Hello my dear reader, if you find these papers I must ask you to deliver them to the University of the Great Gallop in the city of Canterlot, in the brand new kingdom of Equestria ruled by the wise alicorn sisters on the continent of Equiss. A generous hundred-bit reward shall be given to you. May increase according to the contents of the rest of my diary. Suffice it to say that you own the Ink & Pen diary. My assistants and faithful friends will know what to do. Feel free to read the rest of the diary, but be aware that some parts will be hidden with magic and revealing what's in these parts will nullify the previously promised reward.
Signed. Ink Point.
I sigh with a smile as I finish writing the first page of what I believe shall be the book of the year! No, of the century! I chuckled internally for a moment, pure anxiety emanating from me at the thought of filling this book that craves words and knowledge like every other book.
I keep it on my desk, a plain bound one with a brown cover worn and damp in some parts due the weather and the leak that the captain of this ship ignorantly forgot to warn me about. If I had written anything, heavens, I don't even want to think what I could do with the poor captain. But as my late Brother Pen Point would say, zip it, it just makes the work more authentic! What kind of a book it would be if it didn't have the marks of a good old thaumaturgical tome!
"May Faust be with you." I whisper to myself, levitate up a small box under my bed and open it.
Inside were various writing materials, from the most rustic quills to the finest inks, but my target was a carefully folded photo. I unfold the photo carefully to avoid damaging it and smile when I see my photo from when my brother and I graduated from college. Me, a white unicorn and tousled-brown mane, I was hugged in a way… over-animated by a black unicorn with a silver mane, his left hoof around my neck and his right hoof proudly displaying our diplomas.
I can't hold back a couple of tears of pure emotion as I see that air-head smiling so excitedly.
I picked up a pair of incense that, along with the photo, were the only things that filled the box except the writing material.
I do place the photo on my desk, use a spell to make it levitate a few inches on the table, I repeat the same with the incense and light it.
After finishing my morning homage to my brother and putting away the boxes I trot slowly out of my cabin.
The sun of my beloved princess greeted me silently as I sigh. I look to both sides and there's only the endless ocean to either side, a mixed crew of ponies and pegasus maintain all the ship's activities and make sure it runs smoothly.
I look up and notice the captain, an old sky-blue unicorn that no longer owns his horn, he salutes me with a nod, I quickly salute him too as I trot towards the bow of the wooden ship and contemplate the vastness of the ocean.
“You would do love this, Pen…” I say to myself as I see the pegasi flying forward and taming some wild clouds and taking them to the ship's water reservoirs.
I laughed a little, maybe Pen wouldn't like it so much here, he got sick just riding a balloon! Imagine a ship in the middle of the ocean!
"Some problem youngling?" I hear the captain's harsh, slow voice behind me.
"No captain, just thinking about life." He was silent and when I looked at him I noticed him smoking his pipe.
"Ya know son, I've done a lot of travelin’ in my long life, but a young unicorn wanting to go across the ocean just to see if a bedtime story is real, this one takes the cake."
"Oh, you're wrong captain!" I say lifting a hoof to my chest. "There is a lot of evidence that humans are real! From pre-Equestrian texts to recent documents and more importantly, witnesses!"
“I know city-boy, bu' hear me out, be careful what ya look for.” he said coughing while pointing to his horn. “'cuz ya may fin' it” I nod to the old captain as I turn back to face the endless emptiness of the ocean.
"It started Pen, there's no turning back now."
First day.
We left the port of Manehattan yesterday and from what the old captain said, there are still many days to go before the next stop, but I assure you dear readers, nothing will stop me from proving to those university skeptics how right my brother was! That it wasn't just a momentary hysteria or an attempt to get attention. They are real! Almost all known cultures cite them, although the texts and legends range from bogeypony to endless gigantic beasts, there is a consistency that they are an extremely peaceful and tribal civilization, the few colleagues who have supported me on this journey agree that they can be a subspecies of minotaurs.
I disagree, unfortunately, as many of the accounts and legends describe humans in places where Minotaur settlements never occurred. By Faust, a minotaur has never stepped on the spot I'm going to!
