//------------------------------//
// Tales of Old 
// Story: High Tide, Low Company 
// by MacDragon 
//------------------------------//


Tales of Old


Breakfast was hot and quick.  Oatmeal with strawberries, water, and many other choices were ranged about the table.  Food Pip never would have guessed would be available in an underground environment like the one they found themselves a part of.  He and his crew ate quickly, they were due to meet their guide, his name still unknown to Pip; from there they would be taken to another part of the labyrinthine underground town to meet with somepony that was going to fill them in with information based on their experience the night before.  Pip was eager to finally get some real answers.

Their guide had made it clear that he could not, nor would he; explain things to them, regardless of the fact that he was well aware.  Their guide had pleaded to them that even though he could tell them his knowledge was only rudimentary at best, and that it would not have the same value as sompony who knew first hand.  

They finished their meals quickly and were immediately whisked away by two ponies who escorted them to a new side of the complex where they met their guide outside of a large set of wooden doors.  The doors were carved in tasteful designs, swirling vines and expertly carved, probably with magic he guessed, figures upon all its surfaces.  

“Once inside we must remain silent.  He has agreed to speak at length with us, you and your crew primarily, which as you may know is no small matter to them.  He knows much more than anypony besides the others of his group of course and will tell you everything he deems to be fair knowledge.  And may I say that it is a lot as I’ve been told the same story you are about to hear many years ago myself.  Save your questions till the end if you have any.  He will answer them as best he can.”  Their guide prompted them before he rapped the doors with a forehoof.

A second passed and then with a deep groan the door opened just enough to admit them into the chamber.  Once inside the door closed behind them quietly.  Two guards on either side stood still and observant.  Pip looked around the small, relatively speaking at least, courtyard.  It was not much different than the rest of the large rooms all about the facility.  

The only noticeable differences were the vines that covered many of the walls and most of the ceiling.  Some bore fruit, others fragrant white flowers.  It also had a stream of fresh water flowing in a winding path along the floor.  It was all together a peaceful place.  

They walked slowly over an exposed path of rounded cobblestone path, soon reaching the center of the room where a large raised platform jutted out above the ground.  It was here they stopped, standing in the center motionless and quiet.  
That lasted but a moment before a voice; deep and resonant, poured forth from what seemed like every angle of the circular room.  “Welcome strangers.  I’ve heard your story, now hear mine, for within it lays the information you seek.  Be at rest, no harm will come to you here.”  It said, and so they made themselves comfortable and prepared to listen.

“We, as you know, are known only as Guardians.  Our presence here exists only because of the presence of those we fight against.  The Draquus.  But that is part of the story I must tell you of how this came to be.  It’s crucial you understand what it is you face and the threat it poses to your own nation.” 

A brief pause ensued before the voice continued. 

We, the Guardians and the Draquus, come from the same region.  More still we hail from the very same empire.  Our nation stood, one of magic, powerful magic. Where many of your nations hold a mixture of the different races, Pegasai, Earth, and Unicorn, ours contained only one.  Unicorns.  Our entire population, not out of want mind you, it was just so.

Now, as all unicorns are magic users by nature so too were we; but we did not simply use it.  We studied it, did all we could to understand it, learned all we could about its rhythms and currents; its advantages and its dangers.  We found much, and learned much, all the time.  But nothing was more educational or rewarding as the magic in the world around us, the plants and animals, latent magic; all around us.

Knowing this we studied nature, learned how to work with the natural world, how to shape it with magic and how to live with it better than most do.  We tended to the world around us, the woods, the grasslands, the sea and sky, and in return we were rewarded with powerful magic and bountiful resources which in turn fueled our empire.

Our cities grew over time, spreading across our lands.  They were said to resemble the cities of the Druids one may hear tales of.  In truth we were much like the Druids, but we did not dedicate our entire lives to nature alone.  Our cities resembled the trees in their decorations only.  Our villages and towns as well, we coexisted with nature differently than our Druidic cousins; they harness all their magic from nature alone, provide for themselves from what the land offers and live not beside or among the natural world like us, but instead with it, as one.  Many of them resemble the plants or animals they most cherish.  They are like us in ways, but vastly different.

Our studies of the magic in the natural world eventually led us to gain the abilities to harness that magic, both active and latent, to empower our own magic and so powered our empire with it.

It was the profit, the power, we made from our studies that was our downfall.  You see, with the great power we achieved, like with any power, came responsibility, respect, and discipline.  With such powerful magic at our hooftips it was our job as guardians to ensure that ability was taught to all in the right manners, and so we did for many centuries.  But like all great things there is a rise and a fall if not cared for properly, the foundation must be cared for or else it crumbles and falls to ruin, as was the fate of our empire.

It was quick.  Barely a fortnight in all, and it was all over.  The creatures you know as the Draquus, they overran our borders in droves, and it was all we could do to just flee before their tide.  It was not until many years later that my brethren before me discovered what our undoing had been.”  The pony started in his first long breath.

They stirred but little upon the platform, afraid to make too much noise for the sake of comfort before the voice began again.

