Arx Equestris

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Prologue

Story by Shardi

Editing by Khangle

Arx Equestris

Prologue

Darkness. Darkness and silence – those were the two things that could be found in the great hall of the library. The hall was divided into smaller sections by towering bookshelves, which reached from the floor to the very ceiling of the large room. By this hour, every scholar had already packed up and returned to their quarters, leaving the library unlit and empty. That would be the case, if one were to ignore a soft glow being emitted from the far corner, where a lone pegasus sat, basked in the dim light of a single magical lamp which rested on the table in front of her. The entire desk was covered in books of varying sizes, ranging from small tomes to large volumes.

The pegasus raised her head from the page she had been studying, throwing her hooves into the air and stretching out as she released a long yawn, her light blue robes shifting lightly from the first movement their owner made in hours. Finishing her break, the mare closed the book, pushing it away while simultaneously brushing the crimson mane from her face with the other hoof. She looked at yet another volume that lay on the pile next to her.

History of Equestria

Volume XVIII

With a sigh the mare pulled the book closer and opened it, fighting to focus her eyes on the text as she began to read the words on the old, weathered pages.

Chapter 1

Final Years of the Principality

' As mentioned in the previous volume, the defeat in final battle during war with the Griffins resulted in the loss of land and uneasiness throughout the land. Though unrest never consumed entire towns or cities, there were ponies that chose to voice their discontent. Celestia and Luna were blamed not only for losing the war, but also the crisis it has resulted in...'

The red-maned pegasus brought a hoof to her face in attempt to stifle another yawn, but failed as it escaped her mouth. She shook her head, trying to wake herself up before noticing a forgotten mug behind the pile of books. Wonderful, delicious coffee, just what she needed. She reached for the cup with a weak smile, grabbing it with her hooves and bringing it to her lips. The mare's joy was short lived however, almost dropping the cup as the cold liquid touched her tongue. With a sigh she placed the cup back on the desk and pushed it as far away, wishing she could simply reheat the beverage with the flick of a horn. Such are the woes of being a pegasus scholar. The mare turned her attention back to the book, skimming it sleepily in search of relevant information for her studies.

'After the opposition's request for royal sisters to step down as rulers was rejected, the party was disbanded, leaving the political scene. Soon, however, more direct acts of defiance began to take place throughout the kingdom. Two years following the end of the war, the Summer Sun Celebration was disturbed by an attack on the royal guards during Princess Celestia's speech. Though there were no casualties - thanks to the Princess' direct intervention - it became the first of many instances of rebellion which took place in the following year. Despite accusations of treason and being branded enemies of the state, members of the disbanded opposition party continued to operate, delivering their demands through acts of aggression towards the government and its officials. [For more information about the armed resistance in the years 1261-1262 see 'Fall of Equestria' by Moondancer].'

The robed pegasus stared blankly at the text for few seconds, blinking her bloodshot eyes before dropping her head onto the desk. Figures, the part she was interested in most wasn't in the book . With a sigh she got up and turned around, making her way between two tall, stone shelves. Fortunately, the library was well-organized, making it so finding a book generally didn’t take much time. The pegagus carefully removed the dark green volume from the shelf, gently placing it on her back and slowly returning to her book fort. The books in the library might have been magically protected - courtesy of Order's grandmaster - but she wasn't going to be reckless either way. Many of these books were the last remaining copies and the thought of damaging any of them terrified the young mare.

Having returned to the desk and stacking ‘History of Equestria’ on the growing tower of books, the pegasus flipped through the newly-acquired volume, skimming through the pages. Eventually she found the chapter titled 'Coup d'etat and the Age of Arx'. Using her hooves to keep her head upright, the mare began to read.

'The greatest feat of the resistance, which ultimately turned out to also be their greatest mistake, took place on the Winter Wrap Up of 1262. The Princesses, in order to lift the spirits of Equestrians, took part in Ponyville's traditional event as guests of honor, overseeing the preparations and mingling with their subjects. To ease the tension with the commoners, the princesses decided to allow only a select few guard to accompany them. This decision ultimately resulted in their downfall.

After months of slandering the Princesses' image, refuting their supposed divinity and control over the Sun and Moon a lie, the Resistance decided to bet it all on one card. Though the details of their operation remain unknown, the Resistance had managed to plant assassins among the citizens during an event that had been exclusive to Ponyville. With the intent of murdering the princesses, the assassins struck as the pegasi cleared the sky of clouds. The resulting whirlwind was the perfect opportunity to strike. Six ponies attacked both Princesses' simultaneously, giving neither them, nor their guards a chance to react. Princess Luna was slain instantly, while Princess Celestia, despite having her assailant miss, was also quickly overwhelmed by-'

The rest of the text was covered in a sea of crimson hair as the mare's hooves finally gave in. She dove face-first into the book, snoring quietly as countless hours of work took their toll on her.

Chapter 1

Arx Equestris

Chapter 1

'Rerum primordia'

All I could do was put hooves against my ears as that loathed, booming sound yet again rolled over the city, continuing its quest to every day irritate and wake up the inhabitants, signalling them about the approaching work time. Over the years I learned that the best reaction to it is to put a pillow over your head and press it down hard, waiting for that annoying, headache-inducing sound to go away. I detested it since I was a colt, and the way it seemed to drill into my skull throughout all those years served only to fuel my hate for it, and what inevitably followed.

When the annoyance finally died down, leaving only ringing in my ears, I let out a sigh – no point fighting the unavoidable. I rolled out of the bed and with a thump landed on the cold floor, which finally woke me up enough to get me on my hooves and started on a morning routine. With a yawn I made my way to the window and pushed it open, rearing up on my hind legs as I put my front hooves on the window sill and looked outside.

Yep, everything is just like it was yesterday. I looked around taking in the familiar surrounding. Sure enough, the buildings with their plain façade of smooth stone and rough edges still stood by the wide road lit by magical lamps that casted a soft light around them and on the few ponies who already were up and about. How anypony could get up even before that hateful racket called ringing spilled over the city was beyond me. I shook my head and looked over the roof of a building vis-a-vis of my room, my gaze directed towards the barely peeking over it palace tower and resting on the large clock on its front. Despite my desire of a malfunction, the clock's hands were in the same position they were in every morning. My hopes of going back to bed shattered, I gave the bell nested cosily in its spot above the clock a dark glare before turning to prepare myself for work. One day, you noisy harbinger of weariness, one day.

