Daring Do and the Legend of the Ruby Knight

Chapters

Chapter 1- Celebrations and beginnings
Chapter 2- Legend of the Ruby Knight
Chapter 3- Skies to Calimare
Chapter 4- The Living City
Chapter 5- Heart of Chaos
Chapter 6- The Stranger Revealed
Chapter 7: A Ruby Knight.

Chapter 1- Celebrations and beginnings

Daring- Do
And the Legend of the Ruby Knight.

Chapter 1:

Celebrations and Beginnings

Daring Do flapped her wings excitedly as she awaited the caretaker of the museum to return with the news. She had managed to retrieve the Sapphire Stone from the hidden temple and escape with her life intact (though not for a lack of trying by certain parties) and had finally handed her prize over to the Curator of the Museum; Dry Pages. They had an unspoken agreement; Daring Do would travel over the world collecting relics and in return she would receive the museum’s entire acquisition fund.

It was cold in the museum, the lights low in the late hour when Dry and Daring would conduct their business. She found it extremely soothing in comparison to the Amazon humidity that had been weighing her down like a hammer. Each moment in the sun had been like a dry blast against her body; so the dull glow of Luna’s brilliant moon reflecting through the cold marble halls made the dare-devil extremely satisfied.

A hollow cough pulled the ecstatic mare back to the present. Dry was carrying two heavy sacks on his back, his old legs wobbling under the weight. “Here you go Daring…” he wheezed in his aged way, lifting the bags of coin onto her with more than a little help from Daring herself. The old stallion shook his beige coat to get out the ruffles caused by the saddle straps on the heavy money bags; his mane was a faded grey and brown his eyes the same lack-luster color of an old and weathered page. Daring gave him an encouraging smile and wink as she always did when she completed a job for the Museum.

“Anytime at all Mr. Pages, always looking forward to expanding the Canterlot Museum,” Daring said with a turn moving to get out of the darkness and back to the light; time to celebrate.

“Ohhhh….?” The old stallion said raising a hoof to adjust his half-moon glasses so that he could better see the mare before him. “Going celebrating are we?” he smiled, the laugh lines on his face as he did accenting a small trifecta of freckles just below his right eye that had always been a stand out point for Daring.

She gave an enthusiastic flap of her wings, enjoying the weight on her back of the sacks of coin; it would help her muscles workout after being unable to fly for so long. “You bet I am,” she called back in her enthusiastic voice. "think I’ll go down to the Leaky Barrel and buy everypony a round of that delicious honey-dew apple-cider of theirs!” she called cheeringly, not noticing the look of deep thought on the old stallion’s face as she flew off.

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“This round of cider is on me everypony!” Daring Do cheered after her second belt of the hot, tingling liquid which she had been craving since her last job started. Daring had a soft spot for apple cider, especially if it was mixed with just a drop of honey-dew juice; it almost made her want to live in a bar and never look outside again. Almost. The resounding cheer of the ponies in the pub was deafening as they called out her name; chanted and hollered… “This is the life!” Daring thought, chugging down another pint, the limelight had always suited Daring.

The mare’s cheered her on, and the Stallions would try to get too close just to be pushed aside; there was hardly time for that in her life, for there was always the next adventure. This pub was always a good starting point for such adventures.

It was on the outskirts of the city and with very little guard presence, a common gathering place for people with less than honest intentions. Tonight would be no different Daring do would find.

Drinking deep from her mug, so deep in fact that her hat fell down over her eyes after pushing against her chair; hiding her eyes from the rest of the crowd the way she liked it. The clock ticked away and the crowd got louder and quieter with the passing of the hour, the way it always did at the Leaking Barrel. It wasn’t until almost two hours since she had arrived that Daring had noticed the first interesting development of the evening.

A stallion she had never seen before came into the bar looking around worryingly, his eyes squinted tight to see through the crowd. Daring watched him, her keen lavender eyes taking in every detail of his body; wings spasming as she rhymed them off subconsciously: “jet black coat, grey and blond mane, nervous twitch in the left fore-hoof, eyes never rest in place for more than three seconds, odd discoloration on his cheek; possible birthmark.” It was a cold and methodic way of thinking that the brash Pegasus had perfected; it would only take her a totally of five seconds, flat, to interpret all the small physical nuances of a pony.

This was a pony that didn’t want to be seen, or heard. Tilting her ears masterfully beneath her wide brim hat; a deceitful tool she used to amplify nearby sounds, Daring chugged another cider and stalked her prey audibly.

“You couldn’t have picked a quitter placed!” a brute, Rockstone Turnpike, a local thug who ran a “construction business” out in Manehatten bellowed loudly over the crowd who’s crescendo was rising.

“Quiet you fool! I picked it so no one would be able to hear us!” the jittery stallion whispered in a hurried manner; pulling a seat opposite the large brick coloured earth pony.

“If we could hear ourselves!” Rockstone bellowed, yelping as the smaller earth pony delivered a sharp kick to his legs.

“Silence.” The smaller one barked looking around nervously, at which Daring averted her eyes the other way and burrowed her nuzzle in her a warm mug of cider. “We finally found it!” the small one whispered excitingly as Rockstone leaned in tight to the small stallion to listen to his every word. “We found the location of the set, are your men ready to move?”

“Are you sure? The last time you had me chasing this legend of yours I lost four good stallions to a tunnel collapse.” The burly thug growled.

“Absolutely! We were searching in the wrong part of the desert you see? The fires in Calimare had changed the climate slightly the flames burned with such fervor that they damaged the atmosphere protecting the nearby lands from the sun! The desert expanded into the forests at its edge and that’s where we’ll find it, you see?” he rambled, the sciency mombo-jumbo
lost on both Rockstone and Daring but she understood the inflection.

“So we have it then…” Rockstone chuckled in his deep penetrating baritone. “The Armour of the Ruby Knight….”

“Sh!” the small said putting a hoof in the others mouth looking around frantically at the other patrons who were enjoying a rowdy night of cider and pie. A waitress came by and they separated sharply. Ordering their drinks and sending her away the two of them got in close to continue their conversation.

“Yes, and when the armour is ours…think of the money… The princesses themselves would pay more than half the royal treasury I’m willing to bet.” The seedy one said rubbing his hooves together with palpable greed.

“But what I don’t understand is why this armour is so valuable?” Rockstone grunted, pushing a nut from the bowel on the table into his mouth; crunching so loud it made Daring’s ear twitch with pain. “Besides the Ruby part…”

“The legends all agree on one thing…” the slim man leaned forward his eyes alight with the thrill of possible glory and treasure; it was a look Daring was all too used to. “that it makes the wearer completely indestructible…” he said mutedly his eyes jumping now as if the Ruby Armour was in the room just jumping out of his sight every time he attempted to focus on it. “It absorbs magic and turns it into strength for the wearer, with it we could be unstoppable!” it was then that their drinks arrived and they split from their hushed conversation to cheer and chug away.

Realizing that their conversation had officially ended Daring leaned back in her chair and unfocused her ears on the two suspicious ne’er do wells. Chuckling to herself she finished the last of her cider and got up with a stretch of her wings. There was a light in Daring’s eyes that everypony in the bar, if they took the time to look, would notice; a firy passion. Untamed and wild it was a look of someone who’s blood had been set a flame and they were about to do everything they could to scratch the itch.

Daring could wait till the morning to hunt down Dry Pages and learn all that she could about this “Legend of the Ruby Knight”. Then it would be another adventure just waiting around the bend.

Chapter 2- Legend of the Ruby Knight

Chapter 2

The Legend of the Ruby Knight.

Daring pranced in spot, her hoofs biting against the old concrete staircase leading up to the massive double doors of the Canterlot Museum. The sun had yet to touch the sky, but the adventurous mare found that she could not rest peacefully in bed knowing there was so delicious a Legend to chase and treasure to find. Groaning she flapped her wings and jumped up the columns which lined both sides of the museum’s front, kicking from pole to pole trying to kill time. Her mind was afire with the possibilities, the idea of adventure in a far off land she had never been before; a mysterious treasure that no pony alive had ever seen hiding just beyond the horizon, a piece of history just waiting for her to take it! It was an overwhelming and euphoric feeling for Daring as she did a loop in the air, almost losing her hat in the process. At that moment she noticed the dull haired earth pony two roads over, hobbling its way in her general direction.

Dry Pages had finally arrived!

The old stallion had not noticed that Daring was zooming above his head until he reached up to the door with the aged steel key lodged between his teeth; the key itself a thick barrel like device with a dull hook. When Daring’s shadow cut right over his face in the early dawning sun, Dry Pages almost choked on the key he had in his mouth.

“Daring!” he yelped looking up for the first time to notice the Pegasus swirling around him in the sky. “You startled me!” the old stallion wheezed, letting his necklace which holds his key to the museum drop as the Pegasus landed beside him; tipping her hat in his direction.

“I’m really sorry Dry, but I was just so curious that it couldn’t wait till later in the day. I just had to get to you first thing in the morning before your job became so overwhelming you would be unable to help me.” Daring rambled, if there was two things she knew about Dry it was that he enjoyed apologetic youngsters and that he liked being reminded of the fact that he did a lot of work at the museum all on his own. Two things that Daring could pull off easily if it meant she could get her fix for adventure.

The old pony flushed a little, coughing awkwardly he ran a hoof through his hair and pushed open the door. “Hum…” he motioned for her to go in, following after her, a motion that she gladly accepted.

“So what has your blood boiling today, Daring?” Dry said looking at Daring who was bursting at the seams. “I’ve only ever seen you like this right after you get a job.” He chuckled at her enthusiasm keeping an eye on her wings making sure she didn’t break anything, something she had done before.

“I heard a really interesting bit of gossip and I was wondering if you could enlighten me to its subject.” Daring asked, carefully wording the request; dealing with older ponies was a specialty of Daring.

“Oh-ho? And what fable has you so moved?” he chuckled, turning on the main switch lighting up all of the displays and exhibits for any visitors who would come in throughout the day.

“The Legend of the Ruby Knight.” Daring said in her raspy drawl, eyes flashing brightly.

Dry gave her a reproachful look, his old tired eyes parted wide. “Oh? Such an old myth, there’s really no stock in following such tales.” He chided, knowing full well he’d have to tell the adventure garbed filly the legend due to the extreme waving of her long black and gray tail.

“Oh my…” he sighed, “where to begin with such an old tale as that…” Dry walked slowly over to his stool and pulled himself up on it, his back creaking a little.

“It was began long before Equestria had been founded, the country at least…” the old stallion wheezed. “In a small village hidden within a tropical forest that a young earth pony was born. Now this is where the legend gets confusing, an early start I know…” he chuckled agedly, eyes lost on the tale. “Nopony in any field of history could ever determine or find a paper trail back to this pony’s name so he had been called simply “Knight” in the stories in which he is involved.” Coughing Dry shifted on his stool and repositioned his specs. “Knight was an average pony living an average life, until, one night a dragon flew over their village spewing flames and raining blood. The ponies of the village were terrified that a dragon, something that at the time was quite unheard of, I assure you, had chosen to burrow near their village. After a day there was no sight of the lizard, only angry howls and bestial roars, or so the legends say.” He said looking up at the ceiling as if living the tale, Daring found herself enthralled in the story, the way she always did whenever Dry took it upon himself to treat her. “I personally believe it was the dragon crying…”Dry said his voice distant for a moment. “Well nopony would go near such horrific sounds, nopony except Knight.”