From what my colleagues in Griffonia have said, my goal is a small island not far from the continent. Although my Equestrian colleagues believe that a griffin does not count as a reliable witness, it is still more than we had. Furthermore, Griffonia seems to be quite prone to human tales, as more than half of the texts come from there.
Curious fact. Dear reader, there are more tales of humans in the dragon lands than in Equestria!
Eighth day.
Today we saw a seagull, a clear sign of near land, although the captain said we will only stop at Far-Far-Island to pick up supplies and that we will not dock at this possible near land. As an academic and scholar, I know that if there is an island around here it is not on the maps! A completely new island! However, although I insisted that he make a quick search for this so-guessed lost island, he promptly refused, saying that ships that go off course in the middle of the ocean never return to it.
Tenth day.
We are halfway now, my anxiety and desire for land burn as fast as incense for my brother. I noticed a curious fact, I have incense for the trip, but not for the return. I feel ashamed of myself making a mistake on this level, what if it was food? It could be my end. Thank heavens food is the ship's responsibility.
Fifteenth day.
I miss the land and get tired of drawing humans according to the Gryphonic, minotauric and draconic myths . They always appear to be very large, bigger than minotaurs and wearing invulnerable war armor.
While such reports have held steady for centuries, in recent times they have shifted to a more lovable version, of druidic beings who hate loud noises and bright lights, their bodies have been described as smaller than minotaurs but quicker and more agile. Whether it's a lost civilization, or an isolated tribe, I'll find them! The world must know!
Curious fact. Equestria descriptions tend to be the least believable. They speak of bloodthirsty beings who invade cities and kill for pure pleasure, however, the legends also say that they worshiped the god Reficul, being the only species to worship the god of war and justice in our pantheon.
Twentieth day.
We finally arrived, my faithful reader. We docked in a griffin city a few hours ago and a boat is being prepared to go to the small island in the horizon I have heard about. I stared at the island for hours until the boat was ready, wondering how many humans there were in that dense, inhospitable jungle. I lit the last incense for my brother and asked the captain to get more.
Curious fact. According to legend, humans are terrible swimmers and sink almost immediately.
I'm shaking with anticipation, looking at the others in our little boat, a golden colored pegasus with a blue mane and the obviously good old captain. There was supposed to be a land pony here to be the… guard, as they say but I refused to allow it! If we ignore the Equestrian legends we notice that humans are peaceful by nature and never would attack first! It was difficult, but I convinced the captain to dispense that muscular mass who he calls Strong Hoof.
Before the boat pulls to shore I teleport to the island, an ear-to-ear smile plastered across my face as I look out all over the dense jungle ahead of me.
"We're here, Captain! There are humans on this island! I feel it in my horn!" I shout to my countrymen in the boat.
We had already made a small camp when the night of the illustrious Princess Luna came. A relatively large tent for me and a couple of boxes of supplies for my adventure into the forest.
The pegasus flew over the island on my demand . This island is huge. it was the first thing that this feathers-head spoke as he took water and panting with fatigue.
"Nothing." he said dryly for the fourth time after I asked about humans. I felt a hint of sarcasm in his voice. While it's appreciated to have a crew who believe in my cause here, his lack of faith will be erased when I find the humans! Because I shall find them!!
Twenty-fourth day
Nothing, four days in a row in this forest from Tartarus and I found nothing. I'll never say aloud I'm losing faith, but I've circled the island, I've crossed in a straight line in several directions But nothing, no clues , hoofprints or something like that. They are real, my dear reader, if not here, they shall be in another place. There is no way many unconnected cultures around our world speak of the same being and it is just a cosmic coincidence!
Curious fact. Dragons believe that humans are fireproof and that they can absorb the flames with their bare hands!
Twenty-sixth day.
It's been six days since I arrived, the ship's crew is making fun of me, even though they come to the island twice a day to see if I'm alive I know they are! Sorry for reading this, dear reader. I'm still searching.
Today I thought I found a trail, a couple of broken branches and twisted bushes. I felt my heart pound as I started to follow the trail. It took me almost twenty minutes to notice a big boulder over and over and notice how I ran in circles. That was... humiliating.
