The tale of an Armor Lizard

Chapters

1 Bone Yard
2 Forced Labor
3 The problem and Solution
4 The Temple
5 From the bottom of Tartarus
6 Goodbye Boneheads

1 Bone Yard

Darkness was all around me as I felt I was floating into nothingness slowly moving back and forth as if I was underwater near a coast or something.

I felt alone and yet I had the feeling I was being watched by thousands of sets off eyes who were judging every fiber off me. Every choice I ever have made maybe even off the ones I once will make.

The first sounds, in what felt like hours, was the sound of waves but if I listened closer it sounded like a million voices whispering at the same time following the back and forth motion of the waves I felt until it became silent and I heard a roar like growl in a whispered tone as if it was faraway or dampened by something.

Two thin line off lights slowly appear before they open slowly causing red light the darkness up.

The eyes look like they are made of lava the iris’s seemed to swirl even as they stared into my soul.

The darkness underneath the eyes started crack and get the rough shape of a cave or better yet the maw of hell itself with in the back lava the maw gave a roar, no matter how dampened, seemed to shake me to the core of my very being.

Waking up in a shock as I jumped up and my world became one of absolute pain as I bumped my head into something as hard as a rock. Correction it was rock.

When I flinched back I noticed I was in water and the drowning sensation didn’t go well with the headache, which I just acquired, as I groaned crawling out of the small body of water watching out for the low roof. There was a very strong smell off salt even worse than on the beach.

Feeling weird as if my body was different than it used to be and if that was so how did I look before or even better who was I? I couldn’t remember anything even that dream was getting harder and harder to remember. But that all had to wait for now first I need to get out of this cave and see where I was.

I started to feel the walls in the darkness as I crawled through the cave but for some reason I stopped at a piece of wall where there was only a hairline of a crack and yet a sort of six sense told me it was an exit for me.

Scratching ferociously at the wall causing sparks to appear as my nails moved over the stones. At first I only made small lines but slowly but surely pieces started to crumble as I scratched harder. Behind the slab of stone I saw that it had turned to peddles allowing me to dig through it fast and before long I felt the warmth of the sun in my face.

Blinded by the light I covered my eyes till was more adjusted and the first thing I saw was mountains and valleys which were covered with lots of salt if my smell didn’t deceive me.

Escaping the underground cave was great and did feel great but yet somewhere deep down it felt comfortable to be safe underground. As if a part of me was rather down than up.

I started to scan the area and saw something that would scare anyone and that was that over a row of five mountains was an enormous skeleton of a beast I couldn’t even name. As I started to look around more seeing many more big skeletons all around some as big as the first one some the size of a single mountain and others which were around my size. The ground almost as if it was made of skeletons, though it was more patches than whole areas. Many lay on top of the dirt and salt but even more were half buried staring with their empty eye sockets into the air. There were some that looked horse like, dog like, multiple different kind of lizards and many more I could not even name.

Remembering the weird sensation that I was different I started check my own body starting with my hands, no, my claws with two fingers and a thumb on each. Turning my head to check myself out I seemed to be around five feet tall, my body was around six feet long and with an eight feet long tail. My legs were pretty weird in my opinion. The leg went down towards the knee but after that it went up around the same height, maybe a bit lower, before it went down again towards my three toes. Two of the toes made up my whole feet and the third one was on the inside of the feet much smaller than the other two probably for better grip only. I started to feel my blind spots on my body to see if I had any armor, scales or any horns but wasn’t able to find anything but the dark brown mixed with dark blue smooth skin which one would expect on the body of an eel.

The way I looked it wasn’t anything I ever seen which would mean a lot if I could remember anything clearly.

It felt my mind was covered with something like dust but the moment I saw or came in contact with something my mind seemed to get the thoughts about said subject cleared. Like how my skin seemed like that one of an eel and what colors I was even though I couldn’t remember if I ever saw one.

For time being I had something else on my mind like finding drinkable water, food and shelter in this salt dessert. The heat of the sun was surprisingly not that bad even though it was somewhere around fifty degree Celsius.

If I could remember correctly it could get ice cold in the nights and if I was being a coldblooded being I would be in deep shit meaning I would freeze like a popsicle.

“Hello? Anyone there, hello?” I yelled in the hope that someone was around hear me to point me in the right direction but as I waited all I was hearing was the echo off the sound of my voice.

I did notice that my voice was a bit raspy and heavy like a growl from a t-rex but then more screechy as a raptor.

Not sure where to go I decided that I would go east maybe I would find a settlement in that direction for it was mostly downwards less mountains and canyons.

Traveling for hours over what felt a makeshift road which sometimes would end for no reason and start once more a mile further forcing me to climb a few times over skeletons or go through it if I was lucky or unlucky, I wasn’t sure myself.

When the sun slowly started settling on the horizon I stared amazed at all the beautiful purple and red colors turning the previous white and brown mountains in a giant painting.

But I couldn’t enjoy for long for it started to cool down rapidly and it felt like my reptile like body didn’t like the cold as it did like the sun. Meaning that I was in deed coldblooded.

Looking around for something that looked like shelter or a cave of some sort but I couldn’t find anything on this side of the cliff but bones and more bones.

Not liking my own idea as I moved towards one of the big skulls half buried into a mountain to use as shelter. I climbed in fast incase the jaws would shut and noticed it was covering a cave.

“Someone in here?” I tried once more but still no answer but then the sound of my own voice.

So I did the only sensible thing I could think off and that was slowly entering to leave the cold behind me as I went deeper but I could feel the cold following me.

The tunnel felt to go down ward slowly as further I went but when the last bits of light disappeared from the entrance as the sun disappeared I wasn’t greeted by darkness like when I woke up.

But everything was colored from blue at the entrance too white not far behind me too yellow further in the cave. It seemed I could see temperatures when it became too hard to see normally for me. I wondered if I could activate it or that it came and went on its own.

But my thoughts were cut off as I heard a sound, like bone moving over rock, from behind me and saw something moving towards me slowly.

The temperature from who or whatever was coming at me was below zero Celsius so that meant it couldn’t be alive or was covered by something that temperature.

So running deeper in the cave in the hope I could escape on the other side or hide long enough till it was gone.

My temperature vision disappeared as I saw in the distance some weird light that slowly changed from color blue, green, purple, red, white and who knows what other colors in random patterns but it was my only hope as the thing that followed me had multiplied to a small army.

When I reached the light I was amazed in the middle of the room was a crystal that hung from the ceiling of the cave. It seemed to be shaped like a upside down leafless tree that hung above an abyss.

The crystal itself seemed to be made of many different colors that had some way melted together in random patterns.

But what amazed me the most were the little lights that floated around the crystal. There were hundreds of little balls of light each having the same color of the crystal.

Some seemed to disappeared into the tree and others came from it making me think it was like a hive for the small lights.

But I realized that I had forgotten about my pursuers were close after me as they groaned as they see me now as they had gained onto me.

There had to be a sale for surprises because my pursuers were, as I could see, made of bones one more weirder than the other.

I was shocked making me want to run in fear but I had nowhere else to run towards as the hole where the giant crystal hung was blocking my path.

I could see that there were multiple entrances on the other side but no way to cross not even a few sticking out rocks for me to grab on.

“I am going to die aren’t I?” I said to myself as I felt that the last bits off hope drain from me as the army came closer and closer allowing me see better details. Among the army I saw smaller ones shaped like horses who almost seemed to smile at me with their bony faces. But among the others their empty eye sockets were almost maliciously looking at me as if I was their water in this dry wastes.

As I closed my eyes in fear off what was about to happen to me but as I waited but nothing happened.

Opening one of my eyes a bit I saw that the skeletons had topped their approach as if there was a barrier.

When I checked my surrounding, for what was stopping them, I saw that a single blue light was hanging above me much brighter than the others.

Not long after a loud humming came from the crystal as all the small lights suddenly started to vibrate and their lights shining as bright as a multi colored sun.

This caused the skeletons to run in fear from where they had followed me and not long after the shuffling sound slowly disappeared.

The moment they were all gone the humming stopped and the light went back to how it was before.

I felt drained as the adrenaline slowly became less making my body become fatigued as if I had been running for days.

The little light that had protected me flew against my nose before flying towards one of the walls where I saw a pile of sand and dragged myself towards it before dropping myself on top it as sleep claimed me fast.

But the last thing I saw was the small blue light floating in front of me as if it was guarding me.

When I woke up I looked around wildly as if it had all been a dream and the skeletons were there but I was relieved they were still gone.

I checked the crystal and saw that all the lights were gone but it was still shining as brightly as it had been last night.

When I stood up I bumped my feet against a stone where the middle had been carved out and water was slowly dripping from the ceiling into it.

Sniffing its content and not smelling any salt I took a deep gulp and the cold sensation was so refreshing. I was hungry as well but the water at least made that a bit less terrible.

Slowly making my way towards the exit being on my guard for the skeletons. When I moved my head around the corner I could see that there was none so far I could see into the dark passage.

Looking once back I moved through the dark passage my vision turned on once I was far enough from the light going to the red color of the entrance of the cave.

The whole trip went without a problem seeing and hearing nothing out of the ordinary.

When I reached the end I blinked a few times because something was wrong, terribly wrong. I mean truly world scale wrong.

The giant skull that had been covering the entrance was gone and was replaced by piles of bones.

But what was even weirder was that the cliff near the entrance was gone and replaced with even ground as if it had never been anything else.

Further examining the area I noticed that even mountains had changed spots, like the row of mountains across the cliff had been going from small to big was now completely shuffled, many of the giant skeletons were on different spots as well.

“GAH, this is unfair!” I yelled towards the sky because the mountain I had been in could have been moved as well and that means that I could be at the same spot as yesterday or somewhere further away from civilization. I could try to move here forever and not getting a step further if my luck was bad.

