Let It Die: The Crystal Tower

Prologue: The Decades-Long Struggle

Celestial Year 2019.

In an effort to extend the life of ponykind, researchers in the field of magical enhancement proposed a new method to the royal family. By infusing crystals similar to the ones used in the Elements of Harmony with vast amounts of magical energy and a pony soul, these researchers have achieved a feat unheard of outside the realm of alicorns: a body capable of living past its given lifespan.

However, this new discovery would test the limits of the world and ponykind as a whole.

Celestial Year 2026. Equestria suffers a catastrophic event that leaves it mostly in ruins. As a result of constant crystal mining and highly-concentrated magic, the ground itself shifted violently and separated into several landmasses, each with its own slew of chaos and misery.

As the cities grew quiet, the planet’s remaining crystal gathered near the center of these landmasses and brought them together. Even after the fractured nation had returned to most of its former shape, the crystal beneath the ground began to grow upward. The towering structure began to uproot cities and lift them skyward without regard for borders or pony life. Once the tower reached the heavens, it stopped.

Stories started spreading as to what secrets were held in the tower. Some see it as a source of unlimited treasure for those willing to brave its dangers. Others revere it as a symbol of the monarchs that have disappeared since before the tower existed. Others still see it as nothing more than a reminder of a fool’s dream, a punishment for what they believe were crimes against the very nature of life itself.

Whatever ponies believe, they all agree on one thing.

Those in pursuit of the answer to the Tower of the Alicorns never return.

“Oh, bother. How long has it been? Decades, no doubt! Do ponies not enjoy a bit of mystery and intrigue anymore?”

A cloaked figure sits upon a terrifyingly high ledge of the Tower’s exterior, on what used to be a paved town street before the cataclysm. As he watches the sun set upon another uneventful day, he reminisced about the many challengers that came in droves in years past.

“Let’s see if I remember this correctly. There was that one in full Royal Guard gear searching for a husk with just enough magic left to save his wife. He found one, alright. The cursed thing was his dead grandfather. He just froze in terror seeing it that it just tore him apart without a fight.”

A train horn blared in the distance. Despite all life nearly being wiped out, ponies have managed to cling to theirs and somewhat recover from the event, as evidenced by their main form of transportation restored to working order.

“Of course, can’t forget about that zealot looking to commune with the alicorns. I’m still surprised at how he made it up past the halfway point of the Tower with just his ceremonial dagger. Still, you can’t stab an armored mutant from ripping you to shreds with a kitchen knife.”

The train was now visible to the creature as it came barreling out of the forest. He simply ignored it, as trains were a common sight for him that seem to avoid the Tower altogether.

“Oh, I just remembered that youngster who wanted to claim the riches of the Canterlot sector and return home as a hero. Ha, load of good his bravado did. Ended up as Screamer chow before even stepping foot into the Tower proper.”

As the locomotive made its trip closer to the tower, the creature was already plotting out its course in his mind. “Great, another reminder of the great concept of life continuing while this heap of junk simply grows and grows. One of these days, it’ll be too high for any of these equine louts to explore in a single lifetime.” The creature was dead set on continuing his rant before he was interrupted by a peculiar change in his daily routine. The sound of the train horn was getting closer.

“It can’t be…” He kept his eyes glued to it as it missed its usual turn toward one of the many pony colonies around the Tower.

The interior of the train car was dead silent as it entered a tunnel leading to the Tower of the Alicorns. The only sounds produced were from the clacking of the tracks bearing the train before the brakes squealed as it approached a station.

The lanterns inside the car lit up and revealed its passengers. The seats were occupied by ponies, all motionless due to their state of hibernation. While they slumbered, a complicated set of machinery positioned itself above one of the bodies and lowered itself onto it. Cables, moved by spells stored within the mechanism, attached themselves to the body. A visor rested upon the muzzle of the pony, a light emitted from them in a scanning motion before the wires jolted it with excessive amounts of electricity.

The pony bolted up from its seat and walked stiffly toward the train doors, the attached cables yanked off as it distanced itself from the machine. Waiting for a moment, the doors slid open with a hiss and the body walked onto the platform. The pony opened its eyes for the first time in what seemed like forever, before exclaiming…

“NO!”

The pony’s voice came out raspy, as if he hasn’t had a drink of water in months. A few seconds of suffering with a dried mouth have passed as his salivary glands provided the moisture it lacked. His joints began to loosen as he took a few steps forward, slowly taking in his surroundings with a sense of confusion. At the end of the platform, he noticed a flight of stairs leading up, possibly toward the station itself. What caught his attention, however, was the figure standing on the path toward them.

“Just waking up, are we? Well, you’ve certainly seen better days, I can say that much.”

The figure, he could tell just by looking, was at least five times taller than the average pony. The stranger was completely cloaked from head to toe save for one accessory: a novelty mask of the former Princess Celestia. The figure approached the pony, its footsteps mismatched as they sounded against the tile of the platform.

“You know, it’s rude to ignore your elders. Haven’t your parents taught you manners?” The pony simply looked on for a few moments before walking toward the end of the platform. He figures that the creature will leave him alone if he appears uninteresting enough.

