A quick instruction on this chapter and others to follow. I will be putting music links in the chapters at points where background music would play. Make sure to open it in a new tab or window so as to not get sent away from the story. Repeat music as often as wanted until you reach the next music link and you don't have to listen to it through the whole thing of course. There will also be some picture links as well. This chapter is the first of three chapters including 5 and 6 that will span the journey through the Writers world. Thanks for reading and you better strap in folks. You are about to take a ride to a whole new world.....
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Amongst the wreckage he stands alone,
Rebuild the kingdom, stone by stone,
He was finally alone, able to think on the events that had transpired a mere thirty minutes ago. About the images that he saw, the way he had lost control, and those powerful creatures that were actually able to stop him from destroying himself and then repaired his amulet.
The Writer sat alone in his hospital room; he had repaired the door, and now sat on the floor with his back against the wall, proceeding to look out the window towards the town, meditating about all that had happened.
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30 minutes ago
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The Writer and the six girls all stared up at the whole amulet as it shone brightly in the air. The beam of light faded and it floated back down into the waiting hands of the Writer completely whole and unscathed and he then felt a strange sensation of hope. He also felt a sudden urge to be alone and meditate on what had happened and what it could possibly mean.
Everyone stared at the Writer as he towered over them all. Princess Luna approached carefully and asked, "Who are you?" The Writer stared back at her with his white eyes and said, “I am The Writer.”
He then turned and began to walk back to the hospital; the guards all moved out of his way nervously as he approached the entrance.
“Where are you going?” called Twilight.
The Writer stopped and turned his head to look back at her before answering, “I wish to be alone for a few minutes. There is a lot I need to think about, but first…”
As he spoke he laid a hand on the damaged building and light shone from the place where his hand rested. Then to everyone’s amazement, the building began healing itself; the cracks in the stone receding back down, disappearing entirely as shards of glass flew back up into their original positions and melded together without leaving so much as a smudge. He then turned back to the doctor who had accompanied him to the door now staring in wonderment at his newly restored hospital. The Writer slowly laid a hand on the old stallions head and light again shone from the spot. The doctor gasped; relief spreading throughout his body as his multitude of cuts healed and he was left without a scratch on him. Everyone just stared, mouths agape, at the power the Writer had while the doctor looked over his healed body and then looked back up at the Writer and whispered, “Thank you”
“Do not thank me. I am simply repaying you for the kindness you have shown me. I am sorry for wrecking your hospital.”
“Oh no it’s quite alright, you've more than made up for it.” the doctor replied as he surveyed the fully repaired entrance of the hospital.
The Writer then ducked past the doors and made his way back towards his room, Nurse Redheart and the doctor walking right behind him.
Suddenly a voice stopped them, “Now hold it right there!”
The Writer winced; he had been hoping no one would try and stop him and the voice sounded rather angry. He turned to see an indigo pony-as he assumed they were called-standing in the doorway looking rather displeased. He was wearing a handsome set of armor and a silver helmet with a tall plume that the Writer also assumed signified he was of a higher authority.
“You can’t just pull something like that out there and then turn around and walk away like nothing’s wrong! We need to know what that was all about and we also need to know everything about you and why you’re here. Princess Celestia will be here momentarily and you WILL be here to answer her questions!”
The Writer thought for a moment about what the stallion had said, he was right on one hand and he owed it to them to answer their questions; but he first wanted to think about the events that had just transpired. Suddenly an idea struck him and he actually smiled at his plan.
He turned to the indigo pony and addressed him, “May I ask who you are then?”
“I am Harbinger, Captain of the Earth Pony Guard and personal guard to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
“I see,” said the Writer thoughtfully, “Well captain, it is an honor to meet you and I agree that I do owe you a substantial amount of answers and you will have them but I must ask that you allow me at least a few moments to gather my thoughts. I am afraid I am a bit distraught still over what has happened and, also, I wish to mourn for a while over the deaths of my friends and my son.”
The captain winced at these words and suddenly felt ashamed at his outburst.
“If you will permit me a while to be alone I will answer your questions. Thirty minutes should be enough if that is okay? Then I would ask that you send in this Celestia and I will speak with her first.”
As the Writer finished, Princess Luna came up beside Harbinger and said in a soft tone, “Of course you may have as much time as you need. If you need anything you should only ask and we will be there.”
The Writer actually bowed to the princess and said, “If you can spare it, I am quite famished and some food and drink might help me?”
The princess nodded and the Writer turned to take his leave but not before looking out to the six mares who were still standing behind the princess with worried looks on their faces. He gave a small smile and winked at them.
