The Hand Of Despair

by Lord Despair

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Romance, Horror, Alternate Universe, Anthro, Drama
Length: 7338

Darkness was everything he knew and saw, unaware of the changes, he lived. But the light came once more and lead him out of the darkness. The world he once knew has changed

How can you betray yourself?
With your shadow.
When that is around, the shadow are your worst enemy; especially your own.
The world is destined to change; it doesn’t matter if you are not present.
That was it's case;
it was a prisoner and was left in the dark where the light was only faint rumor.
It was devoid of knowledge about the present world.
Learning was a necessity.
Ironically the light freed it.
The world is different from what used to be,
that mankind governed the outside world;
not those mythological creatures from the human folklore.
There is a mistake in all of this.
Is not an IT.
Is a HE.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-15 19:41:17 UTC

Prologue: The Tomb

Hidden away in the very bowels of the earth, where the light is a faint rumor; is the long forgotten deeps where no one ever ventured. But such claim is wrong; there stands utterly alone a statue that mix with the dark that only the most perceptive of eyes can see its form from afar, this statue was unlike any that had been build in civilizations, the statues were known  to show power, victory, sadness, regret, calmness, happiness, memories. However this black pillar of stone could only spoke of the negative aspects that never are showed in statues because art I supposed to be beautiful not terrifying. The shape of the cave where is located has several tunnels connecting to it either be smaller or bigger allowing to the air to reach the place but still barely; however it can create the harmony of the caves filling the environment with its baleful melodies. But the melodies are not alone; is accompanied by a voice a deep one which is distorted but when one can manage to understand it is possible to hear the lyrics of a song; if that can be considered as one.

Beware

Beware, beware from the eyes in yellowish flames

We’re one with the darkness

Dwells in the shadows

Especially yours,

Don’t try to flee

Because betray yourself you will

Near is your End

Beware

The light is your enemy

The darkness is your doom

Run and hide,

If you can

Let your prays loose

When he reaches you

You will die

“I still find amusement with that tune after countless years of playing it back.''

A voice emanated from the supposed artistically structure yet the faint mirth in its voice fades leaving it an empty silent shell for a while.

“No!”

 “Is been EONS, how much longer must I suffer in this gloom!?''

One would believe that there inside a statue there is nothing but as it had been stated before this statue is different from the others meaning that it was a mental escape where the only resident remain there, what lurked in the surreal land was a ‘thing’; describing it with words would have been an impossible task. ''I cannot endure another year inside of this miserable statue,'' he growled with venom and fretfulness, supposedly his form was sitting upon a small structure that served as a seat he didn’t find comfort from it not because the seat wasn’t comfortable because it was fantasy however he still was aware that a body has limbs; even if it was moldable at his tastes, his surrounding both mental and external were pure darkness but from his pseudo-eyes he could see the faint ghost forms of what used to be a capital city where people used to live; more than anger was dread the overwhelming feeling that at last came victorious. His gaze went upwards meeting the nothingness, also can be called the void, there was no point in shouting and yelling curses, furthermore for meaningless pleads and cries of anguish; he passed several centuries intercalating between them. Anyways it served him somehow to spend the time; but immortality is a curse.

“Freedom! I demand liberation from this humiliating prison!”

As always and expected no answer arrived to him.

''HARLOTS!!'' he roared to the void that was supposedly the sky in his mental escape “My freedom will arrive!''

Silence.

He sighed as his hauntingly yellow pseudo-eyes focused on the outside world; or outside prison, so once again he could take a glance at the debris that used to be city.......his proud city. “Thorth-un-gol … seeing you in this state destroy me from the inside, where are your majestic buildings? Your arcane towers? Your proud citizens? The sanctuaries? Your vast fields of natural life?''

He remembers, he recalls the events of that fateful day when the need arises or when he tries to analyses the situation and think what he could’ve done. But this time it was neither of those two, he simply wanted to remember in fake peace.

***Memory Sequence many years ago***

The Great City of Thorth-un-gol, the hidden capital city of unique living beings that stood proud for more than two thousand years…

 Was collapsing by the hellish flames…

Ever city gates were surrounded by armies of Humanity, humanity forgot each other differences and their long history of distrust and wars ended, because they shared a common goal, one single purpose.

Purge the world from the plague.

Humanity held dear the belief that the monsters are to be hunted to the last; to their eyes monsters were irrational creatures which their bloodlust was the only thing they could follow.