“Come on, I’m not THAT terrifying, am I?”

The pony was startled as the creature stood in his path again. Glancing back for a split second, he noticed it was just the one in front of him. There was no twin, if this creature was mortal to begin with.

“Good, I’m glad you’re finally coming around. No no! No need to say it! I can tell by the look on your face that you know I don’t mean harm.” The creature turned its back on the pony as he walked toward the same stairwell. “So, what’s your name? And trust me, I’m only asking because I’m dying to use a few that I know you won’t like.” The creature chuckled.

The pony struggles to make sounds with his mouth. It seems the muscles in his body still need some time to loosen up. “S...S...Soul…” He keeps attempting to speak his name if only to ensure that the muscles necessary for speech weren’t damaged. “Soul Lithium.”

The creature reeled back and gasped loudly. “Did you say Soul Lithium? As in THE Soul Lithium, the one who is destined to break the curse of this dreaded tower and restore ponykind to its former glory?”

“I’m a...hero?” replied Soul.

The creature simply guffawed at his exaggerated response before he collected himself - quite literally, much to Soul’s surprise - and continued sauntering onward. “Oh, you ponies get gullible with each passing century. Don’t mind me, just a little friendly ribbing at your expense.” Both of them began ascending the stairs, the creature rubbing his chin in deep thought.

As both of them approach the top, the creature stops Soul Lithium from forging onward. “Not yet. You’re going to need something if you want to walk around the Tower.” With a snap of its fingers, the creature conjures a rebreather mask and places it over Soul’s muzzle before shoving him ahead of itself. “Believe me, you’ll be saying ‘thank you’ in due time. Now run along, and remember that your Uncle Discord is here to help you out.”

Soul quickly spins around at the mention of Discord. The creature, or Discord, has already vanished. Looking around proves to be fruitless as the god of chaos was nowhere to be seen. Instead of wasting energy searching for him, Soul decides on where to go. The path to his left isn’t an option, as a gate prevents him from walking past. His only option is to go right, through the large hole blasted through the side of the wall. As he steps past the rubble, he notices several types of plants growing nearby. Some of them look harmless enough, but others are spreading poisonous particles. Several corpses lie near them, the same kind of fauna growing on their decomposing forms.

“Thank you, Uncle Discord.”

Soul walked past the bodies, pitying the would-be explorers while at the same time thanking the heavens that it wasn’t him among them. The tunnel behind the ruined wall extended in a straightforward manner as he continued. After a few minutes, he could hear something coming from up ahead.

The tunnel led to a wider room, leaking pipes and sewer grates being the most abundant type of decor but mostly barren otherwise. There, he saw a figure hunched over a body. Recognizing it as a danger, he stepped back and hid around the corner.

“Quite a gruesome sight, wouldn’t you say?” Soul jumped in surprise as he saw the towering figure of Discord standing right behind him. He took a moment to catch his breath.

“Don’t be frightened, old boy. It’s just your favorite uncle.” Discord leaned around the corner and studied the figure, still squatting over the corpse and unalerted to either of their presences. “You see that guy there? That will be your most common obstacle - the Screamers. He may not seem like much, but believe me when I say you don’t want to mess with a group.”

“Screamers?” said Soul. “He seems pretty quiet to me.”

“Oh, I’m sure he looks quite the calm one, but trust me on this…” He adjusts the collar of his cloak with a nervous look on his face. “It’s always the quiet ones that surprise you.”

“So how am I getting past here?”

“What are you, four? Just take this and bash him until he stops moving.” He hands the clueless pony a lead pipe, to which the latter stares at with a confused look. “What, haven’t you seen those films where the hero sneaks up on an unaware target with a lead pipe? It’s a classic!”

Soul takes the item in his hooves. Discord is nowhere to be seen the moment he does so, leaving Soul on his own. Peeking around the corner again, he sees the figure stand on its hooves slowly as it cranes its head. The figure has caught a scent, though unsure of where it’s coming from.

“Hey rotbrain, over here!” the pipe exclaimed. Soul drops his weapon with a loud clang, alerting the Screamer to his presence. “Ooh, you’re in for it now, Souly-boy! He’s got you in his sights for sure!” The pipe, sporting Discord’s face, cackled as the Screamer made a beeline toward the wayward pony. Soul quickly swings his hoof at the decomposing attacker, striking at its neck and knocking it off its balance. Without missing a beat, Soul kicks its head and knocks it flat, stomping on its head and not stopping until the creature is laying motionless.

“Hmm, maybe you’ve got some serious fight in you after all.” Discord reverted to his usual form.

“I would’ve had him sooner if you didn’t yap when you did”, added Soul.

“Yet even when life throws you a curveball, you’re the one still standing. I suggest you start expecting the unexpected if you’re going to be here a while. It’ll save your life.” Discord vanished yet again, this time truly leaving Soul on his own.