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Present time
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Now the Writer was alone in his room thinking about what all of this could possibly mean. He scratched his bearded chin with one hand and turned his amulet over and over in his other hand as he stared out the window of his room at the sunlit town below. His long, dark hair was now bound back in a ponytail that went down past his shoulders. What did all of this mean? Was this a sign he was supposed to be here amongst these strange, magical creatures? Could they actually be the key to reversing the catastrophe that has struck his home and bring back his people?
He had to know more about these ponies before he could answer any of those questions as well as a few other things that needed to be taken care of first; like what had happened to a certain piece of headwear that he had lost and his weapons. But before he could even do that he had to show the ponies just who he was and where he had come from and to do that the Writer had the idea that a story was in store.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knocking at his door; he wasn’t upset by it, the ponies had kept their word and it was time to hold his end of the bargain. “Enter” he called and the door open to reveal Nurse Redheart standing there with a cart that had a large plate of food on it and a large goblet of water. The Writer heard his stomach growl in anticipation at the sight of food.
The nurse pushed the cart into the room and the Writer stood to greet the nurse. Out of all the ponies he had met, the nurse had been the most kind and understanding towards him and he found himself trusting in the white mare. He sat down on the bed as she pushed the cart over to him.
“There you are dear. I'm sorry if some of this stuff isn't to your liking we just put a bit of everything on here due to the fact that we don’t really know what you eat.” She said with a nervous laugh.
The Writer smiled at the nurse which seemed to calm her down and said, “It is quite alright dear nurse, I am most grateful for it either way.”
Nurse Redheart blushed at his words; she had never heard a more soft, deep and regal sounding voice. It rivaled the effect of the voice of Celestia herself.
He looked over the amount of food on the plate and noticed there was no meat. He wasn't surprised, nevertheless he still would have liked a strip of bacon or two but he didn't complain.
He took an apple that seemed bigger than the ones that grew on his world and shone with a most unusual sheen. He bit into it, taking out a large chunk and was surprised by how delicious it tasted. It wasn't like anything he had ever had in his life, the texture was perfect and the taste was indescribable.
He swallowed and turned to the nurse again, “I must say I cannot believe I have ever had anything more delicious in my life. Where did you get this apple?”
“Oh well that’s from Sweet Apple Acres, it’s the apple ranch just down the road. You actually crashed right in front of it when you landed. Applejack is the one who runs it alongside her family. They grow the best apples in Equestria.”
“Indeed they do” said the Writer, who was now feeling a little better thanks to the food.
It was funny really, he had expected himself to be beyond miserable after witnessing the deaths of his friends and only son, but after what those ponies did it was like all that was cast out of him and something was telling him that he had no need to cry. That everything was going to be alright in the end.
As he ate, Nurse Redheart looked him over one last time and found that not a single cut or burned remained on his body. His clothes were still ripped though, a problem she was certain could be fixed by a certain fashion pony. Then she spoke up again, “Um Mister Writer?”
The Writer grunted before swallowing his mouthful of hay fries which he found to not be as bad as he thought, though they could use some salt, and said, “Please, call me just Writer; it sounds weird if you say mister.”
“Oh sorry, um but I was supposed to tell you that the princess is waiting outside to talk to you like you promise, if you’re ready of course. She understands if you need more time.”
“Ah, of course,” replied the Writer as he finished his meal, “You can send her in now dear nurse. I am quite ready to uphold my promise and make amends for my actions.”
Nurse Redheart nodded nervously and walked back to door with the cart and the now empty tray. She opened the door and walked into the hallway out of the sight of the Writer. He heard voices and decided to magnify his hearing so he could listen,
“He says you can talk to him now your highness.”
That would be the nurse, then he heard a voice that definitely sounded like a ruler, “Is he feeling better than earlier nurse? Are you sure it’s okay for me to go in?”
This was certainly the one called Celestia he had no doubt and as he finished that thought another pony stepped in to his room. Except this one wasn't like the others, she looked more like the one called Luna except she was the complete opposite. Her coat was a brilliant alabaster white and she stood as tall as the ceiling, only a few feet shorter than the Writer. Her mane and tail shimmered and flowed with a huge array of colors almost seeming ethereal. She wore a gold crown and chest plate along with golden slippers on her feet. Her wings were large and magnificent and her horn glowed brilliantly. The Writer could not remember ever meeting a more awe inspiring and.....beautiful creature.
He stood as much as he could in the low room and bowed to her, "Greetings Princess Celestia, Ruler of Equestria"
Princess Celestia blushed at the sound of his voice; it was rather kingly and sent her in a flutter. She had never felt this from another being before but she quickly composed herself and bowed as well.
