Prelude - The Tree of Life Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil
In the realm of the gods, Asgard. Grew a tree mighty ash tree known as the world tree. Odin, the god of gods gave the task of nurturing this magnificent tree to the Norns. So it is as history knows them.
There stands an ash called Yggdrasil,
A mighty tree showered in white hail.
From there come the dews that fall in the valleys.
It stands evergreen above Urd’s Well.
From there come maidens, very wise,
Three from the lake that stands beneath the pole.
One is called Urd, another Verdandi,
Skuld the third; they carve into the tree
The lives and destinies of children.
The past, was known to Urd, she is well known for telling her sisters of the fate of those that have been forgotten in the thread of time.
The present was known Verdandj, her all seeing eye knew the 'now' of time, her cackling laughter took much enjoyment on the suffering of others.
Lastly, the future, known only to Skuld. She had been given the title of oracle, for she spoke of what is to come.
On a day like any other, as Skuld looked into the future to see the events of time. She saw a monstrous beast that she could not describe. A being of nothingness that ate away on the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil, its mighty network that touch all other trees of life that had taken root.
It had been given the name, Atlas.
When alerted of the threat, Odin told the Norns to send out the seeds of the great tree to all the other realms. They did as they were told, Urd, the master of the past, started to systematically open the realms one by one on the day of their creation. In hopes of one day finding a way to stop Atlas.
Now only time could tell, as Skuld did not know the future of what might be. As her sister changed the fabric of history.
A single seed.
It always has been there, waiting, digging its way into the earth below. Time, the variable factor that is always present. Long forgotten by history as it’s made its way down. As the offspring of the Tree of Life, Yggdrasil, the tree that connected all realms, had finally worked its way down to its ultimate goal.
The River Styx of Tartarus.
Tartarus, the land deep beneath the soil that sealed away the ancient evil creatures of the realm of the Equine. Guarded by the three headed dog Cerberus, a black furred monster that kept the ancients beasts at bay.
Until today, the day that the manafont of the realm was nearly sucked dry, the hours that all the magic of the realm was consumed. The day that is now written in history as the day of the Black Moon.
Seven seconds is what it took for the seed to fall from the earthen ceiling of Tartarus to the river of life below, the golden waves of the rushing river that sent the souls of the departed to the next life.
Four seconds is the time it took for the seed to germinate on the river bed. The small sampling took root in the river. Like a compass, the plant exploded into life digging deep into the soul of the world.
The twisting roots system absorbed the mana that the realm, as the primarily function of the tree was being realized.
To live.
On the surface, the air of the world seamed to chill. Unicorns could not tap into the mana of the realm with their alicorn horns. Pegasi fell through the clouds to the ground below, most were lucky and took flight to the wind, very few were unfortunate and fell hard to the ground below. Earth ponies natural strength that was fortified, dwindled, some had entire fields of crops whither is the span of a single day. All magic stopped, as the tree below worked its way in all directions.
By the time the issued was raised to the highest order in the land.
The mana had returned, and with it four of the largest trees of the realm had ever seen.
In the Everfree Forest bordering the town of Ponyville, a seven hundred foot willow tree stood in the middle of the forest next to the rapids of the Ponyville River. The forest sang with new life as the wind whipped through its many vines that draped down from its limbs.
Far off to the west, in the country of Romaneigha. The barren desert lands of the changeling nation now stood a mighty maple tree that scrapped the clouds above. The multicolored serrated leafs blew in the desert wind, giving beauty to the wasteland that it has not seen since its inception.
Several hundred miles east of the Country of Prance, where the once proud nation of the Crystal Kingdom once was. In the middle of a field of wild flowers, stood a Yew tree, its massive frame tore the sky as it branches stretched out in all directions, casting never ending shade on the ground below.
Far in the north to the homeland of the Dragon Nation of Verdean, near the southern border by the Village on Hoofswell. Now stood a large thick trunk of a mahogany tree, the ever pressing monolith of the deciduous evergreen cast a shadow over the entire town.
