Chapter 3
*The Ancients*
Discord flashes into Starswirl's room behind Twilight. “Could you pleeease stop doing that!” she barked.
“I think we both know the answer to that my dear!” he responded.
“Ugh! What do you want now?” She asked.
Discord frowned then shrugged before saying “Celestia and I had a lovely conversation about how grateful she is to have me around. She especially enjoys how much fun I bring to her dull, boring, and repetitive day.”
“Is there a point to this Discord?” she replied.
“The princess and I think that Zecora might have some answers to our new found toy box over here.” He said while floating over to the chest. “She wants ME to go and find out what Zecora knows. And I suppose you can tag along to.”
“So she wants you and I to go find Zecora and ask her about the chest?” she asked.
“Yes I guess that would be accurate.” He unenthusiastically mumbled.
She looked at Discord with a raised brow and said “Fine, let’s go.” “Splendid! Another bonding moment between friends!” Discord said while picking up Twilight and patting her on the head.
Without delay Discord transports them to the edge of the Everfree forest. “What, not gunna take us all the way to Zecora's place?” Twilight asks. “Whenever you and your friends go through these woods, you all come back closer than ever! Why would I miss this opportunity to experience real challenges with my close friend Princess Twilight?” He sneered. Twilight un-phased said “That’s fine with me!" and marched on.
Twilight trudged through the forest making easy progress through the familiar paths and trails. Meanwhile Discords larger stature made it difficult to weave through the brambles, trees, and underbrush. He would get caught up in vines, fall in ditches, anger timber wolves, and feed stray parasprites. Twilight in kind would have to untangle him, help him out of ditches, prevent him from needlessly disrupting timber wolves and their pups, and slap the food out of his hands before the parasprites could get out of control. She was sure he had been doing this on purpose as he did not use any magic to help with the situation but rather only to cause problems.
They finally make it to Zecora's place. Twilight walked with lowered head and a frowny face, disheveled with twigs and leaves in her main. Discord walked out with a smile perfectly tidy and seemingly unhindered by their travel. They walk towards the door and Twilight gives it a knock. Zecora opens the door and greats Twilight, and with surprise, greats Discord immediately after. Twilight straitens up her main, removes the twigs and leaves, then explains why they are there.
Zecora shocked by their discovery said “Good thing too that it’s me you seek, I fear the future is uncertain or bleak. The chest you and Discord found, came from my ancestors burial grounds.” She mentions that she knew that something was wrong when she received indication that an ancient seal had been broken or at the very least fractured. Zecora continues to say “Thousands of years ago a unicorn came, he took the chest and only dust remained.” She says it wasn’t by force but rather by happenstance as no one knew the chest was missing and only the elders of the tribes or a very powerful unicorn could pass through.
From the moment Zecora knew of the dark energy pulse she began preparations to visit Celestia. She tells Twilight and Discord that she was just about to head to Canterlot that afternoon. She asks both of them that since they are there they can help with gathering a few supplies and they could be ready to leave in an hour. Twilight helped by gathering select scrolls and books from Zecora's shelves and Discord reluctantly packed scrolls and books into a satchel. Zecora packed some herbs and minerals, and placed them into the bag. She grabbed a necklace and placed it around her neck. It was a simple leather strip with a crystal trinket hanging from it.
Zecora walked to the door and said “It is just about time to go, but bef—“ Discord snapped his fingers and they teleported to the throne room. “Discord!” Twilight snapped.
“What happened to our “bonding time” during our journey through the forest?” she scoffed.
“Sorry but I couldn’t take another poorly written rhyme. Besides we got everything we need! Right my Zebra friend?” he smirked.
Zecora frowned at Discord and then took the opportunity to walk over and talk the Celestia. “Princess Celestia, I have a story that you may not know. Of an ancient history from long ago.”
Zecora explained that long ago before Celestia and the Windigoes, a great disruption plagued an ancient land. She told of many tribes and how six spirits influenced them into arguments, skirmishes, and inevitably into war. The disharmony was not lost on the elders of the tribes and they knew that if they continued down this path none would survive. As the leaders came together six powerful and dark spirits tried to disrupt the meeting and keep the tribes from uniting. However from that moment the spirits revealed themselves to the leaders and the elders.
The tale of the spirits were told through ancient tales passed down from generation to generation on ancient scrolls. The spirits were Greed, Distrust, Anger, Deception, Hate, and Ego. They filled the air with a miasma that caused bitter thoughts among the ancestors and caused strife amongst the tribes. They then feed off of the negative and disruptive energy of the lands.
