Clock Tower: The Rudella Legacy

Prologue: Welcome Home

Dearest Sunset,

How have you been? It seems like such a long time since you started your life at boarding school, and I’m sure you have a lot of questions about what happened that very day. I haven’t given you much of an explanation, but believe me when I say it’s for your own protection.

If you remember it as well as I do, it was right after your grandfather’s disappearance during one of his trips almost three years ago. I told you that you shouldn’t return home for at least another six years, and it was just as heartbreaking for me as it was for you. Your fifteenth birthday is approaching, and I’m afraid to say that your life may be in more danger than before. Whether or not you still harbor any ill will toward me for it, I want you to promise me one thing. Whatever you hear or see on the news, do NOT return home. Go into hiding until your fifteenth birthday has passed. I know that you will try to reach me once you’ve read this letter, but I urge you to listen to this request of mine.

I wish we could go back to the way things were. I’m sure you miss your grandfather very much. Just remember that I love you with all my heart and would do anything to keep you safe.

With much love, your mother

Sunshine

Sunset folded the letter and placed it back inside its envelope. “Just what is it that she’s protecting me from? She always avoids the subject or doesn’t want to talk when it’s brought up.” A cool autumn breeze swept through the grounds of the boarding school. The last few leaves still clinging to tree branches began to drop, falling gracefully and joining the others on the pavement.

Sunset enjoyed the breeze blowing through her hair as she sat on a nearby bench. She closed her eyes and thought about life before boarding school, how she would enjoy walks through the park with her mother and grandfather.

Before she was deep in thought, a voice called for her. It was one of the teachers. “Sunset Shimmer!”

She broke from her trance and looked toward the classroom building. “Yes?”

“Your mother is on the phone. She wishes to speak to you!”

“I’m on my way!” Sunset sprang up from the bench and ran toward the building, the sound of hooves against pavement echoed through the empty grounds as she did. Once inside, the instructor motioned in the direction of the phone, still off its hook and waiting to be picked up. Sunset approached the phone and picked up the receiver, happy to have the opportunity to speak to her mother again. “Mom?”

There was no answer. Clearly, the other end was able to hear her as there wasn’t a dial tone or busy tone when she placed it on her ear. “Mom?” she asked again.

Still no answer. Sunset began to worry, afraid that the letter she read might be more serious than she previously though. “Mom, it’s me, Sunset! Why won’t you answer?” There was a click heard on the other end of the line, followed by a dial tone. Sunset placed the receiver back on the hook, her worry only growing by the second.

Walking back to her dorm room, she was already planning on going against her mother’s wishes. “If I pack now, I should be able to get home before dusk. Mom’s in danger, I can feel it.”

Several hours later, Sunset found herself in front of her childhood home. The estate has definitely seen better days. The paint had started to peel from the paneling, some of the window shutters were broken in several places and the concrete path leading up to the door had been cracked, with small shoots of grass sprouting from them.

Still fearing the worst, she opened the wrought-iron fence and ran toward the front door. Pushing it open and heading inside, she stopped in front of the stairs in the large foyer. “Mom!?” she yelled. “Mom, are you home?” The large wooden door creaked shut

“I’m afraid that your mother has stepped out for a while, young filly.” Sunset quickly turned in the direction of the nearby dining room. A stallion in a derby hat and large overcoat sat on one of the chairs, facing away from the table and looking out of a window.

Sunset was startled for a moment, but managed to calm herself. Her mother, fearing the loss of the family home, rented out a few rooms to lodgers in hopes of generating enough income to keep it. “Oh, hello. Are you one of the lodgers?”

“Yes, that’s correct, my child.” The gentlecolt stood and slowly walked toward Sunset. “Your mother is out on an errand. That was yesterday morning.”

She sighed in relief. “Thank Celestia she’s alright. Did she mention how long she’ll be?”

The mysterious gentlecolt couldn’t help but chuckle. He raised his head and gazed directly at her, causing her discomfort to return. “She said she wouldn’t take long, but I’m afraid that that’s not the case. She won’t be coming back, ever.”

“What do you mean?” asked Sunset, taking a step back. “How can you say such a thing?”