Curious fact. Diamond dogs are one of the few cultures that doesn't have humans at all, neither as a hideous or passive monster.
Thirtieth day.
We're leaving in ten days, these should be the best twenty days of my life. I was supposed to be surrounded by mythological creatures or at least have seen one! But nothing, just a deserted island without a single creature but the birds that occasionally landed on my tent.
I asked for more time to stay here and search, but the agreement with the captain was very clear. In ten days I will return to Equestria and my colleagues wait to read this diary and be marveled with a new species. I feel I may be close to disappointing them .
However, I know that another part of my university wants me to fail, those skeptical fools who think my brother's life's work is nothing but a joke! They laugh and make fun of it like it's acceptable, they'll see! Even if it takes years I will find the humans! Even if they are not here, one day I'll find them!
Curious fact. Minotaurs believe that humans have a bond with-
I immediately stop writing in my book as a rustle to my right catches my attention, I'm lying in my tent with a small lamp to allow myself to write.
I look for a few seconds at the bushes, already imagining how a rabbit will run out of there, look at me and bounce back into the forest. It was then that I realized there are no rabbits on this island!
The movements in the bush intensify and soon I notice a small spear point sticking out of the bush, followed by an indescribable sight. IT WAS THEM! A small bipedal being, with no hair except on it’s head, small eyes and nostrils sticking out of the snout!
I extinguish my lamp and I gaze at the human being as it looks at my camp with curiosity and approaches! I don't know how I haven't started screaming hysterically yet! They are! THEY ARE REAL! Did you hear me Pen? We-YOU didn't waste your life in vain!
As I lost myself in my thoughts, I didn't notice the biped approaching, with its small, curious eyes gazing at my camp and prodding everything with its spear that I now notice is just a stick with a round stone at the tip.
I discreetly levitate a sheet and ink from inside my tent and I start to draw the being in front of me.
He had tanned skin and black hair adorned with exotic ornaments and some precious stones, around its neck was a necklace of bones from an unknown creature and a rudimentary sewn garment covered the rest of his body.
He keeps making unfamiliar noises, a mesmerizing mix of an owl and some canine. I can't tell if this is some kind of proto-language or I'm showing a totally wild specimen!
The human to my delight sat down by the fire, dropped his spear, and began to study my pan that rested on the fire. Closer to him now I notice that his stature is disappointingly short, no taller than four hoof’s, skyes, maybe I'm taller than him!
I keep drawing him over and over as he sniffs and scratches or gazes at his reflection in my silver pan, occasionally opening his mouth and analyzing his teeth.
TEETH! I can barely see them, he has his back to me and I could only see them by the reflection of the pan!
"Unbelievable." I whisper to myself, it was a majestic creature, more animalistic than expected but it doesn't matter! They’re real! And for Celestia I hope there is more!
Almost as if the universe itself heard my prayers, another pair of humans came out of the forests, but these were different. Both wore a similar clothes to this little one, though they were bigger, much bigger. I believe they are aware of Princess Celestia herself in this regard!
One of them was very muscular, his clothes had some ribs and scars covering his body, he sported a not very big beard and a sharp eye, analyzing everything around, especially my tent.
I shrink from pure reflex into my tent when I notice a spear very real in the hand of one of them.
The other specimen, it was more delicate, its hair golden and full in ruffles around the hair, I can also see two lumps on its chest. Perhaps this is a case of sexual dimorphism? it's Possible.
They both yell at the smaller one who quickly cringes and looks at them, a mixture of guilt and shame expressed in the human's small eyes. He pronounces something in their language and drops the pan, picks up his spear and runs towards the others.
Now beside them I can say one thing for sure, the little one was just a puppy! And for the caresses and kisses coming from the biggest they must be their parents!
Besides, this is not the behavior of any animal, they exchange words and the smaller one points to some parts of the camp. They are talking! They think!
Breathe Ink Point, now is your time, gathering all the courage I have, I repeat to myself as I slowly step out of my tent to greet them.
