Foundations of Evil

CHAPTER 1

Burned Pages

It's a bright sunny day in Ponyville, the birds are chirping and the bees are stinging. Applejack was farming the apples with her brother Big 'Mac' Macintosh and Rarity was busy designing her latest dress in her boutique. While everypony was busy doing their chores was Twilight Sparkle about to start with her weekly activity: Re-organizing the books in her hollow tree library.

'It's that time of the week again, Spike.' She said towards a small purple dragon that was reading a small book. It was quite thin for a book, especially for Twilight, and had a dark blue binding. On the cover was the title written in golden letters: 'Hitting on Unicorns: A Step by Step Guide for Desperate Males'

'Aaaw, really? I was going to Rarity today'

'No excuses, Spike. You knew that we would organize the library today.' She looked towards her little, scaled assistant. He was really looking forward to meet up with his crush.

'Spike...If we work really good together, we'll get done faster and when we're done faster, then you can see Rarity faster.' Said the mulberry colored unicorn with a comforting smile. Spike closed his book and stood up ready to work. 'What are we waiting for then?'

The two started to work. Twilight used her magic to get all the books from the shelves while Spike checked them all on the checklist. Hundreds of books were floating in the air, Spike was losing hope that it would all get organized fast enough for him to meet up with Rarity.

'Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask'

'Check!'

'The Red Book of Equestria'

'Check'

'Eh... A muffin?'

'Che-wait... Can't find that title on the list.'

'No, Spike. Literally: a muffin' She said while a half-eaten muffin floats around Twilight's head.

'I think that's Derpy's...'

'She and I have talk, but first let's-... hmm...' She looks at a small, floating brown booklet. 'I don't remember this one.'

Spike was also unfamiliar with the little booklet. 'Does it have a title?' He asked.

Twilight made the book spin, flip upside down but no clear title was visible. It was just a simple notepad. 'Let's just put this aside and look at it after we're done,' She said while she made the little enigma float towards the windowsill and the two continued checking.

'Ancient Spells and the Grave Consequences After Use'

'Check!'

It took two hours to check all the books and organize them back on the shelves, actually faster than usual. As promised, Spike could go to Rarity. Twilight is now alone in her library, looking at the shelves full of books and is very proud to have read all of them. Except one, and that one lied on the windowsill. She went to sit on the couch and used her magic to make the little booklet float towards her, 'Time to read,' she said.

While she opened the little notepad, she came to the conclusion that it was blank. There were no lines, no sentences, no words, it was completely blank. Hmm... Strange.

Twilight closed the book to examine it further. At first there was nothing special about it, it was still a little notepad with a brown, leather binding and the manufacturer's logo printed on the front. Twilight, know-it-all qua books, quickly saw that it was quite old. The spine was almost breaking apart and the manufacturer of these booklets went bankrupt 200 years ago. 'Why is there an old, empty notepad of Swirl Co in my library without me noticing, let alone reading it.' She asked to herself. Twilight opened the book again, still blank. She started to think. What if...

Her horn started to glow and she uttered ancient words in a language long dead for most ponies, she spoke three lines and ended with a soft: 'Show me your secrets.'

The book started to glow in a bright, yellow light and the pages started to fill up with words much to Twilight's delight.

'I KNEW IT!' She yelled in joy, 'I knew that this little booklet held secrets from me!' Twilight proceeded to read and delve in the knowledge that this little monograph could hold.

She read the first page:

Here you read now the chronicles of an anonymous unicorn that delves in the ancient Catacombs of Azazel.

I write this for that I have found the secret entrance to the forgotten catacombs inside a hollow tree.

My research finally pays off. I shall enter oblivion and unravel the secrets of Azazel.

Not a moment later the book started to heat up and the pages eventually lit up in fire.

