//------------------------------// // Chapter One: The Human awakes // Story: Oh, you thought Magic was beyond me? // by CommodoreDread //------------------------------// There are few things in the Equestrian Badlands that are of any particular interest. There are thrice more things that the sand has buried which would make most modern scholars drool at the chance of studying it. However, there come times in the year where truly unique structures become un-hidden. Such as the rediscovery of lost temples or artifacts. Sometimes ruins of immense archaeological value are found, other times the skeletal remains of long dead creatures are unearthed. Yet for some reason the convoy of ponies felt like this abandoned pyramid was somehow special, like it contained something important. In spite of the fact that there was absolutely nothing there. All the rooms were empty, all the traps had been sprung, and even the ginormous statues that lined the entrance hall seemed to be missing things. The knight held no sword, the King and Queen wore no Crown, and the Unicorn mage seemed to be missing a staff and his Horn. That made it the perfect place for this particular group to settle in for the time, as the group's Pegasi spotted an eternally long sandstorm headed their way, and be left alone; For this particular group of ponies needed to lay low as the Guard have started to actively search for them and their... Goods Even though this pyramid radiated a sense of importance, which usually would immediately attract explores and adventurers, it was hidden in an enormous cave which was further protected by a large array of, now deactivate, runes which worked to conceal it, the entrance to the cave and the destroyed traps that would have killed anyone who'd put a hoof in. Keyword being destroyed and would have. Whats putting everypony on edge was the eerie atmosphere that stemmed from the ransacked and dust covered environment they all found themselves in. The silent walls of the Zebrican Pyramid echoed the noise that half a hundred ponies and the good four dozen slaves would make. If one were to observe from one of the many catwalks hanging from the ceiling of the great entrance hall, one would've found the the startling similarity between the ponies below and an Ant Column. By the time the last of the ponies had entered the Pyramid, tents were being set up and patrols organised. After around three weeks march with heavy load from a raid on the nearest 'Free' City on would be forgiven for being tired, so it came to no surprise that many of the Raiderponies had fallen into a Coma like sleep once they had found a suitable place to rest. Although, most of the ponies had chosen to rest a few of them had elected to explore the quite frankly spooky surroundings, which would scare most ponies into staying as far away as possible. Most of the paroling Raiderponies grimaced at the sight of multiple small groups of ponies leaving into the pitch black corridors of the ancient structure, their only light coming from either a horn or a torch... "Silver Ace! Bulky Vision! Hold up damn you!" The navy blue unicorn was panting by the time he had reached the one eyed Pegasus and the Earth pony. "Why wouldn't you two bafoons wait for me?" The Pegasus could do naught but roll his eye "Hey, it's not our fault you unicorns are so slow" "Hey! No need to bring race into this! We can all talk to each other like the civilized ponies we are" "Civilized? If we were civilized we wouldn't have our current... employment... now would we?" The Earth ponies gravel voice echoed through the room they were occupying as he interrupted their little spat "Are you done now? I think I saw something shine a few rooms back. Lets check it out. Ace? Rising?" Ace narrowed his on remaining good eye, whilst Rising did his utmost to look moderate while hiding his burning hatred for the silver Pegasus. The Dark Grey Earth Pony shook his head and lead the trio through ancient corridors and doorways into desolate empty rooms. Their journey was one spent in silence as the racist Pegasus and Navy blue Unicorn glared death at each other. "Ah! Vision. Why did you stop?" Ace snickered as he watched his Unicorn rival bump into the large Earth pony, but then frowned as he too got the itch to know why Vision suddenly stopped "Look!" he exclaimed pointing a hoof in front of him "Holy hay!" Rising couldn't believe his eyes! A sarcophagus twice as large as a pony lay at the other end of the room. Now usually such a thing would still be, unusual yes but, boring. However this particular sarcophagus was laced in gold. Valuable Gems dotted the confine and all three ponies agreed; if they we're to sell it they'd each have enough money to buy an entire chain of islands. "Woah there! Hold it!" Vision yelled as he caught both Rising Wave and Silver Ace before they could step any further into the room. "Hey! What gives?" The irritation was clear for all to see on the Pegasus' face "Don't ya think its strange that the entire place is empty of all valuables except for this fancy coffin here?" "So what? Maybe the looters couldn't carry that thing or something" "That, or its cursed" smoothly replied the smug Unicorn. Sighing