//------------------------------// // introduction to Equestria // Story: Revival of Tambelon // by Kaliber //------------------------------// Cozy Glow’s fur and feathers frosted as she fell. Her eyes widened as she tried to contain her terror. She could see the rolls of her mane trailing above her like the cut strings of a discarded marionette. Her wings were spread wide with feathers extended to the best of their ability but they still couldn’t catch any air. Colors flashed by her in streams thinner than noodles. Each little lance of light stabbed through her eyes and sent burning spears of pain directly into her brain. Shutting her eyes did no good as the lights seemed to pass right through her. Several moments passed like this before Cozy realized something, something very important. She couldn’t breathe! No matter how hard she tried to suck in air—no matter how wide she opened her mouth—nothing entered. Her eyes widened further, and tears began to stream from her eyes. No air, no time, no room to breath, Cozy was falling and falling and falling. Her vision was fading as the colors dimmed and the void swallowed everything. She’d failed, failed Bray, failed her master Grogar, failed Tambelon; she failed before she even started. Just as Cozy was about to pass through the veil of life into death, light blasted her eyes. Cozy could feel the impact as she landed with a muted thud, but her frosted skin could barely feel the sensation. It took several moments for Cozy to realize that she felt grass on her back. She greedily sucked in air as fast as she could, each inhale bringing her further from the precipice above eternity. At first her breaths were visible and her entire body shivered, but the warmth of Cozy’s surroundings gradually banished the cold. Cozy Glow flew out of the portal and landed in the fields outside of the Everfree Forest. Looking around, she saw wonders she had only ever heard of from Bray. She was in awe at the beautiful trees as they blew in the wind—their green leaves and various shapes made her spine tingle. Another amazing sight was the vast array of wildlife roaming the forest behind her—wolves, rabbits, snakes, and owls were everywhere in the Everfree. But what she adored most was the sunlight on her skin—in Tambelon, the brightest thing she had ever come across were the torches that illuminated the gloomy halls of the Celestial Spike. Unfortunately for Cozy Glow, she had a mission to complete, and the wonders of Equestria would have to wait. “This is of no use to me yet. The people of Equestria must still remember the symbolism of Tambelon,” Cozy Glow said. She took off her raincoat and bags and laid them on the grass. Gathering these things together, she hid them in the nearest bush “Come on, Cozy Glow,” she told herself, “you can’t waste time.” She attempted to lift herself above the ground, but the amount of energy she had used to enter the portal caused her wings to give out mid-air. Landing clumsily on the ground, Cozy got back onto her hooves. “So, flying isn't an option. I guess I’ll have to walk to the nearest pony town, then.” Looking in every direction, she frowned. “As soon as I can find out where it is.” Cozy rolled to her hooves and tossed her head to the side to get her mane out of the way. Colors flooded her vision as her jaw dropped. She was looking down at a town from the crest of a hill. She carefully descended the hill towards the path leading to the city. After walking for a little while, Cozy Glow finally reached the path to Ponyville. She followed it, expecting a simple town with little to no true significance. However, what greeted her at the end of the path was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. As she wandered through the town, she was awestruck with an array of houses, each one not quite the same as the last. She came across multiple wonders—an elegantly decorated boutique, a bakery with delicious smells coming from the inside, and a town hall covered in streamers and other decorations normally seen at a celebration. Though what caught Cozy’s attention most was the crystal castle in the middle of it all. It was sapphire blue and purple, and at its top was a golden and sapphire-colored star reflecting the light from each of its tips. “Bray told me that Equestrians were all primitive, selfish brutes with no class, but this place… is breathtaking.” The houses made use of every shade of the rainbow and then some. Reds, oranges, blues, yellows, and so much more flooded the town with a vibrancy Cozy had never seen before. No two houses matched in shape either. Some made use of the basic square design, some had slanted roofs, a few had odd asymmetrical designs that sprawled out in every shape imaginable, and some towered over their neighbors while others hugged the ground. The grass was a more vibrant green than anywhere else Cozy had seen, the was more peaceful than even the clearest of days back home, and the ponies themselves