The walk was only two or so miles north of the village; the dark, boggy dew and fog that flooded over Tevye seemed to immediately lift as they escaped its borders. Stepping into a clearing leading toward the mountains, the group noticed the abandoned mine shaft in the distance.
The land was withered, cold, and hard. Their hooves and claws clacked and tapped against the dirt and rock. The air was drier, and the chill caused a little bit of blood to dribble from Applejack’s nose. A startled yelp escaped the mare as she hastily dabbed and cleaned at her face.
“Eugh! What in Tartarus, I’m bleeding!” yelled Applejack.
Glendon winced, “Air drier than a weak old bone, and boy, the air pressure jumped! Can anyone else feel that? Jugo?”
Rarity winced, feeling the passages of her nostrils burning as well. She instinctively covered her nose but thankfully found that she was not bleeding. Which was for the best. She did not feel like cleaning blood out of her pearly white coat.
“How high above sea level are we exactly?” Rarity murmured more to herself than to anyone else, peering across the landscape. While the fashionista was no scholarly mage like her dear friend Twilight, sensing magic was innate in all ponies, but especially in unicorns. Something about this place sent chills down her spine.
“... I suppose we’re going in the right direction, but something feels… off.” The unicorn raised her knee to her chin, pondering what it could be. “Are any of you familiar with magical leylines?”
Applejack gripped a cloth over her muzzle and pressed it firmly against her nostrils as she winced, tears forming as she coughed, “It burns really bad… I dunno about magical landlines, but maybe this place really is cursed…”
Jugo crossed his wings as he turned to the group, “See? Clearly a warning, we need to turn bac–”
“SHshshsh!” barked Glendon, “Want to ‘ear what Rarity has to say,” he said, waving the harpy off.
“Leylines, my dear Applejack, leylines.” Rarity tutted, overseeing her hooves, “They were also called Mana Lines, but that’s more of an archaic, scholarly term. Twilight would most definitely know more than I on the subject, but I do remember some of the basics…”
Pulling back her headscarf, the unicorn would close her eyes and focus, a blue aura burning to life around her horn. For a moment, she said nothing until something seemed to snatch a hold of Rarity herself, or at least her horn, dragging her several yards forward before nearly stumbling to a stop. The group gave chase, attempting to keep up with her speed.
“Aha! I knew I was right.” Stomping a hoof at the ground, her horn seemed to illuminate what looked like roots streaming through the dirt and stone. It took a moment to realize that, no, her magic was not making the roots glow, but instead, its own radiance showed through. The experience was akin to an echo. It was difficult to describe. Like a synapse, sending a message back and forth, sending and receiving.
The spell faded, and so too did the twisting patterns below. “Do you remember my gem-finding spell? Silly me– of course you do. Well, all gemstones are filled with different amounts of magic, almost like a battery. I hoped that the spell would also work on magical leylines…”
Clearing her throat, she turned back to her companions. “I believe the reason why Applejack here is having such an adverse reaction is due to being an earth pony. While unicorns are more attuned to magic by intentionally manipulating it, earth ponies are likelier to use the inert magic around them than conjuring their own.”
“Which means, if I am correct… that our destination will be at the very heart of a major leyline…” Rarity bit her lip, “Twilight might have been able to identify what kind of leyline this is, specifically. Canterlot has a Major raw magic leyline, or the ‘Leyline of Absolution,’ which is why it is a hotbed for Canterlot Elite and unicorn scholars alike– the magic beneath their very hooves bolsters their capabilities.”
Stepping towards Applejack, she laid a hoof on her shoulder. “Ponyville has one as well, although it’s not quite raw magic like Canterlot. Ponyville’s is named ‘Line of Abundance’... I’m sure you can connect the dots.” Rarity gave her friend a small, comforting smile.
Applejack was thoroughly impressed with Rarity for the first time in a long time. Though the fact they were essentially in the center of powerful magic didn’t sit right with her, perhaps it was her nature as a farmer who preferred the simple and direct approach rather than the fantastical and abstract answers that magic offered, even with something as universal and adaptable as potion-making made the earth mare shy away. It felt unnatural and wrong to exploit the forces of nature in such a way.
It wasn’t necessarily the right way, but it was her way, and her way kept Applejack alive and healthy, and nothing beyond that mattered until now.
“Well, Rarity, I’m certainly glad you’ve been receptive to Twilight’s rambling and lecturing…” grumbled Applejack as she tossed a bloody and ruined rag. It looked as if some Griffin had been butchering or if somepony had just cleaned up a murder with the cloth.
