Chapters Vocaleero P.O.V.
My family and I, we live on a large farm plot, just outside of the Crystal Caves. It's just me, my sister Speakly, and our father Marc; our mother died ten years ago. There are many other families like us on the same plot; everybody is given 3 acres to live on and farm, and there is no traffic in or out of the plot.
We all are kept under almost constant watch by the Gemstone Bandits, a tyrannical group of Diamond Dog slavers. They are normally appeased by our harvest offering, but every so often, they come and take the families who produced the least, forcing them to mine in the Caves; those who are deemed unable to mine are executed on the spot.
At breakfast, I ask Speakly "Yo, what are you doing for Mom's Anniversary? You know it's tomorrow, right?"
"I have something special planned, don't worry about it brother." she replied.
Turning to Dad, I ask, "It's the 10th Annivers..." I stop myself mid-sentence, fearing his reply.
With heavy breaths, he replied: "Yes son, it's been 10 years since the Bandits caught her in the Crystal Woods". Holding back tears, voice breaking, he continued "I never told you two why she was in there, did I? She went in to gather some Amethyst Lilies, her favourite flowers. You know, she'd only seen them once: in a family photo album as a filly. Even then, she knew that those were the most beautiful flowers she'd ever seen. She was absolutely obsessed with them, and she drew them on everything. She even asked the Bandits if she could go into the Woods to pick some; they said no, of course. One day, she had finally worked up enough courage to venture into the Woods to try to get some; but as you can see, she failed". Father always thought of mother very highly, I couldn’t remember her since I was only a colt when she was killed...damn bandits.
We ended breakfast and went outside to the fields. As I exited our house, I noticed that the wheat had grown twice as high since last harvest. "This is good" , I thought, "we're safe for another harvest."
As Dad and I were gearing up to harvest, we saw the Gemstone Bandits terrorizing another family near our plot. We did nothing, as we knew that any interference would result in the destruction of our farm, ruining our livelihood. Apathy is the only way to survive in this place; just keep your head down, work, and hope for a good crop.
As we worked, I looked up and saw smoke billowing from the other side of the plot; "another family must’ve either refused, or they didn’t have a good enough harvest" I thought. Since it is forbidden (upon pain of death) for pegasi to fly, we can’t move away clouds that would harm our crop amount. This ensures the Bandits have both a constant source of entertainment in pillaging and a means to keep us here.
Speakly set up near us, processing the harvested wheat so it can be used. She seemed distant as she worked, as though her mind was somewhere else entirely.
"Are you alright? You seem deep in thought about something." I asked concerned on how she’s holding up.
"Don't worry, I'm fine Vocaleero" she replied, easing my suspicions.
We continued working the fields all day until 8:00, when the Bandits sounded the signal for curfew. Nothing special happened that night, as we just drifted to sleep.
The next day, as I'm working in the fields, Dad runs up to me, frantically asking: “Where is Speakly?!?”
“I don't know. Why, what's the matter?” I responded, curiously.
"She wasn't here for breakfast."
“I’m sorry Dad, I don’t know where she...could.....be. Hey Dad, didn’t Speakly say she had something special planned for Mom's Anniversary? *pause* Dad, I think I know where she is!” With that, I set off to find her.
As I ran, Dad was calling out to me, but i wasn’t listening; thoughts ran through my head: "shit shit shit....she's in the Crystal Woods....she should know never to set hoof in there....I must find her quickly, or the Bandits will have her head for sure!" Don't worry, I'm comin' Speakly!!
Author's Note
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I arrived at the mouth of the Crystal Woods, and I wasn't prepared for what laid ahead. The older ponies spoke legends about it: some said that the Woods are the meeting place of the fallen, others that it was the where many failed uprisings were planned, still others said the Woods held the Bandits' only weakness...at any rate, I'm about to find out which legends, if any, are true.
Once I entered the mouth of the Woods, I felt an overwhelming sense of despair wash over me, not unlike what occurs once a flame is extinguished. I had briefly considered turning back before remembering that I must reach Speakly before the Bandits can catch her. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happens.
As I wandered through the dark, I was in constant fear of being both caught by the Bandits and being mauled by the legendary creatures said to inhabit the Woods. One creature was particularly terrifying to me: the Creeping Putrefaction, a slinking mass of pure decay. It is said to both steal your voice and induce total paralysis before absorbing you. It then proceeds to literally rot you from the outside-in, killing you in the most horrific manner possible.
