A young stallion sits by himself in an empty tavern. The island this tavern sits on is small, but is well traveled by many crews passing through. Most crews enter the tavern to spend the piles of gold they worked for, pissing away their loot by getting drunk and making merry. However on this day, the island is quiet, and a single ship sits at the port. Aside from the stallion at the bar, the barmaid stands behind the counter cleaning a wooden tankard. She holds a bored expression on her rounded face, staring off into her personal wonderland as she repeats the cleaning motion over and over. The stallion meanwhile, sits at the bar looking over a tattered piece of paper. Taking a sip of his ale, he casts his gaze back to the map resting before him. The stallion sits deep in thought until a voice breaks his concentration.
A new arrival had entered the bar.
"You've been pouring over that map for hours now." says the voice, one rugged from years of experience on the open ocean. "Why don't you take a break?"
The young stallion jerks out of his trance and looks around the tavern. The barmaid continues her bored expression and monotonous motion, offering him no hints as to who had arrived to the bar.
The voice clears their throat, signalling the stallion to look over to the darkest corner of the tavern. A lone figure its with their back tucked into the corner of the building, their features obscured by shadow. A lone eye glares from beneath the brim of the beings' tricorn hat.
"Must be a pretty important map you have there." says the shadowed figure, nodding to the counter top. The stallion quickly shoves the map into an inner pocket of their jacket and holds the glare of the shadowed figure. The figure simply laughs. "I have no need of your map or the treasure it hides. I've sailed these seas for too long to be bothered by such things." it continues before taking a swig from the tankard before them. Its' ebony surface barely reflects the light that manages to reach the dark corner, revealing the narrow snout hidden by shadow. Setting the tankard down, the figure continues to speak.
"No, what I carry with me is a legend that predates the seas surrounding you and me. I travel where I can and tell this tale to those who can spare a bit of their time to listen. Do you have some time to sit and listen to a scoundrels' tale?" asks the figure.
The stallion reaches into his jacket pocket and withdraws a battered timekeeper. With a flick, the lid opens and the stallion takes a mental note before closing the timekeeper.
"Aye." he says simply. A glinting series of teeth emerge from the shadows, showing that the figure was grinning with delight.
"Oh boy, brace yourself then! This tale is a long one!" says the figure happily. With another swig from the tankard, the figure rises from its' seated position and faces the wall to its' left. The low embers in the fire place barley illuminate the silhouette of the figure; Tall and lean, but well built.
"This tale predates the seas that surround you and me, back when the blue we see was once a lush green. In the hills and valleys now covered by ocean, six mares emerged from a small town to become the guardians of this land. With them they carried a friendship so strong, nothing could break them or the land they protected. One was even the Fourth Royal of the realm, bearing the title Princess of Friendship. Their connection to the power of this land gave each a shred of immortality, which will become more apparent later in this legend. As time rode on and many threats attempted to break this land, the six mares fought back any darkness that seeked to rob them of the lives they valued."
The figure raises a clawed hand to brush the dust off a portrait it was looking at.
"No matter the threat, the six could prevail. However, each new threat would strain and worry the Royal of the Sun. What were to happen if her six champions fell? Would her and the Royal of the Moon be strong enough the prevail themselves? Countless plans and emergency protocols were established, and soon the Royal of the Sun fell ill with fatigue. The Royal of the Moon, bless her soul, took it upon herself to share her sisters' responsibilities while she recovered. All seemed to be going well, for a while. But soon, the Royal of the Moon began to make the oddest decisions, an early sign that pulling two jobs was starting to crack her."
The figure then faces the dying fire, keeping its' back to the young stallion.
"Then, it happened, and without warning. The many citizens of the land awoke one day to find that the moon still hung high in the sky, sharing the space with the sun. However, the moon was shattered and seemed to be frozen in its' place. With each passing day, the shattered moon seemed to draw closer to the world. With this, the ocean began to rapidly rise, overtaking the land acre by acre, week by week. When an inquiry was sent to the capital of the land, no one could find either the Royal of the Moon or the Royal of the Sun; Both had vanished without a trace, leaving their subjects leaderless and without direction. With this, nature began to take a devastating course. Waves as tall as mountains began to impact the land, destroying all pony kind had built and reshaping the land into a new image. The green and brown of the land was quickly overtaken by the blues and whites of the sea. In a matter of years, the land once known as Equestria was no more."
