//------------------------------// // 36. Those that Came Before // Story: The Trials of Shmarity: an Ogres and Oubliettes Story // by TheMessenger //------------------------------// 36. Those that Came Before Elkraps had remained just outside the blocky structure, waiting in the cold. She and von Zarovich shared the briefest of pleasantries before Elkraps immediately turned to Rarity and launched a barrage of questions at her. How was she? What did she see? Was there really a way to bring Garbunkle back? What was being demanded of her in return? All this and more made its way before Rarity who struggled to keep up with Elkraps’s inquisitive torrent. She did her best to answer the most innocuous questions while, under the watchful gaze of von Zarovich, deflecting and dodging the more invasive ones until the dean of the school of necromancy finally jumped in to explain their agreement for silence. Being kept out of the loop clearly displeased the unicorn, but after putting herself in von Zarovich’s position at his request, she appeared to at least understand his desire for confidentiality, and though the confirmation that her old apprentice could be safely revived wasn’t enough to completely satisfy her, she did stop her questioning, and there was a noticeable lightness in her steps as Jeeves the undead butler guided her and Rarity back to the village square they had initially ended up in. After saying their goodbyes to von Zarovich and he left some final instructions for tomorrow morning, Rarity and Elkraps entered through the space between two black pillars and suddenly found themselves back in the ringed hall, right before the mural of a dark figure grabbing hold of a skeleton’s front appendage. Then it was back up that exhaustive, winding stairway, a trip that seemed to take them twice as long and felt so much more difficult than it had been going down now that gravity’s momentum was working against them on top of one other particular factor. Eventually, they made it to top and returned the main campus building proper where Elkraps bid Rarity the best of luck and a reminder to keep in touch before the two mares parted ways. A good several hours had passed, and from the most recent toll of the clocktowers, it was now late in the afternoon. To her welcomed surprise, Rarity discovered that Biala Diyn was still here in the lobby. The stallion explained that he had followed her of concern and suspicion over her sudden withdrawal, and when he could go no further, he chose to wait in the lobby for her to return. “Wait, does that mean you’ve been just standing here since noon?” an incredulous Rarity asked. “I, may have sat down for a few minutes or so,” Biala admitted, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. “My time with my order has taught me the virtue of patience,” he said when Rarity continued to simply stare at him. “I don’t suppose anyone else is still around?” “The minotaur had initially joined me, no doubt to satisfy his own nosiness, but he was unable to stay for very long at all,” Biala answered with a contemptuous sniff. “In any case, it is good to see that you are alright, but you should know that in your absence, the group has made its decision. We will wait for another three days but no more than that.” His stern face grew sterner still as he frowned. “If you are unable to conclude your business here by then, I am afraid you will have to make your way back home without us.” Rarity nodded. “Then I shall do my best to finish everything before then. Speaking of which, right before I had to leave, I believe you were expressing Interest in ways of assisting me.” She tilted her head slightly sideways and put on a small, innocent smile. “I did, and I am still willing to help if I can. What of it?” “Well...” and Rarity jumped into a short summary of tomorrow’s plan, explaining that she was being sent to some temple ruins in search of ancient magic and that the company of a brave, strong stallion like Biala in such a frightful and possibly dangerous place would certainly be appreciated. There was no mention of the school of necromancy being involved, both out of respect for Sergei von Zarovich’s demands of secrecy and uncertainty to how a stallion as overtly righteous as Biala would react to working with wizards who make abominable puppets from the dearly departed should he happen to even know what necromancy was, and after a few moments of consideration and some questions about the temple, namely who had it been dedicated to and would there be any intention of desecration, Biala Diyn wholeheartedly agreed to lend his aid. He became significantly less enthused when Rarity told him that she wanted Steel Nerves to come along as well, but when he could not dissuade her and even had to admit that his brutish strength could be an asset if properly directed, he agreed to bring her to the minotaur who according to Biala was currently lodging with the refugees in a cheap hostel after blowing through most of his earnings. As Rarity expected, it didn’t take long to convince Steel to join them, and his face immediately lit up at the promise of peril and the potential of treasure. Rarity went over a few final details