“Knight wasn’t hindered by the sounds and went to visit the new guest in town. When Knight arrived and found the state the dragon was in he was deeply moved, many legends say that Dragon lashed out at Knight; worried that he was there to steal his treasure, other say Dragon was sarcastic mocking that Knight had come to tease him in his weakness.” Dry shifted and leaned back against the wall. “But when Knight witnessed that Dragon was dying he looked and felt nothing but sadness. ‘You poor thing…’ Knight said to the Dragon, aware of the proud monster’s mortality. Dragon looked at Knight and they talked, they talked together for days it seemed and with each passing story the two became fast friends.”

Dry sighed sadly, “When Dragon knew that his time was near he looked to Knight and said, ‘Knight, my friend…When I die my children will come and take me back to our homeland... and my treasure… My friend I want to leave you something, Tell me what you want, my friend and I will give it to you if I can.’ Knight looked up to Dragon who looked so peaceful and soft, as if his face was made of flesh not scales. He smiled to Dragon and called up to him, ‘I want to be able to protect my friends and be with them, so I can see that smile on their faces.’”

“Dragon smiled at Knight and pulled from the pile of gems which was his bed a magnificent chunk of ruby. Breathing on it with dragon magic and fire he molded it with gold and forged it into a suit of armour. ‘This armour will protect you from all things, so you will never need to worry about yourself…’ Dragon said to Knight handing him the magical armour. ‘Use this to only care for others my dearest friend, and may that smile be on your face when it is your time.’ And with those words Dragon died. Knight cried over his friend for days until his children arrived. When they did they witnessed this pony crying over their passed father wearing a suit of armour which was thick with his magic. They took what they came for and parted ways, leaving the lonely Knight behind.” Dry said and let his voice trail leaving a displeased Daring Do staring at him.

“Is that it? Is that the full legend?” She said, the original buzz feeling deflated.

“No there’s more…” Dry said waving her down, taking a deep drink from a nearby glass of water that never seemed to be emptied. “You see Knight went on and helped many a pony, never fearing injury or sickness. And over his journey he made many friends and five true friends. But all of this… would not be for the best…for in all ponydom there is one thing that can drive ponies to ignore the goodness in their heart.” Dry said looking now at Daring with those knowledgeable eyes.

“Oh? And what is that?” Daring asked, curious; wanting to hear more of the story.

“Fear. Fear can do terrible things to ponies, and when they learned that there was this stallion running around… Invincible… well then the ponies truly knew fear. It was a darker time, the Princesses had yet to come to rule, and the stability of the populations was in question. Everypony feared this invincible “Ruby Knight” and there were many wars surrounding the armour… Over time the six friends became a myth, a legend… but Knight’s friends were vulnerable and he could not protect them all with his invincible armour… An illness struck most of Equestria and though Knight was immune within his armour, his friends were not. When they became sick, Knight built a massive tomb and entrapped himself inside with them…Together they told the most amazing tales inside the tomb of which nopony could enter, and nopony could ever leave. Knight sat upon a throne and talked with his friends for days as their sicknesses progressed and slowly one by one they passed away, until he was alone trapped within the tomb he had built. The legend says he kept talking to his friends long after they had passed… And when he passed there was this smile on his face like he had never been happier.” Dry finished his story looking as if he had not been as tired as he was in that moment in all of his life. It must have been draining on the old stallion, Daring knew that… she looked to speak to him but he cut her off and spoke, with a tone of finality.

“That is the Legend of the Ruby Knight.” He said drinking deeply from his cup and pushing himself off. “I think that’s more than enough story telling today.” He said walking away,

“One last question, where was the tomb…?” Daring asked, already plotting ways all over the world in a heartbeat.

“The northern part of the desert, a few days journey from Calimare….That’s the furthest any research has gotten.” Dry said walking away from Daring. “Be careful Mrs. Do, nopony knows what sort of traps Knight may have put in place, I’d hate to lose you on some ghost hunt.” He said and all he received in reply was Daring’s winning smile and a flash in her eyes that spoke volumes.

Chapter 3- Skies to Calimare

Chapter 3

Skies to Calimare.

Daring packed her saddle bags with a practiced hoof. Rations can be found, or bought on site; tools would be slung around her hips, and research materials could be stored neatly in every compartment leaving room for finds and core samples. Daring Do was a rash pony at times, but when it came to the hunt; the thrill of it she was nothing short of meticulous. Grabbing a map in her teeth, she moved to one of the only pieces of furniture in her apartment, rolling it out with a flick of her hoof.

“So if I fly south from here…” the excited mare said dragging her hoof in a straight diagonal line; cutting the continent on the map to the desert across the sea. “To Calimare…” she said in awe, trying to recall stories of the place.

Calimare was a place with minimal influence from the higher authorities; it was a lawless place full of seedy characters and violence behind every corner.

The smile practically split Daring’s face in half as she re-rolled the map up and shoved it into her pack.

“Just the perfect kind of place to start an adventure.” She squealed to herself pushing open the door, taking a look back into the barren “home away from home” Daring flicked the light off and shut the door. Flapping her wings experimentally to tease the muscles she took off into the air, catching an up draft and floating over the city below.

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The evening was falling on Daring’s first day of flight and the adventurous mare was rather ecstatic at the amount of ground she had been able to cover. Daring Do had always been a weaker flyer compared to the other pegasi and could never match them in raw speed, but there was one thing that Daring Do could be anypony at. Stamina. She could fly for hours longer without ever dropping speed unlike a normal Pegasus and always used it to her advantage when she wanted to get somewhere fast.

“That looks like the perfect spot…” Daring said with that cocky half smile she was infamous for, her violet eyes taking in a cave through the thick of the forest beneath her. Executing a sharp dive Daring cut through the trees, cleaving her way through small branches and leaving a trail of leaves cycling behind her tail.

Hooves tearing up the moist soil as Daring landed just before the small rise and the large dark hole leading into the depths beyond. A quick glanced with a trained eye revealed to Daring that this was no natural cave. On her guard Daring moved forward, keeping her wings sharp at her side; coiled for easy use. Swallowing a ball of saliva in her mouth Daring darted into the mouth of the cave, hiding in the shadows near the wall.

It was that adrenaline fuelled rush of excitement a pony feels when going into a dark place with eyes trained for a world coloured with light. Daring was all to use to feeling that rush, the slight tang of copper on the tongue and the feeling that at any moment the body could choose to fight or flee. Keeping still and to the shadows Daring tried as hard as she could to blend in and not give whatever was waiting for her within; not about to let something get the upper hand.

The opening of the cave lead deeper into the ground, to the point where Daring’s Pegasus instincts were crying for her to get out while she could before she was buried under the soil. Pushing those fearful instincts aside Daring focused solely on what she could control; her senses. Daring focused through the darkness and sensed no immediate danger or presence at all.

The dark tunnel that Daring was crawling through opened to a massive antechamber, with the ceiling being at least four ponies high; giving Daring Do more than enough room to spread her wings. Light pooled in gently from a hole in the upper right side of the makeshift room, the cool moonlight cast the jagged edges of the wall in nightmarish shadows. Nothing stirred at Daring’s entrance, there was a thick peace permeating from the hollow.

“As good a camp as any, I suppose.” Daring said heaving off her packs and rolling out her map. Marking how far she had travelled on the map, ticking off each landmark she had come across and circled the spot where she had landed. It was a constant ritual that Daring always did when setting up camp, on a good job it was the only way the pony could find sleep.

Daring almost always in a euphoric rush when on an adventure and found sleep to be a nuisance, knew that she would need it to conserve strength in case she needed it. The paper work part of her job allowed her to calm her muscles and steady her hoof. Once all of her paper work was done and she had used the small pick she kept swung over her hip to gather a small ore fragment from the room Daring took a long moment to just sit and think.

Looking around the cave brought a feeling of nostalgia upon Daring.

“I wonder if it was a cave like this…Knight.” She whispered, curling up next to her bags in the corner farthest from the entrance; giving her the most time to react if something were to enter. Daring slipped into a deep sleep, thoughts of the cave and Knight and Dragon flooded her dreams as she considered all aspects of the legend.

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The owner of the cave arrived in the deadest and darkest moment of the night, the scent of a foreigner thick in the air. With a flap of its wings the owner set down at the mouth of its den, casting a look around with its glowing yellow eyes. It dragged a claw through the ground and felt the disturbance beneath its scales; something had indeed entered its home while it was off in the nearby mountains feeding.

Moving with dexterity and skill beyond the limits of its size, the cave’s owner slid down the long tunnel into the room that was its home, and found there in the corner a sleeping Pegasus. The ponies of Equestria had always kept a wide birth of this forest, and this cave particularly; causing the owner to have a flicker of rage and panic.

With absolute silence the large being moved to the wall and pressed its maw to it, whispering soft words which dissolved the magic barrier revealing the mass of gems and jewels within. Not one stone was out of place, no golden coin disturbed. Restoring the wall the being looked back upon our sleeping heroine, the room was enchanted richly to put anyone but the owner in the deepest of sleeps should they linger too long, so that the owner could move freely with no risk of waking a sleeping intruder.

Reaching out a scaled claw the massive tyrant pulled the bags away from Daring and with a skilled flick spilt their contents. Its keen eyes absorbed all that he saw, the map with Daring’s route to Calimare; revealing her destination, her notepad which revealed her notes on the legend. The being hovered over this notepad for a long time, absorbing its markings and devouring its knowledge, when finished its eyes moved to Daring. The beast placed the bag and her belongings back beside the young mare and slinked back out of the cave, its mind afire.

Once coloured in the marble moonlight the mighty dragon spread its wings and headed south. To the desert city Calimare in search of the Ruby Knight, a treasure worthy of a dragon’s hoard.

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Daring woke with a start, her dreams haunted by the Ruby Knight and his armour, the dark journeys and the wars that the suit must have seen forced into her subconscious with her obsession. Lavender eyes darted all over the cave quickly, the owner had not returned; there was no sign that any creature had been there in a long time.

Giving her black and grey mane a shake the sturdy mare pulled a sandwich from her bag, devouring it with silence before re-shouldering her burdens. “Time to go.” Daring said to herself, reconfirming her resolve; that same rush rebuilding in her veins. The shadows of the night long gone leaving Daring free to fly.

The hours passed quietly and Daring flew without any hindrances throughout the day her mind constantly on the surroundings, marking her distance on her internal map to ensure that she was still flying the right way. The part of her that was obsessed, that daring part of her personality was focused on one thing, and one thing only: getting to Ruby Knight, and proving the legends herself.

Nightfall came just as Daring arrived at the first true destination of her journey, the sea-side city of Kampos Port. It was a thriving merchant city which acted as the aquatic lifeline for Equestria proper, the inner part of the city owned specifically by the merchant princes and upper caste who controlled the local laws and taxing, while the outskirts was owned by the middle class workers and harbour hands. It was the first port in all the world that Daring had ever seen without a “slums” or “ghetto” district for the poor, and destitute; appearances where highly regarded in Kampos Port.

The tall buildings with their stone sheen meant very little to Daring as she walked down the main road which effectively divided the city in half; she paid the same attention to the ponies stumbling along the side of the road having dipped a little too much into the cider. There was only one goal for the adventurous Daring Do in this town and that was commission a ship going to Calimare.

In regards to power and social hierarchy Daring was aware that Kampos and Calimare were two sides of the same coin, Kampos was a clean industrious market place; ruled by the hardworking and governed by the just, whereas Calimare though equally as profitable was the seedy underbelly of port cities, ruled by thieves and cut-throats.

Little of this carried any weight with a pony like Daring Do who lived for the thrill of the wild, and the hunt for the past. Her goal this evening was one thing and one thing only, the rest of the city was moot to Daring save for the massive sails of the “Merry Crystal”. Turning beyond the final building on the street proper opened Daring Do to the amazing cobblestone spiderweb which was the Kampos pier, towering overhead the “Merry Crystal” like a massive back drop pressed to the sky.

