As I passed the descending stairs I stopped to look at the stone double door that remained closed. The spherical dent in the center which seemed to serve no purpose other than the doors simple design. To anyone who came to these ruins it would spark curiosity, but to me? I already knew what lied beyond. There was no key for this door, but the "key" to unlocking said door was hidden away by me.
Looking from the door to my right hand I held one of the objects that was present within the room. A steel or silver staff about as tall as I was that had a blue crystal ball no bigger than the palm of my hand. On my left ring finger was a ring made of the same metal as the staff. The clothes I wore weren't mine, to be honest robes and cloaks weren't my kind of clothing, but this was all there was, and I should be thankful I wasn't forced to wear the clothes I came here in. I've made these castle ruins my temporary home since I couldn't really find any means of making it back to any kinds of civilization. That doesn't mean I haven't stopped searching, but I couldn't go too far in fear of losing my only shelter I had. Saying my situation is frustrating would be an understatement. I still had so much unanswered, but I remain hopeful that I may be able to return home with answers and a solution to my problem.
Returning my attention to what I was doing before I made my way out into the courtyard. Whoever built this castle had the idea of making it last, though clear signs of age were showing like vegetation, broken windows and rotting wood as well as cracks in the mortar. Still, it was better than no shelter at all. The woods in which this castle was in were peaceful for the most part, I didn't see any predators like bears or wolves despite being here for almost a month.
I approached one of the openings in the wall and squeezed through. Once on the other side I looked over the many trees that surrounded the castle. After my eyes landed on one with a carved out x I walked towards it, then looked for more. I kept following them until I had reached a point where the x's didn't go on. Taking out the knife I had strapped to a belt I resumed the process I had started several days ago. I had tried the north, east and south directions but gave up as the forest seemed to have no end. Over the past several days I repeated the same process. Marking trees with my knife but with little success in finding an end. Under normal circumstances this would be a lot more difficult, but I don't think I could call my situation normal by any means. I continued for several more days, I would have given up but I decided to stick with this path.
When it seemed hopeless my dedication was rewarded. When I got close enough I saw it in the distance. I had almost forgotten to mark the trees all the way to the edge because of how excited I was. When I got passed the tree line I was met with a lake with a huge waterfall in the distance. As awesome as the natural landmark was that wasn't what caught my attention the most. It was instead the man made landmark. Train tracks. Making my way over to them I saw to my left they went into a small tunnel before they emerged on the other side, and to my right was more track that didn't have an end in sight.
Going towards the tunnel I looked inside. I don't know the exact distance but I wasn't prepared to risk getting run over my a train as soon as I turned around. I stood there for ten minutes or so thinking before I heard the sounds of a train approaching. It was heading towards the tunnel. I started to flail my arms and even jumped to get the conductors attention. It was a long shot, but that didn't stop me from trying. As I watched the train pass through the tunnel I took in the fact on how strange the design was. It looked like something straight out of a kids cartoon.
Well I came this far and I ain't going to give up. So I started to follow the tracks to my right.
As I walked I heard a sound that was strangely absent in the forest. Birds. I don't understand why birds would be absent from a forest so large. Either way it was nice to have some ambiance as I walked through. The sight and sound of birds stayed with me until I heard and saw the sounds of another train passing by. This one looking almost identical to the one that had passed me earlier. I tried to get a look at anyone inside but was unable to. It took hours before I started to get a glimpse of something in the distance. A station. Picking up my pace I speed walked to the station. When I got there it was empty. Noticing a door leading to an interior area I walked to the door to see if there was anyone inside. What was strange is how small the door was. I wasn't a tall person, average height, but I had to duck in order to enter.
The interior reminded me more of those old train stations rather than a modern one. It matched the cartoonish look of the two trains I had seen thus far. A part of me thought I might have wandered onto the property some kind of amusement park. However what was behind the desk made me question just what kind of park it was.
This was the first ones I saw. I first thought it was some kind of animatronic. Whoever designed it put a lot of thought and effort into it if that were the case because it was made to look like it was reading something on the desk. What it was supposed to be was some kind of cartoonish pony. It had a light brown mane with a tan coat. Even more impressive is when it turned its head to look at me and started to speak. The first odd thing I noticed is how it stared at my lower torso rather than where my face was. I guess it wasn't programmed to make eye contact? I don't know enough about animatronics to know how it all works. Despite that, its voice was really well done, it sounded really authentic. Like I was having a real conversation.