with them like when and where they would be meeting before it was time to head back to the Hag’s Haven. She took some time after yet another hearty dinner, tonight a pot pie oozing with thick mushroom gravy, to organize her saddlebags, and as she laid her daggers, bedroll, the few portions of dried travel rations, and sunscreens out on the floor in front of her, Rarity wondered if she had been too hasty. As von Zarovich had suggested, she, not wanting to further the time Spike and Discord were to spend as corpses any longer than they already had, was indeed in a rush, but perhaps she could have spared a day to better prepare herself. Her current supplies made an embarrassing display when compared to what Elder Woods’s had first provided her, and in hindsight she really should have put more effort in replacing her lost items back at Cowdim-La. Rarity packed her bags and set them aside for tomorrow. Yes, the smart thing to do would have been to delay, but she still had no intention of doing so. It was a little late to call the excursion off now, and with the day of her companions’s departure established and looming over her, the pressure to get this done as soon as possible was even greater. She would just have to make do with what she had. Morning came, and Rarity quickly got ready and replaced her new robes with the old traveler’s cloak. Once everything was set, she headed out and made her way to the main campus building. She wasn’t too shocked to find Biala Diyn already waiting for her at the front gate, but seeing Steel Nerves here as well took Rarity aback, though from the minotaur’s yawning and tired frown and the dirty glances being thrown in Biala’s direction, it didn’t seem like getting here early was his idea. What was more surprising to see was Biala and Steel already becoming acquainted with the fourth and final member of their crew, a beige blue diamond dog in a brown jacket and a dapper hat. Athkatla Bones the world famous archeologist and explorer extraordinaire had been waiting in front of the magic mural that served as a portal to the necromancy department, and the moment Rarity had stepped out of that picture, the diamond dog latched onto her. Even while they were climbing up all those steps Athkatla Bones still found the breath between pants to hound Rarity with questions about von Zarovich and his position as head of the schools of magic’s archeological sector and Rarity’s relation to him and if she’d be willing to put in a good word for her because she had been trying to get access to the ruins rumored to be nearby for months now already. It might have been that her encounter with von Zarovich and all that he imparted to her had left her mentally drained, maybe Rarity just didn’t have the patience to listen to the diamond dog and her likely exaggerated stories of raiding tombs and braving the uncharted, or maybe she was just so distracted with trying to get to the top of this ridiculously large staircase. Whatever the reason, it took Rarity way too long for her own liking to recognize the possible opportunity that had essentially thrown itself at her hooves. Their ascension slowed as Athkatla’s one-sided pestering turned into a true conversation between two creatures. Rarity, now paying close attention, learned more of Athkatla Bones’ exploits and how she came to the schools of magic after hearing the legends of the precursors of magic and the treasures still said to be hidden within their desolate halls. In return, Athkatla was quietly told of Rarity’s upcoming trip to the temple of Valmeyjar which after some oohing, awing, and expressions of envy naturally transitioned into Rarity offering her a place on her expedition, an offer that the diamond dog eagerly accepted with her tail wagging away furiously. It did not take Rarity long to introduce Athkatla and explain her presence here to Biala and Steel who greeted the bipedal canine with a mix of cautious acceptance, curious suspicion, and sleepy indifference, and once that was all settled, they headed inside. Rarity led the way to the front desk and told the receptionist on duty that she had an appointment with Dean von Zarovich, just as the necromancer had instructed her. After confirming the appointment and checking Rarity’s pass, the receptionist brought the group through the building and to an office door that creaked open at the first knock. “Come in,” came the deep, thunderous voice of Sergei von Zarovich from within. Every creature save for the mare from the front desk obeyed and stepped into a simple standard work office that was astonishingly tame when considering the stallion’s line of work and how his school’s department presented itself. The only thing that felt correctly characteristic was a gilded equine skull that sat on a simple wood shelf between rows of plain and unassuming books. The owner of this place could be found sitting in the same sort of large plush chair that Elkraps had had in her office. As they drew closer to his desk, von Zarovich shoved his interrupted readings into one of the stacks of papers cluttering his desk, each pile held down by a slab or chunk of onyx. “Ah, Princess Shmarity,” von Zarovich hailed, his red