From there, the elders gathered all the shamans and witch doctors. They developed serums to combat the corruption but it did more than that. As these were ancient tribes there were no unicorns or magic users. So the serum gave them brief moments where they could channel their energy. The wisest shamans could then channel the energy of a few or of thousands into primitive spells. With that in mind the tribe leaders asked that every able bodied individual whether shaman, builder, farmer, warrior, scholars…..or foals, be there at the time they fight the spirits.
Eventually they had gained the trust and hope of dozens of tribes with thousands of volunteers. They planned a festival in the name of peace which they knew would draw out the spirits. If there was peace then the spirits would weaken and the spirits knew that. The festival was a trap and it worked. When the sun was the highest in the sky the tribes gathered and began to set up a peace offering alter. A stone chest that the tribes would place their most sacred possessions in as a sign of unity.
After the last item was placed in the chest a dark energy shot out from under the chest and the six spirits emerged. From there, the historic scrolls stop and only verbal stories were passed down. The tale ends with a single shaman who channeled the energy of all the tribes into the spirits. This shaman was not the last surviving member of the tribe but the only surviving member who was in the battle. Of the tens of thousands who fought only a few hundred of the youngest and eldest were sheltered in a cave not far from the battle ground.
The lone shaman was laying at the foot of the chest. The stone crackled as the newly formed seal held the spirits in. The shaman sat up at the sound of the approaching survivors. Her cloak covering most of her face and body. From there the stories vary from the shaman staying to help rebuild, to others saying that she was malformed far beyond any recognition that the heavens were sorrowed by her plight and took her into the sun.
Princess Celestia was shocked, she had never heard of this ancient tribe nor any great battle or dark spirits. She wondered how she missed such a massive portion of history. “Zecora what happened to the ancient survivors and why hasn’t anyone found this ancient burial grounds?” Celestia asked.
“I sense you feel these tails are lies, but a descendant of these ancient tribes stands before your very eyes.” Zecora responded. “I protect the ancient burial grounds, to its secrecy I was bound.” She continued.
Zecora continues to explain that the magic around the burial grounds was designed to keep out those who might take the chest. That it’s seal can only be maintained indefinitely at the center. She insists that Twilight and her friends take the chest back to the site and place it back where it belongs. “My friends?” Twilight asks. Zecora says that the seal can regain its strength and that her friends being there will ensure that they can contain what’s in the chest if the seal is broken. Zecora continues to say she’ll accompany her to the ancient site.
Zecora mentions the travel will take about half a day and if they leave now they can reach it before sundown. They set out and stop by Ponyville to gather Twilight's friends. Twilight realizes that it’s almost noon and that she was supposed to meet them for lunch a few minutes ago. She heads to the café where Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie are sitting outside talking about their days and how Twilight's school is going. “Well it’s about time you showed up sugar cube! I was beginning to think you were stuck under a pile of books or scrolls.” Apple Jack said.
“Yeah! Where ya been, I’m hungryyyyy!” Pinkie moaned.
“Honestly darling what could you have been doing that was sooo important you forgot about our luncheon?” Rarity asked.
“Sorry girls, I’ve been all over Equestria working on something crazy.” Twilight said
“What could be so crazy? Is it another mission?” Rainbow Dash asked excitedly.
“Oh my, I hope not, I have tea with Discord later, I even got him a present. And besides our cutie marks aren’t glowing” Flutter Shy says.
“You’re right Fluttershy, but I don’t think this is a friendship problem, it’s something more, like turning Discord to stone or fighting Tirek.” She replied.
“Ah yeah! Like the good ol’ days.” Rainbow Dash cheered.
“Oh dear” Fluttershy said slightly uncomfortable about turning Discord to stone comment.
“Oh sorry.” Rainbow Dash responded.
“So where are we going then Twilight? Hopefully nowhere dirty. I just had my hooves done yesterday after going to the Sister Hooves Social with Sweetie Bell.” Rarity says glancing at her fresh hooficure.
“Actually I don’t know, Zecora is supposed to be taking us there. She’s waiting at the station. We will take the train halfway to the crystal empire then disembark at a rest stop. Twilight said.
“Zecora?” the group questions.
“Yes, she knows the location to an ancient site.” Twilight replied.
“An ancient site? Guess I’ll have to redo my hooves when I get back.” Rarity sighs.
“Alright then, let’s go!” Twilight says.
“Aww can we at least get food.” Pinkie moans.
They give a laugh and headed to the train.
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“No seriously, can we?” Pinkie said.