Starting my second try going east and I could only hope that a settlement had been moved towards me or some food and water source.

‘I do wonder what those lights were maybe were they will-o-wisp souls from every creature that died here? Who know how many more off those kind of nests were around or was it hives? Oh, well I try and figure that out some other time. But what about those skeletons what made them move? I had no clue beside my little theory that something had made home inside it and was moving it like a colony.’ But I kept pondering as I kept on moving.

I did came across a few dead creatures or was it beings for they were wearing clothing?

Their bodies were all dried out because of the salt, as it had drained all the fluids, which was laying with a thick layer on top of it.

Truly hoping that they had food on them as I scraped the thick layer of salt away which sometimes even removed the skin as if it was made of paper.

After a bit of trouble I was able to open their backpacks and found only food with salt on it which I threw away.

“I wish there was some food hungry.” I complained as I opened a smaller bag with gems in it.

For some reason something tickled my nose as a weird smell came from the bag. The crystals smelled as if they were edible.

Slowly putting a crystal in my mouth and my taste buds were swarmed with the amazing flavor of bacon. My stomach was grateful for the bit of food but it notified me that it wanted more and now and before I knew it I had swallowed all the crystals that had been in it.

With my stomach now filled to a comfortable level I went further till I stopped dead in my tracks.

I started to remember the cave with the giant crystal in it. Which was actually an all-you-can-eat buffet for me. I took a deep breath before I roared into the sky, which would make a dragon blush, my arms were waving angrily into the air.

A soft crack stopped my rage as I looked around for what it could be this time but I saw and hear no movement.

I was about to move on when the cracking happened again and this time I heard them come from below me.

Looking down I saw that there were multiple cracks like a spider web underneath my feet. They slowly grew in size and amount faster and faster.

Before I knew it I fell through a hole as it was some sort of natural slide that dragged me on a wild ride.

But it didn’t last too long as it spit me as fast out as it had swallowed me right above a village so it seemed.

I was filled with joy because I was saved.

But then I realized that I was hanging in the air causing my eye to twitch because I had to survive the fall before I was saved.

Not soon after many loud and painful grunts were shouted as I bounced down the pretty steep wall made of many lose rocks which joined me in my tumble.

As I was nearing the bottom the few rocks had grown to a full fledge avalanche and whoever was living in that town were running as me and my friend avalanche crashed the place.

I groaned as I now knew how meat felt when it was being made tender.

Slowly getting up as my ears were ringing and I felt as if I had been in an avalanche, oh right, I had been in one.

My vision was swinging wildly but I did notice as multiple pastel colored horses were running at me armed and yelling or something.

Not long after my lights were bucked out by some guy that had flanked me.

A big dark blue earth pony stood over me and looked not to happy.

“Tie that Armor Lizard up well they can bit your hoof with a single bite. As well, somepony repair that Celestia damned wall before nightfall. We don’t want more off those things in here.” His scowl went from a scowl to a creepy smile.

“Welcome to the Bone Yard it has been a while since one of your kind became brave enough to try an attack.”

2 Forced Labor

My head was ringing, once more, as I was slowly was waking up from my forcefully induced sleep and guess what it hurts like hell.

I could hear voices from somewhere close even though they were muffled by something but not matter how muffled it still hurts my head.

I wanted to rub my head better but for some reason I couldn’t move my arms … or any of my other limbs as I slowly started to figure out.

Opening my eyes squinting from the bright sun that was shining though a high barred window. I seemed to be locked in a small room with chains hanging from the wall from which some, meaning most, were attached to me.

I didn’t need to be a genius to see that this room was made to keep something like me or similar tied down. Which mend that there was only one option left for me and that relax and try to hear what was being said.

“Ya can’t be serious. ‘Let’s send this bitch to one of the slave camps we could earn lots of bits.’ Sure and who is gonna bring him there, huh? You? You can barely lift a single rock let stand drag something like that along and have you forgotten what happened the last pony who tried that? Everypony got killed in that try but one. Who’s freaking back legs got chewed off and spit out like used gum. No, I say we kill it and sell it in parts much safer.” One voiced said in a heavy tone but mimicked a girly like off voice to mock the other.

“Dude, chillex. You’re so negative bro. Just think, this one is far smaller than the last one and we have improved the bindings that only a dragon can crack it.” The other said as if he was on some beach and didn’t sound so concerned.

“Alright, shut the buck up. THE BOTH OFF YOU. I got something better than all of that.” A third voice yelled at the other two sounding like he had a plan.

Having a slight idea what to expect and I tried to see if I could force my jaws open and chew myself through the chains. I mean they just told me that one of my kind had done it and how much better could these improvements be I reasoned with myself.

I put as much strength on my jaw as I forced the braces around my head open slowly causing the metal to groan by the force. The braces were now bend enough that I could open my mouth and lick my dry lips but not enough to chew on anything and in the process I had alerted my captors.

From which one was looking at me with a stare that could shatter stone through a small hatch in the door.

“Well, well, guess who woke up Mr. let’s-crash-this-town-with-an-avalanche. Because off that little stunt we had to keep off the bone heads all night so that they wouldn’t over run us. So I hope you had a good sleep because you’re the one who is going to help us repair it.” This dark blue pony stallion, which looked like he was taller than me, said as he walked towards me and lifted my head up with both his hooves.

“And as you are doing that and dare to escape, bite or do something else I don’t like, by Celestia’s mane, I will neuter you with my bare hooves do you understand?”

Only one thing went through me and that was pure terror. For some reason this pony was able to scare me senseless causing me to nod without even thinking about my answer.

This made the pony smile and tap my jaw a few times.

“I see that there is at least one sort of smart armor lizard among your kind. Good. This will make everything much easier.” The pony said as he left.

Not much later I was dragging carts with stone to the steep hill I had fallen from away from the wall.

At least they used a crane to lift the stones back on the wall as they were repairing the wall and the pieces they couldn’t use no longer into my cart.

I lost count after around twenty times back and forth as the wall was coming closer to completion.

At least I did got a good look off the village as I put away smaller rocks and came back with more bigger rocks.

There seemed to be around ten buildings all build around a stage off some sort and on the other side was a small pond with whitish water in it. A big tube was laying in it which went through a wall in the nearest building probably a place to remove the big amounts of salt.

On my oh-so-much round back towards the wall I was able to get a pretty right description off the place the town was made in.

It seemed to be a sort of diagonal hole in the ground around two-hundred-and-fifty feet deep. The walls on the side, along the one I fell from, were around eighty degree but nearing the top it bend inwards to create a ceiling covering the town.

There was a path in front of the town going up slope off forty five degree steep. This all made the town a perfect living place because the sun was only shining in the mornings on the town and the rest of the day it was sheltered from the burning heat.

Against nightfall we were half way done but it seemed to be enough to stop the walking skeletons for this night at least.

They guided me back to that small room by prodding me with pointed sticks and tying me down once more.

Closing my eyes as I put my head down from fatigue I felt as if I had beaten close to dead and then some.

But before I fell asleep a light appeared around the braces around my jaw and a loud click was heard. By my surprised I could open my mouth and I stretched it from being closed all day.

It seemed I had been really tired because I hadn’t heard the plate shoved in front of me and I did the first thing I could think and that was, food.

starting to eat as fast as I could tasting the crystal chips and dust only a bit. The small bread and the bowl with water disappeared just as fast.

“Dude, I always wondered. Can you guys, like, speak?” A baby blue unicorn colt, looking younger than the other pony, asked from the hatch as he scratched his mane through his white bandana.

“Of course I can talk though I am not sure about the others like me. I haven’t seen any other, well not that I remember.” I explained as I looked at the unicorn.

“To bad dude, it seems you can’t or I just can’t understand. Oh well.” The unicorn said as his horn glowed a light blue and locked my jaw once more.

I was pretty shocked when he said I couldn’t understand me. This probably mend I would go crazy over time because I was unable to speak or communicate with them but my own species. That was my very first time, that I could remember, that I felt this lonely.

The next day the routine off being woken up roughly, drag stones to the wall many times, send back to the room, eat and going asleep had repeated once more.

But the wall was at least complete but it seemed they wanted to prevent that the wall would collapse once more by an avalanche and made it thicker all around.

My day cycle happened for many days in a row as the wall was getting stronger all around till to my joy it was complete.

This also made me anguish for my future as I was no longer certain and the thing they said the first day I got here became an option once more.

But this day I wasn’t woken up early and I was surprised what I saw. The food I normally got in the evenings was now in front of my face and they unlocked my jaw as well for me to eat. I dug in instantly I always felt a bit hungry in the morning but it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t work a whole day before dinner. My body probably was used to not eating much and all the time because off the environment we lived in.

But I was pulled from my musing as the door opened and my jaw locked instantly by the bright light from the blue unicorn.

He stood on the left side off the big earth pony not a small smile on his face and on the other side stood a green pegasus with a scowl on his face.

The big dark blue pony boss came closer with a creepy smile on his face causing me to feel as if there was a rock in my stomach.

“All right chump, I am going to give you two choices from which you can pick. You can choose to be send towards an outpost closer too Equestria to be sold as a slave, food or a pet.” He said as he lifted his right hoof causing the pegasus too smile in a cruel way.

“Or you can choose to stay and work for us by pulling the cart with valuables we find back to camp and maybe just maybe we might let you go when we have enough. Shake to be send away and nod to stay.” He lifted his other hoof on which the unicorn nodded and smiled at me.

I didn’t have *much* of a choice its either be transported and you can die or stay work for who knows how long and either be released or be killed. So I did the only thing I thought was right and nodded. Rather a long hard life than one where my fate is cut short.

The boss nodded as he left and I was untied and pulled along by the two other out of the building.

There a cart was waiting for me with four ponies on it, which I had seen from time to time pulling rocks, waiting for me. They strapped me in front the cart and guided me towards some unknown destination.