mustache twitching as he smiled. “And I see you’ve brought guests.” As he nodded to each of the beings standing before his desk, Rarity noticed that his smile faltered when he had turned to Athkatla Bones, and when he got to Biala, it almost became a frown. “I can’t say I was expecting you to bring a paladin from the Green Order,” von Zarovich said, pointing to the symbol hanging from Biala’s neck which he swiftly tucked back into his tunic. “Well, I suppose I did say you could bring anyone who wasn’t part of the school.” He ended his small, uncomfortable chuckle with a sigh. Biala frowned as well and was about to say something when Steel Nerves suddenly jumped in to say, “Hey, uh, was I hearing things or did you just call her ‘Princess?’” “Oh, that.” Now it was Rarity’s turn to force a laugh as she struggled to think of an explanation without having to reveal her identity as the princess of Spiketopia which would have only complicated matters. “It’s, my given name. My parents were, are an eccentric pair with some rather lofty goals for their children. I just, I find it gauche at times and prefer to go by middle name is all.” Steel Nerves slowly started to nod, fooled by her quick deception, but from their lifted brows and squinting eyes, it didn’t look like either Biala or Athkatla were going to be as accepting. Any further scrutiny was interrupted by von Zarovich clearing his throat. “Let’s get back to business. I trust that, ahem, Miss Shmarity has already explained to you all what will be happening today?” “Only that we are to explore the ruins of an ancient temple.” Biala’s response brought back von Zarovich’s smile. “Good, then I have little else to add other than that your focus will be on the catacombs found on the lower floors. If the temple of Valmeyjar’s structure is like all the others that we have already excavated, it shouldn’t be difficult to navigate and should not take you longer than a day or perhaps two at most to get through it all. Just, see what you can find down there.” “And, uh, we get to keep what we find, right?” asked Steel, holding up a hand. “Any gold, silver, or gems that are brought back with you are yours to do with as you will, but scrolls and the like belong to the schools of magic without question,” von Zarovich answered with a stern stare toward Athkatla. “Everything else is negotiable. I trust these terms are, acceptable?” There was a round of nods and a lack of objections. “Excellent. Now, Miss Shmarity, your pass?” The stallion held his hoof out to Rarity and waited for her to place in it the parchment she had received when she had first arrived at the schools of magic. Rarity watched as von Zarovich unraveled the paper and wrote down a couple of short lines in crimson ink. He punctuated the last sentence with a slam of a rubber stamp that left a shimmering image of a raven perched upon the horn of a unicorn’s skull before giving the pass back to Rarity along with a larger roll of parchment. “Here you are. Just show your pass to the concierge at the exit, any of the exits on the town’s edge’ll do, and they’ll bring you as close to the temple’s location as they can,” von Zarovich explained. He pointed to the second parchment. “This map will show you the rest of the way to Valmeyjar’s temple. It should be accurate. There’ll be a bit of a walk, so unless you have more questions, I’d suggest setting off now while the sun’s still low.” Rarity turned to the others, and when no one spoke up, she thanked von Zarovich, and the group left the office. They made their way out of the building and onto the streets, making little small talk as they continued toward the schools’s borders and stopping only to grab a bag of plain donuts to eat along the way and to fill their canteens with fresh water. Some minutes of walking later, the road beneath Rarity’s hooves suddenly vanished and the world around her went dark. Someone beside her screamed over her own gasp. “W-what’s going on? What happened?” Steel shouted. He swung his fist up in the air as if to strike away the shadows. “Calm yourself,” said Biala. Despite the darkness, his annoyed, impatient frown was easily visible to Rarity. “We are simply entering the boundaries of the schools of magic.” “Ah, is like the entrance to schools then,” Athkatla Bones observed. “We see those annoying know-it-all cats, I wonder?” The diamond dog didn’t have to wonder for very long as a glow in the distance soon turned out to be a candle sitting in front of the two robed feline folk that had greeted and brought Rarity, Biala, and the rest of their band of travelers to the schools in the first place. The green-eyed one looked as though they had gotten at most a hour of sleep since Rarity’s last encounter with them, and their golden eyed brother still wore that same smug, catty grin. “Leaving the schools?” the tired looking cat yawned out. “Only for the day,” Rarity said, placing her pass on the desk in front of them. With another yawn, the cat lazily flicked the paper open and read through it. The pass was returned with a reluctant sigh, and the cat slowly, forcefully lifted themselves out of their chair. “Alright, fine, follow me,” they instructed as they got around