Chapter I: Into The Motherland

The wind howled as frost gnawed ineffectively at the winter coats of the trio of traveling ponies. The storm of frost and snow raged around them and clouded their vision. Their warm, labored breaths came out in small plumes of vapor. Deep, packed snow crunched beneath their hooves as they made their way through the tundra. All three were wearing form fitting, insulated, heavy winter coats with hoods and goggles. One was gray, one was blue, and the other was green. Strapped to their backs were packs and saddle bags containing rolled up sleeping bags, food, water, and miscellanous tools. Two of their number – the green and blue ponies, known as Culture Shock and Mono Lithic respectively – were unicorns, their horns protruding from their hoods. The gray pony, known as Daring Do, was a pegasi, hinted at by the lumps on her sides where her wings were. The trio trudged onwards through the storm, the only sounds heard between them was the crunch of snow, their breathing, and the storm around them.

Then, Culture Shock spoke up, "Guys, I think we should set up camp here for the night!" he suggested, yelling over the din of the raging blizzard.

"I agree! I think we all need some rest!" said Mono Lithic.

The mare gritted her teeth in annoyance. She knew she could easily go another mile or so before she needed to rest, but she had offered to be their guide, and thus she could not go out on her own and leave them to their own devices. Besides, if she did, they could die, and she didn't want to be the one responsible for their deaths.

"Fine! We'll make camp here!" she relented.

The three took out shovels from their packs and began to dig a hole in the snow. Eventually, after hours of trial and error, they had made an eighteen by twenty by twenty foot spherical cave in the snow. Two shelfs were present in the cave. One was significantly bigger than the other, and was where they had placed their sleeping bags, brush laying underneath them. The other shelf above that was where they had started a small fire with the bits of tinder from their packs. Just above the small block of ice and snow they used to make a door was a small hole for ventilation. A cold air sump lay at the lowest point of the cave near the entrance.

After making sure everything was as it should be, they all settled down inside the cave. Pulling out their lunches of different salads and assorted nuts, they started to eat their respective meals.

"I know I've said it a million times now, but I'm so glad we studied about surviving in the tundra." said Culture.

The mare grunted in reply.

"Something wrong, Daring?" asked Lithic.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it Lithic." Daring replied.

"Are you sure?" queried Culture.

"I said I'm fine, Culture! Just hurry up and eat so we can sleep!" Daring snapped.

Lithic and Culture decided to drop the subject then and there and continued eating. Soon, all three had finished their meals and were curled up in their respective sleeping bags, each matching their winter coat's color. Eventually, they drifted off to sleep.

That morning, all three awoke to a blue light shining in their eyes. Looking around, they stopped and stared in awe and slight fear at the source of the light. Floating above them was a flaming blue skull of some long forgotten and unknown creature. Daring immediately got out of her sleeping bag and took up a defensive stance.

The skull stared with its souless eyes for a moment, Daring staring right back. Then it jerked itself in the direction of the doorway. The three stared in confusion before Daring finally understood.

"I think it wants us to follow it." she said.

"You can't be serious! It's a flaming skull for Celestia's sake!" said Culture Shock.

"I think Daring is right. Besides, it can't hurt us." said Lithic.

"How do you know that?" Daring asked.

"I've read about these things. It's a wisp. They're spirits of ponies who died but never moved on. Most of the time they would lead ponies to secret places, although sometimes they lead them to their deaths." Lithic informed.

"Lead them to their deaths!? No way! I'm not doing it!" Culture replied.

"That's only sometimes! Besides, the King of Terraria was rumored to have numerous companions and exotic pets! Including wisps! Besides, wisps have only been seen in swamps and marshes. If there's one out here then it must be the Kings!" Lithic shot back.

"But what if it isn't!? What if it leads us to a grisly death!?" Culture retorted.

"We'll just have to take that chance. We have no idea where the City of Auroras is! If there's a chance this thing can lead us to the city, then we should take it!" Daring suggested.

"Fine! But if we die, I'm blaming you!" Culture relented.

"That's fine with me." Daring replied.

The three hastily went about packing up camp. They gathered the tinder from the fire, rolled up their sleeping bags, grabbed the brush and foilage, and finally they were set. Strapping on their saddle bags, the group watched in awe as the wisp flew through the wall before following it outside the snow cave.

Once outside, they noticed the blizzard had calmed down. While it was still snowing heavily, it was nowhere near as harsh as before. It seemed calm now, more serene. The wisp was waiting just a few feet in front of them.

"Lead the way." said Daring.

The wisp nodded and flew off in a seemingly random direction, but managed to slow down enough for the ponies to keep up. They traveled for hours, and some began to wonder if the wisp really was leading them to their deaths. That was, until they saw what looked like an aurora up ahead. They marveled at the dazzling reds, blues, yellows, greens, and purples of the lights.