"And to you Writer, I am grateful to finally have a.....normal conversation with you at last."
"Ah yes you must forgive me for my behavior good princess I had no idea what I was doing and reacted most unpleasantly. I give my most humble apologies and will repay you and your subjects in any way I can." he responded.
Celestia was beyond flustered now, she couldn't believe how intelligent and flattering this being was. His words sounded so sincere, she felt incapable of saying no to his wishes.
"Good Writer, all will be forgiven and I know you did not mean to do what you did. In fact I am sorry for the loss of your son and friends. No one should have to bear that grief."
A flash of what seemed like anger passed across the Writers face before sadness took over again. He looked down at the amulet sitting on the bedside table.
"You are not the one to blame for their loss..... You weren't the ones who tore them away from me...."
Celestia grew worried for the Writer; she feared he would close himself off to her if he continued to think about what had happened. But she had to know all she could about him.
"Writer..." She began hesitantly, "I'm sure you know why I am here. I need to know where you came from and whether or not you pose a threat to my subjects."
"Yes I know this Princess," he whispered, an awkward silence filled the room for a moment before the Writer looked back up at her and said in a more clear tone, "I will tell you everything Princess but know this: it is something that cannot be told in words alone and so it is for that matter that I have decided to "show" you rather than talk about it. Before I begin I must ask you this: do you trust me?"
The Princess was a little startled by the question and thought to herself if this being was in fact trustworthy. She looked into the eyes of the Writer, into those pure white eyes that radiated power, and saw that there was no deception in them.
Finally, after much thought, she nodded and the Writer continued, "Then listen carefully, you must exit the room and close the door behind you. When you have done so, gather the six girls from earlier who fought with my enraged self as well as the other Princess and anyone else you wish to accompany you on the journey and then count to ten. When you reach ten, open the door again."
Celestia was beyond confused at his instructions, what journey? He talked like they were going to a whole different world altogether. But she needed to know everything about him and if this was the way he wanted to do it then she had to do it.
"I don't understand but I will do as you say. Just don't try anything funny." she said with a small smile before exiting the room and closing the door as the Writer said.
When he was sure she had left, the Writer put his hands together and started to rub them against each other quickly and light suddenly seeped from between them and a wind picked up from nowhere and swirled around the room as everything started to become fuzzy and the smell of salt filled the air as the Writer pulled his hands apart and a large book began to appear in his hands....
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As she closed the door, Celestia was still wondering what the Writer was planning but she was interrupted by a purple shape that filled her vision.
"What did he say? Did he say where he was from? Can I talk to him now?"
When Twilight Sparkle was interested in something she made no effort to hide it, something the princess liked about her. The others were all standing around, equally interested in the Writer and eagerly awaiting her word.
"He has agreed to tell us all everything but he insisted that he show us rather than tell us."
"What does that mean?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I do not know but he told me to come and collect all six of you and Luna and also I want Harbinger and Shining Armor to come as well."
The captains both nodded but Luna looked confused, "Sister what are you talking about? What is he showing us?"
Celestia turned back to the door as everyone filed in behind her, "We'll find out in ten seconds."
Everyone looked at the door; they were either feeling apprehensive or excited about what lay on the other side as they all counted down.
Finally at the count of ten, Celestia turned the knob with her magic and slowly opened the door...........
And what they saw stunned them beyond anything they had ever seen before in their lives, for where the hospital room was before now was a beach. It looked like a simple cove with white sand covering a small, crescent shaped area with clear, blue sea water gently lapping against it.
Huge palm trees surrounded the cove making it seem more like a private spot, away from the eyes of the public, and the door they were peering through was right in the middle of it. There was a large sun above the water that bathed everything in a warm and calm light and the air felt so pure and the smell of salt filled their senses. The ponies were baffled by the sight not comprehending the fact that a beach was inside a hospital room. Then the Writer walked into their view and stood by the water’s edge and with a smile said, "Join me won't you?"
The ponies continued to stare frozen on the spot and the Writer waited patiently for their minds to fully process what they were seeing. He held out a hand and said, "It's a lot better once you step through the threshold. Come on, the waters fine."
Celestia was the first to come to her senses and took a tentative step onto the sand. She gasped when she felt it and whispered, “It’s real.”
She couldn't believe it; real sand on a real beach and the wind felt real too. She continued to step forward until she was standing next to the Writer and the water washed up against her feet; it felt warm and soothing and there was no denying it was real. She turned to stare at the Writer with a look of sheer wonder and said in a whisper, “How is this possible?”
