Three hours into the early morning, and Rainbow Dash had passed over two more mountain ranges. The rough topography was rather surprising to her. She briefly wondered if the map in her saddlebag was anywhere remotely accurate, for there was far too much uneven earth that she had covered and she yet she still hadn't stumbled upon the last two or three landmarks marked on the east end of the illustration.
What was more, the rocky peaks stabbed remarkably high into the air, breaking the clouds and dissemenating the moisture so that a heated bubble of vapors gathered along the eastern slope. More hours went by, during which Rainbow Dash witnessed rapid convection as she pierced the hot air. Sooner than she had hoped, she heard a loud rumble filling the troposphere around her. She glanced left and right, finding herself surrounded by black, anvil-shaped thunderclouds.
A groan escaped her lips as the first of several hot drops of moisture began to fall. Her wings were growing damp. The air tingled with the threatening hint of electricity. There was no way of avoiding it: she had to put her rapid flight on hold and find some cover.
Gazing down, Rainbow Dash adjusted her goggles so that the clear lenses gave her an unobstructed view of the world below. Dense trees had given way to dry bush. There was no vegetation tall enough or spacious enough to give her a natural ceiling. So, beginning to grow desperate, she dove low and skimmed the west side of the craggy hilltops just beneath her. She studied every nook and cranny of the bouldery landscape, desperate for an enclosure that could keep her from becoming soaking wet. To her gasping surprise, she stumbled upon such a niche. It was a cave, immeasureably deep, with a grand black entrance that entreated her like a Cloudsdalian atrium.
The world rumbled loudly behind her. Rainbow Dash started to feel her coat hairs standing on end, something sparked by the queer sensation of cold winds pierced by hot rain. She had lost track of time, and she briefly wondered if summer had crept up on her.
Wasting no time, she darted straight for the cave. There was a flash of bright light in her peripheral vision, forcing her heart to jump. When she stood in the enclosure, she gazed out—panting—in time to embrace a wave of vibrations as the dipping valley below the rocky hill yelled from the storm's immensity. She gulped, breathed easier, and managed a deep chuckle.
Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches and watched as the world turned gray. The dark flanks of the overhead stormclouds dipped down to kiss the earth, and soon there was a syphonous hiss of moisture pooling over the empty landscape as far as she could see. Her wings fluttered a few times to shake off the loose droplets, and then closed in on her sides. She had made it to the cave on time. Reveling in her miraculous dryness, she gazed at the rainsoaked world like a mare might sit at a theatre show. This was just as entertaining—soothing, even—and the roar of the precipitation lent her gentle heartbeats a pleasant ambiance.
Half-an-hour passed, and Rainbow's antsy nature got the best of her. She stood up, turned around, and faced into the dark recesses of the cave. She raised the goggles and blinked widely into what turned out to be a black expanse. Marching forward, she came to a point where she was no longer gifted with the vestiges of daylight. There she stopped and whistled. The echo that replied was formidable to say the least. She couldn't help but wonder just how deep the cave was.
She needed light. In a practiced ritual, Rainbow Dash stood still, took a meditative breath, and ran a hoof up to the ruby lightning bolt of her neck pendant. Once making contact, she spun concentric circles and murmured something to the stale air of the place. It took a few seconds, but a deep red glow came to life from within the gemstone. A dim crimson spotlight was cast before her, growing brighter by the blink, until the walls and floor of the rocky enclosure took shape.
Rainbow Dash did a double-take. What she originally thought was a cave actually turned out to be a tunnel. The red light went down the distance of fifty feet, and then blackness once more layered the extremity of the natural corridor. There was no telling just how deep the passage went, or what may have been lurking within. It would have been very unwise to blindly trek down.
Rainbow smiled.
She glanced behind her at the bright world turned gray with rain. With a flick of her tail, she abandoned the stormy afternoon, choosing instead to trot firmly down the dark corridor. As her hooves scraped against the polished rock, the world rumbled again. For the briefest moment, however, Rainbow Dash imagined that the thunder was coming from below instead of above. She shrugged the thought off, adjusted the saddlebag on her spine, and quickened her descent.
Let's see where this story goes, shall we? It's very exciting so far- definitely something new.
I'm gonna take a wild stab and say she is now in Australia, based on the name...
I need sleep. I'll finish making comments on every chapter I've read later. G'night.
So the cave is a tunnel, eh? Let's see where it goes.
I'm almost ashamed to admit, but I've spurned this story on multiple occasions. The lacking of description, low number of likes and the small length of chapters led me to believe that this story was a simple adventure lacking plot by an inexperienced writer. Now I see I was wrong.
Upon opening the first chapter I was graced with descriptive beauty shrouded in a thick veil of mystery of a level that most authors, myself included, struggle to achieve. I am completely enthralled.
-Sparklight
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But we don't have a lightstone... (I miss Bionicle)
Ruby lightning bolt - her element? The element of loyalty?