We arrived at some cave not all too far from the town because in the distance I could still see the hole as I looked back.

I did wondered what was inside it that they needed me to pull the cart for they seem strong enough to do it themselves or maybe it was easier to let me pull it.

As I waited outside there was one who was always watching incase I wanted to flee. None of the ponies had bothered to tell their names even the nice unicorn but I used the color schemes to remember them.

This time I was watched by a white earth pony with a yellow mane that was somewhere the height off my jaw like the most off them. It was probably their average length with here and there a pony that was taller than average like the boss.

But as I was getting bored they came out of the cave with lots of items all seem to be made of valuable materials from simple things like ores to fully crafted items like bowls made from every precious metal and stone you can imagine.

They only made a few trips back and forth before we left the cave behind on our way for the next cave. Its content was not much for I didn’t need to pull much extra weight.

We drove in a circle around the town allowing us to go back when needed fast. For some reason they didn’t dare to go further away probably to do with the skeletons moving around and I agreed with them.

As we were about to return we came across an another cave and there were probably enough treasures inside to fill the small layer we had now but it was getting late and within an hour or so the sun would be gone. The group was arguing if we should go in or not.

“We have to hurry we are running out of time!” One seem to shiver

“You know that we might never see this cave again for the area changes every night and who knows if we ever see it again.” The other argued.

“But the dead! have you forgotten what happened with the first patrol few groups when we came here not so long ago?” A third sided with the first.

“Of course not but if we hurry we can go in there, grab what we can and leave. This entrance seems big enough that the cart can be pushed in backwards allowing us to do it much faster.” The fourth one reasoned as he already moved towards the cave.

“But? … Fine.” The two who didn’t want gave in.

I was being guided backwards by one of the scared ponies who made sure I didn’t get stuck or hit something on my way.

The other three I could hear talking in the distance as they seemed not being able to shut up.

As we reached the main room I was amazed by the sheer size of it and I would almost think someone had made this but there were no tool marks what so ever.

Items were being piled in the middle by the ponies as they went into many of the what seemed to be small rooms probably used as living space by whoever used to live here.

The pile they had collected was already big and they had just started.

“It doesn’t fit anymore. It keeps falling out.” An annoyed grunt was given behind me as he tried to push a big gem into the cart only to have it roll off once more.

“Can’t the lizard like create a few baskets with rocks and carry it like that?” The one who had been guiding me backwards and had been watching for danger asked.

“Dude, you’re a genius I could kiss you. Alright do your thing and create baskets.” The one with the gem said as the watcher made a gagging sound.

The metal bars on my side were removed from the cart allowing me to move with them and be reattached easily after doing what they wanted me to do.

But there was one problem I had no idea how to do that what they wanted to let me do. But because I couldn’t talk I had a problem telling them that so I did the first thing I could think off to let them know. Slightly tilting my head to the side.

“Don’t tell me. For the first time we find a Armor Lizard who is smart enough to follow orders but is so stupid that he doesn’t know how to use his own natural defenses?” He asked as he face hoofed himself.

“Alright try this. Go to the wall and rub your side against the wall and think of many little claws on your skin that grab and mold the stone in the shape you want it.” The third one advised as he made a couple of hoof signs trying to explain what he was saying.

I gave a soft shrug and tried what he said I should do. I pressed my body against it but nothing happened so I started to move up and down. Still nothing. I got annoyed as I scratched the wall with my claw creating great gashes on it as if it was made of paper. But I expected it to fall on the ground but for some reason I clung to my claw. I got a smile on my face as I now slammed my body against the wall causing it to crumble and I got covered by the debris and rubble.

I was amazed as I now was covered head to tail by rocks which had shaped like a giant armor now I also knew where the name of my species came from. I concentrated the stone and created two stone containers on my side and one on my back and still have enough to keep my head covered.

My success was answered with cheers as the four ponies attached me to the cart and started to fill the remaining treasure even though they had barely even started to look through all of the rooms.

“Aaaahhhh, get it off, get it off of me!” I heard as I saw that the pony who had been keeping watched had been surprised as he had been attacked from behind.

But as if it was a cue from nearly all the rooms came the skeletons and a big group from the entrance as well. The soft groaning and scraping gave me cold sweat and we had to go *NOW*.

Running towards the entrance for it was the only way out. I was planning to use the helmet I now wore to bash my way out. But first I had something else to do first and that was to save that pony because no one deserves to be eaten alive.

At full speed I ran towards the two and slammed my face against the pony looking skeleton sending it flying against the wall shattering it in a million pieces.

Grabbing hold off the pony who had been covered in scrapes and cuts with my two claws because there was too little time to put him in the cart with the others. Because the skeletons were approaching far faster than last time for they were now at speed walking speed.

I made a fast turn and slammed head first against the skeleton wall which filled the entrance causing them also to fly away. I tried to imagine that I was digging as he went through it feeling from time to time them grabbing or trying to bite me.

The ponies in the cart were using everything they had to keep the dead of the cart and my back. One of them had been casting shield spell after shield spell and from time to time a thunder spell to blow a skeleton that was too big for me to get through.

What felt like an eternity might be just a few minutes as we exited and left the skeletons biting the dust. The moon had been over the mountain already meaning that everypony in town was probably thinking we were dead.

As we moved towards town we saw many skeletons around and the big ones were walking as well causing what felt earth quakes with every step. Every time one would blink a mountain or a cliff or some other stone formation would appear or disappear. We went the wrong way a couple off time but we had been able to find the town which was still on the same spot so far we could see.

We were greeted as hero’s as we reached the gates and entered the town. Unicorns on the watch towers were casting spell after spell destroying the dead ones who followed us too town.

I handed the pony who I had been holding towards some medics before I let myself drop to the ground tired. My stone armor gave and dropped against the floor causing the content to spill all over. But there was at least one good thing and that was as I was completely untied from all my bindings that prevented me from escaping.

“For what you have done by saving one of us has given you the right to move around without bindings.” The boss smiled before he good a killer look in his eyes and grabbed my chin and pulled my eyes near his. “Don’t make me regret it you hear me.” The boss threatened as he left.

“Fine, you’re not so bad as I thought.” The green Pegasus scowled as he said that and the moment he saw my small smile he gritted his teeth. “But your still sleeping in that room.” He then stormed off.

The baby blue unicorn came towards me with the same relaxed behavior as first. “Dude, lets party you’re a hero now.” He said as he tried to pull me towards the rest of the town.

3 The problem and Solution

I was back in the darkness from the time I woke the very first time and the maw was there again its eyes were staring at me intensely.

The maw was moving up and down and I heard a loud rumbling come from it sounding as an avalanche as if it was trying speaking.

When it finished speaking, or at least trying too, it started to growl angrily figuring that I couldn’t understand a single word off what it had spoken. In frustration it roared like the first time shaking me too my core once more.

Groaning as the light shined in my eyes waking me slowly from my slumber. Trying to cover my eyes with my claws from the blasted sun but it didn’t work as it just went through it.

Blinking a few times I noticed that I could move my claw and than last night came back to me.

Remembering that I had saved all the ponies all in one piece mostly along with the treasure which had earned me the reward to be allowed to be untied from now on but they were still wary off me.

I ate my breakfast which was more than last time and then was allowed to wander for a bit before we left for the surrounding area.

I first went to check by the big pond looking at its whitish liquid and its very strong salt smell.

The water seemed to flow from a few small cracks from the top of a rock sticking out from the center the pond.

Wondering if it was being pushed up maybe from pressure by two moving tectonic plates or by an underground spring. Whatever the reason it went probably through a salt vein or some sort that is if I had to guess.

My thought was interrupted by a slurping noise as some of the water was sucked up by the tube.

My curiosity got the better off me and I followed it towards the building where it disappeared into the wall.

Running towards the door and pushed my head inside and was surprised by the beast of a machine. It almost took up most of the building and it was mostly tubes and a sort of barrel with a opening covered by glass and on the inside water was spinning. On the end of the room a cart with, what my guess was, salt lots and lots of salt. Not so far from it was a giant barrel where the clean water was pumped towards.

This machine was probably the only reason these ponies were able to live in a place like this and so I left it alone and continued exploring the town or should I call it outpost since it was probably only temporary.
I found a gem crafter who was cutting gems in various shapes so that they didn’t have to bring the worthless parts and be able to transport more with them when a caravan came or when they all left. They had must found much because behind the pony was a pile of rubble you wouldn’t belief your eyes I could last a year with that pile of gem rubble.

But I couldn’t dream for long before a shout pulled me from the delicious looking pile and it seemed the others were ready to go. It also seemed I had a different group with me today. The once from yesterday were either still recovering or still in a state of shock.

As we went through the area scouting for caves two of the ponies started to talk.

“I mean it is weird while it has been here a while we still haven’t given it a name.” The first started

“Named what?” The second said as he scratched his head in confusion.

“You know it.” The pony gestured to me with his hooves.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Would you like it if you called you it or the thing or the monster.” The first said as he poked the other in the chest with each word.

“Alright, alright, what should we call it then? We don’t even know if it is a male or female and I am so not going to ask. ‘Hey can you bend for over so that I check if your male or female.’ Not in a million years.” He crossed his hoofs and shook his head.

“I think it is a female I mean look to how elegant it is moving with every step. I shall name her Shimmer Skin”

‘Okay that was it.’ I thought to myself as I stopped. I bend my head towards the pony who just insulted my masculine and gave a low and agitated growl causing the pony fall backwards into the cart.

“Hahahaha, oh yea that so sounded as ‘Hey, you’re right I am a female’ kind of growl.” The second laughed his flank off while holding onto the cart so that he couldn’t fall off.

