After sacrificing her life for another, Trixie was meant to receive admission into the shining golden fields and silver city of Elysium. Instead, she was waylaid while crossing the river of Oblivion by Rarity Belle, her promised after-life wrenched from her hooves, tossed in front of a pair of unsympathetic gods, and summarily dismissed. Now trapped in the fabled City of the Dead of Tartarus, Trixie will need all her wits and skills to find a way to escape.
Even greater trials await Rarity. Mind fractured by the nature of her death at the hooves of a fallen goddess, and then eroded further by the river's waters, she wages a war within as well as without. To return home she will have to first reforge herself.
Former enemies, they will need to learn reliance on each other to cross the myriad worlds, from Tartarus, to Gaea, and realms between and beyond, in order to return home.
A Myths and Birthrights side story.
Edited by Honey Mead
Cover Art by Nalesia
The long wait is over. There were times when I did not think this day would come.
I've been dying for you to get to this par of the original story for so loong!
Thanks you for your work!
Having now read the chapter, I can clearly see the amount of changes that are present compared to the events that took place in previous version. That version left me a touch unsatisfied: first, there was the Diabolus ex Machina (the wish) that took Rarity to Gaia, followed rapidly by an extremely pure example of a Deus ex Machina (the conflict was literally resolved by a goddess, Greek no less, coming out of nowhere and fixing things) which left Rarity an Alicorn.
It felt rushed and unearned.
Here, things are getting off to a much better start: we have our heroines in a tighter spot, with a better chance at a earned happy ending after a proper quest.
I look forward to it.
Well... This is quite different from pre-rewrite version... Better of course... However shame it feels for me like filler... The only thing from this side story I am dying to know is the identity of the stallion that Rarity picks up on Gaea for her herd with Celestia... (the third son of Kronos has yet to make appearance, so somepony related? His son maybe?)... I think you ruffled some feathers with the death of the main heroes... This will calm their horses I hope... Finally confirmed that Tartarus is shared between worlds... that bugged me a bit...
A question Tundara...
Is this the version of Equestria where Sombra is a gelded pony-dragon hybrid? To be honest I read a lot on this site and it gets mixed up together and I am lazy to go look in the Pride ana Envy and the Velvet story to confirm...
Quality superb as always, didn't spot a typo... Shame... I like finding typos... Was probably cherry picked by Honey... So I will go back to waiting for the chapter of Myths where Hades + Soir/Namyra will arrive in Canterlot and the drama will begin... Happy winter holidays to everyone and I hope you find more time to write Tundara...
Your stories always seem so epic and grand! One of these days I'll have the free time to read them all!
7828148
Thanks! There were so many issues with the original version of Myths. Deus and Diabolus ex Machinas as far as the eye could see...
There still more than a few, but I think I've crushed the more egregious instances by this point.
As for Trixie and Rarity's quest here, if my current plot outline is followed (I do have a tendency to deviate), then they are in for a rough ride. Thankfully, Honey Mead has already hit me over the head with the Salmon of Common Sense +2 to avoid some of my more... terribly atrocious ideas. Some of the very early plots points were a little too Greek Mythology, if you get my meaning...
Though the end results for Rarity are well known to any who have read the Anthology stories, I hope the journey is worth the read. And Trixie's fate is still unknown, so I have that to play upon for readers suspension.
7828381
It LIVES!
Even if Trixie and Rarity technically don't.
7828158
You are correct on Sombra. He could be elsewhere as well, but he is here for certain.
I'm rather embaressed how long it took me to settle on Tartarus' various districts being distinct as the afterlives from other pantheons/mythologies. Of them, I think my favourite is Izanami's Yomi. At the present juncture, these other lands are mere setting dressings and world creation fluff for my own amusement and furthering the setting consistency.
Honey Mead really knocked it out of the park with his suggestions and edits this time. I found only a couple things while doing my pre-posting final read, myself. Not that it signifies much, he is a vastly superior writer on the technical and spelling fronts than I am.