“Daring!” a raspy baritone called from the edge of the galleon’s prow, high above the sea level was Daring’s old friend and fellow treasure hunter: Groggy Macsea, Captain of the “Merry Crystal”. The salty old unicorn leapt from the prow of his ship, landing masterfully on the deck bellow; the sea spray from waves mixing with his sea green mane. To a normal pony Groggy would look past his prime with his wooden hind leg, a peg he had been forced to use in a time of crisis and the eye patch which covered the left eye. His hair was laced with turquoise, coat a dry seafoam as crusty as the sea. On his head was a black bandana tied tightly at the back, a sling around his chest where he stored a flask of liquid that nopony had ever ventured to taste and a deceptively sharp dagger within easy reach of his teeth. Groggy was for all his worth an experienced sea dog and was one of the few ponies Daring Do felt she could trust implicitly. Groggy had never and as far as Daring was concerned could never betray her.

“Fine evening, Captain!” Daring called with her roguish charm, her eyes carrying the sparkle that her words could not.

A throaty laughed echoed from deep within Groggy, causing his lower jaw to swing a little; its hinges loose from one of his many adventures. “I like the look of your eye girl; something has your tide-a-turnin’.” He teased walking up and giving her a rough head-butt a greeting that she returned in spades.

“Aye,” Daring crowed, her sea-voice returning after months in the jungle. “ I need passage to Calimare, and as far as I know you’re still the fastest bucket of bolts on this sea or am I wrong?” she teased laughing hardily.

“Bah lass, ye daft? The Merry Crystal had always been and will always be the fastest galley to sail these seas!” He howled to the cool night air, his thick voice rattling the stars above as he opened his hooves to his ship in all her glory. “As for a lift…. I’m sorry, but I’ve been hired to take another party to Calimare tomorrow evening.” He said with genuine regret turning back to her.

Daring groaned momentarily and considered her options, giving Groggy a sly look. “It wouldn’t happen to be some low level thugs from Canterlot, a group of them.” She asked, staring down her old friend.

“It mah be…” Groggy muttered attempting to avoid eye contact, for a salty old veteran of the sea Groggy had one fatal weakness: he couldn’t lie to a woman to save his life.

“I’ll pay double.” Daring said with that mischievous swagger of somepony who knows they have the upper hand in a game of cards and was choosing to flaunt it to those against her.

“You paying cash now are you?” Groggy said eyeing her sharply. “It’s no small fee.”

Daring bit the inside of her lip, she could feel a drop of sweat forming on her brow in the cool nighttime air, money was such an inconvenience to carry and so, as per her usual routine she had brought none with her.

“I just finished a really lucrative job; I can send the bill to my holder in Canterlot and have the money transferred to your account here by tomorrow night.” Daring said hoping that the prospect would entice him enough to go against his already designated contract.

“That’s not cash now, is it?” Groggy said staring her down, catching his stride in the conversation. “An’ I’ve already made a deal with those fools from the city.” He pointed his hoof in the general direction of Canterlot (he had never considered Daring to be “from the city” so she felt no sting from his words).

“If my hunch is right, Groggy my old friend than those ponies coming to commission your ship are the very ponies who I’m trying to keep a head of.” Daring said letting him into the quest a little wouldn’t hurt. Daring knew what Groggy would want and was saddened to know she couldn’t deliver.

“Oh-hoho. So maybe if I take you instead you’ll cut me in on the earnings?” Groggy teased his one eye winking playfully, like a young stallion’s. “On top of double the fare of course.” He added as an afterthought.

“It’s not that kinda treasure…” Daring groaned, knowing she was losing ground with the old pirate.

“Well I don’t really see that there’s all that much I can do for you Daring. You’re a right lass, you truly are but I have a business to run and a crew to pay, and a reputation to keep.” Groggy pointed out rolling his shoulders before turning back to the plank connecting his galleon to the pier, considering the negotiations at their conclusion.

Daring cut him off with her harsh voice, breaking into a fast rant, “The way I see it Groggy I’m a day and a half ahead of them. On board your ship they’ll hit Calimare in one and a half days while it’ll take me three days to fly across the sea straight without rest. They’ll pull ahead of me and be well rested when they land whereas I’ll be exhausted and will need at least two days to recover. Seeing as how barren the pier is at the moment and guessing the rough size of the crew that ol’ Rockstone has in his thrall this ship is the only one large enough to carry the full party. Now if you were to take me instead you would have me to Calimare by tomorrow afternoon and be back for them the night after that if your crew wants to push for the long haul; more than likely able to extort the same, if not near to the same overpriced charge I know you laid on those land lubbers.” Daring explained in one long breath, her lavender eyes never moving from the back of Groggy; analyzing his every twitch.

Groggy blushed a little looking away. “But I made a contract.”

“Aye but there’s a thing called loyalty isn’t there.” Daring pushed, staring down her friend who sighed defeated.

Groggy looked to her and shook his mane. “Fine, fine lass you win… I’ve never seen you so on edge before.” He said honestly looking at Daring for a long moment. “You send word to the money why I rally the crew.” Daring nodded and they parted ways.

Within the hour Daring found herself resting on the crow’s nest looking out at the rising sun as the “Merry Crystal” cut the sea, its prow plowing through the early morning foam like butter. In the distance her keen eyes could pierce the very clouds and see it off in the distance, the skies over Calimare.

Chapter 4- The Living City

Chapter 4

The Living City

Daring Do stood anxiously in the crow’s nest on the “Merry Crystal”; the skies were clear and blue as the galleon cleaved the pristine sea almost entering reach of the city, Calimare. In the early morning glory the metropolis of the sands looked like a glistening golden crown, with its golden plated buildings and marble walls reflecting the fresh light breaking on the horizon. None of the stories that Daring had heard, however, could prepare her for what she was about to witness.

An hour passed and the sun was just about to catch its stride as the ship weighed anchor in the harbour, the sail uneventful except for some unsavory winds which slowed her progress slightly.

“Daring!” Groggy called in his thick accent, the earth pony bellowing to the Pegasus sitting in the nest. “Ye better take t’ flight lass, or you’ll miss the show!” he called spreading an arching hoof towards the city, encompassing all in its gesture; Daring needed little encouragement to take off now that they had arrived at their destination.

With a flap of her wings the mare jumped off the nest, plummeting down to just above the deck before arching out of her nose dive at the last second; releasing a violent holler of excitement she rocketed herself off into the sky.

The air above Calimare was rich with the living scent of a city about to awaken to a new day: there was the slight tang of food cooking wafting up from chimneys, the gentle breeze of pollen on the winds and an infinitesimal under taste of dust being pushed off the desert floor. From half a mile above the city it looked reminiscent to an organ instead of a construction of buildings and streets; the center with its gold plated castles and thrones, the seats of the guild masters, spreading out from that “heart” was arteries of streets and buildings which glistened in the orange light of the dawn, the slums and ghetto’s near the harbour spreading out like small roots or veins.

This alone was enough to leave starry-eyed Daring Do awestruck; witnessing the ponies flood those arteries like blood and cells to begin the long day of work begin what could be only referred to as the resurrection of Calimare would leave the heroine without words of description for hours.

Calimare opened up to the flying Pegasus who was circling the city above, and the city quite literally came to life. Puffs of violent steam shot up from generators powering on, flaps from the merchant stalls in the market flapped out and closed with a thunderous beat as the owners began the ritualistic opening of their stores. From her spot above it was as if vessels where opening and closing allowing more and more blood to spill through, the steam lifted her higher and Daring allowed it momentary control of her body; the howl of an early morning train coming to life matching the vicious, unpony cry of an eagle. Turning her head sharply, eyes opened wide, Daring witnessed the black and silver blur just as it cut past her; with wings of long thick the gryphon sliced through the sky as if resistance was imaginary.

Daring watched in awe as it leapt down from roof to roof, delivering parcels with speed and skill that Daring could never dream of mastering though in that one moment the brazen mare truly found herself wishing to have the time to try. All of that, all of her conscious thought faded away; the view of the city coming to life, the scent had already assaulted her with its consuming onslaught, now it was the sound.

The flaps on the stands ricocheted up thunder to the heavens upon which Daring found herself soaring, the steam whistles set off a cyclone of sound which moved the Pegasus almost as much as their hot air had. Then it was nothing but the roar of hooves and voices; the true heart of the city had come to life as its citizens began the long day of barter and trade for another day. It was, as Daring would later describe it, the must utter and perfect chaos that she had ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Every sense was being manipulated simultaneously as steam clouds rose to the arid atmosphere, and the building flaps creaked and shook away the dust of a hard night’s work.

With the ginger step of a pony not wanting to move Daring forced her seemingly endless circling to end and land down on the roof of a marble house; three stories tall, just a few “arteries” from the very golden heart. With the regretful sigh of a lover forced to part with its object of lust she focused herself inwardly to try and push away the thunderous sounds. So deep in thought was Daring that her sense of touch was greatly unguarded (and on top of a building in the center of a city could one blame her for being careless?) for she almost did not notice the gentle intrusive wait in her pack until the last possible second.

It happened like the snap of lightning, Daring had her back straight up and her left fore-hoof wrapped around the neck of whomever had thought it would be a good idea to try and steal from her. The contents of her bag spilt from the ponies mouth as he (it was in fact a he, Daring would find) found himself being choked rather mercilessly; her map and compass as well as some of her note pads and her small collection of pens spilling onto the flat white roof.

The stallion squirmed beneath her leg for a moment before letting out a squeal, “Oi, le’ go you filthy sow!” he barked at her, almost being rewarded with a sharp hoof into the face by a rather annoyed Daring. He couldn’t have been more than five years old, quick glance at his flank revealed it bare; a child who had yet to discover who he was. His coat was dirt riddled sea green his eyes a dark brown and hair of a salty grey. Daring considered what best to do before giving a sigh and letting go of the little thief who pulled away quickly, survival instincts kicking in.

Ignoring the child she re-packed her bags keeping her violet eyes off of him until she had put everything away; turning to stare the young foal down. He flinched back, those brown eyes looking for an escape route that wouldn’t involve the phrase “jump and hope you don’t break anything”. Swallowing deep he prepared himself for the worst.

“Next time don’t get caught. The next pony may not be so forgiving.” Daring said her eyes never leaving the little cut-saddle. He stared right back at her almost accepting her challenge; with a shift of his right leg he dropped a smoke ball that was used by all the children who ran the streets of Calimare. A flick of his hoof sent it at Daring at which point it exploded in a violent plume of grey smoke flooding into the sky in a mushroom cloud with tendrils going off in all sorts of directions like a smoke based firework; filling Daring’s lungs causing her to cough rather roughly. “Little…” Coughing harder she swung out at the child who had turned around and slid down a water drainage pipe to the ground bellow; sticking out his tongue he called up to her.

“Not like you had anything valuable on you anyway! HAG!” he bellowed and was lost into the crowd leaving a chagrinned Daring sputtering at the bit; her eyes tearing through the crowd as she jumped down to ground level, cushioning her fall with her wings. Unfortunately the little thief was nowhere to be scene.

Literally fuming with rage Daring took off muttering beneath her breath, wanting to go talk to Groggy about her next course of action before heading out into the desert; knowing roughly how far north she would need to go before approaching the general area of the tomb.

Flying over the city now that the beast had entered pull swing was almost as mesmerizing as watching the seemingly immortal construct come to life in the early hours of the morning. Streams of ponies and creatures of every kind were moving about in a flurry of activity that kept Daring more than occupied until she returned to the “Merry Crystal”, to the salty smile of Groggy.

Landing swiftly Daring was about to speak to the salty-seapony when his thick raucous laughter poisoned the air.

“HA! Got yourself tagged already? You waste no time at all do you Daring?” he hollered standing on his hind legs to hold his stomach, attempting to stop the laughter.