The Writer smiled and, from seemingly nowhere, held out his hands to reveal a large book that lay open to reveal shimmering words and pictures that seemed to dance across the pages.
“This, my dear princess, is a Tome of Worlds and this is what it can do,” he waved an arm over the beautiful scene before them, “I am the only one who can write on it and from my words spring the power to see the moments that are written down. These are my memories and this is my world: Dien.”
By that time the others had made their way down to the water and all had looks of wonder and amazement. Celestia was so entranced in the beauty of the world that tears started to stream down her cheeks, “Writer…..I have never seen anything so beautiful. This world is amazing.”
The Writer smiled, “And you have only just begun to see it. Before we begin if I could have everyone’s attention, I must explain a few things.”
Everyone stood in a row facing the Writer and the sea as he walked through the surf looking all of them in the eyes.
“First……Who was it who shot me in the back when I first landed here?”
Everyone was surprised by the sudden question and nine heads turned to look down at Luna who was blushing and said,
“That might have been me….hehe….sorry?”
The Writer smiled before a huge column of water shot into the air and then came barreling down on top of Luna who yelled as the water splashed down on her. She stopped when she noticed that the water was actually passing through her and she wasn't even wet much less being driven into the ground.
“PRINCESS!!!” yelled Harbinger and Shining Armor but then the water vanished and they saw that Luna was perfectly fine.
They turned back to the Writer who had a smirk forming on his face.
“Apology accepted. Now as you can see while this place can feel real sometimes it can also NOT be real and that is all determined by me but rest assured you are not in danger of losing life or limb I promise”
The captains just gave him a hard look while Celestia was trying not to laugh at her sister’s bewildered expression at just having an entire ocean dumped on top of her.
Twilight and the other girls all came close to the water and Rainbow Dash looked up at the Writer and asked, “So you can turn the “real” factor on and off? How does that work?”
“Like this” said the Writer before reaching down and splashing her and her friends and this time they felt the water as it splashed on them. They all yelped in surprise and stood in shock for a while.
Then Rainbow Dashed yelled, “AWESOME!” before running out into the surf and diving into the water as she swam around in the warm ocean water. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight and even Fluttershy all followed suit as they dove into the waves and swam around, completely enthralled by the fact that they were at a real ocean beach while Rarity hung back and said, “No thank you I would hate to get my hair wet.”
Suddenly she was levitated in the air in by Luna who said, “Oh don’t be such a pansy.” before flinging both herself and Rarity into the surf with a mighty splash.
Rarity came up screeching, “AHH my hair!” while Luna came up laughing hysterically.
Rarity glared at her for a minute before leaping out of the water on top of her in an attempt to drown her. The others all laughed and joined in the fun.
The Writer was surprised by their sudden actions but laughed and looked on with an amused expression; these were quite the peculiar specimens. Celestia and the captains stayed on the beach and watched the spectacle as well. Celestia was laughing at the sight of her sister trying to escape a rather infuriated Rarity. She then turned to the Writer and asked, "What is this place exactly Writer? Where are we in your world?"
He faced her and said in a soft voice as he recalled his memories of the place, "This is my secret spot, the place where I would go to get away from the pressures of being a king. I am the only one who knows of its location and the only one who can get to it. Well I was the only one anyway, until now."
He turned back to the others who were now coming out of the water and all of them were soaking wet. The Writer smiled before snapping his fingers and, in a flash, everyone was suddenly dry and the water no longer felt real to them. They looked in confusion to the Writer who said, "The second thing that I was going to say was that even though it may feel real at times this place is an illusion and you must remember that at all times. You cannot lose your sense of reality here and it is for that matter that I will be keeping the real factor as you called it off unless I deem something necessary that you should feel."
The captains exchanged worried glances but said nothing as both of them were just as curious about this place as the others. They both silently agreed, however, to keep an eye on the Writer at all times.
Everyone gathered around the Writer again as Celestia asked another question, "You were a king? Then where did you rule?"
The Writer did not answer, instead casually pointing with his right thumb up and over his shoulder and everyone looked in the direction of his gesture and gasped as their jaws once again hit the sand, literally this time. For behind them past the trees they could see the top of a massive tower rising behind a white wall, its spherical shape rising into the sky past the clouds. It was made out of a black stone that shone in the sunlight with strange carvings and patterns etched into it. At the top were four straight, narrow spires that ended in points. The ponies stared at its huge size in shock and the Writer found himself laughing at their expressions.