The figure turns from the fire and looks to the stallion. The stallion now sits in rapt attention, taking in every word the figure was speaking. Slowly the figure began to approach the stallion, continuing its' tale.
"The Fourth Royal of the land did everything in her power to protect her and her closest friends from the rapid changes to their home. Once it seemed that the land was finished with its' renewal, the Third Royal of the land did everything in her own abilities to unite any survivors under a new order and establish connections with the newly formed islands, but her abilities could only stretch so far, and thus her floundering nation collapsed within itself and the Third Royal sent herself into exile beyond the horizon. All responsibility now fell to the Fourth, and last, Royal of the land. With her friends by her side, the made great strides to pick up where the Third Royal failed. But soon it became apparent that the citizens she once knew were no longer their old selves. Many had picked up the ways of the old pirates, plundering and ransacking their neighbors to even survive. Soon, new pirate bands were sailing the Eight Seas, bringing the land into a new age of Piracy. With this rise, the Six soon realized that their efforts were beginning to fail as well."
"Then what happened?" asked the stallion. The figure picks up their tankard and brings it over to the bar, all while keeping to the shadows as to not show their full form.
"The Fourth Royal formally denounced her title. The news was sent to all corners of the Eight Seas, but no one seemed to care much if a Princess of old had given up the gig. Many assumed it was only a matter of time before she saw reason. However, now that she was free of her royal title, she and her friends could do as they pleased. So, they sought to form a fleet of their own and go on new adventures across these vast waters. For years the Six sailed, making new connections and delivering a message of friendship to any who would care to listen. On their adventures, they discovered many riches churned up from the ruined land beneath the waves. Memories of the old days soon began to muddle the mind of one, driving her deep into a greedy lust for more and more treasure. This be where Raving Rarity the Rich be born. This also marks the point where the Six were doomed to fall apart."
The figure sits beside the stallion, allowing some light to reveal themselves. Purple and green scales lined the figures' neck, jagged and worn from years of fighting and sailing. A dark grey jacket covers the rest of the figures' identity. The figures' tone soon turned grave as they continued to speak.
"My heart once bled for Rarity. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Even though she was older than I, I still held hope that one day, we could be together. But those dreams were shattered once she betrayed my closest friend. She committed an act worse and holding back a secret..."
The figure trails off, a small hitch in their voice. The young stallion sits quiet, waiting to hear more.
"Raving Rarity the Rich ended the life of my friend Twilight Sparkle, the last of the Royals. She impaled Twilight on the end of her rapier over a small chest the Six had dug up in the cavernous ruins of Manehatten Bay. Shocked by such an act, the other mares fled the cave and returned to their ships on the threat that Rarity would end their lives as well if they didn't get away from her treasure. Old world blues, gold fever, and greed had clouded Rarity's mind to the point that she turned on everyone she loved. I never saw any of them again after that day."
The figure raises a clawed hand to remove their hat, revealing a rugged looking dragon, well into his later years. Scars adorned his scales and face, signs that he had led a rugged life in the years since he lost his friends to the insane ravings of a mad mare.
"And that, dear friend, be the Legend of Six. Six mares who once protected the land and loved each other dearly, now separated by the selfish acts of one." he finishes. The young stallion stares in awe, and silence fills the tavern.
Then the stallion bursts into laughter.
"You honestly expect me to believe such a ridiculous story? It took you so long to tell it that I stopped listening half way through and got more caught up in the fact that you're a dragon! Not too many of your kind in these waters nowadays, not since the Magma Fleet was destroyed off Castle Rock! The Legend of Six is nothing but a simple fairy tale made up by soft hearted captains to tell to their equally soft hearted crews when they can't sleep at night!" the stallion rants, holding his sides as he continued to laugh.
The dragon didn't seem so amused by the stallions' words, nor his laughter.
"The tale be true. I was a mere baby back when the land was green. Dragons don't age like you pony folk do. I may seem old to you, but I'm well into my early thirties." says the dragon with a scowl. The stallion continued to laugh, wiping a tear away with a hoof.
