The Hand Of Despair

Everfree Forest Proper

Daring's PoV

Ahuizotl and myself quietly walked along the ancient animal trails, generations of Everfree monsters had used the very same path creating the closest thing to a road that can be in the wild forest. As we walked I took time to marvel at the ageless woods according to legend The Everfree had stood since the beginning of time and supposedly the trees themselves were ageless, always moving as if they had a will of their own, nopony had ever fully mapped out the forest because of this not even the princesses who spent their entire foalhood inside of the forest could find their way here for each time a pony enters the forest's layout is never the same. There are countless stories and rumors of ponies simply vanishing in the woods only to return a day later ancient and half dead old ponies, yet there no records of such ponies minus the rumored strange disappearances. Out of the corner of my eye I glance at Ahuizotl who like me felt at home in the wild woods.......I guess it's strange for a daughter of an Canterlotian Noble to felt at home in places like the Everfree and other ancient places in the world but like Ahuizotl who was born in such places I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

As we walked listening to the voice of the forest I felt my mind clear itself of the stress I been facing with my books lately, it seems that Ahuizotl knew exactly what I needed to get back in the game. At the moment I realized that Ahuizotl had been acting strange for him ever since we survive the trials in the Dragon temple to inquire (steal) the Golden Dragon's tooth, he was more reservoir and much more nervous at times which was completely out character for the blue Sphinx-monkey.......there wasn't much to explain why the sudden change besides the usual life or death situations but now then that shouldn't cause the sudden change after the third time of nearly getting eaten by an Basilisk you quickly get use to the life of an adventurer. As I became lost in my thoughts as to what made my best friend change so quickly I knew that the cannibalistic dragon priests really had nothing to do with Ahuizotl not being himself, we had dealt with them before back in The Frozen North.......no the change started way before we met them in their temple maybe the day before I first noticed Ahui being unusually nerves mumbling to himself.......something about an ring.......what ring? We had seen millions of different rings from millions of cultures both current and lost. What so special about some ring to make him blush when I asked him why he was talking to himself for? Stallions! always having to keep things to themselves. Grumbling  to myself I followed the sphinx-monkey deeper into the Everfree suddenly I felt the ground breath my hooves give instantly I felt my wings locked up in surprise......ruining any chance I had to fly away from the hungry earth.

''AHUIZOTL.......'' I yelp as I was  swallowed into the darkness of the earth, I could hear Ahuizoti screaming my name pounding on the earthen wall between us, deeper into the earth I felled with my legs struggling to find any means of hoofhold but the dirt walls of the tunnel was hard as stone and just as smooth strangely despite falling deeper and deeper by the second I still could hear the echos of Ahuizotl's calls........ I hissed in pain as still my locked wings  begin bash themselves against the rocks in turn causing me to  tumbled wildly against the walls of the long tunnel but the wild tumbling does slows my descent by some or rather it does little to slow me down. Just as my wings start to move under my control again I landed hard in piles of  what seemed to be very ancient bones of Everfree monsters moaning loudly as everything went hazy before fading into pitch black

The Ruins

Azwraith's PoV

Unleashing what little power I had left I drawn upon on the very life source of the invader leading my rather very limited sight to the only living creature in Thorth-un-gol, from the stoned prison my shadowy graze pierced the everlasting cloak of darkness showing me the prone form of an strange yet pitiful small disguised and discolored Pegasus.......an female judging by both aura and bone structure, estimated age 15 to 22. It was all I could do was just to look at her an rather poor means to study this..... new life form if I was free of that accused prison then I would've able to properly study her but for now observation would have to do while studying the invader I took notice that she was wearing olive green shirt an adventurer hat combo.......perhaps evidence of intelligence? I had seen strange creatures myself included but merely wearing clothes isn't much to suggest true intelligence.......I need more information if only I could get her to touch my prison or have she break a piece then I'll be free of my ancient tomb and able to ''extract'' the information of the outside world from her but as of right now it's taking up everything I have just to look at her...........yawn.....my time is running short, soon I will sleep and enter my regretful memories once again. Perhaps when I awake I'll see blue skies once more yet that was asking too much.

Hmm she's waking up now perhaps she could.....yawn.....be some entertainment before the sleep claims me any moment she'll start to panic.....it's always funny to watch prey run around in the dark like their heads were chopped off.......yawn.....if she is intelligent it's only more funny -sigh- but at less I'm not alone in this ruin anymore......at least an for while.

Yawn...oh what I'll do for a chance to feel the warmth of sun on my form again.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Ruins

Daring's PoV

*Groan*

''Ohhhhh my head'' I groaned painfully while attempting to cradle my poor head with swore and rather heavy limbs, sounds of clinking objects harmonized with each slowed heavy movement of my hooves. I couldn't tell if I have my eyes open or not, the world was like the unnerving starless night ponies use to talk about before Luna's return to power, gently as lead fulled limbs could I slowing tried to stand.....only feel sharp pain along my wings and came crashing back down to what I hope was dust covered solid ground yet again the sounds of objects rattling against each other filled my throbbing head. I lay there in the darkness for moments the only sound that echoed in the gloom was my own breathing or so I thought.........there was an weak voice on the air so faint I could even barely hear it.

Daring!!! Daring!!!! Answer me!!!!! Daring Do!!!

Ahuizotl? Why is he calling for me.........*groan*......... oh my head, what in Celestia's mane happen? Wait...........something coming to me.....yes me and Ahuizotl was walking in an forest.......yes that's sound about right but what happen next? A few more moments pass as nothing comes to mind yet it was clear that something had gone wrong but the question is what? What am I forgetting! I mentally shout as pain crept along my wings causing me to hiss loudly with every twitch of moment. Again I waited for the pain to stop yet the throbbing failed to fade away, my mind cruelly play images of ruin wings that would never be able to kiss the air again.........I need light I need to see what became of my beautiful tan wings! The worse thing that ever could happen to an Pegasus is to lose their wings forever cutting them off the joys of flying and robbing them of their magic just like removing an Unicorn's horn stealing an Unicorn's magic (and their very life in most cases) forevermore. Despite my natural panic I dare not move if my wings were damage then any movement of the two limbs could very well ruin them permanently, yet  deep down I knew that I shouldn't be here.......wherever I am. Foul air no doubt disturbed just by my being here began to fill my nose with the stench of death......the familiar smell of the long dead eagerly played in my nose yet it was more fouler then I remembered, a clear sign if any that nothing living would remain in this place willingly. The smell about an smile to my face as well many fond memories of misadventures with Ahuizotl........

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Oh Buck! Now I remember!

Oh Buck! Now I remember!