"So... uhm..." Pilate bit on his lip as his ears twitched. "Uhhh..."
Crimson stared at him, then straight ahead at what O.A.S.I.S. was illuminating.
"Uhmmmm..." Pilate's metal brow furrowed in the rippling torchlight. "This is... this is a lot of symbols..."
Before them, in a claustrophobic basement chamber below the upper ruins, stretched a wall of granite. Though the age and wear of time had soiled its otherwise pale features, there was enough contrast to expose dozens if not hundreds of complex symbols, all of which were swiftly being scanned by the sweeping laser emanating from the zebra's floating manasphere.
Pilate exhaled heavily through his nostrils, marching up and pausing the laser's sweep so that he could place a hoof upon a repeating pattern: that of the emblem Rainbow Dash had found on the deceased pegasus.
"Though the exact meaning of all of these is completely unknown to me, I have seen this figure before. Its prominence is most alarming."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a crest of sorts," Crimson remarked, his deep voice echoing against the cold walls. "Perhaps a form of identification for whoever once lived in this part of Foxtaur."
"Could it be that they built these ruins?"
"I'm not sure if you can 'see' this with your sphere, but the etchings aren't exactly framed well with the floor. Many of them are positioned at crooked, odd angles to the dimensions of the wall."
"It could be that they were carved here by ponies who had inhabited the ruins before us." Pilate rubbed his chin. "But why were they here in Foxtaur? And for how long?"
"If we're talking about winged ponies, there's no doubt they'd be migratory," Crimson said. "I doubt they had any reason to dwell here long."
"Long enough to carve ritualistic circles in the floor."
Crimson squinted. "Huh?"
"Did you not look down, Captain?"
Crimson pivoted the torch in his telekinetic grasp. The mercenary gasped upon seeing several circles within circles carved into the granite below their hooves. The geometric precision was inspiring in its complexity.
"What are these... It..." Crimson blinked lopsidedly at the zebra. "How did you even see these!?"
"It's taken several years, but with the aid of O.A.S.I.S., I've learned to observe things in three dimensions." The white stripes of his muzzle took on a red hue. "Though, I must admit, it takes considerable concentration."
"So, I'm guessing you've mapped this entire room already?"
"Mapped, yes. Comprehended? Hardly." With a breath, Pilate reached back into Princess Luna's saddlebag—which was adorning his figure at the moment—and he pulled out a familiar tome of ancient wear. "I would like to think that there was some definite purpose for why these sketches were left here. The circles on the floor, granted, are likely related to a ritual..."
"What kind of ritual?"
"Well, I doubt there's blood involved." Pilate gave a twitching grin. "As the grooves etched there aren't deep enough to collect such."
Crimson stared at him blankly.
Pilate sighed and flipped the book open. "Yes, I do believe some study is in order."
"Do you... uhm... need some help?"
"No, this is a task I must endeavor to do on my own. I wouldn't want to burden you with something so terribly dull."
"I can't just leave you down here..."
"Can't you?" Pilate glanced his head towards him with a smirk. "Thanks to you, O.A.S.I.S. is working just fine. I have no doubt that I can find my way up to the surface if I needed to."
Crimson sighed. He glanced around the lengths of the room. Eventually, he said, "I'll check back on you every twenty minutes or so."
"Better make it forty," Pilate murmured, flipping through the pages as he flickered the laser from his manasphere between the wall and the tome. "I do believe I shall be here for a while."
"I hope you find what you're looking for," Crimson said, marching away with his torch.
"I hope I know what it is before I look for it."
Alone with the bleak soundlessness of the ruins' bowels, Pilate scanned and scanned the pages. He paused upon reaching a page in the book that showed a rough outline of connected dots, almost like constellations. The upper "limbs" of the conjoined symbols appeared to be stretching out towards the heavens.
"Curious..."