"Hey," he said, "You haven't even begun to see my world. Now that you have had a taste of things are you ready to see the full picture? Are you ready to let me show you my world and experience the wonders of Dien?"
Everyone just nodded, still staring at the great monolith.
"Very well then," said the Writer with a smile, "You might want to hang on."
The Writer spread his arms and the large book hovered in the air before him as the strange letters shone brightly on the pages and the sand underneath their feet (and hooves) began to swirl around before a platform of sand began to raise them up into the air as if someone had taken a large shovel and scooped them upwards. It took a minute before the ponies noticed and each gave a startled sound and scooted together away from the edge of the flying platform of sand.
"Relax fellow travelers, there is plenty of room onboard our vessel and I have put up a field to keep you from falling," the Writer assured his passengers.
They all began to slowly relax save for Fluttershy who insisted on holding on to the Writers leg with a death grip. He looked down at her with a quizzical look and she blushed under his questioning eyes.
"I'm uh....s-scared of h-heights." She said quietly.
The Writer smiled down at her for he found the sight quite adorable and said in a reassuring tone, "You need not be scared, Shy One. I promise you I will not let you fall."
Fluttershy found his words comforting and managed to relax a little and move to where she could see over the side while still holding on to the Writer's leg. They continued to rise over the trees and as they ascended they started to see more of the white wall that surrounded the great tower and it appeared to hold more than that. The Writer directed the platform forward towards the wall and raised it suddenly higher over the wall so the ponies could then see what lay on the other side.
The size of it all was incomprehensible; it was all made of white stone save for a few features which were made out of a dark green element. It looked like the mix between a great cathedral and a castle; the center, which lay just in front of the huge tower, had a long entrance building with two great doors and pillars on the front and sides which then led into a larger domed structure with the dome made entirely out of the green stone, as well as the two tall doors, and inside the dome was a golden bell that looked like it could swallow a house whole. On either side of the domed center extended the rest of the castle which went all around the black tower with tall spires on the four corners with many windows and balconies. There were smaller buildings throughout the grounds, including one with several big doors instead of windows that appeared to be a storage place for something big. There was also a large courtyard in front of the cathedral which was a huge circle with paths branching off towards the buildings and to the massive gate of the wall which was the same white color and had a mighty wooden drawbridge. In the middle of the courtyard was a tall pole that had a flag flying on it; it was a cobalt blue flag with a golden, seven pointed star that held a four pointed white star within it.
People could be seen walking around the grounds and the ponies saw that all of them were of similar build to the Writer: very tall, some reaching nine feet and also stocky. Even the women were about the same size as the men but they had a more soft and slender shape which was enough to tell them apart. Some were extremely muscular and others were a bit obese while a few seemed lanky and not quite as strong as the others. They all had long hair, which they fashioned in different and sometimes extreme ways, ranging in a multitude of colors. Their faces all had the same strong look but some were more angular and others fuller; but what really stood out about these people was their skin because there wasn't just the regular tan look but some were colored in outrageous ways, some were red both bright and dark and others a dark blue and some orange. Twilight even swore she saw a male with purple skin carrying what looked like a giant wheel on one shoulder.
The clothes they wore varied amongst them, though most wore simple pants and boots made out of the same material as what the Writer wore as well as shirts that were usually short sleeved. A lot of the men wore jackets or long coats that brushed the ground as they walked. Some of the richer ones wore fancier coats with vests underneath and some wore hats with wide brims and others wore hoods but most did not wear any head gear at all. The women had fancy shirts with frills in the shoulders and sleeves and some just wore simple dresses.
After they had observed the people for a while, the Writer moved the platform up next to the great dome and the ponies could see out the gates. Below the castle and out the gates stretched a great city; it was all set on a long slope with the castle at the top and they could see that it was all arranged in three tiers and the buildings were all made of the same white stone with flat roofs at the bottom tier and angular at the top with a mix in the middle one. It was a huge city, probably a mile across and a good two miles down from the gates of the castle to the main gates of the city. On one side lay the same ocean as before and there were many piers that stretched out into the water and the other side had a massive forest with trees thicker than the buildings.
The Writer looked at his companions amazed expressions, smiled, and said, "Welcome to my home city of Nara. What do you think?”
They all struggled to find words to answer; Celestia made a few sounds as she tried to find her voice but the others found theirs first.
“It’s….” said Twilight as she tried to find a way to describe it.
Luna was having an even harder time than her sister, “I…..I can’t even…”
“By the stars….” whispered Harbinger but before he could continue though he was interrupted, “It’s freaking huge!”
“Rainbow Dash” said Applejack sternly.