After taking care of the hygiene I gave the mirror a quick glance. The stallion behind glass barrier, being a perfect copy of myself, stared back at me with his azure eyes, giving me a sleepy look from behind his short dark crimson mane. I gave my wings a few flaps, stretching them out after the night and my double followed suit, his wings folding back against his pale orange body afterwards. After that short staring contest I left my doppleganger and made my way back to main room, walking up to the table to grab an apple from it, sitting down on my haunches to enjoy my breakfast snack before heading out to work.

Chewing on the treat I lazily looked around the familiar room, taking in the same sight that greeted me every day – a rather small room with few pieces of furniture made from metal or carved from stone, the only wooden objects being the front door and few smaller elements like beams supporting the mattress in my bed, which still called to me with its sweet promises of sleep and dreams. Nothing unusual for a commoner's housing – wood was an expensive materials and only the rich could afford to fully decorate their houses with the exquisite wooden furniture. I've been saving money for some time now, maybe soon I'll be able to least lighten up the décor a bit with a wooden table or something... Anything to break the monotony of the smooth stone and cold metal.

Shaking those thoughts away and finishing my breakfast I stood up and headed for the door. After a short walk down the stairs I nudged the front door open and stepped out onto the street, now filled with ponies that were going about their business, heading for their work, to do some shopping or just idly chatting; a technician was exchanging enchanted gem in one of the nearby lanterns. Finally, the thing's been out for couple of days now, and walking an unlit, empty street at a late hour wasn't really a pleasant thing, especially with the latest break-ins taking place. Cheered up lightly with the fact that the lantern will soon be back to its magically glowing glory I made my way down the street towards my workplace, wondering how much nap time I'll be able to get today without getting in much trouble with Mr Daven. Being assistant in his shop, my duties were mostly taking care of clients, had it happened there were more than one at a time, and fetching goods from higher shelves, seeing as, being a pegasus, I could reach them much easier than my earth pony employer. It was a common practice – with the limited space, buying land wasn't cheap. Building up was much more favourable in the long run. If your plot of land had enough room for it, of course. And it gave pegasi like myself something to do, since we were able to reach places other ponies couldn't. True, unicorns could do that too with their fancy magic, but luckily for us they were seen as a much more valuable work force, so they often demanded higher pay. In the end, it's just about how many bits you are willing to spend.

I made my way through the streets and finally arrived at the familiar building with a sing saying 'Daven's General Store' carved above the front door. I entered the brightly lit shop just to come face to face with an elder earth pony, his brown eyes looking at me with the same warmth they always had since I met him on the day I helped him to transport some boxes – it'd seem that karma exists and good deeds pay off, because few days later I got a job offer from him. Smiling at the memory of his kindness I opened my mouth to greet my employer.

“Hello Mr Daven, how are you today? And I hope I'm not late... Again?” I gave the clock standing in the back of the room a nervous glance, wondering just why would he greet me in the doorway instead waiting inside the shop as usual. I don't like when something's out of order - it usually means trouble.

He chuckled lightly, moving aside to let me inside the store. “Ah, hello Wing Flair, I was just about to look around to see if you're coming. And don't worry, I just have a favour to ask from you, and it's kind of urgent.” He spoke with the same calm tone as always. I don't even know why I was so nervous about screwing something up around him, I've never even seen him angry before. Now that I think about it, I don't even know if he is capable of being angry.

Okay, so I'm not in trouble. Relieved about that fact I smiled brightly back at him “Of course Mr Daven, you know I never turn down a bit more work to help the store. What do you need of me? Express delivery? Staying overtime?” I extended my wings to prove the point that I'm ready, willing and able to do what needs to be done.

The small display of heroism made him chuckle again as he shook his head lightly. “Oh, I know you are, but this is actually a much simpler task. You see, there are some problems with the latest shipment, I'm not sure what it's all about yet. I'm going to go to the trading post to find out what's going on. On top of that, Kahib finally agreed to to work with me, so I have to go visit him to work out the details.”

I cringed a little hearing the name. “The cranky old zebra? He gives me the creeps.”

“He may be a bit weird, but he's a talented alchemist. With his potions, I'm sure we could make some extra sales, especially since it'll be a cheaper and more reliable source than buying them from other alchemists in town or caravans. I don't want to lose this opportunity.” The elder dark green pony explained giving me his this-is-a-serious-matter look. “But back to the point – you know how the trading post works, it'll be ages before I find out anything, and am sure Kahib will also be hard to negotiate with, so I may be out for a long time, maybe even most of the day. I don't want to lose an entire day worth of business, so I'd like to ask you to take the store on your shoulders today. Do you think you can manage on your own?”

I sighed quietly to myself – so much for naps, can't sleep when am the only one in the store. I didn't let my disappointment show and brought back my smile, nodding at my employer. “Of course, please don't worry. I worked here for a long time and I think I learned enough from you to run it for a day. I promise the building will still be standing here by tomorrow”

“I trust you Flair. I hope the day won't be too strenuous for you, I remember how it was before I got you for an assistant... Well, hopefully I'll see you soon.” With that Daven left the shop, stopping for a moment to place the wedge to keep the door open as the store was now officially open for business.

I made my way behind the counter and sighed to myself, dropping onto my haunches as my head fell on top of the table, my eyes fixed on the entrance as I awaited first clients. It was going to be a long day.

***

After about five hours I had to admit – today was turning out to be much less work than I thought it'd be. The day was rather slow, with few customers coming by for some minor shopping. Out of that I just passed my time by making sure none of the products escaped their designated area and tried mingling with the native inhabitants of other shelves or lazily stared at the street outside, trying to see how many blue or red ponies I can count before my mind gets dangerously close to convincing me that the stone counter is actually a fluffy pillow.