He tilted his head towards the wall, at the page, and back towards the wall again. The rune on his forehead pulsed as the manasphere rose up, spun a few times, and fired a beam of energy at the wall. With remarkable ease, a thick cluster of symbols—all with repeating patterns—lit up amongst the rest. When they did so, they roughly resembled the shape and outline of—
"A pegasus," Pilate slurred. His clouded eyes narrowed as O.A.S.I.S. scanned down the "neck" of the rough equine figure. "And if I was to assume she was facing the viewer..." His manasphere stopped at a pair of symbols, thicker than the rest, positioned right below the cranium of the figure just like a pendant hung beneath the chin of a familiar pegasus. "'Austraeoh,' but of course."
Pilate's lips curved, and he eagerly flipped through the book.
"Let us see just how 'old' you are, dear friend..."
WHOA.
I think were having something not unlike the reincarnations found in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Am I right? I think I'm right.
So the more info we find, the more we figure out that Rainbow Dash may have chosen to go through with flying east by herself, but it was also prophesied to a certain extent. At least that is what it seems like.
It has been a little why since we have heard from Dash... I wonder what is happening.
This isn't really relevant to this chapter, but I've thought of something.
A few chapters ago, it was implied that Zenith wanted to hand over Belle and Pilate for his own freedom.
He was apparently going to do this by calling Shell via one of those enchanted crystal walkie-talkie things.
So if you can call people with those, does that mean that RD can call Cold Canter if she gets her hooves on one powerful enough?
That would be pretty awesome!
To contextualize this revelation, remember that it has been known for quite some time that there was something much more ancient involved. The thing to note about this Axan moment is that not only are we dealing with ancient prophecy and symbolism, but also a culture that may have surrounded it. Prior to the allegory of the cave, that is, pre-Eljunbyro, the symbols and machine seemed to simply exist, and to exist without much being known about it. They were solitary. Now there is direct evidence that there was a culture surrounding these great mysteries. With strong evidence suggesting it was not just any culture, but a culture of pegasi.
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It is my understanding that those crystals must be correctly tuned. Not to mention the one Cold Canter had was said to have a distance limit, one that has surely been surpassed at this point.
Okay... I'm stumped on this one. The time-frames just don't add up for reality, since Dash is only mid-twenties. Could be prophesy... although you can't tell the colour from that symbol-picture, so... was there more than one Austraeoh? Has this been repetition rather than reincarnation?
Ooh, things have gotten interesting at Site Beta... Something tells me that Pilate won't like what he discovers. I have nothing to base this upon, but the last few paragraphs gave me bad vibes...
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That would make my
daymonthlife.2095202
These are carvings, not associated to the machine.
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a) time and space are relative. 2) prophecy and ancient carvings are funny like that.
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It is wise to take caution, but do not let caution cloud your mind to the point of constant worry.
Veil Of The Forgotten - Witch Mountain
The plot is thickening at an alarming rate here.
ah yeah, time to figure out what the hell is going on.
Too bad we won't find out what Pilate (zebra) just found until 10-15 chapters from now...
ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4729197981794746&pid=15.1
*reads last line*
FFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Well, we've been told essentially what Austraeoh means. I guess we get to find out how convoluted RD's journey really is.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/Slowpoke.png
HEY GUYS
I THINK AUSTRAEOH HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH RAINBOW DASH
..but seriously, like, whoa. This is heavy.
Whoa. That's heavy....
So, if I'm right, that makes Dash reeeeealy damn old. Well, at least it's hinting at it.
Pffff so. IF that's the case, then what could have happened. Like, years ago. As in possibly hundreds of years ago.
Ummm....
Ok then.
Well, I'm lost. I don't really know what to think. Other than we may have an old pony.
Onwards!
Well, this be certainly interesting. Just how old is Rainbow's prophesy anyway?
Also, been thinking. Zenith doesn't want to mutiny, he wants to turn in our three protagonists, doesn't he?
image13.spreadshirt.net/image-server/v1/compositions/24749003/views/1,width=178,height=178,appearanceId=2/spruch-brain-exe-2-T-Shirts.png
So confused.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So there's some stuff in this chapter, but I'm not sure it's all news to us. First off, whoever lived at Beta definitely knew of the prophecy of Austraeoh and Eljunyro, seeing all the symbols. But the ritual is new. If it's not blood, maybe it was a magical one for the Elements. But I don't really know. Something that I'm wondering is if Dash is a reincarnation of Austraeoh and that there has always been an "Austraeoh" throughout history that gives their life to save the plane. I don't think that's what it is, but I did want to mention it on the off chance it is true. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
Huh. Is Pilate asking how old the dead pegasus from before was? Or is he talking about Dash? Or the prophecy/symbols in general? Hmm...
