//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: "Dark Skies." // Story: Morning Meir Mysteries: Case 1: A Mad Mare Affair // by XombieSlayr //------------------------------// Chapter 17: "Dark Skies." We managed to find our way out of the Ritual chamber via a tunnel that had yet to collapse, that reached the outside. As we took our first steps out into the warm sunlight, we took a moment to thank Celestia that we had made it out alive. We now stood in an alleyway that led out into the main street. Apparently the tunnel we had gone through was an old mainline for water treatment back before the Cathedral was built. Luckily, the tunnel had yet to have been connected and simply stopped at an alleyway, several blocks down the street from The Cathedral. Now safe and more than happy to get away from the horrors we had witnessed, I turned to Gold Digger who was looking immensely relived to be out of that place. "Are you alright?" I asked. She looked over at me and gave a weak smile. "Yeah...I've been through worse." "Really? Well, you can tell me about it on the way back to the hotel." She tilted her head in confusion. "Hotel? What are we going to a Hotel for?" She asked. I looked back at her as we started walking out into the main street, and smiled. "I have some friends I'd like you to meet." After what we had been through she seemed just fine with that notion, and followed closely behind. The hotel was a ways into town, but if we stuck to the main streets, we would make it there soon enough. I had absolutely no idea how I was even going to begin to explain everything to them. But it was going to be one heck of a story to tell. That I had no doubt. Ralah and Salah's Hotel Room, 8:15 pm I finished my story, hours later, while I rested my aching hooves in the plush leather couch and enjoyed a glass of Iced tea, which Salah had personally ordered for me from room service. I never thought that I could love a couch this much in my life. I doubt I would've been able to get out of it. As expected, eyes were staring intently at me from all sides, other than Gold Digger who was now asleep on the opposite couch, exhausted. (And rightfully so. Though I couldn't imagine her being able to sleep well, with all the horror she had experienced.) Dr. Seastone was the first to voice her summary of the situation. Unlike everypony else, who had what seemed like an infinite amount of questions, she only had one. "So...Gold Digger's a good guy now?" she asked, adjusting her glasses. Out of all the things she could've asked me, it was that. I was so exhausted from everything that I simply said, "Yep." I could hear everyone talking, but I was losing my fight to stay awake. De'belle said that an Eclipse would signal the beginning of The Arrival of The Dark Ones, but she needed me as The Catalyst to do it. Besides a solar Eclipse wasn't going to be happening this late at night, and it seemed like a hadn't had a moments rest in weeks, despite all this happening in a day. I would worry about things tomorrow, when I was awake and alert. With that I fell asleep so suddenly, that I didn't realize it until I woke up the next day. The Next Morning, 12:35 pm (10 Minutes Till The Eclipse) A solar Eclipse is quite the astronomical phenomenon in itself. With the Celestial Princesses having jurisdiction over both the sun and the moon, an eclipse in itself is quite rare. And yet it can in fact happen. Though they control the phases of the sun and moon, they don't control the direction of orbit of the earth. And in the rare instance an eclipse does occur, they are never the ones to make it happen. It simply just happens. But this time a solar eclipse was happening today. And it had nothing to do with circumstance. It was an omen, crafted by powers higher and more sinister then anything in our world. An omen to tell the world that our time is over, and that the age of The Dark Ones has finally begun. It was do or die time, and we had next to nothing to go on. Where was this arrival happening? Would the rest of the circle be there? And just what was my part in all this? What really was The Catalyst? I had hoped that somepony would have some answers for us. Luckily, Dr. Seastone, who had been up all night doing research on our situation, did. A large whiteboard stood in the center of the room, as Dr. Seastone, with her mane in quite an untidy state from lack of sleep, paced the floor and explaining the situation. "The situation is this: I've calculated that in 10 minutes time, a solar eclipse will occur. This event is not being created by the Celestial Princesses, but by mysterious and dark