When I asked where I was she named the station. The name of course was unfamiliar to me. Our conversation then shifted to buying a ticket to a place called Canterlot. When I mentioned I didn't have any money of any kind, she ended the conversation there. As I turned to walk away I saw two more of those things enter. I have heard of robots being able to walk but when they walked up to the counter and conversed with the one behind the counter I watched the encounter both amazed and confused.
If these robots were programmed to imitate social conversation and life then whoever was behind it put a lot of work into it. But surely an attraction like this, it would surely be very well known as I didn't know of any other amusement park, or anywhere that did something to this extent with animatronics. When there interactions ended I walked outside and took a seat in a bench that was lower to the ground when compared to normal benches. The two who "bought" their tickets, one with a male voice and one with female, sit down on another bench. I just waited and took advantage of the public space to rest up, however I did notice that the two were giving me glances every now and again, which made me nervous. These things were much to alive for my taste.
I looked at the ring on my left ring finger.
Then again this might not be the craziest thing I had experienced...
Twenty or so minutes later another train arrived from my right. When it stopped a few more exited while the two sitting down boarded. After the train left another came by, then another, then another. More ponies came and went. Some actually looked in my direction and had a wide variety of expressions. Along with the varying expressions I also noticed a few that were different. Some had horns while others had wings while others had neither. It only added to the strangeness of it all. When I decided that I wasn't going to get much help from here I decided to check out the nearby town. Ponies. Not a single person in sight. This was getting to the point where it was ridiculous, the whole town was filled with these things, imitating life. I even saw a few drinking from a cup, with actual liquid inside. That was it, I had enough, I had to be somewhere else. I went back to the train station and waited for another train to arrive. I stuck around where the rear of the train was and when it was just starting to move I ran towards it and leaped onto the small railed platform where the caboose was. I wasn't sure if I was just lucky or these things really didn't care who boards the train and that the ticket thing was just for show. Either way I was determined to get somewhere else. For awhile I stayed and watch the station slowly shrink to nothing as the train moved closer from the direction I came from.
I didn't even want to go in the train and just wanted to stay out here because I didn't want to be around those things if I could help it. As the train went through the tunnel and out the other end the scenery changed, and I was happy I didn't chance it and run through the tunnel because the tracks were on a built bridge spanning across a mountainous region. When I passed a huge waterfall I decided to go inside. I passed the caboose car and made my way past a luggage car before I found one with seats. There was only a few sitting closer to the front, so I sat down in the far right corner and waited. I really hope the conductor stuck to the other cars because if I was caught, well I don't know what would happen. Maybe these things had some kind of internal alarm to warn the local authorities. Then again if that meant I could get back to civilization, real civilization, then maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
After I got tired of staring at the door I looked to my right out the window to take in the natural landscape while still paying attention for sounds of any doors opening. As soon as my vision drifted to outside I then realized I was closer to my destination than I had previously thought. Impressive architecture of a castle built into the side of a mountains near a huge waterfall. And surrounding it were more extravagant buildings. This definingly put the town I was at previously to shame. As fantastical as the sight was my awe was soon replaced with worry. On one hand if there were people here then perhaps I could filially seek help. Even if there were more of those things there as long as there were people who could get me help I didn't care.
If not. I don't even want think about that.
As I approached the station I moved from one end of the train car to the other. The station was filled with more of those equine automatons. After hearing the conductor announce Canterlot I got up and exited the car I was in along with the others. This station was more crowded than the other one. I was walking amongst a crowd of them as I made my way through the station and into an array of buildings to my left and right. Walking down the street being careful not to bump into anything the road went over a stream below before continuing into more buildings. From what I observed this entire city was in one big circle and at the center was the town Centre.
Deciding to go further in I passed a Lido to my right before the path went left and straight ahead. Going forward I made it to a large body of water that encircled the town center. The path continued right. So following it I eventually came across a wider road with what I could only guess was housing for the locals who lived there. Sadly I didn't find anyone living there, only more of those things that resided in the houses, talking to each other. Trying to simulate a real life creature. I couldn't stomach it as I turned around and made my way back. I turned right just before I came across the Lido. Passing by two large buildings and an open grass area with a few trees planted on my left and more houses to my right.
