Twilight Sparkle was up with the dawn, carefully double checking her saddlebags to make sure she had everything she needed for her mission into the Everfree Forest. "Rope, check." A magically flouting quill ticked off a box a nearby "Adventure" checklist.
"Compass, check. Climbing gear, check. Extra rope, check. Trail mix, check. Canteen, check. Extra extra rope, check. Okay Spike, I'm heading out now. I should be back by tomorrow, so keep an eye on the library for me."
Spike saluted. "You can count on me Twilight!"
Once Twilight was out the door and around the corner, Spike locked the door. He quickly shut the curtains on all the windows, turned off all the lights, and snuggled back into his basket. "Ahhh."
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Twilight trotted down the lane to Fluttershy's cottage. It was looking to be a bright, clear fall day, and many of the shop owners were getting ready for the day ahead. Twilight suspected that she would be the first one at the cottage, so she was very surprised to find somepony waiting for her in front of the cottage. "Applejack! What are you doing here?"
The farm pony chucked and turned to the side to present her own set of full saddlebags. "Pinkie Pie came over yesterday an' tol' me what ya'll are planin' ta do. Ah'm not gonna let my friends travel the Everfree Forrest all on their lonesome, now am Ah?"
Twilight was touched, but also confused. "But Applejack, what about your farm?"
Applejack pawed the ground irritably. "Big Macintosh heard what was goin' on an' practically kicked me outta the house. Said that Sweet Apple Acres would get along just fine without me fer a couple days, an' that ya'll needed me more." She sighed. "I love my brother ta death, but sometimes he's just too darned right 'bout things."
Twilight laughed, "Well Applejack, I'm more than happy to have you along. Why don't we go inside?" Twilight stepped towards the door, but Applejack cut her off.
"Fluttershy told me ta stay outside while Patrick ate his breakfast. She was very insistent on it."
Twilight sniffed the air, catching an unfamiliar smell in the air. "What is that smell?"
Applejack sniffed, then made a face. "Bleh. Smells kinda fishy."
"It is fish." Fluttershy hovered up to her friends. She was carrying an empty basket, having just fed the various animals that lived in and around her home. "Patrick eats meat, so I said it was okay for him to cook some of the fish that I catch for the animals." Applejack looked astounded, but it made sense to Twilight. Fluttershy did say that humans were probably omnivores. "Besides I think he's earned a special treat for what he did last night."
"What'd he do?" Twilight asked curiously. Applejack was still wrapping her head around the idea that Patrick ate meat.
"He found out what his magic is! It was kinda scary at first, but he was so excited Twilight. He was still smiling in his sleep. It was adorable." Fluttershy smiled herself and brought her hooves up to her mouth to stifle a giggle.
"He can use magic! What kind, what did he do?" Twilight's mind was too focused on magic to notice how weird Fluttershy watching the 'adorable' human sleep was.
"He should almost be done with breakfast. I'll go ask him if he wants to show you." Fluttershy landed and entered her cottage. Twilight looked at Applejack, who still had a strange expression on her face.
"You okay Applejack?"
Applejack turned to Twilight. "He eats meat, Twilight. Ya know what that is? It comes off'a critters!"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "It's not all he eats, Applejack. He was just fine with the stew we all had for lunch yesterday."
"But what if he gets it inta his head that ponies are made'a meat too?!" Applejack looked on the verge of panic.
"Oh yes, I'm going to start eating the talking ponies that saved my life." Patrick ducked under the door frame as he left the cottage. His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Applejack smiled uncertainly at the human. "Um, ya'll heard that, did ya?"
"It was hard not to." Patrick smiled at the earth pony. "Don't worry Applejack. As far as I'm concerned, ponies are not on the menu."
Twilight cleared her throat to get the group's attention. "So Patrick. Fluttershy told us that you discovered how to use your magic last night. Can you show us?"
Patrick scratched the back of his head like he was embarrassed about something. Then he nodded. "Ya sure. Just give me a little room." The ponies backed up a step as Patrick held his hand out, palm up. His breathing shifted, deep in through the nose, then a slow exhalation through his mouth. Then, a flame appeared in his hand, wavering in time with his breath. The flame was red and yellow, and gave off the same warmth any other flame of its size would. With a smile, Patrick threw the flame into the air in an arc, and caught it in his other hand.
