Trailblazerby BlazerChaptersPrologue: Disappearing ActDepartureDiscoveryReceptionPrologue: Disappearing Act<> The mage watched in horror as another priest vanished in a purple haze of negative energy. His eyes darted around the arena, desperately searching for anyone still standing. Two figures emerged from the smoke, coughing violently before straightening up. Kara cupped her hands to her face, yelling across the arena. “We can’t keep this up! We’ve got to get out of here!” “And how do you suppose we do that?!” Lightmoro hurled a ball of thunder at the massive creature thrashing about within the purple smoke. “Oz, can you get us a portal out of here?!” The mage reached into his reagent pouch, removing a handful of yellow powder. “Hold on, I’ll—!” A massive black claw burst forth from the haze, swiping at the small group. Ozmar instinctively ducked, diving forward to avoid the blow. Kara and Lightmoro did the same, narrowly avoiding the fatal swipe. Another loud roar pierced the arena’s atmosphere, triggering the opening of several portals. Their hopes sank as several more dark creatures emerged, charging at them at top speed. Ocrist joined the trio, sporting a fresh trio of scars on his once-proud bulwark. “Oz! Get that portal open! We’ll keep them back.” The remaining guild members charged, each one engaging a creature while Ozmar muttered the teleportation spell as fast as his lips would allow him. Grinding the powder in his palm, he slowly let the particles drift out from between his fingers, straining as some of his strength left with it. “Agh!” Lightmoro stumbled backwards, knocked off-balance by the abomination he was fighting. Ocrist charged with a feral roar, bowling the creature over with a powerful thrust from his battered shield, taking a low crouch in front of Lightmoro. “Oz! Hurry!” The mage continued to chant with increasing haste, struggling not to stutter as he spoke rapidly. A mass-teleport incantation was lengthy, and he wasn’t exactly well-practiced, as he had never attempted it before. All he needed to do was open the portal, and… “Oz! Look out!” Ozmar’s head whipped sideways as a tentacle cracked across his left cheekbone. Gasping in shock, he brought his left arm to his face, his right hand drifting to the hilt of his longsword. His left hand pulled away from his cheek, slicked with blood. Blinking rapidly, he faced his attacker: a grotesque abomination with only a gaping maw and tentacles for appendages. Before he could draw his sword, a fierce cold chilled the air around the two, sending a brief chill down Ozmar’s spine. A whiteness crawled across the creature's form, eventually completely encasing it, freezing it in place. The mage sighed, turning to the Draenai responsible. “I owe you one, Lighto!” “Just get that portal open and we’ll call it even!” Ozmar’s spirits were rekindled as a small, bright-blue dot sprang into view. It slowly grew, its middle becoming a deeper, royal blue as its border expanded. “Almost got it! Just a bit longer…” “Keep it up! We’ve almost—Bwargh!” Lightmoro took a few steps backward, coughing violently. Drops of red accumulated at his feet as a horrible black spike emerged through his back, which oozed a fearful aura. It retreated, leaving a gaping hole in its absence. The druid collapsed, unmoving. “By the Gods—Lighto!” “Oz! Don’t stop!” Fighting through tears and fueled by emotion, the mage poured his energy into ripping the portal open, carelessly tearing into the realm of space and time. No longer was his goal to get a portal which would safely deposit them back in a main city—it was now a battle for what little time was left, and to get them anywhere except for here. The portal widened at an excruciatingly slow pace, infuriating the caster further. “Another swipe! Get down!” All three dove for the ground simultaneously, their cloaks whipping about in the tail-wind of the sweep. Ozmar glanced up just in time to see five creatures closing in on them, pulling themselves along with their misshapen limbs. “Don't worry about it, Oz! Keep it up!” Ocrist roared, struggling to his feet. Ozmar followed, his attention turning back to re-widening the portal. His desperation growing unbearably intense, the mage began again, channeling his energy into the dimension-hole. Slowly, but surely, the blue dot grew back into an apple-sized opening, bringing a pained grin to Ozmar’s face. “Just a bit more…!” The sounds of battle behind Ozmar became uncomfortably close as the horrid screeching of Ocrist’s shield being shorn in two pierced the air, causing the mage to cringe involuntarily. He risked a glance behind him, only to see Kara stumbling towards him. Instinctively, he reached out for her, stopping her by the shoulders. “H-hey! Careful!” he began. His eyes slowly grew when she looked up to him, her lips bloodied and trembling. “O-O… Oz…mar…” She slowly sank out of his grip, which he moved to underneath her arms. “K-Kara…?” He was knocked back by a young warrior’s backside as Ocrist flew backwards, painfully wrenching Ozmar’s shoulder to the left as he fell. The mage rolled over, his eyes locked onto Kara’s unmoving figure. “Light help us…” “Oz…” A gloved hand rested heavily on the mage’s shoulder, gripping tightly. Ozmar turned to the hand’s owner, his eyes full of fear. “Ocrist…?” “Oz, you’ve… You’ve got…” The gloved hand fell from his shoulder. Around the mage, time slowed. Ozmar slowly stood, glancing around him. Giving his enemies a sidelong glance, he looked back at his friends, still lying where they had fallen. Slowly rolling his head back, he loosed a single roar of despair, wincing as he felt his enemies draw power from it. He threw his arms outward, arcane energy overflowing from his fingertips. He widened his stance, preparing to flash freeze himself in a final attempt to survive the onslaught, inadvertently kicking his pouch of arcane dust which had fallen from his belt. In a brilliant white flash, Ozmar reappeared, now-frozen in a block of ice. The powder particles now encased within the icy prison glowed fiercely, blinding the creatures temporarily. When the light vanished, Ozmar, the Light of Dawn, had disappeared. Departure<> Twilight sighed contentedly as she landed, swaying a bit from the lightheadedness. Rainbow Dash had told her that the loss of equilibrium was always temporary, and would go away if she practiced flying enough. The newly-anointed alicorn doubted that it was really just a loss of equilibrium rather than a rush of adrenaline; she really enjoyed flying. Moving away from the balcony, she nodded two a couple of patrolling guards as they bowed politely, who parted as she passed between them. They snapped a crisp salute, earning a sheepish smile from Twilight. “A-at ease; no need to salute me,” she said, shaking her head. “As you wish, your highness,” one replied, still standing at a stiff attention, minus the salute. Frowning ever-so-slightly, the alicorn hurried along, feeling uncomfortable with the formalities. There was no way she was going to get used to this. She needed to find one of her friends, the only ponies that still considered her as who she was: regular old Twilight—with wings. Eager to feel somewhat normal again, she doubled her pace down the hallway. When she turned the corner, she was pleasantly surprised by who she ran into. “Heya, Twilight!” The orange farmpony trotted up to the alicorn. “Have a nice flight? Hope yer not tryin’ to pull off any of them stunts Rainbow tried t’ teach ya earlier.” Twilight shrugged her wings. “Well, I might’ve given a couple of them a bit of practice.” Applejack shook her head in mock disappointment. “Tsk, tsk. One of these days, Twi, yer gonna end up with yer head stuck in the dirt after a crash, and you’ll say, ‘Oh, I shoulda trusted good ol’ Applejack and stuck to casual flyin’.” “Oh, come on,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know you’d like to give some of those tricks a shot if you had wings to do them with.” “Heehee, yeah. Ya got me, there.” The two shared a brief chuckle before continuing down the hallway. “Did the girls already head home?” “Nah; they’re havin’ a picnic in the royal garden. Ah just came up here t’ fetch ya,” AJ explained. “Oh, good,” Twilight sighed. “Don’t think we’d leave ya fer a second; we’re just as anxious as you are to know where yer gonna be livin’ from here on out,” AJ said, patting Twilight on the back. “Yeah… I’m sure the Princesses will figure out a way for me to stay in Ponyville.” AJ grinned. “That’s the spirit! Now, c’mon. Let’s get to that picnic. Got hungry just waitin’ fer ya.” *** Twilight couldn’t help a wide smile as a chorus of greetings met her ears. “Hi, girls! Thanks for waiting!” “Couldn’t start the picnic without the guest of honor, now could we?” Rarity said, returning the smile. “Whoo! Party time!” Pinkie cried. “Heya, Twilight! How them wings holding up for ya?” Rainbow asked. “Great! Just great! I can see why you like flying so much, Rainbow,” the Alicorn replied, still smiling. “Heh, I KNEW you’d like it if you tried it; beats the books anyday, am I right?” Twilight became completely serious. “No. It doesn't.” A pregnant pause filled the thick summer afternoon, the only noise being the lazy buzzing of bumblebees going about their business with the nearby rows of tulips. The young princess cracked a grin. “It’s close, though. I’ll give you that.” Rainbow laughed nervously. “Somehow, I knew that was going to happen. “I’m glad you’re taking well to your new wings, Twilight Sparkle.” The group gasped quietly as Celestia’s regal figure appeared from the hedgerows behind Twilight, bowing low as she approached. Luna was quick to join her sister, giving the group a small smile. “Greetings, everypony. We hope you don’t mind if we join your picnic?” A chorus of “not-at-alls” and “but-of-courses” convinced the ruler that she was indeed welcome. After the Celestial Princess had sat, everypony else followed, taking seats around the assorted tarts, scones and pastries piled high on a ceramic plate in the center. Napkins were passed around before everyone tucked in to the vittles. The Solar Princess dabbed her mouth daintily with her napkin. “So, Twilight Sparkle, we must discuss your new duties as a Princess of Canterlot.” The ex-unicorn coughed noisily, trying to rid her trachea of the strudel crumbs that had tumbled into it. “Ugh! Er, yes. I wanted to ask you about that, too.” Celestia winked at her sister. “Perhaps you could take the reins, Luna. These cinnamon scones aren’t going to eat themselves.” The Lunar Princess frowned in disdain as the Princess of the Sun began her genocidal campaign on the helpless scones. “Er… As my sister has said, we must discuss the role you will play now that you’re a Princess.” The alicorn’s frown deepened. “However, this means that you must remain in Canterlot—” This earned a chorus of gasps. “—For a short time while we get the formalities straightened out. The ceremony was just the beginning, you see.” A chorus of sighs followed. Slightly amused by the mares’ reactions, Luna continued her explanation. “Instead of giving you tasks to complete, you are going to act as an ambassador to the Solar Sister Diarchy. Unfortunately, this requires a lot of travel. We do not know how often you will be able to return to Ponyville, or even Canterlot, for that matter.” Another chorus of gasps. “Princess! Ya can’t be serious!” AJ exclaimed. Twilight frowned. “Princess Luna… Are you sure?” “We’re afraid so, Twilight Sparkle. Our relations with the other Equestrian kingdoms have become rather stale, and we require somepony we know who can utilize the meaning of friendship to refresh and strengthen those bonds we share with them. Until this task is completed, We’re afraid that your visits back here will be seldom, if anything.” “What are we supposed to do, then, Princess?” Rainbow began hovering involuntarily. “We all need Twilight with us; she’s very important to us all, and having her thrust into something as pointless as this—!” “RAINBOW DASH. THAT IS ENOUGH.” The pegasus bit back her words as the full force of the royal Canterlot voice met her eardrums. Princess Celestia’s eyebrow arched towards her sister in a brief moment of disapproval before she took a small sip from her tea. “If you were to let us finish, we were going to tell you that we have yet to teach Twilight a scrying spell, so that she may stay in contact with you all.” There was a long pause. “Scrying…?” Rarity ventured. “It’s a sort of seeing spell. All it requires is a bowl of water, and Twilight may contact any one of you through it. Do you recall the story of Beauty and the Manticore?” “Of course; who hasn’t?” Rainbow replied. “Then you know of the magic mirror the Manticore used to look out into the world without leaving his castle. It is similar, if not exactly the same,” Luna explained. “My sister and I use it to keep in touch with Princess Cadence. Although you will not be able to physically interact with the viewer on the other side, you will hear and see everything the mirror’s face sees.” “But, still! You’re sending Twilight to goddess-knows-where to talk to some acquaintances of yours?! That’s so stupid!” the cyan speedster cried. “Rainbow, please, you’ll still be able to—!” “It’s still the same Twilight we know and love! Just when she grows an extra pair of wings, she’s suddenly obligated to do these things for you!” Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Rainbow Dash, we are doing the best—!” “You can’t just take her away! Label her your servant and snatch her up! Cut us off from her like that! It’s unfair!” “UNFAIR?!” Princess Luna’s wings unfolded, her eyes glowing a haunting white. “THOU KNOWEST NOT THE TRUE MEANING OF UNFAIR! THOU KNOWEST NOT OF THE LONELINESS AND SOLITUDE A PONY IS FORCED TO ENDURE FOR A HISTORY SHE CANNOT RECTIFY!” Rainbow Dash shrank in the face of the Lunar Princess, which only encouraged the alicorn more. “TO BE SHUNNED BY PONYKIND, AND EVEN BY THOSE THAT WERE ONCE CLOSE TO US; TO BE AVOIDED LIKE A DEADLY PLAGUE, OR A DANGEROUS ANIMAL! IT… It…” The Princess’s illusion magic began to recede, her once-enormous figure receding to its normal size. She slowly exhaled, letting out a sad sigh as she did. “…We are sorry. As much magic as there is in this world, we can only offer you scrying to keep in touch with Twilight.” “My sister does not lie, Rainbow Dash.” The Solar Princess rose, wiping a few crumbs off her lips with her napkin before depositing it on her vacant plate. “However, once the task is complete, and reestablishment of negotiations with all of the territories is done, you may return to Ponyville and continue your studies in friendship.” She winked. “Although you have learned much, you have not learned everything there is to know; Friendship is not a perfect science.” Relieved smiles returned to the group’s faces. “Oh, thank you, Princess Celestia!” “Do not thank me; it was Luna’s—” She turned to acknowledge her sister, who had disappeared from her side. “Oh, dear… Well, then, Twilight, I already have a mission for you. Here.” A scroll appeared out of thin air with a quiet pop, which levitated itself over to the purple alicorn. “You’re to travel to Gryphus, capital of the Gryphon kingdom. The ruler there is an old friend of mine, but I haven’t contacted him in awhile, so this should be a good warm-up for you as an ambassador.” Shooting a sorrowful glance at her friends, she took the scroll in her telekinesis. “When do I leave?” *** “Ah wish ya didn’t hafta leave so soon, Twi,” Applejack sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. A week doesn’t feel that long once it’s over, does it?” Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a chuckle on the deserted train platform. Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were too busy to make it—Fortunately, they had made sure to say their goodbyes ahead of time; the Princesses were kind enough to inform them all of Twilight's departure date. “Twilight, you don’t have to do this, you know.” “Rainbow, we’ve already been over this…” “Yeah, I know, I know. It’s just… Why can’t we go with you? I’m off of work all week, and I could totally tag along!” “I wish you could.” Twilight’s ears perked up as the quiet chuffing of an approaching train could be heard. “It’s just that this is official Equestrian political business, and they’re only expecting one pony.” The pegasus kicked the platform dully. “They don’t have to accommodate me! I don’t have to stay with you… All I need is a cloud to sleep on; you know that.” Twilight smiled sadly. “I’d bring you all along, if that were possible. I wouldn’t feel homesick if you did, actually.” “Then let us come with ya, Twi!” AJ insisted. “I’m sorry, girls. This is something I have to do on my own,” Twilight stated firmly. “As much as I’d like you to come with me, it’d be encouraging me to keep to my current circle of friends rather than try to find a new one. Specifically forging a friendship with the current regent.” The brightly colored train pulled into the station, bathing the three mares in an explosion of steam as it slowed to a stop at the platform. “All aboard! Equestria’s Northern Line! Last stop, Flankfurt, Germaneigh!” Twilight pulled the two into a brief hug. “I won’t be long; I promise. I’ll be sure to contact you once I get to my lodgings at Gryphus.” “How long will that take? The train doesn’t even go all the way there,” Rainbow asked. “Not sure; upwards of a day or two. But don’t worry! I’ll contact you as soon as I get there!” “We won’t wait up fer ya, Twi. Now, git! Train’s leavin’ soon.” Applejack nodded to the alicorn, returning her sad smile with one of her own. The three shared a final hug before Twilight boarded. Picking a window seat that faced the station, she waved again at her friends. A harsh ringing filled the air as the train began to pull away with its only passenger, leaving Rainbow and Applejack to watch it recede into the rolling hills that surrounded Ponyville. After a long silence, Rainbow let out a pitiful sob. *** Twilight awoke to a darkened room, finding herself in a single shaft of light which filtered in from an unseen source far above her. Squinting out in the darkness, she spied a single pair of slitted white eyes. Generosity disappears with Hate. Laughter is silenced by Violence. Loyalty crumbles under Anger. Kindness is overpowered by Despair. Honesty is corrupted by Doubt. Magic diminishes with Fear. We are bladed shadow. We are the Sha. And we shall be reborn. Twilight scrambled backwards. “G-Get away! Leave me alone!” You cannot escape us forever. The alicorn continued her retreat until she backed into something behind her. Slowly, she turned to face the creature. A hooded figure wielding a fiery blade stood before her, watching her with half-lidded eyes partially hidden under a stark-white hood. Twilight screamed so loud, she managed to wake herself up. “End of the line! Flankfurt, Germaneigh!” Struggling to bring her breathing under control, the alicorn moved away from her resting place against the window, stepping off the train and onto the deserted train station. Her heart still beat in her throat, threatening to leap out onto her tongue. “What… What was that…?” She whispered. “Miss Sparkle, I presume?” She jumped again, whirling on the source of the voice. A young mare stood before her, looking slightly startled. “Er… Madam, are you okay?” Twilight calmed herself, her willpower working overtime to keep her composure. “Y-yes. That would be me.” “Ah, das ist gut! Some luck at last. Mein name is Doctor Schneider; I am to escort you to your carriage zat vill take you straight to Gryphus.” Twilight forced a smile. “Thank you. Lead the way.” As the mare made a sudden about-face and moved towards a waiting buggy, Twilight gave the train one last glance, as if it were haunted or somewhat responsible for the dream. Shaking her head, she followed Schneider down the steps, wearing a deep frown. A dream will always remain a dream. Right...? Discovery<> Twilight winced as the carriage hit another abnormally large bump in the rut-filled path. “E-Er… So, Doctor, are you familiar with the gryphons? You live so close to each other.” The young mare shook her head. “Not particularly. Ze gryphons tend to keep to zemselves, so ve haven’t really interacted much.” Twilight glanced outside the carriage, which was surrounded by dense forest as far as the eye could see—which wasn’t very far. “Are you sure it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that this is called the ‘Forsaken Forest?’” Schneider tapped her muzzle thoughtfully. “Possibly; Ze gryphons have alvays respected zhis place by keeping zeir distance, but, zen again, zey never really liked coming down from zeir mountains in ze first place. Nopony really knows.” Twilight’s eyes darted between the darkened trees in the waning sunlight, shivering involuntarily. “…Do you know why it’s called the ‘Forsaken Forest?’” “Oh, vell, it is a long story, you see.” She took on a thoughtful expression, the gears in her head turning as she recalled the tale. “Ze story of zis place extends to long ago, when ponykind vas first united under ze single banner of Eqvestria. Zis place vas not unlike ze Everfree Forest near your home. It vas vonce a sparse, but fertile, forest vis a massive city at its center. Ze city vas unnamed, as no records remain as to vhat is vas. Not much is known about it or its inhabitants, except zat zey vere ponies und gryphons living togezer, und zey possessed technology zhat vas far ahead of zheir time.” “So, sort of like Atlantis, except on land,” Twilight suggested. “Yes, you could say zat,” Schneider mused before continuing. “Vone day, for reasons incomprehensible to historians, ze inhabitants vere driven insane, und began to fight each ozer. Zis eventually led to ze first great Gryphon-Pony var.” “Wait… I thought that the Gryphons struck first, with the city of Hoofswell.” “Zhat was ze first recorded battle; it doesn’t necessarily mean it vas ze first conflict,” Schneider tutted. “Anyvays, zis forest became the battleground. Zere vere zousands of casualties on both sides, but ze animosity continued to grow. It vasn’t until ze var itself ended zat zis place saw peace. However, ze city vas destroyed, und its ruins lost to ze forest. Only a graveyard honoring zose who have fallen remains to ze norse of zis path. Many have searched for ze ruins, but none vere successful.” Twilight shuddered. “How awful…” The mare nodded. “Indeed. However, a couple of archaeologists have discovered a few building clusters here and zere vithin ze forest, und linked zem vith ze aforementioned settlement vith ze pictures und engravings of ponies und gryphons vorking on various building projects togezer. Ve vill actually stop by vone of zese buildings; you can get a closer look at vone vhen ve get zere.” Twilight gave a small smile. “Thank you; this should be interesting.” *** After another twenty minutes of travel, the carriage pulled alongside a semi-large stone building. It was fairly plain on the outside, bearing no engravings whatsoever. Two rows of monolithic limestone blocks formed the walls, while the roof was not visible from where they were standing. “Zhis is an old varehouse zhat vas used to store various sorts of vine, silk und ozer luxuries. Obviously, zhis was found empty upon us finding it, but several manifests zhat vere found inside suggested zhat zhis place vhas used as such.” Schneider explained. Twilight arched her neck to look up at the massive pillars that supported a large arch that overshadowed the steps. “Seems a bit fancy for a warehouse; what’s with that bit of architecture there?” Schneider shrugged. “Ve do not know. Zhere are some unknown creatures engraved onto ze front. Ve have tried to identify it vith a sort of verevolf, or maybe a dragon. However, it didn’t have any sort of tail or claws to identify it as eizher of zose. It is vone of the great mysteries of zhis place.” Twilight squinted, struggling to get a better look at the stone arch. With a couple flaps of her wings, she hovered upwards until she was almost touching the ancient architecture. A single one of the “unknown creatures” was standing betwixt a gryphon and a pony, facing down an array of fearsome creatures. Chimeras, Minotaurs and Ursa Majors formed a malicious half-circle around the trio, each one opening its mouth in a roar of displeasure. “Does this tell a tale of some sort?” Twilight called back down to Schneider. “Yes; ve zink it vas an old bedtime story, or a popular fable zhat vas a part of zheir culture. However, since zheir records were presumably destroyed in ze Pony-Gryphon war, ve cannot say vhat it is depicting. Some sort of group of heroes zhat faced down evil.” Twilight frowned. “That’s it?” Schneider harrumphed. “Zhat is as much as ve could decipher from zhat illustration. It vas somezhing zhat everypony knew about, so it is possible zhat it vas a story passed down through ze generations.” Twilight landed at the top of the stairs, glancing back at Schneider. “Do you mind if I take a look inside?” The young doctor glanced at the sun setting. “Hrm.. Zhe sun vill be setting soon, but I suppose a couple of minutes of inspection vouldn’t hurt.” Grinning, the eager alicorn trotted inside the warehouse, her eyes scanning the room within. A massive chamber yawned before her, the only source of light being the sunlight framed by the entrance’s doorframe. Thousands of ornate ceramic pots lay emptied, sealed or smashed on the floor, their surfaces covered with dozens of beautiful, but indiscernible engravings and embossments. Occasionally, an odd block of quarried stone, or entire stacks of quarried stones, was visible through the sea of the damaged containers. At the rear of the room, two massive statues stood guard at the rear. A pony and a gryphon, both upright, clad in foreign armor and wielding fearsome battle-axes provided an eerie overwatch to the warehouse’s pilfered contents, their eyes hidden by the lack of natural light. Descending the stairs, Twilight followed a single alley that split the building’s contents through the middle. Stopping here and there to examine the scattered bits of detritus that littered the immediate area around the walkway, she eventually found herself at the foot of the gryphon statue. Unable to suppress her initial curiosity, she flapped her wings a few times, climbing up to the grpyhon’s massive beak. A spark of purple light appeared next to her horn with a soft pop, allowing her to see the gryphon’s face in full view. It was a battle-scarred veteran, his face crossed by various divots