the table and motioned every creature forward while their still seated colleague waved them goodbye. Once they had gotten to a point where the desk and the other feline were no longer visible, their guide stopped and turned to face the group. “Per Dean Sergei von Zarovich’s authorization, Princess Shmarity and all those with her, yada yada, something about permission, have fun with old buildings and stuff I guess,” the cat mumbled as they tucked one paw behind their back and lifted the other to examine the space beneath a claw. Light suddenly flooded the area, cutting through the darkness and leaving everyone blinded for several seconds. When the light finally dissipated and her sight had returned after some blinking, Rarity discovered that she and her group were back in the desert’s coarse golden plains, standing right before the massive doors of a tower that reached endlessly up into the sky above. It wasn’t the same location they had entered the schools through, at least Rarity didn’t think it was. She could spot several brightly colored flags flying from poles out in the distance, something she was sure she would have noticed on the journey here had those flags been there initially. “So what now?” asked Steel Nerves as he stepped forward and looked around. “I don’t see any temple anywhere.” Rarity took out the map that von Zarovich had provided her, and the first thing that popped out to her was the rainbow of triangles scattered about the parchment. Each triangle had its color clearly written inside of it in addition to a proper noun like Manus’s Manor, Ryndolg’s Arch, and Halls of Juniper, though there were a few that had a question mark in the place of a name. Rarity quickly skimmed through the map, and sure enough, she found Temple of Valmeyjar marked down in a purple triangle. Beyond that, there were no other symbols, no sketches or descriptions of landmarks. She glanced up from the map, and with there being little else to look at, she turned her gaze toward the flags out yonder. As Rarity watched the colorful fabric flutter in a passing breeze, her eyes started to widened with understanding. “What is the matter?” Biala asked, and she held the map out to the stallion and pointed toward the flags. “We need to start moving that way,” Rarity explained. “If my interpretation is correct, each of those flags we see over there corresponds to a different location. Valmeyjar’s temple should be marked with a flag that’s a royal purple or perhaps a strong violet color.” A shadow extended over Rarity, Biala, and the map. “A what purple?” said the minotaur standing over them. “This one,” Rarity answered, pointing. Steel’s confusion was understandable, there were a few other purples on the map. “In the middle of the chartreuse flag and the vermilion one.” Steel Nerves turned to Athkatla, and the diamond dog just shrugged with an equally bewildered expression. “You mean, the one between the light green and the orange red?” Rarity sighed. “Yes, that one.” “Then let us be off,” Biala exclaimed with a step and a nod toward the flags. “The sun will be directly over our heads if we do not hurry.” The rest of the group followed after, and they marched across the dunes at a brisk pace while the sun slowly creeped up the sky, its radiance beaming down on their backs. By the time they had reached the first flag pole and the crumbling colosseum it represented every creature was red and sweating from the intense heat, and what shelter the ruined structures they passed by could provided them was only a temporary respite as they forced themselves onward. Twice they stopped and let a collective breath of relief only for Rarity to shake her head and point out that the color of the flag before them was some other shade of purple like lavender or mauve, and if any creature was skeptical, they just had to read the engravings on the pole to realize that they had not yet reached their destination. Finally, they arrived at the spot indicated on the map, and before them, behind that oh so very royal purple banner, was a mostly intact chapel made of sandstone. Time had smoothed away some of the edges, and all that remained of its gated entrance were some rusted frames, but the walls stood tall and proud, maintaining the shape of the building, and as she and every creature else approached the temple’s threshold, a silence settled upon the group as they stood within its cooling shade. Even in its current derelict state, Rarity could still feel a quieting air of veneration coming from the structure, a remnant of the atmosphere this place must have carried in its heyday. They took a short rest at the doorstep, giving themselves a little time to drink some water and recover from the trip here. Once every creature was ready, they headed inside and were immediately met by a simple altar, nothing more extravagant than a block of bleached marble, in the very first room. Right behind the altar was a cracked and fade fresco that depicted a light green mare with wings and a long horn peeking out from beneath her veil. On her right side were the images of skeletons partially buried and within shadows, and to the mare’s left ponies danced joyously in the