I was brought back to reality as two figures entered the store - a unicorn stallion, draped in a leather cloak, followed suit by an earth pony mare who was wearing what looked like a light armor with metal plates covering her flanks, a sheath with sword hanged on her side; both were wearing saddlebags. The mare gave me a kind smile as the stallion approached the counter.

Travellers or caravanners passing time before moving out, I guess. I righted my position and addressed the orange pony before me. “Welcome to Daven's General Store. I hope you're having a fine day, what can I do for you?” I recited the greeting Daven ordered me to always welcome customers with.

The unicorn looker around the shelves briefly before focusing his attention on me. “Yes, yes, good day. We are in need of some supplies for our travel” he responded with what sounded to be a bored, mildly irritated voice. “We've already wasted a lot of time going through shops in this city, I hope this one will finally be decently supplied and not just another waste of time?”

I stared at him for a brief moment, not sure how to respond before regaining my composure “W-well I'm sure we have everything you need fo-”

“We'll see” the stallion cut in as his horn glowed with pale red light and he pulled a list out of his saddlebags, coughing before he started reading it to me.

The list wasn't very long, but consisted mostly of rather unusual items, ones that most stores indeed probably don't have in stock. I placed the last item on the counter – a pair of blacksmithing goggles – and looked back up at the stallion. “Alright, anything else I can help you with?” I asked with a polite smile as he looked over his list before putting it back in his bags.

“Yes, do you sell Light Seeds?” the unicorn asked in a little more friendly tone, apparently pleased with how smoothly his shopping went.

I nodded and grabbed a pouch from under the counter, spreading my wings and taking into the air to get to one of the higher shelves where a small pile of multi colored gems lied, all of them glowing dimly as a hint of a flame flickered within them, trapped by the enchantment. “How many do you need?” I called down at the pony that stood by the counter, preparing the pouch.

“All that you have” he shouted back to me, again causing me to look down at him with a blank stare.

Alright... Definitely long-distance travellers, nopony needs that many Seeds unless they plan very long journey through unlit tunnels. Trying to push my curiosity away I filled the pouch with the glowing gems and fluttered back down, placing it in front of the unicorn.

“Is that all?” He nodded in response and I quickly counted the combined cost of all the items he requested. “Alright, your total comes to... 450 bits?” I looked at him in amazement once more, only now realizing how expensive his little shopping spree was – it was definitely biggest sale I made working in the store.

I was even more amazed as he simply nodded and pulled out a pouch from his saddlebags, levitating out coins of pure gold with little rubies in their centre – highest officially accepted form of currency, worth 50 bits each. I gave them a close look, but sure enough – they were real. I nodded to him, swooping them up and put them in a small safe under the counter, when I looked up again the unicorn and his companion were finishing putting the items in their bags. I watched them for a moment before my curiosity finally took the best of me.

“Excuse me Sir, if you don't mind me asking... That's a lot of Seeds... Not to mention your other supplies. Are you planning a journey to the Core or something?” I chuckles at the obvious joke – nopony has been so deep underground in over a century, and only tales of extreme dangers guarding equally big riches survived to these days as stories for little foals.

The stranger didn't seem to sense the joke and came back to his irritated tone. “You should learn to not stick your nose in other ponies' business. But to satisfy your curiosity, no – we're going in the opposite direction.” He threw my way as he placed the pouch of Light Seeds inside his saddlebags and closed them.

I blinked a few times, taking in what I just heard “Opposite direction? You mean... The surface?” My voice was now clearly showing my growing curiosity and excitement. The surface wasn't much better than the Core, but I heard some bold scavengers sometimes exit the tunnels to grab whatever they can before they freeze to death. Personally meeting and talking with one of them was something I never thought I'd have chance to do. A wild idea popped inside my head as I tried to grab onto a possibly once-a-lifetime opportunity. “Do you... Have a full group?” I asked, trying to keep my hope and excitement at bay.

The unicorn gave me a cold glare and was about to say something when the mare nudged him with her hoof, producing a low grunt from him as he turned to face her, his eyes showing mild confusion “What is it, Crystal” he growled looking at his light blue companion, the mare still had that kind smile on her lips.

“Well, you DID say we could use a pegasus-” She started but was quickly silenced as the unicorn stomped his hoof on the ground.

“I was talking about hiring a mercenary that'd be of some use, should we meet bandits or other problems on our way to the exit and back” Annoyance was showing in his voice as he raised his head and fixed the mare with a stare, apparently reminding her that he's the one making decisions.

However his companion didn't back down, she simply tilted her head a bit, continuing to smile at him. “Well, if you're sooo insistent on spending everything we've got left from our previous escapades when there's a perfectly fine volunteer willing to join us for free, then I guess-” she was once more silenced as the orange stallion groaned and shook his head before glancing at me briefly, then back at his friend, visibly considering the options.

She did have a point, after all. Finding somepony to join them on their journey to the surface wouldn't be easy, and even then it'd probably cost a lot of money. Me? I was just too excited about the possibility of leaving the town and coming back with riches that'd finally let me move out of that stone cage called apartment and lead a life I always envied the upper class folks. I spent my entire life in Springcastle, living a boring life like almost everypony else. Asking for a payment for this opportunity would be like telling the baker to pay you for making you a cake.

“Come on Tang, in worst case he'll run back screaming as soon as we leave the gates, in best - we'll save a lot of bits and maybe even get a trustworthy companion for future.” The mare called Crystal continued, prodding her companion with a hoof.

The unicorn finally let out a low sigh as he shook his head. “Fine, you have a point. He may come, but he better not chicken out on the first day. Or try to stab us in our sleep.” He casted one more stern glance my way before stomping out of the store, leaving me with his chuckling friend. She looked at me and walked over, moving her black mane from her citrine eyes.

“Welcome on board rookie! I'm Crystal and that cranky guy is Tangerine. He's actually quite cool if you get to know him.” She greeted me in a cheerful voice, sitting across me on the other side of the counter. “I hope you won't get me in trouble for convincing him, but just to make sure, I'll give you a quick run-down of what exactly we're doing and help you prepare for tomorrow. Got some free time?”