and crags that, upon further scrutiny, were not the destructive forces of time, but actually purposeful strokes by the mason who cut the stone. She admired the skilled masonry, especially in their honesty of their haggard portrayal of this nameless warrior. However, when she gazed into his eyes, she noticed something rather strange. A gryphon’s claw mark was carved out of the pupil of the gryphon’s left eye. What shocked her was the realism of the indentation: Every wrinkle and lifeline was engraved into the stone, as if this were once made of soft clay, and a gryphon had simply mashed his hand into it, leaving a pristine gryphon claw-print. Near it, some text had been scratched into the stone. Twilight recognized it as ancient gryphon runes, but it was too difficult to make it out due to the haphazard style it was written in. Pulling away from the statue, she stared hard back at the claw print. Reluctantly, but fueled by her will to know, she pressed her hoof into the indentation. She glanced about, listening hard for a click somewhere, or a door opening at the base of the statue. Of course, she was met with silence. She sighed, almost wanting to smack herself for being so naïve. She hovered over to the second statue: a massive pony guard. His face was much more gentle-looking than the war-hardened gryphon, and completely lacking in scars. His helmet was similar to the ancient Heliopolite hoplite warriors, his snout covered by a long nose guard, the sides of his head flanked by two metal extensions which ended in rough points and traveled backwards. A massive headdress adorned the top of the helmet, which stretched downwards to the pony’s torso. Again, she summoned the orb of light so she could study the facial features. Upon further scrutiny, she noticed something that was somewhat similar to what she had seen earlier on the gryphon. A pair of hoofmarks was engraved into the stallion’s left pupil. In addition, a curious hole was situated between it. Below, a set of scribbles, almost indiscernible in the fading light, read a single message: Down and Through. Find the Truth. Help Him Free. Light the Tree. Close the Maw. Destroy The Sha. “Miss Tvilight? Are you okay?” Schneider called from below. “Ve had best be going; ze sun shall set very soon, und zhis place is very unforgiving at night!” “Just a second; I think I found something…” Twilight replied. “Hm? And vhat might that be?” Schneider asked, genuinely curious. “I’m not sure…” Twilight replied. A shiver ran down her spine as she read the final word again: Sha. We are bladed shadow. We are the Sha. “It’s a single message written in rhyme. Not sure what I can make of it, though,” Twilight explained. “I also found a set of hoofprints up here, and a hole that looks like a magical lock.” “Hrm.. Mezinks zhat maybe ve should leave zhat to ze archaeologists. Ve don’t know vhat it is! It could be a trap set for robbers!” Twilight put her hooves into the engravings, surprised when they fit rather snugly within the indents. Her eyes locked onto the small hole. “I have a feeling I’m about to find out.” Bowing her head, she pushed her horn into it, her eyes widening in surprise when she felt a sudden exodus of magical energy leaving through the appendage. A cacophonous grinding sound roared to life, echoing chaotically off the walls of the warehouse. Twilight attempted to remove herself from the stone statue, but her horn was still stuck in the stone. Frightened, she flexed the muscles in both forelegs and her neck, struggling wildly in a desperate fight to flee. It wasn’t until the grinding noise had stopped that she was able to move away from the statue. “M-Miss Tvilight?! Are you injured?!” Schneider cried. “N-no! I’m okay, I-I think!” Twilight stuttered, struggling to talk with her heartbeat in her throat. Moving away from the statue a little ways, she noticed something fundamentally different about it—the mouth had opened. “By Celestia’s sun…” She gasped. “Vhat? Vhat was that?” “I… The mouth of the statue just opened.” “R-really?! I don’t believe it!” “…I’m going inside.” “Vhat? Princess! Vait! Ve don’t know vhat could be…” The rest was drowned out as Twilight moved inside, descending a staircase that was contained within the massive monolith. A soft pop could be heard as her small orb of light reappeared. The alicorn winced upon noticing that the spell took much more out of her than she expected, which almost resulted in her tumbling the rest of the way down the steps. Shaking herself awake, Twilight descended the remaining steps with careful precision. Upon reaching the bottom, she found herself within a large chamber. It was circular in shape, most of it shrouded in the shadows outside of the small circle of light her orb produced. A thick layer of sand covered the floor, hiding whatever could be inscribed on what felt like stone tiles beneath her hooves. Cautiously, Twilight took a step forward into the darkness that dominated the room. And another step. And another. Clink! Frightened by the sudden noise in the deadening silence, Twilight took a few steps back in surprise. Her fear was immediately replaced by curiosity when she saw a lump beneath the sand. Slowly, she approached it, noting that a part of the lump was uncovered from her stepping onto it. A mysterious green sheen shone through the numerous particles, accented by the purple light that Twilight’s light source radiated. Twilight gritted her teeth as she reached out with her magic, struggling to lift the item. It felt as if it weighed a ton, although it couldn’t have been bigger than a jar of strawberry jam. She presumed it was from the magical lock; their "key" is usually a threshold of magic that is sapped from those that wish to gain entry. After a few tries, she managed to shake off the residual sand particles, lifting it to her eye level. It appeared to be a sort of sword hilt made completely out of silver. The blade was missing entirely, save for a small slot at the top of the hand guard that signified it ever existed. What baffled Twilight is how well preserved it was; not a single spot of rust adorned the weapon, almost causing it to gleam brilliantly in the pitch darkness of the room. Afraid of the dark? Hehehe… Twilight shrieked at the top of her lungs, dropping the hilt in shock. Almost letting her orb of light wink out in surprise, she strained herself to keep it lit at all costs, nearly fainting in the process. Stumbling in a circle, she looked around, calling vainly into the pitch blackness. “Wh-who’s there?!” However, she already recognized the voice. It was the one that had spoken to her within her dreams. You already know who we are. We told you. “J-just leave me alone!” Twilight squeaked, dragging the hilt towards her with a foreleg, as if it could possibly help her defend herself. Yes… Fear. Your soul is brimming with it. Twilight continued backing up, not realizing that she was now moving away from the staircase, as it was almost too dark to see two feet in front of her as her orb of light began to fade. The ringing of the silver hilt was the only noise that accompanied her panicked breathing. “Show yourself! Enough hiding!” Even now, the only courage that remains is feigned. How pathetic. Twilight bumped into something solid behind her, eliciting a horrid screech that the alicorn didn’t know she was capable of. She began to turn on the new arrival, but stopped when a fiery blue blade emerged from the hilt near her hooves. Her attention momentarily captured by the sword, she grabbed it in her teeth, allowing her magical orb to fade into darkness, now using the azure flames as her light source. “C’mon! Ah’m no’ ahraid o’ you!” Twilight cried through gritted teeth. Hahaha! Unlikely! A horrid squelching could be heard all around. Soon, moans and groans that were just as horrid joined the cacophony. Twilight squinted, struggling to see the numerous shapes that writhed in the dark. When one came into the ring of light the sword generated, Twilight nearly dropped the hilt. At the base of the creature, a mass of writhing tentacles served as appendages to move it, while its upper forelegs, each with miniature tentacles of their own, assisted in the maneuver. Its entire top half was made up of a giant mouth, ringed with sickly white teeth. A single column of spines traveled down its back, disappearing into the mass of tentacles at its base. Like lightning, it shot forward, its mouth opened wide. Instinctively, Twilight waved the sword madly, hoping to hit the creature. Luckily for Twilight, she didn’t even have to hit remotely close to the creature to slay it; it dispersed into a hazy black smoke as the blade came close to its body, as if it was a simple shadow burned away by sunlight. Encouraged by the ease with which the creature was killed, Twilight reared back, still swinging the sword wildly. No! Impossible! “Hah! Tha’s righ’!” Twilight exclaimed, still clenching the sword between her teeth. Swarm her! She cannot awaken him! When several dozen of the creatures sped towards her into the ring of light, something in Twilight clicked as a realization struck her. If I’m going to go down, I’ll do as much damage as I can! And he must mean whatever’s behind me… She brought her head round, clenching the hilt in a powerful grip. Hopefully the saying is true… The enemy of my enemy… In one vicious swing, Twilight brought the sword crashing into the mass that sat behind her. The princess blinked, seeing a vague silhouette through what appeared to be glass. A tall blue outline with scattered bands of green and gold flashed before her. The blade sliced through the glass like a sharpened knife through cream, and everything went white. And then everything became still. Absolutely still. Author's Note Sorry if you can't understand Schneider. Germaneigh accents can be that way. Reception<> “Miss Sparkle? Twilight? Twilight!” The alicorn snapped out of her stupor, struggling to scramble to her hooves. “Wh-wha?! Look out!” “Calm yourself, Princess! Ve are safe!” Twilight blinked, staring at what appeared to be a familiar face. “…Doctor? How..?” “Never mind me; I zhink ve should talk about you leaving me like zhat!” she huffed, plainly concerned. “You could have taken me viss you, at least. Zhose ruins are far from safe, and should not be explored alone. You could have been killed!” In a moment of confusion, Twilight glanced about, expecting to see the darkened interior of the storehouse. The cabin of the magic-propelled carriage was what she was met with instead. “Doctor, what happened outside after I went into the statue?” “Well, you vere gone for about zhree or four minutes until you just… appeared in front of me. You vere unconscious, so I assumed, in my panic, zhat you had encountered somezhing perilous und had narrowly escaped. I immediately brought you to ze carriage und am currently powering it full-steam towards Gryphus,” Schneider explained. “How long have we been going? We need to go back!” Twilight exclaimed. “Vis all due respect, Princess, I vas not supposed to even bring you zhere! I just zhought zhat you would appreciate my common interest in obscure histories, und zhat you would become more comfortable und talkative on ze way to Gryphus. However, I do not know vhat you encountered inside zhat statue, und having an unconscious pony, let alone, a Princess of Eqvestria, be left out in ze dangerous nighttime wilds of ze Forgotten Forest.” “You don’t understand, Doctor… I saw the creature you were speaking of! The one on the engraving outside the warehouse!” Twilight cried. “Princess, I know zhis seems a bit much, to be leaving such… interesting findings behind. But know zhis: You do not vant to be on zhis road at night! Zere are many horror stories about zhings zat roam zhis place vhen ze moon rises, und I do not vant to put zhem to ze test!” Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but bit back her retort. After a second of thinking, Twilight sighed. “You’re right, Doctor. I’m sorry. I must’ve… Ugh. It just… It seemed so real.” Schneider forced a smile. “Just relax; ve’ll be at Gryphus in about an hour, but zere vill be guards zhat will meet us halfway und escort us ze rest of the journey zhere.” Twilight nodded slowly, too flabbergasted to speak. How did she escape unscathed? What was in that block of ice that she had broken? Did the rest of those things escape with her? These questions continued to swim through her mind as the carriage trundled on down the darkened path, overshadowed by an enormous mountain range looming in the distance. Breaking out of her train of thought for a moment, Twilight pointed to the mountains. “Is that it? The border?” Schneider nodded wearily. “Ya. Zhat is the natural border between Eqvestria und ze Gryphon kingdom. Ze guards vill be meeting us at ze base of ze foothills, und will fly us ze rest of ze vay.” Twilight stretched before settling back into her seat, gazing out at the moon peeking over the snow-capped mountains. “Good… I’ve got a few things I’d like to ask them.” <> The carriage stopped abruptly, although Twilight wasn’t sure if it was another cobblestone, or that they had stopped indefinitely. “We’ve arrived, Princess,” the doctor proclaimed, confirming the latter. “Zhis is where I leave you; I advise you give ze king less trouble than you gave me,” she added sternly. “Thank you, doctor. I’m sorry that it happened; I’ll make sure it doesn’t in the future.” Twilight apologized. With a smile, she pushed open the carriage door, met by a bitterly cold breeze biting into her cheeks. The enormous castle before her was… well, enormous. A large rectangular centerpiece served as the main building from which numerous attachments were placed. Rounded towers protruded from the corners, small slits embedded in its walls. Colorless pennants, worn from numerous days without relief or replacement, flapped rapidly in an unseen jet-stream atop the towers. A long dilapidated wall, worn by numerous mountain storms, branched out from the main building, creating a massive courtyard. Through the open gate at the entrance, a wooden palisade surrounding the lower city could be seen. Moving away from the carriage, Twilight found herself flanked by two burly gryphon guards. She studied them momentarily before the bitterly cold wind returned, motivating her to push away her curiosity and move towards the open sally port, which had been repurposed into a main entrance. The guard on her right jogged ahead, pushing the door open and motioning her to go inside. Bowing in thanks, Twilight trotted through, shivering once more before the door closed, cutting off the breeze that attempted to pass through the threshold. A spacious chamber stretched before her, the vaulted ceiling draped in darkness. The ornately tiled floor gave off a dull sheen, partially hiding some of the figures that decorated its checkered surface. A single red carpet, bordered by gold ribbons, created a path away from the front door to a single staircase at the back of the room. Several tables, occupied by gryphon guards, were situated to the left and right of the carpet. “Princess Sparkle!” A voice boomed. Twilight’s gaze was drawn to the staircase, where she spotted an enormous gryphon thundering down the steps. “Uh, King Talos, your majesty!” She replied, bowing low as he approached. “I am here on—!” “Ah, yes! Princess Celestia’s envoy; my messengers have informed me you’d be arriving soon.” Twilight felt her head tipped upward by a powerful set of talons, where her purple pupils met a pair of fierce yellow ones. “Let’s get a good look at you. I like to at least get your face memorized; helps an old buzzard remember names.” While he studied her face, Twilight studied his. A grizzled, weathered old gryphon stared back at her, his face battered by numerous scars drawing a map of past battles across his cheeks, leaving bare lines between the tufts of faded white feathers. His heavy brow and sharpened beak gave him the impression of a heroic barbarian, although his clothing said differently. Long royal blue robes draped across his front, his collar and sleeves ringed with gold ribbons. Chain mail could be seen underneath his sleeves, ending tucked underneath large iron gauntlets. A pair of matching iron greaves poked out from the bottom of his robes, covering fearsome footpaws bearing massive claws. A crude circlet sat atop his head, a fiery ruby serving as the centerpiece of the crown. “I see you still wear armor, your majesty.” Twilight mused aloud. “Yes, well, the life of a gryphon king is never a dull one, if you know what I mean. Uneventful days are quite rare, although I often wish my life matched my age,” the King explained. He removed his talons from her jaw, nodding to her quickly. “You may rise, princess. We have much to discuss.” Twilight rose to all fours. “Yes, actually; there is an urgent matter that I’d like to bring to your attention.” “Oh? Did some of my not-so-uneventful life spill over? My deepest apologies; I did not mean for you to get involved in the power struggle!” “No, no, your majesty. It’s okay; nothing like that.” The gryphon king cocked his head. “Oh. I assumed it had something to do with your stop in the forest. When my guards notified me of your prolonged stop there, I feared that you had been ambushed by my rivals.” Twilight’s elation shone through as she bounced slightly in place. “Yes! Yes, it was in the ruins!” King Talos became genuinely concerned. “Wait, you were really ambushed?! You weren’t hurt, were you?!” “Ugh, no, your majesty. It was… erm… something else.” Genuine concern shifted to genuine confusion. “Hmm… I do apologize for jumping to conclusions, Princess. If that is indeed the case, could you enlighten me?” Twilight bit her lip. What she had seen betrayed every rule of Equestria she knew about, from its list of known creatures to the rules of magic. None of it really made sense to her, and would not likely have a different effect on the Griffon monarch. It would make her relationship with the king much more volatile, or more distant, if anything, if she started keeping secrets from him. She reasoned that it would be worth the risk. “Your majesty, I found something in the ruins; something ancient that was sealed in an undiscovered tomb in what was supposedly a storehouse of commodities. There was something... dormant... sealed in a block of ice, as well as a sword made entirely of flames.” She realized that it wasn’t the best way to start off her story, despite those being the things that fascinated her most. “Princess, do not test me. I do not care for this fantasy you’re dreaming up right now…” His sudden coldness shocked her. “N-no, your majesty. Please, hear me out…” “Get some rest, Princess. You’ve had a long day,” the king replied, irritation outlining his tone. Two burly guards appeared at Twilight’s sides, giving her sidelong glances. “They will show you to your room.” The Princess glanced at her two escorts before she locked eyes with the Griffon king. “With all due respect, your majesty, you haven’t heard the rest of the story.” “I think I have heard enough, Twilight Sparkle.” “The Sha have been released.” The gryphon king’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly before narrowing once more. “Guards, show the Princess to her suite. Be sure to send her supper up with her.” As they escorted her away, the king clacked the sides of his beak together nervously. He moved to the side of the chamber, gazing up at a faded tapestry of a wise-looking gryphon ruler. “You always spoke of this happening, grandfather… I did not want to believe it would fall on my lifetime.” *** A series of harsh knocks on Twilight’s door shocked the Princess awake. “Breakfast will be served soon, Princess. Please make your way downstairs to the main hall when you are dressed.” “Thank you,” Twilight croaked, her voice hoarse from its disuse. She rubbed her aching eyes and arched her sore back. Fatigue battered her resolve to get out of the rock-solid bed; she had been up all night thinking about her previous encounter, as well as her previous mission. Her obligation to Princess Celestia was important, but this “Sha” made things complicated. No one seemed to know of them, which made the potential for danger at a disconcerting fifty-fifty. For now, she would continue her mission to rekindle the bonds between the two countries; going on about ancient evils to gryphons she’s barely even met seemed unwise. It would be a matter that would be best saved for the Sun Princess; there was little doubt that Celestia would be more understanding about the matter, as well as encourage Twilight’s curiosity. She donned her fuchsia dress and gold tiara, descending the steps to the main hall carefully. Her immense fatigue made it rather difficult, nearly resulting in a nasty tumble down the last eight steps. Once at the bottom, she noticed that the royalty didn’t eat separate from the soldiers; everyone was already digging in to platefuls of eggs and various meats. She found the king sitting alone towards the right side of the hall. He nodded to her, and motioned for her to sit at a plate that was situated across from him. As she took her seat, he nodded to her covered plate and glass of milk. “Please, eat. Took me an hour of waiting in that accursed food-line to get our food.” Twilight frowned. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean for you to go through so much trouble…” Talos chuckled. “It’s my own fault; I’ve neglected to hire servants in this castle to bring up food or clean the place. It’s just me and these soldiers, so I’m more like another guest in a hostel, really.” Twilight cocked her head. “How does that work?” The king sighed. “It’s complicated.” Talos squinted at Twilight, studying her face. “Were you up all night? You look awful. The beds weren’t soft enough?” “Not at all!” Twilight exclaimed, worried of offending the monarch. “It was fine, really. I was just… preoccupied.” “About that…” The Princess’s eyes widened slightly. “About what?” she ventured. The weathered gryphon glanced about before leaning forward, gesturing for Twilight to come closer. “Forgive me for my treatment of you, yesterday. It’s just… How do you know the Sha have returned?” “What? You know of them?” The king frowned before sitting back. “Eat first; this isn’t exactly the place to talk, and it’s a long story.” After a long, awkward breakfast, they moved to the throne room, which was empty, at the moment. The king gestured to his seat. “Please, take a seat. I have much to ask you.” Twilight took it hesitantly, looking puzzled. “Why did we come here? Why be away from everyone else?” The gryphon glanced at the entrance before turning to face her again. “Almost every gryphon has heard of these ‘Sha.’ I dismissed it as a rumor, a myth, but if Equestrian royalty comes to me, and tells me that they’re back…” “Well, what do these ‘myths’ say?” Talos sighed, clasping his claws behind his back. “When I was a hatchling, my mother used to tell me bedtime horror stories so I would go to sleep at night. One evening, she told me about these creatures called the Sha. They were horrible things; indescribably ugly and hideous, and were the physical manifestations of fear. They were born out of young gryphons' fears, and gobbled whomever had created them. However, it was that same evening that my grandfather told me that it was not just a fable. He claimed it to be true. Initially, I did not believe him up until recently. "Two years ago, a massive earthquake rocked the mountains around Gryphus. Usually, smaller earthquakes are normal, since the mountain ranges in this area are situated on top of a continental fault, and there is often small seismic activity. However, the epicenter of this earthquake was traced to the ruins back in the Forsaken Forest. Soon after, the rate of violent crimes in trading posts had escalated, particularly with fellow gryphons and other species that were passing through. It was as if old rivalries had been rekindled, but I had assumed that the last ruler, King Steelclaw II, had already publicly buried the hatchet, as well as ensured the country did the same. “Somewhere, this word, the ‘Sha’ surfaced along with this rise in violence, much to my surprise. I asked my advisors if they had heard of them, and one of them told me it was a force of evil thought to be sealed long ago by those who lived in the ruins, and that the violent crimes were a sign that they were back, causing unrest in my kingdom.” Talos began to pace. “I didn’t want anyone to panic if they heard the head of the Griffon monarchy worrying about a petty rumor, so that’s why we’re in here”—he gestured to the floor—“instead of out there”—he pointed at the door. “So… do you know anything else about the Sha?” Twilight asked. “Actually, I was going to ask you the same question,” the king replied halfheartedly. “Oh…” “What was your encounter with them like? Surely, if you know they’ve come back, then you must have seen them in the flesh.” “Well…” Twilight’s facial expression darkened. “They only spoke to me through my mind. They came at me in a large group and attacked me immediately; I’m not even sure how I escaped there.” “What do you mean? How could you not remember escaping from those things? Surely, it was traumatic enough for you to think about nothing but the encounter?” the king ventured. “No. I remember it perfectly fine. There was this… block of ice behind me. There was something in it. The Sha kept saying something about not wanting to ‘set him free,’ so I hit it with the weapon I was using to fend the creatures off, and I blacked out.” “Creatures? So you saw what they looked like?” “Yes... they were these things with tentacles for hooves and only a mouth for a face. They were kind of like ghosts—the way they disappeared when I swiped a sword through one.” The king was quiet for a while before asking another question. “So, did you ever find out what was in the block of ice?” Twilight shrugged. “I’m not sure, but whatever it was, it must’ve gotten me out of there.” *** The man slumped against the tree, his limbs feeling leaden and weak. With some effort, he managed to bring his hand up, channeling a bit of energy into his fingertips. With a soft pop, a wine skin appeared in his hand. Greedily, he ripped the lid off and downed its contents—refreshingly cold water. Wiping his lips messily, he dropped the empty skin, his eyes drifting upwards to the violet sky. A single thought crossed his mind. Where am I…? *** Author's Note Made some long-due edits to the King's story. Realized he mentions the Sha twice--each time with a different "origin" story of how he heard of them.