"That's very impressive," Twilight praised. She had seen some unicorns pull of something similar, but she wasn't about to burst Patrick's bubble. His eyes were filled with the same wonder that she had felt when she had cast her first spell as a filly. "Do you mind if I cast a spell to see how you're doing it. Magic is my special talent, after all. A glimpse at how human magic works would be fascinating."
Patrick shrugged, "Sure." Twilight stepped closer and cast a simple analysis spell. Her purple aura enveloped the flame as her magic did its work.
Twilight noticed was that Patrick wasn't casting a spell. He was simply feeding magic into the flame, and the flame burned as if it had fuel. It was kind of like Spike's flame, but it was different at the same time. The whole thing confused her.
Twilight dismissed the spell and looked at Patrick with wonder. "Wow. Celestia was right, human magic is very different from pony magic. Can you do anything else?"
Patrick shook his head and the flame vanished. "I think so, but I don't know for sure. I need somewhere I can practice."
Fluttershy exited her cottage, and said, "We talked about it last night. Patrick has a lot of ideas about how human magic works, and I want to help him out even if I don't understand all of it." Fluttershy led them all to a field near the cottage. It was mostly dirt, and any trees were several yards away. The road to Ponyville was clearly visible, so the group could easily spot Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie when they finally made their way to the cottage.
Patrick stood in the center of the field, waving the ponies away. "I'm going to try a few things. They're going to be dangerous, so stay back." Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy sat at the far edge of the field behind him. Patrick took a deep breath, then spun in place and threw both of his arms forward.
There were a few moments of silence before Applejack said, "Whatever that was supposed to do, it didn't work!"
"Just checking something!" Patrick shouted back. Twilight thought she heard him mumble. "I didn't think so." Then he took a stance; feet apart, knees bent, hands curled up and lifted up near his face. He quickly jabbed the air in front of him, and a fireball flew ten feet through the air from his fist. He thrust his other fist out and a jet of flames burned several feet out for a few seconds. He executed a round kick and an arc of flame cut through the air.
So for several minutes the ponies watched Patrick practice his fire magic. Eventually they were joined by Rainbow Dash (who thought the fireballs were awesome), Pinkie Pie (who immediately began eating popcorn), and Rarity.
Twilight would have been surprised, if Applejack had not already made an appearance. "Let me guess, Pinkie Pie dropped by yesterday and told you what we were doing?"
"Of course," Rarity said, "and I decided to come along. It would be a shame to be left behind, safe in Ponyville, while you all took such a risk." Twilight was touched by Rarity's willingness to enter the dangerous forrest with them. Although most ponies took Rarity's fashionista attitude at face value, the unicorn was always willing to stick her neck out for her friends. Although her saddlebags were probably packed with more clothing than practical items. "I say, if this is human magic it is quite impressive. If a bit crude and showy." Patrick must have heard that comment, because a fireball veered off-course and lit a tree on fire. Luckily Rainbow was able to find a raincloud before the blaze could get out of hand.
"Okay, Ah think that's enough a that." Applejack said as she stood up and faced the Everfree Forest. "We'd better git a move on if we wanna reach that ruin before dark." The ponies followed the farm-mare down the trail. Patrick hesitated, so Twilight stopped and gave him an encouraging smile. Patrick took a deep breath and followed, catching up to Twilight after a while.
"While we're on our way there, could you tell me your theories about human magic?" Twilight asked.
Patrick nodded, "Sure, but that's going to take a while."
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So I'm tromping through the forest with the mares, telling Twilight about bending. The path is fairly strait and flat, but the full saddlebags on the earth and unicorn ponies make me suspect that the way won't always be as smooth as it is now. I put that worry out of my mind for now.
"The method I use to control my magic is called bending," I say, "It allows the user to control the one of the four elements to which he or she is attuned. In my case, that element is Fire."
Twilight is listening raptly, but she also asks questions. "So different humans will be attuned to different elements? What are the elements, and what do they represent?"
