Tainted Silver

by BlueYellowNoble

Prologue

The young alicorn yelped in surprise and quickly slammed the book shut.

In the doorway stood her father and mother, his stoic gaze never seemed to be replaced with the
slightest sign of happiness or sadness, and the mother, who always wore a warm, assuring smile.

“Why are you still up?” her father said in a gruff tone, “T’is long past your bedtime.”

“Sorry father… but I just find this book so fascinating—“

The book was suddenly surrounded in an azure glow and flew straight at her father, whom gave the cover a quick glance and a sigh.

“Tales of Silver… why read this, child? Have you forgotten what I’ve—“

“Orion,” The mother interrupted, not even raising her smooth voice, “Mankind has been gone for
many years… what harm could come of her curiosity for a fallen kingdom?”

“It is the very subject she is curious about which bothers me,” he said with a frown. “Man was crafty, that I have learned the hard way. I do not wish for Celestia or Luna to make the same mistake I did!”

“Orion!” the mother snapped, “Celestia is too young to be hearing this!”

“Hrm. I suppose you are right.” Sirius admitted. “She can have her book back… tomorrow evening.” With that, the deep purple alicorn left the room.

“Mother…” Celestia sniffled, “why is father angry with me?”

“He’s not angry at you Tia,” her mother cooed, “he is… just careful when it comes to Mankind.”

“Why? What happened?”

“They… hurt your father. That’s all there is to it.” Her mother said dryly. “Now, young lady… you need a good night’s rest. And no more reading this evening, alright?”

“Yes mother. Good night.”

“Good night Tia.” Her mother gave a smooch her on the muzzle. “Sweet dreams.”

“Tiiaaaa!” Luna squeaked after her sister. “Where are you going?”

“Shhh! don’t tell mother or father… especially not father… but I am going to…” Celestia pulled her little sister close and whispered in her ear, “Look for the Argent Dawn.”

“…Where’s that?”

“Don’t know… somewhere north I guess, after Ashwood Forest—“

“NO!” Luna pushed her sister away, her eyes large by fear. “That place is bad! I’m telling mom!”

“If you do, Luna, I’m telling father you were the one who broke his favorite vase; the one he made for mother…” Celestia grinned with mischief. “He would be reeeaaally mad at yoooou…”

“Tiaaa…” Luna whimpered, “that’s not fair… you promised not to tell…”

Celestia’s trump card left a sour taste in her own mouth. She did promise Luna not to tell father about the vase, and a good sister has to stay true to her word.

“I… I’m sorry Luna… I didn’t mean it…”Celestia sniffled and attempted to hug her sister. “I would
never ever tell dad. We made Best-Sisters-Forever-Promise, right?”

“Uh-huh,” Luna said with a wet cough. With a small smile she returned the gesture and hugged her older sister. It was a long, silent moment with the two sisters. It was nice.

“Tia…” Luna finally said, “why are you going to look for that city?”

Celestia had to ponder on an answer. Most of all, she wanted to see Manexxa’s old castle and the settlements Mankind had built. Just standing in ancient history would have been amazing.

Another reason was to find out why her father disliked her learning about them. What was it that
was so bad that her father constantly tried to sweep Mankind under the rug? What had they done to her father? Why did they disappear?

There were just too many questions without answers.

“I want to learn the truth.” Celestia said. “I need to learn the truth about Mankind.”

Luna frowned. “But-but… through Ashwood? That’s too dangerous. Father says there are wolves and manticores and…”

“I know, but I can just fly away when I am in danger!” Celestia spread her small wings in a cocky gesture. “Besides, I fear not some dumb wolf or manticore, for I am CELESTIA, THE FEARLESS!”

Luna giggled. “You are not fearless Tia, remember that big spider—“

“FEARLESS I SAY!” Celestia triumphantly interrupted with her hoof high over the head. “But now, I must depart, before it gets dark! Wish me luck Luna.”

“Good luck Tia… but I don’t know… what if something happens? If you are all by yourself…”

“You’re right… you better come too.”

Luna’s eyes widened in surprise, “What?! No way! Mother and father will be furious!”

“Not if we hurry, they will not even notice we have left!” Celestia prompted her sister. “Are you not
even the slightest bit curious about Mankind?”

Luna sat down on her haunches with an unsure frown-smile on her face. Finally she nodded slightly.

“Then let’s go! Just stay near me and we’ll be back before supper!”

The two fillies had finally reached Ashwood Forest. Its name was a reference to the strange black trees with ash-gray leaves that towered above the forest floor. Even the ground was gray, the grass felt crisp and lifeless. No flowers, no animals, not a single sign of life. Just an eerie silence.

