//------------------------------// // Chapter 101 - Ancient History. // Story: Terraria: Friendship Is Magic // by Pomp-Neigh //------------------------------// -TERRARIA, DESERT BIOME- A beam of light suddenly appears as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Sai Sahan, Terralestia, Tanner The Guide and even Jeremy The Angler now stands before The Desert Biome. Incidentally, it was completely different from the desert that Sai, Rainbow Dash, and Terralestia had fought The Desert Scourge in. The cowmare in particular was definitely surprised to see that The Guide had possessed a Magic Mirror as she turns towards him and says: “Hey, ah', Tanner?” “Yes, Applejack?” “When did ya’ get that there mirror of yer’s? Ah thought Rarity’s Ice Mirror was the only one of its kind. Yer’s looks like an ordinary mirror but possesses the same powers.” As this is going on, Rainbow Dash, Sai Sahan, and Celestia were currently chatting amongst themselves. The Guide was noticeably taken aback by the cowmare’s words before he looks towards the mirror in his possession and says: “After what happened with Rarity, I never wanted to see any of you get thrown into such a situation ever again. Therefore, I sent some adventurers to acquire this artifact. It has prowess that’s similar to The Ice Mirror but it also has another power: The ability to see into other worlds.” Applejack was noticeably thrown off by Tanner’s words. On one hoof, she felt something strange about his tale. In fact, thanks to her element, she could’ve sworn that what he just said was a fabricated lie. On the other hoof, her love for her family overcame that suspicion as she exclaims: “What?! Ya mean that ah’ could see mah’ family?!” “Perhaps, wanna give it a try? Since you came from that world it should work for you.” “Of course ya’ silly goose, fire that thing up!” Heeding to her request, Tanner allows her to look into the mirror as he then comments: “Think of them in your mind, Applejack. Pour your greatest desire into the mirror and it shall show it to you from your world.” Applejack closes her eyes as she focuses on one thing in particular: Her family. She could see a large red stallion, an elderly green mare, and a certain crusader who was also her beloved younger sibling. Tanner takes notice of what was now forming onto the mirror as he says: “Open your eyes, Applejack. I must say, you have a beautiful family.” “Wait, how do ya’-” Applejack’s words were cut off as she opened her eyes and saw them within the mirror: Her family. “Oh mah’ gawrsh… ah’ can see them… it’s like watchin’ ah’ movie but it’s really them. They’re ok…” Tears were now starting to form in her eyes as she continued to watch Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom go about their business in what she could tell to be The Crystal Empire. “Can ah’ talk to them?” “I’m sorry, Applejack. They can not interact with us nor can we do the same in turn. We can only observe them.” The cowmare then wipes away her tears with a forehoof as she turns back to Tanner and says: “Thank you fer’ this, ah’ needed to know if they were doin’ alright. Especially with The Corruption threatening everypony back home. Ah’ might not be able to hear their voices again but this is enough to give me peace.” “It’s no problem at all,” Tanner replies as he then sends The Magic Mirror back to his inventory. “Let’s go rejoin the others, King Amidias and his guards have set up an encampment near The Pyramid. They’ll be waiting for us there but since I’ve never been to their current location before, I can’t use the mirror. We’re gonna have to walk.” The Guide then gives her a thumbs up before he turns to join the rest of their group. Momentarily lost in thought, Applejack was incredibly grateful for what Tanner has done, however, she also couldn’t help but think back to that feeling she had. As the bearer of The Element Of Honesty, she still couldn’t shake Tanner’s lie as she says internally: -Tanner, why did ya’ lie to me just now? Ah’ honestly couldn’t tell if ya’ lied about the mirror or if you lied about how ya’ got the mirror. Ah’ just don’t know- The cowmare then sighs before she makes her way towards the rest of the group. Unbeknownst to her and within the orange earth pony’s own shadow was the facial features of a bird like entity. -Listen to your instincts, pony. It shall lead you to the truth- -TERRARIA, THE JUNGLE BIOME- Both Gex and Zecora were currently within her home as they discussed various topics around her cauldron; adding various ingredients for the apparent potion she’s currently working on with his assistance. Due to the two friends becoming close, Zecora