light. A crescent moon hung over the mare’s head, and at her hooves there were rows of runes, though unfortunately much of the message had peeled away with the wall, and of what was legible, Rarity soon discovered that it was in a language that neither she nor Princess Shmarity had any knowledge of. “Hey, can you read that?” she heard Steel ask Biala. “I am a warrior, a protector of the weak and the defenseless, not a scholar or a seeker of knowledge. My talents lie elsewhere.” “So, that’s a no? Because you could’ve just said no.” “Is in Celestial.” All eyes turned to Athkatla Bones. The diamond dog was crouched next to painted image, brushing the dust from the runes with her paw. “Celestial?” Biala Diyn repeated. “As in, the language of the heavenly realms?” Athkatla nodded. “‘We who follow Ver, no, Valmeyjar’s path, um, death has lost her hold over us,’” she translated out loud for all the hear. “Not sure of rest, too damaged to read.” “Death has lost her hold over us?” Steel Nerves placed his hands on his hips and frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Hard to say.” Athkatla’s ears drooped. “Too much missing. Maybe talking about afterlife, or maybe temple worshippers thought beliefs led to immortality.” “It matters little to us,” Biala interjected. “We were not sent here to speculate on the religious doctrines of those who were before us, and to make flippant assumptions while within these sacred walls would be most disrespectful.” The stallion pulled out his pendant, the one of a whip and a rounded staff crossed over to form a X, and touched it briefly to his forehead before putting the symbol away. He then pointed to the pair of paths that went around the painted wall, leading deeper into the temple. “Come, let us find these catacombs and be done with this quickly so that this place may be at peace once more.” Steel let out a derisive snort, but no other disagreements were raised, and as Rarity followed Biala down one way while Steel and Athkatla Bones’s went the other, she looked back at the alicorn on the wall and the message in that strange, indecipherable writing beneath her. Despite lacking in both context or substance, what was written there filled Rarity with an optimism she had been too afraid to indulge, and she struggled to contain her excitement and keep herself from rushing forward. As it turned out, both paths met quickly on the other side of the wall, wrapping together and bringing the split group back into one before a single hallway. The space between the walls was small, and they were forced to move in a single file line, with Biala in the front followed by Athkatla and Rarity and finally Steel squeezing through at the rear. They thankfully did not have to suffer the minotaur’s complaining for long as the hall soon opened up into a wide spacious room. Sunlight streamed through the massive hole in the ceiling and shined down on a raised podium in the room’s center where perhaps sermons or ceremonies were once held before a great gathering. Cracked statues with missing limbs and even heads stood against the walls, most of their features having long since been worn away from age. Each of the two side walls had a trio of passageways, and in the very back, at the base of a pedestal, was a set of stairs going down below the dusty ground floor. The way to the crypts beneath the temple was obvious, but Rarity would’ve been lying if she said she didn’t share Steel and Athkatla’s curiosity of what laid at the ends of the other ways, and after some time and cajoling, Biala surrendered and permitted the short detour. It probably took them longer to convince the stallion than it did to explore the bare bone auxiliary rooms, and after finding only centuries worth in dust and some broken pottery, they returned to the assembly hall and started down the stairway. Like the hall before, there wasn’t a lot space to maneuver around each other, which left them having to descent one at a time, one step at a time. The stairs were several, and progress was slow, but it gave Rarity time to marvel over how bright the area still was despite how deep below the surface they were at this point. The source of the light soon came into view, but seeing blazing torches held in place by sconces yielded more questions than it did answers. Who had set up these golden flames? The school of necromancy was the most obvious culprit, but Rarity was under the impression that this section of the temple was completely unexplored. Or had they not yet reached the barrier that kept away their undead servants? In any case, the fire’s glow suggested that they had been lit recently, but when Steel Nerves went to grab one of the torches off the wall, the aged wood immediately splintered apart in his grasp, showering every creature below him with sparks that dissipated harmlessly before they could land. Some time and several stairs later, the company came to a sudden halt as the stallion up in front stopped and held up both a hoof and the rest of the line. Those in the back received the message a little late, resulting in some bumping and stumbling and the exchange of dirty glances, but once everyone had recovered, Biala brought their