Author's Note
Let me know what you think of this one!
Originally, I planned it to be a single, long story, consisting of only one chapter, but I think it may work better as a multi-chapter story!
Let's find out if it's up to your tastes!
The Frost Takes Over
Once Do We Fall, Awaiting Revival
By Ribe (FireRain)
Chapter 1 - The Frost Takes Over
*** *** ***
The howling, bitter-cold winds of the Badlands scratched at the walls of the castle with great force, the heavy flakes of snow that accompanied it almost resembling thunder through the thick, aged stone structure. The raging weather never seemed to cease in these parts of Equestria, and that was something you learned pretty quick when you were assigned to the role of guard for the castle.
Currently, you were standing at a post that faced the main streets of the empire that the castle overlooked from its position in the heart of it all. The snow beat down at your body like a paranormal force throwing blow after blow against your full-body armor and helmet, the impact causing your body to tingle at the sensation.
The armor adorning your back was nothing short of defective, seeing as its strong and sturdy craftspony ship served you and your body well, able to fight off most of the cold that threatened to nip and bite at your skin if it wasn't there. It was made from a specialized material, specially designed for soldiers and guards alike, named Icitanium. It gleamed like pure icicle, but wasn't transparent, nor was it as dense as ice. It was simply an alloy material that had one or two magical enchantments to withstand harsh conditions and sustain comfort and durability.
The outer plating was almost silver in colour, only a little off, and the helmet, constructed of the same plating, had a small visor crafted from Plexiglas, leaving only the gap between your eyes and bridge of your off-silver muzzle bare and exposed. The plating fit snug against your muzzle and mouth, and it allowed for unaffected respiration, enabling the ability to breathe normally and comfortably.
Peering out from the balcony at which you were posted, you stared through the visor down at the surrounding area, navigating your frost-blue eyes through the streets below.
The empire wasn't much, only consisting of around only four-dozen houses, some being shops for supply and other general essentials, but it was something. It was your job to protect and look out for the citizens below, and you were going to be damned if you let something get in your way.
In some of the houses, slightly glowing from the window panes, you could see a light, yellow-orange aura glowing and flickering slightly. Candle light. It may not be as reliable as magical lanterns such as the ones in the castle, but it did the job and allowed for clearer visibility in darker areas.
Underneath your helmet, a smile crawled its way up onto your lips. You looked up to the sky, watching dark, snow-bloated clouds gently float up overhead, motivated by the winds that blew their flakes once they overflowed. It was the only atmosphere that could be seen, and has only been seen. Not in the years passed has the sky ever been anything different. It was mysterious, to say the least, almost other-worldly.
Casting your gaze past the small settlement below, you peered with slightly squinted eyes to the far, stretched-open landscape, only adorned by few, towering behemoths of mountains and bare land that leaked along the dirt to the end of nowhere. Citizens both from and out of the empire whom have ever dared try to venture into the land have never been seen again. Gone, just like that. It was almost as if the darkness swallowed them and ate their souls.
You and every other pony alive today know the area is referred to only as the Foul Dark. Seems rather fitting, given its mysterious and strange existence and nature. It was also the only thing besides the town that you had in the empire to watch over. Even through that time, you've experienced - or much rather, seen - some disturbing things.
According to myths and lore told behind the crackling flames of a campfire and lamp in a desolate forest, surrounded by croaking and moaning trees and to foals before bed time to scare them, there is something much darker than a living spirit or soul in there darkest, deepest depths of the Foul Dark.
Some say at night, you can hear screeching and dragging, almost as if a dagger has been introduced to a wolf's gut and twisted. Others claim to have seen apparitions of strange, dark creatures. It is said that they look like ponies, although their bodies are all messed up and mangled. There are even some unspecified ponies who claimed to have actually been in direct contact with one of these creatures. From the stories told, they are like shape-shifters; some can either appear as ponies or even a shadow. As a default appearance of these mysterious entities, they are said to be like a moving, black mist-like apparition with no eyes, just empty, black masses where they should be. The only characteristic they have that is in the preset of a living, breathing pony native to Equestria is a muzzle and mouth, yet also made out of black mist.
