With a loud groan, I peeled myself from the ground I found myself on. I felt dazed, almost like I had a hangover, but I don’t remember drinking. I don’t remember much from yesterday, actually. Other than a pure blackness that was suddenly filled with light. I winced, it definitely felt like a hangover. Wait, in fact, I’ve never been drunk before.
I cringed, never mind, I shouldn’t think about things that hurt my head right now. The real question was where I am, I mean, I live in New York, not a forest, a very green thick dark forest. I shuddered as I stood up, despite the sun shining from above the trees, it was almost pitch black.
I looked around searching for a way out, I didn’t feel comfortable here and freaking out could wait. All I could see in all directions was an overly stifling darkness, perhaps I should stay here, and they do say that it’s the best way to be found. Well, actually, I’ve never heard that or said it myself before. I couldn’t help but wonder if the idea of waiting actually held merit, who knew what lived here.
I took a deep breath and headed off in a randomly chosen direction, one that looked slightly less deadly. It was a long walk, that clearing was the only real splotch of light for a while, and despite that I had yet run into anything, my luck clearly wouldn’t hold as always.
“Why is it so dark?” I muttered, kicking a stick off into the darkness “It’s just a forest, albeit a rather creepy one.”
I sighed and continued walking, how had I even gotten here? I had to have already walked a few miles or something. I could be wrong, it is very dark in here after all, and it had yet to start getting darker, signifying nighttime, or it could already be night and I never noticed. The covering wasn’t even that thick, in fact, it was rather thin looking from down here.
I glared out into the darkness, before noticing a clearing ahead. When I finally exited, the sight before me was astounding. A great castle opened before me, massive in size, yet in ruins. Beyond it lay a great canyon, whisps of fog curling out from it. I walked towards the castle slowly, making my way inside.
A banner on the wall pictured a large horse with both wings and a horn, “A pegacorn?” I murmured aloud before snickering, “Now that’s just ridiculous.”
I stopped and sat down, a necessary break considering that I felt like I had been walking for days. It might have been the darkness, throwing off my sense of time. I sighed and put my head in my hands, I still couldn’t figure out where I was, I had no idea where a castle could be, especially one this old.
I got up after a few minutes and left the castle behind, crossing the long rope bridge that spanned the gap. It wobbled as I walked across, crouching to reach the ropes that acted as the hand rails. They were far shorter than they should’ve been, almost smaller than child-size.
After I managed to get across, the bridge swaying dangerously as I finally hit ground on the other side, I brushed the dirt off my pants and looked back. Okay, maybe the gap was a bit smaller in width than in depth, it was a rather short distance across. I bent down and peered over the edge.
Shallower than anticipated, probably would’ve hurt falling down. I started to get up and noticed a staircase leading down into the crevice where a strange light glowed from a cave entrance. I looked back, to the forest. Maybe I can try it, who knows where I am, might as well check out something like this, but I’d be cautious.
With that, I stepped down onto the next step. They were large enough for my feet, barely. I stepped cautiously, making way down slowly. It wasn’t that hard, I just preferred not to take the quicker, but more painful, option: falling.
When I finally reached the bottom, I was surprised to find a relatively large entrance that looked smaller from above. I walked inside, stepping over the various roots and rocks in the entrance. One of the roots looked curiously crystalline, I blinked and looked again. Odd, must be a natural occurrence as its dug into the ground. Something about the crystal made me shirk away from grabbing it, though.
I finally looked up from the root and saw something that shocked me. A crystal tree, taller than myself, with symbols in it and small bead-like vines falling from its sides. I moved closer, holding out a hand to touch the various symbols in it.
A lightning bolt, a balloon, a butterfly, a diamond, an apple, and star all throughout the upper leaves and in the middle, whereas down the trunk, a sun, a moon, and a heart adorned it. My hand came into contact on a small indentation which I rubbed slightly and was suddenly blinded. I fell backwards and caught myself, looking up at something more shocking than the tree itself.