“Tagged? What are you talking about?” Daring said suddenly very self-aware, wondering if the little punk from earlier had stuck something to her. Doing a quick spin on the spot attempting to see her backside for anything that may be marring her coat or the vest, which Daring always wore when in the field.

“It’s a smoke bomb!” The old stallion joked, wiping a tear from his eyes. “It leaves a faint blur on the coat so that the other kids will know what sort of target you are.” He eyed her slyly as if he knew a lot more than he was letting on. Sidling up beside the orange mare he gave her a sharp nudge. “So what was it? Quick reflexes or no loot.” He teased her harshly, chuckling away a swing from her hoof.

Daring was flushed sharply, embarrassed that others would know that she had “no loot” as her pirate companion had so delighted in informing her. The conversation did serve a reaffirming purpose in Daring though; Groggy would most assuredly know somepony who could help Daring cross the desert. It was easy for the mare who had grown up in Canterlot and spent her time adventuring all over the world to forget that Groggy, a friend that had been with her for almost a decade now was born on these harsh, living streets. For a moment she considered the child who had attempted to rob her much closely, if that child was able to survive he may one day end up sailing the seas much like Groggy did now… a far better fate than what would await him if he remained in Calimare.

“That aside,” Daring said, recovering from the jest at her expense; some of the crew chuckling along with their captain’s infectious laughter. “I need somepony to help me get to the northern forest.” She informed her friend who had turned away for a moment to answer a question posed to him by a shady looking brown stallion with a long, silver mane; his cutie mark looked like black bandages wrapped around a smothered sun.

“The forest?” Groggy asked after a pause, turning sharply. “Now what fool-hardy treasure has you going that far out of your way?” he asked, genuinely interested.

If there was one pony in this wide, wide world of Equestria that Daring felt she could trust it was Groggy and she figured it was a good a time as any to cut him in. Leaning in she whispered to him softly.

“The Ruby Knight.” She said, the glee unmasked in her voice.

Instantaneously the atmosphere between the old friends changed in a way that Daring had never experienced before. Groggy tightened completely, each muscle along his strong weathered form tensing like a gun ready to shoot. There was an uncharacteristically deep swallow and a shifting of his one uncovered eye. Leaning down he grabbed a hold of his flask and took a deep, almost bottomless swig before looking up to his first-mate aboard the ship. With a sharp shake of his head he delivered an order soundlessly before tossing a leg around Daring leading her away.

“Daring… do you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into.” He whispered as he pulled her along one of the streets, the curiosity coursing through her veins preventing Daring from fighting back.

“A suspiciously delicious mystery it seems.” She said with all of her cockiness thrown into the words.

Groggy shook his head and hobbled along, almost dragging his peg leg as they moved just beyond the market cutting through the swath of ponies like a ship splitting the seas.

“You’re in way over your head lass…” he said as they pulled up into an alley which had a young filly sitting up against a garbage bag; a double take thankfully showed that she was alive just in a level near comatose. It was hard to tell where the garbage ended and her coat began. “You going after this alone…?”

“I’ve never needed someone to hold my hoof before have I?” Daring barked, affronted; stopping on the spot and pulling Groggy to a full stop. “What’s this all about Groggy?”

“Listen, kid.” Groggy said looking up and down the alley, nopony was there except the comatose filly, his one eye boring into her for a moment before he deemed the visage as fact. “I promised your parents I’d look out for you after the last time I sailed with them. I can’t have you going out there alone.”

Daring swallowed deeply, Groggy had never mentioned her parents before. Her mother was a novelist who wrote mystery stories about a group of fillies and colts who would journey throughout their town solving the mysteries that the adult’s wouldn’t…and her father was an archeologist much like she was, an adventurer bent on revealing all the mysteries of the past. She was always aware that Groggy had known her parents, she had in fact met him on a letter which was left in their will when they were declared M.I.A., she had never asked and she had never expected him to tell.

“Do my parents have something to do with this suit of armour.” She asked suddenly on the offensive. “And what do you mean look out for me? Did my parents come here too? What were they doing? What happened to the—“ she ranted before his hoof cut her off by wedging itself firmly inside of her mouth.

“I don’t have, nor am I goin’ to answer all of that.” Groggy said giving his shoulders a roll and leaning back against the cold white wall which was currently hidden from the heat of the sun. “I’ll help you get there Daring, but you have to promise you come back, treasure or not.” He said dangerously, a tone that Daring had only ever hear Groggy use twice: once when a ship under the R.E.N. (Royal Equestrian Navy) had attempted to board the “Merry Crystal” after doing a number to her hull with cannon fire, and the other when a member of his crew had turned traitor and injured a fellow crewmate. It was the dark voice of a stallion who had lived in a dark world, the kind of voice that wasn’t afraid of physical violence… the kind of voice that had shared words with death.

Taking a deep breathe Daring became overly conscious of how exposed she was trapped in a tight alley with his hoof against her shoulder. Staring him down and not giving an inch in this struggle.

Pressure built up against her where his hoof was placed. “Promise. If it gets to hard Daring, that you’ll run.”

“I’ve never been the running kind.” Daring bit back pushing against the older leg finding that its age did nothing to rob it of its once brilliant strength.

“This time ye don’ have a choice.” Groggy said, looking into her. “I’ll get you there, and the friend I’ll get to do it will keep a close eye on ye’, he’ll help if ye need it. But if the going gets tough you need to run. Do you understand me?”

Daring considered every possible route and every possible action, in the end there was only one action that ensured that she would be able to go on towards the goal without being delayed. “You have my word Groggy.” She promised, feeling the immediate release of her shoulder beneath his hoof. Wiping away sweat from his brow he looked down the alley again before turning away and dragging her along again.

Daring followed silently considering why her companion had gone through such a sudden personality, finding no logical reason behind it, not without knowing what her parents had told him before they disappeared.

Travelling through the hot crowded streets took the two ponies almost an hour and a half before arriving, silently at their destination. It was an oddly shaped building dotting one of the small ghettos like slums that Daring had witnessed from the air, it had three visible stories, the upper half of the building arching out in an oddly rectangular way , arching over the street.

Going up to a wide, circular marble door Groggy turned and gave it a sharp tap two times with his wooden peg. After a three minute pause a circle within the door revealed itself by splitting away at the center revealing the brilliant amber eye, the pupil slit in a reptilian manner.

“We who keep the key…” a masculine voice from inside said in a deeply flavoured accent.

“Must protect the lock.” Groggy said, another pause and the small hole shut itself up roughly. After another two minutes steam released from invisible vents near the roof of the house, and the energy being released swung the heavy portal up into the wall clearing the way for Daring and Groggy to enter.

Once inside Daring was rewarded with a dimly lit (by candles) room filled to the rafters with book shelves, scrolls scattered here and there with odd pieces of what appeared to be desert cult tools, effigies to beings who’s legends Daring could only begin to guess were scattered across the room with abandon.

The stallion who had let them in was dressed completely in black wraps, a turban tight upon his head revealing only that one eye, his mouth and neck wrapped in tight bandages. Holding out his hoof to Groggy the pressed them together for a long moment before words were spoken.

“Welcome home, shield.”

“It is always peaceful within the sword.”

They nodded as they spoke in unison, some code to which Daring had no idea of but was gradually becoming more and more intrigued by. This simple treasure hunt was quickly becoming a rich journey filled with what Daring loved best: Mystery.

“Daring, this is Desert Storm, a long-time friend of mine and a pony who helped your parents when they were here. If anypony in Calimare can be trusted to take you to where you want to go its him…” Groggy said turning to leave, as if his job was done, leaving more questions than answers.

“Groggy…?” Daring started to ask, confused; having thought that Groggy would be accompanying her.

“Desert… Take Daring to the northern forest and keep her safe for me. Daring don’t forget your promise.” He said before leaving the door rolling shut behind him.

Turning to Desert now that the two of them were alone Daring put herself on edge, Groggy’s word or not she had to be sure she was well protected.

“Don’t worry Daring Do.” Desert Storm said in that deep voice, turning from her towards a set of stairs; she noticed that to the right of the stairwell was a bedroll with a thick pillow resting at the head. “I’m not going to ask you what you’re doing, or where you’re going. Get some sleep, we will be leaving the moment the moon comes into the sky.” Leaving her alone the mysteriously garbed stallion disappeared up the stairs.

Considering her options Daring sighed and decided that she would need her rest any way. Groggy had made her make a promise and had brought her here hoping to fulfill that promise. Desert wouldn’t harm her while she slept, of that she was sure. Storing her belongings within the pillow she laid her head down and allowed the day’s events to loop until she fell into a fitful slumber.

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Desert Storm silently, as if making sound would mean the end of the world, treaded past the sleeping Daring. The mare beneath him looked at peace and at the same time concentrated; undoubtedly running through scenarios of the day’s events with which he was sure must have been quite exciting.

Going to his door the fully covered pony hit a number of switched and opened a third, larger portal which resided within the door.

“Did you get it?” he whispered, his voice sliding through the marble as if it wasn’t there. The small colt with the sea green coat looked out across the busy street making sure that nopony had followed him here from the “family’s” hideout.

“Ye’ I got it, ye got my payment?” the small boy said leaning against the door nonchalantly trying not to draw attention to himself.

Desert dropped a thick, flawlessly cut garnet gem out of the window from a fold in his robe, which the child quickly put into a small pouch that was halfway up his right leg, pulling from inside it the notepad he had stolen from Daring early in the morning.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” Desert said shutting the door, leaving the colt to his own devices.

Walking away, Current Tides allowed himself to fully appreciate the weight of the gem in his pouch considering how to get rid of the jewel quick before somepony got their eyes on it or somepony came looking for what he suspected was a stolen piece of merchandise. All the colt was sure of was that he had made a lot of money from a wealthy client and it was now time to get on with some rewards to help make his hellish life on the street a little more comfortable, the gem in his pouch could easily buy some furniture for the family’s “house”.

Inside of the house Desert Storm, with a horn that nopony could see under his turban lifted the notepad before his eyes, using his unicorn magic to flip through the pages taking all of its information in.

Every detail that Daring had recorded on the Legend of the Ruby Knight resting just at his hoof tips.

Chapter 5- Heart of Chaos

Chapter 5

Heart of Chaos

A billow of smoke erupted behind the panting and sweat drenched Daring Do as she executed a masterful roll away from whatever crashing, shooting, falling, death imposing device had been her bane just moments before. Trapped now in a dark, dimly lit room, the roar of the trap behind her, Daring panted hard beneath the organic screech of what she had just avoided, what the trap was and how she had managed to outwit or outrun its mechanisms escaping her mind just as she tried her hardest to recall them. There was a fog, deep and primordial clogging her mind; fearing that the air in this old tomb may have been laced with poisons or diseases that the civilized world may have long since forgotten she lifted a foreleg to her lips. She breathed through the filter of her own coat hoping to protect herself as many intrusions as she could.

The room, yes she recalled the room now her initial panic behind her. Daring fluttered her wings absently and looked out into the darkness, five torches along the walls lit by embers that should have burned out centuries before kept alight only by the thick magic which seemed to loom over the place. The details of the room escaped her, annoyingly so for Daring felt the archaeological urge to map and document all around her; everything needed to be charted and preserved in its original shape or even the smallest piece of history may be lost.

Beneath the dimly light torches whose flames had long since left the world appeared six massive thrones each topped with an ancient archaic symbol that Daring had, through her research when she was a child, grown accustomed to translating. Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty and Honesty. The five elements of harmony represented in those ancient symbols sat above the thrones as if casting their magical eye over the residents of the seats themselves.