the Grey Earth pony grab the Pegasus by the tail and puled him back as Rising cautiously took a few steps forward before half distractedly informing "Well my fellows, let me just cast a trap detection spell" "There's such a thing?" asked Ace "Obviously" Vision rolled his eyes at the Flying Pegasus. Fucking hell, don't they teach anything in the Canterlot Academies? A few seconds passed as Rising cast the spell. Once the deed was done Rising Wave adopted a confused look, before mumbling something "Whats that Horny?" asked the Pegasus "Ignoring the racial slur, to answer your question. I found nothing except a trigger that leads to nowhere. It does nothing as far as I can tell-" "Then what are we waiting for!" Before anything could be said or done the Pegasus was already at the sarcophagus trying to take off one of the Gems lining the hull of the object. As Bulky made his way towards the sarcophagus with Rising Wave both had to stop as the Pegasus somehow found a way to open the thing in here reckless attempt at removing any valuables. "What the Bucking Hay is that thing!" cried out Ace as he momentarily lost control of his flight abilities after sewing the thing kept inside of the sarcophagus. "That seems to be the mummy" supplied Rising with a smug smile as he approached the sarcophagus. With Ace still recovering on the ground Bulky and Rising took a peek in to look at the mummy. What they saw was rather strange. Inside was a creature unlike any other, while it had four limbs none of them looked like pony limbs. The two limbs, where one could guess was the shoulder, ended with some sort of thing that gad five digits poping out. Had these three ponies finished their schooling they would've known that these were hands as they are possessed by quite a few non-pony creatures. "Ooh, whats this" Rising had discovered that alongside the mummy rested a smooth elegant wooden staff with what appeared to be a Blue pearl that was worked into the top of the Staff as to appear as if the staff grew around the Gem. However as Risings magic engulfed the staff in blue light with the intention of floating it to its master Rising wave got a reaction. Rising saw a small magic plus before he and his companions were flung across room. He winced in pain as his body made contact with the wall. That's going to leave a mark "The..." A series of small dry coughs interrupted the strange voice "... Fucking hell? Oh god, when's the last time I drank something?" Rising was starting to think that maybe messing around with stuff in an ancient abandoned building and with the only thing valuable in the entire bloody place was perhaps a bad idea. "What the fuck? I thought... I mean... this isn't exactly... what..." Finally Rising dared to look at where the sarcophagus lay. As his head turned he saw how his two were both already unco- "Agh!" Rising yelled as he came face to face with the mummy. He immediately tried to scramble back but found that his back was already pressed against the wall "Woah, Woah there little guy, at least I think your a guy, I'm not here to hurt you-" The mummy paused as it looked towards his partners "... Well, uhh, sorry- hey what are you even doing here? A few thousand years into the future, its been a thousand years right? Does it really matter? Are Zebras are still locking people up and stuffing them in here?" "Zebras? The only Z-zebras I know of l-live in the F-free Cities" "Free Cities? Free from what?" "T-t-t-the Great Equestrian Empire" "... Great Equestrian Empire? What in god's name is that? I mean I was barley a month in Equestria before I was charged for whatever I did and thrown in here, with this fucking stupid walking stick! I couldn't have possibly changed the Equestria by my mere presence, could I?Who are you anyways?" "W-we a-are uh... adventureponies?" It was more of a question than an answer. The mummy picked up on this and simply raised an eyebrow, or at least Rising thought he did, since he couldn't see the mummy's face. In fact he could barley make out any details at all, some sort of nose, a pare of slits were eyes could be seen and two anomalous bulges on the side of his head, which were probably ears. "S-so, a-are you going to e-eat me, uh, kind and gracious sir?" That caused the mummy to barked out a laugh "Buddy, worry not. I may have been unjustly put here butI shall make sure none shall eat you for you are under the protection of Wolfgang Amadeus! The Greatest and most powerful Wizard of- Okay that just went too far. I am sorry." At that moment Rising had regained enough bravery and attempted to fire a stunning spell at the mummy, With the half thought of thought that maybe, just maybe that thing would sell well on the Slave markets. The problem being at that very moment the mummy known as Wolfgang Amadeus side stepped the spell as he wanted to take a look at the other two ponies in the room. As the spell flew by Wolfgang's head snapped towards him as the eyes narrowed and in a strange and out of place accent he said "Zum Teufel verdamt noch mal! Was war den das!? Lad! That's not a very nice thing to do! Although-" Rising heard no more as the stress of the unexpected situation finally got to him and he passed out.