The time had come; the long awaited prelude of the realm had finally begun. As the trees resonated with the manafont, as it connected itself to the great Yggdrasil network that linked all realms of existence.
As the realm of the Equine made itself known, so did it make itself known to the beings that rest in-between the realms. The true monsters that lay in that shadows, Doom Train, Omega, and Atlas. Each of the world destroyers now set their sights on the new world that had been yet harvested for its resources.
As such, the sense of danger of the new tree was alerted of the creatures of the void that headed for it. So each of the four trees dug into the stream of life that flowed through the roots of the Yggdrasil network, each tree pulling of a seed of hope to defend them against the oncoming threat.
Release of the First Champion: Kaze the Back Wind
The Final "Equestian" Fantasy
By: KingofSquirrelz
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Edited and Preread by:
shadowless_night~ChainReaction
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Today was a day like any other, well a day like any other since the travesty of the Black Moon. Since then, ponies of every walk of life have grown, as a community. In a land where friendship is magic, a strong bond grew. Friends helped out neighbors, enemies became allies, and love could spark at a moment’s notice.
Since no pony ever knew if they would ever see their loved ones the next day.
The beasts of Tartarus had been set free since the death of Cerberus, thousands of monsters that prey upon the land at night who feed on the flesh of others, or their own if the need was too great.
Like any great culture like the Equine, they adapted. Unicorns were taught spells that they could use to defend themselves, Pegasi learned to sense the distances in the air to sense danger from the skies, Earth ponies’ adapted ways to defend against the beasts that walked the land.
Pegasi, Unicorn or Earth Pony, there was one thing that all remained the same between them, crystals. Since the day that the mana had reset itself, crystallized forms of mana had been appearing around the world over.
These shards of mana unlocked the hidden potential within the ones wielding them, they had become prized greatly by nobility, some selling for enough bits to set a pony well off for the rest of their lives. Some though had been sealed away due to the grave nature they possessed.
Today started normally, as three fillies entered the quiet town of Ponyville, giggling like three innocent fillies should as they stopped on the bridge, the white stone beneath them made it easy to organize the small pile of bits that laid on its cold surface.
The smallest of the three started counting the combination of their hard word. “Ok, that makes one hundred and twelve bits, it only took us a month of saving, but I think we have enough now.” Sweetie bell said as she reanalyzed the pile to make sure her count wasn’t off.
Scootaloo stretched out her small feathered wings as a small smile grew on her face, “We should try to get a flight crystal like Dash, then maybe I could beat her in a race!” she exclaimed as her mind raced off in a fantasy that was beyond the realm of possibility.
Apple Bloom raised a curious brow, “I thought we were goin’ ta’ get a fire crystal so we can go huntin’ for our shards to try and get our cutie marks?”
Scootaloo sighed “Yah I know… just wish these things were cheaper.” she mopped as Sweetie bell put the large amount of currency into a green pouch.
“Let’s go girls, the shop might close soon.” Each nodded in unison as the trotted down the bridge into the town center.
A busy metropolis is the opposite of what this place was. The farmers market that had stands set up down the street that was normally busy, was oddly quiet today. There were still ponies walking about, each with their own personal agenda.
The trio walked past the area of the center where Applejack normally conducted her business. She however was at the farm tending to the apple trees that had taken to frost the previous night. It was a short walk, till they came to the stand that held the items they wanted, crystals.
The stand was set out like any of the other vender that sold carrots or flowers. A wooden stand with a large sign in the front of it that had a symbol of a sideways U, which marked for the shop’s owner, Unison Fires.
Scootaloo was the first to the stand as she put her hoofs on the edge of the table and she eyed the tiny spheres, her eyes falling on a light blue crystal in the corner, the flight crystal. Sweetie Bell was next, as she put her hoofs on the stand as she eyed over each of the crystals until the one came into view that they were going the purchase, a common fire crystal.
Apple Bloom however went behind the stand and paid her respects to an old stallion behind the counter, as a fellow sales pony, it was always good to have a nice relationship with those around you. “Evening Mr. Fires, how has business been ta’day?”