I wandered around aimlessly for what seemed like hours until I reached a large, colourfully lit clearing. Even though it was the first time since I had entered the Woods that I had been able to see anything clearly, it wasn't that alone that drew my eyes to it; rather, it was what I saw within. Lying in the middle of the clearing, bathed in beams of brightly coloured light, was a strange, almost organic-looking device. I thought to myself: "it looks like...No, it can't be. This is supposed to be nothing but a legend. Something told to colts and fillies in secrecy, to give them some hope, something to get them through the dark times".
The sight of it had momentarily stunned me, as I had to do a quick run-through of the legend to make sure it was what I thought it was. "Ok" , I thought, "body made of unicorn horn, (check), head made of shaped black Quartz Flower, (check). My God, it is the Microphone!" My excitement was quelled when I realised: "If the legend of the Microphone was true, how many of the other legends are true?"
From what I could remember of our history and legends, the Microphone was a magical artifact created from the horn of the original ruler of the plot, which was originally known as the Kingdom of Hayven.
Before the Bandits ruled, the ponies lived off the land, and were free to go wherever in Hayven they pleased. Their ruler was an extremely powerful unicorn named Geoff, who was said to possess the voice of a god. Geoff's magic was very special: instead of it being contained in the body and transmitted through the horn, like a normal unicorn, Geoff's magic was contained solely in his horn, and he used his entire body to amplify and transmit the magic, allowing for huge output with minimal input. He was a loving, gentle ruler, as opposed to the surrounding Kingdom's, who were vicious Diamond Dogs that used fear and intimidation to rule.
One day, the Kings of the 5 surrounding tribal Kingdoms sent spies to observe Hayven. The spies reported back, saying that we were happy, loyal, and never fought amongst ourselves, unlike their own Kingdoms, whose subjects were unhappy, backstabbing, and fought amongst themselves constantly. This angered the other Kings to the point that they unified the 5 Kingdoms and sacked Hayven. When it fell, the Dogs became the new rulers, and they stripped Hayven of everything, including its own name, reducing it to nothing more than farmland for the Diamond Empire.
Their first act as rulers was to execute the imperial prisoner, Geoff. They began by breaking off his horn, having witnessed what power it held. Then the actual execution began: They started by ripping off a strange chunk of skin with ripples patterned on it from his flank. They then stabbed him multiple times with his own horn, making sure not to puncture any vital spots, prolonging their sick game. As Geoff screamed in pain, he felt a claw trace across his neck: "Lines for later", growled the executioner; and with that, the executioner severed his vocal cords, rendering him unable to even scream. This sick spectacle continued for an hour before Geoff died, not by the Dogs, but from bleeding out.
After the execution, the new rulers sent their new subjects to gather Pitch Quartz flowers, as they had learned its effects on magic from observing us. The Dogs then fashioned them so the crystals would concentrate and amplify the horn's magic. They christened this abomination "Geoffrey", and they used it to rule the Diamond Empire, until they were usurped by an inside force: the Gemstone Bandits. They stole the Mic, and used it to annihilate the 5 Royal Families, dissolving the once hemispherical Empire.
While the other areas once more fell under pony rule, the Bandits became the new rulers of the plot. They knew full well the vast powers of the Microphone, and so to prevent it from being used against them, they hid it deep in the Crystal Woods, never to be found.Until now, that is.
I ran to pick up the Mic, and I felt the immense despair that had plagued me since I entered the Woods leave me. I tentatively reached out with my wing, and grabbed Geoffrey. As soon as I touched it, all at once I found the ground beneath me pulsating, sickening shapes were forming in the peripherals of my vision, and the same immense dread came back in spades, draining my will to live.
As these shapes gradually coalesced and conglomerated, the ground began to pulse more and more, and the feeling of despair grew worse and worse until I felt like I was literally dying. Finally, the cause of all this revealed itself: the Creeping Putrefaction. All of these occurrences were the Putrefaction hunting me, trying to force me into a corner.
I saw the Putrefaction, and it's body was horrific: it was essentially corporeal decay. It was a mass of black slime, with pieces of its most recent meals visibly jutting from it, rotting and dissolving. I barely had time to comprehend what I saw before the creature lumbered forward to attack.
Frozen by fear, I managed to come to my senses and dodged, denying it the chance to catch me. I ran away, and I noticed that there was an object dissolving on the monster: it was a small necklace, with a "chain" made from strands of Sapphire Vine, and a single, purple, crystalline flower as the "charm". "Single purple flower" , I thought, "no...It can't be!"
My greatest fear had been realised: My baby sister Speakly, the very light of my life, was dead. Her favourite necklace, an heirloom from Mom, was now the only thing left of her. I decided I must get it back somehow, for Speakly!