 Humanity after reconciling with each other became proud in their numbers, vast armies and especially their technology, and with pride and high morale they began their assault on the city starting to siege the walls; however their armies were pushed back by the braves forces charged to protect those walls with their very lives no matter the cost. The army consisted in every monster that was known in the world and was registered in the human’s archives; Werewolves, Harpies, Giants, Elves; Windigos, Vampires, Minotaurs, Fauns, Gorgons, Ghosts, Trolls, Witches, Zombies, and many others species fought against the persistent humans who tried to force their way in to the city.

http://cddiski-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/40353/screenshot/e2a8c69f.jpg

The Goliath was the pride of the last technological masterpiece of human engineers’ creation; kings and generals held together several banquets after the first Goliath was finished, the maximum weapon. Deforestations were done; iron mines were emptied of its resources, quarries were drastically reduced only to produce these masterpieces. Bigger than the giants and also stronger, power to crush entire squads, able to spread boiling oil around it, spit fire like a dragon and several canons accompanied by rifles and crossbows.

Truly a masterpiece.

The numbers in the battlefield were unknown to the defense forces but they couldn’t focus to such things while their own giants were trying to destroy the first deployed Goliath.

But also they couldn’t forget that they had other war-machines to worry for, though unlike the Goliaths some of them were useless against the Trolls who their size and strength could destroy them in a single blow and the goblins easily dismantled them from the inside.

But since the arrivals of the warfare master piece the fighting spirit of the humans skyrocketed, and their numbers were something to not laugh of, Thorth-un-gol’s forces were outnumbered 450 to 1; it was a lost battle. It didn’t matter that they were repelling waves of waves of enemy soldiers it was matter of time for the line of defense to succumb to the enemy. However any of the soldiers were going to fall until they have killed enough, no matter if they were impaled, shoot, pierced, burned, cut; they would use their last breath to deliver a killing blow.

''Captain!'' a strained shout of an ogre could be heard from afar; the same word repeating over and over again and it became louder, the ogre was wounded from both bullets and arrows, his leather armor seemed useless against the power of the fire arms ''Captain Azwraith!! The east gate is failing!! Captain Wind called for reinforcements!”

“Another giant appeared in the battlefield!!!” The ogre finisihed with another terrible notice, each appearance of an artificial giant was a terrible blow to the army morale.

'' DAMNATION!!'' Yelled a grim figure that had resemblance with human silhouette, the yellow flames which served as the eyes turned blood red.

 ''Its impossible!!  The north gate had already fallen; those cursed abominations of giants are wiping out everything that attempt to block its path.''

“But the east gate will fall too!”

“THEN GO AND DEFEND IT!” The black figure was no more, his final shout turned him completely red.

Silence followed, the red color slowly returned to the natural grim dark, Azwraith Nevermore sighed knowingly the reality of the situation at hand, his city was going to be destroyed.

'' Captain I was ordered to search for your aid in the battlefield.'' The wounded soldier spoke, his breaths becoming labored as the time was wasted inefficiently.

“There are no more troops to deploy, reinforcements is an impossible task.”

The soldier averted his gaze to another place but Azwraith’s pseudo-eyes., disappointment and small hint of despair descending upon his shoulders, he a powerful ogre grunt was scared.

“I shall head to the east gate.” The shadow began to take form, he could be anything that he wanted; he could change at will but he always had preference to the human form. However that didn’t mean that he would keep the form one hundred accurately; this time he took a form of an hybrid a combination of all the species known by him. He had already set on his will that he will take down at least one of those fake giants.

“Captain?”

“I shall be the reinforcements for the Captain Wind, bring your hand.” The brutish soldier was hesitant but those thoughts were shaken off hastily and with determination he grabbed the supposed hand of his captain and placed a considerable grip on it. He felt how the wounds of his body were closing as the pieces of metals were falling to the floor, then he saw that he had been healed. “Now is time for us to head to the battlefield where our brothers are fighting with courage.”

*** End Memory Sequence*******

A series of loud sounds echoed through the darkness, it was rocks or ruins falling; and there were only two possibilities for a rock or ruins fall inside the cave, either be that there was an earthquake or that something found the a way to enter the remains of a fallen city. But if it was an earth quake I would have felt the incoming waves from the underground and it would have been louder, leading me to conclude that indeed was a living being who has entered the scorched grounds of Thorth-un-gol.

I’m curious; I want to know the foolish being that dared to invade my sacred land.