The pony noticed another weapon near the corpse. Pushing it aside, he revealed a magic-powered buzzsaw with just enough power remaining. The gem on the motor glows as Soul approaches it, floating beside him as if held by a unicorn’s magic. Soul moves away from it and it follows suit. He tests the item by thinking of revving it, and sure enough the buzzsaw responds in kind. Taking the saw for himself, he quickly made his way to the other side of the room, not looking back.

A few more enemies and several more rooms stood between Soul and the end of the floor, each encounter becoming easier as he gets the hang of his new predicament. The sewers led him to another tunnel, this one being a complete straight path. As he drew closer to a brightly-lit escalator, he noticed that a gate barred his way. He looked to the right and saw a mechanism that could possibly raise it. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a loud cough next to him.

“Hey!” exclaimed a voice. “Down here, bud.” Soul looked down at the point where the gate and floor should meet. Instead, he saw a very lucid and very much alive zebra looking up at him. “Ya got any mushrooms?”

Perplexed by this strange turn of events, Soul could only ask “M-mushrooms?”

The zebra kicked her legs as she struggled to push the gate off of herself, to no avail. “Did I stutter? Yeah, I said mushrooms. Got any?”

Soul simply stared at the zebra for a few moments before rummaging through a salvaged rucksack. He pulled out a glowing green mushroom and presented it to her. “Did you mean this?”

The zebra kicked her legs again, this time in joy. “Yeah yeah yeah yeah, that. You gonna eat that?” Soul backed away from the frenzied zebra, holding his mushroom away from her sight much to her annoyance. “Listen pal, you need to get past here and I need to eat. You feed me, and I can get this gate open. Simple, right? Gimme the shroom.”

“What’s in it for me?” asked Soul.

The zebra tilts her head and stares at his undercarriage. “How big are you?” Soul steps back further at her question, the zebra laughing at him the entire time. “I’m kidding, bud. But just trust me on this, I can help you later if you help me now.”

Still skeptical but willing to try anything to get the gate open, Soul slowly walks back to her and places the mushroom within her reach. The zebra quickly grabs it and chows down, eating as if she’d been left starving for days.

“Mmmmmmmmmmmushroom!” The zebra stood suddenly as if possessed, the gate pushed all the way open by the sheer force of her legs. She stared at Soul again for a while before grabbing a small marble from her rucksack and holding it in her hoof. “Thanks for the chow.” She throws the marble on the floor, blinding Soul with a flash as she vanishes.

Once he regains his sight, Soul can only stand there confused by what just happened. Shaking his head and putting it out of his mind, he walked toward the escalator, the machine starting up with a faint grind before moving upward.

After a few seconds, Soul reaches the top. Before him is a giant vault door with a similar mechanism as the gate on the floor below. Walking up to it, he grabs it with both hooves and turns the valve. The vault door springs to life as it opens up, revealing several more doors that open in turn. Behind the barriers is a vast room with cages and subway cars, all defunct from the growth of the tower.

Soul walks forward before a noise stops him in his tracks. A Screamer growls at him as it spots him, which elicits a growl from another, and another, and another. Soul quickly finds himself surrounded by the corpses, readying his buzzsaw.

Two of them lunge at him with makeshift weapons - a nailgun and an iron. The Screamer with the iron blasts a concentrated burst of steam at Soul, causing him to reel back in pain as it makes contact with his shoulder. He narrowly avoids a couple of nails fired at him, slashing at his closest attacker with the saw. As metal meets bone, the other three simply stand there as their comrade falls limp at Soul’s hooves.

“That’s right, back away!” said Soul, saw at the ready. Turning constantly to face all three of them, he notices something isn’t right.

A small laser dot creeps its way up his coat and stops at his neck. Soul quickly moves away, but the dot stays trained on him. Looking up at a balcony above him, too late does he notice a unicorn Screamer with a rifle. The unicorn takes the shot and hits Soul squarely on a major artery. As he grow cold and falls to the floor, the unicorn lands on the floor safely and joins the other three as they circle around him.

“Oh dear, maybe I overestimated you this time, just a bit.”

A golden eagle claw swipes at one of the corpses, sending it flying in pieces against a train car. The other three can only growl in surprise as the claw does the same to them. The draconequus stands over the dying form of Soul, who is quickly losing consciousness. “I mean really, now. We’ve been at this for thirty years now and you STILL can’t even clear these rejects.”

Thirty years?, Soul thinks to himself. I just got off the train.

Discord looks at Soul’s regretful face, to which he simply sighs. “Pretty easy to lose all sense of time when I keep erasing those precious memories of yours, isn’t it? I’ll let you keep all of what you learned from now on. Maybe remembering all of your pathetic deaths will teach you better than this.”

The draconequus leans over Soul, grinning in a very twisted manner. Before slipping into the unforgiving state of death, Soul hears Discord ask him one last question. “So, ready to try again?”

“NO!”

Soul finds himself standing on the platform again, panting heavily. Was it all just a dream? he thought to himself.

“No, I can assure you. This is all very real.” Discord lied on a nearby bench, swinging his tail as it drooped on the side. He jumped to his feet, a child-like glimmer to his eyes. “Alright! Let’s start over from the top! Or...bottom. Or...ah, whatever. Are you with me?”