Jugo shook his head as he tsk’d, “Madam Rarity, if I may. This place… it is unwise to assume it’ll be anything like your Canterlot or Ponyville in Equestria. This cavern is the domain of Maar himself. Who knows what actually lies inside it. If you can feel the magical power, and if our friend Applejack is shooting blood out of her face like this… perhaps this is a sign we should turn around…”
Glendon, who had been staring and listening full-heartedly to Rarity despite his ignorance on virtually every level of the subject Rarity had been discussing, had taken every note and fragment of information like gospel truth. Feeling even more heart-struck and pressed for the mare, seeing her as intelligent as she was beautiful and generous.
To say he was invested was an understatement, “Ah, shut up! I’m sure Rarity here will just hit whatever ghost or demon with the finest and prettiest sparkles and magic we’ll ever see! She’s buddy-buddy with a god after all!” smirked Glendon.
Rarity giggled delightfully, waving a hoof at Glendon. “Oh, well, ehehe… I won’t say I’m a weak, helpless damsel, but I’m not quite as… well-versed in combative magic like Twilight or Starlight. But I can put up a fight, don’t you worry!”
Trotting up to Applejack, she pulled out a spare rag from her supplies and offered it to her. “And Jugo… I’m not entirely sure what kind of situation we are treading into, but we made a promise to Mrs. Meadows. We can at least try. Perhaps they only made camp near the mines rather than inside…” Although she knew better than that. Diamond Dogs preferred to live deep underground. Which made it even stranger that the Doge lived in a tree…
“And besides, the cave was just given a spooky name. So what if the stranger who gave me directions was a little… creepy. I say we should at least go down there and take a look.” Turning to Applejack, she frowned softly. “Unless you don’t want to, of course. If you feel like it, perhaps you should stay behind. The effects will only become stronger the closer we get to the source.”
Applejack shook her head, “You kidding? I’m not leaving y’all behind to whatever is inside there, and besides Rarity… you’re an honorary Apple. When you’re family, I’d do anything for you ... in this case, entering a literal cavern of death.”
“Awww, Applejack!” Rarity nearly teared up before remembering her mascara. She wrapped a hoof around her friend and nuzzled her cheek against the farm pony’s own. “That’s so sweet! And, of course, the same goes for you! Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are practically sisters, too… oh, how I miss my sweet little Belle.”
Glendon quickly drew his pistols as he beckoned them forth toward the entrance of the mine, “Well, how bloody poetic, but instead of us dying, let’s make sure whatever blood is spilled is from some thieving flea-ridden Diamond Dogs!” cackled Glendon as a sadistic smile crossed his beak.
Jugo sighed as he grabbed the lantern that was dangling from a strap on his waist, fetching a match and striking it against the side of the lantern, he would light the wick before leading the group forward, being the tallest of the four by twice any of their size.
“I’m not a coward, but I don’t warn you because of any fear or concerns of my own. I give my life to Mrs. Meadows. I just don’t think it’s fair you foreigners have to clean up our mess. Worst of all, you are the guests of the Doge and Princess Twilight… this doesn’t exactly look good on us…”
Glendon scoffed, “Bah! You focus too much on politics. I just know for a fact these lovely mares aren’t a pair of damned autocrats!”
Pulling away from her embrace with Applejack, Rarity turned and cocked a brow. “I understand, Jugo, but please remember that we chose to come along. We’re not prisoners of any sort. We could walk away any time we see fit. But it is our duty, neigh, our obligation to see this through. It wouldn’t exactly be an amazing impression of us if Mrs. Meadows realized we didn’t even make an attempt.”
“So just try to be… optimistic? Perhaps this will be far more simple than you imagine.” offered Rarity as she attempted a soft, encouraging smile. “Now, please lead the way, my good sir.”
Jugo grabbed a flask from his knapsack and took a long swig in reply before slipping the booze into his cloth bag and muttering a prayer in his native tongue. Climbing up the small rocky incline toward the caves’ entrance, they could see the deep blackness that almost appeared to be staring at them, daring whoever to enter.
Jugo unsheathed his iron blade as he raised his lantern light toward the darkness, illuminating several small paw prints and scratch marks on the stone walls and floor. The air was thick with an intensely musky and pungent scent, nearly choking them.
“Tracks look new, just a few hours old in fact… still wet…” muttered Jugo.
“Small puppy prints, definitely on the right track, let’s go then!” barked Glendon, his voice echoing through the cave.