Between the trees of the Everfree forest, resided a tree but a different tree; unlike the thousands of trees inside the forest this specifically one had a small but well maintained tree-house, the residence had an owner who was very famous and for being famous being secluded was the best option to avoid crowds and more. Inside the small build currently was a tan Pegasus mare dressed in her symbolic explorer shirt and her famous adventurer hat; of course we are talking about Daring Doo, the author of the Daring Doo’s series a world famous book, which is rumored that even the princesses read the books.

However the author was debating with herself, a lot of things were on her mind but only two issues were which she put more effort to find a solution; the first was about take a bath or not and the second topic was about her last book.

'Daring do and the Golden Dragon's Tooth' was …

Different.

A failure in sales to be brutally honest.

Her right hoof passed over her face as she groaned in annoyance; she blamed those critics and also the company who was designed to publish and announce her work; Daring put a lot of effort in trying to create something new with her last book a different kind of adventure if it could be said; but sometimes what one like doesn’t mean that the rest will do. She blamed the company for not revising the contents or even tried to stop her from publishing the book, she recalled a long time ago when she submitted her first book to the company and they were extremely critical and very perfectionist with the details and since she became famous they trusted her that whatever she gives would be top quality, they trusted her too much it seems.

To her unpleasant surprise also her fans sent letters to her; she was accustomed to them and always it had written on them about how awesome the book was or asking about a sneak peak for the next book, but this time was different; really but really different. This time the letter contained complains and insult, it could be called hate-mail; however between all those letter something held in common, the book was horrible and deserved to be destroyed for good. Daring never thought that she would use her fans’ letters for maintain the fire of her chimney, and here it is doing what she never thought she would do, over and over again a letter was send to be burned but she separated one from the rest because it was formal unlike the others, she had an idea of who was the responsible.

She was right, the company threatened her.

She needed to write another and bring it over as soon as possible, and it must return the fame that the Daring Doo series had before the fall. If not, not only she would be fired, she would never be able to write again for other companies because the owner and directors were very but very spiteful, if she failed to meet the terms of her last chance they would made sure that her career as writer would be ruined for the next 4 generations.

She sighed, she was tired of dealing with that, and she was tired of everything.

“So, this is failure.”

She never had experienced that feeling since she was a filly, but nobody can compare failure as a young with failure as an adult the two of them are different by a long gap.

In front of the chimney her legs slowly gave away and she allowed her body to gently fall and meet the wooden floor of her house, she brought both of her hooves to her head and tried to cover herself with them hoping that everything will end or just vanish, that somehow exist the edit option to she could correct her mistakes. No, she wasn’t going to cry for something so petty she was going to overcome this obstacle but dread was an understanding;

''Daring Doo?'' a voice echoed through the room where she was laying, she knew who the owner was but she didn’t say anything much less move her body. ''Are you alright?''

No response.

“We need to talk.” The owner voice became serious, it was obvious what he wanted to talk. After all she went behind his back and published it without him knowing because she feared that the he was going to reject it and prevent her from publishing it; she also regretted that course of action.

“I know Ahuizotl!” The pony from the floor replied with mild anger or frustration that had been coaxing inside her.

“I just… you know… this is... I’m sorry okay?!”

“You wanted me to say it?! I AM SORRY!”

“SORRY!”

Ahuizotl remained silent as he stared at his friend, and how she tried to cover herself with both of her hooves.

“You don’t need to yell at me, you know?” He deadpanned.

“Gosh… all of this…is just…frustrating.”

Daring Doo and Ahuizotl the main character and the villain from the book were next to each other, they were friends and also adventurers, or explorers.

Her books actually contains her adventures over the unknown part of the world shouting to be discovered, technically is her diary in some way that was sold for the public to read it. Most of the contents happened for real, you heard right; most. It was true that exploring and venturing into isolated places were dangerous and you could have the bad luck to encounter grave robber or just thieves hoping to find an old artifact or relic; however those cases were rare. The traps were not that dangerous, though they were very well hidden between the ruins and literally a bad step was the meaning of dead; so it could be said that her life was always on the line in each temple or sanctuary she had entered before, but also there were other times that she found all the traps already triggered and a corpse or just bones.

But how she was able to find lost ruins when other didn’t?

The answer was easy.

She asked for help with the local natives.

Strangely she found somepony who knew how to speak Equestrian, the natives weren’t wild like her books described; most of them were quite friendly and were fascinated by the foreigners, but other times any of them knew the language so she needed to spend a few months learning the basics so the interaction could be possible and with that obstacle surpassed they could tell her the stories about their culture and lead her to places that used to be from lost civilizations.