Coming to a crossroads I saw a busy building to the northwest of where I was facing. Walking down the wider road to find the front there was a sign that read "Night Mare Hotel". Turning around was a busy square called "Night Mare Square". I had to stop and think about where I might find people and not these machines. I was just picking random directions to go, which wasn't really smart. Maybe there was a map somewhere that could tell me where the hell I could find someone. I went to the main counter and asked one of the robots if they had a map. The last interaction was considered "normal" compared to this one. This one also resembled a mare but with dark pink coat with a short white mane.
When I asked her about the map she said.
"You know its impolite to look down when your speaking to somepony."
What the hell was it talking about? She was the one who wasn't looking me in the eye. I thought of correcting the thing but realized that arguing with a machine never usually went anywhere. At this point I just went with it, it was probably a glitch in how they were behaving. So I raised my head looking straight ahead half expecting the gesture not to do anything. The craziest thing to me was that actually seemed to fix whatever was wrong with them. The sooner I find someone the better. I don't know how much more bullshit I can take.
She gave me instructions to the town center. There was a map there. So making my way down the many streets I followed her instructions. The street I took to get to the town center was a lot more busy. It took a lot more effort to keep my distance and not bump into the many machines wandering this fable city that shouldn't really exists. I almost missed the turn I was supposed to take, but luck seemed to be on my side. When I reached town Centre I located it I took a good look at it. All of the markers pointed to stuff like hotels, points of interests, or restaurants. Hell there was even farms and a wetland. Other than those there was one other thing that stood out. And that was something that was outside the outermost wall of he city. To the south west there was a separate wall that held something called "Canterlot Castle." Unlike the map however this didn't have as much details. Taking the path that was next to the Night Mare Square and Hotel I came up to a gate that was guarded by identical looking equines in gold colored armor holding spears in their hoofs, or forearms. I didn't understand how these things could hold spears like that.
"Halt! State your business ." One of them commanded in a masculine tone.
What should I say? I could just say I needed help. What's the worst that could happen?
"I need...I need help." I said.
"With?" The other one with a feminine voice asked.
"I need someone to help, I've been lost in the woods for almost a month. I don't know what country I am in, are there any people around who can help me?" I asked honestly.
They looked to each other before looking back to me.
"Your a foreigner?" The female asked.
"I- yeah, I guess so. Look are there any humans around to help?" God I felt like an idiot, talking to these things.
There was something else because they were looking at me in a strange way. It took a moment before I realized that I might have ran into the same problem with that mare at the hotel. So I looked straight ahead.
"Sir, you aren't drunk are you? Your speaking strangely." She said.
I looked over in her direction. I didn't say anything else. I just turned around and speed-walked down the path. I heard one call out but I didn't pay attention to them. I just speed walked out of there. It turned into a sprint. I found a place to sit near some place called the Eclipse Inn. I pulled my hood up and sat somewhere out of the way bouncing my left leg as I rested the staff against my shoulder. I stayed like that for awhile so absorbed into my own thoughts that I almost didn't notice the smaller filly walking up to me. I stopped bouncing my leg to look at the little one. She was pink with a dark purple mane.
"Are you a wizard?" She asked.
I didn't say anything. I didn't see a reason to. These things weren't real after all. It was all just programming. I thought of answering it, to get my mind off things if anything. But its "mother" came up and took her away. The mother apologized before carrying her offspring away. I watched them go and disappear into the crowd. I watched as more and more came and went until it was past mid-day. I made my way over to a fountain and just sat there. I looked at the ring on my finger. I wonder if tonight will be the night it decided to screw me over. Well at least I was in an area where food was more easily available. Though I didn't have the currency this strange place seemed to accept. I couldn't tell if it was supposed to represent gold or copper coins. I never got close enough to tell.
Looking down at my finger the ring was on. I could already start to feel the fatigue. I guess it was finally happening. Getting up I walked over and found a spot that I would hopefully be able to rest until I was able to get back on my feet. I was so glad I had clothing that could provide decent protection against the elements. Closing my eyes I huddled down and prepared for the cold night ahead. Closing my eyes I drifted off to sleep after a few hours.