"Fire," I begin, passing on the lessons I learned from a fictional, well aged firebender, "Is the element of power. Humans attuned to Fire have great reserves of desire and will, as well as the drive to achieve what they want. Air is the element of freedom. Humans attuned to Air have a deep sense of freedom and peace, and the ability to express themselves without reservation. Water is the element of change. Humans attuned to Water are adaptable and imaginative. They also care very deeply for those they are close to, like their communities and families. Earth is the element of substance. Humans attuned to Earth are diverse, persistent, enduring, and strong. At least, that's my theory. The whole magic thing is new to me, if you couldn't already tell."
Twilight giggles as we pass a side trail. I see Pinkie and Rainbow turn down the trail. Their whispering to each other and snickering, obviously up to something. Twilight follows my gaze, then rolls her eyes. "Don't worry about those two. They'll catch up to us once they've had their fun. Please, tell me how this 'bending' works."
"Well, it's mostly about harmonizing oneself with the element you're trying to manipulate. My firebending is about feeling the warmth around me. In the ground, in the air, my own body temperature. Then I manipulate my internal energy, and the external energy around me, and that makes fire." I toss a small, short-lived fireball into the air to illustrate my point. I can't help it, it's too fun to not do.
"There's more to it than that, though. Fire is unlike any of the other four elements in it's behavior. Fire is alive, and if left unchecked it can cause massive destruction. If I bend without the proper mental discipline, I risk loosing control of the fire I create."
Surprisingly, I see empathy replace curiosity in Twilight's eyes. The moment passes quickly though. "That's a very interesting way of using magic. It appears simple and specialized at first, but it is so complex and deep. What else can you do? Can you bend an element that you're not attuned to?"
I laugh at Twilight's question. We had begun to scale a rocky hillside, still surrounded by shadowy forest. Pinkie and Rainbow zip past us, giggling madly. I can hear them getting an earful from Applejack up ahead. "That's the first thing I tried to do during my practice session today. I attempted some Airbending, but that was a dud. I don't think any human could bend an element they aren't attuned to. Except, perhaps, for Ignus. He might have been able to manipulate all four elements, thus making him the natural pick for King. As for other ways of using magic beyond bending, I suppose it is possible to create spells of some kind. That's how Ignus began the Exile. I have no idea what the method would be though. So for now, bending."
I bend another fireball as we reach the crest of the hill. The path winds around the side and descends in a series of sharp switchbacks down the steep decline. Down below, I can see a deep ravine at the foot of the hill. "So how does unicorn magic work? We never really got into that yesterday, just that it was more utilitarian than the magic of the other pony types."
Twilight grins. "It's simple to begin with, we just focus our magical energy into accomplishing a task and it happens." Her horn glows, emitting a purple, sparkling aura. The same aura surrounds some of the rocks laying on the side of the path, and Twilight starts spinning and looping them about like a master juggler. I don't mind. It's about time that she got the chance to show off.
"However, spells get more difficult the larger or more complex the task is," Twilight continues. "Most unicorns can only accomplish simple magic outside of their special talent. My special talent is magic, so I can perform more kinds of complex spells than most unicorns can." When we reach the bottom of the hill Twilight drops the rocks. We are entering the deep Everfree now. Old, gnarled trees surround us, their thick canopy obscuring most of the daylight. It is a while before Twilight asks the next question. "So what else can you do with Firebending?"
"Well, for the most part it can augment any task that involves fire. Smelting and forging metal, cooking, heating or lighting a room, that sort of thing. I was practicing the martial aspect of it today, and I was able to use it to help cook my breakfast this morning. There are advanced techniques, but nothing I want to attempt for a while." We stop for lunch by a river. Rarity wanders up and down the riverbank, like she's looking for something before settling down on the grass with us. The other ponies are listening in on our conversation now, and they are beginning to ask me questions as well.
"What kind of techniques?" Rainbow Dash asked through a mouthful of leaves.
I gulp down the last of my bottle of apple juice before I answer. "Well, there may be a way to manipulate and redirect lightning through firebending. It's just a theory right now, and not one I'm eager to test."
"Lightning? That's so awesome! You'll have to show me when you figure that out!"
After we ford the river, me without my shoes or socks, the conversation turns away from magic. The ponies ask questions about me, about what Earth was like, and my life there. There were certain subjects that I answered as vaguely as I could. Some questions I don't answer either because I don't want to, or I just don't know. We cross an old, rickety rope bridge on over another ravine, and I see the ruins of an old palace nearby. I'm exhausted from keeping up with the ponies all day, but the knowledge that our destination is close rekindles my energy.