The bushy browed stallion with a long white beard coughed as he looked down at the apple pony, “It’s been better, some of my stock has gone missing the past couple of days. Dam thieves, running about this day and age. Never mind that though, I doubt a cute little filly wants to hear the ramblings of an old codger like me, now tell me. What brings you here today?”
Sweetie Bell pointed to a dark red crystal that was near the center of the table, “We want to buy the fire gem please.” She said as her horned glowed and a bag of bits levitated from her saddle bag onto the table with a small clang of coins.
The old sale pony picked up the mana shard and started to eye it over, “Wishing to buy a fire stone, I guess your aim is to go out hunting for your own shards. Every pony needs some way to defend themselves I guess, just don’t go hunting at night. I wouldn’t want to lose three of the cutest customers I have had in a while.” A soft chuckle billowed forth from the bawls of the warily old pony.
Scootaloo sighed as she opened the bag and started to hoof out the bits, her frown was a clear indicator on what she really wanted. “So one hundred even right?”
The old stallion shook his head, “Since you three are going hunting for your first time, I’ll give you a ten percent discount. Just when you’re out and about drop my name, nothing like word of mouth to spark business.”
A wide toothy grin grew on Apple Bloom’s face, “Thank ya’ kindly Mr. Fires. I'll tell ma’ sister you said hi, and I’ll even try ta’ get her to make one of her famous apple pie for yah.”
Fires waved a dismissive hoof, “No thanks, I am a cake fan myself. Cake is vastly better than pie, remember that fillies.” He said as he started to attach the small crystal shard into a metal locket. “Here you go, give it a small test before you go off adventuring.”
The old stallion engrossed himself in a memory of his youth, a wild adventurer; it was cut tragically short as he started to rub his knee. “Also, watch out for arrows.” Sweetie Bell was about to ask him a question until Scootaloo grabbed the pendant and put the necklace around her neck.
“Let’s give this stone a test drive then!” Her thoughts on the flight crystal all but vanished as she set hoof on a real crystal that she now (partially) owned.
Sweetie Bell stepped back, “Just be careful Scoots, I don’t want you ta’ get hurt.”
Scootaloo nodded as she focused on the gem inside of the amulet. With a gentle flap of her small orange wings, she felt a shiver run over her body as she tapped into the mana. Small budding flames started to cover her wings, wish a gentle flap she fed more oxygen to the tips of her primaries.
The flame didn’t burn or singe a single feather as it start to extend in side as she fluttered harder to create her own set of fire wings. The small flames never got any bigger than double her wing span, as the flames snuffed themselves out. Scootaloo grinned proudly as she turned to her friends. “Looks like it works well to me.”
The shop keeper leaned back in his chair and took in a deep breath, “Good, another satisfied customer. Now run along, and avoid the forest. Since your hunting crystals I’m sure you know lots are found next to that huge willow in the forest. That place isn’t safe day or night, why don’t you three go looking in the fields, I’m sure you can one or two crystals there.”
Apple Bloom gave the old stallion a warm hug, “Thanks for the information Mr. Fires.” As she released and trotted away to join her friends as they started back in the opposite direction.
Strange kid, I hope she stays safe. The old stallion thought as he looked over his wears. Hmmm? Am I missing one?
The trio started to make their way to the edge of Ponyville to the field to the east, until a certain filly with an orange coat spoke up. “Girls, I just thought of something. The field is the safest area ever, nothing happens there, so I’m sure if there were and crystals there, it would have already been picked clean.”
Apple Bloom gave a befuddled look, “So whatcha’ proposin’ we do then?”
A wry smile grew on her face, “Well let’s go into the Everfree, I’m sure we will find something there. The old guy did say there was a lot near that weird tree.”
Sweetie Bell shook her head, “That tree is supposed to be past Foggy Bottom Bog, not to mentions the monsters that are there normally. We are just starting; we can’t take on things like that yet.”
Apple Bloom put a hoof to her shoulder, “I got an idea, why don’t we ask Caramel, he been to the forest lots of times.”
The little filly pegasus sighed, “I don’t think so, I hear he charges being a body guard, and we aren’t precisely swimming in bits.”