attention to the well illuminated floor below. “We are approaching the end. Be ready.” Biala’s tone and the look in his eye finished his warning. Be ready for anything. Carefully, they made their way down the last of the steps, the air heavy with a tension so thick it could have been pierced by the blade Rarity found herself reaching for. She tried calm herself, tried not to think of von Zarovich’s mentions of the unknown dangers that awaited them. Even Steel Nerves’s nerves seemed to be on edge as his forced, hurried, almost haggard breathing echoing over their heads. When they had all entered the sizable antechamber that was waiting for them at the bottom safe and sound, every creature released a sigh of relief. The room was a rather mundane one with a simple floor of stone tiles and pedestrian walls of cut stone bricks. There was, however, a distinct lack of the erosion that plagued the temple’s main floor, most likely due to the room’s location deep underground protecting it from the abrasive elements, though dust still made its home here. Several such piles littered the floor beneath an archway in the back that stood over the path forward. Unlike the rest of the room, the bricks that made up archway were of something far more precious than simple rock. Their surfaces had a silver sheen that was brighter and more reflective than what any purity of silver could manage. Platinum. The others besides Rarity took notice of the valuable metal, and Steel Nerves started to walk ahead of the group with an expression of obvious greed and want plastered on his face when not Biala but Athkatla tugged him back by his belt. “Hey, what do you think—“ “Look,” the diamond dog hissed, jabbing a paw at one of the large mounds of dust and ash. Something was sticking out, something long and white and with nubs on the end. A femur, Rarity realized as the blood drained from her face, and the others soon saw it as well. More bits and pieces of broken and scorched bone could spotted among the ash now that it was brought to their attention. Steel jumped back and threw up his arms in a protective stance, but nothing happened. “You, uh, think this is, uh, you know, a trap?” he asked between gulps. “Maybe.” Athkatla sauntered past the shaken minotaur, pulling out a thin pocket razor and a magnifying glass from her jacket. “I check.” She carefully ran the knife’s edge between the space of the platinum blocks and scrutinized every surface on her side of the arch. When those long minutes resulted in nothing conclusive, Athkatla took out a couple ball bearing and rolled them across the floor under the archway. Nothing happened. She stepped back and with a collapsible rod began to tap at the blocks of the archway and on the ground, and again nothing happened. As the rest of the group watched and time passed on uneventfully, the anxiety from earlier wore off and was replaced with boredom, which left them all vulnerable to the shock of seeing beautiful yet alien script suddenly lit up along the length of the archway when Athkatla pressed her paw directly against it. The surrounding torches dimmed, making the glowing arch and its runes the predominant provider of light. Slowly, Biala removed his hoof from the hilt of his scimitar and looked to Athkatla. “Is it Celestial as well?” he asked. “Yes.” Athkatla stepped back for a better view of the text, her eyes narrowing in concentration. “Ahead lies the final resting place of her descendants. Only their remains may pass.” “Okay, so what does that mean?” questioned Steel Nerves. “Who’s this her? Is it safe for us to go through?” Athkatla shrugged. “Doesn’t say. Found no traps though. Maybe safe, maybe not.” As the group shared a look of unease, Rarity tried making sense of the second half of Athkatla’s reading. Only their remains may pass, that’s what was said. Remains, as in what remained after death perhaps? Was this what was keeping von Zarovich’s animated bodies from getting further? “Does anyone have any rope?” Rarity asked, and Athkatla answered by pulling out a coil. “Now if you would be so kind as to tie it around me. Just my back leg will do, thank you. I have reason to believe that we should all be able to pass under that archway safely, but if I’m wrong, I’d appreciate it if some creature were to pull me out of the way of impending danger.” It was the best idea they’ve had, and with no other options coming forward that would take them forward, the rope’s other end went into Steel’s mighty hand. The minotaur gave it an experimental tug that sent Rarity a good couple of feet towards him, and after he raised a thumb up at her, Rarity started towards the piles of ash. Her body stiffened, preparing to spring back at the first sign of danger as she heard a low hum come from above as she first stepped under the arch. That hum continued up until she had reached the other side and turned to face the rest of her companions, but it wasn’t until they had all also made it across that she allowed herself to relax and release the breath she held. The rope was returned and stored away, and the group continued on into the larger room the first had led them to. In addition to being more spacious, this new, rectangular