Prologue: Disappearing Act<> The mage watched in horror as another priest vanished in a purple haze of negative energy. His eyes darted around the arena, desperately searching for anyone still standing. Two figures emerged from the smoke, coughing violently before straightening up. Kara cupped her hands to her face, yelling across the arena. “We can’t keep this up! We’ve got to get out of here!” “And how do you suppose we do that?!” Lightmoro hurled a ball of thunder at the massive creature thrashing about within the purple smoke. “Oz, can you get us a portal out of here?!” The mage reached into his reagent pouch, removing a handful of yellow powder. “Hold on, I’ll—!” A massive black claw burst forth from the haze, swiping at the small group. Ozmar instinctively ducked, diving forward to avoid the blow. Kara and Lightmoro did the same, narrowly avoiding the fatal swipe. Another loud roar pierced the arena’s atmosphere, triggering the opening of several portals. Their hopes sank as several more dark creatures emerged, charging at them at top speed. Ocrist joined the trio, sporting a fresh trio of scars on his once-proud bulwark. “Oz! Get that portal open! We’ll keep them back.” The remaining guild members charged, each one engaging a creature while Ozmar muttered the teleportation spell as fast as his lips would allow him. Grinding the powder in his palm, he slowly let the particles drift out from between his fingers, straining as some of his strength left with it. “Agh!” Lightmoro stumbled backwards, knocked off-balance by the abomination he was fighting. Ocrist charged with a feral roar, bowling the creature over with a powerful thrust from his battered shield, taking a low crouch in front of Lightmoro. “Oz! Hurry!” The mage continued to chant with increasing haste, struggling not to stutter as he spoke rapidly. A mass-teleport incantation was lengthy, and he wasn’t exactly well-practiced, as he had never attempted it before. All he needed to do was open the portal, and… “Oz! Look out!” Ozmar’s head whipped sideways as a tentacle cracked across his left cheekbone. Gasping in shock, he brought his left arm to his face, his right hand drifting to the hilt of his longsword. His left hand pulled away from his cheek, slicked with blood. Blinking rapidly, he faced his attacker: a grotesque abomination with only a gaping maw and tentacles for appendages. Before he could draw his sword, a fierce cold chilled the air around the two, sending a brief chill down Ozmar’s spine. A whiteness crawled across the creature's form, eventually completely encasing it, freezing it in place. The mage sighed, turning to the Draenai responsible. “I owe you one, Lighto!” “Just get that portal open and we’ll call it even!” Ozmar’s spirits were rekindled as a small, bright-blue dot sprang into view. It slowly grew, its middle becoming a deeper, royal blue as its border expanded. “Almost got it! Just a bit longer…” “Keep it up! We’ve almost—Bwargh!” Lightmoro took a few steps backward, coughing violently. Drops of red accumulated at his feet as a horrible black spike emerged through his back, which oozed a fearful aura. It retreated, leaving a gaping hole in its absence. The druid collapsed, unmoving. “By the Gods—Lighto!” “Oz! Don’t stop!” Fighting through tears and fueled by emotion, the mage poured his energy into ripping the portal open, carelessly tearing into the realm of space and time. No longer was his goal to get a portal which would safely deposit them back in a main city—it was now a battle for what little time was left, and to get them anywhere except for here. The portal widened at an excruciatingly slow pace, infuriating the caster further. “Another swipe! Get down!” All three dove for the ground simultaneously, their cloaks whipping about in the tail-wind of the sweep. Ozmar glanced up just in time to see five creatures closing in on them, pulling themselves along with their misshapen limbs. “Don't worry about it, Oz! Keep it up!” Ocrist roared, struggling to his feet. Ozmar followed, his attention turning back to re-widening the portal. His desperation growing unbearably intense, the mage began again, channeling his energy into the dimension-hole. Slowly, but surely, the blue dot grew back into an apple-sized opening, bringing a pained grin to Ozmar’s face. “Just a bit more…!” The sounds of battle behind Ozmar became uncomfortably close as the horrid screeching of Ocrist’s shield being shorn in two pierced the air, causing the mage to cringe involuntarily. He risked a glance behind him, only to see Kara stumbling towards him. Instinctively, he reached out for her, stopping her by the shoulders. “H-hey! Careful!” he began. His eyes slowly grew when she looked up to him, her lips bloodied and trembling. “O-O… Oz…mar…” She slowly sank out of his grip, which he moved to underneath her arms. “K-Kara…?” He was knocked back by a young warrior’s backside as Ocrist flew backwards, painfully wrenching Ozmar’s shoulder to the left as he fell. The mage rolled over, his eyes locked onto Kara’s unmoving figure. “Light help us…” “Oz…” A gloved hand rested heavily on the mage’s shoulder, gripping tightly. Ozmar turned to the hand’s owner, his eyes full of fear. “Ocrist…?” “Oz, you’ve… You’ve got…” The gloved hand fell from his shoulder. Around the mage, time slowed. Ozmar slowly stood, glancing around him. Giving his enemies a sidelong glance, he looked back at his friends, still lying where they had fallen. Slowly rolling his head back, he loosed a single roar of despair, wincing as he felt his enemies draw power from it. He threw his arms outward, arcane energy overflowing from his fingertips. He widened his stance, preparing to flash freeze himself in a final attempt to survive the onslaught, inadvertently kicking his pouch of arcane dust which had fallen from his belt. In a brilliant white flash, Ozmar reappeared, now-frozen in a block of ice. The powder particles now encased within the icy prison glowed fiercely, blinding the creatures temporarily. When the light vanished, Ozmar, the Light of Dawn, had disappeared.
Departure<> Twilight sighed contentedly as she landed, swaying a bit from the lightheadedness. Rainbow Dash had told her that the loss of equilibrium was always temporary, and would go away if she practiced flying enough. The newly-anointed alicorn doubted that it was really just a loss of equilibrium rather than a rush of adrenaline; she really enjoyed flying. Moving away from the balcony, she nodded two a couple of patrolling guards as they bowed politely, who parted as she passed between them. They snapped a crisp salute, earning a sheepish smile from Twilight. “A-at ease; no need to salute me,” she said, shaking her head. “As you wish, your highness,” one replied, still standing at a stiff attention, minus the salute. Frowning ever-so-slightly, the alicorn hurried along, feeling uncomfortable with the formalities. There was no way she was going to get used to this. She needed to find one of her friends, the only ponies that still considered her as who she was: regular old Twilight—with wings. Eager to feel somewhat normal again, she doubled her pace down the hallway. When she turned the corner, she was pleasantly surprised by who she ran into. “Heya, Twilight!” The orange farmpony trotted up to the alicorn. “Have a nice flight? Hope yer not tryin’ to pull off any of them stunts Rainbow tried t’ teach ya earlier.” Twilight shrugged her wings. “Well, I might’ve given a couple of them a bit of practice.” Applejack shook her head in mock disappointment. “Tsk, tsk. One of these days, Twi, yer gonna end up with yer head stuck in the dirt after a crash, and you’ll say, ‘Oh, I shoulda trusted good ol’ Applejack and stuck to casual flyin’.” “Oh, come on,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know you’d like to give some of those tricks a shot if you had wings to do them with.” “Heehee, yeah. Ya got me, there.” The two shared a brief chuckle before continuing down the hallway. “Did the girls already head home?” “Nah; they’re havin’ a picnic in the royal garden. Ah just came up here t’ fetch ya,” AJ explained. “Oh, good,” Twilight sighed. “Don’t think we’d leave ya fer a second; we’re just as anxious as you are to know where yer gonna be livin’ from here on out,” AJ said, patting Twilight on the back. “Yeah… I’m sure the Princesses will figure out a way for me to stay in Ponyville.” AJ grinned. “That’s the spirit! Now, c’mon. Let’s get to that picnic. Got hungry just waitin’ fer ya.” *** Twilight couldn’t help a wide smile as a chorus of greetings met her ears. “Hi, girls! Thanks for waiting!” “Couldn’t start the picnic without the guest of honor, now could we?” Rarity said, returning the smile. “Whoo! Party time!” Pinkie cried. “Heya, Twilight! How them wings holding up for ya?” Rainbow asked. “Great! Just great! I can see why you like flying so much, Rainbow,” the Alicorn replied, still smiling. “Heh, I KNEW you’d like it if you tried it; beats the books anyday, am I right?” Twilight became completely serious. “No. It doesn't.” A pregnant pause filled the thick summer afternoon, the only noise being the lazy buzzing of bumblebees going about their business with the nearby rows of tulips. The young princess cracked a grin. “It’s close, though. I’ll give you that.” Rainbow laughed nervously. “Somehow, I knew that was going to happen. “I’m glad you’re taking well to your new wings, Twilight Sparkle.” The group gasped quietly as Celestia’s regal figure appeared from the hedgerows behind Twilight, bowing low as she approached. Luna was quick to join her sister, giving the group a small smile. “Greetings, everypony. We hope you don’t mind if we join your picnic?” A chorus of “not-at-alls” and “but-of-courses” convinced the ruler that she was indeed welcome. After the Celestial Princess had sat, everypony else followed, taking seats around the assorted tarts, scones and pastries piled high on a ceramic plate in the center. Napkins were passed around before everyone tucked in to the vittles. The Solar Princess dabbed her mouth daintily with her napkin. “So, Twilight Sparkle, we must discuss your new duties as a Princess of Canterlot.” The ex-unicorn coughed noisily, trying to rid her trachea of the strudel crumbs that had tumbled into it. “Ugh! Er, yes. I wanted to ask you about that, too.” Celestia winked at her sister. “Perhaps you could take the reins, Luna. These cinnamon scones aren’t going to eat themselves.” The Lunar Princess frowned in disdain as the Princess of the Sun began her genocidal campaign on the helpless scones. “Er… As my sister has said, we must discuss the role you will play now that you’re a Princess.” The alicorn’s frown deepened. “However, this means that you must remain in Canterlot—” This earned a chorus of gasps. “—For a short time while we get the formalities straightened out. The ceremony was just the beginning, you see.” A chorus of sighs followed. Slightly amused by the mares’ reactions, Luna continued her explanation. “Instead of giving you tasks to complete, you are going to act as an ambassador to the Solar Sister Diarchy. Unfortunately, this requires a lot of travel. We do not know how often you will be able to return to Ponyville, or even Canterlot, for that matter.” Another chorus of gasps. “Princess! Ya can’t be serious!” AJ exclaimed. Twilight frowned. “Princess Luna… Are you sure?” “We’re afraid so, Twilight Sparkle. Our relations with the other Equestrian kingdoms have become rather stale, and we require somepony we know who can utilize the meaning of friendship to refresh and strengthen those bonds we share with them. Until this task is completed, We’re afraid that your visits back here will be seldom, if anything.” “What are we supposed to do, then, Princess?” Rainbow began hovering involuntarily. “We all need Twilight with us; she’s very important to us all, and having her thrust into something as pointless as this—!” “RAINBOW DASH. THAT IS ENOUGH.” The pegasus bit back her words as the full force of the royal Canterlot voice met her eardrums. Princess Celestia’s eyebrow arched towards her sister in a brief moment of disapproval before she took a small sip from her tea. “If you were to let us finish, we were going to tell you that we have yet to teach Twilight a scrying spell, so that she may stay in contact with you all.” There was a long pause. “Scrying…?” Rarity ventured. “It’s a sort of seeing spell. All it requires is a bowl of water, and Twilight may contact any one of you through it. Do you recall the story of Beauty and the Manticore?” “Of course; who hasn’t?” Rainbow replied. “Then you know of the magic mirror the Manticore used to look out into the world without leaving his castle. It is similar, if not exactly the same,” Luna explained. “My sister and I use it to keep in touch with Princess Cadence. Although you will not be able to physically interact with the viewer on the other side, you will hear and see everything the mirror’s face sees.” “But, still! You’re sending Twilight to goddess-knows-where to talk to some acquaintances of yours?! That’s so stupid!” the cyan speedster cried. “Rainbow, please, you’ll still be able to—!” “It’s still the same Twilight we know and love! Just when she grows an extra pair of wings, she’s suddenly obligated to do these things for you!” Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Rainbow Dash, we are doing the best—!” “You can’t just take her away! Label her your servant and snatch her up! Cut us off from her like that! It’s unfair!” “UNFAIR?!” Princess Luna’s wings unfolded, her eyes glowing a haunting white. “THOU KNOWEST NOT THE TRUE MEANING OF UNFAIR! THOU KNOWEST NOT OF THE LONELINESS AND SOLITUDE A PONY IS FORCED TO ENDURE FOR A HISTORY SHE CANNOT RECTIFY!” Rainbow Dash shrank in the face of the Lunar Princess, which only encouraged the alicorn more. “TO BE SHUNNED BY PONYKIND, AND EVEN BY THOSE THAT WERE ONCE CLOSE TO US; TO BE AVOIDED LIKE A DEADLY PLAGUE, OR A DANGEROUS ANIMAL! IT… It…” The Princess’s illusion magic began to recede, her once-enormous figure receding to its normal size. She slowly exhaled, letting out a sad sigh as she did. “…We are sorry. As much magic as there is in this world, we can only offer you scrying to keep in touch with Twilight.” “My sister does not lie, Rainbow Dash.” The Solar Princess rose, wiping a few crumbs off her lips with her napkin before depositing it on her vacant plate. “However, once the task is complete, and reestablishment of negotiations with all of the territories is done, you may return to Ponyville and continue your studies in friendship.” She winked. “Although you have learned much, you have not learned everything there is to know; Friendship is not a perfect science.” Relieved smiles returned to the group’s faces. “Oh, thank you, Princess Celestia!” “Do not thank me; it was Luna’s—” She turned to acknowledge her sister, who had disappeared from her side. “Oh, dear… Well, then, Twilight, I already have a mission for you. Here.” A scroll appeared out of thin air with a quiet pop, which levitated itself over to the purple alicorn. “You’re to travel to Gryphus, capital of the Gryphon kingdom. The ruler there is an old friend of mine, but I haven’t contacted him in awhile, so this should be a good warm-up for you as an ambassador.” Shooting a sorrowful glance at her friends, she took the scroll in her telekinesis. “When do I leave?” *** “Ah wish ya didn’t hafta leave so soon, Twi,” Applejack sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. A week doesn’t feel that long once it’s over, does it?” Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a chuckle on the deserted train platform. Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were too busy to make it—Fortunately, they had made sure to say their goodbyes ahead of time; the Princesses were kind enough to inform them all of Twilight's departure date. “Twilight, you don’t have to do this, you know.” “Rainbow, we’ve already been over this…” “Yeah, I know, I know. It’s just… Why can’t we go with you? I’m off of work all week, and I could totally tag along!” “I wish you could.” Twilight’s ears perked up as the quiet chuffing of an approaching train could be heard. “It’s just that this is official Equestrian political business, and they’re only expecting one pony.” The pegasus kicked the platform dully. “They don’t have to accommodate me! I don’t have to stay with you… All I need is a cloud to sleep on; you know that.” Twilight smiled sadly. “I’d bring you all along, if that were possible. I wouldn’t feel homesick if you did, actually.” “Then let us come with ya, Twi!” AJ insisted. “I’m sorry, girls. This is something I have to do on my own,” Twilight stated firmly. “As much as I’d like you to come with me, it’d be encouraging me to keep to my current circle of friends rather than try to find a new one. Specifically forging a friendship with the current regent.” The brightly colored train pulled into the station, bathing the three mares in an explosion of steam as it slowed to a stop at the platform. “All aboard! Equestria’s Northern Line! Last stop, Flankfurt, Germaneigh!” Twilight pulled the two into a brief hug. “I won’t be long; I promise. I’ll be sure to contact you once I get to my lodgings at Gryphus.” “How long will that take? The train doesn’t even go all the way there,” Rainbow asked. “Not sure; upwards of a day or two. But don’t worry! I’ll contact you as soon as I get there!” “We won’t wait up fer ya, Twi. Now, git! Train’s leavin’ soon.” Applejack nodded to the alicorn, returning her sad smile with one of her own. The three shared a final hug before Twilight boarded. Picking a window seat that faced the station, she waved again at her friends. A harsh ringing filled the air as the train began to pull away with its only passenger, leaving Rainbow and Applejack to watch it recede into the rolling hills that surrounded Ponyville. After a long silence, Rainbow let out a pitiful sob. *** Twilight awoke to a darkened room, finding herself in a single shaft of light which filtered in from an unseen source far above her. Squinting out in the darkness, she spied a single pair of slitted white eyes. Generosity disappears with Hate. Laughter is silenced by Violence. Loyalty crumbles under Anger. Kindness is overpowered by Despair. Honesty is corrupted by Doubt. Magic diminishes with Fear. We are bladed shadow. We are the Sha. And we shall be reborn. Twilight scrambled backwards. “G-Get away! Leave me alone!” You cannot escape us forever. The alicorn continued her retreat until she backed into something behind her. Slowly, she turned to face the creature. A hooded figure wielding a fiery blade stood before her, watching her with half-lidded eyes partially hidden under a stark-white hood. Twilight screamed so loud, she managed to wake herself up. “End of the line! Flankfurt, Germaneigh!” Struggling to bring her breathing under control, the alicorn moved away from her resting place against the window, stepping off the train and onto the deserted train station. Her heart still beat in her throat, threatening to leap out onto her tongue. “What… What was that…?” She whispered. “Miss Sparkle, I presume?” She jumped again, whirling on the source of the voice. A young mare stood before her, looking slightly startled. “Er… Madam, are you okay?” Twilight calmed herself, her willpower working overtime to keep her composure. “Y-yes. That would be me.” “Ah, das ist gut! Some luck at last. Mein name is Doctor Schneider; I am to escort you to your carriage zat vill take you straight to Gryphus.” Twilight forced a smile. “Thank you. Lead the way.” As the mare made a sudden about-face and moved towards a waiting buggy, Twilight gave the train one last glance, as if it were haunted or somewhat responsible for the dream. Shaking her head, she followed Schneider down the steps, wearing a deep frown. A dream will always remain a dream. Right...?
Discovery<> Twilight winced as the carriage hit another abnormally large bump in the rut-filled path. “E-Er… So, Doctor, are you familiar with the gryphons? You live so close to each other.” The young mare shook her head. “Not particularly. Ze gryphons tend to keep to zemselves, so ve haven’t really interacted much.” Twilight glanced outside the carriage, which was surrounded by dense forest as far as the eye could see—which wasn’t very far. “Are you sure it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that this is called the ‘Forsaken Forest?’” Schneider tapped her muzzle thoughtfully. “Possibly; Ze gryphons have alvays respected zhis place by keeping zeir distance, but, zen again, zey never really liked coming down from zeir mountains in ze first place. Nopony really knows.” Twilight’s eyes darted between the darkened trees in the waning sunlight, shivering involuntarily. “…Do you know why it’s called the ‘Forsaken Forest?’” “Oh, vell, it is a long story, you see.” She took on a thoughtful expression, the gears in her head turning as she recalled the tale. “Ze story of zis place extends to long ago, when ponykind vas first united under ze single banner of Eqvestria. Zis place vas not unlike ze Everfree Forest near your home. It vas vonce a sparse, but fertile, forest vis a massive city at its center. Ze city vas unnamed, as no records remain as to vhat is vas. Not much is known about it or its inhabitants, except zat zey vere ponies und gryphons living togezer, und zey possessed technology zhat vas far ahead of zheir time.” “So, sort of like Atlantis, except on land,” Twilight suggested. “Yes, you could say zat,” Schneider mused before continuing. “Vone day, for reasons incomprehensible to historians, ze inhabitants vere driven insane, und began to fight each ozer. Zis eventually led to ze first great Gryphon-Pony var.” “Wait… I thought that the Gryphons struck first, with the city of Hoofswell.” “Zhat was ze first recorded battle; it doesn’t necessarily mean it vas ze first conflict,” Schneider tutted. “Anyvays, zis forest became the battleground. Zere vere zousands of casualties on both sides, but ze animosity continued to grow. It vasn’t until ze var itself ended zat zis place saw peace. However, ze city vas destroyed, und its ruins lost to ze forest. Only a graveyard honoring zose who have fallen remains to ze norse of zis path. Many have searched for ze ruins, but none vere successful.” Twilight shuddered. “How awful…” The mare nodded. “Indeed. However, a couple of archaeologists have discovered a few building clusters here and zere vithin ze forest, und linked zem vith ze aforementioned settlement vith ze pictures und engravings of ponies und gryphons vorking on various building projects togezer. Ve vill actually stop by vone of zese buildings; you can get a closer look at vone vhen ve get zere.” Twilight gave a small smile. “Thank you; this should be interesting.” *** After another twenty minutes of travel, the carriage pulled alongside a semi-large stone building. It was fairly plain on the outside, bearing no engravings whatsoever. Two rows of monolithic limestone blocks formed the walls, while the roof was not visible from where they were standing. “Zhis is an old varehouse zhat vas used to store various sorts of vine, silk und ozer luxuries. Obviously, zhis was found empty upon us finding it, but several manifests zhat vere found inside suggested zhat zhis place vhas used as such.” Schneider explained. Twilight arched her neck to look up at the massive pillars that supported a large arch that overshadowed the steps. “Seems a bit fancy for a warehouse; what’s with that bit of architecture there?” Schneider shrugged. “Ve do not know. Zhere are some unknown creatures engraved onto ze front. Ve have tried to identify it vith a sort of verevolf, or maybe a dragon. However, it didn’t have any sort of tail or claws to identify it as eizher of zose. It is vone of the great mysteries of zhis place.” Twilight squinted, struggling to get a better look at the stone arch. With a couple flaps of her wings, she hovered upwards until she was almost touching the ancient architecture. A single one of the “unknown creatures” was standing betwixt a gryphon and a pony, facing down an array of fearsome creatures. Chimeras, Minotaurs and Ursa Majors formed a malicious half-circle around the trio, each one opening its mouth in a roar of displeasure. “Does this tell a tale of some sort?” Twilight called back down to Schneider. “Yes; ve zink it vas an old bedtime story, or a popular fable zhat vas a part of zheir culture. However, since zheir records were presumably destroyed in ze Pony-Gryphon war, ve cannot say vhat it is depicting. Some sort of group of heroes zhat faced down evil.” Twilight frowned. “That’s it?” Schneider harrumphed. “Zhat is as much as ve could decipher from zhat illustration. It vas somezhing zhat everypony knew about, so it is possible zhat it vas a story passed down through ze generations.” Twilight landed at the top of the stairs, glancing back at Schneider. “Do you mind if I take a look inside?” The young doctor glanced at the sun setting. “Hrm.. Zhe sun vill be setting soon, but I suppose a couple of minutes of inspection vouldn’t hurt.” Grinning, the eager alicorn trotted inside the warehouse, her eyes scanning the room within. A massive chamber yawned before her, the only source of light being the sunlight framed by the entrance’s doorframe. Thousands of ornate ceramic pots lay emptied, sealed or smashed on the floor, their surfaces covered with dozens of beautiful, but indiscernible engravings and embossments. Occasionally, an odd block of quarried stone, or entire stacks of quarried stones, was visible through the sea of the damaged containers. At the rear of the room, two massive statues stood guard at the rear. A pony and a gryphon, both upright, clad in foreign armor and wielding fearsome battle-axes provided an eerie overwatch to the warehouse’s pilfered contents, their eyes hidden by the lack of natural light. Descending the stairs, Twilight followed a single alley that split the building’s contents through the middle. Stopping here and there to examine the scattered bits of detritus that littered the immediate area around the walkway, she eventually found herself at the foot of the gryphon statue. Unable to suppress her initial curiosity, she flapped her wings a few times, climbing up to the grpyhon’s massive beak. A spark of purple light appeared next to her horn with a soft pop, allowing her to see the gryphon’s face in full view. It was a battle-scarred veteran, his face crossed by various divots and crags that, upon further scrutiny, were