A tall horse, much like the one I had seen in the banner, greeted me. She was as tall as myself, and her horn only made her taller. I blinked, “Hu-buh-buh- WHAT?” I shouted, eyes widening. “What? A horse! A pegacorn!? Where? When? How!?”
“Calm down,” she said, her voice actually soothing my nerves.
I took a deep breath, “What, who, and HOW are you here?”
“I am Faust, the goddess of this world, and,” she smiled, “I came here from my home to talk to you.” She turned around and looked at the tree, a smile gracing what I could see of her muzzle. Ignoring the fact, because she’s goddess, that she could speak English, I blinked.
“Me? Why?” I asked.
“Luck of the draw,” she said, “You have a very important power, though you won’t know what it is for awhile.”
“Right… Talk about what then?” I asked.
“No freakout?” She asked, rather playfully.
“To be fair, its be a long day,” I muttered, sitting down on a rock.
“Very well,” she said, her face suddenly becoming grim. “I have a message for Princess Celestia, of this world, and you need to deliver it. I’ll give you something to prove your trustworthiness.”
“Alright, what’s the message?” I asked, keeping myself calm. It was weird, that’s for sure, but freaking out would get me absolutely nowhere, nor did I feel like doing so anymore.
“Tell her: A threat is coming for Equus, one I cannot help with for fear of sacrificing all of it. This man, you,” she gestured at me with a hoof, “will be a valuable asset and is my general and prophet, and representative of the humans. Be wary and ready, I do not, and cannot say, when it will arrive.”
“Me? A general, and a prophet?” I asked, muttering quietly as I bit my finger as I rubbed my chin, “I’ve never really been religious. That stuff about god never seemed right,” I said, shrugging.
“For good reason. There isn’t just one god on your Earth, just like here. I’m just the only one who cares and can help. The others suggested this, the ones who care,” she nodded quietly, a forlorn look coming across her face. Her emotion showed through, she was nervous and scared. I bit my lip before standing up.
“Well, then I’ll help, since I’m here,” I walked up and put my hand on her head, petting lightly. She closed her eyes and smiled as I scratched behind her ears.
“I forgot how nice that feels, it’s been ages,” she sat down as I continued.
“What happened exactly?” I asked sitting on a nearby rock, still petting as she laid down.
“It’s probably best you learn later,” she responded quietly. “I’ve sent for ponies to bring you here,” she shirked out of my touch and stood up. She smiled, “Thank you, Gabriel, oh wait…” She leaned in and kissed my cheek.
“No problem, Faust,” I said as she disappeared, revealing six smaller horses behind her. The stared at me. I blinked. Oh. I was just petting their goddess, who also happened to kiss me, perhaps that was a weird thing to do…
“Why’s isn’t he screaming? Or running backwards, yelling it’s a dream?” The one with rainbow hair said, fluttering in the air with her wings, revealing a lightning bolt on her side. Just like the one on the tree…
“Perhaps, um, he’s too shocked?” the other pegasi said, her light pink mane covering her face.
“Or he’s really excited!” A rather bubbly, normal, aside from colors, looking horse. She had balloons on her side. They must be the ponies Faust mentioned, especially considering their correspondence with the tree thing.
“Or perhaps he’s waiting for you to finish,” I called out, walking towards the ‘alicorn’ as Faust called herself, and I assume that she was of the same type. Lavender coat and purple mane. The most shocking thing, after seeing the goddess, was the really ridiculous colors.
They all stopped and the rainbow one smirked and crossed her hooves, “Smart guy, eh?”
“That I am, Ms. Gay-pride,” I smirked back, looking her in the face.
She laughed, “Nice one!”
“Thanks, that said…” I looked at the alicorn again, “You’re in charge?”
She nodded, “Yes, I am. Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.”
Stifling laughter I nodded, “Alright, a princess. Good,” she looked at me, confused, “I have a message for Celestia from some goddess alicorn named Faust.”
Author's Note
And so, it begins.