“You know it better? FINE, you give it a try if you know it all so well.” The first one pouted as he crawled in his spot once more

“Let’s see it has to fit *him* by who he is. He is pretty bulky and he can pull more than an average earth pony. He can as well armor himself with stones and stuff so a good name could be Gravel but that sounds pretty weak. Oh, I know Granite! It just fits him.”

“It does sound badass so what do you think? Do you like Granite as name?”

I stopped looked at the two who were pretty eager to hear my reply so I scratched my chin and gave a short nod that it was far better than Shimmer Skin.

“Now that disaster has ended can go back to work once more?” The second one asked as the first one nodded happily.

A sigh escaped my mouth as I was slightly relieved that they stopped talking about me as if I hadn’t been here for the first part. At least now we could go to work and find some caves.

“They eat crystals like Diamond Dogs right? Don’t you never wonder if the crystal tastes the same to both or not?” All I could do was groan.

Salvation, sweet salvation. We found a cave and I was finally saved from the endless banter of those four. Somewhere between a half hour to a hour the other two had joined the discussion of the taste of gems. But now, now they were focused and my ears could get some rest off those four.

We entered the cave me going in backwards with the cart till we reached the main room. The ponies were about to jump from the cart till we heard it.

The soft scuffling of bones over the stone ground and not long after the growing sound of moans of the dead as they came from the side rooms. Unlike the last time where they had a walking speed they now ran like athletes.

I was nailed to the ground in surprise and fear till I got shaken out of it by the loud screams off three of the four ponies. The fourth was blasting them one by one but it was hard being the only unicorn.

Checking quickly to see if they were still in the cart and when I saw they were I ran like my life depended from it. Which when you think about it actually did.

But luck wasn’t on our side because I tripped and fell hard with the cart tumbling over as well when we were near the end.

Hearing the groaning I closed my eyes in fear as I tried to get myself lose from the cart but the ponies had tied me in to tight and I couldn’t get out. Not like this anyway.

I let out a loud cry, which sounded something from a raptor but far more girl like, and I got hit by one of the bone bodies in my face hard. I was waiting till the pain started from chewing but nothing happened.

Slowly opening my eyes and I saw that a pile of bones covered me but they were not moving.

Checking the entrance I saw something that shocked me they still moved but the moment they got out of the shadow they collapsed. My mind was a bumbling mess because the adrenalin and it took me a few moments till I was able to get some things done.

My first priority was checking on the others who were as well covered by bones laying unconscious from the crash landing we just had.

Groaning as I slowly pushed the cart with some help from my tail back on its wheels and allowing me to unhook me far easier than a moment ago. When finally unhooked I wobbled towards them one by one and saw that none was injured beside a big bump on their heads.

The sun had moved quite a bit through the sky when we were ready to move again and we all decided it was better to go back and report what happened. It took us far longer to get back but we were lucky we reached the town as we did any second longer and we were so good as dead for a small army ran against the closed gates.

The next few days we rested and after a lot of discussion we came to the conclusion that it was just some bad luck and that the other caves were just like normal.

How wrong we were.

Day after day it was the same song with every group that went out to find caves. The dead rose at day time now even, though they could never leave their cave as long the sun was in the sky it made everything much harder.

At one point the dead even were able to pull themselves free from the walls and some even said that the Will-o-Wisps were now awake at day time as well.

“Getting treasure is nearly impossible! There is just too much off them.” “Isn’t it better to leave? Now we still can.” “I’m not going, nu uh.” Those kinds of sounds went through the village as ponies got distressed by their situation.

“Shut the BUCK UP!” Followed soon after as the boss stood on the stage and not a single pony dared to squeak.

“Those things like to play it hard? Well I say what they can we can do as well and better. All we need is some raw ore because I know used the rest of the metal to create the water purifier and mostly tools. Sure I know that finding ore is hard because the salt is hiding the marks in the stone but we got that freaking thing the Armor Lizard and we…” As he was giving his speech he was interrupted by a single.

“Granite.”

“What?” The boss raised his brow.

“His name is Granite. We named him not long ago.” Some mutters and nodding went through the crowed.

All he could do was facehoof.

“Fine, ‘Granite’ eats minerals and I dare to bet he can smell them underneath all that salt how else can they find them?”

The next day was the day they expected me to do something I didn’t know how to do it. It wasn’t like I got any practice or something on how to use it.

But this time I was spared the cart pulling task as the ponies who followed did pull them though there were some among them with tools who were probably going to collect as I looked further.

“Well, hear goes nothing.” I mumbled to myself.

I sniffed the air and all I could smell was salt and far more salt. I started to concentrate with my eyes closed trying to see if I could smell it then.

But the moment I opened my eyes I was shocked that everything was dark red and with here and there shapes of orange. Blinking a few times and my own sight returned.

It seemed I had found my on and off switch for my temperature vision but the ponies wouldn’t care about it so I started to walk as I started to practice it till it was natural.

We were now out of the hole standing on a small hill as I tried to smell once more and there was something.

A very soft tingle was felt in my nose as a different smell than salt entered my nose. It looked like I was dancing as I started to move around to find the right direction of the smell.

After like ten rounds on the top of the hill the wind helped me as it blew a stronger whiff of whatever it was. I instantly jumped onto the trail of the smell following it for a bit.

I could still smell it but I couldn’t find the direction and I started to press my nose against the ground and then it happened.

The ground seemed to change color but then like the temperature colors this was a very wide variation. I could barely describe them all and I had no idea what smell was what kind of mineral.

Hours passed as I had figured out that brown was copper, grey tin, shining yellow gold, silver shining white, salt white but there were so many more colors to go and darkness was coming not long from now.

So I went for one more vein and this one was black but it was a challenge to get to it because it was hidden in a big piece of granite.

I scraped my nails over it but it barely made a mark and then I remembered the first time. I need to sense the weakness in the rock and not try to make one.

Closing my eyes for the so much of time this day I moved over the piece of rock looking and I was rewarded as I found with my sixth sense a weakness with which I could easily rip the rock to pieces.

I was about to gesture to the ponies who had followed me when I noticed that many of the carts had been filled with the others I had found. But they just tried to act as if nothing was going on and even a few where whistling while looking to the sky.

Who could blame them for collecting all the other, for them, important minerals and ores. The remaining carts were pulled forward as the tool carrying ponies started to collect the iron ores in the vein before we all returned.

The next day was a busy day as the whole town was working to create all different kinds of weapons and armor for the ponies to wear.

Through the day I hadn’t been able to rest as I was helping around town by either cracking pieces of ore that were still in hard pieces of stone or helping to jump on this big bag that caused the fires in the forge to become hotter. But mostly I was just doing little things for everypony so that their job became slightly easier to do.

That evening was met with cheers as the boss stood on the stage with his new armor while some of his crew handed out other pieces to the rest of the next expedition.

“Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow we shall go to the caves and take all what has a value and if those things try to stop us we just make sure they stay dead this time.” His little speech was met with cheers from the rest of the town as they wanted revenge for all the failed tries.

Even the next day everypony was in a good mood as twenty or so ponies stood ready with nine carts and the others armed to the teeth. I myself didn’t need an armor for I could make my own from rocks which was an upside because I bet none of them knew how to shape one for my species.

They attached me to the biggest cart, which had the most ponies in them, as we went off to find treasure.

Our search resulted in our first success as we came across our first cave pretty soon as were all unlocked from the carts.

I quickly moved of the path and started to collect the rocks next to it to use as armor before I joined I joined the rest around the entrance of the cave.

“Alright, we go in and show them what we are made of. But watch out they will try to storm you with many at the same time. So my advice is to prevent them from forming groups but never go out alone always stay in groups of three at least. We go!” We got informed of the tactics as we went in on his command.

The darkness was cut by the lanterns some of the unicorns had brought with them as we slowly moved deeper and deeper. But unlike the normal caves this cave had multiple smaller rooms before we had reached the main room.

This one had many smaller rooms some were higher up the wall which you could reach by using the platforms and stairs that adorned the walls.

We had been expecting to be rushed but nothing happened not even a sound. I wasn’t sure what was worse being attacked or this creepy silence.

Slowly shuffling to the center of the room and looking around as nothing happened. Some small groups went to the first room and got out fast with the treasure which was being piled in our circle.

The group started to become less tense and more cheery as they plundered the smaller rooms. They even started to taunt whatever was out there which was not a smart thing to do because I was having these something-is-watching-you shivers.

How right I was.

A loud thud was heard as at the entrance suddenly a skeleton had appeared who probably had jumped from one of the higher rooms. This skeleton however looked like me. No, it looked like it was one of my kind. But unlike stone as armor it had used other skeletons as his armor explaining the lack of smaller once.

“PREPARE!” A command was given as suddenly from a few rooms smaller skeletons appeared running to the ponies keeping them busy.

This means I had to fight one of my kind, even though undead, with no experience of how they fought.

But it was very nice to me as it ran to me and knocked me back with its skull. Lucky I had my armor because its skull was covered with lots of pointy bones and it would had given a nasty gash and who knows what kind of infections.

Spinning around fast using my tail as a whip I smashed some of the bones on its side as it had tried to use the same tactic again.

The second try of me it jumped over my tail and bit into my armor at the base of my tail. I started to pull hard but it refused to let go no matter what I tried.

The ponies were still busy with the small group of smaller once but they just kept on getting up once they were scattered.

Then an idea hit me as I quickly released that part of my armor before I rolled over the ground fast to gain more stones to repair it. The skeleton was surprised as it tried to get the piece of rock out of its mouth.

I used that as an opportunity to get a good shot on it as I ran forward as fast as my legs could. I grabbed its neck and bit down hard and used my claws to hold down its claws.

It screeched as it was able to remove the rock and started to squirm its claws free as we started a small boxing game while me still holding him while trying to stay away from its jaw and tail.