At first my sleep went undisturbed. Peacefully sleeping as I regained my strength. However my somewhat blissful sleep slowly transitioned to me waking up. As I retracted from sleep and into wakefulness I heard the muffled sound of a woman's voice. At first I couldn't tell what the tone of her voice was, but the more I listened the more I realized her tone wasn't a positive one. When I was able to open my eyes I could see on the ground patches of sunlight that made there way past the buildings. The sun had risen. Not being completely open, my squinting eyes slowly adjusted to the new light levels. I felt the heaviness of the intense exhaustion Still present. The nagging of the woman didn't really help my mood. Then I realized something my tired mind hadn't considered before. Could it be a person? When my eyes were done adjusting I looked to see it wasn't a human like I had hoped, but another one of those things. Apparently I was on one of those things property. I really didn't want to have to move. So instead of following this things instructions I just lay there. Hoping it would just walk away and continued to do whatever it was programmed to do. However it was persistent.
"Come on now, get! You are trespassing." It said.
I just groaned in response.
The thing moved in to tap me on my side but as soon as I felt it lay its hoof on me she quickly pulled away. I don't know how or why but her attitude switched instantly. I finally pulled my hood from my head to get a look at this thing. A mare with light purple mane and silver coat backed away with a scared expression. She started to stutter. Something about a changeling before she let out the most ear piercing shriek I have ever heard. She was gone in a instant running down one of the streets screaming changeling over and over again. Anyone nearby looked to where I was staring at me as I got up in a sluggish manner. Panic soon started to spread to others. I stumbled down the streets trying to find the train station. I didn't make it anywhere near it though. Catching my breath didn't do me any good. All I felt was fatigue with no respite. Each step I took was harder than the last. At first it was just fatigue but now it felt like a mix of that and suffocation. I couldn't keep this up much longer or I was going to pass out. As I turned down another street I hadn't yet traversed. I spotted a patrol of those armored ones coming down the street in my direction. I moved as fast as I could down an alleyway and hid behind some crates that were stacked on top of each other. I wasn't able to make it fast enough because the patrol passed me, which confused me but I wasn't willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. Uh, no pun intended. When I made it about halfway to the boxes I had to stop. I fell to one knee as I placed my free hand against the wall of the house to my left. I stumbled when I tried to sit down and almost fell on my side. I scooted up against the building behind the crates.
The fact I wasn't getting any respite from the breaths I started to panic. I hadn't experience something this bad during my time here.
I heard commotion to my left as I sat there, breathing heavily with my heart racing. For awhile I stayed there and it felt like the effects were starting to let up a little bit. I stopped breathing through my mouth and started through my nose. My brain didn't know how to react to this constant state of fatigue, panic started to sink in because of the drawn out feeling. This only happened once before but it wasn't as bad as this because I didn't push myself when the effects started kicking in. I started thinking leaving the castle was a mistake. I lifted the hand the ring was on and just stared at it. Frustration and anger started to boil as I just wanted to remove the damn thing. This fucking thing is a curse and in that moment there was only one way I knew how to remove a ring that wouldn't come off.
I got the knife from my belt and held the blade against my left ring finger. I paused. Doubt started to creep in. Why? Why was I hesitating? I desperately needed to get this thing off of my finger. But what would happen if I did? Aside from losing a finger, which was bad enough. What other effects would happen? Worst case scenario I died. Best case was I lost a finger, but hopefully the effects of this ring would go away.
Hopefully. That one word made me reconsider my choice.
Maybe if I just wait it out. Maybe if I just take a little nap. Yeah that could help. The edges of my vision were starting to go black. I was losing conciseness. I didn't bother moving my head as that would be too much of an effort. The last thing I felt was me toppling over to my right. I didn't really feel the impact when I hit the ground. I just stared ahead, slowly blinking every now and again. Numbness took over. I don't know if this was natural or it was because of the ring. But I was too exhausted to care. It was so bad to the point where I was blinking less and less. Just when I closed my eyes for the last time I saw a glimpse of white before I blacked out.