7828462
It's just a minor technicality, not being alive...
Great to see the Rariad set sail!
And I feel sorry for Rarity... to call her broken is an understatement. I hope she recovers.
A new Myths and Birthrights story? Tundara, how you spoil us.
7828528
Bonnie 'Bloodrose' Belle, Captain of the Sea Serpent, dashing pirate queen of the Marelantic Ocean, occasional thorn in the side of the Equestrian Royal Navy, Scourge of anything afloat that flies Hackney colours, sometimes agent of the crown, and dotting mother to her two fillies when ashore. Anchor is the sub-wife... second wife? Uh... I still have trouble finding a term that feels right with the herd dynamics.
7828941
I don't think there needs to be a special term, she's just her wife, only the matriarch should have some kind of title (though i guess "matriarch" itself works).
Me when I see this pop up:
On a more serious note, thank you very much!
Its finally here!
I ship it. I blame growing up watching Saint Seiya, and the Patriarchy(tm) for my love of the Knight/Lady (and, like in this case, Champion/Goddess).
I hope I find a couple more chapters once I return from vacation (my sister wants us to see the ocean in person and just thinking that I feel anxiety).
I could see the Mythsverse Sombra becoming a local lesser god of the dead, de facto anyways.
He's not exactly a nice pony... kirin, whatever... but he's not overly cruel anymore, assuming he's the same as he was when he finally died anyways. He was most certainly powerful, and carried a portion of an Alicorn for quite awhile. Ioka doesn't have enough alicorns to have it's own god of the dead, so seeing Sombra end up taking the post for awhile could be interesting.
Poor Rarity though, proto-alicorn in body/soul maybe, but her mind is fractured and scarred. Hopefully when she gets back she'll kick Hades and Zeus in the nuts. They rather deserve it for simply abandoning her and Trixie.
Yay! more please!
I'm so pumped for it!
We need a discord server or something
Oh man, I've been waiting for so long for this story.
Very interesting start to it. Not much Rarity yet, but what we're seeing of Trixie it's makes me think that our fabulous fashionista won't be the only one coming out of this with an increased level of personal power. Sensing the change to the district that disappeared seems like a pretty big deal.
Hey, I'm sure Sombra will be very helpful. For the right price, which might be hard to pay.
7832494
She's lucky Zeus and Hades were merely unhelpful. Most of the awful fates you can suffer in Greek mythology are due to getting the attention of a deity.
I really like the way all the world's tie into this shared aspect of reality. The world of the dead makes for such a cool setting, be it for Dungeons and Dragons, Mythology, or Ponies.
I wonder how long Ioka will remain a backwater, though. Gaia is busy having an apocalypse, isn't it? And Faust and Iridia's relatively peaceful refuge is about to get a big boom in Alicorn population.
Yes, lets just go to the villain that she and her friends had a hoof in destroying/killing in the Crystal Empire... BRILLLIANT!
7850375
Sombra is one of the instances where the Alternate Universe tag strongly applies. There is no Crystal Empire, rather the Crystal City, a city and principality to the north-east of Equestria. Sombra himself died before any of the main characters were born. He never encountered Twilight or the other Elements of Harmony. He only briefly met Cadence at that, one thousand years prior. Afterwards he disappeared again and wasn't seen until meeting a young Velvet Sparkle. Velvet is responsible for his death after they got into a fight in the vale where the first tree on Ioka is hidden.
Sombra is a solidly 'grey' character. Can't say he is bad, can't say he is good either. He is self-involved and doesn't care much for others, but he isn't actively evil and trying to accumulate power either. He will allow bad things to happen, so long as the outcome doesn't effect him or his own plans.
7850478
At least your not talking 'The Pitt' level of grey here. At that point, there are no good answers.
7850478
So who takes the place of the stairs and crystals obsessed useless shadow guy for Twilight to beat!?