Shaking my head fast and hard I tried to decapitate it and see what would after that. Its bones and bone armor were tough but I was met with cracks as my teeth went deeper. Too bad the taste of the bones was terrible because I felt sick to my stomach from it.

The ponies ran out of the way as the bigger skeleton dragged me into a dance nearly decapitating some of them with our tails. But it used my own tactic against me as it released the bones around its neck and put some distance between us waiting to make a next move.

Okay the taste was to terrible as I was spitting the bones out of my mouth. I dug my mouth in the stone ground and made some stone dentals for myself.

The skeleton ran for me as I was busy making my stone teeth trying to get me this time. But I wouldn’t make it so easy as I slammed my head upwards against its chin causing the neck to break.

Quickly biting down on the head and crushed it with my new teeth till it was small chunks and the rest of the body stopped moving and crumbled to a pile of bones.

The smaller skeletons had stopped moving as well as they tried to escape into some other tunnel we had missed because we had though it was just a smaller room. But the ponies didn’t let them as they followed them and crushed the last few of them.

We were all cheering as we gathered as much as we could and stuffed our carts full with a pile hanging over the edge. The group of ponies who had been riding with others were carrying more treasure with them in their bags.

Nothing could go wrong from now on.

Or could it?

4 The Temple

Days were good now that we were able to fight back against the hordes of skeletons we found in caves. Though we never encountered a second skeleton of my kind anymore no matter how many caves we went through. But I learned a few names from some of skeletons as the rest was talking about how hard they were to put down like the diamond dog or the griffon. But most were even unknown to the ponies.

But the news I heard today was even better because we were going to leave tomorrow to Equestria and I was allowed to join them as their companion. All thanks to my great help with moving treasures they were able to leave this place months sooner than planned.

Everypony was nice even the boss and the green pegasus that hated me from the first moment I had arrived. A cold shiver went over my spine and a red flag of danger was waving wildly in my mind but I couldn’t figure out why?

So I helped along preparing the carts, to keep my mind of that uneasy feeling, so that we could go to the last few caves. The rest of the town wasn’t sitting around as they were either emptying their homes of useable or private things or loading carts with the loads of treasure we had found in the two month since I crashed the town with an avalanche.

It didn’t take long before we went off through the gates as they were opened for us as we left with the last remainder of empty carts to scavenge the place one final time.

But as we moved I sensed something weird, something familiar, but yet unknown and if I had neck hairs they would be standing on edge.

I ran off the path we were following after the weird sensation so to say. It became worse and worse meaning I ran in the right direction towards what looked like a crumbling stone cliff wall that had been formed forcefully by something powerful. When I reached the top I was shocked to see what I saw.

The ponies in the group were yelling and shouting for me to comeback. A few even followed me till they saw what I saw. Their jaws almost hit the floor of the sight.

The wall was actually the result of a meteor crashing into the earth and in the middle of the crater was a temple a very big one almost a small mountain in wide and length and around three hundred feet high.

We were commanded pretty fast by the leader towards the temple betting that they would find the best treasures inside of this place. Sure we all thought that but the way he said it sounded weird.

More things that proved that something was wrong because we didn’t make a single wrong turn in this labyrinth of standing stone and debris or find a path that was just too small to move a cart through. Sure we had a few pegasi that pointed us in the right direction but this was going way too smoothly. It was as if the boss had been here before already and had found the way to the end.

It did take a while but we reached the temple but we were there as we were all wary of what might happen. Traps, legion of skeletons or something worse? We had no idea what to expect in there.

Most of the crew rather do a last save run than a risky one like this but the boss didn’t take a no for an answer and even broke the nose of one of the ponies who yelled the loudest and was the first in the hoof reach of him. This caused all the other to stop talking in fear and moved as if a tsunami of fire was at their heels. We all reached the top fast but we had left behind all the cards at the bottom of the stairs for it would have been way too much work to pull them up the stairs.

The sound of clopping of hooves on the stones was heard along the clattering of teeth in fear of what trap might pop up with every step. Some were even sobbing as if their lives had already ended.

When the group finally reached the ones who were against of going in cheered that they still alive this far. But as they looked around it seemed that somepony had already been here because some traps had already been activated and had done their work pretty well.

At the top not far from the final step was a spike pit with two skeletons of ponies pierced so many times it was as if they were a piece that belonged there. Even further were the remains of a pony who’s back half had been crushed by two heavy plates that had been launched upwards like a reversed trap door from the ground. But what I noticed was that there were no blood stains on the bones or around it. Maybe the salt that was being carried by the stronger winds had caused the blood to dry and turn into dust before it could stain.

“Get moving you pieces of manure stains if you know what’s good for you.” The boss yelled as he his patients had run dry with us all checking out every trap.

When we actually entered the temple it was as if someone had pressed a mute button for not a single sound was made. Everypony and me along tried to step on the same stones as the one in front us had stepped on because we knew that one was safe.

As we went further we came past more sprung traps each with at least a single causality but unlike outside here the blood stays hadn’t disappeared, maybe because the salt couldn’t reach this far, causing the hallway to have a creepy paintjob on the dark stones. This caused the one in the front to sob loud enough to be heard from the back. Though as we were busy being careful the boss just walks further as if he is walking inside his own home.

Another cheer erupted that we all made it through the hall without springing any traps. This caused a boost in confidence for the ponies as they scattered in every direction in groups to find the valuable items get away from this place.

I moved through the main room just looking around for most the smaller rooms had doors to small for me to move through without destroying the structure. Just like most caves this temple was build with the same idea in mind with one long passage to the main room from which multiple smaller passages let to multiple side rooms. There were as well stairs going to long balconies that lined the wall in multiple circles. But what was different was the weird altar in the middle.

It had four statues in the corners made of some sort of darker stone, maybe granite, which was very roughly shaped in shapes that didn’t make sense to me with here and there some small pieces of crystal sticking out. In the middle of the statues was an altar that one could climb with the stairs that moved up only four feet. But on top of the altar was floating a golden hexagon shaped with a big blue shining crystal almost the same length of an average ponies leg. Well it would have been those colors were they not covered with dry blood and bone pieces from the headless skeleton that lay before it.

I didn’t dare to get near it because it seems there was a trap that caused the ponies death. I moved around it and noticed that the shrine was really floating for I didn’t anything attached to it. But as I was about to move back to the entrance I saw the wall in the back of the main room.

It was covered in pictures but they seemed blurry as if I was looking at them through blurry water that was still flowing softly. From time to time I thought I saw some sort of figure in it but I couldn’t make out what it was.

“Granite, move your flank over here and try to get that shrine thing in the middle.” The boss pony said and the way he looked at me he didn’t take back talking though I couldn’t speak his language.

I moved to the shrine but quickly moved away from it again nervous of what might happen but I got an idea to give me some protection at least.

Running towards one of the four weird statues before jumping against it make it topple I turned the stone into the armor but it wasn’t enough to protect me so I did the same with the other statues and created a thick stone armor for myself.

Now I dared to try and grab it though I didn’t rush in head first. I slowly moved around it and checked the floor for traps to see if one of them had marks from a trap opening and closing but so far I could see it never moved once in its life or it hadn’t done it’s work often enough to show it.

Standing now in front of it I slowly moved my mouth towards the shrine and tried to grab the crystal slowly. But the moment I touched the crystal fate showed how much it hated me. The shrine itself was the trap as the back side from it opened and clasped the whole thing around my head inside out.

I could hear muffled shouts from the rest as I started to struggle wildly against the trap that was holding my head. I grabbed the shrine with my two claws and started to pull it off but a loud clang sound and the feeling that I couldn’t move them no longer as two metal clamps were now holding them down on the shrine. I started to kick and trash trying to move the shrine but it felt it was made in stone.

The ponies that were helping me were using their weapons trying to break it open but they didn’t even leave a mark on it. But they couldn’t try for long as a wave of light pushed them all away and kept them away with a barrier.

Blinded by the flash I heard a metal snap and after blinking a few time I saw that the crystal was now aiming one of its sharp points at me. But it got worse and started to spin fast and move slowly at me.

Sweating bullets I started to slam the part of my body that I could move in here and that was my head. I hoped to break it so that my head would stay in one piece but it turned my armor into gravel. Next I tried to bite on it but same results but this way I had maybe some more minutes as the thing started to travel deeper into my mouth.

The heat in the shrine was getting unnatural high but that could be just me but one thing I did know it wasn’t me and that was the light that the crystal was giving was getting brighter and brighter the deeper it went into my mouth. I kept on absorbing the gravel and try to chew it to pieces till I felt a pain I never felt for so long I could remember.

Then there was darkness.

I woke up not in a shrine but in a small cave filled with a small stream and lots of plants some even were giving light. It felt so peaceful I could just stay here forever.

“Hello, what a surprise to see somepony err I mean someone in here. I am … and I have been stuck in here for like forever.”

My head jerked up at the sound but as I looked in the direction of the sound I couldn’t see anything but this small light hanging in front of my face.

“Oh right, can’t see me in this shape.” The light gave a soft pulse and in its place was a transparent blue-ish pony who was smiling widely at me. “Is this better?” He asked.

My eyes widened as I looked at what looked like a ghost and my instinct, like anyone else, and gave a loud screech and stumbled over my own limbs trying to get away from it.

“Now that isn’t nice but I can understand the surprise it’s not every day you see a spirit.” The transparent pony mused as he rubbed his chin.

But in the mean time I was trying to dig through one of the walls of the cavern we were in but not a peddle gave as I scratched the wall. This caused manly tears and roars to escape my throat and not normal tears and girly screeches. “I don’t wanna die, please save me.”

“Woah woah, calm down I am not gonna hurt you.” The transparent pony said trying to reassure me as he tried to pat my back.

My head shot up and slowly turned to face the pony as my lip slowly trembled the words escaped. “You … can understand me?”