"If your story is sooooo true, then where are these other mares of legend? I've been to Manehatten Bay myself and found no cave with a skeleton inside." says the stallion. The dragon scratches his chin in thought for a moment.
"In my efforts to keep tabs on the others, I think I know where they are. Rarity is off in the Opal Seas to the north, rolling in her riches. Rainbow Dash is protecting the Cider Flow out in the Hull Break Fields to the east. Applejack is down in the tropics on Appleseed Island, traded in her sail to return to farming from what I hear. Fluttershy, from what I understand, is roaming Sanctuary Peaks by her lonesome in the southwestern sea, and Pinkie Pie set up Cannonier Gully in the Broadside Atoll all by herself and welcomed any and all to party as much as they like." said the dragon, counting off each mare on a claw. The stallion collects himself a moment and speaks up.
"The Opal Seas are impassable due to the Razor Range. No ship has been able to navigate the range safely and make it to the other side. Cider Flow is being patrolled by the Sovereign Fleet at all times, no one goes in or out. The tropics are empty aside from the occasional sandbank, the Sanctuary Peaks are a haven for raiders and other fiends, and finally Cannonier Gully is nothing but the wreck of a massive Mare O' War that was abandoned on a reef; There aren't any parties going on there, not unless ponies are celebrating the rotten wood of the ships' timbers. Face it dragon, your story is nothing but fantasy and legend." says the stallion as he gets up, reaching into a pocket to fetch a gold piece to pay the barmaid. As the stallion rests the piece on the counter top, a razor sharp claw pins the gold piece, demanding the stallion stay put.
"You haven't heard of the Phantom then." says the dragon, his voice monotone as he stares blankly into the stallions' eyes. The stallion squares his jaw a bit and shrugs, becoming fed up with this whole act now.
"Sure, everyone has heard of the Phantom. But that is just a story too. A dreadnought crewed by a thousand damned souls, armed with four-hundred cannons, sailing under the power of five masts on glass seas that bear no breeze, captained by a soul seeking revenge against that who betrayed...her..." the stallion trails off, slight realization dawning upon his features.
"The Phantom be Twilight the Vengeful, and she sails the seas for all eternity, seeking Raving Rarity the Rich to deliver upon her a judgement worse than death." says the dragon gravely. "And she will destroy any ship unfortunate enough to sail across her path on those glass oceans." he finishes. The stallion gulps a bit before taking off out of the tavern, leaving the dragon and the barmaid.
"Ye' know, if ye' keep ending yer' tale with that damn ghost story, I'm gonna stop gettin' customers through 'ere." scowls the barmaid. The dragon sighs and slips a gold piece with the piece left behind by the stallion.
"I've told many crews my tale, and none of them ever believe me." he says sadly.
"Because a kraken is more believable than yer' tall tale. Now, are ye' goin' pay me yer' rent, or am I shovin' ye' out? It be another fifteen pieces for another week." presses the barmaid.
"You're bleeding me dry here, Nessy. And when did the heavy accent come into play?" asks the dragon. Nessy the barmaid simply shrugs her shoulders as she watches the dragon count out his gold pieces.
"I dunno, Spike. Guessin' all these crews comin' in and chattin' me up has rubbed off on me, aye?" she suggests. Spike rolls his eyes and slides his gold over to the mare, who happily scoops up the gold with a foreleg and slides it behind the counter.
"I'll be upstairs, tell your mom I say hi." Spike says, sitting up from the bar and approaching a set of stairs hidden in the shadow. As he approached the staircase, Spike took a moment to glance at the portrait he brushed off earlier. Painted in oils, an intelligent looking lavender alicorn stared back from beneath her simple captains' hat, a know it all smirk creasing her lips. Spike sighs again and nods as he locks eyes with the portrait.
"Night Twi, I'll see you later." he says quietly as he starts climbing the stairs.
~ooo000ooo~
The young stallion dashes out of the tavern and towards the lone dock on the island. Ahead of him, a simple sloop with red sails bobs and dips with the incoming waves as it sits tethered to the dock. Standing there on the dock, a lean unicorn mare uses her magic to levitate barrels of supplies onto the deck of the ship. A dock hand assists in moving the barrels below deck as the unicorn mare levitates them over. Spotting the stallion, the mare stops the cargo transfer and waves a hoof.