“In the time of our prosperity there was a pony born in our midst.  A unicorn, not uncommon from any others; from a young age he preferred to be alone, studying magic in his own way.  He rarely worked with any others, but he learned quickly and soon was admitted to our ranks, an adept magic user like us, and as sharp minded as our own commanders.  He did very well for his youth.

But there were times he did not show, sometimes for long spans, days at times, we thought naught of it.  Considered it had to do with more of his studies.  How were we to know he was deep in the wilds, in the high mountains, conversing and growing close to an ancient and powerful magic we were unaware of ourselves, unaware of until it was too late for us.

A dragon, ancient and powerful, had been watching our empire with envious eyes.  This creature had befriended a pony, one of ours, the very one who did so well in our ranks.  We discovered later that he’d taken to studying this dragon, a malevolent evil creature it was.  It twisted his mind and made him into a monster.

It was the dragon who created the Draquus; they were the lost of our outer empire.  When the dragon sacked our settlements, any who didn’t flee or were left for dead were given a choice, join them, or die.  Those who joined him were changed forever by the dragons own magic.  They remained unicorns like us but they were changed, twisted as the dragon who now owned them.  Wings and fangs they grew, their brightly colored coats turned dark, some midnight blue, some black.  Their eyes, pupils to be exact changed.  No longer warm and kind, but sharp and hateful, like a lion.  But with the change as well came one thing more.  Their magic was taken from them.  Not completely, but enough so that the power they’d grown accustomed too was gone forever from them, their no more adept at magic than a colt.”

There was a pause, a moment of quiet as their still unrecognized story teller gained his breath once more.

“They came in the night, hundreds, perhaps thousands of them.  Silent as the darkness until they struck; even with all the power we had it could do nothing against the sheer force of numbers and the surprise.  Within the hour our forces on every border were overwhelmed.  Our leaders were dead, as were so many others, families, friends, young and old.  Driven from our cities by the Draquus we fled our country and melted into the world as it is known now.  We of the Guardians stayed together, we regrouped and rebuilt our order and learned what we could from the few that still remained.  

So we have maintained since.  Fighting this enemy in the quiet edges of the world, forgotten and lost to time; but now we are coming back to light, not out of choice, or because we seek to, but because our fight has expanded into other territories.  They are on the move, what for we are yet unsure as why, but we do know that they still maintain great numbers, not as many as before, but still many more than we ourselves do.  They are a great threat to anyone they encounter, vicious creatures, hateful and angry.  One thing we are sure of is that their leader of old.  The dragon is long dead.  We saw to that much before our complete fall.  So doubt nothing when it comes to them my diminutive friends, their dangerous enemy and need to be stopped, this we shall do, as is our duty as guardians.”  

Silence ensued once more but didn’t break this time.  Their guide stood quietly and yawned a small yawn.  They followed quietly in standing.  The guide looked about and started towards the door followed by Nixx and Radko.  Pip looked around as well as did Quix.  Pip turned to the front of the room and looked up to where the voice had started.  

“Who are you?” Quix shouted up, voicing Pips thoughts before he himself could even decide if he should, or wanted to, ask.

There was a gentle hum next to him, followed by sparks that seemed to snap in the air around him.  Pip and Quix both hurriedly backed off the dais for fear of what it was doing.  The sparking became more rapid, lines of blue light crackled in arcs around the dais, soon there was a dark blue glow hovering above the pedestal.  Pip and the others backed away a little more.

Then with a flash and loud clap that startled them all there was a pony standing upon the dais.  Or so they thought.  It was a Draquus, Fangs, Wings, and all.  They jumped, even their guide did, Radko charged forward and placed himself between Pip and the Draquus, ready to charge to give Pip and the others time to flee.

Before he could do that though the other pony did something unexpected, he swayed, unsteady on his hooves, almost like one would before fainting.  Radko looked confused, as did the others when Pip looked around.  The Draquus was shaking and sweating.  Quix edged out from behind Radko and crept up to the Dais where he slowly and carefully approached the creature proffering a flask of water.  He set it before the Draquus and stepped back a bit.  There was a glow around the flask, and it hovered over to the Draquus who then took a drink before setting down, eyes closed to compose himself.

They waited, and as they did Pip studied the strange Unicorn, for that after all was what he is, or at least was.  The Draquus was bedecked in the same fashion as himself.  A light, shiny mail shirt that covered his chest and shoulders he’d forgone the hauberk it would seem, in preference to freer movement.  He had as well the same tubes around his legs that Radko now wore.  He also had small circular plates on either shoulder.  But what caught Pips eye was not the armor, but rather what it was covered in.  Unlike all the armored ponies he’d seen, including now his own repertoire, vines and plants engraved upon the armor bits covered them.  This one’s was covered in words, every inch, engraved upon the plate pieces, front and back it would seem.  

Pip continued to study the strange creature, the pony, or Draquus.  It was taller than many of the ponies in the room, but only slightly more so than Radko.  And he had a slight frame, not thin, but not bulky like many of the heavily armored Guardians.  His coat was a dark midnight blue, as were his wings, their bat-like membrane was nearly transparent in the direct light.  The more unnerving fangs, small but visible as they protruded just beyond his upper lip, ivory white, his mane was pulled up in a tight eastern style, cinched with a dark blue cord, the rest down his neck had been trimmed close to his back.  

