Daal Do Fin Dovahkiin

Twilight Sparkle was trotting along with her friends, dictating a letter to her number one assistant, which in itself was not an unusual sight in the town of Ponyville. This, however was not one of her famous – or as some would say, infamous – Friendship Reports. It was a report on the strange burial cairn that had been found right on the edge of Ponyville. As for how it was found, (Cutie Mark Crusaders Demolition Experts, Yay!) we’ll leave that out.

The cairn itself was unlike anything that had ever been discovered by ponykind. Well, almost anything. There had been an ancient remnant of what seemed to be a wall found a few hundred years ago that held pieces of a language that matched what was inscribed on some parts of the strange tomb. A copy of the key that had been created not floated in front of the bookish unicorn.

“Twilight, it’ll be fine.” Twilight’s draconic assistant tried to assuage her fears in vain.

“Spike, you don’t seem to understand.” She replied, looking away from the translation key to shoot a worried look at the afore mentioned dragon. “Princess Celestia herself is coming to oversee the final stages of the excavation! It’s imperative that I translate perfectly!”

“Hey Twilight, ya think that there’ll be a bunch of traps inside? Oh, or maybe an ancient treasure!” the rainbow maned Pegasus that asked began to have what we would describe as a ‘fangasm’ as she imagined herself thwarting the traps of an ancient temple with her hero Daring Do for the millionth time.

“Not likely Rainbow, but we don’t know what’ll be inside. There’s never been a discovery like this before.” Replied the unicorn as she continued to pore over the key.

“Hello my most Faithful Student.” Said a new voice. Twilight’s head snapped up and her eyes met those of her mentor, Princess Celestia, ever present smile and all.

“Princess Celestia!” she squeaked and bowed hurriedly, her friends doing likewise in a much more relaxed fashion. The Princess tittered at her student’s reaction.

“Come now Twilight, let’s see the fruits of your labor, shall we?” she asked, placing a comforting wing around the slowly calming academic pony and guiding her towards the excavation site.

“Ah, you Highness, and Miss Sparkle. A pleasure.” Greeted an old light brown unicorn as they approached. “We’ve just finished unearthing the last of the cairn, as well as the marker stone.” He said, gesturing to a worn pillar that stood before the remarkably well preserved tomb. It was still the same slate grey as the day it had been made.

“Ah, Bristle Brush, good to see you as well. I would love to chat a bit, but I think it best we let Twilight here have a crack at that marker stone before she explodes.” Said the white alicorn, smirking down at her student. And it was true, upon hearing the marker had been fully excavated she had begun to trot in place with a giddy smile.

“I won’t let you down Princess!” she said proudly before moving to the old stone. She studied it for a bit, referring back to the guide every now and again, muttering to herself. “I think I’ve got it.” She began to trace her hoof along as she read.

“’Here lies the Hero of – I think this is Sky-rim? –, Guardian of the mortal races, Slayer of the World-Eater. May he rest ever more until the – this one is ‘world’ – May yet again be graced by his voice.’ Wait no, that would be ‘voice’ this is similar. ‘Thu’um’, so ‘thunder voice’? And this –“. Here she cut off, her hoof hovering over the symbol carved into the stone. “Uh, I don’t think this one is the same language.” In her curiosity at the symbol, she allowed her hoof to descend and press lightly against the strange sign. Twilight lurched back as the symbol began to glow and the entire cairn shook.

“What the hay is goin’ on!” shouted Applejack. As those that had been previously engaged turned to look, they were shocked to see hidden seams reveal themselves as the dome of the cairn split into four segments, descending into the ground, the entrance revealed to be a fake as the door stone too slide into the earth. But it was not over, as the floor of the cairn began to rotate up out of the darkness, revealing four pillars surrounding the most dazzling thing they had ever seen.

A thick and short pillar of a strange blue material dominated the center. Five feet wide, seven tall, it stood, and shone bluer than any sapphire and clearer than any ice.

“It’s simply beautiful!” exclaimed Rarity.

“And powerful.” Added a two-tone voice they were all too familiar with. They spun, broken from the daze of the object and saw with horror the entire crew had been rendered unconscious, and looming over nearly every one of them was a changeling. The Princess and Twilight instantly tried to fire off a spell at the Queen, who stood in the center of the K.O.ed team.

“What’s going on!” and several variations thereof where yelled by the Mane Six, as they realized that none of their abilities were working. Rainbow Dash couldn’t fly, Twilight couldn’t use magic, and Applejack was looking strangely exhausted.

“Oh, just a little magic damper.” Chortled the Queen. Soon there was a muffled ‘whump’ from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see the Royal Guards that had accompanied the Princess struggling against an invisible barrier. “And a force field.” She added with an evil fanged grin. “Oh, but can’t you just feel the power!” she said, gesturing towards the stone. “What kind of weapon it is I can only imagine, but one thing I do know,” she paused, most likely for dramatic effect. “It will give us the power to take over Equestria!” she began to laugh, but was cut short by a strange and somewhat ominous chanting.

Youtube Video

The ancient words echoed as the same sign as from the maker stone appeared, facing the stone, on each pillar. As the voices chanted wisps of light flowed from the signs into the stone, causing it to glow with an inner fire. The world hummed with the power of the voices. Just as they thought the light couldn’t grow brighter the chanting reached is crescendo.

A new voice called out as the chant hit its final piece.

“Mul Qah Diiv!” it shouted, the stone blasting apart from within. And there stood a strange bipedal being, clothed in robes with pieces of metal at points, seemingly a form of armor. What was truly spectacular though, was the phantasmic armor over that. It seemed to be of scales and the color was of fire and ice. Horns sprouted from the top, clawed gauntlets over its hands, its shoulders and back had protruding spines. Its eyes however were the most striking, for they burned white with unbridled power, ancient and unyielding. It looked at the changelings, and pulled a massive sword forged from the same stone as it had emerged from over its shoulder, pointing it at them.

“Daal faas paal.” It said, and though they couldn’t understand, the command and power of the tone made them obey. They changeling turned and flew off over the Everfree forest, vanishing in moments. The creature lowered its blade to its side as the armor faded. The watchers were expecting everything except what happened. The creature fell to its knees, then onto its face, unconscious.