They have simply been named Crawlers, as a reference to their nightmarish features and appearance. It sent a different cold slivering shiver down your spine and down to the very tip of your tail bone with a sensation that could put the biting cold around you to utter and pure shame.
You've seen them yourself while on watch, almost as if they were dancing in the darkness that pools in the outer areas of the Badlands. It makes you wander why a castle was even built on this land. It also makes you lament on the origin of the mysterious creatures that roam the Foul Dark.
Were they an actual, living Equestrian before they became what they are? Are they the spawn of the Devil himself? Simply another dangerous and spooky creature like the few inhabitants of the Foul Dark? A ghost or demonic spirit? Your guess was as good as anypony else's.
''Black Chain!'' A female voice called from behind you, muffled by the sound of the raging weather, but not inaudible. Turning to face the source of the voice, you saw that it was another guard, of the same rank as you - Initiate Sapphire Star. She was a pegasus with well-preened wings and glorious electric blue coat with a glistening royal blue mane and tail with cerulean stripes down the middle with eyes to match.
You could sense her smile from beneath her helmet, and from the look in her eyes from behind her visor, she could too. She came next to you, clad in her own armor of equal build and quality, and stood beside you, watching over the town with the eyes of a hawk. For a few minutes, she stood and watched with you before turning to direct her eyes into yours.
''So, had any fun yet, Quartz?'' She asked, her hidden smile warm against the cold. Ah, yes, she just had to go and use your little nickname from school days. Of course, that was also during the time you spent a full couple years practicing and training for being a guard. The two of you became good friends like lemonade and summer.
'''Fraid not, Sparkle.'' You countered, using her own nickname with a smirk. ''How about you? Patrolling the castle's defenses givin' you any trouble?''
She scoffed playfully with a roll of her eyes. ''Not as much as Princess Silver Glacier.'' She said. Yes, Princess Silver Glacier, the ruler of the empire. She had a coat of silk-like coal and a mane of well-groomed, glistening white quartz and diamond blue with wise eyes to match the blue hue. Unlike other general ponies of high importance, Princess Silver Glacier was an alicorn, one that specialized in what was known as Cold Magic, or in the laments tongue, Ancient Ice Conjuring Abilities. ''She's been riding us ragged for the past few days.'' She let out a tired sigh.
With a light chuckle, you wrapped a hoof around her neck, your armor clanking softly against her own, as you pulled her into a hug for a brief few seconds. ''Yeah, yeah, it can't be that bad. At least you're not freezing your flank off out here all night.'' You both shared a good-natured laugh.
''Black Chain! Sapphire!'' A stallion's voice called from behind the two of you, and turning, you both faced a slightly panicked, cyan unicorn guard of the Princess, a desperate gleam in his emerald eyes. He wasn't wearing his helmet, and without its protection against his face and fur, you could see the fear riddled across his features, along with a few strands of frozen hair, dripping with icicles. ''Come quick, the Princess has ordered all guards to report to the throne room, immediately!'' He said frantically before running off.
Both you and Sapphire shared a glance with raised brows before giving chase after him.
The Throne Room
''...It has come to my attention that the Foul Dark has been reported as expanding closer to the empire! Locals have been claiming to see what can only be described as Crawler activity, of which is causing great distress to even the toughest of ponies, most of whom are on our very own guard.'' Princess Silver Glacier's voice resonated throughout the throne room in which most of the guards and soldiers were situated, the rest still on duty to keep watch in case of negative activity.
The voice of the Princess was laced strictly and tightly with authority and grace, and although commanding, her voice was still holding its usual, casual tone. It was almost like her vocal chords were made of a gold-string harp. She was standing high and tall in the very front of the throne room, overlooked by the glass that displayed the ferocious storm outside. Her throne behind her, was constructed with great care, designed from Icitanium and enchanted to keep her rump warm, given all those who would dare to sit bare-haunched would regret it after letting the burning cold take a bite of their backside.