I rubbed the back of my head with a hoof, trying to return her cheerful smile. “Well, actually I've got to stay here until-” Suddenly smiling became much easier as I glanced over her shoulder and noticed Mr Daven trotting down the street, heading to the shop. “Y-yeah, I think I can get some time off right away.”

Sure enough, the elder pony had no objections against me leaving earlier, seeing as I kept the store running all day by myself, and between dealing with formalities of trading post and negotiations with spooky zebras, he himself decided to call it a day already. As I was saying my goodbye before joining Crystal, who was waiting outside, he gave me a small smile and winked at me before whispering “Good luck”.

And here's the first chapter. Again, apologies for any and all grammatical errors and whatnot. I hope you've enjoyed reading, and thank you for your time.

'Rerum primordia - 'The origin of things' (lat.)

Chapter 2

Arx Equestris

Chapter 2

'Faber quisque fortunae suae'

“So, basically” I started after Crystal has finished her lecture, trotting alongside her as she made her way down one of the city's streets, looking around with mild interest “We find the exit, run out, grab everything valuable we find, then rush back in before our appendages start freezing off. Sounds simple enough”

“If you put it that what, it sure does” she focused her bright yellow eyes on me again as we stopped to let an earth pony stallion pulling a delivery wagon through “And believe me, I hope it will be that easy. We may still run in some trouble on our way to the surface access. Even if that goes smooth, we don't know much about the place we're going to, so we'll have to move extra fast and just hope we manage to find enough to make it worth it”

We resumed walking, slowly heading towards the main square. Though it was called that, it was just a small patch of empty space, lit brightly by lamps surrounding it or hanging overhead on ropes stretching between some of the city's most prestigious shops, upper-class houses, guard post and an inn that encircled the flat area. The only thing on the square itself was an old statue of large stallion wearing a plate armour, standing proudly with his head held high. I knew it well, often seeing it since I were a colt, having lived here all my life. General Firmhoof – or, as he was called since he united ponykind under his rule in final years of the great war, King Firmhoof – looked as regal as always, overlooking the crowd of ponies making their way through the square as they went about their business. Crystal gave the statue a glance before turning back to me with a chuckle.

“Though for you, it may be even worse. I expect Tang to try his best to give you a hard time. Oh don't worry, he's always been like that, it's not like he just decided to not like you... He was like that for me too when we first met” she gave me her kind smile again as my ears drooped slightly at her initial statement. That pony really weren't the friendly type. Crystal, on the other hand, struck me as unusually cheerful and nice for somepony who made her living by scavenging old caves and risking trips to the surface. How those two got along was beyond me.

“If you don't mind me asking” I inquired as we slowly made our way through the crowd, heading towards the inn that she and Tangerine stayed at “You two seem like an unlikely couple. How come you're travelling together?”

“Well, it wasn't always just Tang and I. When I joined up with him, there were two more ponies with us, though back then they mostly kept to exploring the tunnels and what remained of old battlefields and towns. When we extended our area of operations to the occasional escapades to the surface few months after that, one of them decided it was becoming too dangerous and left. That was about a year ago, since then it was Tangerine, our pegasus pal Nickel and I. Week or so ago Nicky decided he's 'getting too old for this' and it's time to settle down. I miss that guy” she explained with a hint of sadness in here normally calm tone “And that brings us to this day, when Tang and I entered your store and got ourselves a replacement” she winked at me as we came to stop in front of the inn's door.

I wanted to say something to being called a 'replacement' but just bit my tongue and shook my head slightly. 'Way too cheerful' I thought to myself as Crystal walked up to the door and nudged it open, looking back at me before she disappeared inside.

“Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Make sure to be ready, don't want to get on Tang's bad side from the start.... Is not healthy for you” the mare chuckled as the door closed behind her.

When I was alone – figuratively speaking of course, as the mass of ponies still swarmed around me – I looked to the left, where a wide street leading straight to the palace gave me a clear sight of the clock tower. After our walk, when Crystal explained to me basics of her... work line, there were still over two hours left before the standard closing time for most shops in the city. I sighed and started making my way home to get some quick snack and retrieve my saddlebags before leaving to get few things Crystal had told me to get ready for tomorrow. They were mostly supplies she and Tangerine already owned or just bought earlier, but I still needed some stuff for myself, like a warm set of clothes to survive the surface long enough to finish scavenging, goggles to protect eyes from extreme conditions and what Crystal stressed as very important, some kind of armour. She didn't expect us to run into trouble, but as she put it – unlike the other way, you can never regret putting on some protective wear. That I could take care of even before leaving my apartment.

Having arrived and finished my modest lunch, I walked up to the metal locker at the feet of my bed and opened it. After rummaging through it for a while and successfully covering a good part of the floor with my belongings, I found what I was looking for – a white, rather thin rectangular box with a small note still attached to it. I read it smiling lightly at the memory;

Too bad you didn't make it kid, I was really sure you had that something in you. Keep this as a memento, and don't worry – nopony will mind. And if they do – I'm the quartermaster here, so there's nothing they can do.

I settled the box down on my bed and flipped the cover open, revealing a set of dark blue leather armour with goggles resting on top of it. My old recruit outfit of Wonderbolts – a special task and reconnaissance branch of Equestrian military. I tried joining them few years ago, but my dream didn't quite work out – Wonderbolts were elite soldiers and I just couldn't keep up with the standards. I weren't agile or fast enough to fly through the narrow tunnels with speed and precision required from them.

I let out a small sigh at the crushed dream and took the goggles into my hooves. I never understood their point – I read that they were used to protect the wearer from something called 'weather conditions' centuries ago on the surface, but not like we needed them for anything down here. The instructor just said that it's a traditional piece of uniform and told me to shut my mouth. Oh well, one thing less on the shopping list. I set the goggles on the bed and turned my attention to the more useful part of the box's contents. The armour wasn't as strong or flashy as the real Wonderbolts' outfits, which were decorated with streaks of royal gold and hardened with strategically placed plates of eredium – a metal which, though not as sturdy as regular steel, was incredibly light. It almost didn't weight you down at all, which was vital for the Wonderbolts, as their speed and agility were their main advantage both in and out of battle, keeping them out of danger's reach most of the time anyway, rendering heavier protection redundant.