“I’m only speaking the truth.” The stallion started walking toward her. Sunset continued to step away from him. “You’re all alone in this world now, my dearest Sunset. I’ve waited years for this moment.”

“Get away from me!” she yelled, levitating a nearby vase and throwing it at him. The object sailed over his head and hit the wall behind him.

The stallion took her advice and walked out of the dining room, laughing the entire way as he left the estate. The front door opened as he stepped out, closing with a loud bang once he was gone.

Sunset rushed upstairs to her mother’s room, hoping to find some trace of where she might have left. She used her horn to try and get the door open, but to no avail. “Come on, what is wrong with this thing?” She tried slamming her hooves against it, hoping to bust it open. After a few attempts, Sunset was knocked back by a strong repelling force.

“What in Tartarus…?” She stopped herself short when she noticed a strange glow. She stood up and looked at its source.

The door to her mother’s room had an insignia emblazoned on it. It pulsed softly, as if reacting to Sunset’s presence. She reached out a hoof to touch it again, watching as the pulsing became faster.

ZAP!

The insignia gave her a mild shock as she made contact with it. She nursed her hoof as the charge dissipated and let her muscles relax. Not wanting to test just how strong of a current there is, she walked away from her mother’s bedroom door.

Sunset entered the next room and took a seat near the fireplace. Everything that has happened to her today didn’t make much sense. First, her mother calls her out of the blue but there’s no one on the other line. Second, a stranger claims she won’t be coming home ever again. Now she can’t even search for any hint of where her mother might’ve gone because of a strange insignia.

“Can someone, anyone, please give me a sign?”

The flame in the fireplace flickered wildly. Sunset looked up and noticed it, wondering if there was a draft coming from outside into the chimney. Once she got closer, however, she noticed something off about the fireplace.

“Wait, that looks like a…” Grabbing a nearby trowel, she scoops up some ash from underneath the log rack and smothers the fire. After a few more trowelfuls of ash, the fire is completely extinguished. Her suspicions were confirmed: the back wall of the fireplace had a large hole. She lowered herself and looked into the gap, spotting what looked like a fountain at the very end.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “You must be crazy for even thinking this, Sunset.” She got lower and started crawling through the fireplace, making her way into the hidden room. Once she was clear, she stood upright and walked over to the fountain. The fountain held a statue of an alicorn, emblazoned with the exact same insignia as her mother’s door. The symbol started to pulse for a few seconds…

The statue’s head started oozing a red substance. “Blood!” yelled Sunset. She backed away from the statue as it continued dripping the blood-like liquid, contaminating the water in the fountain as well. There was a loud crack, the head of the statue coming loose and falling onto the floor in front of Sunset. The head is shattered into pieces, Sunset shielding her eyes from any flying shards.

On the floor where the once-intact head lay, Sunset saw an elegantly-designed bottle, decorated with a carving of the same alicorn as the statue. Using her magic, she held the bottle and uncorked it. Turning it upside down, a small paper scroll falls out and lands with a soft “pap” as it makes contact with the tile. Taking the scroll as well, she unfurls it and finds that it’s a letter. She begins to read it.

My dearest Sunset,

If you’re reading this, then it means that you’ve decided to not take my advice and came back home, only to find that I’m gone. Knowing you, you’ve probably tried to find out where I am by looking through my belongings in the master bedroom, but by now you will have realized that it’s sealed off with a magic barrier. You also had no issue finding this room hidden behind the second story fireplace. If you’re still adamant about finding me, then read this letter carefully.

The bottle from which you pulled this letter is special. If you fill it up with clean water, it shall be anointed and can be used on the barrier you saw on my bedroom door. That particular barrier will not be the only one you encounter, I’m afraid. I’ve sealed a few rooms in the estate with that same insignia, and this bottle shall act as your key. You must take care of it as you would your own life.

When the time comes, the bottle shall help you out in another way. I can’t tell you how, for fear that this letter may have fallen into the wrong hooves, but I’ve always known you were a smart filly. You will figure it out, I’m sure.

Welcome home, sweetheart.

With love

Sunshine