Both you and Sapphire were somewhere in the middle of the sea of guards and soldiers all gathered and cluttered together in rows, approximately twelve in total. All species of pony, from pegasi to unicorn to earth pony was rendezvoused here, all awaiting command to serve their Princess and empire.
You could see Sapphire smirk at you, her face now uncovered and her helmet on her back. She gave you a single nod, and you returned it, a smile of your own plastering itself upon your lips.
The Princess stepped down from her magical ice throne, slowly making her way down the steps that lead to it and stopping at the first row of ponies she came to. ''I'm afraid that we'll have to call an emergency lockdown of the empire, and evacuate the citizens if it becomes necessary. I want you,'' She pointed with a Icitanium hoof-shoe at a unicorn pony with full-body armour and bow and arrows. ''and you'' She pointed at a pegasus pony beside him, a mare with standard armor, like you, and ordered, ''to gather the citizens and get them to safety. There's no telling the outcome if the Foul Dark gets too close to us.''
Like that, the two saluted firmly and wasted no time in going to their assigned duty. ''As for the rest of you, I want you all to assist me in keeping the castle safe and secure. Report any suspicious activity, any changes in the weather outside that could indicate a threat, and especially if the Foul Dark pushes through the circumference of the empire.''
''Yes, Ma'am!'' The crowd of guards and soldiers all shouted once.
''Remember; to fight is to die for your beliefs. A fight is not won until one last faction is standing. At the end of the day, only one will triumph over the other, reeling in a new order of peace.'' The Princess said, her tone slow as she watched each and every one of the ponies in the throne room, including you and sapphire, her eyes scanning. ''Dis-''
CRASH! THUMP!
The ground shook with an ear-splitting crash and series of banging, and following up from the noises that caused everypony in the throne room to turn their heads towards the doors of the room, which the noises were coming from behind, they suddenly threw themselves open, the force so great that when they hit the walls on which they were affixed to, they gained more than a few cracks and breaks in their bodies.
''Princess! We need your help!'' A young-looking stallion with a charcoal mane and dark navy coat cried as he came in, his amethyst eyes stricken with panic and terror. As he entered the throne room at high speed, he collapsed with a smaller pony in his hooves. A pair of guard ponies quickly came to his aid and gasped in shock at the figure in his hooves.
He was closely holding a young, blood-covered earth filly in his hooves, with a coat to match his own and white mane. Her eyes were closed and her mouth hung open loosely. A small blood trail, no longer than a couple of centimeters, dripped out of the side of her mouth.
It was a heartbreaking sight to take in, to say the least.
From beside you, Sapphire joined the guards and knelt down beside the stallion. She gently asked the stallion to place the filly down on the floor, requesting one of the guards to support her head with a hoof as the stallion did so, a tiny broken nod in acknowledgement.
You joined Sapphire and stared at the lifeless figure of the filly.
Her navy coat was smothered in blood, and the side of her neck was specked with droplets of blood from her mouth. The most evident and worrying thing was on her chest.
Three long and deep wounds were slashed clean across her barrel, running the entire length from her stomach down to her side. You gasped softly and when you knelt down to inspect them closer, you were quickly able to diagnose them as scratches. They were plausible for being that of a wound inflicted by that of a Foul Dark creature.
After all, it made sense. There was no living creature that posed as a threat to anypony outside of or in the empire, and that would leave either of the two conclusions for how this filly got these wounds: She went wandering alone into the Foul Dark, or she simply had the misfortune to be in the presence of a dangerous creature lurking nearby.
Sapphire placed her helmet on the ground after taking it off of her back and leaned her ear next to the filly's mouth, listening for any signs of breathing. A few seconds passed and she heard nothing.
Her eyes became glassy as she realized that the filly was no longer a living pony. She was gone.
She didn't even speak to tell the stallion, whom caught on quick what her diagnostic was for the filly. Somehow, the dread in his eyes before he even set the filly down told her that he knew she wasn't going to make it, despite his hopes.
He closed his eyes as a few tears leaked and dripped from the gap in his eye lids, running down his cheek and plopping onto the filly's forehead. ''Glaze...'' He whispered the filly's name.