7851574
There never was any pony who did that, as a result.
I, as a general rule of thumb, stick to the first couple seasons being 'mostly the same' for backstory purposes. Some things are brushed over or tweaked to fit Ioka, but not enough and there isn't any sort of master-list, regardless. Everything afterwards is ignored, beyond making a joke or nod here and there. 
7851619
Oh well. I suppose stairway related challenges would be a bit lame for her now that she has wings. Then again, wasn't the heart originally hidden on top of the castle? Like literally Dash should have spotted it as they entered the city. Or maybe I'm remembering that episode wrong.
please write more
8014847
Chapter 2 is written, but keeps getting pushed off the top of the editing docket.
It's looking good that some more work will get done on it soon. Shouldn't take much work, as about half was already edited as part of chapter 1 before being split off.
Chapter 3 will be a much longer wait, sadly, as my primary focus is on getting a chapter of Myths finished a month. Any spare time is then dedicated to wherever my muse directs. This could be Rariad or other side-stories.
8015392 OK
8015392
Wait. Wait wait wait... Are you flat our saying that chapter three is well over 8 month away at least?
*Remembers how "often" the main series updated previously*
...oh, right.
Carry on.
8305231
Actually, I'm nearly done chapter 3 now... And chapter 2 hasn't been touched for editing yet. The main story keeps taking precedence when work is being done. Chapters 4 and 5... I am rather scared for when they get published. I'm fairly certain I need to up this to mature and perhaps Dark as well.
Right now, the main story doesn't interest me. But this? This has sucked me in. I can say that I want more.
8337666
Thanks! I hope this story continues to delight... once more of it is added.
I'm working hard on getting more of the Rariad published. It has been a slow process, not helped by the fact I tossed out half of the second chapter a couple weeks ago to perform a rewrite.
The possibility of seeing Sombra is certainly exciting!
I would use "had"
Hooray for Sombra!
And an update!
8692576
It only took over a year! \o/
I just realised you released this in 2016 o_o That was longer ago than I thought. Granted it was December so it looks longer than it is xD
Well this is a wonderful story and I'm so glad you added to it. I had to re-read chapter 1 before reading this one just to refresh. It all came back to me. I love the writing style! I like how they didn't just march in to meet Sombra and had to wait weeks and then BAM.
Are the Furies in the Iokan district because of Tyr's ascension?
8693310
While Tyr and the Furies are closely tied, the Furies don't need to be in the Iokan district to be 'close' to her. That said, they did decide to move their headquarters to the Iokan district because Tyr has become one of the Iokans.
I noticed what is likely a spelling error in this chapter. Would you like me to point it out?
Sweet, love this side story!
It's not surprising that the updates take long given how long it took you to actually publish the first chapter but all progress is welcome. Trixie is getting closer to leaving Tartarus at last and it's no surprise that Trixie to stubborn to stay dead. I wonder if the dream has any connection to Namyra whose domain is dreams after all.
It's so nice to see Rarity back to her senses.
Well, mostly back to them. Capable of holding a conversation is a nice step.
Doh, never mind.
It was a good try.
Her?
Sombra has a wife? Ahh, that halla from before.
Interesting that Sombra is still using Celestia's mark.
Success!
Tests! Twilight approves.
8693958
The dream has no connection to Namyra, directly. Depending on certain factors, there is a 'filler' chapter that I have 80% completed that goes between parts 3 and 4 that involves the dream. It's almost been published as a side-story in the Anthology a couple of times, actually.
I just need to make certain that it wont conflict with what is happening/will happen in Myths.
8693807
Sure. I miss far too many even with all the times I re-read chapters.
8694215
Never too many tests!
8693841
Thanks! I'm trying to get the next chapter out in a far more timely manner.
8692657
For some reason I thought I published the first chapter in January of 2017... >.<;; I feel really bad taking over a year to get out the second chapter.
8692792
Thanks! I didn't want to make things too easy on reaching Sombra.