“Yeah why wouldn’t I be able?” He asked me a bit confused as his eyebrow raised.

“I have been living in camp with only ponies and in all the time I was there none were able to understand me no matter what I tried.” I explained.

“Strange, let me try something.” The ponies figure started to glow slightly as I felt a weird tingling within me as if someone was tickling me with feathers.

“What the hay? I used a scanning spell it let me know what something is made off and if it’s still in one piece. Worked on living things as well but with you it is as if there is a hole or something within you and it pretty much radiates the same kind of magic as the crystal that got us both here.” The pony said as he looked me deep in the eyes.

“So what’s your name?” He asked me with this big smile on his face.

“My name is Granite, what is yours?” I answered as his smile disappeared and gave me a single raised eyebrow.

“I just told you what my name was.” This caused my eyebrow to raise.

“No you didn’t.” I countered

“Yes I did. I just told you it for the second time.” He started to look insulted as he kept on saying he had said it.

“You haven’t said it even a single time.” I got frustrated as I had no idea what to do.

“Hmmm, if it is true what you say.” He started to scratch his chin. “Alright, what does my cutie mark look like?” He asked as he turned his flank towards me.

“I have no idea. I don’t even know what a cutie mark is.” I gave him a deadpan look.

“So you can’t see the picture on my side?”

“No…”

“I think I know what that hole is. It’s part of your soul that makes you recognize beings and their connections like names, cutie marks and who knows what else. Your brains try to adapt to it so they cancel out everything that makes someone stand out to much and make you unable to hear them say their name.” What he said mad some sense and if that is the case. Why?

Just as I was about to go deeper on the subject a loud rumbling was heard and the cave we were in was shaking softly. This caused one of the walls to crack and crumble showing a long tunnel with in the distant a red dot. From it a feeling what felt like fear that told me to go towards it.

“FINALLY, an exit.” The transparent pony flew towards it but the moment it went through the hole it stopped as if something was stopping him from going towards it. “Not fair.” He bawled loud as glowing tears fell from his eyes.

I walked towards the hole and whatever was stopping him didn’t stop me. “I will be back for you alright?” I tried to reassure him even though I had no idea how and if it was even possible but I would look for one if I could. I got a smile from and a small nod as he sat down staring at me as I went further.

The tunnel slowly became more refined the further I went. It was as if someone carved out a scary decorated hallway towards what seemed to be an open doorway. It took me a while to reach the end but as I moved closer to the end the light became brighter and brighter blinding me more and more the closer I came. As I reached the end of the passage my eyes adapted to the red light.

I looked around a bit and saw that I was in an enormous cavern that went up very high with on the walls many pathways were crossing each other like a woven reed basket. One of the passage went up and up towards a bridge that went towards a funnel shaped hole in the ceiling going up. The hole in the middle went up what seemed forever with a pathway circling around the wall following all the way to what I suspected the top.

But now my attention was caught what came down from the endless hole in the ceiling straight in the middle not touching the pathway. I took a few steps closer and concentrated to see it and then it hit me. It was water that was coming down with enormous amounts at the same time.

I followed it down to see where it would land but. What I saw shocked me for I had not expected to see THIS.

5 From the bottom of Tartarus

The water landed on top of a statue on which it seemed to either turn into a fog veil or flow over it. No, not a statue it was alive and it didn’t look very happy. For the things eyes were focused on me and they seemed to be filled with such a big amount of hate its eyes seem to shine or that was the lava they were made off.

I was wondering why it was staring so intensely at me but then it hit me as my weird dreams seemed to return to my memory once more.

As I looked at the thing better I noticed that it was similar shaped as me. But it seemed to be made of spiky stones and crystals and it seemed to be bigger than the skeleton that was laying on top of those five mountains in a row. From the mouth came the same red light as its eyes and between the plates and cracks of its skin came the same light. It was almost as if its body on the inside of the stone armor was made of lava.

“I see you finally have found me. WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!? I should destroy you and find a different pawn to do my bidding.” The creatures voice was loud and heavy it made the place we were in shiver but the moment he yelled it literally shook.

“Well I kinda can’t remember anything because some weird hole inside of me and which is as well causing me not being able to hear names.” I said trying to sound not to scared but I am not very sure I was doing a very good job.

“WHAT!? That shouldn’t have happened I have done the soul sever a million times before and … of course it was HIM.” The big thing was surprised by my answer but as he went over what he had done to me his voice turned to malice.

“Uhm, who?” Why can’t I keep my trap shut, WHY?

“Who? WHO? I tell you who!” flames seemed to burst from his eyes and mouth as he got angrier by the minute.

“Like I said before I can’t hear names because whatever went wrong.” I was starting to get so scared any minute I would wet myself any minute now. Though that probably won’t happen because my blather is squeezing itself shut in terror.

“Fine I shall restore your soul to its former state but be warned if you double cross me I shall end your existence faster than you can blink.” At this point spittle flew from his mouth … which caused the rocks too melt into lava where it landed.

Not long after a purple glow appeared on my nose which slowly grew till it covered my whole body. I was not sure what was happening because I felt the same as I always had until a shock raced through my body as if lightning struck me over and over. But if that wasn’t bad enough the feeling that followed was worse because it felt as if someone was trying to stitch a your hearth back in your chest with a rusty spoon and lots of rubbing alcohol.

When I finally came to I was not sure how long I was out but I felt completely sore all over. But then it hit me like a freight train all my old memories of who I was and how I used to act around others. How my life used to be before I came here and more. My opinion of my former life is that I loathed myself. My life in the world of Equestria without a memory had caused me to create an improved personality compared to what I had. Sure it was only slightly better but it had caused me to get out the downward spiral I was in and now I have a chance to make something of myself.

“It seemed you have awaken. Good. You asked me who caused the memory problem. I shall tell you what’s his name is. It’s Random. He is the god of the unexpected, master of unpredictability and lord of improvising. He has a personality just as bad as Discord. They used to be buddies causing chaos to mortal and god alike. When everything came to be as it is now they grew apart and started to go their own way but what neither of them seem to notice that when one pops up to cause mischief the other does as well. Its cause they are connected to the same source of power. While Discord picks his weapon so to say Random blindly grabs something and goes with it.”

“I have my memory back but it is still let’s say scrambled. So could you tell me what you want me to do for you?” I asked hoping for not an another outburst.

“That’s easy I want you to get me out of my prison as that was the deal we struck. Your reward for this was that you could live the rest of your life in Equestria doing whatever what you want to do.” I might not be a professional face reader but even I was able to see the wicked smile on the guys face that there was a catch somewhere.

“And if I might ask, how?” Ah there comes the grumpy face.

“I can’t tell you.” My eyebrow slowly climbed my face.

“What?”

“I can’t tell you because this prison prevents me from telling anyone but before my capture I was complete locked away I created temples with clues for my escape. Find them and release me. Now go my guards are breaking through the last of my strength and they will kill you when they can.” That exact moment explosions on the paths on the wall went off as lava started to pool from it and creatures that looked like me but were made of lava appeared hissing loudly.

“Crap.” Was my only comment as I started to run for my life.

The lava things were slowly multiplying as they started to either spit or throw balls of lava in my direction forcing me to change my direction a couple of times.

“Minions are no longer what they used to be. In my time they were able to save themselves.” The imprisoned god said as his eyes glowed and rocks started to crack and shoot up in the path of the lava balls.

This was my chance it was no or never as I weaved myself between the floating rocks and the flying slash burning spitballs. Time seemed to slow as I jumped through the door and the big wave of lava bodies missed me just barely.

They started to hiss as they moved through the door slowly towards me and the feeling of doom slowly creeps onto me. Those things were probably faster than me and the lava spitting thing made it even harder for me. Meaning I had to either totally stop them or at least slow them or else I was a dead Armor Lizard.

Slowly moving back I started to plan how I could slow them long enough for me to survive which was harder than expected because every plan I came up with ended me dead. The lava creatures were waiting it seems for me to make the first move meaning they probably were thinking it was me who made those floating rocks and they are not sure what else I am able to do.

My luck ran out as one of them lost their patience and started to spit at me. I dove out of the way which caused the others to act as well. I had a plan but no idea if it would work or not so having no other choice than to go with it. I jumped against the wall and dug my way into it and started to dig a spiral tunnel around the hall way. The lava things roared and started to spit at the walls, roofs and floors causing the tunnel to slowly boil and eat through the rock. From time to time I showed myself in one of the corners so that they wouldn’t stop spitting.

After spiraling around the hallway at least 15 times I dig a hole from the ceiling and land on my feet. I gave a look to the entrance and saw that lava was nearly covering every inch of the part I had been digging. The creatures were roaring and hissing load in rage as they saw me and came at me hoping take to take me down.

But just as the creatures started to run a loud rumbling was heard as the part of the hallway started to crumble. My digging had destroyed the integrity of the hallway structure and the heat cause the rock to expand now causing it to collapse right on top some of the creatures.

Giving a smug smile I started to walk till a loud crack wiped that smile from my face. I looked down and saw a big long crack in the middle of the ground going slowly towards my exit. I ran fast as I could as suddenly the hallway collapsed behind me.

It seemed it never ended as I ran from the collapsing tunnel that seemed to get closer slowly as I could feel peddles hit my smooth skin. I was nearly out of breath from running so much and my vision was blurry from the lack of oxygen that reach my brain. I felt a pretty rock hit my back causing me to stumble and slide over the ground before coming to a stop. Curling up into a ball I awaited to get crushed by the ceiling as I heard a loud crash and got covered by rocks myself.

After a minute I popped up from under the pile of rocks and I saw that the collapse had taken the whole hallway but that I had only just made it to the room I had woken up in. Dragging myself out of the pile I noticed that I truly had been lucky because I would have been crushed if I had been any slower.