'A little dusty, but in fine condition otherwise' I thought to myself running a hoof over my plain dark blue recruit version of Wonderbolts outfit. It wasn't really meant for combat – its purpose was mostly to just save the wannabes the unpleasant feeling of having their hide peeled off, should they fail a manoeuvre or corner and become close acquaintances with a rough stone wall. Despite that, it should be enough for this trip. I put both it and the goggles back inside the box and, after throwing my belongings back inside the locker and closing it, placed the box on top of it so it were ready for tomorrow. I put on my saddlebags and left the apartment once again to buy other supplies.

After roughly half an hour I acquired everything Crystal deemed necessary. Content with my accomplishment I turned to make my way home when my eyes fell on a blacksmithing workshop. 'Maybe I should get myself a sword... Even if we won't run into anything more than some cave vermin, the blade may prove useful'. After pondering the thought for a moment I entered the small building next to a currently unoccupied forge. The inside of the shop was filled with displays of all sorts of blacksmithing products, from simple curiosities or products of everyday use to what interested me most – racks of weapon and armour. As I was looking through them, I noticed weapon of choice of most Wonderbolts – a set of light, eredian wing mounted blades connected to a battle harness that kept them on without limiting the wings' mobility. Heck, it even offered them additional protection – good thing since they were primary target for your opponent. Sadly, this kind of weapon required special training to use properly – otherwise it would probably just send you to hospital for a long time – and I only received basic combat training for swords during my time as a recruit. Not to mention the exorbitant price of such weapon.

Taking my eyes off it I decided to just rely on the opinion of somepony that knows more about weaponry than I do and trotted up to the counter, a gruff looking unicorn stallion was sitting behind it, idly spinning a dagger on its tip with his magic. After reaching him, I cleared my throat to attract his attention.

“Hello, I'd like to purchase a blade, something light and basic. I was hoping you could help me with that?...”

He looked at me with a blank expression for few seconds before nodding and walking up to the row of weapon racks, leaving the dagger on the table “Yes... Certainly, I have a large selection of all kinds of swords, are you looking for something with a particular purpose, or rather a balanced weapon...” his voice matched his face in the amount of emotions it relayed as he slowly scanned the rows of glistening metal waiting for my response.

“No, nothing specific, just a backup self-defence plan, really... I want it to be light and easy to use. And hopefully not too expensive, if that's possible”

The unicorn nodded again before levitating out a plain short sword with bright yellow mouth grip and moved it closer to me “Well, if you're looking for something light, this is probably your best bet. Made out of mix of steel and eredium, very low weight and enough endurance to hold out even if should you find yourself having to fend off a lurker. Try it” he levitated it closer to me and I took hold of it, carefully trying out the blade as he took a step back to give me room.

He was right, the sword was very light and easy at handling. That made it more suitable for piercing attacks instead swings, allowing a quick stab and dodge without having to risk opening yourself too much. Might not be best choice for a duelling weapon due to its relative low endurance, but after all I wasn't going to fight anypony. Satisfied with my test, I looked at the salesman and nodded at him, trotting up to the counter while he recovered the scabbard. Few minutes later I left the shop, 35 bits lighter but with a blade that I trusted would prove to be a good investment, even though I deeply hoped I'd have no need to use it. A quick glance at the clock tower revealed that the work time was soon to step down from its throne to make room for relaxation hours. I decided to drop off my new acquisition at the apartment and head out to the tavern to enjoy myself a bit before tomorrow. It was, after all, going to be a big day!

***

For probably the first time in my life the booming sound of city's bell didn't cause me to grumble and dig deeper into my bed. Instead, it made me land on the floor on my back with a dull thud as I tried to jump out of the cosy shelter as soon as my eyes shot open. Today I finally had a reason to obey that metal overlord – I was supposed to meet Crystal and Tangerine in front of the inn one hour after the bell, and I had some preparations to do.

After freeing myself from the tangled sheets I quickly set on my morning routine, trying to get it out of the way as soon as possible. When I managed to do so without any major disasters along the way, I moved on to one of the many new things in my usual schedule – cramming supplies into my saddlebags, which I had to repeat a couple of times because I couldn't fit it all in. In the end I decided to get rid of a bag of dried apple slices – after all, Crystal said we won't be gone for more than 5 days, so I doubted they'd be a lifesaver. After that I finally managed to securely close the bags and turned towards the box sitting at my footlocker and opened it, taking out the suit of light armour. 'I wonder if I still know how to put this on properly...'.

I didn't. After a struggle longer than I'd dare admit in public, I finally managed to get all the pieces in the right spot and all the straps fastened, and immediately remembered why most ponies don't usually wear clothing. The damn thing was uncomfortable as uncomfortable might be, the fact that it wasn't used in years didn't make getting accustomed to it again any easier. I groaned lightly, trying to ignore the itching and weird feeling of being restricted as I secured down my new sword, its scabbard lying against my left side before putting on my saddlebags and trotting up to the door, unlocking them and nudging them open. By the force of habit I looked around the room one more time before leaving, nodding to myself as I memorized the state I'm leaving it in. Next time I see it I'll hopefully be a richer, happier pony. After locking the door and making my way downstairs onto the slowly filling street I started preparing myself for the next task on the list, probably the hardest one today.

***

“Your sister fell ill?” the dark green pony in front of me echoed my words, his eyes fixed on mine as he wore a mildly curious expression. I nodded lightly, trying to keep my hoof from scratching at the ground as I hoped Mr Daven will just take my word and won't ask questions. He DID offer me time off often enough, I just rarely felt like using it, so decided to call it in now. “And you're going to Arx to visit her and won't be back until after the Parade?” I just nodded again, staring at the ground at my hooves. Don't. Act. Nervous.

The Parade on the day of signing the treaty that brought peace to the kingdom was another reason I believed my lie would work – the two cycles long celebration was time free of work anyway, so I figured it's a good card to play when explaining my forthcoming absence. I didn't want to tell the elder pony truth because of a couple of reasons, but mostly I just didn't want to worry him. He's always been so kind to me... I grew attached to him and knew that if I told him what I was really planning he'd just be disappointed in me and worry. Besides, I weren't lying completely – I DO have a sister in Arx. I just haven't heard form her in almost five years. Details, who needs them.