This could be the greatest discovery of the century! The scarred one, who I believe to be the male, is the first to notice me, he yells something to his mate and she quickly steps in front of the cub, with the male pointing his spear at me just in front of her.
"H-hi, I'm the scholar Ink P-Point." he grunts and yells something at me, his spear pointed all the time in my direction, I gulp, obviously he wouldn't understand. Damn Pen, would you be useful now, what did he said incessantly during classes? Ahmm, try looking non-threatening? He's almost twice my size! How can I look less threatening?
I try to bend down slowly, he seems to notice and shouts something to the other, she waves quickly and points her hand towards the forest and before I know it the trees are moving to make way, magic! She is using magic! Another thing I quickly notice are weird tattoos around her body that lit up in a green hue as the trees moved and as soon as the spell stopped, so stopped the light of the tattoos.
"Amazing." I mutter to myself marveling at such a magical feat. The Female, I believe, quickly fled taking her cub with her while the male and I faced each other.
"Bulka naka!" He yells pointing at me and then towards the continent, I try to remember all the languages I've studied, which already make up a full ten but none seem similar to what I hear.
"BULKA NAKA!" he yells even more furiously, repeating the gesture and coming closer. Oh sweet Heavenly, where is Strong Hoof? After repeating the gesture I have a slight idea, do you mean if I came from the continent? So I decided to use the universal answer that breaks down language barriers. A nod. As soon as he repeated it for the third time I answered his question nodding and slowly agreed with him.
His eyes widened for a couple of seconds, then it was his turn to glow with those tattoos, his tattoos though were red instead of green. I lose myself for a couple of seconds wondering if this is another dimorphism and unconsciously levitate my notebooks from inside my tent to myself.
"Catukoia Niji, Maka!" he yells again pointing to my notebooks. His hand was shaking for a moment and then he pointed to the sky and a small spark came out of his finger, thus stopping his luminosity.
I followed the spark with a watchful eye and was startled to see how it exploded in the sky, for a second lighting up the night of the great Princess Luna!
It took me a couple of seconds to recover from such sudden light, and looking at him I was startled to notice his expression. Due to his towering height, it wasn't easy to tell why he was staring at me in such terror, but like any unicorn, I know when somebeing stares at my horn and he's doing it now!
He was shaking all over, the spear fell, and soon his body glowed green and he ran into the forest, losing himself in the darkness!
"STOP!" I yell at him, but little does he seem to understand or care about me, and before I could even get the idea to follow him, with a loud crash the forest closed in front of me.
"Wow." I sit by the fire and stare where there used to be a large walkway through the forest, THEY ARE REAL! BY THE GODS, FAUST HELP ME! PEN, YOUR DEGENERATE PSYCHOPATH YOU WERE RIGHT!
"Ya 'kay son ?" The old captain shouts from behind me in his boat, they saw this right? Please say you saw this, I-I need time to process everything, if there is a couple… What prevents there from being more?
Thirty-first day
After yesterday's adventure that I described in detail on the previous page, I decided to go to the mainland to drink with the sailors. It's real my dear readers, every word I described is true. I feel sad to tell you that for a second I even disbelieved that there were humans on this island, but luck smiled at me and I was wrong! But I soon discovered a fact… worrying.
Upon returning to the island I noticed that my camp was destroyed, I can't tell where one of the supply boxes was, the other was broken by the fire and the tent torn all over the beach. One of the events that made me whistle and one of the sailors took his hat off was the amount of hoofprints on the beach. Dozens of pairs of hoofprints, maybe more my readers.
That's right, there was a fairly large tribe and not very open to foreigners residing on this island! As I got closer I noticed a spear stuck in the fire and a piece of paper written in symbols that I couldn't decipher, it was a clear message. Get off the island! I don't deny that I laughed a little when I noticed that fact. This is my brother's life's work and now it will be mine too! As if a simple death threat would stop me?
Thirty-second day
Nothing yet, I searched all over the island using an invisibility spell but couldn't find them. It was frustrating, I must admit, seeing a legend two days ago and not being able to find it again.
But I know what I saw!