With cautious hoof, still muffling her breath, Daring continued towards the dark thrones, her long black and gray tail swatting some of the dust that had fallen off of her flank. Within each of the thrones now appeared a skeleton for each, three female from the shape of the skulls and the unique bend in their legs which hung down as if still connected to a body that had persisted through time, the other two represented by male bones. Biting back the bile at these ponies forced to exist forever, their bodies seeming to never be reduced to the ash of life Daring took one more step forward and was halted by a sharp whisper.

“Daring….”

The voice teased at her, turning rapidly to follow the faintest whisper, so fast that her neck gave a sharp crack and snapped roughly with stinging pain that she had over time grown accustomed to. She followed the voice in circles faster and faster as its volume rose higher and higher the closer and faster she spun herself.

Suddenly she jerked herself still faced with a sixth massive throne, higher than the others that it faced her back to them now. High up, casting its light down upon the other five was the ever present eye the symbol for ‘Magic’. With all of her might Daring tried to break contact with that massive eye, the voice calling to her from bellow in the seat itself, all of her will focused just barely giving Daring the freedom to move her neck slightly.

Another skeleton, this one garbed in what was once brilliant and skin tight ruby armour lined with gold and fitting to every part of the body that a pony would need protecting for. Daring swallowed a ball of spit that had been forming in the back of her throat and took a deep breath that she had been unaware of holding; hesitantly she took one step forward.

As if by some unholy force the skeleton pony leaped forward its armoured hooves biting into her shoulders violently. They lashed against her flesh and bone biting like the coldest ice she had ever felt, tearing away at her stamina as if to drain the very life from her soul. The jaws of the pony split wide and from within the hollow throat came the most vicious of sounds.

“DARING!”

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“Daring!” the voice called, the hooves having bitten their way into her shoulders far more than she had expected.

Lavender eyes opened with a force like nopony had ever known as Daring lifted and kicked with her hind legs at the weight which was being pushed against her. The instant she felt a weakening in the grip on her shoulders her left hoof swung out smacking across pony jaw sending the darkened shape into the far wall in a bundled heap. Panting she kicked herself back against a wall, aiming to protect as much of herself as she could Daring took a look about the room. It was familiar now, the old dusty tomb being replaced with the scroll covered house that Desert Storm had allowed her into earlier in the day, suddenly it all seemed so surreal and foggy the past dream immediately being hidden beyond the veil of consciousness. It was at that moment that Daring remembered her rather vicious assault upon the body of the pony who had come to wake her.

“Desert!?” She called panicked as she moved to get up on all floors, the body she had removed from her own having crashed into one of the scroll shelves fairly collapsing it in on itself.

With a blood splattered cough Desert dislodged himself from the ruins of what was once his room, a fabric covered leg wiped some of the blood away from his mouth which had become slightly exposed by the violent strike. A flash of orange beneath.

“That’s one hay of a left hook you have.” He said as he shook his head to clear away the stars that danced before his vision; those hard eyes taking her in. “No need to apologize, I’m quite sure it was beyond your control at the time.” He said cutting Daring off before she could make up a million and one excuses to her violent outburst. Desert rolled his shoulders and threw Daring an outfit much like his own of the purest black. “Put this one, we leave in ten.” Desert said seriously moving past Daring to go upstairs and make sure she had not dislodged any of his teeth with that blow, his tongue a little numb from the attack feeling as if it had been caught in the crossfire.

Daring looked down at the robe like clothing for a moment before looking up the stairs where Desert had disappeared. Daring sighed deeply and ran a hoof through her hair before taking her clothing into her mouth to removed it into her satchel bag so that she could move on to redressing, knowing that just beyond the door would be the most harrowing part of her journey as of yet. The expanse into the heart of chaos.

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“Desert, I’m ready!” Daring called up the stairs outfitted now in the garb he had provided for her. Wrapped in shadows her hair seemed a pale comparison to the robes that were draped over her body, turban like in how the folds wrapped about themselves. Having opted to keep the hat portion of the body suit down around her neck and keep dawned her hat there was enough of Daring between the large tan hat and the black neck of the suit that she felt comfortable. Her brilliant wings poking through slits that Desert had undoubtedly cut into the back, causing Daring to wonder if Desert had known how uncomfortable tight clothing over wings would become for a Pegasus like herself. Just as Daring moved to the stares and put a tentative hoof down to begin a journey up to visit her host his roughly foreign voice called down.

“Coming.”

And so he did, appearing at the landing before her in a matter of seconds if he had been at all fazed from the blow he had received earlier it had long since pasted; a feat that Daring acclaimed, her swings were not for the weak.

“We’ll be going as far as we can tonight.” Desert said, confirming what Daring had assumed, though there were no windows for her to view the outside city somewhere inside of her that inner clock had informed her of the twilight hour. “If we’re lucky we will be able to reach some cover before the sun rises.”

“Yeah, some shade when it gets really hot out would be nice!” Daring said giving her wings a stretch and a flap; arching her back into an upside down “U” cracking some of the bones which had become weary from the floor.

Desert offered the Pegasus a incredulous stare before shrugging and walking past Daring to the large circular portal which was the door to his marble home. “I suppose some shade from the sun would be nice too.”

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Daring panted hard into the cold desert night as she glided low to the ground, her hooves occasionally breaching the almost liquid surface of the seemingly black sand resting a foot beneath her. The biting cold lashed at her like the harshest winters she had ever experienced causing an ache in her wing joint which had just recently healed. It had taken Daring by surprise that the pitch blackness of night would haunt the desert, transforming the barren sea of sand into a bitter tundra, it was all she could to gallop as much as she flew to keep the creeping weakness out of her muscles. Desert, much too Daring’s chagrin seemed to be unaffected by the cold and flew down beside the speeding pony to question him on his seeming immunity to the bitter cold.

“Oi Desert,” Daring called to the galloping pony, pulling herself up to his right side her hoof splitting the sand like a knife as she lowers to be level with him. “Why doesn’t the cold bother you?” She asked, a tone of curiosity itching its way into her voice against her will.

Desert chuckled, the sound gurgling in his throat like a case of bad phlegm it made the sound seem unnatural and foreign to Daring, it took her a second to actually realise that the sound he uttered was not in fact a death gurgle but a ‘light-hearted chuckle’. “When one lives in the desert for so long, one becomes accustomed to pretending the weather is something else entirely.” He said from beneath the thick black robes of his outfit, picking up his pace. “Silence now,” he ordered voice losing its ‘light-hearted’ tone to one of dangerous command. “Keep your mouth shut to conserve energy, you don’t want to dehydrate any faster than you already will when the sun comes up.” With that his voice cut sharp as if someone had turned off a recording or the device playing hit had been destroyed mid-sentence, nodding Daring set her hooves down not losing any stride as she switched from her low flight to a full on gallop.

Desert was there to guide her and she would follow his advice as they moved as quickly as they could under the cover of darkness; even now however, looming on the horizon was a haunting sun which would soon devastate this barren land of death with its fiery wrath.

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The vengeful sun of Equestria’s skies hammered down on the desert of Calimare like a weapon smith forging a blade, each second brought waves of excruciating heat down upon the heads of all who would dare enter the desert. After only two minutes of the sun breaching the horizon Daring found a stagger in her hoof as she now struggled to keep up with Desert who was moving almost at the same pace as he was before. Daring had travelled beyond the deepest seas and into the harshest of frozen tundra, she had flown across the most deadly of chasm and had swung along vines in the hottest, wildest of jungle so buried within the heart of darkness that nopony would ever know their secrets, but this heat, this almost unnatural heat… it was like nothing Daring had ever experienced before. It tore at her hide and feathers as if to rend the flesh from her bones, and more than once she felt as if the very skin holding her together was preparing to melt off. It continued for countless hours, so long that it felt to Daring that she might truly die, suffocating within her own body from the raging heat. Try as she might she was finding it harder and harder to keep her mouth shut, panting in exhaustion to keep up with Desert.

Desert, for all his worth as a ‘desert stallion’ showed little signs of weakness other than the occasional fault in his step as he galloped through the sand with seeming ease. If Daring could focus long enough through the repetitive strain of existing under so angry a yellow sun she may be jealous, envious, angry at the guide for not imparting his lifetime of wisdom into her to make this journey bearable.

The first and only beautiful piece of salvation came from a slightly risen dune which was casting the most beautiful looking shadow that Daring had ever seen. Moving quicker then she thought that she ever would be able to again, possibly pulling ahead of Desert himself, she wasn’t quite sure the world blurred so suddenly, almost as if she broke the sound barrier with an explosion of light and sand.

The sand was the coldest thing that Daring felt she had ever known and as she flopped down into it, rolling like a school filly experiencing her first snow fall she truly appreciated the horrors of the desert and the wrath that the ponies of Calimare would have to deal with if the water exit of their home was ever cut off.

Panting Daring felt sanity begin to leave her, without the constant strain of the run she found herself unable to focus on a though the world spinning quickly.

“Here…” a voice called out to her from the distance, had she heard that voice before? It rang through Daring’s ears like the long lost call of a dead pony who’s lungs had, decades or centuries before become nothing but bones. Warm liquid forced its way down her throat and the world snapped into a distorted focus, looming over her, forcing the liquid into her throat was that skeleton… the one that had been there waking her up in the early morning.

Yelling in panic, fear striking at her heart she pulled away but a strong, skeletal hoof bit into her skull forcing the liquid down into her throat as the image cleared, the more of the liquid that went into her the stronger she felt. Until soon it was Desert standing on top of her pouring a flask down her throat. The stallion stopped and pulled away (not far enough to exit the shadow though) from Daring giving her room to breathe.

Coughing she sputtered up some water and bile feeling terribly weak. “What in the hay is this…” he panted, her entire body shivering and shaking out of her control.

“The sun has been baking the salt out of your blood and you’re going into shock.” He said calmly. He pulled out a square object from his leg saddle which was buried within the folds of his robes. “Four licks then a sip.” He ordered and Daring followed.

She licked the salt block and winced as it burned, taking four then a small sip to wash it all down, slowly replenishing the salt that had been baked out of her body; the shakes subsiding after a good ten minutes.

Just as Daring was about to thank him, feeling some strength returning to her as the sun began to poke away at their shade did a massive, thundering rumble shake the sand beneath them. There was a shift in the atmosphere between them; Desert seemed to tense up and sharpen his senses. Walking past Daring, almost as if the mare wasn’t there, Desert climbed up the ridge and looked out across the flat lands of hell.

Daring could hear him gulp.

He slide back down to her and Daring for all her courage was hesitant to climb up and see what he saw; swallowing as hard as he did she forced her way up. The wall of sand reached up beyond the heavens and swirled across all of her vision like a menacing end to the universe. The entire colour began to drain out of Daring as she saw her aspirations for the armour disappear in the all-consuming storm. “What are we going to do…” she whispered quietly to the wall approaching and the rumbling thunder of its tirade.

“We aren’t going to do anything.” Desert said looking at Daring with his sharp deadly eyes. “I’m your guide and I’ll get you through this, but you have to do as I say.” He was moving quickly now, like a busy bee he had tasks to complete again. He pulled off the pouch from his leg and strapped it to hers using hoof and mouth, pulled a compass off of his neck; it had the oddest dial of anything Daring had ever seen. “This will guide you to your destination, you should be only a few hours away from it now…”

“Where will you be…?” Daring clued in, fighting the fog in her mind and the horror in her bones, noticing a trembling in her muscles that caused hate to flow through her. Daring hated being weak.

“This storm is not natural.” Desert said looking up to the wall which was approaching quickly, a sharpness to his eyes that Daring had grown to appreciate, those brilliant almost slit like orbs taking in the wall as a challenge.

“I’m going to go and deal with whatever is making it and you are going to run do you hear me?” he ordered and though every part of Daring wanted to fight back against those orders she found herself nodding in dulled acceptance.