A few hours later we stop close to a ring of large stones, some stacked atop one another to form arches. The circle is arrayed around the base of a hill. In the hillside facing us is a sealed archway. The entire area is alive with energy, an energy I now recognize as magic.
The majority of the stones are carved, but the surfaces have been so worn by the passages of time that the carvings have lost all shape and meaning. Some might have been scenes or inscriptions once. Most of them just look like random, maze-like patterns with no meaning I can discern. It looks like only one carving survived, an inscription on the archway cut into the hill. It is written in a strange, flowing script that looks a bit like sanskrit. I don't know how, but I can read it.
Here Lies What Once Was Ceatus, Last Lord of Flames, Who Betrayed our King, and Fell Into Darkness. We Dedicate this Place to the Memory of What Hath Been Lost, So That We Shall Not Be Forgotten.
To Those Who Shall Return, We Bid Thee All Welcome. Enter, and Learn Of Us Who Came Before.
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The friends set up camp after surveying the ruins. Applejack had brought three tents, in case the unpredictable weather of the forest turned for the worse. The ponies quickly returned to the ruins to explore the sight more thoroughly. Twilight was busy recording observations in a journal when Patrick returned.
He stood in the center of the circle, staring intently on the hillside archway. Twilight joined him. "I've never seen human writing before! Can you read the inscription up there, Patrick?" Patrick read the message out to her, although the tone of his voice was very different from what it was earlier. It seemed tenser, with a sharper edge to it. Twilight suddenly felt uncertain. "So, there's some kind of library or record in there, and it was written for you. We have to get in there."
"Easier said than done, sugarcane."Applejack said, "This here slab's thicker than a hot summer day an' harder than a bison's noggin." She bucked her hind legs against the stone sealing the archway to prove her point. "We might as well jus' dig up the whole hill as try to move this thing."
Rainbow Dash grunted in exasperation. "Aug! That's great! There's no way we're getting in without hauling half of Ponyville out here to help. And thats probably not going to happen."
"Ooh, ooh maybe if I throw a 'Dig Up a Ruin' party, everypony would come and we'd have a bunch of help!" Pinkie Pie opened one of her saddlebags and a burst of confetti burst out, along with a pair of balloons which quickly floated away.
Applejack and Rainbow shared a look. "I don't really think that would work, Pinkie." Rainbow said. Pinkie looked disappointed for one second, then quickly recovered.
"You're probably right. Who would want to dig up some old ruin during a party? That would be so boring, I mean, we would hardly have room for a cake or games with all the shovels and dirt and…" Pinkie had gathered steam and was launching into one of her rants, and Applejack and Rainbow had no choice now but to endure.
Twilight sighed and turned to Patrick. "Sorry Patrick, we probably won't get to open it today. If I study all night, I might find a spell to move that stone."
Rarity walked up to them, "I simply can't believe that the ancient humans would build such a place and not leave some method of getting in."
"They didn't have to." Patrick said. He sounded more like he had that morning, but there was still a worrying undertone to his voice. When the unicorns gave him confused looks, he explained. "This whole place is brimming with elemental magic. I can feel it. Besides, that slab is no obstacle to earthbenders. They could just bend it out of the way. So there must be a way to open it using the other bending disciplines, like some kind of switch or trigger."
Rarity looked around. "Magic? I certainly don't feel anything. Not that I doubt your word, Patrick."
"Well," Fluttershy softly landed by the trio,"human magic is about harmonizing with the environment, right? These stones are definitely arranged in some kind of pattern. Maybe it's some kind of test, or a riddle."
Twilight gave Fluttershy a confused look. "Did you just do a flyby of the site?"
The pegasus dug at the ground with one hoof. "Um, well, Dash was too busy helping Applejack find a way in. I thought it would be important later."
Rarity dipped into a saddlebag and removed a charcoal stick and a sheet of sketch paper. "That was a wonderful idea Fluttershy. Why don't you and I walk around and map out this place. That may give us a clue."
Patrick looked at Twilight, a sly grin on his face. "So, split up the gang and search for clues?"
"That's a great idea!" Twilight trotted off to tell her other friends as Patrick laughed.