I don't know why it took me so long to notice, but I just remembered today the crucial fact that they used magic. In all the legends I've ever heard of, there's never been a mention of humans using magic like that female did. Opening a forest for who knows how far? I tried to repeat her feat but could barely open a couple of meters due to this being a wild forest as some of the environmentalists at my university would say.
Curious fact. Humans are tall, very tall.
Thirty-third day
I FOUND THEM! A pair of puppies were playing near a clearing I like to use as a resting place. Such was my surprise when I followed them and analyzed the youngsters I found the ENTIRE VILLAGE! Phenomenal! The village was close to a river that I had never noticed, on the other side of the river there were some trees and the village itself, further on I could see a cave. I have been able to count two dozen tents and some larger ones adorned with symbols that I believe are ritualistic on their entrances.
Most humans casually walked through the peaceful village as if it were any day, THEY WERE LIVING LEGENDS! Sorry, I got carried away, but I must reaffirm, the way they walked through the village unaware of their greatness was frightening.
Honestly, I don't know what I expected. Or something much more primitive or concrete building so modern that I wouldn't know how to describe it with mere words.
I stayed at the entrance all day on top of a tree analyzing them, never daring to approach as there were no trees there to help hide me.
I noticed another thing, apparently females (who have bumps on their breasts that I believe are breasts) were pretty important. They are the most active in the community, constantly moving through the tents. Dear reader, it was a strangely beautiful and exciting scene to see this community existing peacefully.
Curious fact. They say that if a pony drinks blood from a human, they will turn into an alicorn.
Thirty- fourth day
Today I contemplated something… curious, I think the whole tribe gathered near the entrance of the village for some mysterious reason, I even wondered if they had discovered me and were going to attack me.
However, to my delight they were doing some sort of rite of passage.
The males were in the background talking and laughing among themselves about something I unfortunately cannot tell you dear reader, the females were repeating the same feat closer to the entrance to the village. It was then that five visibly old humans emerged from inside the biggest tent, all of them being females.
They were slightly smaller than they should have been and almost all wore a staff for support, on their heads tree branches and leaves forming a tiara strangely delicate and beautiful at the same time. Everyhuman, from the largest male to the youngest cub, made a reference to the old females and opened the way for them to continue walking.
Their objective was clear, kneeling at the entrance fo the village were two young humans, I wouldn't dare call them adults, but they clearly aren't cubs. Both kneeling and holding hands.
When the elders arrived at what I fearfully believed to be some kind of public execution and pulled several needles out of their long clothes, the two humans sighed with clear anxiety and lay down, stripping off their clothes. This was the first time I saw them without their clothes on.
The elders took their place around the young, three around the male and two around the female. Symbols began to glow on the bodies of the elders, and soon all the adults repeated the act. A strangely calming white light filled the air for a second before they began what I believe is a very rudimentary process of tattooing youngsters in a clear rite of passage to adulthood, I believe of course.
The cubs laughed and pointed at the two humans and muttered something that again, I failed to understand.
I watch intently as the elders precisely pierce the young human’s skin with a precision and frightening speed that only a lifetime of practice could demonstrate.
After the males removed the cubs from the place for some reason, and the females began to sing some kind of song, the elders ended the ritual. Almost immediately, their bodies glowed a white color where they had been tattooed just like the elders, and soon, as the elders gradually dimmed their glow, the younger ones kept up with them.
It was a strangely beautiful scene to see, to follow what could be the most important day in the lives of these humans and not even know its real meaning.
At the end they both embraced themselves, tears in their eyes of what I can only assume is fulfillment and joy.
Curious fact. Humans have the ability to emanate light from where there is supposed to be some kind of ritualistic tattoos, but it seems to disappear a few hours after it is done, making it almost imperceptible due to their skin tone.
Day Thirty-Sixth
My adventure is in four days to the end. Pen my brother, I wished you could see this, they are magnificent, each one of them strangely unique and at the same time so exotic! Different sizes, hair tuft with some shades of possible colors like brown to a magnificent golden yellow!