The storm was almost upon them, Daring could feel it lifting up the ground just on the other side of the ridge that they were hiding beneath.

“Desert…” she said, softly almost inaudible beneath the raging of the storm. Not quiet enough to go unheard for the guide pony looked to her, waiting for her to finish her statement. “I’ll be expecting to meet you at the tomb. I’ll need a way back to Calimare of course. You’re not allowed to get yourself killed till after that.”

She could not be one-hundred percent sure but Daring was almost positive that he smiled to her underneath all of that clothing.

“You got it boss.”

Then the storm was on top of them.

Daring forced her hooves into the ground as hard as she could, feeling as if she had been picked up by the god of all updrafts, her wings jumping from her back under the straining of the air almost jerking her off the ground. Using every ounce of power she could muster Daring pulled herself back to the ground biting back tears of agony and breathing in the sand which was swirling around her like crazy. It was the most painful experience that Daring had ever known as the wind picked and kicked at her again and the thunder which seemed to be all around her at once concussed her body viciously.

The dark figure of Desert was standing before through barely open eyes, his head moving up through the storm as if looking for the cause; the earth pony having no problem as far as she could tell staying grounded.

Then it happened, the silence. There was a moment where all the thunder and sand went silent and all that Daring could hear was the frantic racing of her own heart and the steady flapping of something truly massive.

Chaotic darkness, as if spawned from the void itself appeared through the raging storm claws of vicious black reaching down towards the two ponies. It was all Daring could do to breathe and remember to keep herself grounded at that spot. Deep within the heart of that darkness Daring felt a heat emanate, a magical surging that reached out to poison the air around the beast and paint Daring’s soul with unconquerable fear. The tears flowed uncontrollably in the moment of silence as the mighty beast lowered itself through the singing storm of mayhem, its outstretched talons wrapping the form around Desert.

With a retching yank the beast was gone into the sky again, hidden beyond the swirling of the storm and as quickly as the silence had come it had gone returning with it the lashing winds and raging thunder into the momentary vacuum that she had entered. Almost instantly it all died and Daring felt her muscles explode from the strain as there was suddenly nothing to fight against.

A rain of sand was falling gently to the ground all around the desert, blocking the sun, but the wind and the thunder were long gone.

With that, Desert was gone and Daring found herself alone, staring at a compass telling her to run north by north east…to run as fast as she could. The frightened mare all too happy to oblige the flight instinct now that her limbs would allow it.

Chapter 6- The Stranger Revealed

Chapter 6

The Stranger Revealed.

Daring had run for what felt to her limbs like days, stumbling every hundred yards or so her muscles threatening to tear at the over exertion that she was putting on them to escape the swirling storm. Desert was gone… A sharp flash in her mind “You got it boss.” the pony’s last words to her before disappearing into the swirling cyclone of the sand haunted her mind as she flapped her wings and pushed herself harder and faster. Daring had almost no recollection of what she was doing the sun was so threatening above her head that no matter how hard she ran to escape it would remain always perched directly above hammering all of her thoughts away.

“Run. Run, never stop…Run!” she ordered her body allowed in panting gasps whenever she felt the muscles giving away to common sense begging for the shade and the swift release of water and more importantly… rest. The mantra rang through her ears like the chiming of a silver bell that she had once heard near a church, it reminded her just vaguely of her purpose… to run and run, to out run the elements. To win. Daring knew on an instinctual level that if she stopped her legs would break in the exertion of her efforts that there would be no tomorrow for her, the sun would win… that if for even one moment she was to cave into her body that Daring Do, the most adventurous and dare-devilest of ponies would lose.

Perhaps it was that which pushed Daring farther and harder than any pony would ever come to imagine. It was this sense of instinctual victory that drove Daring to heights were nopony would dare soar or to depths that had never been expedited in all of history, it was the need to prove that no matter what she would win against any foe or villain or trap or even the very elements themselves. Her body would react to the challenge regardless of conscious choice as it struggled back against death and worse all for the sake of instinctual conquest.

This dangerous run was a testament to all of her strength, a testament to her might as she galloped harder and harder her wings spasming against the weight of the sky as she forced herself into a furry of blind adrenaline and rammed herself further and further towards her goal.

Then it was before here. A chasm in the once fine and level sand stretching out almost half a mile, across was the beginnings of a lush rich forest emerald shade teasing her senses and muscles causing them to cry in agony as she beheld the spoils of her run. Her brilliant lavender eyes opened wide as she beheld the lively workforce before her. Thug ponies, earth and Pegasus were busy slamming picks and shovels against what looked like the exposed top of a massive temple. It’s stone pillars stood up four size, one at each cornerof the top, it fell down almost like a barrel to a massive double door opening the size of a small house. There was rigging and makeshift tents as the thugs continued to work at it while the dry and barren desert wind mocked Daring, crashing into her empty lungs.

Her mind was afire with questions: How had they managed to get ahead of her? How long had they been working to get this much rigging up and so much of the tomb revealed…? How far had they adventured into the tomb...?, and most importantly…Had the treasure she had sought so viciously for been lost to her? Daring fell onto her haunches and racked her mind, she needed water first and foremost. Stumbling with the supplies that she had received from Desert she got the canteens and downed both of their contents, fumbling deeper she found a small package of herbs and food. Consuming them quickly she felt some of her strength return as she watched the crowd beneath her intently, the bottom of the hole being almost twenty meters below.

Eyes strained she glanced a double-take when she noticed Rockstone and the mysterious stallion from back at the pub when she was in Canterlot… They had gotten there ahead of Daring…somehow. The small stallion seemed to be coughing hard in the dust lifting a fore hoof to his mouth to stem the painful spasms, keen eyes shifted and took in Rockstone he seemed hot and haggard but still in his prime, a true earth pony specimen. All might, no bite. Daring panted and considered her options they had about fifty thugs working, add another ten on if she included Rockstone and how hard he’d be to take done/ get past, not favourable odds, then there was this wild card…Daring regretted deeply not asking Dry if he had seen the small pony around when she had been back at the museum, she had been so excited about the Legend of the Ruby Knight that she had failed in her information gathering. A wild card was someone dangerous, the unknown was dangerous…but then again it was always that which drove Daring to push her body to new heights…

Taking a deep breath she considered her options, a direct rush would be foolish but it was really more her style, she could see the barely open doors of the tomb from this distance and though she assumed they were quite thick and heavy, Daring was almost sure she’d be able to close it sealing off pursuit long enough to ‘lose herself’ in the tomb. That entire plan hinged on their being no workers or thugs inside of the tomb though which would mean locking herself in with more unknown combatants, the only other idea she could think of in the heat (the sun was beginning to set in the western sky) was to stealthily fly around to the back of the tomb skirting along the rim of the dig site before making a mad dash and hoping that she wouldn’t get noticed. Or, Daring conceded, she could attempt to make a huge amount of noise and get everyone’s eyes on her…Daring would then use all of her strength and speed to disappear from sight and dive down into the tomb before anypony would be able to stop her…Daring had to admit the idea had star appeal. Steadying her legs Daring took one more glance before deciding on what to do.

Pushing herself up to the very rim of the decline and swishing the hair out of her eyes she reared up onto her hind legs and let loose a mighty bellow. “Oi! Catch me if you can!” she cried and every eye in the site turned to her, it was a good feeling there was surprise and in some eyes fear at the sudden unknown mare yelling down at them, like they had gotten caught with their hoof in the cookie jar. Rockstone looked up at Daring and let loose a mighty snort, his smaller companion’s eyes hidden beneath the shadow of his hair but there was an uncomfortably controlled smile playing on his lips that made Daring hesitate just one moment.

Just as Daring lifted her hind legs off of her feet to dive down into the mass of thugs just beginning to regain their consciousness of the situation there was an amazing uplift of air that grabbed her by the collar and lifted her five feet off the ground, almost like a mouth picking her baby up with her teeth from the forest floor. There was the rush of being in mid-air without control, a feeling that Pegasus rarely experience. A shout reverberated from the other side of her, down in the dig site full with panic and fear as her wings were forced open in the vicious gust.

“DRAGON!”

The chaos that ensued can only be described as the epitome of beauty which transcends normal life for there was a silent moment for Daring where all the sound in the world disappeared and there was only the fevered beating of her own heart as her wings pushed her forward about to begin her dive into the site. Every thug there was scrambling over each other to grab poles, rocks, wood anything that their teeth could bite on to protect themselves, Rockstone was rearing up in challenge his lips parted in a kind of carnivorous roar that only one of extremely deficient intelligent could truly master as a form of challenge…and the stranger? The stranger was making a clear line for the entrance of the tomb.

Like the explosion of gun powder there was enormous release and Daring found herself at the bottom of the dig site before she could almost control her descent. The was the harsh flap of her wings that she was used to and the adrenal, almost primal rush she felt when she was once again under her control and slicing through the air, Daring had no idea that she had missed it this much as she gave a flap and started to weave and cut her way through the makeshift tents and goons.

Fire, a raging heat hotter than the boiling sun tore at the air around her reminding her of the screams she had heard the goons release, it must not have been a mirage.

A glimpse up as she did a tight barrel roll past a set up post where another tent was going to be constructed, this much larger than the others, and there before Daring’s eyes was the Dragon.

The mighty four legged beast with massive wings darkened the sky and the shy stars poking their noses out into the sky early, there was a sort of primal fear radiating from it that caused Daring to shiver and almost falter in her maneuver, biting her lip so hard it bled to fight the fear with pain. It’s scales, a faded and violent red like the colour of blood freshly gushing from a wound seemed to bleed into the pale lavender of twilight and haunt the sky with its menacing eyes. There was an anger and lust in those eyes, Daring knew the emotion all too well having seen it in many eyes of those who had tried to stop her from acquiring artifacts all over the world but this was something different, the eyes of the beast (a dull red, almost like a garnet) were far to intelligent for that of an angered beast or a foolish thug. It was a monster hunting for its prey with full calculated knowledge of what it was doing, and once again Daring found her body begging for her to run.

Dashing her wings tight to her back she began to weave through the thugs as fast as she could, so fast that a cloud of dust kicked up in her wake and her body was almost invisible to the naked eye of the untrained thugs and workers as they struggled to deal with her dashing onslaught and the raging dragon above.

“DARING!” Rockstone yelled moving between her and the tomb entrance, the stranger moving his way inside disappearing into the open crack; even at this distance Daring could see the door shiver as the smaller stallion attempted to close it.

“Out of my way ROCK!” Daring yelled flapping her wings hard creating a sonic boom of sound as they cracked beyond the speed of sound sending her body forward like a bullet past the last few thugs between her and Rockstone, almost too fast for her to swerve out of the way without crashing into the hefty earth pony who had reared up and was about to bring his forehooves down where he head was just about to be.

Daring rolled ever so slightly the force of her movement exaggerating the action sending her onto her side and out of reach of his hooves, line perfectly with the ever closing slit of the tomb’s entrance. AS she dashed by Daring kicked out her hind leg hard feeling it sink into the bone of Rockstone’s knee, unable to see the fruits of her labour but knowing she heard bone shatter.

With a clatter and a crash Daring found herself in the dark tomb just as the door was slamming shut behind her, panting strongly at the exertion of her gallop and the mad dash she had made to get into the tomb. The small stallion was behind the door, standing up against it his hooves still on it as they were when he had slammed it shut.

“So… you made it in.” The stranger said, coughing up dust and phlegm against the door harshly, the room they were in was dark and dimly lit by two dying torches on the floor, a large ante chamber with six large bipedal statues lining the only way out; thick layers of dust and film were on everything hiding the floor in an almost grey mist, outside the dragon could be heard roaring over the screams of the thugs. “How long do you think we have till the dragon makes his way in here…” he asked Daring who in term stared darkly at the unknown stallion.