“What?” responded her cyan friend, “It is! I can barely even see the top of this tower thing.”
The Writer turned to look at the structure, “Yes we Diens have a thing for incredibly big structures, for some reason. This tower, in your language, is called Heartguard and it is one of seven like it and the tallest. The place before it is called “Rex-Eir-Domus” which translates into The Kings House. It is made mostly of Moonstone as is everything else in the city but the green stone in the doors and dome is called Oricalum, which is a very rare element and it took years just to get enough to build the dome. The bell is called “Runi Yaoli” or “Dawn Caller” and we use it to announce the rising of the sun as well as to begin festivals and stuff like that.”
“And you rule from this building?” asked Celestia who had finally found her voice and was buzzing with questions as was everyone else. Twilight was jotting down notes quicker than the Writer could see but he doubted she had enough pages for all the things she would be seeing.
“Yes princess,” he answered, “From the main sanctuary beneath the dome and my living quarters are in the east wing. The flag as you have noticed represents my protection of Dien. The seven pointed star represents the crown which also has seven points and the four pointed star stands for the four worlds of the Dien system. Now as for the city itself…”
At these words he turned and directed the cloud over the gates and above the city, “Nara is arranged in three tiers down the hillside which it was built upon. In the past all that was here was the castle and a few houses but it has grown substantially over the years and continues to do so. The bottom tier is where the shops and inns are and in the middle is where the general houses and restaurants reside. The top tier is reserved for mostly the mansions of the rich and places for businesses as well as the school and hospital and courthouses.”
Twilight was writing down everything so fast the Writer swore he saw smoke trailing from her quill. The others were having a rather tough time keeping up though, save for Celestia and Harbinger.
“This is a rather interesting set up. Is the rest of your world like this?” asked Harbinger.
“Well some of the other cities are but I would rather show you those because I believe that words really cannot do this place justice, so I am barely going to talk from now on and let the sights do the talking for me.” replied the Writer, “The world we are on is called Dialga; which in the basic tongue means Diamond and also The First”
Then the Writer took them away from the city and he showed them the rest of the world: great oceans and massive mountain ranges and wide green meadows and mighty forests. They saw that the world was mostly made up of oceans with many islands that were spread throughout and they saw several cities along the way, but none of them came close to the city of Nara. The other cities were roughly the same size as Nara and they were either next to an ocean or centered around other towers like Heartguard. Along the way, they saw just how advanced the Dien race was as vehicles sped along tracks both on the ground and suspended in air; there were also many air vehicles that zoomed around through the clouds.
After they had seen all that they could the Writer suddenly steered the cloud of sand up and into the atmosphere of the planet and soon, they found themselves in the darkness of space. The ponies became nervous but the Writer assured them that it was all still an illusion and they were still able to breath. They circled around the gigantic sun for a while until they came upon another planet.
This one, where Dialga looked green and blue, was more of a yellow color caused by the massive savannahs that seemed to span the entire planet and could even be seen from space.
The Writer stopped in front of the planet which was considerably bigger than Dialga and said, "This is Sincostan, the Second, or otherwise known as Filthy Turned Pure."
"Why is it called that?" asked Twilight.
"Because long ago when this system first started we thought that Dialga was the only world here. But after we became more technologically advanced we discovered the other two worlds and began working on ways to travel through space to them. When we came to this world, we found it overrun with savage barbarians that were destroying each other and the land they were fighting on. In a great movement that I started, we were able to bring order and peace to the world one step at a time and it is now the most peaceful planet in the system with no wars ever happening on it and so I deemed to call it by a new name: Sincostan. It is a world that is deeply rooted in nature and holds it in the highest reverence with so many of the tribes that live here tending to want to live primitive and humble lives, allowing the wilderness to grow to amazing and spectacular proportions. Would you like to take a look?"
Everyone nodded excitedly and the Writer began the descent into the planet.
As they finally cleared the clouds the first thing that caught their eyes was the great expanse of grass. It spread for miles and there were some incredibly tall trees with branches that spread out like a great umbrella and small but deep lakes that dotted the landscape along the way; but it was mostly a huge, open prairie of tall, yellowish grass. The ponies were looking around when a sound like a loud trumpet sounded from behind and they turned to see a great, gray wall lumbering towards them. The Writer swerved the cloud out of the way as the beast plodded by.
It was maybe thirty meters tall from ground to shoulder and walked on four thick legs like tree trunks. Its wide head was dominated by two huge ears that flapped around and four long tusks that sprouted from its mouth which was hidden under an even longer trunk. As it walked they could see the ground literally shake from its great footsteps, while behind it walked several other beast just like it; some were smaller and some had no tusks at all. They made low rumbling sounds to each other and they were the most unusual creatures the ponies had ever laid eyes on.