felt comfortable enough to speak normally instead of in rhyme as she says: “Your culture is quite a marvel, especially when it comes to your spells.” “Indeed,” Gex responds as the lihzhard added a handful of waterleaf into the mixture. “Our spells are activated by using our native tongue. We project our voices into a thu’um, a shout. These shouts are the very spells that you’ve seen me use multiple times before.” “Ah, yes. I believe that you used one which causes a powerful force to be let loose by your lips which causes your foes to be pushed back by its power.” “Unrelenting Force, I can not say the words less I accidently call forth the spell but that is its name in my people’s tongue.” Zecora nods in response before she then takes on a sad expression and comments: “Gex… I know that this might be a personal thing to ask, but,” The zebra became noticeably hesitant before she then breathed in and continues: “Back in The Underground Jungle Biome, you were hesitant to be there when we first arrived. I can’t quite put a hoof on it but I could tell that it was more than just The Temple that caused you to rear back in fear. Where are the rest of your kind? I know that you told us about them being unkind and brutal but what about your family? Are there no others like yourself?” The Witchdoctor was momentarily stunned by her words and while it did make him uncomfortable, the lihzhard trusted the zebra with his life as he sighs sadly and responds: “Let’s take a seat, Zecora. My tale is one of great loss and misery,” Heeding to his request, the zebra nods in response as the two friends make their way towards the table and take a seat across from each other. “In truth, I did not originate from The Jungle that we are currently positioned in. I came from another one entirely but it has been reduced to not but ash and has faded to the depths of history. You see, we lihzhards live for a very long time. In fact, my father was over four thousand years old while my mother was five thousand.” “Oh my word,” Zecora comments in disbelief before she puts a hoof to her chin and questions: “How old would that make you?” “It has been over two thousand years since my birth. I was born in a time when the Gods still roamed freely upon this world, when the dryads were still many, The Hallow still existed, and not even The Corruption or The Crimson were brought into being yet. My kind calls it: The Time Of The Ancients.” “Wait a second, The Crimson and The Corruption didn’t exist in the time of your birth?” “No, they did not. I assume that Tanner The Guide has informed you all of their origins?” “No, The Guide never informed us of such things. He told us of how the infections work but not of their origins.” “That brings great surprise to me. It is the duty of The Guide to teach the history of this world to those who seek to defend Terraria. I must scold him the next time I see him,” The lihzhard comments before he then chuckles and says: “Nyarlathotep didn’t arrive to our world yet for that monstrosity is where both of the infections originates from. The entity’s body became The Crimson while its dark will became The Corruption. The biome of sin was the first to lay claim to the world but that was before the dryads defeated The Corruption and reduced it to near nothingness but were unable to completely destroy it. However, in its absence, The Crimson took hold which was an even more terrifying infection. Despite that and thanks to the efforts of the dryads who kept The Crimson at bay, all the beings of the world continued to live in relative peace. Then, over five hundred years later and after my birth, Nyarlathotep appeared but I sadly have no knowledge of how that monster was defeated which in turn resulted in the birth of the infections, as I mentioned before. After that, peace was once again restored to the land for another four hundred years before another terror came to Terraria, the same story that you know about: The Coming Of Cthulhu. My mother suspected that the eldritch terror was attracted to our world because of Nyarlathotep.” Zecora's mouth was currently hung agape as she takes in this awe inspiring piece of history. She then manages to recover as she says: “By the ancients of Zebrica, Gex, that’s a lot to take in. So, what became of your home? You mentioned that it was reduced to ashes. What was responsible for it?” Gex momentarily shuddered in fear before he sighs in an effort to recover his composure and answers: “This happened four hundred years before today. Fire was let loose upon my home and killed my parents by an ancient creature; a legend even among my kind: A Jungle Dragon.”