“If they hadn’t scattered by now…” whispered Applejack. “Keep yer’ voice down.”
Jugo bonked Glendon with the bottom of his sword’s handle, “Quiet stupid… now let’s keep our voices low like she said…”
"Ow! I already heard you!" whisper yelled Glendon.
Rarity’s horn burned to life as they approached the entrance to the mine. If she could guess, it looked aged, probably abandoned within the last fifty years. And she did have quite a bit of experience exploring old mining caves. Looking down at the tracks where carts would have heaved their supply to the surface, she could tell there hadn’t been any ponies in the area for quite some time.
“Hmmm…” Sniffing the air, Rarity gagged, recognizing the wet dog scent. “Yes, blech– W-We’re definitely getting close…”
Slowly trotting inside, the strong magical sensation immediately fell over them, almost akin to air pressure– like a bubble attempting to keep them out. But once they were inside its radius, the resistance disappeared immediately, allowing them access.
“Seems I was correct about the leyline… Applejack dear, let us know if you start feeling unwell, okay?” Rarity turned, her brow drawn up with concern.
A crackling voice interrupted the farmer before she could reply,
“Pony should be worried about herself and not her friend…”
“Two ponies? And birdies? We will feast tonight!” Eyes glinted in the darkness ahead of the group, the light of the lantern and Rarity’s magical aura briefly illuminating their orbs.
“Quiet, you idiots! INTRUDERS, hooves, claws, and wings where we can see ’em! And don’t get smart.” A click was heard, the hammer being pulled back from a firearm. Slowly, a large, soot-colored Diamond Dog slipped from behind a large boulder, aiming his weapon at Glendon specifically. Seems the dog had noticed their guns first, his nostrils flaring. Two other diamond dogs stepped out to join their leader.
One appeared to be a pug-like canine with a squished-in face and tongue limply hanging from his mouth. The second almost resembled a mastiff, massive in size, with thick wooly fur. All three of them wore similar red petticoats, and to Rarity’s surprise and delight, they were in excellent condition.
“Calm down now, gentledogs. I’m sure there is a way to resolve this peacefully…” The unicorn began delicately.
Glendon’s white face burned a bright crimson. He snapped his pistols at the nearest pair of dogs as he made ready, “LAY A CLAW OR HARM A SINGLE HAIR ON THESE PONIES COATS AND I’LL MAKE YOU INTO A COAT!”
Jugo tensed up as he stared at the three. Stepping in front of the ponies as, he gripped his sword and prepared himself for combat, “Look, all we want is the wagon you stole from Mrs. Meadows… nothing more and nothing less. We aren’t here for you, so don’t make this about you.”
Applejack examined the darkness as she quickly skimmed for any rocks or stalactites hanging above that they could use to distract the three dogs, glancing at Rarity skittishly.
“Glendon, please!” Rarity trotted up slowly, gently laying a hoof on his arm. “There is no need for violence. I am sure they are reasonable creatures…”
The soot-colored Diamond Dog narrowed his eyes, but his aim was steady. His comrades shifted, one wielding a rather large machete, the other a pickaxe he must have found inside the mines.
“Now, I realize this is an… uncomfortable situation to be in. But perhaps we can come to an… agreement? There certainly must be something you would like to trade for the wagon in question…?”
The pug-like dog sneered, “Ponies not trustworthy, will not give promised! Will trick us!”
“Shaddup, you idiot!” Their leader hissed, shooting him a glare before returning to Rarity and Glendon, “We are the Candidates, the best of our pack, and we have claimed this wagon for ourselves!”
Rarity blinked, looking at the others before putting on a soft smile, “The ‘Candidates’ eh? It’s a very intriguing name. I apologize for my rudeness. I nearly forgot to introduce ourselves. I am Rarity, and these are my friends Applejack, Jugo, and Glendon. I apologize for interrupting you after what must have been a very tiring day, but we really must have that wagon back. Perhaps we could strike a deal? We may not be in Equestria, but I’m almost positive that Diamond Dogs loving gemstones is universal~”
The gang traded looks and briefly whispered to one another. After a moment of consideration, their leader took another step forward and into the light. “I am David. And yes… we would consider a… hmm, exchange if you make it worth our while.” His weapon was still drawn, but he seemed to be intrigued by her offer.
“How does a dozen diamonds sound?” Rarity offered with a sweet grin.
Applejack slowly leaned in and whispered, “Do you know where diamonds are located?”
