ancient times was a thing of legend nonetheless, so the idea of one being accessible was favorable in any account. "Indeed? Trixie is interested. Do go on."

Twilight nodded her head vigorously. "Well, luckily for you… we have an exact location! It's not far from the Foal Mountains, your regular scavenging route! It's in the City of Coulin!"

Trixie's eyes shrunk to pinpricks for a moment, but then they returned to normal and narrowed… then she burst out laughing. Twilight blinked. "Did I… Did I say something funny?"

"Ertu að djóka? Oh, Twilight Sparkle, you're Jólasveinn. Going to Coulin? That idea is absurd beyond Trixie's imagination!"

Einar was not in the mood to listen to Trixie laugh at his friend, so he snapped, "What in the world are you talking about? What is so ridiculous about venturing to Coulin?"

Trixie wiped away an imaginary tear before responding. "Oh, forgive Trixie. She will word this in the simplest way possible: no amount of Kolins in the whole of the Lost World could ever begin to convince Trixie to go to Coulin."

Twilight, not deterred by being laughed at in any way, cocked her head to one side. "Why?"

Trixie sighed loud and long as she thought of a response. After a lengthy pause she finally started talking. "Trixie will tell you… But consider yourselves lucky, for Scavenger Lore generally stays with us solely. Rarely does a Scavenger ever consider sharing their knowledge the average fífl. Trixie shall tell you… The City of Coulin was made many years ago, yes? However, it was younger than towns like Canterlot, Trixie thinks, for it was made after the First End of the World but just before the Skyfall as many books say. When the Konugar Ponies first started to construct Coulin – also after the Konugar migration from Manehattan, the City of Stars, Trixie believes – they dug deep into the core of the earth to lay the foundations. But they dug too deep, and upturned the nest of primordial Draugr… A great Risi, Suthnur the Corrupted. Though it gathered its strength for many a year, Suthnur eventually rose up and destroyed everything and everypony. As Scavenger Lore states, Suthnur still resides within the cursed ruins, attempting to return to the state of sleep it had been in before the Konugar disrupted it with their foolish building of Coulin. Anypony venturing even a score of kilometers near Coulin now risks awakening the great Risi Suthnur and evoking its ornery wrath."

Einar blinked in shock. He had had no idea that Trixie possessed such an extensive knowledge of any lore. He thought that he and Twilight were fairly much the only ones who knew of the mythical Konugar, let alone the Draugr Risar. The shock made him bumble a little as he attempted to blow off the tale of fear. "That's dumb. You're dumb! Everypony knows that those Konugar Ponies never existed, same with Manehattan. They are all just myths!"

Trixie rolled her eyes scathingly. "Look who is saying that. Trixie recalls a certain pony named Einar spouting about how many things that were thought to be myths of the Lost World were indeed real."

Einar bit his bottom lip a bit as he thought of a response for a bit, then replied with something a bit more scientific. "Well… According to some of the things Twilight and I have read, it seems that Draugr are agitated by Pony-made structures. If a Risi did indeed come up to destroy Coulin, it would not have stayed long after. It would have left!"

Trixie's eyes did not even blink as she immediately replied, "Trixie is not willing to take such a risk. Her word is final."

Einar opened his mouth to argue, but Twilight tapped his shoulder, drawing him away.

"What is it?" asked Einar, a little irritably, "There is a Grand Library out there! A freaking Grand Library! How can Trixie pass up a chance of a lifetime like this?! Andskotinn!"

"It's no use, Einar," sighed Twilight, eyes downcast, "She has made it clear: she is not going to venture anywhere near Coulin. We have to give it up…"

"What are we to do then?" sighed Einar.

"I don't know," replied Twilight in a downhearted manner.

Einar's ears drooped with Twilight's. What was he to do? There were no other certified Scavengers willing to go anywhere near Foal Mountain, let alone into the ruins of Coulin. The only way he could ever get those books now was if he became a Scavenger and walked there himself. But that was insane and impossible… Or was it…? Einar's ears perked up, and so did Twilight as she suddenly thought of something as well. Einar quickly whirled to Twilight, who did the same to him, and they both exclaimed simultaneously, "We could become Scavengers!"

Twilight hopped in place a bit and squealed quietly. "Oooooh! This is such a good idea! We could look for hidden Lost World treasures till our hearts' content, have adventures, get to keep the stuff we find, and even get paid for it!"

Einar nodded his head readily and quickly made a roundabout turn to talk to Trixie again. "Trixie," Einar said, his tone of voice jovial once more, "How did you become a certified Scavenger?"

Trixie blinked in surprise, and then her eyes widened when she guessed his motives for asking such a question. "How Trixie became a certified Scavenger…? What? Oh… No. No. No! Trixie knows what you are planning, and she will tell you right now that is naught but a fool's errand!"

Einar's eyes hardened. "That is for Twilight and I to decide, thank you. How did you become a Scavenger?"