But the other animals that walked with the beasts were just as strange; there were long-necked creatures, as big as the grey ones, that kind of looked like ponies except they were incredibly tall and had even taller necks; and alongside them walked beasts that looked like skinny cows with huge spiraling horns and great tusks. Many smaller animals of different sizes, shapes, and colors were amongst the pack as well, and when the Writer brought their cloud higher into the air they could see it was a whole herd travelling together through the savannah that was at least a thousand strong.
The rest of the planet was much the same with a few small forests here and there and even two oceans that lay on opposite ends of the planet. In one forest the Writer took them too, they saw a small village made of huts that looked like they were made out of the savannah grass and in the middle of it they saw a festival was being held around a great bonfire. People were dancing around wearing costumes that resembled the strange animals and stomping their feet to music that was being performed by odd instruments. Some were banging on great drums suspended by ropes and others were playing on instruments that looked like cellos from an orchestra; but the strangest ones were the people that stood on stilts that made them twelve feet tall and at the bottom of said stilts were feet with cymbal like pans on them and whenever they stomped it made a clapping sound that kept the beat of the music. The people sang as well in melodious voices that together made a primal and joyful sound.
The ponies then got a closer look at the people and found them to be a lot different from the ones on Dialga. For one thing, they were completely covered in fur and their faces looked a bit like dogs or cats with ears on top of their heads instead of on the sides; they were just as tall though and did in fact live rather primitive lives.
As they finished the tour of the second planet the Writer said to his passengers, “What did you think? Are you ready to see the final world or do you want to take another trip over this one?”
“Is the third world just as amazing as the others?” asked Celestia, who was beyond amazed by everything she was seeing and couldn’t believe something like this actually existed.
“Each world is equally beautiful and Wilgast is no exception,” replied the Writer who steered the sand cloud back up into space and directed it again around the sun of Dien.
Twilight then took a closer look at the sun and noticed it was at least a hundred times bigger than Equestria’s sun but didn’t seem as bright. She turned to the Writer and asked him about, “What can you tell us about the sun?”
The Writer slowed and looked up at the huge ball of light and energy, “Ah, well for one it is called Gigantum and as you can see is a lot bigger than your sun but it does not release as much heat as yours, so that is why the planets are closer to it in order to receive the necessary amount of light and warmth from it.”
They rounded the great sun and came upon the third and final world of Dien. It was roughly same size as Dialga; but strangely enough, it was a dark gray color and looked intimidating due to the dreary look of the planet and the multitude of storms that could be seen across the surface.
The ponies looked at the planet with a wary curiosity and Rarity was the first to speak on the state of the world, “Well this world looks quite um…….dark?”
She was struggling to find the right word to describe it without causing offense to the Writer. He, however, was not offended; in fact he had expected a worse response.
“I admit," he said with a smile, "that it does look like a complete opposite to the others; but I believe in not judging a book by its cover and sometimes you just are not looking at the cover in the right light.”
The Writer then directed the platform to the side of the planet between the light of the sun and the surface and as the light moved over the parts of the world where it wasn’t obscured by any storms, a brilliant show of lights suddenly glistened from the world like a great kaleidoscope of colors.
Everyone gasped as the colors bounced off the surface and filled their visions; the planet had turned from a dark empty rock to a glowing gem from the light of the sun and the ponies stared with wide eyes at the spectacle.
The Writer was enjoying himself as he showed off the wonderful quality of his final planet, “This world is called Wilgast which means Wealthy and it is the Third of the worlds of Dien. Those spots of color are the huge deposits of crystals that this world is famous for. The earth is rich with minerals and gems of all kinds. Shall we take a closer look?”
“Oh yes please!” said Rarity excitedly who seemed to be the most interested in the sparkling world.
The Writer laughed good-heartedly and willed the cloud of sand down into the atmosphere. As they broke through they were suddenly surrounded by dark clouds that spat out lightning all around them. Rain fell down with great speed and the wind was howling so loud it made it hard to think but they were not affected by any of this as it all passed through them harmlessly. The Writer kept the cloud moving in a straight, deliberate line to the surface; flying past the thunderheads at a great speed.
As they continued through, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck straight through Harbinger who jumped as he witnessed the bolt impale him. He was expecting to be shocked to death but instead, felt nothing and remembered what the Writer said about the real factor and sighed a breath of relief.
Shining Armor saw it as well and chuckled before calling out, “You alright over there?”
