Run From Thy Grave

Main character's POV.

...готово!

Проверка, раз, два, три.

Работает!

Ahem. Well, this is audio record number one. Recorded August fourteen, year two thousand fifteen, three fifteen p.m.

You are probably wondered why would Russian record this in English. The reason is quite simple, really. It is simpler to speak and write in English, and it is international language.

Ahem.

My name is Sergey Cherniy. I am currently in Russian Federation, city Novosibirsk, Soviet Disctrict. This record of mine was made for you to learn about what happened. Well, if there will be anyone to hear this.

So, I'll tell you about myself, then. As you already know, my name is Sergey Cherniy. I was born on a night of twenty second of September, year nineteen ninety seven. I was born in Novosibirsk. I was studying in school number five, then went to the Berdsk's electromechanical college where I had been studying for two years. There will be no third year, though.

Well, time to get to the main event.

In the end of July, strange things started to happen somewhere in Western Europe. Short version — the dead rose to fight the living. I don't know what it is, neither anyone else do.

What matters is that this infection quickly spread to my country. How can a human get infected? Apparently, getting your own body fluids to infected's ones is a very bad idea. You become sick and die, only to be reanimated minutes, hours or a day maximum later, waking up as the undead, longing for flesh.

The undead bear no mind. They are animals who seek food.

However, "fresh" undead tend to be almost as intelligent as a human, though not communicating in any way. Many of fresh ones can use weapons, from melee to guns. Once the body begins to rot, a week or so later, the undead become slower and slower, more and more mindless. Those cannot use any kind of weaponry and rely on their hands and teeth instead.

Damn, I feel like a scientist, explaining all the shit... Whatever.

The humanity was not ready for this. Military bases were overrun by refugees and infected. There were too many of them, so the disease spread fast. Crowded military bases were destroyed first, as far as I know. Yet there is some military left, I think. Secret, hidden bases, like command centers of "Perimeter" system.

Having no good weaponry, the police couldn't protect the citizens. There was too many undead, chaos reigned.

So, we're fucked. A lot.

The infection was spreading fast, and soon it reached my city. People panicked, and lots of them died painfully. I am smart, well, smarter than most, I hid inside my apartment with plenty of food and other supplies which my grandparents stored. Fortunately, my parent's didn't throw out canned food that grandparents stored. You see, they lived through terrible days of Second World War, when there was little to no food. So they always stored extra food, just to be sure.

And, well, I've never went out of the apartment, hiding here for at least two weeks.

...

Well, huh.

What else can I tell? Oh, right! Weaponry. Sadly, I have no guns. I have a crowbar, an axe and a shovel. Shitty, eh? Our government didn't allow civilians to have any kind of weaponry, besides the guns for hunting. That sucks, a lot. I don't know where to find those even if I wanted, the hunter's shop just HAD to move to complete opposite side of the city just a couple of fucking months ago!

So, two weeks have passed since the beginning of the apocalypse. Autumn is coming soon, I must find shelter for the winter before it gets too late. Winter is cold and harsh here in Siberia, so I must take care.

Although the beginning of autumn will be warm, as far as I know, yet I have no idea what is to come next. Weather forecast is not avaible, and it is unlikely that the winter will not be as cold as usual.

So, I need to get out of the city and move south. It is the only way I don't freeze to death here.

Well, what do I have?

A sleeping bag, check. Big backpack for everything, check. Melee weapons, check. A tent, check. A shitload of food and water, check. Compass, check. Shitload of batteries, check. A flashlight, check. Spare flashlight, check. Spare, rechargeable flashlight, check. Watches, check. A pair of combat boots, check. Another pair of combat boots, check. Bootlace, check. Clothes, check. Underwear, check. Lots of socks, check. Warm socks, check. Warm clothes, check. Soap, check. Solar panels, check. iPad, satellite telephone and chargers for both, check. Cooking pot, spoons, knives, forks, check.

Well, it seems I have everything. Trying to put it on now...

Ugh... Damn... Kheh... Блядь! It is fucking heavy!

Damn apocalypses, why do they have to be so bad?