Trixie facehoofed. She then proceeded to slowly drag the hoof down her face as she groaned. "Methinks Trixie should be charging for the amount of information she has given out today… Very well. Trixie expressed her interest in venturing into the Lost World to the king's court. King Baldur has little interest in how we ponies expend our lives, so the work to become a suicidal scavenger is small. Some forms, a will, and a paper declaring that twenty percent of all items retrieved from the Lost World found to possess intrinsic value belong to King Baldur. You then receive a small amount of money for incentive – though Trixie thinks it is more of a pity payment: an apology in advance for our certain demise."

Though Trixie placed stress on the fact that Scavengers were almost always projected to die, all of those things went straight over Einar's and Twilight's heads. "Great!" exclaimed Twilight, her eyes bright with hope, "That will allow us to start on our journey sooner! Come on, Einar! Let's go back home! We can talk more about us becoming Scavengers there! Let's go!"

Twilight practically pranced off, her mind filled with possible adventures and exploits as she bravely fought through oceans of Draugr to reach the "glorious" Grand Library. Even the more level-minded Einar was visible excited by the possibility of exploration in the mysterious Lost World.

Trixie shook her head and muttered one word: "Heimskingjar."

Shining Armor was sitting in Twilight's armchair, looking over the recipe book that Twilight and Einar had procured from Trixie approximately a year ago, when Twilight burst in with Einar right behind. Shining Armor glanced up and said, "Twily, did you buy this? It's absurd! It's nothing but a compilation of useless information about foods we haven't seen in ages!"

"Big brother!" exclaimed Twilight, "Einar and I have come up with a brilliant idea. You will no longer have to worry about me spending money on books, because now we are going to become Scavengers and look for the books ourselves!"

Shining Armor dropped the book, and only a quick burst of magic from Einar's horn prevented the thousand-year tome from striking the hardwood floor.

"Scavengers?!" exclaimed Shining Armor, his eyes wide with shock. "Scavengers?! Hvaða fáviti ertu?! Who gave you this absurd idea?!"

Twilight was somewhat cowed by Shining Armor's outburst, but she could not help but say, "We thought of it! Trixie refused to go to Coulin to look for the library, so Einar and I decided we should go look for it ourselves."

"I… I will admit that it will be dangerous," added Einar, noticing how much in shock Twilight's big brother was.

"You're completely right! It will be dangerous! Einar, you have a level head on your shoulders, tell Twily how stupid this is!"

Einar grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his mane nervously. "Well… Shining Armor… We kind of thought up the idea together. However, if you will calm down for a moment, perhaps we can discuss this. I understand that you are worried for Twilight, but yelling will get you nowhere, you understand?"

Something about the way Einar said those words calmed Shining Armor down considerably. He sighed and settled down in Twilight's armchair. "I'm not just worried for Twilight, Einar. I'm also worried about you. Imagine what would happen to either of you mentally if the other died?"

"Shining Armor, if I was wandering the Lost World with your sister, I would never let her out of my sight. And I am sure she would say the same for me. However, I do believe Twilight and I could actually say the very same thing to you as well. You are the Captain of the Guard for King Baldur. You lead the perimeter soldiers for Canterlot, and you have to fend off against Draugr every day! You are risking death every single second you are out there and never give a single thought about what would happen to us if you die. But when you hear we want to do something similar, you blow your top!"

Shining Armor actually winced. Einar was spot-on with his reasoning. After a moment of thought, he responded. "You are right, Einar… But I am the eldest of us three. I have a responsibility to keep us all safe, and I will perform that responsibility to my last breath."

"You can't keep us safe forever, Shiny," replied Twilight gently, "You know me. I'm a bookworm. But I can't just sit here when I know there is an ocean of knowledge hidden out there in the Lost World! I can't live my life here, cooped up in this house with nothing to do! You understand… don't you?"

"Your sister is right," added Einar, "Many ponies are content with living their lives here in this small town in peaceful monotony… But we can't. We've learned too much. We need to discover what is out there."

Shining Armor almost looked as if he was about to shake his head mournfully, but then he simply said, "You are right, Einar. You are right, Twilight. If this is what you want to do, then I will be the last to stop you. But please… please be careful."

Twilight seized Shining Armor in a tight hug. "Thanks, big brother!"

Einar nodded. "Yes, I am glad we have your blessing."

Twilight released Shining Armor and turned to Einar, her eyes bright with excitement. "Come on! Let's go to the king's court!"

Translations.
Komið þið sæl og blessuð. (Hello. [This is used to address a group of people of mixed gender.])

Andskotinn. (Damn. [However, this literally translates into "the devil."])

Hvaða fáviti ertu? (What kind of idiot are you?)

Gòðan daginn. (Good morning.)

Ertu að djóka? (Are you joking?)

Jólasveinn. (Buffoon. [This last word literally translates into "Santa Claus." However, Icelandic lore has 13 Santa Claus creatures, all of them being nasty, impish pranksters, so calling someone this is like calling someone a silly fool or an imp.])

Fífl. (Idiot.)

Heimskingjar. (Fools.)