not the destructive forces of time, but actually purposeful strokes by the mason who cut the stone. She admired the skilled masonry, especially in their honesty of their haggard portrayal of this nameless warrior. However, when she gazed into his eyes, she noticed something rather strange. A gryphon’s claw mark was carved out of the pupil of the gryphon’s left eye. What shocked her was the realism of the indentation: Every wrinkle and lifeline was engraved into the stone, as if this were once made of soft clay, and a gryphon had simply mashed his hand into it, leaving a pristine gryphon claw-print. Near it, some text had been scratched into the stone. Twilight recognized it as ancient gryphon runes, but it was too difficult to make it out due to the haphazard style it was written in. Pulling away from the statue, she stared hard back at the claw print. Reluctantly, but fueled by her will to know, she pressed her hoof into the indentation. She glanced about, listening hard for a click somewhere, or a door opening at the base of the statue. Of course, she was met with silence. She sighed, almost wanting to smack herself for being so naïve. She hovered over to the second statue: a massive pony guard. His face was much more gentle-looking than the war-hardened gryphon, and completely lacking in scars. His helmet was similar to the ancient Heliopolite hoplite warriors, his snout covered by a long nose guard, the sides of his head flanked by two metal extensions which ended in rough points and traveled backwards. A massive headdress adorned the top of the helmet, which stretched downwards to the pony’s torso. Again, she summoned the orb of light so she could study the facial features. Upon further scrutiny, she noticed something that was somewhat similar to what she had seen earlier on the gryphon. A pair of hoofmarks was engraved into the stallion’s left pupil. In addition, a curious hole was situated between it. Below, a set of scribbles, almost indiscernible in the fading light, read a single message: Down and Through. Find the Truth. Help Him Free. Light the Tree. Close the Maw. Destroy The Sha. “Miss Tvilight? Are you okay?” Schneider called from below. “Ve had best be going; ze sun shall set very soon, und zhis place is very unforgiving at night!” “Just a second; I think I found something…” Twilight replied. “Hm? And vhat might that be?” Schneider asked, genuinely curious. “I’m not sure…” Twilight replied. A shiver ran down her spine as she read the final word again: Sha. We are bladed shadow. We are the Sha. “It’s a single message written in rhyme. Not sure what I can make of it, though,” Twilight explained. “I also found a set of hoofprints up here, and a hole that looks like a magical lock.” “Hrm.. Mezinks zhat maybe ve should leave zhat to ze archaeologists. Ve don’t know vhat it is! It could be a trap set for robbers!” Twilight put her hooves into the engravings, surprised when they fit rather snugly within the indents. Her eyes locked onto the small hole. “I have a feeling I’m about to find out.” Bowing her head, she pushed her horn into it, her eyes widening in surprise when she felt a sudden exodus of magical energy leaving through the appendage. A cacophonous grinding sound roared to life, echoing chaotically off the walls of the warehouse. Twilight attempted to remove herself from the stone statue, but her horn was still stuck in the stone. Frightened, she flexed the muscles in both forelegs and her neck, struggling wildly in a desperate fight to flee. It wasn’t until the grinding noise had stopped that she was able to move away from the statue. “M-Miss Tvilight?! Are you injured?!” Schneider cried. “N-no! I’m okay, I-I think!” Twilight stuttered, struggling to talk with her heartbeat in her throat. Moving away from the statue a little ways, she noticed something fundamentally different about it—the mouth had opened. “By Celestia’s sun…” She gasped. “Vhat? Vhat was that?” “I… The mouth of the statue just opened.” “R-really?! I don’t believe it!” “…I’m going inside.” “Vhat? Princess! Vait! Ve don’t know vhat could be…” The rest was drowned out as Twilight moved inside, descending a staircase that was contained within the massive monolith. A soft pop could be heard as her small orb of light reappeared. The alicorn winced upon noticing that the spell took much more out of her than she expected, which almost resulted in her tumbling the rest of the way down the steps. Shaking herself awake, Twilight descended the remaining steps with careful precision. Upon reaching the bottom, she found herself within a large chamber. It was circular in shape, most of it shrouded in the shadows outside of the small circle of light her orb produced. A thick layer of sand covered the floor, hiding whatever could be inscribed on what felt like stone tiles beneath her hooves. Cautiously, Twilight took a step forward into the darkness that dominated the room. And another step. And another. Clink! Frightened by the sudden noise in the deadening silence, Twilight took a few steps back in surprise. Her fear was immediately replaced by curiosity when she saw a lump beneath the sand. Slowly, she approached it, noting that a part of the lump was uncovered from her stepping onto it. A mysterious green sheen shone through the numerous particles, accented by the purple light that Twilight’s light source radiated. Twilight gritted her teeth as she reached out with her magic, struggling to lift the item. It felt as if it weighed a ton, although it couldn’t have been bigger than a jar of strawberry jam. She presumed it was from the magical lock; their "key" is usually a threshold of magic that is sapped from those that wish to gain entry. After a few tries, she managed to shake off the residual sand particles, lifting it to her eye level. It appeared to be a sort of sword hilt made completely out of silver. The blade was missing entirely, save for a small slot at the top of the hand guard that signified it ever existed. What baffled Twilight is how well preserved it was; not a single spot of rust adorned the weapon, almost causing it to gleam brilliantly in the pitch darkness of the room. Afraid of the dark? Hehehe… Twilight shrieked at the top of her lungs, dropping the hilt in shock. Almost letting her orb of light wink out in surprise, she strained herself to keep it lit at all costs, nearly fainting in the process. Stumbling in a circle, she looked around, calling vainly into the pitch blackness. “Wh-who’s there?!” However, she already recognized the voice. It was the one that had spoken to her within her dreams. You already know who we are. We told you. “J-just leave me alone!” Twilight squeaked, dragging the hilt towards her with a foreleg, as if it could possibly help her defend herself. Yes… Fear. Your soul is brimming with it. Twilight continued backing up, not realizing that she was now moving away from the staircase, as it was almost too dark to see two feet in front of her as her orb of light began to fade. The ringing of the silver hilt was the only noise that accompanied her panicked breathing. “Show yourself! Enough hiding!” Even now, the only courage that remains is feigned. How pathetic. Twilight bumped into something solid behind her, eliciting a horrid screech that the alicorn didn’t know she was capable of. She began to turn on the new arrival, but stopped when a fiery blue blade emerged from the hilt near her hooves. Her attention momentarily captured by the sword, she grabbed it in her teeth, allowing her magical orb to fade into darkness, now using the azure flames as her light source. “C’mon! Ah’m no’ ahraid o’ you!” Twilight cried through gritted teeth. Hahaha! Unlikely! A horrid squelching could be heard all around. Soon, moans and groans that were just as horrid joined the cacophony. Twilight squinted, struggling to see the numerous shapes that writhed in the dark. When one came into the ring of light the sword generated, Twilight nearly dropped the hilt. At the base of the creature, a mass of writhing tentacles served as appendages to move it, while its upper forelegs, each with miniature tentacles of their own, assisted in the maneuver. Its entire top half was made up of a giant mouth, ringed with sickly white teeth. A single column of spines traveled down its back, disappearing into the mass of tentacles at its base. Like lightning, it shot forward, its mouth opened wide. Instinctively, Twilight waved the sword madly, hoping to hit the creature. Luckily for Twilight, she didn’t even have to hit remotely close to the creature to slay it; it dispersed into a hazy black smoke as the blade came close to its body, as if it was a simple shadow burned away by sunlight. Encouraged by the ease with which the creature was killed, Twilight reared back, still swinging the sword wildly. No! Impossible! “Hah! Tha’s righ’!” Twilight exclaimed, still clenching the sword between her teeth. Swarm her! She cannot awaken him! When several dozen of the creatures sped towards her into the ring of light, something in Twilight clicked as a realization struck her. If I’m going to go down, I’ll do as much damage as I can! And he must mean whatever’s behind me… She brought her head round, clenching the hilt in a powerful grip. Hopefully the saying is true… The enemy of my enemy… In one vicious swing, Twilight brought the sword crashing into the mass that sat behind her. The princess blinked, seeing a vague silhouette through what appeared to be glass. A tall blue outline with scattered bands of green and gold flashed before her. The blade sliced through the glass like a sharpened knife through cream, and everything went white. And then everything became still. Absolutely still. Author's Note Sorry if you can't understand Schneider. Germaneigh accents can be that way.
Reception<> “Miss Sparkle? Twilight? Twilight!” The alicorn snapped out of her stupor, struggling to scramble to her hooves. “Wh-wha?! Look out!” “Calm yourself, Princess! Ve are safe!” Twilight blinked, staring at what appeared to be a familiar face. “…Doctor? How..?” “Never mind me; I zhink ve should talk about you leaving me like zhat!” she huffed, plainly concerned. “You could have taken me viss you, at least. Zhose ruins are far from safe, and should not be explored alone. You could have been killed!” In a moment of confusion, Twilight glanced about, expecting to see the darkened interior of the storehouse. The cabin of the magic-propelled carriage was what she was met with instead. “Doctor, what happened outside after I went into the statue?” “Well, you vere gone for about zhree or four minutes until you just… appeared in front of me. You vere unconscious, so I assumed, in my panic, zhat you had encountered somezhing perilous und had narrowly escaped. I immediately brought you to ze carriage und am currently powering it full-steam towards Gryphus,” Schneider explained. “How long have we been going? We need to go back!” Twilight exclaimed. “Vis all due respect, Princess, I vas not supposed to even bring you zhere! I just zhought zhat you would appreciate my common interest in obscure histories, und zhat you would become more comfortable und talkative on ze way to Gryphus. However, I do not know vhat you encountered inside zhat statue, und having an unconscious pony, let alone, a Princess of Eqvestria, be left out in ze dangerous nighttime wilds of ze Forgotten Forest.” “You don’t understand, Doctor… I saw the creature you were speaking of! The one on the engraving outside the warehouse!” Twilight cried. “Princess, I know zhis seems a bit much, to be leaving such… interesting findings behind. But know zhis: You do not vant to be on zhis road at night! Zere are many horror stories about zhings zat roam zhis place vhen ze moon rises, und I do not vant to put zhem to ze test!” Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but bit back her retort. After a second of thinking, Twilight sighed. “You’re right, Doctor. I’m sorry. I must’ve… Ugh. It just… It seemed so real.” Schneider forced a smile. “Just relax; ve’ll be at Gryphus in about an hour, but zere vill be guards zhat will meet us halfway und escort us ze rest of the journey zhere.” Twilight nodded slowly, too flabbergasted to speak. How did she escape unscathed? What was in that block of ice that she had broken? Did the rest of those things escape with her? These questions continued to swim through her mind as the carriage trundled on down the darkened path, overshadowed by an enormous mountain range looming in the distance. Breaking out of her train of thought for a moment, Twilight pointed to the mountains. “Is that it? The border?” Schneider nodded wearily. “Ya. Zhat is the natural border between Eqvestria und ze Gryphon kingdom. Ze guards vill be meeting us at ze base of ze foothills, und will fly us ze rest of ze vay.” Twilight stretched before settling back into her seat, gazing out at the moon peeking over the snow-capped mountains. “Good… I’ve got a few things I’d like to ask them.” <> The carriage stopped abruptly, although Twilight wasn’t sure if it was another cobblestone, or that they had stopped indefinitely. “We’ve arrived, Princess,” the doctor proclaimed, confirming the latter. “Zhis is where I leave you; I advise you give ze king less trouble than you gave me,” she added sternly. “Thank you, doctor. I’m sorry that it happened; I’ll make sure it doesn’t in the future.” Twilight apologized. With a smile, she pushed open the carriage door, met by a bitterly cold breeze biting into her cheeks. The enormous castle before her was… well, enormous. A large rectangular centerpiece served as the main building from which numerous attachments were placed. Rounded towers protruded from the corners, small slits embedded in its walls. Colorless pennants, worn from numerous days without relief or replacement, flapped rapidly in an unseen jet-stream atop the towers. A long dilapidated wall, worn by numerous mountain storms, branched out from the main building, creating a massive courtyard. Through the open gate at the entrance, a wooden palisade surrounding the lower city could be seen. Moving away from the carriage, Twilight found herself flanked by two burly gryphon guards. She studied them momentarily before the bitterly cold wind returned, motivating her to push away her curiosity and move towards the open sally port, which had been repurposed into a main entrance. The guard on her right jogged ahead, pushing the door open and motioning her to go inside. Bowing in thanks, Twilight trotted through, shivering once more before the door closed, cutting off the breeze that attempted to pass through the threshold. A spacious chamber stretched before her, the vaulted ceiling draped in darkness. The ornately tiled floor gave off a dull sheen, partially hiding some of the figures that decorated its checkered surface. A single red carpet, bordered by gold ribbons, created a path away from the front door to a single staircase at the back of the room. Several tables, occupied by gryphon guards, were situated to the left and right of the carpet. “Princess Sparkle!” A voice boomed. Twilight’s gaze was drawn to the staircase, where she spotted an enormous gryphon thundering down the steps. “Uh, King Talos, your majesty!” She replied, bowing low as he approached. “I am here on—!” “Ah, yes! Princess Celestia’s envoy; my messengers have informed me you’d be arriving soon.” Twilight felt her head tipped upward by a powerful set of talons, where her purple pupils met a pair of fierce yellow ones. “Let’s get a good look at you. I like to at least get your face memorized; helps an old buzzard remember names.” While he studied her face, Twilight studied his. A grizzled, weathered old gryphon stared back at her, his face battered by numerous scars drawing a map of past battles across his cheeks, leaving bare lines between the tufts of faded white feathers. His heavy brow and sharpened beak gave him the impression of a heroic barbarian, although his clothing said differently. Long royal blue robes draped across his front, his collar and sleeves ringed with gold ribbons. Chain mail could be seen underneath his sleeves, ending tucked underneath large iron gauntlets. A pair of matching iron greaves poked out from the bottom of his robes, covering fearsome footpaws bearing massive claws. A crude circlet sat atop his head, a fiery ruby serving as the centerpiece of the crown. “I see you still wear armor, your majesty.” Twilight mused aloud. “Yes, well, the life of a gryphon king is never a dull one, if you know what I mean. Uneventful days are quite rare, although I often wish my life matched my age,” the King explained. He removed his talons from her jaw, nodding to her quickly. “You may rise, princess. We have much to discuss.” Twilight rose to all fours. “Yes, actually; there is an urgent matter that I’d like to bring to your attention.” “Oh? Did some of my not-so-uneventful life spill over? My deepest apologies; I did not mean for you to get involved in the power struggle!” “No, no, your majesty. It’s okay; nothing like that.” The gryphon king cocked his head. “Oh. I assumed it had something to do with your stop in the forest. When my guards notified me of your prolonged stop there, I feared that you had been ambushed by my rivals.” Twilight’s elation shone through as she bounced slightly in place. “Yes! Yes, it was in the ruins!” King Talos became genuinely concerned. “Wait, you were really ambushed?! You weren’t hurt, were you?!” “Ugh, no, your majesty. It was… erm… something else.” Genuine concern shifted to genuine confusion. “Hmm… I do apologize for jumping to conclusions, Princess. If that is indeed the case, could you enlighten me?” Twilight bit her lip. What she had seen betrayed every rule of Equestria she knew about, from its list of known creatures to the rules of magic. None of it really made sense to her, and would not likely have a different effect on the Griffon monarch. It would make her relationship with the king much more volatile, or more distant, if anything, if she started keeping secrets from him. She reasoned that it would be worth the risk. “Your majesty, I found something in the ruins; something ancient that was sealed in an undiscovered tomb in what was supposedly a storehouse of commodities. There was something... dormant... sealed in a block of ice, as well as a sword made entirely of flames.” She realized that it wasn’t the best way to start off her story, despite those being the things that fascinated her most. “Princess, do not test me. I do not care for this fantasy you’re dreaming up right now…” His sudden coldness shocked her. “N-no, your majesty. Please, hear me out…” “Get some rest, Princess. You’ve had a long day,” the king replied, irritation outlining his tone. Two burly guards appeared at Twilight’s sides, giving her sidelong glances. “They will show you to your room.” The Princess glanced at her two escorts before she locked eyes with the Griffon king. “With all due respect, your majesty, you haven’t heard the rest of the story.” “I think I have heard enough, Twilight Sparkle.” “The Sha have been released.” The gryphon king’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly before narrowing once more. “Guards, show the Princess to her suite. Be sure to send her supper up with her.” As they escorted her away, the king clacked the sides of his beak together nervously. He moved to the side of the chamber, gazing up at a faded tapestry of a wise-looking gryphon ruler. “You always spoke of this happening, grandfather… I did not want to believe it would fall on my lifetime.” *** A series of harsh knocks on Twilight’s door shocked the Princess awake. “Breakfast will be served soon, Princess. Please make your way downstairs to the main hall when you are dressed.” “Thank you,” Twilight croaked, her voice hoarse from its disuse. She rubbed her aching eyes and arched her sore back. Fatigue battered her resolve to get out of the rock-solid bed; she had been up all night thinking about her previous encounter, as well as her previous mission. Her obligation to Princess Celestia was important, but this “Sha” made things complicated. No one seemed to know of them, which made the potential for danger at a disconcerting fifty-fifty. For now, she would continue her mission to rekindle the bonds between the two countries; going on about ancient evils to gryphons she’s barely even met seemed unwise. It would be a matter that would be best saved for the Sun Princess; there was little doubt that Celestia would be more understanding about the matter, as well as encourage Twilight’s curiosity. She donned her fuchsia dress and gold tiara, descending the steps to the main hall carefully. Her immense fatigue made it rather difficult, nearly resulting in a nasty tumble down the last eight steps. Once at the bottom, she noticed that the royalty didn’t eat separate from the soldiers; everyone was already digging in to platefuls of eggs and various meats. She found the king sitting alone towards the right side of the hall. He nodded to her, and motioned for her to sit at a plate that was situated across from him. As she took her seat, he nodded to her covered plate and glass of milk. “Please, eat. Took me an hour of waiting in that accursed food-line to get our food.” Twilight frowned. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean for you to go through so much trouble…” Talos chuckled. “It’s my own fault; I’ve neglected to hire servants in this castle to bring up food or clean the place. It’s just me and these soldiers, so I’m more like another guest in a hostel, really.” Twilight cocked her head. “How does that work?” The king sighed. “It’s complicated.” Talos squinted at Twilight, studying her face. “Were you up all night? You look awful. The beds weren’t soft enough?” “Not at all!” Twilight exclaimed, worried of offending the monarch. “It was fine, really. I was just… preoccupied.” “About that…” The Princess’s eyes widened slightly. “About what?” she ventured. The weathered gryphon glanced about before leaning forward, gesturing for Twilight to come closer. “Forgive me for my treatment of you, yesterday. It’s just… How do you know the Sha have returned?” “What? You know of them?” The king frowned before sitting back. “Eat first; this isn’t exactly the place to talk, and it’s a long story.” After a long, awkward breakfast, they moved to the throne room, which was empty, at the moment. The king gestured to his seat. “Please, take a seat. I have much to ask you.” Twilight took it hesitantly, looking puzzled. “Why did we come here? Why be away from everyone else?” The gryphon glanced at the entrance before turning to face her again. “Almost every gryphon has heard of these ‘Sha.’ I dismissed it as a rumor, a myth, but if Equestrian royalty comes to me, and tells me that they’re back…” “Well, what do these ‘myths’ say?” Talos sighed, clasping his claws behind his back. “When I was a hatchling, my mother used to tell me bedtime horror stories so I would go to sleep at night. One evening, she told me about these creatures called the Sha. They were horrible things; indescribably ugly and hideous, and were the physical manifestations of fear. They were born out of young gryphons' fears, and gobbled whomever had created them. However, it was that same evening that my grandfather told me that it was not just a fable. He claimed it to be true. Initially, I did not believe him up until recently. "Two years ago, a massive earthquake rocked the mountains around Gryphus. Usually, smaller earthquakes are normal, since the mountain ranges in this area are situated on top of a continental fault, and there is often small seismic activity. However, the epicenter of this earthquake was traced to the ruins back in the Forsaken Forest. Soon after, the rate of violent crimes in trading posts had escalated, particularly with fellow gryphons and other species that were passing through. It was as if old rivalries had been rekindled, but I had assumed that the last ruler, King Steelclaw II, had already publicly buried the hatchet, as well as ensured the country did the same. “Somewhere, this word, the ‘Sha’ surfaced along with this rise in violence, much to my surprise. I asked my advisors if they had heard of them, and one of them told me it was a force of evil thought to be sealed long ago by those who lived in the ruins, and that the violent crimes were a sign that they were back, causing unrest in my kingdom.” Talos began to pace. “I didn’t want anyone to panic if they heard the head of the Griffon monarchy worrying about a petty rumor, so that’s why we’re in here”—he gestured to the floor—“instead of out there”—he pointed at the door. “So… do you know anything else about the Sha?” Twilight asked. “Actually, I was going to ask you the same question,” the king replied halfheartedly. “Oh…” “What was your encounter with them like? Surely, if you know they’ve come back, then you must have seen them in the flesh.” “Well…” Twilight’s facial expression darkened. “They only spoke to me through my mind. They came at me in a large group and attacked me immediately; I’m not even sure how I escaped there.” “What do you mean? How could you not remember escaping from those things? Surely, it was traumatic enough for you to think about nothing but the encounter?” the king ventured. “No. I remember it perfectly fine. There was this… block of ice behind me. There was something in it. The Sha kept saying something about not wanting to ‘set him free,’ so I hit it with the weapon I was using to fend the creatures off, and I blacked out.” “Creatures? So you saw what they looked like?” “Yes... they were these things with tentacles for hooves and only a mouth for a face. They were kind of like ghosts—the way they disappeared when I swiped a sword through one.” The king was quiet for a while before asking another question. “So, did you ever find out what was in the block of ice?” Twilight shrugged. “I’m not sure, but whatever it was, it must’ve gotten me out of there.” *** The man slumped against the tree, his limbs feeling leaden and weak. With some effort, he managed to bring his hand up, channeling a bit of energy into his fingertips. With a soft pop, a wine skin appeared in his hand. Greedily, he ripped the lid off and downed its contents—refreshingly cold water. Wiping his lips messily, he dropped the empty skin, his eyes drifting upwards to the violet sky. A single thought crossed his mind. Where am I…? *** Author's Note Made some long-due edits to the King's story. Realized he mentions the Sha twice--each time with a different "origin" story of how he heard of them.