They all spent a couple of hours combing the ruins. When they regrouped at the stone circle's center they tried to pool what they had discovered into a plan.
"Well the stones are set up into three different circles, with one stone platform in the middle. I have no idea what that arrangement means. Patrick?" Rarity looked up from the collection of maps and sketches she and Fluttershy had collected.
"No idea."
Applejack spoke up next. "Well that hill ain't natural, an' them rocks came from somewhere else too."
"The only other building around for miles is the ruin of the Princess's old castle. Nothing there except cobwebs." Dash said.
"Twilight and I ran around and around looking for more writing, but we didn't find any. Sorry." Pinkie chirped.
Twilight sighed, "Well, Patrick, did you have any luck."
Patrick nodded. "Yes, I think I did." He pointed a finger at one of the arches. "Standing from the center of the circle I can see one of the freestanding stones through that arch. When I checked it out, I found that a section of the stone had been hollowed out. The stones on that side," he pointed in the other direction, "are the same. I'm going to try throwing some fire in there. That's plan A."
Twilight nodded. "Plan B?"
"We come back later with a jackhammer." Patrick deadpanned. "That's all I got."
"Plan A it is," Twilight declared.
"C'mon girls," Applejack called from the side of the circle furthest from the hill. "Let's give the guy room ta work without worryin' about burnin' us."
The other ponies assembled around Applejack as Patrick positioned himself. When he could see both stones through the arches, he jumped in place. He landed in a wide stance and thrust both arms out to the sides, sending a jet of flame roaring in both directions. It passed through the arches and struck the openings square.
The entire stone circle began to glow, red and yellow like Patrick's flame. There was no doubt that the light was magical, but it didn't sparkle like unicorn light. It shimmered, alternating colors and brightness like a curtain in the breeze. Patrick's eyes glowed yellow, the intensity erasing the iris and pupil. The glow traveled around the inner ring first, then the middle, and lastly the outer ring. When the glow reached the sealed arch, the whole circle briefly manifested colored, mazelike lines. The slab sank into the ground with a grinding sound.
Patrick stopped bending and fell to his knees. Twilight galloped up to him. "Patrick! Are you all right?"
"Ya. Wow, that was. Yikes." Patrick shook his head, then managed to stand up. He looked a little wobbly at first, but he soon recovered. Which was a good thing, because he was soon swarmed by very excited ponies.
"Land sakes, sugarcube. That was mighty impressive what you jus' did."
"Those lights looked super cool! Can you do that with bending now? Can you Lightbend?"
"Yay Patrick!"
"Very impressive"
"And then I said, badger-moles, are you crazy!?"
Patrick held up his hands in surrender. "I just tripped a spell, I just tripped a spell! I can't take credit for what would happen if any other human did the same thing!" He shouted over the din of the ponies all talking at once.
Once they had all calmed down, Patrick and the mares stood on the threshold of Ceatus' tomb. The hallway behind he door sloped down into the earth. No sign of light could be seen. "So," Twilight said nervously, "Is everybody ready?"
Most of the ponies nodded, and Patrick was already beginning to step inside. Only Fluttershy said, "No."
Rainbow said, "Oh come on Fluttershy. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just an abandoned tomb. We'll be in and out before you know it."
"Actually, I believe this is technically a barrow," Twilight corrected.
"Whatever." Rainbow responded.
"B-but," Fluttershy muttered, taking a step back, "it's so dark"
"Well ya." Rainbow looked a little less certain now.
"It's so deep." Fluttershy continued to retreat, shrinking into herself.
"Uh huh." Rainbow stopped hovering and landed.
"And theres a dead thing in there." Fluttershy was a yellow and pink ball, one half of her face hidden behind her mane."
"Uh…" Rainbow turned her head and frantically tried to think of the up-side of going into the barrow.
"Fluttershy, you don't have to come with us if you don't want to." Twilight said in her most reassuring tone.
"I don't?"
"Of course not," Twilight said. "This place has been sealed for thousands of years. We're not going to find any dragons, manticores, or cockatrices in here."
"Besides," Patrick added, "Someone has to watch the camp and keep the animals away from our food."
"Oh, right." Fluttershy cheered up considerably at the thought. "I'll have dinner ready by the time you all get back."