She could say that she knew more languages than any other being in the planet; of course don’t counting the princesses since she didn’t know if they are multilingual.

But what does this has to do with Ahuizotl being her friend?

Ahuizotl was a native from a tribe that was near a lost temple from the south continent, that place is still unexplored but the crown had already send expeditions teams this year; however the Pegasus could claim with pride that she was the first to discover those places, the first foreigner of course; she already forgot the name of the tribe and that’s something that might stay in secret in front of her friend. The story with her friend was that he had the adventurer spirit and wanted meet the world so he left the tribe with Daring Doo; at first she was very hesitant with the idea of a companion even more that said fellow adventurer only knew his native language so Daring taught him how to speak Equestrian as they explored more; it took him years to learn the language and the written part was another story. They met each other for years in other words.

But why she put him as the villain?

Simple.

When Daring began to write her first book she needed a villain with a good name and also not a common, so Ahuizotl was perfect; of course with his approval.

'' Well, your little stunt ruined the good name of the series'' Ahuizotl remarked.

“Thanks! You really know how to cheer up somepony.” The tan Pegasus glared daggers at him; her sarcasm was too easy to find in her voice.

Ahuizotl rubbed his temples as he sighed in exasperation; it was ONE of those times.

“Are you going to calm down?”

Daring Doo kept staring at him with her narrowed face, he just raised an eyebrow with the intentions to say without words that his position wasn’t going to change in the slightest unless she realized her mistake.

It was a stare battle; but it didn’t last long since the pony sighed in defeat and slowly stood up from the wooden floor, in her mind she prayed that she didn’t get an itch stuck somewhere on her belly because she felt a pinch minutes ago.

So they talked.

A lot.

Despite letting everything out of her chest she didn’t drop a single tear in the whole ordeal, she believed that crying was a waste of time.

Now Daring was resting on her hammock which was customized enough so she wouldn’t have any problems with her wings at the moment of sleep; the reason she didn’t get a bed was that with a hammock one can move side to side with it, it is a moving object unlike the bed. Probably is a child thing but it was her decision after all.

 “Hey” her friend started

“Mmm?” The Pegasus was not fine and was exhausted mentally, staying in her hammock and swaying side to side was everything that she wanted to do, nothing was going to move her even if the there was an incoming arrow or fire she wouldn’t not move an inch she could die for all what she care; however it appears that her luck only accompany her when she is exploring.

“Its adventure time.”

“What?” Surprisingly to her, she had moved from her spot.

“Its adventure time.” Ahuizotl’s grin was any indication, he had something in mind that might cheer her up.

“That sounded very childish.” She returned with a small smile of hers

“So…I take it as a yes?”

Daring Doo forgot all the reasons of why she stayed on her hammock and gave a determinate look “Bring me my hat and count me in.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, however he already achieved his objective, Daring Doo has returned to business.

Chapter 1 I am Azwraith part 1 unedited

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........

.........

...............

.....................

.................................

Oh Buck! Now I remember!

Oh Buck! Now I remember!

Chapter 1 I am Azwraith part 2 unedited

Daring's PoV

''Ahuizotl!!'' I cried after remember what happen immediately I tried to stand on my hooves but only to feel that sharp pain again and for sound of rattling bones to met my ears reminding of my possible fate if I was trapped here but I did manage to get on my two hooves '' GO to Ponyville and get help!! I think my wings are wounded!!''

'' Okay Daring! stay where you are! I'll get Princess Twilight to send her ponies!!''  shouts Ahuizotl down into the gloom.

I sigh heavily as I tried to keep my footing in the pile of bones but it was little use without being able to see I had no idea where I should put my hooves to keep me from falling onto my ready hurt wings reaching into my poach I quickly found a flashlight. With a good natured smile I snap it on..... only for my breath to be stole away by with it's light revealed.

''A city? there's bucking city down here?!?!'' I gasp at seeing entire streets covered with thousands of thousands of bones and barely standing buildings that heavily borne the signs of the time and aging for a time I just stood there marveling at my find but what's it doing here? According to the earliest historical records there's not a single mention of an civilization even being in the Everfree....this place shouldn't exist. I felt a mad grin write itself across my face at the mere implications that this place brings an long lost civilization that maybe even older than recorded history a single artifact from here could rewrite the history books alone! and I discovered it! I finally got one over those crackpots at Canterlot natural history museum now they would come begging to me for a chance study the city! my name will go down into the history books! Slowing walking from the pile of bones that broke my fall, I flinch at the sound of my hooves hit dust cover stone. My years of treasure hunting had taught me that the slight sound or step could set off hundreds of deathly and sometimes overly complicated traps. I took slow and careful steps closely watching for the traps that I was sure this place held. As I looked I could but help to feel that I just entered a forbidden place, an aura of pure sorrow and anguish.