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Little late to that conclusion, but welcome all the same ^^
Well, there isn't much to add here about her past and what she's doing in the present. All we have are more masterfully done detail and a quick look at how you handle ominous feelings and foreshadowing. Flawlessly, that's how. I wonder what she'll find rumbling below the surface of the earth.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
There isn't too much to say about this chapter. Probably the biggest thing in it is that Dash can use the element of loyalty as a magical tool as well as an element. Other than that, there is her thinking that the thunder could be coming from below the earth. Perhaps Discord isn't gone after all...These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
The short, simple description had made me ignore the story for a while, but now I'm glad that I clicked on it. The story is beautifully written, and I can see the scenery in my mind. Only the best of stories can make me do that.
-THEpandaman007
Wow, how did i not make the connection that it was her element...im so dumb
Wow. I might read this one again. You write so very, very well. I get chills more often than I probably should.
And now we're getting somewhere...
So....she can use the magic of the pendant whenever she wants? Say what now?
I just absolutely love the wording you use in this story. It's so colorfully descriptive of such simple things.
"this cave is not a natural formation. Someone built this, so it must lead somewhere."
Hmm. This chapter, combined with the last few, makes me wonder if something has happened to the other mane six. The oak board at the cabin seemed like a tombstone, and if she can still use her element, then she probably isn't discorded.
Past theory: RD was discorded and she was leaving Equestria.
Current theory: They lost against Discord (he keeps coming up because of the dream), the others died, and she's running away and trying not to think about it.
its like she is trying to get killed
This is no longer a cartoon world...
This story is making me want to play minecraft.
So Rainbow Dash can use her element to create light? Well, okay then. I'm sure the reason why she can will be explained later, but for now it makes a good magical torch. Also, the whole 'thunder from below' thing seems quite significant and I'm excited to see where it goes. Something I should've mentioned before actually, is the fact smiling is important as well. She must be very upset over (theory) her friend's deaths.
2490923 Don't mine at night.
Austraeohaiku
Rain, rain, go away
I'll seek shelter in this cave
Ooo, let's go explore!
HM..... my perception of the pacing of this story was way off. I thought this took place around the 120 mark. Ah well, its still great. Anyway, another good chapter. Earlier I was saying that Spring was the best imagery chapter, but the last two have great as well. I guess they're all just good. Here, have some sweet music. I know that it doesn't have the rain sound, but wow is this good. Check this guy out if you get the chance, and by this guy I mean Mehdi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyGODZF1TVU
This track is SO AWESOME, and the calming tone fits great with the mood of this story.
And into the depths of hell we venture.
I'm liking this adventure in artistic storytelling.
I'm also getting some minecraft-y vibes, but I wish to shake them off soon.
193 more chapters!
Latent magical abilities remain in her Element....interesting.
For a bit I thought she might be trying to circumnavigate the world. Though, depending on how straight of a line she flies in and depending on how deep the tunnel is, she'll likely never see Ponyville or her friends (assuming they are, in fact, still alive) again. (but that's the point now, isn't it?)
Sorry Imploding Colon about this comment flooding. I honestly didn't expect to be commenting on nearly every chapter.
And once more unto the breach! Is it really wise to be just trek blindly into a cave like that? But then again, this is Rainbow Dash... and Element abilities that are not seen in the show? Colour me intrigued. Again.... Oh well, onto the next chapter where you will probably only present more questions and no answers... :P
Probably didn't think about it but red (or rather crimson in this case) light doesn't interfere with night vision, so she can relatively clearly see if this light goes out under normal circumstances. Unfortunately caves are not normal circumstances, cave darkness is CRAZY dim. But that of course won't stop our favorite pony from exploring. Onwards
Hey, what if that game were a voxel game and you could build things too? So many ideas, so few clock cycles to do them with! Heh, maybe in ten years my pc will be fast enough to make super Minecraft like that.
And so Rainbow's legacy of exploring caves begins. Seriously, Rainbow, what is it with you and caves?
Now that I think about it, it's probably a metaphor.
Interesting, sounds like it's mid-late spring right now. I don't think I've ever seen this line brought up by people trying to put together the series timeline.
And into the abyss Rainbow goes, Probably not the first time, and certainly not for the last time
02/13/2017 23:23 GMT
I suspect this is going to be a pattern.
Chapter 7 Opinions
This was an interesting chapter as always. I don't really have anything to say about the first half since it was just Rainbow flying, and then taking shelter in a cave when it started to rain. The second half however was really interesting. I like how Rainbow Dash can perform rituals using the magic in her element. That is a really cool idea. I'm excited to see where the tunnel leads to, and if it actually is natural, or if it was made by some creature. I guess there's only one thing to do now. Read more!
I'm off to chapter 8!
Reading Ofolrodi and coming back here to start all over again... Your universe is truly a gift to us all!
This thing is 5 years old I am somehow only now reading this.
Huh, the element doubles as a flashlight. How convenient.
disseminating
Ah, I see she has her Element with her. And it has unique powers? Neat.
Oh. Oh, dear.
Well, I think things are about to become more eventful.
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You have no idea.
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Yep this even I remember even over a year and a half
Time to go exploring.
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I know it sounds really dorky but I'm enjoying scrolling down and reading all of your comments at the end of every chapter. It makes me feel like I'm experiencing this story for the first time with someone else, instead of alone. Thank you 😊
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Thanks! From here, there are only a few more to where I last left off, but this is certainly encouraging to keep at it.
Ah!!! so boring.
Deep dark tunnel in unexplored mountains? Perfectly fine to go explore! What could possibly go wrong?