“Of course, dear! Well… it’s not an exact locating spell, but I would find them eventually!” Rarity chuckled, although she, too, could feel a twinge of nervousness deep in her gut.
“Yeh well, fock off David.” sneered Glendon, “We ain’t doing no deals til all bets are off; everyone put the weapons down. Otherwise, this is a bushwhacking, not a barter! That’s Thieves Guild Code. Even you mangy mutts should get that, given you’re all so closely knit together and tighter than a gaggle of nuns.”
Jugo cleared his throat, “What my friend is trying to say is that he’s hoping that him being a thief and fellow bloodthirsty gunmen will convince you to make whatever deal as civilized as we can…”
David sneered, not lowering his weapon for a second. Rarity cringed, gritting her teeth briefly before taking in a slow, soothing breath. It took all of her focus not to think about the wet dog stench under her tongue.
“Quite right, Jugo.” The unicorn nodded, “I think all of us…” Rarity paused, glancing at Glendon, “Er, most of us would prefer not to start a fight. And if we are to speak about this rationally, we should both lower our weapons, correct?” Her last word was pointed, her eyes aiming the quip at Glendon.
The armed creatures slowly lowered their weapons.
The diamond dog sniffed, “Hmm… s’pose if we can get enough gems, it’ll be worth tradin’ the stinkin’ wagon. But ain’t gonna be no dozen. We want the wagon’s weight in gems, otherwise– no deal.”
Rarity’s face twisted, and she took a second to force it into a polite smile. “I… suppose… that could be accomplished. But that will take some time…”
David barked out a laugh, “Ha, we’ve got all the time in the world, pony! It’s gonna be a loooong night.”
“...” Rarity opened her mouth to reply, but a freezing chill went down her spine, her jaw snapping shut. The sensation was dreadfully familiar…
“All the time in the world? That’s… very subjective…” replied an icy voice in the darkness, “How long is that do you think? Thirty years or so…? Or are we counting in dog years?” chuckled the voice.
David’s fur stood on end as he flipped around, waving his firearm into the pitch black of the mines ahead. His ears twisted from side to side, trying to detect precisely where the voice had come from. “SHOW YER’ SELF, COWARD!”
Rarity’s horn flared, clenching her eyes shut as she forced more of her magic into her illumination spell. Being in the dark at that moment just felt too claustrophobic, as if the void were the jaws of some great beast that would swallow them up at any second. “I… I-I recognize that voice…”
Jugo’s feathers hitched to the top of his head, lifting the small hat from his head. The air seemed to plummet into a freezing drafty chill, the cool breeze flowing over the seven of them. Glendon quickly took the initiative and aimed at David’s back. But something deep inside him told him not to pull that trigger.
The voice chuckled before laughing, “If you insist…” and with a loud SLAM, the entrance of the cave was sealed. The earth beneath their claws and hooves shattered like fine glass into the endless abyss below, with only Jugo’s lantern light providing them with their only source of light in the sea of darkness.
The group free falled, screaming desperately as they flailed helplessly against gravity. Applejack swam through the air and toward Rarity as she desperately reached for her.
“RARITY, DON’T LET GO OF ME, WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T LEAVE MY SIGHT!” shouted Applejack.
The Diamond Dogs let out their own yips and barks, howling as they fell deeper into the darkness. David had instinctively fired, the powder-shot briefly illuminating the mine before fading away, leaving an imprint of a strange, dark mass on their eyes.
Glendon quickly spread his wings as he attempted to fly, his spread wings revealing the tightness of the pit. They were just barely scraping the edges as they fell. Glendon, unfortunately, learned this the hard way as his wings smacked and battered themselves against jagged, sharp stones.
The griffin screamed in agony as he desperately snapped his wings back to his sides, writhing in pain, “OH BOREAS MY WING, MY WING– I THINK I BROKE MY WING!”
Jugo gripped the lantern tightly to his chest as he prayed, his eyes sealed shut, and body clenched tightly to himself as he fell, “Boreas… rette uns, hilf uns, zeige uns Barmherzigkeit…”
Rarity couldn’t help it. She screamed the sensation of weightlessness before the sudden fall. She struggled against her terror, her body tensing up as she awaited the sudden stop at the bottom. Her eyes finally snapped open at Applejack’s voice, looking into her bright green eyes. Snatching her hooves, she pulled her friend into a tight embrace.