On an unrelated note, Pilate is really brave. I would not just chill in the bowels of abandoned ruins by myself. I suppose not being creeped out by the dark (seeing as he's blind and all) would help a bit, but still. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but it feels like something bad/icky might happen down there. Alas, I now require sleep, and cannot continue my chapter binge. Until tomorrow!
Now we have two possibilities: Austraeoh's coming has been foretold much more precisely than we thought before (not only having a culture around it and all that, but also depicting Rainbow Dash herself), or Dash isn't the first Austraeoh to come. That idea has been nagging at the back of my mind since more than a hundred chapters now. Whitemane clearly stated that Rainbow Dash is the Austraeoh, but at the same time the both of them are not identical. What if the Machine has stopped before? What if Rainbow is just another puppet in the hands of fate, used like cynder and thrown away. What if... what if she is...
suvudu.com/files/2011/01/whelan-darktower.jpg
DUN DUN DUUUUHHN.
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“The Armory. She would come to the Midnight Armory and there she would sing their names; there she would sing their names; there she would sing all their names. The sun stained the east a dusky rose, and at last Rainbow, no longer the last Element but one of the last three, slept and dreamed her angry dreams through which there ran only that one soothing lavender thread: There I will sing all their names!”
Now that's one way to record your prophetic vision!
grace,
-Psyco Josho
'You alone, though you come again and again, can unmake him. Whether I allow it is within my wisdom.'
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Sing my song and become nothing.
Wait, wrong story.
2105495 made me giggle.
BLARG ANCIENT PROPHESIES AND CIVILIZATIONS AND RAINBOWDASHES!!!
Remember when Pilate and Belle almost got crushed to death in a pile of gold dust? Like eighty something chapters ago? remember crying like a baby as they said their goodbyes? I JUST DID!
This is new... Just how many ponies prophesied the coming of Rainbow Dash? Such deep.
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Oh shit! I completely forgot about him!! Man, I hope she can. I really do . . .
So Rainbow is so awesome that she was carved into the walls of ancient ruins. Awesome.
Last person to move through here was 3 weeks ago. Tracks still fresh. Onward to the story.
Holy crap talk about fresh tracks. Just 3 days. That's the closest I've seen since I started this series 6 days ago. O.O
If you place each of the stories in this series upon a wall of the proper size & separate out specific words it will make an image of RD wearing her element below the symbol for Austraeoh.
>four minutes
"Wait..."
And ninja pegasi took them away, their silent screams unheard by anypony.
Welp, just finished up "Meddle", which I neglected to mention I started a few chapters ago. Since I don't have school today, I may just marathon the rest of this story out...
God know I have enough Pink Floyd for the trip.
Don't split the party! Oh well, it's not like it isn't far too late for that concern.
Woah.
5291991
I want to go to the library of Babel and find each of these books. If you look long enough you can find the ones that haven't been written yet
Very, very cool. I'm excited to learn more.
I love all of these characters. Pilate is so interesting, unique, and easy to envision.
Ooooh boy, it's like learning of an ancient lineage!
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The future Is here!
pilate! I thought your parents raised you better, don't you know it's rude to question a ponies age?
The commenters last chapter were right, there are symbols everywhere!
But of course, Pilate doesn’t recognize any, but one very interesting symbol, catches his eye.
So, it’s a pegasus. Big revelation, but still, this pegasus looks a lot like Rainbow Dash.
Now, I wouldn’t be shocked if another commenter brought this up, but I have a feeling that there’s an ancient prophecy. This might’ve been spoken of before, but a several month-long gap between reading stories has this side effect of making you forget everything that happened in the prequel. I think this prophecy might’ve spoken of a winged pony, not unlike Rainbow, doing something of note. This something is at least important enough to warrant a carving of Rainbow Dash in a cave. So yeah, I do think there was an ancient prophecy that spoke of her.