"Rigging! It's about damn time! I thought I was gonna have to drag you out of there myself! Help me out with the cargo, yeah?" she ordered. Rigging, the stallion, nods and takes a moment to catch his breath.
"Sorry, I got caught up in there." he says between breaths while shoving the last few of the barrels over to the dock hand.
"Oh? Chatting up Sweet Nessy, were ya'? Hoping to plunder her southern seas the next time you're in port? Hate to break it kid, but she doesn't sail with your wind." says the mare with a wink and a cheeky grin. Rigging caught what the mare was implying and rolled his eyes.
"I know she prefers the company of her own sex, thank you. And no, I wasn't chatting her up. Rather, a dragon was chatting me up." Rigging says. The unicorn mare raises an eyebrow.
"A dragon? In these parts? Now isn't that something. What was he going on about? Trying to proposition ya'?" asks the mare with a chuckle. Rigging squares his jaw.
"Enough with the crude jokes Flintlock! And no, he was telling me the Legend of Six. That's the third time I've heard it in my life, and each time I do, it annoys me more and more." Rigging says, rolling the last barrel onto the deck. Once the dock hand situated the barrel, Flintlock helped them onto the dock and paid the stallion three gold pieces. The dock hand thanked her and went on his way.
"Legend of Six, eh? Why does that story annoy you so much?" Flintlock asks. Rigging sighs and shrugs.
"I dunno, I guess I'm tired of hearing all these legends and tall tales. I want to hear something that's actually true! I want some truth to these stories everyone has to share." Rigging rants as he moved to the rear of the sloop into the navigation cabin.
"Well Rigging, the Eight Seas are built on legend and myth. If this place were built on truth, it would be pretty boring wouldn't it?" Flintlock asks, setting down a parchment on a nearby desk. "By the way, we're hunting down some lost treasure chests, Harold over on Hangmare's Perch needs them returned to him. Says he's gonna split the contents with us." she adds. Rigging nods and looks over the map for a moment before locating the first of the islands they needed to travel to for their commission.
"Well, a little truth wouldn't hurt out here." Rigging adds as he moved out of the navigation cabin and onto the upper rear deck. Flintlock soon followed and helped the stallion raise the sloops' anchor before taking her spot at the wheel. Rigging posted himself next to the rigging anchors and dropped the sail to full length. Twisting the rigging so that the sail faced starboard, the sail caught the late morning wind and stretched against its' rings and rigging as the sloop suddenly picked up speed. With a smile each, the two ponies set sail upon the sea for another day of fortune.
~ooo000ooo~
Deep in the Uncharted Region
Night had already fallen on this area of the Eight Seas. The Shimmering Horizon, as this area was known, now sat in inky darkness with light casted by the countless stars above. If one were to watch, one would see shooting stars arching over head on their cosmic journey across their own seas. Sailing along the ocean, a lone merchant ship skimmed along the glass like surface. No wind rippled the water, yet the merchant ship continued to sail under its' own power with half the sail raised. A single lantern lit the ship, marking out the silhouette as a crystal clear reflection against the smooth surface of the water.
Yet, as this small ship sailed, its' crew of three was not aware that they were being stalked by a predator much bigger than they were. It had been following them for hours, using the darkness of night to shroud its' presence. Compared to this predator, the merchant ship was dwarfed by the monster that pursued it. The merchant crew would only have one sigh that danger was approaching them; An eerie purple and green glow that broke the dark horizon.
From this glow, a rotten and decayed dreadnought with five masts emerges and races towards the merchants.
Once the two ships sailed side by side, the merchants only had seconds to spare before two-hundred cannons fired at once, tearing the tiny ship apart with pinpoint accuracy.
The crew of three would not survive this encounter. They would become nothing more than new slaves damned to an eternity of sailing on board the Radiant Revenge under the command of Twilight the Damned.
Author's Note
Ahoy Readers!
Thank you for stopping by and reading this story!
If it wasn't obvious, this story is an attempt at making a crossover with Rare's Sea of Thieves.
I've been playing it a lot recently and it has sparked this idea that I just had to get out of my head.
Hopefully you enjoyed and I will try and get a new chapter out to you soon!
Until then, keep yer' horizons clear!