“I hope you know you've always been a terrible liar, Flair” my ears fell flat against my skull as I heard his words, bringing my gaze up again to look at my friend and employer. To my surprise, he was smiling sadly as he shook his head “Maybe I could let few details slip, but... Even you should know it's going to hard to convince anypony that you're going to visit your sister in a suit of armour and a blade at your side”

I froze as it hit me just how stupid I am. He was right, I should have come to him before putting on the gear. I groaned bringing a hoof to my face. I am not a clever pony. I should have thought this through better, and now I'm busted.

“Well, I'm not going to ask you what you're really up to. I believe you have good reasons to try to hide it from me, whatever they are. I trust you enough to let you have your little secret. I ask just one thing – come back in one piece, will you? I'd hate to have to hire that loud kid for more than few days” I let out a short sigh, relaxing at the green stallion's words, expecting a much longer and less pleasant lecture. I gave him a weak smile nodding my head.

“You know me Mr Daven, I can look after myself. And thank you. I promise to be back as soon as I can, and I'll explain it then. I hope my absence won't hurt the store too much”

“Only my nerves. Wispy is a good boy, but he's a bit too lively for my taste. Though I'm sure he will be delighted to earn few bits again. I still remember the last time you took a day off...” he shook his head grimly at the memory before speaking again “Well, I hope to see you all well in few days. Don't do anything stupid.”

I chuckled lightly shooting him a more confident smile “If I do, I'm sure you'll hear about it before I come back and have time to prepare a good lecture. Good bye Mr Daven!”

'Well, that went surprisingly well!' I thought to myself, navigating the sea of ponies that filled the main street leading to the main square. With all preparations done, I was finally ready to join my new companions and head out on what I was hoping to be the adventure of my life. I lost myself in thoughts about what could be waiting for me on it and almost didn't notice when I reached my destination, arriving at the inn to find two ponies waiting there for me. Crystal gave me her trademark, kind smile as Tangerine scowled, tapping his hoof in anticipation.

“Finally. I was starting to think you decided to chicken out and left us hanging. What took you so long” before I could open my mouth to speak, he turned around and made his way down the street. Crystal just rolled her eyes at me before motioning for me to follow as she trotted after her friend.

“Trust me, just survive the first days and you'll see why I'm sticking with him. Try to enjoy yourself until then kid, it's a bit of a walk” the light blue mare said brightly walking alongside me as we followed the living plough tunnelling through the morning mass of ponies.

I groaned at the patronizing “From what I recall you're only two years older than me”

“So? I still get to call you that” she winked at me in her usual cheerfulness as we neared the city gate, the first point of our little journey.

'Faber quisque fortunae suae' - 'Every man is architect of his own fortune'

Chapter 3

Arx Equestris

Chapter 3

'Amicitia semper prodest '

I can't believe it – I'm actually going to leave the city! True – only for few days, but I hope hope that they'll turn out to be interesting few days. After all, if you weren't a trader, you were very unlikely to lave the place you were born at. You'd live your entire life in the same city doing the same things for the rest of your life, just like everypony else did. And just like I were going to a mere day ago. Now here I am, approaching the guard station by the main gate to the city with Crystal and Tangerine – two ponies that, as members of the Traveller's Guild, are allowed to freely wander the tunnels, even though the official agreement between Guild and government only mentions main paths between major cities and villages. But nopony cares that my companions rarely stay on them for long, usually opting to walk the old abandoned tunnels that were theoretically off-limits. Luckily for us, the “off-limits” part only means that once you go in there you're on your own, nopony actually cares about that fact enough to do something to stop ponies like my new associates from doing what they do best – dropping by the areas abandoned during or after the war and snatching everything that's not nailed to the floor. For the latter they needed to bring their own crowbars..

The small stop before actually leaving the city was, as Crystal assured me, just a formality. They had to check in with the Guild and sign a contract that would keep all potential problems with the guards away – if you ran into a patrol along the way without any mercenaries from Traveller's Guild, you'd have no other choice but to accept the guards' 'polite offer' of being escorted to your destination. Protect and serve and all that. According to the story, I hired them to escort me to Arx so I can establish an exchange agreement with a client there. Payment was to be delivered when we reach Guild's outpost in the city. Too bad the contract would go missing before we'd make it, saving me quite a few bits. Oh well, what can you do!

After the official part of forming the agreement was done, the guild's official levitated out a thin sheet of metal from the stack on one of the shelves and placed it inside a metal press, preparing the machine with the wording of our contract. It's a very popular method of storing information, since paper is way too expensive to use it for such things. I doubt the Guild would ever be able to afford enough of it to cover its needs, since every day dozens of new contracts were signed. When the machine was done punching the text in, the unicorn running the small outpost levitated it to us to make sure everything is correct.

'GM: EP CRYSTAL | U TANGERINE

C: P WING FLAIR

CD:

E: SCSTL-ARX : 50B

PD: ARR ARX OPST'

Wow. They really like saving time and space, don't they? I couldn't understand most of it, but it must have been correct since my companions nodded their heads, apparently being able to read the extremely shortened contract. For a second I wondered if it was due to them being long time members of the Guild, or it's just me being a not very clever pony again. I pushed those thoughts away as Crystal put the metal card inside her saddlebag and Tangerine motioned for me to follow as he walked out of the room and headed for the main door.

As we left the outpost, he turned his head towards me and Crystal “Alright, last call. You're certain you have everything? Yes? Good, then let's finally be on our way, we've had enough delays” he didn't even give me chance to form a full response before he was already off again, trotting towards the city's gate, which was guarded by a couple ponies in city guard's armours, standing by it as if they were statues, not even turning their heads to look at us as we walked past them. Creepy if you ask me, good thing I don't have to deal with them on a daily basis.