From the front of the crowd, the Princess approached the weeping stallion. She placed a hoof to the stallion's chin and raised his head to meet his eyes. She showed him a gentle and warm smile through her sympathy and spoke. ''My dear citizen, although I'm truly sorry to see the loss of your loved one, would you mind telling me where you found her?'' She asked calmly, her voice almost a soft and smooth as velvet.
With a hoof wiping his eyes, the stallion managed to muster up the strength to find his voice. ''She...S-She's my d-daughter. Was...'' He paused for a moment, his ears folded back. He choked back a little on his own tears before managing to continue. ''I-I found her outside th-the Foul D-Dark...''
The Princess simply nodded sympathetically. She turned to the two guards standing on either side of the stallion. ''Show this stallion to the washroom.'' She said to the one of them and he gave a salute before requesting that the stallion followed him. He glanced into Sapphire's eyes as she still held up the filly's head, then at his now deceased daughter. The Princess gave a reassuring smile. ''Don't worry, I'll see to it personally that she is given a proper burial.'' She said.
''T-Thank you, your highness.'' He said thankfully, giving a slow bow before being escorted out with the guard, watching the face of his daughter for what he knew to be the last time ever.
With a sigh, the Princess looked over the filly and then at the remaining guard. She used her horn to conjure up her telekinetic grip and slowly and gently raised her from Sapphire's hooves, lightly placing her comfortably across the guard's back. ''Take her to the morgue, inform the medical team that we have a pony to bury.'' She said sadly, glancing one last time to the filly.
''Yes, Ma'am!'' The guard said, saluting before taking off with care to the medical wing.''
Sapphire and yourself gazed up at the Princess. ''Your highness? What're your commands?'' You asked calmly and patiently. You offered a hoof to Sapphire to help her up as you said so.
She gave a sigh before addressing the eager crowd. ''I want every pony available here to split themselves into groups of four. One of them to go and help the citizens in the town evacuate,''
''On it!'' A choir of a couple dozen ponies shouted in unison, making nautical haste towards the town.
''another one to secure the perimeter of the castle,''
''Done!'' A second group, slightly larger than the first called out before attending their to their orders.
''a third one to stand on guard,''
''On it, Princess!''
''and lastly, the fourth group, I want you to all be on high alert. The Foul Dark is spreading, and under no circumstance shall it be unnoticed or taken lightly! It is of the utmost importance that this empire and castle are secured at all times and that it is enforced!''
''Yes, Ma'am!''
Group after group, they all left, leaving only you, Sapphire, the Princess and a pair of her personal guards in the throne room. You and Sapphire shared a worried glance, and you hoofed over Sapphire's helmet after picking it from the floor.
''What of us, Princess?'' You asked.
''Initiate Black Chain and Initiate Sapphire Star.'' She said, a warm smile gracing her lips. ''As you two are a fairly new addition to my guard in the empire, I want the two of you to help out where you can. The castle isn't without enough support in its most vulnerable areas, so you needn't worry about that. If you wish, you can assist those down in the town and see to it that they all get out safely.'' She explained.
''Consider it done.'' You said, Sapphire nodding from beside you. ''Until our last breath, it shall be seen through.'' You both bowed and took off out of the throne room and made your way towards the town to assist where possible.
The Princess sat down in her throne and hung her head with a sigh. One of her guards, a strong-looking pegasus stallion with a concealed white coat and amber eyes took hint of her shift in mood.
''Ma'am? Is something the matter?'' He asked.
''No, nothing is wrong.'' She said firmly, yet casually, her tone never seeming to lose its natural vibes. She stared out to the doors of the throne room where the two new initiates were standing moments ago. ''I can only hope at this point for them to be successful in their deeds.'' She said, managing a weak smile. ''I'm sure they'll do just fine.''
She glanced out of the window, her diamond blue eyes tracing over the streets of the town that could only be seen in the distance, the light emanating from the windows of the many houses illuminating the darkness outside and causing the snow flakes to glow like golden glitter.
She could pick out specks of ponies, all being escorted from their homes by her guards and she mustered a short smile.
''Just fine.''