I ran to retrieve the necklace, dodging the Putrefaction's attacks, and reached in close to grab it. My effort was futile, however, as the Putrefaction coiled up and slammed its arm into my stomach, sending me flying into a tree. As I laid there, collapsed in a crumpled heap, I noticed that where its arm had contacted had begun to rot away. I felt the intense pain and fear surge up, manifesting itself in a harsh yell.
At that moment, Geoffrey started to glow, and I heard strange voices speak to me in an alien, yet somehow familiar tongue: "Vi estas tute bona. Nun, staras kaj batalu!" . After they spoke, I felt a strange power course through me, healing my wounds.
I rose up, wincing slightly, and ran at the Putrefaction. As I ran, I growled once in an attempt to psych myself up. To my amazement, Geoffrey responded, and amplified my growl into an attack. When the blast hit, I heard a sickening squelch and watched the Putrefaction reel back in pain. "Finally", I thought, "some way to attack you" .
Having learned how to harm it, I set out on a new mission: Kill the Creeping Putrefaction!
Having learned how to harm the Putrefaction, I set up for another blast. I growled as loud as I could, but all that came out was a little bullet. I tried again and again, but the little bullets did nothing against the encroaching doom.
The Putrefaction was inching closer and closer, and my options for escape were dwindling. I readied myself for a last-ditch bum rush when I heard that strange voice speak to me again: 'La sola maniero vi sukcesos estas de mi. Vi devas diri 'Aktivigi' por uzi mian povoj.'
I understood, and I activated Geoffrey. It began glowing once more, and changed form; each individual petal of the Pitch Quartz moving to better concentrate the blast. "This is gonna be good!" I taunted.
The Putrefaction creeping ever closer, steadying myself, I growled, and saw that my attack had cleaved the creature in two. Congratulating myself on a quick fight, I trotted up to grab the necklace, stopping when I noticed the two piles of putrid matter moving independently.
I backed away gradually, breaking into a full gallop when saw the two piles lumber towards me. I attacked again, splitting the 2 into 4, and again, turning 4 to 8. I attempted to talk with Geoffrey, since all of his advice had been helpful; there was no reply. I began to plead with it, and finally, I got a reply: 'Splitis' .
Piecing together previous occurrences, I surmised that every time Geoffrey contacts me, I learn a new attack. Using this, I readied myself, and growled: "Splitis!" . To my amazement, the blast completely shattered the eight creatures, as well as most of the surrounding area.
With the confidence that the Creeping Putrefaction was beyond resurrection, I sauntered over, and picked up the necklace, which was only slightly damaged. Placing the chain around my neck, choking back tears, I stumbled through a short prayer. I made my way back to the clearing, where I collapsed, completely exhausted.
When I finally awoke, the sky was completely dark. 'Hey, where's Geoffrey?' Looking around, I noticed that it was gone; 'What's this strange mark on my flank...nevermind, I need to get back home' , I thought, it's already night' . I stumbled through the Woods, eventually reaching the entrance, 'Home stretch' . Exiting the Woods, I heard screams and saw flames coming from our house: 'No, No, No!! I thought we were safe!'
I arrived at the house, fearing the worst; my fears were realised when I saw the entire place completely engulfed in flames, red tongues licking the sky. I saw Marc trapped underneath a fallen beam, and I rushed to help. I managed to free him, but it was useless: his entire body was broken, twisted, and charred beyond recognition.
Taking him into my arms, I asked: "Dad, who did this?"
"It was the Bandits son, we didn't have a large enough harvest. They were merciless; they came unexpectedly for tribute, and I gave all that we had, but they decided it wasn't enough. They demanded that I pay them, and when I told them that we had nothing left, they told me that I was to pay with blood: they then savagely beat me, shredded my wings, threw me into the house, and lit it on fire. *coughs up blood* Oh, look son, it's almost time...Hey, where's Speakly?"
"She's dead, Dad. All I found was her necklace. I'm sorry; I knew exactly where she wanted to go, and I said nothing. It's all my fault."
"Don't worry Vocaleero, it's fine; she's back with her mother, she's finally free from this hell...You know, that necklace was your mother's favourite. She made it herself, weaving the chain from strands of Sapphire Vine, and used as the charm a small Amethyst Lily flower, which she found pressed hidden behind the photo. She passed it down to Speakly when she was born, and she never took it off. *coughs up more blood* I'm not going to live much longer, Vocaleero; my dying wish is for you to be safe. I want you to be free from here: run away from this hell, don't stop, keep going until you collapse......Goodbye son, I love you."
His final breaths leaving his body, I heeded his words and left. I crept to the entrance of the plot, and ran away. I never stopped for more than a day, passing through many strange lands, until I finally collapsed on the doorstep of an immense building.
I was awakened by an unfamiliar drawl asking: "Are you alright son?"