I followed Tangerine, almost bouncing on my hooves in anticipation. The only time I have actually left the city was for the Wonderbolts recruitment camp, but that wasn't far away from Springcastle and I was just escorted alongside the rest of the recruits. Now I was leaving the urban centre behind again, this time not being watched by guards that would drag me back into the line, have I dared to stray from it. True, Tangerine would probably do the same now, but still – I'm going on the adventure of my life!

Crystal giggled lightly at my foalish excitement and I felt my cheeks warming up from embarrassment as I composed myself and changed my happy leaps into a more even pace, trotting by her side as Tangerine continued marching without even showing whether he paid any attention to what was happening behind his back or not. Better for me I guess. I decided to vent my anticipation in a less visible manner by looking around a bit. Sadly, the part of tunnels right outside the city wasn't anything unusual – still the same, bricked road and walls with magical lamps mounted on them, with rare holes on either side - passages leading to certain facilities located outside the city walls or villages that lied even further away. Every now and then we'd pass a bulky metal construction sticking out of the wall, the metal it was made of starting to rust as a sign of its age. I'm not an egghead like my sister, but I recognized what it is – in the city air ducts were hidden from sight, but out in the tunnels there was nopony who could say that the way they look is crime against good taste and they need to be swept under the rug, so nopony cared to try and disguise them. They just stood idly by, mounted into the walls and doing their job of bringing in fresh air from the surface. It was magically warmed up before being pushed out into the tunnels, but still had a chilly feel to it, a pleasant refreshment in comparison to the usual heated up air in areas further away from these machines.

Time slowly passed as we made our way away from the city, the road was rather wide so we had no problems in passing by the occasional ponies or carts heading Springcastle on their business. Most of them were being escorted by guards, but Crystal greeted some of her acquaintances from the Guild a few times, even stopping once to try and chat with one of them for few seconds before Tangerine wrapped his magic around her and pulled her away. She frowned at him, pouting as he set her back down, her friend just chuckled as she turned and ran to catch up with rest of the caravan.

“You know, just because you're a loner doesn't mean I can't have a little chat with friends either.” She argued, levelling up with the unicorn and leaving me to follow the pair by myself.

He let out a short, annoyed sight as if it were something he had to deal with far more often than he'd like to. “I'm just doing us all a favour. She's on a job and I don't think you want to get her in trouble, and we can't fall even more behind either, you know I need to settle few matters in Arx when we get there, so I'd like us to be on time. Besides, technically we're on a contract too. You'll have plenty of time to chat with your acquaintances when we're done here.” He recited without even turning his head to face her which only raised a 'hmph' from Crystal as she slowed down a bit until she was walking next to me again.

Her expression softened a bit as she turned to me. “I hate it when he has a point. Still, not like a minute or two are going to decide about the fate of the world. So, how are you holding up there.”

Not sure what to say I ultimately settled for simple “Alright”. Oh, who am I kidding. “Not really. I think we've been walking for hours, hard to tell without a clock anywhere. How much further is it?”

She gave me a mildly amused look as she shook her head lightly. “You better not say that to Tang. And to answer your question, we should be nearing the main intersection between Springcastle and Arx. That's close to about halfway to our destination and last point where we'll be using the main roads, so we're going take a short breather there, then head out into the old tunnels for few more hours. Tang says there's a suitable spot close to the surface access point, so we'll make a camp there and head out early tomorrow. Don't ask me about the details though, he's the brain here.” I just nodded, trying not to wince at the thought of having to walk for so much longer. I guess I should have found out more about this expedition before jumping in eagerly. Go me and my inability to think ahead.

We chatted idly as Tangerine continued to lead, fixed on his destination and ignoring the now sparse side passages, most of which was unlit and simply had a sign saying 'off-limits' next to them. One or two even had a metal bars blocking the way, I assumed those were the most hostile parts of the underground, apparently dangerous enough to make the officials actually try and stop ponies from venturing forth. We rarely met other travellers now, having left Springcastle's reach of influence as the bricked road got replaced by a simple smooth stone surface, area only visited by those who had business in other major cities. We only walked it for a short time before a high-pitched screech brought Tangerine to a stop before turning the next corner, his ears perked up as he listened in on barely audible noises carried through the tunnel as I looked nervously at Crystal, not sure if we're in some danger or not. She noticed my nervousness and smiled lightly walking up to our unicorn guide.

“What is it Tang? Sounds like just a bunch of lurkers?”

“Lurkers?” I echoed uncertainly – sure, I have heard that word a couple of times before, but never got curious enough to actually find out what it referred to.

Tangerine nodded his head slightly as he resumed walking at a slower pace. “Yep, lurkers. Annoying little creatures that like to attack ponies foalish enough to wander the far tunnels alone.” He moved past the corner with Crystal and I quickly followed him, now curious to see what was it. If they remain so calm, I guess I have nothing to fear either. As soon as I reached my companions my eyes fell on a pair of small creatures, being some kind of grotesque hybrid between reptile and mammal, standing next to an entrance to some abandoned passage a bit further down the tunnel. Their thin bodies, covered in a dark brown hide had disproportionally long limbs and tail, with small head nested on a short neck. One of them turned towards us, looking with its beady black eyes for few moments before letting out another screech, this time longer and lower pitched. I thought they don't look too threatening, but before I could voice my opinion four more emerged from the passage and joined the first pair. Okay, this is a bit more serious. I looked at Tangerine, hoping for him to tell me what to do, but he just started to calmly walk towards the half dozen skittering creatures.

“Those things always move around in packs and like to keep close to less busy tunnels, hoping for an easy prey. Luckily for us-” His horn glowed and one of the creatures screamed and kicked around as it got lifted into the air, its companions looking at it with what I supposed was fear or confusion on their small, ugly faces “-they're cowards, and unless they outnumber you five to one you have nothing to fear from them.” He smirked lightly as he threw the lurker back inside the passage it came from with a noticeable force, a small thud coming out of the darkness a moment later as the creature hit a wall. Rest of the pack looked uncertain for few seconds, but then they let out a collective screech and revealed rows of thin, spiky teeth as they started moving towards us.