Harbinger recovered from his shock and called back, “I’m fine, just grateful that none of this is actually real.”
“Yeah, but it sure scared the hay out of you. I was afraid you were going to jump out of your armor.” Armor replied with a laugh.
Harbinger was about to make a comeback when they suddenly cleared the storm and the sound of the wind and rain stopped and all was quiet.
The sun was now able to shine down on the surface and illuminate the landscape that lay before them. It looked mostly like barren rock, save for patches of grass that grew in odd places and there were no trees but there were mountains everywhere they looked. A few of the mountains were simply made of grey rock but others were pure, glistening towers of crystal that shone in the sunlight in all kinds of colors. Great emerald towers and ruby cliffs shone with natural light as waterfalls cascaded down into wide rivers that snaked across the land. As they moved across the ranges they saw mountains with all sorts of elemental gems shining on them and even canyons with huge veins of gold along the side that gleamed in the sunlight.
Here, as it was on the other worlds, life flourished: great three-legged beasts with large crystal spikes on their backs trudged up the sheer sides of the mountains, grabbing the sides with hugs claws that allowed them to defy gravity itself. As everyone watched the beasts climb up the mountains, a melodic cry sounded and echoed throughout the ranges. A small shape flew by their cloud followed by several hundred more of what looked like small, colorful birds. Their plums were decorated in a rainbow of colors exactly the same as the crystal mountains and their songs were high pitched and beautiful like someone gently tapping a crystal bell with a hammer. They flew around in a flurry of bright hues around the mountains and alighted in various places on the craggy faces.
The Writer knew these birds and remembered how they usually flew alongside a certain other bird in the sky. As if on cue, a shadow fell over the land and a soft rumbling could be heard as the ponies looked up where the Writer was also looking to see something that, to them, looked like a giant, metal bird; but it was actually a transporter/mining ship used by the people of Wilgast to find and collect the ores spread throughout the world. It was rectangular and had wide wings with three small engines that never seemed to release any exhaust save a dim blue light. As it stopped over the canyon of gold and proceeded to hover in place, six ropes dropped down into the canyon and Dien's, wearing harnesses and helmets, slid down and swung onto the sides and started to dig at the gold with picks. The sound generated by the mining sounded like someone playing bells; much like the singing of the small birds.The ponies watched curiously as the beings jumped across the canyons collecting gold from the walls.
The Writer cleared his throat and began to speak, “This is a world that has the single, sole purpose of being a mining planet and forge world. Its amount of ores and elements are near uncountable and they all serve important purposes in Dien. The people here are actually from Dialga as this world was not inhabited by people when we found it; only the animals that had evolved to live in the planets thin atmosphere. Here, you have to wear special gear in order to breathe in this environment.”
The Writer pointed and the ponies saw that the men and women who mined the walls were hidden underneath thick suits with masks that had respirators where the mouth was located with blue eye lenses. The Writer then directed the cloud away from the range and sped across the sky until they reached the only flat land of Wilgast which was a small plain surrounded by mountains. Factories dominated the space with chimneys that reached up into the sky past the clouds and huge machinery rolled along carrying huge loads of crystals; there were also several launch pads where ships were landing and taking off for the other worlds.
The Writer stopped at the edge of the huge array of factories and foundries so they could get a clear view of the place.
“This spot is the only place where we have been able to settle and set up shop,” he explained, “I was not kidding when I said this place was called Wealthy. While we do collect a lot of materials here, it always seems like the planet will never run out. We do our best to take care of this world as a way to repay all she has given us. For example, those chimneys actually go out into space and, with the help of some new-found technology, are able to empty its content into the vacuum of space leaving the atmosphere clean of any refuse.”
“I could never have imagined a place like this in the universe," Celestia said, speaking for all present on the platform of sand, "You have such complex systems and traditions; and you are all so much more advanced than us. Please show us more about you and your people.”
The Writer directed the cloud up into space and began a trek back to the first planet of Dialga as he spoke on the things still to be shown, “Well, now that I have shown you all the worlds, it is indeed time to give you a more detailed look as you have asked. I will show you how we lived and what we did and I will even introduce you to my friends and myself in this younger age.”
The ponies all seemed to grow excited that their tour was not yet over and was, in fact, going to get a lot more interesting.
“But,” the Writer finished, “The one thing I really want to show you is our greatest skill and our most passionate sport, where we are at our strongest. It is the one thing we Diens love more than anything and that we partake in with all our beings in order to protect those that we love.”
“And that is?” asked Harbinger, even though he somehow already knew the answer.
The Writer turned and said in a serious tone, “War….”