He was far to calm with the situation there was a scheming under tone of utter confidence in his voice as if he knew in some way that the events coming would be exactly as he predicted. Daring moved away from him, keeping his back to the door as he turned to face her, making sure to get between herself and the exit to the next room. There was too much in the air to just let him get away on her.

The nameless stallion, on the other hoof, seemed to be perfectly complacent…almost as if it was an outcome he had come to expect.

Daring kept her eyes sharp on him, circling as he did like two cats stalking each other before the pounce her muscles felt so tight they would tear at her flesh themselves. Her adversary was calm though a slight hobble in his right hind leg as his eyes wandered around the room at the bipedal statues.

“Odd isn’t it…?” he asked looking around the room slowly with a careful eye that made Daring twitch, there was a cold calculating tone in his voice that she had never heard before. This was not some enemy that felt it was on the precipice of victory and was letting its guard down, or a brute who was attacking in a last ditch effort to win… this was something new to Daring. Intelligent.

“What’s odd…” she asks looking over at the statues each one lining the walls, three on each side massive a good eight feet tall and thick made of some type of mineral that, under so much dust, Daring could not define.

“You disappoint me, Ms. Do.” The stallion said in that same overbearingly cocky tone, a hint of a Canterlotian accent seeping through. “I would have thought you smarter than the beasts outside…” he mocks further the resounding roar of the dragon shaking the temple slightly, dust stirring.

Daring took a deep breath to focus herself on the room, what was out of place, where was the trap there had to be something that the Stallion was noticing that she was overlooking something crucial.

“Still no luck I see.” He said in the most condescending tone that Daring had ever heard making her bite back a heated retort her wings tightening like springs ready to pounce at him. “Why decorate a tomb which is locked from the inside…” he says and slams his hoof down, only then drawing Daring’s attention to a slightly misshapen and sunken in stone in the floor.

Daring’s eyes went wide as the mechanisms older than ponies would come to know echoed and grinded to life in a way that they had never known before. Eerie light flooded the dimly lit chamber as the bipedal monsters which lined the wall came to ferocious life, the dust and creaking of their limbs filling the chamber with confusion. One was moved forward, almost tipping with its might and sleepy magic finally being relieved the golem flared down at the Pegasus, it’s eyes burning out beams of the purest red. Jumping to the side Daring managed to dodge a lumbering swing off its jet black arm as the crevices along its body were cleansed of centuries of filth revealing what appeared to be intricate armour lines like some ancient knight who had defended Canterlot in time long past. Daring’s jump carried her far and the only thing that kept her out of the clutched of the second machine, with its eyes of the purest blue was the pure instinctual fear of danger, the whisper in the back of her name telling her, urging her one, whispering to her that she needed to jump.

There was a primordial screech as more mechanisms within the tomb came to life hollering out in agony at their disuse. With a glimpse Daring saw the stallion dart in between the golems with surprising speed and as she noticed the suddenly closing door opposite the main entrance it struck her that it had been his plan all along to use the traps as a way to preoccupy her so he could get further into the tomb, and closer to the armour. Daring, though she hated to admit it, knew he was right for moments after he slid under the falling walk wall that appeared in the opening heading down into the lower levels the wall solidly crashed with the sound of tons far too heavy for one Pegasus to lift. Now she found herself alone, surrounded by the Golems who were getting accustomed to their new life faster than Daring could have feared.

Now the six stood between her and the wall which the Stallion had galloped beneath just moments before and her only hope of catching up at this point, without having this army of mechanized defenders chasing her was to find the trick. There was always a trick to a trap, Daring knew this, always a way around and through a trap it just takes a calm mind to find it. Staring up at her adversaries Daring took in every aspect.

From the front the six bipedal machines look very much the same, their armour was made of some jet black material that seemed very strong, the only noticeable difference was their eyes. Each pair was lit up with a different magical glow that radiated out like the morning rays of the biting sun. Red…Green…Pink…Blue…Yellow…and Purple… there had to be a relation and Daring had to find it quickly, dodging a swing from the lumbering hulk with blue eyes and squirming beneath the combo of the reds kick managed to reposition herself facing their rears and she saw it .

The one detail in their armour was placed directly on the back of the chest, mid-height directly centered between what could be defined as the shoulder blades. It was a circular emblem with six hexagons inside of it each done up in a slightly altered shade. That had to be it, Daring knew somewhere instinctual that getting a better look at that symbol on their back would be the key to shutting down these monstrosities. Daring leapt and spread her wings dodging two of the speeding up arms, giving herself a jolt into the air squeezing her body down to almost impossible levels as she swept over the one with purple eyes the height of the machine only giving two feet of clearance, not really enough for a full grown Pegasus. Swinging her forelegs around the machines neck she swung around its body pressed against her back; confusing whatever magical sensors the other machines were using as the one with purple eyes raised its arms back in a feeble attempt to remove and dislodge the clinging pony from safety. She kicked out with her hind legs feeling up the monsters back trying to find that spot right between the shoulders, getting herself in an awkward position before the sink happened.

There was a sink in the hoof as she hit what she wanted to. Having only taken a glimpse at the image on their backs and the colours being shadowed by the harsh darkness cast by their eyes that Daring had feared she would be unable to find the right gemstone but her leg was true. She felt a frightening shiver run through the golem as its eyes shut down and the beast went limp with Daring on its back. Laughing she gave the beast a hard kick sending it forward slightly in her exhalation over her victory before remembering the other five. Five steal hard fists punched their way through the body at the Pegasus lodged onto its back. A position that Daring was quick to cure. Kicking off she sent herself back against the barred door which blocked off the dragon and the outside desert, her shirt tearing in the process as she kicked her way down and beneath another swing which was, surprisingly stopped by the door, and got herself between the legs of the red eye. On her back mid-roll Daring kicked out and up lifting her whole body off the floor a little as both her hooves slams against the red stone on the red-eyed one’s back. The red gem shattered and another of the golems went down, using the strength of her kick to carry herself off the floor Daring managed to dodge a sweeping swing from one of the other golems but it was quickly looking like she was running out of options in the mass of onyx limbs. Taking a sharp leg to the side Daring found herself lifting through the air without her control, a feeling that no Pegasus was comfortable with and felt her ribs crack slightly.

Moaning and forcing herself to move though her limbs cried out for her to stop, agony was seeping its way into the adrenaline but not enough for Daring to give up. Giving a quick, brash look at her surroundings she dove into the approaching circle of golems, booting her hoof forward hitting a fragment of the golem that the others had shattered, a piece of its leg shooting off behind the one with yellow eyes, bouncing against the wall hard and smacking it in the back; right on the sweet spot. Using the opportunity Daring leapt up and jumped onto the yellow one’s shoulder using the impact of the others’ fists to send herself by the door. Using her wings for balance she kicked off and sent her back against the markings on the back of the blue eyes, the impact and sudden powering down of the machine carrying it forward letting her roll off and fly up over the head of the pink one, delivering a sharp back kick to the lumbering machine which hit right on the gemstone, leaving just Daring and the green on left. Unfortunately for the young heroine it was between her and the other side of the room and this machine had by now full awakened, the massive limbs moving a lot quicker with the dust being cleared.

Giving the room a quick look, the confidence and adrenaline over took Daring as she gave the lifeless machine a winning smile. With a flick of her head she sent her hat off her head and a sharp buck with her front hooves sent the heavily brimmed accessory flying. Watching it with her lavender eyes, a look of total excitement she observed her hat bounce off the wall, arch off the ceiling, catch the sealed portal on the other side of the room and strike the golem right in the back with a victorious thud. The light leaving its eyes as the air left Daring’s lungs.

The door that the mysterious stranger had dashed out of just moments before, though Daring felt as if hours had rocked by as the ache in her muscles re-doubled, the adrenaline of the life-or-death situation leaving her cold.

Run. Remember to run.

Panting Daring’s hooves clashed against the stone tomb as the dragon outside roared all the louder, reminding her to run, she needed to get down to the armor before anyone else and there was nothing that was going to stop her, the amazing Daring Do. In a moment she was running past the rock piles of once living golems with the same ferocity that she had ran through the sand and heat of the desert, her wings twitching with every other step as she moved through the hallways, finding a dimly lit staircase going down deeper into the levels of the tomb. The only hinting of the passage of the stranger was the occasional dust that had been kicked up and the lit torches lining the walls, a good four feet off the ground.

In moments the seemingly endless passageways and corridors and staircases opened up to what appeared to be a large ante chamber with four branching passage and it was there that the tracks of her elusive enemy ended. Breathing deeply, her mind a-race Daring looked at each of the routes her innate senses of danger informing her that traps and devices designed to slow or kill the Pegasus.

Taking in each one she scrutinized every minute detail she could make in the dim torchlight by the opening of the antechamber through which she had entered. The first one was a trap, to the far left; the dust, though thick had been unable to hide the minute history of trap, pressure sensitive panels that Daring had in her many adventures come across all too often. The second of the four branching passageways went up too high, there was something hidden above it to rain, drop, slice, smash or kabob anything that went beneath it, this time the pressure plates lined the walls and the thinnest almost invisible traces of wire just above the height of her head making flying impossible. The third corridor, the darkest of the four though it was directly opposite to the light source in the room, in the near impenetrable darkness Daring could hear, and… feel the movement and darkness moving just out of sight, something was there hiding from sight, hostile. The fourth chamber was split down the center there was a feeling of falling when the Pegasus looked at it, knowing that even if the floor would give way she had her wings and would be able to fly (though how far in her current state she was completely unsure). Who ever made this tomb though had been impressively counting on unicorns, earth ponies, AND Pegasus and she was sure it would have a secondary defense mechanism against fliers.

So they’re all trapped… Daring mulled the thought over in her mind pacing back and forth, the shaking of the ceiling above reminding her to the numerous threats present just on the other side of the heavy double doors of the tomb. The rattling above causing heavy dust to rain upon her and in the ensuing coughing fit she glanced at the ceiling her eyes widening. It almost appeared to be a reflection of the floor in which she was standing, the four openings over to the side but, carved up into the higher levels of the tombs was an amazing stone helix staircase with the center a massive pole of rock like a perfect stalactite. Moving quickly Daring placed herself directly at the epicenter of that helix staircase’s reflection looking up at it to ensure that she was placed directly beneath it. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, and pray that she was right, she delivered a sharp hoofstep to the spot directly beneath the pillar carved into the ceiling above and was rewarded when the floor began to grind and groan with the magic of long lost spells. Gradually the floor melted and shifted away to form the helix staircase that was mirrored above and there was Daring standing on the epicenter of this great, empty antechamber. With a magical cough of blazing white light far at the bottom of the staircase the pole that Daring was on began to sink, the express way down.

XXXXXXXX

As soon as Daring was down out of sight the torch that had illuminated the large antechamber moved down from its precarious perch, slightly tilted against the wall. Concealed beneath and behind it in a small crevice the mysterious stranger whom had taken off before Daring in a mad dash at the reanimation of the golems had hid. Unaware to Daring, providing her the light to solve the riddle that had stomped himself, moving to the edge of the Helix staircase he looked down at the Pegasus disappearing bellow. Smiling her moved the torch back fully into his mouth, grumbling over it.

“Clever girl.”

XXXXXXX

Daring took off down the only passage that was offered to her at the bottom of the magically exposed cavern moving slower now, seeing no trace of the Stranger, wondering if he had chosen the third corridor and met his end; a shiver dashing up her spine at the evil she had sensed just beyond the darkness.