“Ah, you have returned my friend. Do tell me what you have seen I must know.” The transparent pony asked getting close in my face.

I told everything I had seen and what happened to me since the moment I had left this place. “Oh, now that I can hear names again can you tell me your again?”

“Just amazing it means the crystal is a portal to Tartarus and only your kind might be able to use it without dying. But of course I can do that for you. I am Ancient Lore in my occupation many call me Master of the Lore, people I met call me Ancient or Lore depending on the culture but my family calls me Al.”

“… Al?”

“Indeed … Al. I know a name normally donkey’s or cow’s have but I got it from my niece Daring Do and the family liked my new nickname and took it over. I have tried to change it a few times but to no avail.” Ancient said as he scratched the back of his head.

“Have you found a way to get out of here?” I asked looking around.

“Well no. but I have found something else.”

Ancient floated to a wall where used to be a rock wall but now there seemed to be a stone tablet, with a few holes, that covered most of the wall on which someone had drawn many small pictures. His eyes seemed to glitter in excitement off this as if it was something amazing. I was not sure what to make of the tablet with the weird drawings on it.

“What… am I looking at?” The pictures looked nice but anything else was beyond me.

“What you’re looking at, my dear friend Granite, is the history of everything even pre-dating time.” Ancient was looking with glee at this discovery but then his face dropped and he looked kind of sour. “But the problem is that the most important parts have been destroyed by those cursed roots and the pieces are too small to put back together.”

Just as he said I now noticed that there indeed were a few parts gone one close to the beginning and two somewhere in the middle.

“What it says is this.” Ancient stopped as rumbling started and an eerie red light was coming from behind us.

We looked around and saw that lava was slowly coming from the entrance I had come from and it seemed that it was flowing, from the cracks, pretty fast.

“I think we got to go.” I stated.

“Indeed.” He agreed with me.

“How?” We slowly turned pale as we looked at each other before sweat started to drip from our heads from the heat and fear. I am not sure how Ancient did all that being sort off dead and that kind of stuff but yet he did.

We started to panic and I ran to the spot I woke up and started to look around fast. “I need an exit, NOW!” In the corner of my eye I could see those things slowly appearing from the slowly pooling lava.

Then it became dark.

Blinking a few times trying to see in the dark but it doesn’t get better so I try to move my claw to my face but it is stopped. There seemed something around my head and I as I felt around the object it was made of metal like material. From the other side I could hear soft screaming and it seemed the ground was rumbling in a way that didn’t feel like an earth quake.

“Ah, your awake brilliant how you got us out of there. Not sure how but still brilliant.” Ancient started happily to blabber in my face. It seemed he was stuck in the strange shrine as well.

“Alright now to get this thing off.” I said as I started to scratch at the metallic shell and slowly shredded it to piece till I was able to pull my head out.

Looking around me I saw what caused the shaking I kept on feeling and it seemed that this was truly not my day. The temple itself was collapsing and big pieces of worked stone started to fall from the roof. The group I had gone towards the temple were running around trying to dodge the falling stone and not many were successful doing so.

“Great, you survived hoof over the gem and let’s get the buck out of here before we get crushed as well.” The Boss didn’t look happy, not that was any different than normal, as he pretty much commanded to hand over the gem, what was on the floating hexagon, on top of the altar.

“Sorry, boss. But I kinda swallowed that one.” I had pretty much from this guy and now with my memories returned I pretty much didn’t need him anymore.

“You did, WHAT!?” He looked shocked and he went from dark blue to purple and I expected a blood vessel to pop, at least. “I am going to gut you like a griffon does with a fish and pull that gem from you.” He said before drawing his sword.

“YOU will do NO such thing. Not while I am around Steel Hoof.” I heard the voice of Ancient before he popped from my head and flew towards the boss pony who’s name seemed to be Steel Hoof. “I send me too that same gem while knowing it was trapped didn’t you!?” Ancient was no longer slightly transparent but seemed to be more like a miniature blue sun the way he was shining in anger.

“No, how? But … you died!? Your laying over there how can you…” Steel hoof said shocked as he dropped his sword and moved backwards in fear. But as he did there was a loud noise sounding, it lasted not longer than a second, but it did sound a bit like metal moving fast past something. The boss pony stopped moving as blood came from his mouth. A thin vertical line, made from blood, running between his eyes and seemed to disappear in his hair line. It was almost like something had cut him in two… correction something had cut him in two I rectified myself as Steel Hoof fell both left AND right.

“But, but, but, I wanted to scare him for getting me killed, maybe give him a ticket to the men in white not kill him.” Ancient said as he looked guilty at the dead body(s?) of Steel Hoof.

“Therapy comes later but first let’s get out of here!” I pretty much had to shout over the rumbling now. Ancient disappeared in a bright flash and I wanted to be happy for him going to the other side and probably mourn him but that had to wait.

The room seemed to burst in flames as from the middle of the altar lava started to flow causing the remainder of the room slowly collapse into the lake of liquid fire.

This was my cue as I started to run staying in front the collapsing tunnel only just inches and the red light coming from behind me was enough for me to know that I didn’t want to fall. I had a few times a bit of luck as the collapsing slowed down half way through the tunnel and I was safe it seemed. Don’t expect me to slow down because I dare to bet that would be a very dumb idea.

When the end of the tunnel came in sight I could dance, laugh, scream in … in frigging terror as the universe truly HATED me. I mean what else could it mean if the crater was almost completely filled with LAVA. My jaw had pretty much hit the floor as I looked down from the temple.

Of course the universe truly hated me as from the entrance, I came from, was spraying the liquid fire all over the place. I had no other choice and I ran down the stairs and jumped to a floating rock that was passing by.

The temple now imploded into the lake of lava. Which moron built their temple in the middle of a volcano? And the wave caused me to hold on the rock as I was pretty much was surfing now. I was steering the rock away from bigger rocks that were picked up by the wave and came towards me.

The rock I was on was getting near the top of the wave and I knew that any moment I would get swallowed by the wave but then I saw my rescue. Multiple rocks coming were slowly getting in my reach and if I had to guess they should be able to support me. Sweat was pouring from me from as I had to wait for the rocks to get in my range, probably from the lava as well.

It was now or never. I thought and jumped on to the first rock, then jumped again, over and over. But the flow of the wave was just too fast and I got flung through the air causing me to spin fast so that everything was a blur. I closed my eyes because I was getting sick and all I could do was wait for the pain of burning from burning liquid stone. What I got wasn’t what I expected but still painful.

Landing back first on a rocky service before I bounced further down a hill hitting pretty much every stone that was taller than a few foot sticking out of the ground. Slowly getting up from the rough landing I looked up with a groan to see that I had been thrown out of the crater and that the giant wave of lava had thrown out some of its content, along with me, but it wasn’t enough that it could reach me.

Then I noticed the sky it was a dark purple and that would mean that the skeletons would be able to leave their tunnels and other safe havens. When not moving I thought that I was in terrible pain but having to run after all that it was just the worst I ever felt even worse than the avalanche I had caused all that time ago.

Around a half a hour under way to the base when I felt the ground shake once more. I looked back to the now active volcano and saw that it wasn’t exploding once more but what did cause the shaking? Just at that moment a big boney foot crashed down on top of a hill around thirty feet from me. Looking up I could see it was one of those giant skeletons and it was moving at a slow speed for something that size but because the size it still went faster than I could.

It than it me. The direction that thing was going it was towards the town. I had to warn them because none of the defenses were made for something that size. But the moment I went over the last hill, what gave me a good sight off the town, it was already too late the thing had pushed its head into the hole and was chewing even rocks to pieces. Some Pegasus were able to fly to safety but weren’t able to get far as smaller skeletons jumped from the big one and on top of the survivors leaving none alive.

Having no place left I went north as they had said the nearest trading camp was located But first I had to get past a legion or twenty before I was safe.

Author's Note

Here is the new chapter I hope you all enjoy. I would have finished this thing much sooner but life can be as a rollercoaster and just kept on going (I hate rollercoasters) But anyway now everything seems to go back to normal and hopefully stays that way. So once more enjoy and a happy Hearth's Warming Eve

6 Goodbye Boneheads

Being completely exhaust from what happened this day but I knew that the moment I rested that I was already so good as dead. Those things would probably stumble over my sleeping body and dig into me before I knew it.

That big skeleton, who was chewing up the town, could be done any second now and was probably going after me next. So I had to go because I could hear the rambling of bones behind me. Why can’t I ever see them coming?

Making a fast turn smashing my head against a diamond dog skeleton who had jumped at me causing it to fly into some others who tried to flank me. I hadn’t stopped from the hit and my tail whipped multiple smaller causing a rain of bones which opened a path for me to escape.

I was running once more this cursed day this time not for lava but for a small army of skeletons. They were by far faster than they were the first time I came across them but they were still too slow to keep up or they were just too stupid to not try to stand on top of unstable stones. But I could care less about the reason beside the fact that I was able to get more distance between them and me.

Some lose stragglers appeared and joined in to get a bite out of me. I thought I had to run the whole day but it seems luck was on my side for a bit as I saw a long crack in the ground that went on for a maybe a kilometer or three and it had a sort of bridge made of stone. Speeding up as I got near it as I jumped over the middle part of the bridge because it seemed not strong enough to carry me.

Landing roughly as I look back and I saw the blasted things were not stumbling over the edge but had stopped. A few were walking the stone bridge and they did it at a too fast rate to my liking. I stood up without turning back and I whipped my tail with full strength against it to cause it to collapse casting all those on it in to the crack. The remainder stood there unmoving watching me as if they expected me to drop dead on the spot.

Continuing my north I came across some more of the dead but it was almost as if I had left the hotspot or something. Well I was happy about that thought because it seemed to give me some extra strength to keep on going. Who knows. Maybe behind the next hill I would find the exit to this god forsaken place.

