Rainbow Dash wasted no time exploring.
As soon as she fitted her packs back on her flank, she took off and soared directly for the edge of the canyon. She stared earthward, squinting as she passed over the edge of the ravine. With startling magnificence, the stone surface of the Grand Choke cut straight down at an unimaginably steep level. Because it was so early in the day, there was no way the sun's rays could reach the inner chasms below. As a result, Rainbow Dash couldn't guess their actual depth.
Curious, she nevertheless flew eastward in a lazy glide, ascending with flapping wings in order to get a finer survey of the natural phenomenon. And yet, the more she observed, the less natural it all seemed. The world below had been sliced thoroughly into sharp swaths, bending and twisting every which way. It was almost as if a gigantic, continental razor had etched serpentine grooves into the world's stone skin at random.
Rainbow flew, bending north slightly as she climbed to an even higher altitude. Gazing northeast, she saw the canyons rivering off, disappearing beyond the vanishing point. She couldn't tell where the canyons ended, although—from what she observed—it was as though they all started suddenly at that very specific longitudinal line.
Her eyes grazed the winding the canyons as the next two hours passed. The very edges of the ravines—the top lips, so to speak—were jutting at near-perfect right angles. Rainbow Dash had never seen anything like it—not in Equestria nor in any of the lands looming east. As the third and fourth hour limped by, she grew increasingly eager to see what loomed below in those dark, dark chasms.
At last, it approached the noonday hour. The sun passed slowly overhead, and Rainbow watched as the light bled deeply into each crevices. Lips pursed, she descended, coasting the mouths of the ravines. She hovered in place above one particular narrow trench, watching as the light spread down... and deeper and deeper.
Noon came, and Rainbow still couldn't spot the canyon floor. To her estimation, light traveled down a visible two hundred meters before her eyes could discern no more. What struck her as strange was that the canyon walls were almost perfectly vertical, with immaculately smooth surfaces.
The mare chewed on her lip. She glanced east at the sea of canyons, then up at the bright sun. Within another hour, the light would had shifted west so that she'd have next to no visibility within the ravine. So, taking a deep breath, she fearlessly dove earthward, plunging into the ravine altogether.
As soon as she passed the top edge of the canyon walls, she felt encumbered by a wave of bitterly cold air. It was soothing for the first thirty seconds, but soon turned deathly and chilling as she was surrounded in ominous shadow. She passed the light's edge, spreading her wings in order to slow her descent. Here, she drifted downward slowly, eyes narrow. As her vision adjusted to the depths, she found that there was—indeed—a bottom to the canyon. Rather anticlimactically, however, it was filled with rising and falling dunes of sand.
Nevertheless, Rainbow Dash touched down on pensive hooves. The sediment was remarkably compact to the touch. Only a few gritty bits crumbled off. Otherwise, it almost felt like perching on the stone skin of the Grand Choke itself.
Rainbow rubbed a hoof across her pendant. A ruby glow illuminated the smooth, shiny walls claustrophobically stretching above her. Within the crimson halo, Rainbow Dash knelt low and brushed her hoof across the beds of sand. She collected some of the material in the crook of her forelimb and lifted it to her eyes, studying the shiny specks within.
She exhaled, tilting her head to look straight up.
The world appeared before her like a worming slit of narrow light.
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, reveling briefly in the dead silence of where she stood. That far deep, away from the light and the wind and the heat, it almost felt like the last week had been nothing but an absurd dream. If there was a way to slap a lid over the ravine's top and seal her there, she might almost be game.
Nevertheless, a lavender pulse dragged her out of the moment. With a dull sigh, she fluttered her eyes back open, glancing up.
The slit of light was a lot darker. Rainbow knew it wasn't just her imagination. Several thick clouds had formed overhead.
Curious, Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and began the grueling ascent back to the canyon's surface. The faster she climbed, the dim light remained the same, instead of blinding her. With a worrisome breath, she reached the chasm's lip and peered out into the surface world.
Her heart nearly stopped, and she had to struggle to squint into the bitter winds.
Another sand storm was rushing in—and fast. What's more, it was powered by at least two howling cyclones that shredded at the stone earth with violent abandon. Rainbow watched as the cyclones rolled westward—until they crossed over one or more canyons. They then made erratic turns, nearly breaking up, but ultimately coalescing and becoming stronger.
Rainbow bit her lip. She figured that flying back into the depths of the canyon would be her best bet, but she didn't want to risk anything. So, with a swift breath, she kicked off the earth, barreled north, and flew rapidly in hopes of circumventing the westward blowing cyclones.