The group began entering the barrow, Patrick in the lead with a small flame in hand to light the way, Twilight and Rarity behind him with horns lit. Pinkie bounced in behind them. Applejack was about to head in when she noticed Rainbow hesitating at the threshold. "Ya commin'?"
"Are you kidding! I wouldn't miss this for the," Applejack entered the barrow, "world." Rainbow swallowed hard before walking inside, rushing to catch up to the ponies and human with light.
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We enter the barrow, and before long the hallway crosses another. Twilight suggests that we split up, again, into teams of three. Each team explores one of the hallways to the side. Once that's done, we meet back at the crossing and continue down the entry hall. Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie go right, while I go left with Rarity and Applejack. I've spent the least amount of time with these two, and I don't really feel like exploring this place with Pinkie Pie. Nothing against her, but that pony is practically a health hazard in a place like this.
We start exploring the hallway, which is thankfully short. There are two doors on each wall except the end of the hallway. By unspoken agreement we open the first door on our left.
Rarity's light illuminates a large room, the walls carved with scenes of humans performing all kinds of activities. There are inscriptions as well, but they are hard to make out in this light. From what I can see, most of the scenes here depict the earliest days of human history. I need better light, but before I can ask Rarity to turn her light up Applejack waves me over to an alcove.
"Take a look at this," the farm pony taps her hoof against a basin filled with some kind of liquid. "Smells like there's oil in there."
Of course. They couldn't expect every human to come here to be a firebender, or have helpful unicorn friends. "Rarity, I'm turning the lights on. You may want to cover your eyes" I warn her. Then with a flick of my fingers I send a dart of flame into the basin. The oil ignites immediately. The flames rush out of the basin, down a channel in the wall. Cleverly hidden mirrors catch the light, and the room is suddenly well lit.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Uh oh. That scream came from down the hall Twilight's team went down.
We all look out into the hall, which is also lit by channels and basins of burning oil now. Rarity calls down the hallway, "Is everypony all right?"
Down the hall we see Pinkie's head pop out of a doorway. "You scared Rainbow Dash!" She's giggling madly.
"I wasn't scared, you just startled me a little." Rainbow's protestation rings hollow, her voice is shaky but recovering. Ego heals quickly through denial.
Applejack chuckles as we return our attention to the room. Now I can read the inscriptions, and make out detail in the carvings. They do depict early Humanity, as we dwelled in this world. I see humans emerge from the crossroads. I see them struggle in a world of dragons and other large, terrible creatures. I see them learn the magic of the Elements and form into tribes. The people of Fire hunt and wander through an endless grassland. The people of Earth found cities in mineral-rich hills, farming the land and taming the beasts of their home. The people of Water live on the coasts and islands were they fish and delve into the mysteries of philosophy. Finally, the people of Air dwell in towering mountains and clouds, isolated and mysterious.
The final mural depicts a man, standing above or perhaps between all four tribes. His hair appears to be caught in the wind, and around him is an elaborate mandala depicting the four Elements. The tribes bow before him, with hands upraised in a gesture of offering. I read the inscription to confirm my suspicions.
Thus the King Emerged From His Meditation at the Crossroads. He Brought Forth the Wisdom of all the Elements of the World, and Through it Bound the Nations Together to Form our Kingdom. We Celebrated This Day, for It Began our Golden Age.
I smile and sketch a small bow to the figure in the mural. "King Ignus, I presume."
We check the other rooms, finding more murals depicting the collective history of humanity. Applejack mostly looks at those murals depicting farming and everyday life in the Kingdom. Rarity is frequenting the depictions of the Lords and the court of King Ignus, "Look at all these outfits," she spouts, "So imaginative! Adhering to a central theme but altering the cut and detail! So magnifique, and never at the expense of practicality. Idea~!" Rarity pulls out her sketchpad and begins drawing madly. Applejack looks at me and rolls her eyes.
"Come on Rarity. Ya'll can do yer fashionin' when we get back ta Ponyville. It's time for us ta meet the others." Applejack leads us out of the room as Rarity pouts.
"Inspiration waits for nopony, Applejack." She continues her sketching as we walk.