A well-regulated society centered on a leader I rarely saw coming out of its tent. Not to mention their numbers! I've already counted a total of one hundred and fifty individuals! I wonder why I haven't seen them before.
Just like the day before, nothing to add but my screaming desire to see what was in the cave. With each passing day, the less time I have and the more my anxiety begins to overwhelm me.
I've already noticed that the head of the village, a very large human female, wearing various ornaments that I believe to be cultural, hierarchical or religious over her body, a kind of metal staff with a hole in the end would go to the cave from time to time with the old females. Only my imagination can tell me what they do there. The possibilities are many, almost all possibly involving their faith. I've also noticed that only she and the elders go near the entrance of the cave.
I spent the rest of the day trying to draw the village chief. weird, I found myself thinking too, my dear reader, several times while observing the village, because, even though there were several males clearly stronger than her, she was still the leader.
There it is, another sign that they are not just animals, they think, they have traditions and faiths, but what I didn't expect was this respect for her. From the little I've heard from the zebra tribes and other tribes around the world, there are never any females in control. Does this just prove the fervent dedication they had for their previous chief or was it just normal for females to hold the highest positions in their society? Hard to say without asking them directly. But one thing was certain, everyhuman respected her.
Curious fact. Humans like sweet fruit.
Thirty-eighth Day
I may have contemplated in those few days more traditions than any other non-human being has ever seen! Sadly, today one of the elders seems to have passed away. The whole day the village was filled with murmurs and laments. At the end of the afternoon, after getting tired of drawing the simple but elegant human architecture'
for the tenth time I noticed the reason for the morbidity in the place.
Being carried in a rudimentary coffin filled with the beautiful flowers I've never seen, was one of the elders I saw two days ago tattooing the young.
The male who had been tattooed by her, along with five other specimens, was carefully carrying the coffin to a hole dug not far from the river, just below a particularly large and beautiful tree full of flowers. After putting her body inside, the chief came out of her tent and quickly joined the tribe. She spoke for a while in what I believe to be a very beautiful and encouraging speech, unfortunately I didn't understand anything.
After that, she pointed her metal staff to the sky and for a second thunder broke the silence of the forest. I thought it was the end of times, it didn't even rain and even so that sound similar to thunder echoed, however, it took me little time to notice that the roar originated from the chief's staff and that now a small smoke came out of its orifice.
Instantly the cries started and many humans began to emanate a blue light. Females emanated particularly more light than males, however, it wasn't long before hugs and caresses came from their partners and friends and the light was fading.
The only word that can describe such a ceremony is, beautiful, in so many ways, from burial, to the magic of thunder that echoes from the staff, and the shower of flowers that fell from the tree directly to the crone's grave until it was filled. .
By nightfall I won't deny you that I had the horrible idea of desecrating that holy place to study the corpse. Certainly the discoveries would be many, but the disrespect would obviously be greater. So, I just chose to draw and write down everything I thought was important from afar.
Curious fact. Humans do have beautiful funeral rituals.
Thirty-ninth day
One day to go. If you are reading this it means that everything went well and I was not captured today, you may question yourself my dear reader, why? You might be wondering right now, well, you see, I decided to enter the village. I used every spell I know to hide myself in my adventure.
The only way they'll notice me is if I bump into one of them, or of course, just as dragons, they can see illusions easily. In both cases my capture and probable execution would be almost certain.
Seeing the village from different angles is really refreshing, I was tired of drawing the same landscape over and over again. But the best part was being able to see these majestic creatures so close. The males spent the entire day around the center of the village discussing something while others cut down some trees to build something. Amazing, my readers, they cut down the tree I used to take shelter in! This can only be fate!
I tried to peek and listen to their conversation, and noticed how they sometimes pointed to a hitherto hidden group of considerably large and carved totem poles behind the old elderly's hut.
There were human faces on the totems, five rows of totem poles several totems wide, if each face is an old female, and each totem has more than eight faces, there could easily have been hundreds of generations!
The females, however, continued to do what they had always done until now. Take care of the village and make sure everything works. Nothing to highlight.