The air grew more and more turbulent, and soon Rainbow Dash realized the deathly swiftness of the storm she was attempting to outrun. However, just as she contemplated ascending above the dust clouds, a wall of brown sediment consumed the horizon in front of her.
Rainbow gasped, hovering to a swift stop as her wings fought against the winds to keep her steady. Her expert weather senses hadn't anticipated this, but she could now tell that a concave wind formation was sweeping her way, and if she wasn't careful she'd be caught up in the storm by three sides. Rainbow's experience with dust clouds told her that there was no sense in outrunning them.
So, with literally no more options available, she gnashed her teeth and flew straight down, descending rapidly into the dim, dark chasms right as the howl of murderous gales whistled into her ears.
Seems Freddy Kreuger visited the Grand Choke. Though that would make ponies much smaller than cats...
Forty side-straddle hops, ):(. Knock 'em out!
That place is cut to hell. I'm really curious as to what caused it all.
Okay, this and the end of the chapter are making me think that there is more at play here than we realize. Like there might be some protectors or something of the grand choke who don't want rainbow passing. This whole thing just reminds me of Stratopolis, and we all know what happened there. Suffice to say, I'm scared shitless.
That moment at the bottom of the canyon was... really poignant for me, for some reason.
She's in the middle of nowhere, in a perfectly carved canyon. She probably disturbed dust that no one has even so much as touched in all of existence. It's deathly silent, no motion at all save for the passing of the sun's light above.
She could fall asleep, then and there, and never wake up, and no one would ever find her. Years, decades, centuries, millennia would pass, and not a single soul would ever find that place again for the remainder of existence, or know who disturbed its presence or what her story was. It would be lost to history.
There is something strange and otherworldly about the untouched places of the world. It makes me wonder what lives have been lost to the Choke, what forgotten memories lay buried beneath those sands and stone, never to be found or remembered again.
Reminds me of the lost cabin by the lake, and the abandoned summit at the top of the world.
Now I remember why I loved Austraeoh so.
Yep...of course she's forced to explore it. Not that I'd have it any other way...
Okay. Definitely ruling out this canyon being a natural formation. At least it runs in a slightly eastward direction.
Yep. Not a drop of water.
This is gonna be good, though. Time for some exploration.
I hate the run , dodge and hide in the side paths to get past the fireball, flamethrower, rolling boulder etc stages. those storms are getting nastier, the chasms seem to act like a filter, sending the storms spreading, meaning they are coming from more like one place. Given the similarity as time goes by to the terror cyclones blocking the ocean, I wonder if Dash is going to find a Sentinal here, given the last one was definied by Smooze, changlings and the last stand of Commander Hurricane?
Follow the lavender light highway. First hope the wind doesnt go down the canyons, or if it does, she can dig into the sand or find a machine world outcrop.
Welp, at least there wasn't any Ravine Eels or centipedes. Err, right?
Nononono I jinxed it.
5689826
My heart can't take that new profile picture. Ouch.
That title has me sp00kd
More horrible, horrible caves. Brings you back to Austraeoh, doesn't it?
5690039
Ha, yeah, except here it's even worse because you combine caves and sandstorms.
I'm excited that something dangerous is finally happening.
5689826
That cabin was one initial away on one name for being the initials to Eagle Eye and Ebon Mane. I agree, it's... forcefully desolate, is the only way I can describe it. It's such a perfect feeling of loneliness that ):(/skirts can write well in any story.
Hm.
One has to become curious and frightened to know what created these. Sapient or not.
One also has to think about how any non-flying creatures could have passed those canyons. Seems like it's a long drop, wide enough for a pegasus to fly in, and very long, all arranged in north-south direction (unless I'm missing some part of the description). Must be quite troublesome to get across.
...
Wait.
Is it possible that Rainbow found a giant, long barcode?
Within the coldest depths one must be clever and adaptable, or become food for one that is.
Hm. Interesting. *takes notes feverishly, for the map*
Gosh I'm such a nerd. It's hopeless.
5690078 I kinda wonder if it couldn't be where another part of the Ring World just... clasped together or something.
I just feel like it has something to do with the machine world.
5689999 Shh! Before IC pops out, like Chaos Ravine Eels!
welp
imma go stare at emptiness for a while now
5690270 i would love to see that map when you're finished, sir
i mean, if you don't mind
5690028
Same!
But I was thinking of maniatic eels.
5690270
Well.... If you are a nerd, then I'm someone who like to look at the results of nerdiness. Can you post the map later?
5690676 5690838 Well, I'm about 2/3 done with the lineart only, but once it's done, I plan on posting it, yeah. Keep an eye out on the Austraeoh group.