room was also most definitely more decorative. The walls were vibrantly painted with scenes of ponies rising with the sun, frolicking about and playing, and finally falling asleep as the moon watched over their heads. In the center of the room there was a row of more life sized statues, but unlike those they had encountered upstairs, these were all intact and molded from gold, silver, and bronze instead of being carved out of stone. Their painstakingly detailed faces, Rarity noted, were embellished with cuts of gemstones, from diamond and opal teeth to eyes of emerald, sapphire, or topaz on top of the actual jewelry that the statues wore. Each statue was of a different mare or stallion, but every single one had both a set of wings and a horn and stood as tall as Princess Celestia. A number of paths laid before the group, six in total if they were to include the one that had brought them here, three going through the wall ahead of them and the other three on the opposite wall. The main passage, the one that ran directly center to the entrance Rarity and the rest of them came through, was made obvious by yet another arch of platinum. Biala sighed as he regarded all of the other paths before him. “I am supposing that the rest of you will be wanting to explore these other sections before continuing on. So be it, but we must stay—“ There was flash of light, and what sounded like the roar of a mighty beast suddenly rang out followed by a pained yelp. The rest of the group turned to Steel and saw that he was clutching at his face. Steam waft from his arms and hand as he lowered them to reveal the hot red burns on his features. The gold mare standing next to him shone brightly for a moment longer before the light faded. “All I did was touch it. That’s all I did, I swear,” Steel said, wincing as the burns caused the skin under his blue fur to crack. Biala scowled as he marched over to the hurt minotaur and grabbed him by his raw cheeks, pulling Steel down to his eye level and causing the larger creature to whimper. “It is not life threatening,” he announced after some examination. “You will live with this folly, so let it be a lesson.” He released Steel. “We must stay vigilant.” Biala turned to eye Athkatla. “And respectful.” Athkatla scoffed and rolled her eyes before following Biala toward the side passage furtherest from them. Rarity started after them but paused to check on Steel Nerves herself, and as she turned she caught the minotaur slip a baby blue sapphire that was about the size of her hoof into his pouch. She looked to the statue next to him and noticed that it was missing an eye. “What? You heard what that stallion from the school said. Gems are ours, and it’s not like the statue’s going to miss it,” Steel said to Rarity as he walked past her and her judgment expression. “It’s not going to do any good down here. I can at least put it to use.” Rarity continued to frown but made no attempts to rebuke him. Steel did have a point that she was finding difficult to dispute, and while Rarity found the defacing of such a gorgeous masterpiece distasteful, it seemed wrong and almost hypocritical to criticize after she had gone through the pockets of a dead slaver in search of loose change a little under a week ago. Informing the others felt counterproductive at this point, so Rarity held her tongue as she and Steel rejoined the party. The side chamber consisted of a single solid golden prism surrounded by walls of numerous compartments closed off by locked drawers. Each drawer had an inscription upon its surface in what was as far as Rarity could tell the same written language as the other texts they had encountered here. When she and Steel Nerves’ arrived, Athkatla was hard at work trying to undo the lock on one of the compartments. She had, Biala explained, already determined that there was nothing special about block in the chamber’s center outside possibly the fact that it was of gilded iron and not actually of complete gold. They didn’t have to wait long before there was a click and a short satisfied snicker. Steel hurried to the diamond dog’s side. “Alright! What’ve we got?” “Wait, are we sure it isn’t trapped?” “Traps found.” Athkatla pointed Rarity to a broken chain and a couple of broken tiles with faint sigils written on them that were on the ground. “Traps gone,” she grunted as she grabbed the drawer’s handle and slowly pulled it toward her. A vile, sour stench escaped the opened compartment, causing everyone in the room to cough and gag. Stuffed inside was the mummified body of a mare, her face concealed by an intricate mask of gold possibly shaped like that of the pony’s face in life and her body wrapped tightly in strips of cloth. The body was lain on it back, and the mare’s forelegs were forced to fold right below her neck so they held onto a small silver plate. Ignoring Biala’s protests, Athkatla wiggles the rounded plate out of the mummy’s grip and held it up for every creature to see. Stamped into the silver was the image of a set of eyes encompassed by seven stars. From her coat, Athkatla took out a notebook and a piece of charcoal and quickly rubbed an imprint of the plate onto a page. When she had