A lone scorpion scurried across the scorching sands of the Somnambula desert, desperate for in its search for something vaguely resembling a shelter. The rays of the sun beat down upon the land so much, one would swear there was steam rising off the surface. But it wasn't all endless sandy plains and the occasional deceiving mirage. Far out in the west, where barren rocks began sticking out of the sand, one part of the ground sloped down into a dip where a towering stone entrance was. Either side stood two equally ginormous pillars with imposing canine-esque figures engraved into them. The only two creatures didn't need to worry about the desert's unbearable heat were inside these catacombs.
This pair were in fact ponies. Archaeologists. By the names of Lithic Dust and Field Walker, to be precise. And they were in the midst of a conversation as they passed walls and walls of ancient paintings down the dark corridor, brightened only by the yellow Earth pony of the pair clutching a lit torch in his hoof.
"Gotta say, sometimes being an archaeologist isn't the most exciting thing in Equestria." Field Walker glanced up with little interest at the endless rows of identical walls slowly passing them.
"Yeah, especially when there's nothing to dig for but rocks, dust and, oh, what a surprise, more rocks." The pegasus replied, brushing some specks of dust out of her navy mane as if to make a point. Nonetheless, the two ponies made their way without fuss towards the next entrance to, they assumed to be, yet another empty tomb. Until they both poked their heads around the doorway.
Their eyes snapped open as they were met with rows of tall stone columns, a shimmering artefact balanced neatly atop each one.
"But all that digging's worth it when ya hit the mother lode!" Lithic exclaimed, now smiling wide as she and her colleague entered the tomb, gazing in awe at each treasure that set the room aglow. They ranged from the longest staffs to the tiniest rings, some encased in gold while others were carved from stone.
"Well I think these beauties should fit right in at the Manehatten museum." Field Walker turned his neck to unfasten the buckle on his saddlebag. With that, the two ponies set to work. Lithic flew up to the top of each column, carefully picking up each item in her hooves and passing them down to her partner who, in turn, placed them neatly inside his saddlebag. She occasionally placed some into her own saddlebag. Any that obviously wouldn't fit, such as a staff or a spear, were left as they were.
"Hey, Field Walker!" Lithic's voice eventually broke the monotonous routine. "Check this one out." The pale orange mare flew down lower to give her partner a better look at this particular relic.
Held gently in her hooves was a large golden necklace, moulded into the shape of a beetle and almost identical to a watermelon in size. Its six legs jutted out of the sides like splinters. On the centre of its back, the green jewel-encrusted orb glistened in the light of Field Walker's torch. And where such an insect's pincers would be was instead a long golden chain attached to its head.
"Whoa." The Earth pony merely said, at last tearing his eyes away from the treasure to look at his partner. "Centrepiece?"
"Definitely centrepiece." Lithic replied with a nod, lifting up her partner's saddlebag flap and placing it in there as gently as she could. The fact that she had trouble fastening the seal made it clear that was all that was going to fit inside.
"We'll have to come back for the rest." Field Walker stated, turning around and heading for the doorway as Lithic followed suite, fastening her own saddlebag back up.
"Doubt the other tombs will have anything as gripping as that." She added jokingly as the two ponies made their way to the next row of entrance. Field Walker stuck his head into each one for less then two seconds, being greeted with the blasé sight of blank stone walls.
"Yep, you were right, next one." He said in a disinterested tone, pulling his head out of the last and starting to head down the corridor once more. Lithic started to follow him until a small shimmer grabbed her attention out of the corner of her eye. Turning around to peek into the supposedly-empty tomb, she gazed around to try and determine exactly where that glint had come from.
"You coming, Lithic?" Her comrade shouted from halfway down the cavern.
"Wait, wait, wait." Field Walker stopped in his tracks to look back at her. "I'm sure I saw something shiny in here."
"Nah, that's probably the boredom getting to ya." The Earth pony started trotting back towards her. "Look, it's done a number on me too but let's go already." Just as he took hold of her hoof, the tiny glint flashed in Lithic's eye once more.
"No, hold on, there's something in that wall." She said, yanking her hoof free and moving closer to the end wall, "Like a jewel or something." Sure enough, there was a hint of shimmering green peeking out of the stone, barely the size of a pebble. Choosing her small mattock out of the various tools on her belt, Field Walker watched with scepticism as the pegasus reeled her hoof back and struck the stone with the pointed tip.
Instantly the gem shattered. Not into shards but into a green substance seeping out of the wall like mist. Lithic Dust and Field Walker stared, stunned, as the mist weaved in mid-air like a snake.
The sudden sound of fracturing stone startled them as a crack began creeping up the wall, splitting off in various directions until it gave the appearance of a spider's web. The same mist-like tendrils oozed from each split as the two ponies watched, frozen with slight fear as each one lit the four torch holders mounted on the walls with a single touch. Field Walker thankfully snapped out of it long enough to pull his partner out of the way as chunks of the wall began falling off the broken wall and raining down where they had been standing. The pair shielded themselves, coughing as a fog of thick dust billowed all around them, mixed with the eerie green mist seeping out of the now-gaping hole in the wall. Lithic waved the dust out of her eyes just as the green mist evaporated into nothing. Through the dust still floating about, the two archaeologists peered into the hole, squinting as they could vaguely make out something in the pitch black.
Field Walker shrieked as a black crab-like claw shot out of the dark at lightning speed, latching onto the edge of the newly-formed hole. Both ponies' breath caught in their throat as another equally massive claw grabbed into the edge as well. They remained frozen to the spot as a terrible shape slowly appeared out of the darkness, growing bigger as its snarling got louder. Unclear as the creature was through the lingering dust, Lithic Dust and Field Walker could just about make out its monstrous claws. Along with many legs. An enormous pointed tail.
And a pair of yellow eyes piercing their souls with a feral glare.
Dropping the torch to the floor, the pair of ponies spun around and shot out of the tomb as fast as their legs could carry them. They were still screaming in utter terror even when they made it outside back into the desert sun. Flexing its multiple limbs, the beast's savage snarling morphed into a low chuckle. Which then became a bone-chilling cackle that echoed throughout the tombs. Eyes burning in the light of the newly-lit torches as it revealed its gleaming teeth through a horrible grin, it finally spoke.
"Free... At long last."