5690326 5690028
After some google-fu let me discover why I found the title so familiar:
The Silent night
It lingers deep in desert canyons
wafting with a gentle glow
over jagged rocks and dusty hollows
marking every crevice
hard to hold
and yet
so worth the effort!
Don't let go.
DM Kraft
So... how did the ponies who ended up on Val Roa cross the ravines?
5690078 http://www.av1611.org/666/barcode.html
5690326 http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Ruined_City_of_the_Giants
First rule of Austraeoh: there is always something in the cave that wants to kill you.
Second rule: there's also something good.
Third rule: both are usually hidden at the end.
Also, Whats with the freak sandstorm? That probably isn't a coincidence.
5691045
Hey, you haven't commented in a while- at least not that I've seen. Where've you been?
5689899
Gee, thanks Cortana.
i.imgur.com/Dv5e9.jpg
There's gonna be a very old deer in there, and Rainbow's gonna need that dagger to prove to that deer that she's friendly. ^^
...or not. *shrugs*
Woo, finally caught up again. The long chapter stopped me for a while, but I'm back. Now, I want to see what those canyons look like from really high up. They have to spell out something. Also, I did some quick calculations, and if we get 1 chapter a day like usual, then chapter 200 of Yaerfaerda will come out on April Fools if I'm correct. Do with this information as you will. All hail Zadubadabu.
5691231 Before, IC just publishes the last 5 or so chapters in one day, and submits the new story. So the last chapter may not be published on April 1. (I don't want the last chapter to be an April Fool's chapter! xD)
The last thing I recall that was distinctly serpentine (other than the Lounge) was Nevlamas. Verlax has been here. And that makes things all the more interesting.
Last chapter, I speculated that there might be some connection to the Machine World. This time around, I have a similar but slightly different theory: These canyons are where the different pieces of Urohringr connect together--like docking points. The smooth surfaces and right angles seem to support this notion, but I suppose anything's possible at this point.
hadabadababdabdabdbadbauuuuuu~?
wait a moment
where did the divines come from?
way back in the earlier books, if i remember correctly (somebody get AFC in here, stat, cuz my memory is as reliable as a fly's), they were here BEFORE the alicorns
so
where?
this, combined with their knowledge of the austraeoh, the sundering of the ring, and more (at least, axan seems to know), they predate the sundering
might they know who built it? axan certainly knows that dash is needed to fix it (or extend this segments life)
or
might THEY have built it?
or have knowledge of how it functions in some manner?
they certainly should know what went wrong, right?
mayhaps this verlax can be reasoned with, explained that the ring may yet be made whole?
geh, rambles
5691547
5691231
Oh...
So that's why nobody will be prepared for the end.
Hopefully the storm passes before the nighttime. We don't want her freezing to death.
5690078
*beep* One Urohringr ring fragment. That'll be 19.95. Would you like it bagged?
that's all I could think about once I read bar code
What if there is life in the canyons somewhere?
I would guess something nocturnal with wings to scale the walls, fur would be a bonus, quadrapedal would not be very likely but could still exist, and there would need to be a food source. The food source is the problem.
5691114
Fourth rule: Only stupid plans work.
5691908 You, Sir, made me laugh. As my people would say, nicht schlecht!
5691908
This, basically.
Also: "Don't forget to read the instruction manual on how to properly care for your fragment. Be also sure to check out our Austraeoh Chaos repellent, on sale this week."
MLP product placement at its best
Silly Dash, dark holes are never good. You should've learned this a LONG time ago.
5689826
Dammit man stop toying with my emotions.
Has anyone else noticed the sand storms seem to come when Rainbow Dash disturbs the desert floor?
5690326
You called?
5692300 Imagine how that would be for those that had to walk there. Probably a constant sandstorm.
5692528
Maybe... or maybe Rainbow Dash is special.
5690049 Thanks!
Also kinda weird that Fimfic didn't bother to notify me about your reply. Huh.
5692300 Very interesting thought. Note that both known Austraeohs were pegasi, adding to their chances of surviving the Choke while earths and unis would have serious issues...
Counterpoint: "concave wave" of sand? So, shaped like ) and comes in pulses, presumably from that center, magicless zone of the Choke? Maybe the pulses go both ways, outward, shaped like ) ( ? Coincidence?
5691142 Spring is exhibition season. So we've been out looking at new suppliers etc as we plan the next BUCK con.
Curious chazm of chaotic creation? Could be...
spooky
Time to weather the storm. Hopefully the canyons provide refuge.
-Spirit
With the erratic direction of the cyclones, maybe they carved the canyon. Nature is not unknown to geometry.