//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 Searching for new clues 
// Story: Daring do and the quest for the phoenix gem 
// by Starry Hope 
//------------------------------//

Passing scaling mountains and deep lush forests, Daring had explored many of the unknown areas that most of ponykind has left untouched or even unexplored for many generations. Daring had gone underwater to find ancient temples, flew to the sky to find a city quite literally in the clouds and even went into a active volcano to recover stolen relics. But Daring's journeys usually had her have the assistance of somepony to be her almost guide or supporting piece of information to find what she was seeking. But for Daring most of them either were retired or came as a one trick pony and never appeared again. None stood more like these words for Daring than a long forgotten adventurer named Shadow Hoof who was shrouded in more mystery than his name spelled it out for Daring. Daring only met him when she had to fight her way out of a sticky situation from a archeologist tried to rip daring off about the eye of mount aris. He helped her get out and in return of all her reserves. 

Shadow gave Daring the map she used to find the eye... and now Daring needed to know if he had the info she desired to find this supposed phoenix gem that Caballeron was trying to acquire. Daring landed by the old mill near Appleousa and threw a old cloak she had packed into her saddles bag and then walked through the dirt and unpaved roads. Daring never liked to be around other ponies and felt unsecured and even unprotected. But as she walked looking for Shadow, Daring noticed ponies gawking at her and even could hear some talking behind her tail.  "Look at her walk, you think she is another of those tomb raiders." One said and another groaned as she put her basket of bread down and looked at her friend. "That's just great, as if we didn't need another." Another pony muttered as Daring continued but not wanting to attract any problems, left it alone. Daring asked around hoping that the ponies here would be kind enough to guide her. "Excuse me ma'am, do you know where I can find Shadow Hoof?" Daring asked a young mare with a light blue mane and tail who was the same eye length to her expression she got worried and ran away. 

Not surprising Daring in the slightest she was tempted to ask another pony when she heard a slight voice. "Over here miss." A female voice said and when she turned her head around she noticed the same pony again in a alleyway waving her hoof for her. Daring trotted to her and slowly began to wonder to herself what she was even getting herself into.  "You need to be more cautious when your around here miss and how your acting. Ponies here are very.. well lets just say they don't like your type." The mare said as she began to trot faster until Daring arrived at a building out in the edges of town. "Here you are, he's inside. Just be normal and don't say anything bad, we don't need anything to happen here." She said to Daring as she walked away humming to herself quietly and Daring looked at her until she left and then turned back to the building and walked inside.

It was just as Daring expected it to be... a bar, full of stallions. Daring felt out of place but then out of the corner of her eye. "I win, now for your payment." A stallion said in such a deep voice it could almost rattle the building. Daring knew that voice from anywhere. She stared at Shadow the pony in the black jacket and with his greyish coat and blue and red mane and tail. "You know Shadow, you need to take your skills and go somewhere else, it's getting old losing to you." Another stallion said and Shadow turned and gave a glare towards the pony and he stopped a single word from coming out of his mouth. As Daring walked closer Shadow gave her a glare that she could easily see until they were standing right beside each other. "BARTENDER! Another drink for our friend!" Shadow screamed and the bartender pony sighed as he levitated a bottle up to get the rest of the stuff for whatever Shadow had planned. "So you returned Daring?" Shadow said easily noticing Daring's disguise and she knew it, but refusing to take it off. "Take a seat, I am pretty sure you got questions for me, based on the fact that you are here." Shadow said and to Daring's distrust sat also but prepared herself mentally in case she had to fight her way out.

"That map you gave me, it was the right one. I found the eye." Daring said in a low tone keeping the other ponies inside from hearing her words as the bartender came, gave their drinks and Shadow gave him the bits. Daring watched as he chugged it down within 5 seconds, a record even she couldn't accomplish. "So, you found the eye huh.. and where is it per say?" Shadow said putting down the glass and waving for another. Daring looked down not wanting to admit it that she wasn't able to get it, but also on how to explain everything.

"So you weren't able to get it..?" Shadow said and Daring nodded wishing to not admit something like that. "The eye was set on fire when I dropped it and then when I checked there was a message." Daring said and Shadow's ears peaked from it as many tressure hunters do when they hear something like that. "A message and do you have this message on you?" Shadow said and Daring backed away thinking this was another trap to steal her info. "If you think I am merely here to chase you on it, don't worry I have no intentions to steal. My tressure hunting days are over now. 

Daring kept distant until she pulled out her notebook and presented the markings. Shadow turned pale as white as soon as he saw it, he was unable to even process what it was. "Where did you get this!?" Shadow turned and yelled it to Daring's complete shock as she grabbed her journal and backed away. "You will NOT go searching for that, it's cursed you hear me... CURSED!" Shadow screamed and other ponies inside got even more hostile. "So you do know this, what is it?" Daring asked but Shadow was most likely having none of it. "I am not gonna send another pony on that suicide mission, to lose their life searching for something that doesn't exist!" He yelled and the others got closer, to Daring's realization that she was really going to have to fight to get out of here either by fighting or running. "I'm finding that relic, with your help or not" Daring said with a stern look and after a minute of complete quiet, Daring could hear laughter. From around her. "Oh Daring, you remind of myself when I was younger, always eager for adventure even if you knew how hard it was." Shadow said.