The little farm pony just smiled, “Don’t worry about that, I know what to say ta’ get him to help.”
The stallion sighed as the he looked at his new charges and then back to the forest in front of them.
“How did I get wrapped up in this?” Caramel said as he entered the Everfree.
Simply by stepping into nature's open hands, the group sees the forever sights of forest and trees. By watching the green leaves dance along the branches, struggling to fall off to meet their end in large groups away from the pale brown trees, the sight that life is dying before their eyes in this ever changing scene is horrid, but that is the only thing that remains unseen.
The scent from the corridor of wood was dry and cold, where ever they go the smell of death comes in and out in a smoky aura from their mouths, vanishing swiftly as the forest calls in its once great aroma, but cannot reach. The sounds of the rattling of tiny plants, grass, and swirling leaves on the ground was almost completely silent, only the wind that made the whistling sounds among the bare trees was the only sound that was deafening to their ears. The feeling on the path of wet, mushy soil on their hoofs filled with worms and bugs become the only thing that they feel physically with every step, the only path where they would avoid touching the tall grass and the wild populace inside them.
Apple Bloom walked behind Caramel down the animal trails, the broken twigs a clear indicated that they were not alone, “Because we promised ya’ a date with Applejack, now all we need ta’ do is find some wild critters for you ta’ save us from and Applejack will be your very special somepony.”
A sheepish grin worked its way onto the stallions’ face. “Yah, just keep reminding me of that. I don’t like going in here normally. Too many things, not enough eyes.”
The stallion stopped mid-step and put his hoof deep into the soft dirt of the trail, as he focused in on the sound of the wind. It was quite, the feeling of the light breeze was hard to pick up upon this deep in the forest of the Everfree. His ears twitched as he heard the small bellowed of the melody of the forest. The small symphony of sound that came from large willow that produced from the breeze blowing through its many vines.
“This way.” The stallion stated as he took a hard left through an unmarked path. They group ducked and weaved past dead branches, all avoiding the burrs and the poison joke patches, the wild blue flower let off a scent that could only be smelled up close.
A wry smile grew on the girls face as the scent of the fresh water could be smelled through the air, a present aroma that blended well with the scent of wet moss. It was not long then until they came upon the clearing of the forest that was made by the rushing rapids of the Ponyville River.
Caramel gave a sigh of relief. “It’s been a while since I walked here and not been attacked by a timber wolf or a cockatrice, I think one of you three is lucky.” He chuckled a little but the three were at a loss for words as they looked at the gargantuan deciduous tree before them.
The charred-ember colored bark of the willow was a sight to behold, the many trailing deep divots of the outer casing looked like a maze that cut off at all angles. The thick trunk lead to a network of thousands of thin branches that spiraled off in all directions, each tender extension lead off a vine that trailed hundreds of feet long to it almost touched the ground below.
“This is amazing.” Sweetie Bell said in a near whisper as she felt the calm warming feeling of the area. “There is enough mana here to supply even one of Twilight’s crazy spells. No wonder why mana crystals are always found near this tree.”
“I can’t believe how huge this tree is.” Scootaloo nearly deadpanned, “I don’t know why but I have the overwhelming urge to fly through those vines.” The little filly said as she sat down on her plot to try to see the top of the monolithic tree, and couldn’t.
Caramel was the only pony not completely stunned in awe wide amazement of the huge willow tree, “Yes it is quite a sight, but now is not the time to enjoy its splendor. Crystals are hard to find and it will be dark soon, I may love Applejack, but I don’t want to die trying to impress her.”
The trio each looked at the stallion with a gaping ear to ear smile. “YOU LOVE APPLEJACK!” they said in unison.
The caramel colored stallion face went immediately red as he realized what he just said, but the damage had already been done. “That has nothing to do with anything right now, beautiful this place may be, it’s extremely dangerous. Now start looking, I’ll stand guard and watch over you three.” He looked away from the girls and into the forest beyond, pleading inside his mind that they would ignore his little slip of the tongue.