'A Lecticendium Spell!' Twilight yelled in shock and tried to put down the flames with her magic. She made a magical, purple sphere around the blazing book and the flames quickly burn out due to the lack of air inside the sphere. Twilight dismissed her spell and the book fell on the ground. Much to her surprise did the little book look unharmed, save for the pages. Twilight opened the book only to see that all the pages where burned beyond repair. All but one.

The last page was, like the binding, unharmed by the flames. Twilight started to read:

I made a terrible mistake to enter the catacombs, let alone writing down my sinful journey.

I have to destroy my little notepad, my life's work but I can't make myself to do it. Not directly at least.

I will put a Lectima Spell on the pages to hide the text from curious eyes.

Either the one that finds this will write over the invisible text or throw it away as piece of garbage.

If one does dismiss the Lectima, will the pages burn after 20 seconds of reading due to a Lecticendium Spell.

Save for the last as it will be used as a warning sign.

I do this with great pain but for me it is the only way to prevent anypony to know the secrets of the catacombs.

You who read this now! Do NOT enter the catacombs or proceed to search for it. I can't tell you why but I'm happy to be barely alive than dead.

It can turn out different for you.

Twilight was quite startled for the contents of the page. She never heard, or read, about this Azazel, the catacombs or anything that revolves around them. She closes the booklet and she put it on the coach. A secret entrance in a hollow tree... Could it be?

She used her magic to lift up every carpet, every table, every bed in her library/house to find a sign for a secret entrance, thinking that her house could be the hollow tree the strange pony wrote about. She couldn't find anything but Twilight's curiousness and stubbornness made her look further. She proceeded to lift the bookcases, carefully ofcourse, she took two hours to re-organize them with Spike. Even though she wouldn't mind doing it again.

The bookcases loosened from the wall and float in the air. Twilight examined the wooden wall to find a large stone door. 'I found it!' She yelled. She wasn't really sure to be happy about it or to be scared that the entrance to the supposedly haunted catacombs lies in her house.

She put down the bookcases to examine the door. It was large, rectangular and had a big ruby in the center surrounded by ancient runes. 'The Ancient Language of the Dawn?' She asked herself and made a big, red banded book float towards her from one of the bookcases. She reads the book to find references to the runes on the wall.

It took her hours to translate the runes on the door. It started to get dark outside. Suddenly the door of the library opened and there stood a little, scaly individual: Spike. 'I'm back, Twilight!' He said. Twilight even forgot that he wasn't home, she answered with a small, dry Good to see you while she proceeded to further translate the runes. Spike looked around the room to see all the bookcases in the middle.

'Twi... Why are the bookcases in the middle of the room?'

'FINALLY' Twilight yelled, 'Now I know what stands on the wall. It's a riddle!'

Spike was confused, 'A riddle? A riddle for what?'

'A riddle to open this door silly. It took me a while to translate it but I can finally read it!'

'What's the riddle then?'

Twilight spoke the riddle while she reads it of the wall.

Her name starts with the 6th and ends with the 20th.

She is both the sun and the moon.

She made the cats dance and the iron giant walk.

For one a mother, for one a creator.

Spike's eyes were rolling in his eye sockets. 'Well, we'll probably never know the answer. Time to sleep.'

Twilight was still tinkering for an answer. The 6th could be 'F', the sixth letter in the alphabet. That means the 20th is 'T'!

'Eh... Twilight?'

'F and T... mother... creator...'

'Twilight?'

'I know the answer Spike!' She yelled in happiness towards her little servant. Spike sighed, 'What's the answer then?'

'It's Faust. The All-mother, Faust!'

And with those words, the ruby on the door started to glow and with a loud, metal grinding noise, it opened. A cold wind flew through it. Twilight and Spike suddenly felt a dark, gloomy atmosphere surrounding them. Twilight felt her manes rising up from the cold and sudden fear. Spike looked at the darkness behind the door.

'What's this all about Twilight?'

'Long story, Spike... Long story...'

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Author Notes

Lecticendium is made up of the words: Lectio and Incendium

Lectigma is made up from the words: Lectio and Enigma

Try to find the The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings reference in this text :P