And then, they saw the source of the lights. The city shone and sparkled with a miriad of different colors, shocking the three into silence. Walls and watchtowers lined the outside of the city, looking surprisingly menacing despite their cheery prismatic light. Ice and snow coated every inch of the city, only furthering the dazzling effect by reflecting the rainbow colored light even more. Three grooves spiral up the length of each of the towers, lending them all an organic feel. Beyond those walls was a city filled with shining buildings of all kinds. Their roofing was of a strange white tile that brought out the color in each of the shining prismatic bricks used to make the walls.

The castle, however, was what really caught their attention. Tall frost covered spires reached for the heavens, making it look almost like a gothic cathedral from Trottingham. Large, ornate, frost covered windows allowed light in from the outside. Flying buttresses flanked every side of the tall structure, distributing the weight of the massive castle. Battlements were visible from where they stood, although they could not make out much detail from their distance.

Daring pumped a hoof in victory, whilst the two stallions danced around each other. It was every bit as beautiful as they had hoped. After their little celebration, the group were lead to the city gate. The gate consisted of two twenty foot tall, silvery blue metal doors. Statues of tall, bipedal beings in thorny, silver armor reminiscient of hedgehogs with large wings were carved into the strange metal of the doors. Upon closer inspection, the frost and snow covered doors had numerous dents and scratches dotted around their surface. Despite this, the doors still managed to look beautiful and whole. The scratches and dents were certainly noticable once up close, but from afar the doors looked as majestic as they had during their golden days.

The wisp flew through the doors, defying several laws as it phased through them. The three ponies waited outside for a few moments, before the doors miraculously began to open. The ice covering the hinges cracked as the strength of the doors' inner mechanisms forced the doors open. After a few seconds filled with the sounds of gears and metal creaking and groaning, the doors were open, revealing the beautiful city within.

Trembling with excitement, the trio followed the wisp to the castle. On their way they passed markets, noble districts, artisan districts, and plain old houses. Despite being empty, abandoned, and covered with sheets of ice and blankets of snow, the city was intact. There were no crumbling houses or buildings, no cracks or anything of the sort. And, every building looked magnificent. Even without the shimmering rainbow bricks used to construct each building, they still looked like masterpieces of architecture. Each cut of stone added more and more to the beauty of each building. Peaked rooftops, gargoyles, statues, and decorative rain spouts covered each and every building.

Finally, the group made it to the castle gates. Again they were greeted with those same silvery blue metal doors, and again they were forced to wait as the wisp opened them from the other side. Once opened, the group saw the large, frozen moat below them. Inside the ice were what looked like prehistoric fish. The wisp lowered the drawbridge, allowing the group to cross the moat. Once across, they could make out the finer details of another silvery blue metal door, this time with crossed swords below a crown with wings carved into them. After they opened, the group entered the castle proper.

Inside was a long hallway with a long blue carpet stuck to the white tiled floor by frost. Grandfather clocks with pendulums were stopped mid swing by ice covered mechanisms. Old stands of heroic looking dark blue armor with crown like protrusions on the helmet were stuck firmly together by layers of frost. Continuing north through an intersection, the group found themselves in the throne room.

Large white pillars supported the ceiling, armor stands in front of them. A large, platinum throne sat atop a raised platform, covered with a large block of ice in the shape of a bipedal creature. A large, decorative window behind the throne shined light down on it. The group stopped just in front of the throne, allowing them to see what lay within the ice and eliciting several gasps from them. Inside the ice was a bulky figure in white robes with purple and light blue accents and frills. Its small eyes, despite being frozen, still shone a piercing frosty blue. On its head was a platinum crown with a single ruby set in it. It's mane was a pale blue, and was fairly shaggy. It had virtually no muzzle and a small nose. Its skin was a pale gray, like the surface of the moon. Its ears were small and rounded, unlike any creature they had seen. Wings made of what looked like densely packed ice could barely be made out with all the other ice around the body.

Culture Shock and Mono Lithic squealed like girls at the sight of the presumed-dead-or-missing King. Daring just stared in awe at the ancient being encased in ice, feeling the raw power it exuded even though it was frozen. It was staggering. It's eyes seemed to gaze directly into her soul, and for once she felt scared. She was gazing into the eyes of a thought-to-be-dead Immortal. She now realized how foolish every scholar and historian had been to think that an immortal being was dead. Of course, she always knew that the King couldn't be dead, but with everything she had learned and heard, it seemed logical.

"Quick! Pull out the tinder so we can unthaw him! We have to interrogate him!" Culture ordered, shaking with excitement.

Lithic complied eagerly, pulling the tinder out of his saddlebag and placing it in front of the frozen King before lighting it with a spark from his horn. The ice began to melt at a steady pace, leaving a puddle in it's place. Daring was snapped out of her stupor by the sound of fire crackling, causing her to tackle Lithic to the ground.

"You idiot! That was the last of our tinder! Now we'll freeze to death!" Daring shouted angrily as she glared at the stallion.

"I-I forgot! I just got so caught up in the excitement that I forgot! Don't hurt me!" Lithic pleaded pathetically.

"Uh...guys..." Culture spoke up.

"What?!" Daring demanded.

Culture pointed towards the throne, and the other two turned their heads to see the King standing above them.

"Hello. Care to tell me who you are, what you are, and what you're doing in my kingdom?"