Rarity knew that she wasn’t nearly as capable as Twilight or even Starlight Glimmer, but she knew the basics. And while she wasn’t the strongest or most well-versed unicorn in Equestria, it wouldn’t stop her from trying.
Closing her eyes, Rarity focused on her magic and nothing else, her brow furrowing deeply as she sensed the power surrounding them. Gritting her teeth, she attempted to reach out, trying to use the leyline to enhance her spell.
A bluish aura crept over all six of the creatures, sweat beading on Rarity’s forehead as she pushed herself further and further. The light on her horn grew larger and larger as her magic wrapped itself around them, enveloping their forms. Yanking back her head, Rarity appeared to be straining her neck with the effort before it became evident what she was attempting.
Levitating multiple objects was one of Rarity’s specialties. It was almost a necessity in her line of work. But levitating five different creatures at the same time, including herself? That was something she had never attempted before, and right now, it was the only thing between them and becoming a smear on the cave floor.
There was a subtle snap as the drop went from helplessly falling to slowly descending, thanks to Rarity’s incredible effort and the deep, magical presence of the caves. Rarity could feel something… more than what she initially bartered for when casting the spell. But it wasn’t from her own performance. It felt… foreign, like something or someone was subconsciously influencing her mind and magic. Flashes of images and events that hadn’t happened yet and ponies she had never met before appeared in her mind’s eye, confusing and overwhelming all at once.
She could see… Princess Cadance and the girls surrounding her by her bedside surrounding a beautiful young pegasus foal in her forelegs, a group of happy and exhausted faces surrounding the child.
Before she could process this vision, another soon replaced it, of a different pony. An orange earth mare with a pair of bright golden burning amber wings and a horn made of brilliant, intense magic.
The visions would persist, showing the foal grown into an adult, now emboldened with a pair of large majestic wings and horns. Then images of four ponies surrounded by powerful magical crystals and the orange alicorn. The pictures of the alicorns flickered in her mind’s eye as she lost focus from the near trance she was in.
Rarity gasped breathlessly as if she had been holding her breath for some time, feeling light-headed and drained. Her magic went in and out briefly, sending a jolt through the creatures as she caught them again. It took several minutes before they finally reached the bottom, the unicorn collapsing to the ground bonelessly. Her body and mind were overwhelmed with the magic sensation.
David let out a grunt and a bark, his ears twitching as he received one in reply, “Idiots, sound off!”
“M’ here!” The mastiff called out, groaning as he lifted a sizable stone off his back. “Pugsly… I’m not sure, though…”
The Diamond Dog bared his teeth, climbing to his feet before squinting in the darkness, “This is all YOUR fault; this was a trap, wasn’t it?!” He jammed a claw in Glendon and Rarity's direction before scanning their surroundings, “PUGSLY! WHERE ARE YOU?!”
Jugo was wheezing as he rolled on the ground, feeling himself for any injuries, “Thank you… thank you…” he said as he climbed to his feet and reviewed his surroundings, raising his thankfully undamaged lantern toward the darkness. Ignoring David, he attempted to find his sword and, more importantly, a way out.
Glendon sat up as he felt his wings, bruised and sprained for sure but not broken, though it damn well felt close enough to it. He winced as he got up and turned toward David, “US? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU BLOCKHEAD? WE CAME TO YOU SECOND AS A GROUP. NONE OF US COULD’VE PULLED A STUNT LIKE THAT SO FAST!”
Applejack, who had been cradling Rarity in her legs, had been gently shaking and nudging her awake as she desperately pressed her right ear against the mare’s chest and face to ensure she was breathing and her heart was beating properly. Her eyes fought back tears of sorrow and frustration at the situation as she snapped her head to the two bickering creatures.
“WILL ALL OF YOU JUST GET A GRIP!? WE BOTH GOT FOLKS MISSING AND INJURED; Y’ALL ARE BICKERING AND FIGHTING OVER NOTHING! I, FOR ONE, AM NOT DYING HERE. I GOT FAMILY BACK HOME, I GOT A LIFE BACK HOME, AND SO DOES RARITY!” she looked down at her friend, noticing her slowly returning to consciousness.
“Rarity?...” whispered Applejack.
“I found Pugsy,” Jugo said. Approaching from the darkness with his lantern in claw, the three yelling creatures hadn’t even noticed they were in near-pitch darkness during their squabbling.
Jugo’s expression was mournful and harrowing, lowering his hat to his chest as he looked David in the eye, “It isn’t pretty… a predator got him when a rock pinned him… he was the unlucky one… I’ll help ya bury him if you like.”