finished, she started to put everything away, including the plate. “You are not taking that with us.” Athkatla frowned at Biala. “Why not?” The stallion’s entire beard bristled at the question. “It is not ours to take. I did not come here to disturb the dead.” “Dead not disturbed.” Athkatla Bones got up and closed the compartment with the preserved body. “Dead resting. Dead not have things. It no belong to them or in this tomb. It belongs in place where everyone can see and learn. Dead not care. We care. The living care.” She held up the silver disc and tapped it. “We can learn, can better respect by learning about them than by just leaving old bodies to rot.” A dark glower brought a menacing shadow across Biala Diyn’s face. He stepped toward the argumentative diamond dog, but his path to her was quickly blocked by Steel Nerves’s broad body. The minotaur stood there, staring down with his hands on his hips and his chest puffed out and smirking in reply to Biala’s glare. Biala turned to his fellow equine, but Rarity shook her head and walked over to Athkatla and Steel’s side, having found Athkatla’s spoken sentiments surprisingly convincing and altruistic. Biala’s scowl deepened for a moment before he released a tired sigh and went to a corner to grumble and sulk and watch the others unlock the next compartment. It too was holding a mummy, and along with the same kind of silver plate and symbol there was also a necklace of pearls to uncover. Half an hour or so and six drawers later, they had gathered two growing piles, one of snapped chains and runes chipped out of place and the other of those rounded plates of silver, all with the same image of eyes and stars, and miscellaneous jewelry. It was at this point, after pulling out just another equine body in wrappings, that Steel Nerves was showing a loss of interest. He started to yawn and wander around the room, tugging at the other compartments that were still locked until Athkatla would take a brief break from her work to bark at Steel and tell him to knock it off. After the third interruption, Athkatla huffed and dropped her tools. With her ears drooped low, she gave Rarity a look that was equal parts frustrated and apologetic. “Maybe we look other places now, check other rooms. Come back later.” Rarity glanced around the room and at all of the containers they still hadn’t gotten to. Part of her wondered and worried over the possibility that the spell she sought was in one of these locked caskets, but at the same time she had to admit that she was also getting tired of pulling out mummies and relieving them of the same or similar earthly effects. It would be nice to have change of pace and a break in the tedium, and who knew how much more they had to see of this place. Rarity nodded, and once they had secured their findings, splitting some of the silver and jewelry amongst the group except for Biala Diyn who scowled at the very suggestion and leaving the rest where it could be picked up at a later time, the group left the chamber and moved on to the next one. They quickly discovered it to be pretty much identical to first. Same block of gold plated iron right in the middle, same walls and rows of locked drawers, same plates of silver with the same engraving clutched in the forelegs of the embalmed inhabitants. The next room was just as disappointing as was the one after that, and at that last one they didn’t even bother opening any of the compartments. That just left them the main passage leading deeper into the temple’s underground crypt, and so that way they went. The group walked at a leisurely stride, giving Athkatla time to check the floor for irregularities and anything else that might be indicative of a dangerous, hidden trap. Fortunate favored them today as they entered the next area without incident. They had stepped into a wide extended hallway that stretched by Rarity’s best estimate a good fifty feet from end to end. Like the room behind them, the walls were painted with the images of ponies going about their lives, but Rarity also noticed that there were also several instances of that symbol they had found, with a set of eyes and stars separating each scene. And then there was the floor of the hall which was made up of distinct square tiles, each square large enough to carry an adult pony like Rarity or even Biala, and every one had a picture upon it. Some had the face of an equine at different ages, others images of diverse weapons or artisan tools while still others had all sorts of animals or the sun at different times of the day or the moon at its various stages or the gradual closing of an eye in separate steps. With such a varied assortment of pictures, there didn’t appear to any rhyme or reason to how the tiles were positioned, and Rarity struggled to come up with an explanation as to why the floor was decorated in such a seemingly random fashion. Rarity started to take another step forward to get a better look of tiles, but Athkatla stopped her and the rest of the group and motioned their attention to the ground right before the first row of pictures. It was more of that ancient text she couldn’t understand, Rarity realized, written in gleaming gold font.