I feared for a second that because of the funeral yesterday, the chief would not go to the cave today. Such was my surprise to see her slip into the cave accompanied by the other four elderly females and a young human female. I immediately stopped watching the males cut and carved deftly a new totem to finally find out what's in that cave!
I tried not to run to make no noise, but I failed to notice a bush, one of the old females and the young human noticed, but luckily the old elder hugged the young female, pointed to the bush and then to everything around her, the young woman cried a little before nodding and we continued on our way for a while.
That's when we stopped, the chief up ahead. One of the old women took a glowing stick out of her robe, it was small, not much bigger than a fork, and glowed green. Soon her partners repeated the act and one of them passed one of these glowing sticks to the young female who, after a little hesitation, quickly lit the stick.
I almost let out a whistle when I saw it in front of us. It was a gigantic metal door, easily bigger than the gates of Canterlot castle! Whoever forged such a piece must be forever revered. It was simply monumental. The only thing that caught the eye was a worn writing in white ink on the side.
Refuge-12
I can't say what those symbols mean, but before I could think about it any further, the chief started screaming and singing while doing some kind of ritualistic dance in front of the metal gate. She pounded her chest and snarled like a wolf, the elders repeating a strangely alien chant while their frail bodies glowed a faint shade of white. The younger one also repeated the old female's feat, but she glows strangely stronger than the others.
Then it ended as suddenly as when it started! All the elders put away their glowing sticks and the chief punched the metal door.
Fortunately, no one seemed to notice my dry laugh at the chief's attempt to open the gargantuan gate. Such was my surprise when the gate glowed in shades of green to blue before starting to open. I could hear what could only be gigantic gears turning as the gate itself moved to clear a path.
Inside there was only total darkness, the chief, panting slightly after the physical exertion, grabbed her metal staff from the ground and walked inside.
Yes dear reader, I wanted to go there and accompany the chief, but as soon as the elders left the place along with the young human and the gate started to close by itself I had a very short time to decide whether to enter or not. Much to your dismay, I chose not to enter the darkest cave I've ever seen in my life without any sign or guarantee that I would get out alive. I am an adventure lover not a suicidal, an air-head.
The rest of the day was normal and at dusk I noticed the chief leaving the cave the same way she entered.
Fortieth day.
Is today. Today my dream comes to an end at noon. I'm sure I'll be back! I will tell everypony about what I saw, I shall send this diary to a prestigious friend of mine for adaptation and it will definitely be a success! I will prove in rich detail how my brother's life was not wasted reading and accumulating useless texts, but laying the foundation for what will be the greatest discovery of the century!
I went to visit the quiet human village very early, the females still in their tents and some males wandering sleepily through the center of the village, several of them lying down and sleeping on the floor! Curious, I, now a little braver from yesterday, entered the village and noticed how they had finished the totem for the dead old female. It was beautiful, they probably worked all night. It was also bigger than the other totems, the old woman's face was almost alien to me, and yet it clearly expressed an almost enviable peace, the details of age were also present with tremendous precision. This was a job that some artisans in Canterlot would be envious of.
After finishing walking around the village, I was hoping that something special would happen because this is my last day here. But everything went as expected, just another quiet morning for humans. I wonder what they would do if I revealed myself there among them, would they run? Or They would attack? Hard to say, and even harder would be to convince me to do such madness.
Curious fact. Humans, according to Minotaur culture, could levitate mountains with only the connection they have with the earth.
I closed my book and sigh wearily, I was ecstatic, I could barely prevent myself from telling the sailors, I wanted so badly to tell them about the wonders I saw and wrote in this book here. But I denied myself. The first to read this will be my brother's son and my nephew, Little Pen. I can barely contain myself with anxiety, the young colt will be so happy, and who knows, after my time is over he could become the next human specialist.
I keep my book on the desk and prepare my religious rituals once more. I levitated my brother's photo and I lit the incense. cheap Incense. I think to myself as their slightly unpleasant smell filled the air. decided to end the day, I laid me on my bed, the ship already departing to Equestria. What a glorious day my arrival will be, cultural and religious mannerisms. It will be sublime to tell them to my colleagues, the most important of course will prove to those ignorant ponies who doubted my brother until his last day how wrong they were!