Tangerine shook his head lightly before turning to face Crystal. “Stubborn pests. Well, this is your area of expertise.” She grinned reaching for her sword as she moved ahead of us, tapping the blade against the stone floor as she did, which caused the creatures to stop in their tracks as they now focused their eyes on the pony facing them, seeming uncertain once more. Both parties just stood staring each other down for few seconds before Crystal flicked her black tail and charged forward, which in turn sent the group skittering in other direction, accompanied by loud screeches as the terrified pack almost trampled each other trying to escape back into their tunnel, apparently having lost any will to ambush travellers today.

Having chased last of the creatures away the light blue mare sheathed her sword and turned back to face us, apparently very amused by the situation since she had a huge grin on her face. “Never gets old, I love those little guys.” I must say, watching her chase those small creatures around as they tried their best to keep away from the rampaging pony was a bit of a show.

Tangerine and I quickly joined her and the unicorn spoke up. “I must say, you are natural when it comes to handling those situations. You should have lurkers as your cutie mark, don't you think?” Crystal stuck out her tongue at him as she turned around and walked away as I turned my head to look at Tangerine, confused by what he said and almost felt my jaw dropping to the floor. The edge of his mouth was actually raised in a slight smile. This unfriendly, stern guy actually made a joke. I wondered if there's actually some truth behind Crystal's words of him being a good companion as I trotted up to join her and the unicorn in question as we resumed our travel.

***

I gave up on trying to estimate the time so I don't know how much longer it took, but we finally reached what Tangerine referred to as 'Fairsight's Folly' – a large cavern that served as an intersection between three major roads – two of them leading to Springcastle and Arx, the third reaching far towards Equesria's borders and into the Diamond Dogs territory. The cave was quite spacious, not as much as the huge complex in which Springcastle was built, but it was big enough to fit a two story building in it. The modest looking construction stood between the entrances to tunnels that lead to cities, its front facing the path away from kingdom's territory. There were two guards standing by its door, and as we made our way towards it I noticed a sign hanging over their heads.

“Drunken Dog? Is this... A tavern?” I asked, wondering who would build a tavern out here, name it like that and why was it guarded by soldiers. Did they expect Diamond Dogs to come by and level it to the ground, offended by its name? That actually seems plausible – from what I heard Dogs don't have a very good sense of humour.

Tangerine instantly answered my question, pulling the hood of his cloak off his head as we neared the guards who, as it appears to be in their custom, seemed to ignore us. “Mostly. It's actually older than you may think – it was built by a couple of Diamond Dogs back when they and ponies got along well enough.”

“That was, well, long ago. How come it's still standing? And why the guards, is it a dangerous place?”

To my surprise, instead of annoyance that I expected to hear in the unicorn's voice from having to explain something to me again, he spoke in a tone that strangely reminded me of school teacher explaining a subject to their students. “There are three important things that you have to keep in mind when starting a business: location, location and location. Initially it was a watering hole for a small community that occupied nearby caves. It was destroyed during the wars, but when the construction of two major cities began, somepony noticed that this place stands exactly in the middle between them. And what do all travellers bring with them on a journey? Money. So they jumped on the opportunity and soon this place became one of the most prosperous piece of business outside cities.” He finished his speech walking past the guards and inside the building. Crystal and I quickly followed him.

The inside wasn't that different from the outside – rather modest and not too big, but it was spacious enough for 5 tables to be spread about in comfortable intervals, most of which were occupied by the patrons and one even had four more guards sitting by it, apparently off-duty as there were mugs of presumably alcoholic beverage on the table they occupied. Further in the back there was a long counter with a barpony behind it who was busy talking with a customer. There was also a set of narrow stairs on either side of the counter, probably leading to the rooms one could rent to get some rest on their travel. Crystal looked around the room and smiled, waving to a group sitting by one of the tables who apparently were her friends and quickly made her way towards them, leaving me with Tangerine.

“Guess it was too much to ask for to have her focused here. I wanted to talk with you anyways. Take a table and I'll be right back.” He pointed at the last empty table with a hoof and left for the counter. Great, am I in trouble again? I sat down, trying to figure out what did I do to already get on his bad side. At least Crystal seems to be having a good time, assuming from the outbursts of laughter continuously taking place at her table. Tangerine came back faster than I'd like, levitating two mugs by his side. He sat down and pushed one towards me; I looked inside it, inhaling the sweet smell of an apple cider. “I hope you weren't expecting alcohol. We're on a job.” Oh, right. Not sure what to say I decided to just take a sip from my mug. “So, how are you holding up, getting tired yet?”

Oh-hoh. Crystal warned me about this. I placed the mug back down and put up what I hoped to be a tough guy face. “Nah, it takes a bit more than that to wear me down, am okay.” It seems to have worked as a hint of curiosity appeared on my companion's face as he nodded, apparently pleased with the response he received.

“I should think so. You never said you were in Wonderbolts. That's something you should have said the moment we met.” He inquired levitating his own mug and taking a sip from it.

“Well, I wasn't really. I mean, I was a recruit, but I got expelled after a year, so I don't think it's something to be proud of...”

“Well, certainly would be better if you lasted longer, but you still got some training, right?” I nodded, relaxed a bit since it seems I am not in trouble. “So you're a much more valuable asset than I thought. Got any experience or something else I should know about?”

“Before I could open my mouth to respond, Crystal came back, appearing out of thin air as she threw her hoof around Tangeirne's neck sitting down next to him. “Aww, you're drilling the new guy again, Tang? Come on, don't be sour, we should have a bit of fun before tomorrow, not hold interrogations!” She exclaimed in her usual cheerful tone as the unicorn put a hoof over his face.

“Thank you for continuously undermining my authority, Crystal.”

Unfazed by his response, the blue mare continued her embrace as she winked at me. “Authority? Oh, come on, we're not some organized unit, lighten up.”

Tangerine sighed, freeing himself from her as he got up. “I'll just go report the lurkers to the captain, the sooner that passage is sealed the better for everpony.” He turned and headed for the table occupied by the guards as Crystal just chuckled and claimed his mug for herself. Taking another sip myself I wondered just what else will I find out about these two before this all is over.

'Amicitia semper prodest - 'Friendship (is) always beneficial'