In the time it took Pip to gather all this information the Draquus had recovered it’s bearings and now stood back up, the action causing many of them to back up a step.

“Don’t fear, I’m not a threat to you all.  I promise.  I apologize for my appearance, but as you can see my stories are true.”  Said the Draquus.

“So it would seem.  Why are you even here then?  Are you not one of them?”  Pip asked in a choked voice.

“I was.  At one time I was.  But before that I was a Guardian as well, and so I am now.” He replied in a calm tone.

“How so?  Do they not hate your kind?”  Nixx asked in a less simple manner.

“Our kind?  You forget the very story I just told.  There is no kind to speak of.  The Draquus and Guardians are one and the same.  The only difference is in our appearance, or at least it was, over time I’m afraid that most of the Draquus have lost themselves, those you see here on this island and abroad are but broken effigies of what they once were.”  He replied.

“So why are you not like them?  Did you find a cure?  How did you get caught?  Didn’t you fight till the end?” Nixx pressed on.

“Yes I did, I fought harder than I’ve ever fought before, and I did so to save my family I still do so to ensure their safety.  I was captured while covering their escape, I was forced into the ranks of the Draquus, I did not go willingly, nor did I welcome my transformation in the slightest, which I believe is what saved me from becoming like the rest.  You see as I watched during my time in their ranks I noticed all those who went willingly or gave permission of the change became monsters, as if something in their minds were changed as they were.  I fought it; I fought it so much that I blacked out from the effort.  When I awoke I was like this and have so remained, for the most part.”  He replied.

“For the most part?  What do you mean?” Pip asked.

“Well, like all the rest we were changed, I still, and probably forever will remain as I look save for the simpler things.  My coat will remain this color, as will my mane and tail, the wings will remain as well which I must admit I don’t mind anymore, they’re as much a part as me as my horn.  Which is another matter; as like all the other ponies who became like me our magic, like I said, was stripped from us.”  He said in a more pained tone.

“But you just teleported down here and the levitation spell, if you had it stripped from you?”  Nixx asked in a curious tone.
“Very observant of you, very true, I lost my magic.  But I also discovered, after a time, that it can be relearned, slowly yes, but it’s possible and so I have been learning once more.  I’ve regained most of my abilities but the teleportation and some others are still either difficult or beyond me.  I had to learn slowly once more as I did when I was a foal.”  He replied.

Quix stepped back a bit and looked around, “Do you...I mean...like them...”  He paused looking again around the room before he looked back to the Draquus and finished his question in a strangled tone, “Do you....eat meat?”

The Draquus laughed heartily at this and looked down on them, Pip was quick to notice his eyes were not silted like the others he’d described but like theirs.  “No, No I do not, well not always, sometimes I must but only on rare occasions to which I do my best to be discreet about I assure you. That at least is one thing I’m happy is returning to normal, the fangs are slowly going away as well but they have their uses, in combat at least.”  The Draquus replied in good humor.

Pip had just two questions for the strange pony, “Why is your armor different than the others?  And what do we call you?” he asked, stepping out from behind the much subdued Radko.

“Well, As for my armor, I never did like the heavy armor my brethren wear, it does not fit me well and I’m clumsy in it.  As for the different decoration, I assume that is what you mean; it is a mark of my station.  I’m a story teller, a history keeper, a writer, a reader.  More simply put, I am the Librarian of our organization.  Engraved upon my armor is the entire tale of how our empire fell.  It took some time for the others to make it but they did so with great diligence before they presented it to me upon my return.  For they did welcome me back after they were sure I was myself once more, for the most part.”  He said.  It was then Pip noticed his cutie mark, a book and quill, fitting he thought.  The pony moved on to the last question.  “I don’t know your names yet either my new acquaintances.  If I am to trust you to give my name I must first know yours, as is our custom.”  He said.

Pip mulled it over for a moment, he didn’t believe there was anything to fear from this particular Draquus, pony he corrected himself, “This before me is Radko, the surgeon who gave you the drink is Quix, short for Quickfix, and the other is Nixx, my technician.  And I am Captain Pip of the Bonnie Lass.”  He replied.

The pony repeated the names a few times before he spoke, “You, Radko, Hooviet Union if I’m correct, You, Quickfix is it, and Nixx, Pip, your all Equestrian, am I wrong?”  He replied looking from one to another.  

“Yes, yes indeed you are correct on all counts, very observant of you.” Nixx replied in simple interest.  

“Ok, then my name, I am Quillweave, you can call me Quill if you wish.” He replied.

“Quillweave,” Pip replied, “Quill.  Ok.  What do we do from here then?” Pip asked to nopony in particular.

“Now?  Now we plan, well we plan both on how to take back this island, and help you and your kin back to your ship to continue on your journey, whatever that may be.” Quill replied.

With that they all left the room together.  Led by their guide to a far off room full of the armored stallions and others of the local ponies all gathered and discussing many things, plans, actions, and information.  The fight for the island would begin soon and Pip and his crew were now a part of it.  But if that meant getting back to his ship and his mare then so be it.