forces that defy our capabilities of logic and reason. And this...is how The Dark Ones will return. The eclipse itself isn't the issue. Its stopping De'belle while the eclipse is happening. She pointed a hoof towards a marker drawing of an eclipse with a line going from it to large tower. "I've determined that with the current path of earth's orbit, the solar eclipse will align perfectly with this structure in the upper most part of downtown: The Tower Of The Sun. Mareposa's most beloved landmark, built supposedly in honor of Princess Celestia when she visited Mareposa 30 years ago." Dr. Seastone shook her head. "But this is not the case. This tower's design is built like a giant reflector, and the windows are made of a special polymer glass that reflects high capacity UV rays." She pointed to a diagram of sun rays being reflected back into the sky by the windows. "To top it all off, guess who commissioned most of the funding to have the tower built?" Ralah raised her hoof. "Ooh! It was Marquis!" she exclaimed cheerfully. The rest of the room turned to look at her, dumbfounded, as Dr. Seastone nodded. "Exactly. There's no doubt in my mind that this is The Arrival point that De'belle was talking about. And where we have to go in order to stop her and save the world." Dr. Seastone gave a curt smile. "Sooo...no pressure!" Except there was indeed pressure. Our chances of success against an eldritch god empowered lunatic and a race of dark beings that we as ponies had no possible idea of comprehending, were suffice to say, slim if at all possible. Nevertheless, myself and everypony else prepared ourselves. Except for Gold Digger, who had yet to say anything to anyone. Instead she just looked on, as if she was...ashamed. I went up to her, but she looked away quickly. "Whats wrong? Are you scared?" I asked. "Of course I'm scared! But....that's not all." "What do you mean?" "I....I shouldn't even be here." she said sadly. "What?? Of course you should, why would you say that?" She turned and looked at me with her eyes narrowed, but I saw the tears building in her eyes."I'm not a good guy, Meir! I was part of The Circle! I was going to let a homicidal maniac have her way with this city! And for what? Money!" she exclaimed. "You guys are the heroes here. You should all go and stop her. But...I'm just going to go home. Let me know once you've saved the world." She started to the door, but I swiftly grabbed her hoof before she could take another step. "H-Hey! What gives?!" "You are not a bad guy, Digger. A bad guy wouldn't have saved my life like you did back at your mansion. A bad guy wouldn't have distracted the guard to let me into The Cathedral. And they wouldn't have stuck by me through all those horrifying things we went through in those chambers." I said sternly. Gold Digger looked me, unsure of what to say. "You can put yourself down all you want later. But for now: Quit complaining, get your flank in gear, and come with us so we can save the world!" I exclaimed, holding my hoof out to her. "As a team." Gold Digger was blushing furiously, and it looked like she was going to leave anyway. But after a moment's hesitation she sighed and smiled. "I guess I can't argue with that." we shook hooves and rejoined the group, who had prepared themselves for whatever we were going to be facing. There was no turning back now. Main Street Mareposa, 12:45 pm (5 Minutes before the Eclipse) As we gathered outside, we noticed the skies begin to darken. Sure enough, as I looked up to the heavens I saw a large pitch black circle had made its way partially over Celestia's sun, darkening the skies somewhat, as ponies all around us looked up at the phenomenon in awe. If only they knew what was at stake. The Tower Of The Sun was a good ways away, and we couldn't afford to waste any time, so we all took a taxi carriage to the highest part of downtown. The closer we got to our destination, the more the skies darkened, and looking up we saw that the sun had now been completely blocked out by the depthless black hole that was the moon. A pitch black eye now stared down at the world, blackening the skies and casting shadow over all of Mareposa. It was truly a sight to see, and I would no doubt have been joining the many crowds that were convening on sidewalks to watch such an event unfold. Had I not known that it was nothing more then a message to the world that our way of life...was over. We had to reach the tower soon, but even when we did I had no idea how we would proceed. And I had yet to find out what my role was in all of this. I only hoped that we would make it there in time.