The girls smiled, each backing away looking at the stallion, until they turned to the tree. Each nodded to each other as they giggled and charged for the river, hopping over the mossy rocks to the great tree beyond.
Apple Bloom took off for the shallows near the tree. A popular spot from rumors was that mana crystallized from the water, although just pure theory, many crystal have been found in the silt of a riverbed.
Scootaloo was next to stray off from the fray, as she had a guaranteed way of finding a certain crystal. She already had one, as she ducted out of sight of her friends. As she lifted up her wing to reveal a sky blue crystal, a frown forming on her face.
I’m sorry Mr. Fires.
As she took the crystal and covered it with bark pieces and dirt, making it look like it had been laying amongst the rocks for ages. “Girls I found one!” she yelled from across the tree, she tried to put on the best face she could to fool her closet reminds.
Apple Bloom barley got her fetlocks wet before she looked over at the bright smile on her pegasus friend, “Great job Scoots!” she beamed back a wide toothy grin, one the made Scootaloo’s heart sink deep into her chest.
The terrified shout was heard from the far side of the tree as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked over in the direction of where Sweetie Bell ran off too, both charged in the direction of their friends' scared bellows.
The duo ran around the long edge of the willow, both pushing past the vines that dangled from above, each extending themselves to their limits to come to their friends’ aid. At the far edge of the willow was Sweetie Bell sitting on her haunches as she poked at a black leg.
Scootaloo was the first to reach her friend, “What’s wrong Sweets?” As she looked her friend over, only for her to look back with a bemused face.
“I’m sorry; I saw a really big bug. I ran away and tripped on this weird root.” The combined double facehoof of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom was enough for any pony to understand the idioms of their friend.
The trio took a look at the long ‘root’ that jutted out from the side of the tree trunk, “Sweets, I don’t think that’s a root…” As the follow the slender frame of the root to the mid-section of the creature that was covered in the vines of the tree. It had long black coal crimson hair that haphazardly covered its face, half-sun glasses that covered one eye, while the other had three small red triangles underneath its eye. A long straight scar that cross the bridge of its nose.
A black cloak covering the entirety of its body, with a golden hitch pin holding it against his body, and a golden cylinder that encased his left arm.
“What is it? It doesn’t look like a monster from Tartarus, and if it is, how is it in the sun?” Scootaloo examined as the small beams of light pierced through the many vines that covered the area.
Then it moved.
The trio jumped back away from the being inside the tree as it opened its eyes revealing the blue irises beneath them.
They starred back at each other, as they tried to analyze the other’s moments, until it spoke. “Where is this place.” It said in a rustic voice, Sweetie Bell gulped as she looked into the cold eyes of it. “Is this still Wonderland?”
The trio looked at each other in confusing of the words of the thing in the tree. “This is Equestria, more specifically the Everfree forest.” Sweetie Bell complied with his question with her own. “What are you?”
“I do not know.” It retorted.
“Whatcha doin’ here then mister. This place is not safe, there are really big monsters that roam around at night that hunt and stuff.” The little farm pony stated.
The conversation with the creature in the tree was cut short as the cut up stallion charged over around the large bend of the tree, blood pouring freely from the large gashes that covered his body. The trio now filled with complete and under terror as they looked at Caramel in his critical condition. “We need to leave, something woke up the Ursa Major.” He said in a panting breathe as small spittle of blood filled flew from his mouth as he spoke.
The loud crunch of whole trees being split as the giant constellation furred bear roared as it followed the scent of its pray. That was all it took for them to start their full gallop to safety, however Sweetie Bell took one that look at the creature in the tree. His ever piercing eyes showed no emotion or fear of the impending threat head for its location.
Caramel limped forward as fast as he could, the wide cuts on his face and haunches leaving large pools of blood that was perfect for the beast to follow. The trio lost precious time as they tried to cross the river with the injured stallion.
A loud crash sounded throughout the area as they looked back at the tree to see the Ursa claw away at the back of the tree, in the location of the monster in the tree. Until it turned its gaze down back across the river, where they were standing.