Nevermind, I am ready. I will make a new record as soon as something interesting or exciting happens.

Sergey out.

Canterlot, Canterlot Castle, the Throne Room.

"Sister?" Luna spoke, sitting on her throne. "Something is not right, we both feel it. Citizens of our capital feel it."

"I know." Celestia sighed and frowned. "I am afraid it is time for me to reveal something that no one must ever hear. Guards, leave us alone and don't allow anypony in."

The Royal Guards bowed and exited the throne room, leaving two royal sisters alone.

"Tia, what is it?" Luna asked worriedly. "You know what is happening?"

"Unfortunately, I do." Celestia answered, frowning. "It is time to tell you a story... A story I wish never was real..."

And Celestia told:

It happened on the first month of building of Canterlot. The workers dug further into the mountain side, setting up necessary support structures for the city.

They discovered a big and ancient hall, one so old that it's age rival ours.

Inside the hall, a big arch stood. It was made of gray stone, a stone so solid no tool or magic could break it. The arch was covered in ancient writings, the words so long forgotten in time no one knows their translation. The arch stands ten meters high and four meters wide, towering above all ponies.

It was discovered that the Arch is some kind of a window between worlds. It showed me great horrors: millions of soldiers marching to their death, falls of great empires, bloody mass murders, creation of a weapon so powerful it can wipe out all life, extinction of many species. There are so many terrible things the Arch showed me that I wish to forget.

Some other ponies saw through this Arch and died painfully, going insane from the things they saw. Only I could see, only I could still live after what the Arch showed me.

It seems the connection between our world and the world behind the Arch becomes stronger. Emotions of outsiders, the ones behind the Arch flow freely through it, spreading into the Hall and beyond.

Something is happening on the other side, something so horrible and terrifying there is no word to describe it and there will never be.

Luna was sitting silently, thinking about what she has just heard.

"And... What can we do?" she asked.

"There is only one way. We must go through the Arch and help those who are in need. Something really terrible happened on the other side, and the only way to heal the wound is to find the illness and destroy it before it spreads to our world." Celestia answered.

"But what about our country? Who will raise the sun and moon, who will guide our ponies?"

"There are ponies I can trust with my life." Celestia smiled. "I prepared my student, Twilight Sparkle. I knew it would come to this, and she is ready to take our roles. Her magical potential is one of the greatest, matching Starswirl's, and she has proven herself to be worthy of the Equestrian Throne. She and her friends will replace us temporary, or forever, if we do not return."

"I... I don't know..." Luna frowned, her ears folded. "What if we don't succeed? What if we fail?"

"No, we won't. We will succeed, my dear sister." Celestia walked to the window and looked outside. "Our nation depends on us."

"You want me to do WHAT?!" Twilight yelled at Celestia. "How... What? How can I rule Equestria?!" And raise the Sun and Moon?!"

"I have no doubt in you, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia smiled warmly. "You and your friends are known heroes. You deserve this place. And it will only be temporary. Month, years, maybe decades will pass, but we will return.

As for the Sun and Moon, unicorns can still move them, and you have a very strong magical potential. It is quite possible that you can raise both Sun and Moon with ease.

And even if I am not your teacher anymore, consider this as your final test. You won't fail, I know it."

"I... I am honored. We all are." Twilight bowed, her friends did as well.

"Good. In case you get lost in this, there is a secretary in the castle. She will help you and guide you until you'll be able to do everything yourself. With the help of your friends, of course. I wish you all good luck. May you be known as the best rulers Equestria has ever seen."

Celestia and Luna were standing near the Arch, each of them having a pair of saddlebags.

"So, this is the time." Celestia sighed. Luna nodded. "Let everything end alright."

"Let everything end alright." Luna repeated after her sister.

With the last words spoken, the two walked into the Arch, disappearing in it completely without any signs left.

The hall began to fall apart. Large chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, the Arch was being destroyed. Soon enough, the hall was buried under lots of rocks, leaving nothing but natural-looking cave.

This day will be remembered as the first and the last earthquake in Canterlot, and the beginning of Six Friends' rule.