The new corridor like the others was inherently dark and devoid of light so the slower pace she was moving at allowed her to feel her way along safely. It was a matter of minutes, four or six (it was hard for the mare to tell in the dark silence) until she came to a small, average living room sized room with an opening unto the darkness. The room was lit by torches that pulsed with red magical fire, an ancient spell that she had encountered before; the Everflames would survive as long as oxygen persisted and the torches, enchanted to last the millennia had served to carry their flames well. The flames illuminated the one exit to the room and slowly Daring approached it… to find the emptiness beyond. The door opened to a massive chasm that disappeared off into oblivion, a good four-hundred meters across was the opening to the next room, far too big a distance to cross with a jump… the only other option left was to fly or glide. Daring took a few steps back hoping a speedy jump would give her enough distance to glide the rest of the way.

Taking off from the bit with a gallop Daring reached the very edge of the room and was about to leap into the air when her internal defenses kicked in and a paralyzing jolt of fear ran down her spine and into her wings causing her to pause immediately. There was a scent in the air of rich magic…dangerous magic. Her heart was in her ear pounding hard as the image of her incineration and death raced through her mind as she pulled back from the ledge. To fly at any height in that chasm would have meant death for her and she, on some instinctual level was painfully aware of it.

Breathing slowly Daring moved back to the edge and bit her lip, she had to get across and she couldn’t jump or fly; even gliding would risk her wing or her head dipping above an invisible line of safety that she could only vaguely feel…like how one feels there is something in the night waiting to latch out and attack, just hidden beyond the vision of normal beings. She had to get across, it was Daring’s only thought, she had to get across and it was the only thing stopping her was her fear.

Daring took a deep breath, so deep she could feel her lungs teasing her rips painfully, there was only fear in her heart at this moment and Daring knew that in order to get to the Ruby Knight she had to be fearless. She slowly started a small mantra to herself, a technique she had been practicing for months and years to master her emotions in the moments when it all seemed too overwhelming.

“What clouds the mind is only fear…”

“What clouds the mind is only fear…” Stronger…

“What clouds the mind is only fear…” Always stronger…

With each reiteration of the phrase she felt the words growing stronger and stronger within herself. She was Daring Do, the most adventurous of ponies and fearless of fillies. What was clouding her mind was only fear. And Daring Do was as everypony knew fearless.

Her eyes opened sharply with her resolve; there was no longer fear in her lavender eyes reflecting the dull red magical light. The fear had left Daring. Moving forward slowly she set one foot over the edge and took a deep breath before bringing it down in a normal step.

Clack.

Her foot hit something solid as it came in contact with an invisible floor conjured by some form of unicorn magic or crafty art that rendered it indistinguishable from the rest of the cliff face and darkness. Breathing a sigh of relief Daring bit down and began to walk in a well-paced straight line across the gaping chasm, unaware that behind her came the mysterious stranger just in time to see the trick to the chasm.

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The corridor following was rigged full of booby traps but all of which were obvious enough for Daring to maneuver her way through without setting one off, they seemed to be spaced far enough apart or chaotically specifically so one who was skilled enough to get passed them would. Again the corridor was lit with the dull magic torches that had lined the small room before the chasm and it cast haunting shadows of the Pegasus as she moved from side to side to dodge the traps. There was a sinking feeling in Daring’s chest as the edge of the corridor came into site; it was so familiar to her, like something she had seen in a dream. There was a growing sense of fear and then there was nothing. All emotion drained away from Daring as she stood before the same door she had in her dreams.

There was a clash behind her as a normal flame lit torch crashed to the ground pulling her eyes to the Stranger who had been following Daring without her knowledge, a six-shooter pistol wedged between his teeth with a look of finality in his all too familiar eyes.

“Thank you for leading the way girl…I was worried the golems had finished you off leaving me without a guide.” He said, his voice coming clear; causing Daring to notice a weird over the neck holster like device for his gun keeping it right in front of his teeth and tongue if the trigger needed to be pulled…Daring looked hard at it for a moment, she had seen it before she knew that. “I’m afraid…” his voice pulled her back to reality, away from her focus. “That you have out lived your usefulness…” he continued, the voice drenched with coy condescendence.

“Who are you..?” Daring asked panting her eyes moved back to the gun, a form of tunnel vision that occurred when faced with a lethal fire arm to the face. She was aware of the psychology of the moment but that prior knowledge did little to persuade her instincts.

“My, my, you still haven’t figured it out?” He laughed hard, coughing directly after it; that cough echoed throughout the tomb, it was so familiar to daring. “Silly Daring, so easy to manipulate and use throughout the months and years…”

Daring looked at him with the most incredulous stare.

“You still don’t know! Precious!” he laughed cruelly, lifting a hoof up to his hair pulling away a well-made wig that had replaced his normal mane. “For years I’ve been using you to build a stockpile of powerful, magic relics and you never caught on… I knew I had to get you onto the trail of the Ruby Knight as soon as I got wind of its location… even then I knew you wouldn’t be able to excavate it on your own so I had to set all of this up in advance… I’ll admit the dragon was a surprise but no plan goes off without a hitch.” He took his pistol into his mouth and stepped fully into the flickering light of his torch staring down Daring.

“Now Ms. Do, it’s time for you to die.” Dry Pages said through clenched teeth, his tongue wrapping around the trigger.

Chapter 7: A Ruby Knight.

Chapter 7

A Ruby Knight.

“Now Ms. Do, it’s time for you to die.” Dry Pages said through clenched teeth, his tongue wrapping around the trigger.

A million things raced through Daring’s mind as she starred down the cold iron barrel of the cutting edge pistol, a device farm-ponies used to keep predators away from their crops suddenly turned into a weapon of heinous murder. Escape plans, attack plans and plans that seemed to be just flights of fancy, somewhere in the mess of consciousness that was the instant after Dry Pages had declared her imminent demise and the time she took her next breath her entire life managed to fleet in front of her eyes. A defence mechanism searching all of her life, every memory at super speed to try and find some way to stop her death, some way to prevent the end from being meted out so suddenly in this dark and ancient tome.

And it did.

In the form of a massive, howling dragon.

Just as Dry Pages was about to pull the trigger the dragon that had once been on the outside of the tomb crashed into the opening of the heavily trapped corridor that Daring and Dry had just passed through. The earth rattling force of the Wyrm rocked the temple and the two ponies hard, the bullet being released with a pitiful blast flying harmlessly against the roof and falling weakly to the cavern bellow.

Daring was rather sure that Dry was experiencing the same sort of “whole life” experiences that she had been viewing just moments before. Neither had any time to think as the long necked lizard pushed its way brutally through trap after trap the arrows and spears and other sharp objects bouncing what Daring could only assume was bouncing harmlessly off its scales.

Then the wall of flames came.

Unknown to Daring, Dry had turned and fired off two more rounds of his gun at the dragon while it barrelled its way through the traps with fierce abandon; he looked like he was about to fire a third when the fire belched out from the beasts stomach, the dark and dank world that had once seemed so perfect in the shadows was now a mockery of light and heat as liquid flames pooled out towards the Pegasus and earth pony.

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The room, yes she recalled the room now that her initial panic was behind her. Daring fluttered her wings absently and looked out into the darkness, five torches along the walls lit by embers that should have burned out centuries before kept alight only by the thick magic which seemed to loom over the place. The details of the room escaped her, annoyingly so for Daring felt the archaeological urge to map and document all around her; everything needed to be charted and preserved in its original shape or even the smallest piece of history may be lost.

“Daring….”

Another skeleton, this one garbed in what was once brilliant and skin tight ruby armour lined with gold and fitted to every part of the body that a pony would need protecting for was sat upon the throne of magic. Daring swallowed a ball of spit that had been forming in the back of her throat and took a deep breath that she had been unaware of holding; hesitantly she took one step forward.

“DARING!”

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Daring blinked hard to consciousness breaking away from the dream, the room however looked the same as it had when she had slept, had looked the same when she barrelled through the doors, the massive portal closing behind her blocking off the smoke and the fire. It was the same as it had been then, the dim torches, the details hiding just out of her vision. The soft scent of must hung deeply in the tomb and Daring twitched in the soundless shade unsure what to do. In her dream a voice had called to her and she had moved forward, to find the skeleton pony with a voice, with movement and for just one moment Daring was genuinely afraid.

She remembered her mother, who’s namesake was the same as her own, so strong and wild with that Do look in her eye, untamed and ready to fall head first into the first thing she could come across. Daring remembered how fearless her mother always seemed with her brilliant ruby eyes and lush chocolate mane, laced slightly with pepper flowing freely wherever there was wind. The adventurer remembered her voice from when she was a little filly, before the compass marker on her flank had appeared.

“Mother, why are you never afraid?” Daring’s voice rang out in her ear.

“HA!” her mother laughed, that strong laugh laced with years and adventures that had filled Daring’s fantasies since she could understand them. “I’m always afraid little one.” She said her eyes shifting from the hard light filled ones to a dull and far off shadow, opposite of their regular brightness. For just one moment Daring could see her mother without her walls of adventure and courage, raw and afraid. “I just know that my next step requires me to surpass my fears child, you’ll understand one day. Having no fears does not make you strong; pushing through fear will do that.”

Daring gasped and shook her head clearing away the all too vivid memories of her mother long gone. It was in her bones and muscles now, tightening her throat and constricting her lungs. A good fear. Animalistic and pure, it was a fear of the dark-no a fear of what was in the dark hiding just out of view and in plain sight, the most primordial fear that Daring would ever know.

Fear was the wall, her mother had said so, and Daring had always believed it to be true; it was not in her to give in to fear. It had not been before and it would not be so now, she decided putting one hoof in front of the other approaching the centre of the room. The sound of her hoof clattering with the smooth stone floor caused an echoing CLOP that made Daring’s hair stand on edge, sound seemed unnatural in this place drenched as it was in decay and magic.

Before her was a large, circular room, behind her a small alcove to which the double doors she had dove through opened into separating the chamber from the outside. Centred in the circle was a massive throne, its back to the door the so that the occupant would be facing the far wall, its back and legs where made of thick oak, the rest reaching high up towards the ceiling but aside from the high quality wood Daring could determine no other detail or decoration upon it. Again her hooves clopped against the floor as she circled to the left slowly, staying close to the outer rim of the circle as best she could; violet eyes adjusting to the dim torchlight which radiated from five torches attached to the far wall, they seemed evenly space, their fires had long died down to nothing more than burning stubs but the light burned the eyes enough in the perpetual darkness to slow Daring’s already cautious approach. As she drew closer the shapes beneath the torches where revealed from the darkness to be five smaller chairs, much like the first in a more minute scale. Upon each was a skeleton.

The first was a unicorn whose bony form was garbed in a deeply coloured robe, the colour itself lost to the darkness. Above her was a large plaque which bore one of the same symbols from the golem that Daring had encountered at the opening of the tomb, a similar shade of purple was faintly visible on the faded star. Beside the first was an Earth Pony encased in steel plate with a dirty earth color to it, above was the green gem. Next to that was a Pegasus who’s brown clothing had remained in a state of perfection that could only be unnatural, across from this was another Earth Pony this one in robes like the Unicorn and further down in the last seat in the row of five was a Pegasus that bore the same sort of armour that the royal guards of Canterlot wore though the armour was made of metals long ancient and outdated. All five of these skeletons sat in a bizarre visage of permanence looking out into the throne that faced them.

Daring took a shaky breath and prepared herself to turn away from the five skeletons and face what in her mind she could already see. Turning slowly her eyes fell upon the brilliantly red Unicorn ensconced in the Armour of the Ruby Knight. There before her was the same image in her mind and once again Daring was drawn to the once infamous knight in all of its glory, Daring felt the same ethereal pull drag her close to the long dead pony who was sitting there unmoving for centuries and just as she got close enough to stare the skull in the eye there was a flicker of movement and a pulsing wave of magic.

“Daring, at last.” Spoke the skeleton.