I look at my brother's picture one last time, almost feel his spirit sitting on the bed smiling stupidly at me.
"I did it brother, WE did it." I say with one last time as I feel, sleep deprivation hitting me, but first I try to hit the shoulder of this so-called spirit of my brother and I swear I heard him laugh at my action.
BOOOM!!!
An infernal sound echoed throughout the ship, was that an explosion? While I was confused wondering what this was, another explosion occurred.
BOOOOOM!!!
Bigger and more destructive than the other, I feel my heart racing, what in the name of Faust is going on!?
I try to open my cabin door, and as quickly as I get up from my bed I feel water on my hooves and screams echoing outside. When my hoof hits the knob one more explosion, it's right below me!
BOOOM!!!
I know I was thrown for no more than a couple of seconds, but it felt like it took forever. I hit the corner of the bed with my head violently, but that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was seeing my half-broken horn in front of my eyes. I was speechless, didn't know what to say or do.
I try to get up and already feel the water invading my room up to my knees, I blink a few times still confused and not quite understanding what was happening and look at the door.
A pile of twisted and broken wood, followed by a geyser of salt water, emanated from the entrance. It hit me like a cannonball. I'm stuck! I Whisper internally.
I feel the ship rock once more as I hear another explosion, this one the faintest so far, the water rising even faster.
THE BOOK! I scream to myself as I try to levitate it closer to me, an electric current of pain invading me as what's left of my horn explodes and falls into the water that filled my room.
I saw with sheer horror a part of me lost itself in the murky waters below. This is a dream? I thought to myself looking all around, the water, my horn and the screams of the ponies outside my cabin doing Faust knows what.
Dream or not, I have to save the book! I threw myself into the water and I grabbed my box from under my bed where I keep my writing material. I open it a little clumsily and frantically and toss the contents onto the floor, which is now a small lake just inches from overtaking the desk.
I make sure it’s still dry as it should be and I nod to myself, approaching my desk where the book rested on it.
“Now just shrink the book with a spell and… and…” I feel my shoulders sag as I drop the box onto the table. "Oh Faust no!" I scream with all my strength as I grab the book and box and climb onto my bed to try and keep everything dry.
"It's a dream, this is a dream." I repeat to myself, as the water rose even more, now filling half the room, if there is water this, far the ship is already doomed and the screams coming from outside have already stopped.
What in the name of what is most sacred is happening?! We were supposed to get to Equestria tomorrow!
As the water rose and every second it seemed to be less of a dream I stared at the book, my stump -horn already aching with just thinking about it.
"Okay Ink, you a-are an a-adult stallion." I say to myself in an attempt to comfort myself as I try to shrink the book, my head feels like it's going to explode from the inside out with so much pain, I feel everything spins but I can't stop! I continue my simple spell and I can see a thin magical line coming out of the stump of my horn and slowly and agonizingly touching my book. I let out what I believe to be the strongest and loudest scream of pure pain I've ever screamed when the magical bond is complete. The book shrinks just enough to fit in the box.
"T-thanks Faust!" I stutter in sheer despair, the world around me spinning and darkening.
As I put the book down and close the box properly, a feat I don't know how I completed with the water at my neck level, I let out what I believe is the best sigh of relief I've ever given in my life. And then I feel my conscience waver and as the water fills the room…
"I see, and you say this was found on a beach?" I ask the guard, who promptly nods in agreement. I sigh as I look at a five-hundred-year-old book that was found a week ago in Manehattan. After rereading it a second time I keep it on the desk.
"I have enough problems, now there are humans…" I look at the moon and I notice the Mare in the Moon, Luna, why did you abandoned me? Why did you forced me to do that to you?
After pondering for a few moments I decide that these humans are not Equestrian problems and never will be.
"Guard, please burn all these papers." I say levitating the book to the guard.
"Yes Princess Celestia." He softens highly, bends over and leaves the room. I
lean back on the chair and go back to face the moon.
"I'm tired sister, I'm going... I'm going to sleep now."