We meet up with the others in the middle of the hallway. Twilight looks up at me a sad look in her eyes. "We found murals that depicted the last thousand years of human history on this world. They were beautiful, but so sad at the end."
Pinkie Pie holds up a piece of paper covered in charcoal dust. "We made rubbings so we can look at them later. That was fun!" Pinkie's front hooves are caked with charcoal up to the elbows. I shake my head. She probably did all the work in there.
Rainbow Dash is obviously nervous, shifting around on her hooves and keeping her wings half-folded. "Can we finish this up, then. I want to get a little sleep tonight."
"Just one more place to check." I point down the main hallway to a door. A glance out the entryway tells me that the sun has set outside. I follow the ponies towards the door, eager to be done with this place. That's when I feel it.
There is a chill, a void behind that door. There is something sleeping there. Something very bad.
Twilight raises one hoof to open it.
"No!" I shout, but too late.
The second Twilight's hoof touches the stone door it crumbles. Pieces fall away to reveal a wall of darkness that no light penetrates. Two blank white eyes open in the darkness. It hisses, and the flames in the oil trough weaken. Eyes leading, the black wall begins to bulge outward. The ponies are frozen in fear, until I throw a fireball into the dark thing's face.
"Run! Get out of here!" I shoot another fireball at the dark thing, which roars in a disturbingly human voice of pain and wrath. Twilight and the others finally get their flanks in gear and run past me. I back up slowly, every step punctuated by a fireball jab. A dark arm emerges from the thing and takes a swipe at me. I dodge it, but barely. The arm hits a wall, causing a spiderweb of cracks to spread from the point of impact.
Okay, don't get hit.
I retreat faster, kicking an arc of fire in the thing's direction. It's a good thing whatever this is doesn't seem to like fire. It backs up briefly as the fire hits it, roaring again. I manage to get out of the barrow.
"Close it! Quick, before it gets out!" Rainbow Dash shouts at me from the air.
"There's no time! Get Fluttershy and go! I'll hold it off while you get help!" I am not confident that I can survive this monster for that long, but I'll be damned if gets those mares before going through me first.
"Ya can't hold out for that long!" Applejack is standing in the center of the circle, along with both unicorns. "We'll help ya take care of this!" In the distance, I can hear Pinkie Pie grabbing Fluttershy and galloping away with her.
"This isn't up for discussion!" I begin to argue before the dark thing emerges from the barrow. It swings a fist downwards towards us. We evade the blow as it stands erect. It is vaguely human-shaped, a slumped over figure with long thin arms and short legs, and it is over fifty feet tall. It blinks in the light of the moon before focusing on us. "Go!" I blast a double stream of fire into its face, causing it to back up a step.
Twilight and Rarity use their magic to pull the thing's feet out from under it. Rainbow charges into its face, and the dual assault cause it to tumble down to the ground. Applejack stomps a hoof, "We're not gonna leave a friend to fight a monster all by himself. Now quit arguin' and Firebend, mister!"
I give up. That pony is stubborn as a mule.
Still I do my best to keep myself in the center of the thing's attention. I unleash a furious assault, jabbing at the thing's eyes, chest and shoulders. It rises despite my attack, but its arms are to busy protecting itself from my fireballs to attack anything. When it crosses the moon I notice something. It is slightly transparent, not the deep darkness it was in the barrow. It seems to notice too, because it takes a lumbering step back towards the barrow.
I have an idea now, It's crazy, dangerous and could get me killed, but I have no time to hesitate. "Dash! Get me behind it! Rarity, Twilight keep it busy! No questions, just do it!"
Rainbow changes course and picks me up by the arms. Rarity pelts the dark thing with small rocks and clumps of soil, while Twilight conjures a stormcloud from nowhere. The cloud flashes lighting in its face, blinding it. Rainbow sets me down between it and the barrow, uncomfortably close to the monster. If this doesn't work, I'm about to get a terminally shorter.
I bend, throwing up a wall of flames in front of me. The dark thing turns towards me but backs away from the firewall. I know what this thing's weakness is now. I know how to get rid of it. "Light! get light and keep it away from the woods!"
The monster turns toward a nearby shadowy glade, only to be confronted by Twilight. Her horn shines like a beacon. She takes a step forward and the monster and it retreats, more transparent now than it was before. Rarity, her own horn alight, steps between the monster the other side of the clearing. Applejack appears between the two unicorns, holding a firefly lantern in her mouth. Rainbow Dash hovers above with another lantern, causing the creature to shrink away.