"What....happen...here...'' i asked myself, horror laden my voice as I enter deeper into the gloom of the very dead city. I had my share of ancient tombs of long dead ponies and other things in my years of adventuring  but I seen  such a tomb as dark or as vast as this. Something very bad must of happened here.

As I walked I tried to distract myself from the feeling of dread by imaging what the city would of looked like back when it was alive but that only made it worse out of the corner of my eyes the shadows moved as if something lived within them and whispers sweetly or darkly teased me. They said Azwraith.... Azwraith.

I felt my heart sunk at the word and felt the countless eyes of the skulls stare into my back grab as if telling me to leave and never turn. I tried to keep on moving but with each step the whispers grew louder and loud. When I couldn't take it anymore and I went to turn back with the hope that Ahuizotl was back with help once I was turned around..... I screamed.

There where the gloom of the tomb was the darkest something stood with it eyes bearing down at me, flashing my light it's direction and gave a sigh of relief it was only a statute. wait a statute? Shining the light of the flashlight on it again I couldn't recognized what the statute of was and a breathless lunge I enclosed on the statute with burning curiosity.

It was a statute of creature of some kind, it was a large bipedal creature made of blacken almost burnt looking marble, in its right arm was a very wicked looking saber that appeared to made from the same material that seem to make up the rest of the body while in its left arm was an large Draconian claw sporting five long talons, the statue itself worn a cloak made from the same burnt marble covering its head along with most of its body what really stood out was its face only had eyes nothing else no ears an mouth as if it's artist never finished it. The statue appeared to have been cutting down an enemy and by the looks of it.....it must have been leading an charge. The statue towered over me a easily twelve feet, twice as tall as Celestia herself my neck hurt looking up at it but the longer I stood in it's presence I felt the sense of power following from it and strangely the whispering had stop.

"What are you.'' I whisper in small voice looking at the large statue in awe, what is it.... is this depicting one of the beings that once lived here? I didn't know what is was, even though I had traveled all over Equestria and beyond its borders to neighboring nations in search of relics and treasure never before had I seeing a creature such as this before, I wanted to know...

This colossal creature was something that was wrongly forgotten and I plan on righting that wrong but as my eyes linger on the eyes of stoned titan I feel an aura of nobility being added to the power I felt early slowly dripping from it's form beating back the sense of sorrow and anguish the tomb emanated  ''I-..I think you might be a depiction of an deity that ponies that once live here worship, is it that right? you're some kind of god that was once looked to by ponies for protection?'' I said speaking aloud in order to fill the air with a sound other than silence... pure silence could cause madness if you were trap in such of place after days of a starving belly then scanning the stone that made the creature, trying to get an rookie geologist guess about its age, condition, and most importantly fantasizing about it being placed in a museum or even the Canterlot Royal Gardens. The Canterlot Royal Gardens the place at many dream of their findings being placed. Judging by all the bones an must of great battle taken place or sickness if it's sickness then we must take nothing until the medical ponies said that it was clear of any possible plagues.

''There's just something about this statue.......I can feel it '' my hand slowly reached out to touch the stone as soon my hands touches the stone an presence whispered into my mind. A powerful and terrible voice

'' I am Azwraith and you are MINE''

Then blackness

I am Azwraith part 3 unedited

The Ruins

Azwraith's PoV

Once as the pony touched me, her life energy drawn me into her not only recharging my body and powers but left her mind completely open to me. She was nothing more than an open book as my mind was drawn into her's allowing me to steal all of her knowledge she had upon her at the moment.... what I found in that mind was both unsurprising and unnerving. Humanity was dead no surprise there given their bricking it was bound to happen sooner or later. Those bastards were all dead unfortunately the causeof their extinction was what it appear to be their genocide of monsterity, leaving both of our kinds gone in the world until the world itself forgotten, the humans die because we had died, thus once everything that was the old world was gone, the planet given birth to new creatures to replace was lost and unjustly forgotten. In all leaving me as nothing but an relic of another time, an forgotten time. An relic and nothing more. The new races held no knowledge of once was and there was nothing I could do to change it.