Caramel felt his heart nearly explode as the beast roared as it leaped down from the side of the tree into the shallow river below. Sending a mist that covered the entire area, its red irises focusing on the group of ponies that where now all covered in the scent of Caramel’s blood.
Within one single step it was already at their location, near the borderline of the trees, never more had they hated the small of death that was brought forth the trees, at this moment they all felt like they would soon be the reason why the forest smelted like death itself.
The seven pointing star on the bear forehead was then bombarded by a maelstrom of bullets, each shell digging it’s way past the thick fur of the celestial bear into the skull below. The gargantuan bear whipped its head around and changed its target to a being standing on a large rock that was jutting out of the riverbed.
Apple Bloom looked over to her would be hero, as he fired a red titan steal pistol at the bears face, taking carful aim as it rapidly fired away on the demon bear. “Run away mister, no pony can defeat an Ursa Major! Please!”
A bright blue jewel on gilded cylinder moved, releasing a deep white light. Kaze's deep blue eyes peered into the gem imbedded into its fine surface, “It has move?”
The giant bear looked deep into his new opponent, despite be three hundred times its size, the beast felt something grow within it that it had never experience before.
Fear.
“Soil is my power!” he proclaimed as he curved his arm in front of him, a drill bit broke free from the cylinder case, as four massive blades started to spin. Six holes started to rapidly gather the mana in the air as the blades burned away, shattering the outer shell of the casing.
Quickly the guiled bits started to reform around its hand, the burning mana in the object started to heat the metal as it sealed itself into a large three barreled hand cannon. A black heart inside the casing began to beat, as the gun sparked into existence.
“The Magun has thawed.” He said as the bear stared down the cannon, it could smell the stench of death of the weapon he was carrying.
The bear then knew its fate.
“The Soil Charge Triad to use on you has been decided!” he said as he took the first shell out from his belt. “A cry of the cursed darkness; Curse White.” A nearly clear white shell fell from its casing into the first chamber of the gun, as a gilded latch sealed itself in. “The eye of lightless darkness; Shadow Purple.” The next shell fell into the chamber, sealing itself in. “And finally, Venom of the darkest sin; Poison Black.” The final bullet fell into the chamber, sealing itself and the fate of its target.
He pointed the gilded tri-barreled gun at the center of the beasts’ body, as the gun began to use the mana in the air to burn away at the soil of its cartridges. “Decay; I summon you, Diablos!” he said as he pulled back the trigger, a smell of burning gun powered filled the air as three of the respective beams billowed forth from the hand cannon, as the converged on their target.
The Ursa looked at itself in the dead center of its large barrel chest, not a mark hard been made. It wasn’t even painful, as it regrew to its former stature. It now swung its massive claws towards the face of the being on the rock.
Only for its arm to fall off mid-swing into the water below, the smell of decaying, disintegrating flesh filled the air. The bloody stump of where its arm was, sprayed forth dark mist of burning mana. The massive beast howled in pain as it tried to cover the wound with its other paw, just for it to reach the same fate as its other arm as it rotted off and fell into the river below.
Alas the loss of the appendage sent a torrent of the beasts’ crimson liquid onto the gang of ponies watching below, as the blood entered the gashes of the caramel stallion sealing his fate as it mixed in with its own.
The Ursa felt no more pain as it fell back onto the trees behind it, the whites of its eyes turning black as its soul left its body for the life stream. Its body started to decay even faster now that it had given into its fate, as a nameless black mist started to evaporate the carcass of the beast. Everyone did nothing but watch until it disappeared. Leaving nothing but a small black imp floating mid-air, it only had one arm and no face, as it bowed to the viewers of its work. And disappeared into a black orb and vanished into nothingness.
The tiny pegasus’s eyes never left the creature that stood against the Ursa, in awe wide amazement of what she was witnessing. I wonder what he could do if I gave him a box of crayons?
**Next Chapter, A prodical Explorer pegasus exploring the ruins of a fallen nation to discovers a weird creature with a huge black wing, and a nine foot katana pining it to a tree. Let’s hope things go well for her.**