“Well it seemed I was right.” I said to myself as I stood on top off the hill overlooking the valley. At the end of the valley were the feet off two mountains with a path carved through the stone wall allowing access to the other side where, as far I could see, not everything grey, black or white was. “But how do I get past them?” I asked myself as I looked to all the undead skeletons which had gathered in the valley probably wanting to give me a goodbye party and a goodbye kiss, and by kiss I mean bite.

My options were limited. I could try and wait for a hour or so for the sun to come up but who knows when the skeletons who had been following me catch up on me. Fighting through the masses wasn’t really an option as I have been awake for nearly twenty-four hours and I have been running pretty much two third of the night.

Not much was left for me than to wait and hope I won’t get found in the mean time as I move over to a rock formation as I buried myself so that only the top of my head was partly sticking out like a crocodile but than in the ground. I tried to stay awake I really did but my body demanded sleep and nothing I could do could stop it.

I wasn’t sure what I was dreaming about as it was like everything I ever dreamed poured into a single dream and then shaken it very hard and was quite annoying. But what annoyed me the most was the weird tapping on my nose. Even though the dream wasn’t pleasant I really didn’t want to wake but ignoring the feeling didn’t help at all.

When I opened my eyes I was about to scold the person who was waking me but the problem was. It wasn’t a person. It was one of those pony skeletons and it was trying to chew my nose off but it seems it wasn’t really getting there but as the sleep was drifting from my mind I noticed something. It wasn’t alone as behind it were many more trying to get closer to me. No time to think.

With a sudden leap I went through the group, knocking them to pieces, as I went for the exit. Not a very long time had passed but the sun had risen but the mountain nearby was blocking its rays meaning those things won’t tumble to the ground in at least a hour more.

But on the plus side the skeletons had dispersed enough for me to be able to smash through them without fearing to get stopped half way through. But it seemed that luck was once more not on my side as the ground near me exploded sending me flying through the air as one of the bigger skeletons, this one being the size of a medium home, came from the ground and was trying to chew me as if I was a peanut he really wanted.

Rolling out of its reach was my only option but its bites got closer and closer every time and the smaller once were not standing idly nearby. Oh no, they were running straight for me and for a second I thought one of them was drooling. So I rolled onto my feet and ran past the giant one if I hadn’t then it would probably have gotten hold off my long tail.

Moving in a wide arch around the big skeleton, as it was trying to get up, I made my way once more towards the exit off this cursed place. A single glace behind me showed me that the whole valley would be swarmed with those things as thousands and thousands of those things appeared from the other side of the hill looking like a sea of bones.

That was a great motivator as I was closing towards the pass and loud thumping informed me that either the big one had been able to get up or an another had appeared. In both cases that means only one thing for me. I was in deep shit.

The thumping closed in to me, way too fast for my comfort, but the entrance was only a few meters away as I noticed teeth appear on either side of me. The skeleton had turned its head sideways and tried to eat me but as fast they had appeared they had disappeared. Looking back I saw it had hit the entrance stopping it from biting down on me. I was relieved for a second till the big skeleton was able to go through the entrance without touching the sides just barely. Fate truly hated me as the thing just continued its chase after me through the narrow passage.

The passage was pretty long but it seemed that on some spots it would get more narrow and the big one noticed it as well as its shoulder and jaws were grinding between the stone walls till it seemed it came to a stop. It seemed to try and wiggle further and scratch the narrow spots till it could get through as well but now my fear for that thing was only in the back of my mind. Now I had nothing to fear … but the thousands of smaller once who were able to move freely after me.

The exit wasn’t that far away from me as the passage had a slight S wiggle in it that had been fooling me in how long I had to go. The light was blinding as I ran out of the pretty dark passage and I saw a wide field off grass with here and there a tree, what made me remember the nature shows about the savanna on discovery. But I couldn’t enjoy it for long as I heard the rattling off bones behind me.

Giving a hard whip with my tail I send the bones fly around the place but it sounded that the others were nearing the lone straggler that had been able to out run the others. I was to start my next run when I noticed the abyss in front of me. Looking around me I saw a big sturdy bridge not far from me. The bridge itself was wide for two carts and maybe two to three ponies move across it next to each other. Either side off the bridge had some supports that prevent the bridge to slide in but they only did so a few meters from the edge. The bridge had a sort of beam roof probably used to tie ropes around them to prevent the workers to fall in it almost looked like a ribcage.

Getting to the other side was easy, TOO easy. The bridge didn’t collapse with me on it, no group off warriors to attack me because I insulted them by breathing wrong, nothing was jumping me on the other side. At least I could trust the skeletons behind me to reassure me that it wasn’t THAT easy. I could almost hug them … maybe next time.

Crushing one off the skeletons, that had caught up to me, with my feet and whipping most of them back onto the bridge. It seems that options were few again by either run and let these things cause chaos onto these lands or destroy the bridge. Why did I have a conscience? I mean it makes me be stupid and help preventing chaos roam the land and probably get me killed.

Preparing to smash the first beam of the bridge I noticed a sign “Incase off skeletons pull lever? … this is a trap isn’t it?” I sighed as I pulled the lever and waited for the hell to follow but nothing came, I mean truly nothing. The skeletons were gone as well as the floor off the bridge. Moving closer I saw that it was a giant trapdoor causing anything on it to fall into the depth called the abyss. Lots off the smaller once weren’t able to stop in time or were pushed by the masses over the edge. They were now standing there as if they expected I would close the trapdoor for them.

A loud bang grabbed my attention as a rain of stone flew through the air followed by the giant skeleton that had been able to get through it somehow. It looked down the same way I had before moving to the bridge as the smaller once moved out of the way which caused some to fall over the edge as well. Because I pulled the lever the floor was gone which prevented the big one to follow to the other side or so I hoped.

It was looking at and back to the bridge it truly wanted me dead as it pushed some weight on the beams and long after it climbed on top off it. I almost could hear it grin … no, that was something else. I looked to the entrance we just had past. What used to be a long line off an opening in the mountain feet had now a rough hole to the bottom where the cracking sound comes from.

It hit me like a ten ton weight. The skeleton had destroyed the integrity of the passage and it was collapsing. Enormous pieces off stone were slipping and falling down crushing the smaller once before they disappeared into the hole. The bigger one looked back before planning to move on and eat me. But it was cut short as a big boulder fell on top off it causing the skeleton to be dragged with it into the depth along with the bridge. For a second I thought I heard a loud screech but it could been the mountain as well.

Moving back I watch as the passage and the abyss were both getting closed by the stones as they kept on breaking off the mountain for like a half a hour till everything became quiet and the dust started to settle.

My body felt tired as I released my armor from my skin but nothing happened. Looking back I tried again and still nothing, it seemed the armor had become a part of me. Over my body there were here and there some spots from which crystals poked out of some off the cracks in it and on my back was a crystal around the size of a shark fin. All I could was groan and hope that it would come off later or just needed some water to loosen it.

My mind went to Ancient Lore for a second I had thought he would join me on my journey all around this new world. Carving out a crude gravestone with his name and I one with the text ‘In Memory off the ponies off Bone Yard.’ “I shall miss the guy.”

“Indeed, he was a fine stallion.”

“That he was.”

“He was smart, the fillies loved him and he looked amazing.”

“Not sure about that but ….” I stopped mid sentence as my mind just registered what was going on. Looking back I saw him floating there with this stupid goofy smile on his face. If he wasn’t dead already I would have killed him myself. “I thought you passed on? Please tell me you couldn’t come out and help me while I pretty much ran for my life? Because of you don’t I kill you for the second time.” I said giving him a deadpan look.

“What, why would you …? Ooooh! Yeah, no sorry, I used all my energy into appearing in that place and had to rest in my crystal. That place is pretty much a scar on the world. The magic there is corrupted and it is pretty much impossible to be used by me unless I lose myself.” He said with a shrug. “But to be honest I need some more rest just wanted to let you know I was still there. But love the stone you made for me.”

“Alright then, I shall rest as well for a bit before … wait crystal, what crystal?” I asked confused and gave a glance to my back.

“No, no, no, not the one on your back but the one in your chest.” Ancient sighed as he saw my confused look. “Remember the trap with the big shiny crystal, yes? Good. That one has merged with you and it seems I am tied to it by magic. It’s what keeps my soul tied to this world but I now really need to rest so stay out of trouble, alright?” Ancient Disappeared with the usual blue flash.

“Please, in how much trouble can I get now that I am out off that cursed place?” I answered as I turned around looking at what looked like a herd off zombies. “Hmmm, it seems that much. I wonder if I broke a record or something.” I mused as wooden spears flew through the air and bounced off my stone skin.

The half rotten zebra’s, ponies and a single griffin came at me while moaning loudly. The griffin was scratching at my back while the others were trying to chew up my kneecap. But unlike the skeletons I was used these undead corpses were nothing to be compared with them because they didn’t have a single flicker off intelligence. Meaning they were controlled.

Whipping my tail hard and fast against one off the corpses and send the two halves flying in the direction they had come from. By gamble had paid off as a loud ‘eep’ came from the high grass with a figure jumping out off it away from the lower half.

The figure was a zebra holding what looked like a voodoo doll, a weird ceremonial dagger and was wearing a big wooden mask colored in dark colors. Even though his face was covered I dared to bet that he had a scared on look on it and this made a smile slowly appear on mine.

“Gotcha.” Was the only thing I said as I heard him swallow loudly.

Author's Note

I know that there had been a long time between updates and I got a good excuse for it. My health was terrible from November got multiple flu's, two infected wisdom tooth pulled and add that with stress what happened around me well it wasn't pretty. So if everything goes well there will be more chapters from now on.

Also I am working on a second project which I won't post until I got at least 5 chapters done off it. So far I can say that there Is no story genre off it meaning it is 100% ORIGINAL woot.