...I had failed...

That knowledge gave me no pleasure nor sense of fulfillment of what I am now am, it was an hollowing feeling (as if I could feel in the first place I am living shadow not a being of flesh). the new creatures er... the new races were nothing more then bricking children or just that children with no aims to better themselves or the world they live in. Just Dull and oh just wait just more dull. Thrilling just thrilling an graveyard was much more lively then most of the sobs I see in this ''Daring Do'' mind but they were still much more interesting than a dead city trap deep below the earth some of the new creatures did peeked my interest such as this Discord thing and a few takes on some creatures I knew or I thought I knew changelings and windigos. I think I'll call them Neo-chanelings and Neo-windigos. they were no longer humanoid but ponylike and feed off of emotions much like a succubus or at least how I think they do it. The mare has no knowlegde on the how nor the why if I think... or rather she thinks about it. I wonder what became of the others? the elves; the minotaurs; the centaurs are they too alive yet in an different form?

... Everything is gone...

After seeing all I could see from the mare Daring Do and trying out her body for a time ( I didn't knew she could bend like that but she might feel some pain in the morning... maybe. Not that I really cared ) I released my hold on her causing her to pass out on the ground leaving me alone once again in my stoned prison stealing a bit more of her life to feed my hunger. It won't be long until ''Ahuizotl'' returns with more ''ponies'' to save her from the trap that is this cave. Since I was down here far from the light of day I had little in order to tell time outside of feeling each and every year pass upon by easing a little more of the world that was once there in order to make room for the new world. From my victim's memories I knew that nothing of the land was the same of the lands they were in my time mountains crumble; the seas ran dry; cities grown into forests; forests became deserts and deserts became oceans while rivers grew into valleys. I knew that there was several nations drawn on the land that was once was my beloved city Thorth-un-gol. Equestria; The Bad Lands; The windigo kingdom; The Dragon Republic, the Diamond Dog Under-Empire; The Undiscovered South so many others.

... What the is the point of living now....

Mentally I prepared myself for when they came for her.... today I'll be free of this place, my liberation is at hand it's only a matter of time and time is something I have in abundance, but a there was question that need answering, one single haunting question ''what will I do now?''

The question echoed thought out my mind and if found my answer wanting,with the city dead I had no purpose, the city and those who dwelled within it was my purpose, my reasoning to exist. What am I to do now what could I do now?

....what is my purpose?...

With an longer then normal suffering sigh, I found I couldn't answer that question.... how could I? I am an relic and nothing more, I had no purpose. The sounds of hooves ripped the silence of the cave asunder reminding me of my coming freedom and the only thing I could do is close my pseudo-eyes and allow for my mind to retreat back into itself replaying memories long since past... and closing myself to the outside world.

... Could I live with the world.....the world that left me behind? or will I fall into the safety that is insanity?...

Then again what is insanity? what is sanity? a choice of evils? did I even had a choice? No I didn't for there isn't an choice only the will to make something of yourself then that is what I'll do make something of myself until I can answer that single haunting question. Then I return to my ageless slumber with dreams of the sun.

The outside world

Ahui's PoV

''There she is!'' I called as I lead the herd of ponies deep into the gloom of the cave not bothering to take a moment to study the ruins surrounding us there will be time for it later Daring comes first. Princess Twilight lent me twelve of her ponies for the rescue of my dear friend. She didn't trust me at first given how I was portrayed in the books but I was able to convince her of my good intentions (and offering her the chance to play a part in the next book) she personally gave me her best guards and medics for the mission.

It was easy to find the tan mare in the dark of the gloom.... too easy as if something wanted us to find her but I didn't question it the only thing that matter was my best friend was safe. She was laying on the ground passed out before a massive and ancient statute at seeing her fallen form I quicken my pace almost leaving Twilight's ponies behind who pace slowed as they realized their surroundings an entire ruined city under the Everfree forest. Once I was at Daring's side and took her into my arms she starts shivering and at the shivering I realized just how cold she was.... she was freezing to the touch and thanks to my nature and the nature of my species the cold hurt.... it was painful to be near her but after a while the chill left her body thanks to my body heat and then I felt her start to stir.

''Ahui?'' she says breathlessly yet in a tired tone, her hooves warping themselves about my form, holding me tightly for warmth or something else entirely something had spooked her.

''Daring?'' I asked concerned for the well-bringing of my friend

''We have work to do''