seemed to bounce from place to place in a manner that spoke of the sheer amount of life they had in them. However, all of that was miniscule, insignificant even, when looking at the crown jewel of the town. Twisting spires of sapphire blue and twilight violet pierced the clouds. Windows speckled the sides of it like the spots on a dalmatian. Jagged edges covered every inch of the place but when the structure was viewed in its entirety, those edges seemed to smooth out. The castle of crystal seemed to glow with friendly energy and it bore resemblance to a massive tree. They were supposed to be primitive and brutish… Cozy blinked for the first time in minutes. But how could brutes make… all of that? No matter how much Cozy thought about it, she just couldn’t connect the ugly, backwards ponies she was told of with any of this. With surprises waiting at every corner, Cozy began her descent towards this wonderful new adventure. As she wandered through the busy town, she noticed it was already noon, judging by the position of the sun. She felt less tired. The side effects of teleporting into the intermediate subspace had worn off. But at the same time, rain clouds began to form in the sky. And this, of course, made an indelible impression on the filly. Cozy Glow with dilated eyes studied the grass under her hooves, squinting from the bright light of the sun's rays. “Ah… It's all so unusual!” Cozy shook her head, as she realized that she needed to collect her thoughts. It was summer now—a very hot summer—and Cozy felt every bit of it. Therefore, Cozy walked in the shade, staying in the shadows. Sometimes she met young foals politely and awkwardly greeting her. Such a stranger was Cozy Glow. No, it cannot be said about this filly that she was not assembled or inadequate. But there was still something strange about her. Although it could not be noticed by ordinary ponies. Bray's skill was easily passed on to his beloved, orphaned protégé. She was the only pony he truly cared about. The one filly that has always remained in his soul. But right now, this filly was someone on the level of a Savior. And, alas, the history of Tambelon had been meager and dark. That wasn’t the point… Cozy halted in front of a road sign and adjusted her saddlebag. She looked around once more and sighed calmly. “Provincia Ponyville,” she said aloud; she could feel the fresh air of the peaceful environment and favorable fauna. And yet, she was tormented by many emotions at this moment, because there were a variety of ponies who were not dressed in special clothes denoting the class and level of loyalty to the managing lord! “Little Miss, are you all right?” asked one of the nearby merchants. He was an older pony; most likely one of the locals. There were various goods in his trading shop, but the merchant himself was satisfied that he did not occupy the most comfortable place in the trading area. His wooden shelf stood almost at the very edge of the entrance to the small town. Cozy Glow sighed several times and tried to smile. She still remembered some of her lessons on pony etiquette when introducing herself. Cozy smiled at the trader—an elderly Earth pony—and showing her saddlebag, decided to play her part: the role of an innocent filly. “Oh, you're probably well aware of that…” The old merchant interrupted her: “STOP! Where did you come from?" A nearby young stallion who traded from Saddle Arabia, judging by his appearance, suddenly became nervous. And there were good reasons for that. “Oh! I beg you, young lady…” Cozy Glow smiled happily when she heard the familiar sound of the words, and in general, all these ponies understand her perfectly. “Hmm… Excuse me, mister. I must have made a mistake. I’ll just go on…” Suddenly, another voice came within earshot: “WAIT! Dear young lady. Please come here." Yes, this mare had a very respectful voice. But she was very old, even if it was not visible due to the numerous cosmetic ointments and potions she had clearly used. Cozy Glow paused and turned her attention to this character. “Yes?” The elderly mare spoke: “I’ve never seen you around before. I celebrate every newcomer to Ponyville by giving away a free basket of grain.” She handed Cozy a basket wrapped in a red bow. “Why would you just give this to me without something in return?” The mare smiled. “Because, my dear, doing something nice for someone else is its own gift. You’ll need to know that if you’re going to spend time in Ponyville.” Cozy smiled. “Well, thanks!” As she left the market square, Cozy realized there were many different creatures in Ponyville. Ponies were the foundation of this state, they even paid taxes! In the early days, the adoption of the law on interspecies relations was loud and uncomfortable to talk about. Many creatures never even spoke to one another! And yet now, every creature came together for not only the welfare of each other. Cozy looked to the sky as she realized that her greatest adventure had onl