I Firebend again, this time sending a line of flame along the ground. I turn the leading flame slowly, circling it around the monster until it is surrounded by flames. The earthbound ponies continue pressing forward until they reach the fire, and Rainbow descends mercilessly. The creature curls up on itself, darkening briefly before disappearing altogether. I extinguish the ring of fire with a sigh of relief.
I look around at the ponies who helped me, suddenly feeling connected to each of them. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Fluttershy, who helped me without expecting a thing in return. Even Pinkie Pie, who trusted me enough to run and get help when I asked her to.
"Is it gone?" Twilight asked.
"I think so." I respond. I begin to laugh. Not because of this ridiculous situation. Not entirely because I'm still breathing after facing a 50-foot shadow monster. I finally know what I want to do now. I want to use my all my skills, all my knowledge, all my strength to protect these ponies from all the things that might threaten them. And not just these ponies. Every pony, every human, every innocent life I can spare. My Fire will be the light at the edge of their lives, a shield against the darkness.
"I'm back!" Pinkie bounds into the clearing with Fluttershy in tow. "The princess found us and… hey! The mean black thing is gone and you're all okay and laughing and Patrick got a cutie mark!"
"Ha ha ha, what!?" Thats all I manage to say before I'm pulled into a breathtaking Pinkie hug. Seriously. I can't breath… Pinkie releases me as Princess Celestia steps up to us, a stern look on her face.
"Come with me Patrick, we need to talk." Uh oh.
I walk with Celestia to the outer ring of standing stones. I get the sense that she knows what happened, so I skip the excuses and explanations and just ask the question on my mind. "What was that thing?"
"That was all that remained of the man known as Ceatus, the shadow of his darkness that endured in that ruin after his death." Celestia answered before turning towards me. "Patrick, I know what you have done here tonight. Thank you for trying so hard to defend my little ponies from that creature."
Okay. I was not expecting that. "You're welcome, your majesty. Wait. Pinkie mentioned something about me having a cutie mark?"
Celestia laughs and her horn glows. A mirror appears next to me and I see something on my back. A golden lantern and within, a single red and yellow flame. A circle of red-gold light serves as the background. "According to my sister, who is most fascinated with you and has begun researching your predecessors with enthusiasm, your ancestors called it a 'duty mark'. Unlike the marks of pony folk, a human's mark appears when he or she decides upon a goal. It represents an ideal to which you have dedicated your very life."
That's deep stuff. We humans are beings of ambition, I won't lie. It makes sense that our mark would have something to do with that. I explain my epiphany to the princess, sharing my desire to protect others from danger. She listens patiently, then smiles knowingly.
"I suspect that you desire to live in Ponyville, then?"
I have to stop to think about that. Do I want to accept that I am now a part of this world, or do I want to return to Earth. My old life is waiting for me on Earth. I could have that all back. Or I could stay in this world. A world of talking ponies and magic. A world of new dangers and wonders. It's a gamble, staying here. But I might just see someone I know someday.
I look back at my new friends. It's no contest. "Yes, if you would have me in your country."
She smiles that smile again, part fathomless kindness and part smug knowledge. "Then it is my honor and privilege to proclaim you the official guardian of Ponyville." She touches my shoulders and forehead with her horn, as if knighting me. "You know, it was the custom of ancient humans to take on a new name after manifesting their duty marks."
I consider it for a while as we make our way back to the campsite. Then I decide. "I am Lanternlight. I keep the darkness at bay."
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Author's notes: And that concludes the introductory chapters! The rest of the series will be told from Lanternlight's pov, with a few exceptions. Keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter, "Home is Were the Hearth is."
Twilight Sparkle says: Rate this fic to let the author know how good a job he's doing, and comments are always welcome!
Uncle Iroh says: Also, remember to recommend this story to your friends. Chances are if you like it, they might like it too!
TS: Thanks for helping me with this message, Mister Iroh.
Iroh: It's no trouble at all. Stop by my tea shop sometime, especially on music night. I need somebody to play the tsungi horn next time since my nephew can't make it. (:D