Daring looked confused at this as it felt so sudden for the emotional change but she was glad at least that the place wasn't any or more hostile. "So, what do you know about this?" Daring said with a look of curiosity. Shadow went over grabbed a new drink and handed one to Daring which Daring declined to Shadow's shock. "Well, that notes you see are actually a map, to the legendary relic that I and friends have sought for years. The phoenix gem." Shadow said and Daring's eyes widened as Daring smiled and looked with complete eagerness. But also this meant that what Caballeron was searching for, Daring had the only means to finding it... as always. "But it was the eye, how could this be..." Daring said but Shadow stopped her before she could say anything else. "Please spare your questions for the journey ahead... that is, if you are so dedicated to it?" Shadow said with a slight grin. But Daring knew this was her destiny, finding the relics of the world and protecting them from greedy treasure hunters or tomb raiders. Daring nodded and Shadow laughed at it. 

"So Daring, this is where you went?" A voice spoke and upon Daring turning around she saw Dr. Caballeron in his robe again at the entrance with the other 2 and even that mystery pony. "Oh, can we help you?" The bartender pony said as the others around Daring got defensive and Caballeron simply laughed. "Oh you all don't need to worry, I just want the journal that young Ms. Do has." Caballeron said and the others got closer as the ponies around Daring got even more defensive. "Daring, it's best you run away... things are gonna be messy." Shadow said as he pulled his jacket off to show a pair of wings... but metal. "Oh don't worry, I already brought the flame." Caballeron said as he pulled out a orange gem and to Daring she simply stared without the ability to move. "DON'T!" Shadow said but Caballeron didn't listen and next thing we knew the gem began to light the entire place that Daring and the others were in on fire. "Deal with them Mystic!" Caballeron yelled as the others ran inside including Mystic and the others fought them. It became a war zone in a burning bar.

Daring tried to run away but fighting was everywhere, Ponies getting hurt and even ones which didn't move. Fire consumed the building as pieces of it began to fall apart. Daring began to cough as the smoke was filing the place up and if she didn't get out, the place would most likely be her tomb. "Daring, take your map, get out of town... head north. We'll talk more.." Shadow said and then he was thrown by Mystic into the fire and Daring screamed for his name as Mystic came closer to her slowly. "The journal Daring, I don't have time for filly games." Mystic said as Daring backed away and Mystic used his horn and began to rip the journal from Daring's hooves. "NO!" Daring screamed as she held the book and could feel herself being dragged closer to Mystic but his immense magic. "You let go of her!" A voice screamed and when Daring looked it was Shadow holding one of those gems that set the place on fire. Before anypony could say anything the gem collided with Mystic's magic exploding it blasting Daring, Mystic and Shadow and everypony else around the place.

Groaning and moaning Daring got up weak and saw as Mystic grabbed her journal and teleported away. "No! You give that back!" Daring screamed but felt as the place began to fall apart. "Now's not the time Daring, c'mon this way!" Shadow screamed as he picked Daring up and helped her while avoiding every piece of debris and watching as the bartender pony and even the others went down into the wine cellar and then into a set of caves underneath. "Catch your breath Daring, drink." Shadow said as he gave Daring some water and Daring didn't accept it angry with herself. "What happens now?" Daring said looking confused on what the next thing would be. Without the map, she had no means to find the gem. "Well, not necessary your last option." Shadow said looking at the others as they left Daring and him alone. "During my travels I found many relics, gems, trophies and even inscriptions. I explored the world and even found things that would scare the normal pony. But when I searched for the phoenix gem, I feared what would happen if anypony found that. I trust you with what I am about to show you." Shadow said and right before Daring could say anything, Shadow ripped off his ubdershirt.

Daring watched in complete shock as she saw a map, almost a exact replica of what she had on Shadow's back. "How?" Daring said with shock as she took a piece of paper from her saddlebag and wrote it down, every word, every symbol and marking. "As a curse for finding the secret to it, I knew that ponies would want to find it also, I feared that so I destroyed it. But left behind the secret on my back burning it onto me so If I found the right pony to find it could find this. That pony is you Daring." Shadow said and Daring eyes widen as she knew that he must believe her with a intense hope for her to leave a secret like this. "Alright, I'll find it!" Daring said as she packed up and was ready to leave the caves and explore and figure it out as Shadow simply guided her on the map and even how to read the inscriptions. "Remember one thing, when you reach the end of the path... listen for the song. So long as you hear her voice, you'll find it." 

Shadow said and before Daring could react he was gone... she was alone. After hours of walking in the caves finding the exit brought a new light and she looked to the endless horizon of the wide world. "I just hope I can make it before you do." Daring said as she opened her wings and launched herself up and flew faster than ever, knowing she can't rest cause this time, she was on a time limit with no knowledge of anything.