“Tia… I have a bad feeling about this…”

Celestia turned to her sister and patted her on the back. “Just stay calm and perk the ears.” She
trampled the dead grass; making a soft crunching noise. “We’ll hear them from miles away.”

Luna smiled a little, but the concern remained in her eyes, something Celestia started to feel more after Luna mentioned it. The forest was just unnaturally creepy.

“Tia!” Luna suddenly yelped, “Do you hear that?!”

She focused and perked her ears up, trying to hear what her sister did.

Her little sister stood as if frozen in place, staring straight ahead. When she too looked her
direction, her heart skipped a beat.

Just a stone’s throw away stood a huge, white furred wolf with its ember eyes fixed on the two fillies.

“D-d-d-dire wolf…” Celestia stammered. “Luna... don’t... move…” To her side, the indigo alicorn shuddered and whined. Panic started to take hold of her little sister.

The dire wolf snarled and slowly crept towards them. Its lips started to twitch, baring yellow
fangs. It let out a low growl.

“RUN!” Celestia shouted. “FLY UP!”

The wolf must have understood its supper was about to leave, as it let out a monstrous growl and sprang into action.

Celestia spread her wings and flapped for dear life, gaining altitude slowly. Under her the dire wolf jumped with its jaw opened wide—big enough to swallow a filly whole, it seemed—but missed by a longshot, the jaws slammed together with a loud clap.

“Luna?!” Celestia screamed, hoping her sister was still alive.

“Here!” Luna whined. She was flying, or rather struggling to. Her wings were still a little too small for flying long distances. It would not take long before she needed to land and rest… but with the hungry wolf below that was not an option.

“Follow me!” Celestia yelped, feeling the wind after the wolf making another jump after them. “We have to find a high tree!”

“Why not fly home?!” Luna cried, already seeming fatigued of flying.

“Not with that monster on our tails! If father saw it I think I would prefer to be eaten!”

Luna didn’t share her sister’s spirit, and was now crying and very clearly had little strength to keep airborne.

Suddenly the thick forest opened up into a large glen, only one large tree in the very middle.

“There!” Celestia pointed to the tree.

Luna nodded and steered herself up to the crown of the tree and immediately clamped all four legs around a branch. The poor thing was exhausted.

Celestia landed next to her sister and hugged her. “It’s alright now Luna. We will just wait for it to lose interest and leave.” She cooed while casting a glance at the ground. The wolf was still there, staring at them while licking its mouth.

“How long will that take?” Luna sniffed. “The sun is going down…”

Indeed it was. The sky had changed to a reddish color, with the sun sinking into the horizon. They must have been out for several hours. Now this… their parents would ground them for a century.

A black shadow dove down from the sky, swooshing past the alicorns and down on the ground. A raven, dark as pitch had landed right next to the wolf. It was dwarfed by the canine, which was  roughly as big as Luna and Celestia.

The wolf eventually noticed the raven and growled. But the bird was unfazed and simply landed gently before locking eyes with the wolf. The beak of the raven opened and closed, but no ‘caws’ came out; more of a faint ‘wushwushwush’.

Where the two animals… talking?

Amazed, Luna and Celestia sat and watched as the wolf nodded to the bird and then gave one last look at them before leaving. It didn’t even touch the raven.

Said raven jumped and flew up to their branch, landing with ease. It curiously cocked the head,
observing the alicorns.

“Th-thank you…” Luna stammered to the raven.

It responded by freezing completely, apparently listening to her words.

“You were fortunate today. Had I been further away, Hector could have sent you to thy ancestors.”

“Did… did you…” Celestia blinked at the raven. Surely it had not just… talked?

“Tia… the bird talked…” Luna whispered.

“Why have you come here children?” the raven said flatly, ignoring the fillies’ amazement. “This is no place for your kind, and most certainly not for younglings.”

“We… uhm… mister raven…” Celestia stuttered, “I am-I mean WE are looking for the city of Mankind, the Argent Dawn.”

“Then stop looking. The City of Silver is gone and so are her people. Nothing but a memory.” The
raven shook its small head. “Besides I’ve forgotten where it used to stand.”

“What?” Luna cocked a brow. “How can a city be gone?”

“Sunken, swallowed by the earth,” the raven replied. “But why it was so… I cannot remember. But when it sunk, this tree became my home. I defend it, so does Hector.”

“You named a wolf Hector?”

“He is no wolf. He is…” the raven trailed off and waved a wing at them. “It is impossible to explain. He is no true wolf. But he is forgetting he is not. He and many others have forgotten…”

“Forgotten… what?”

“…I don’t remember. I simply came here because someone told me to. It was a woman, I think. I
cannot remember what she looked like… only that I respected her…” The raven sat silent for a long time, shaking its head and muttering to itself. After a moment it turned back to the fillies. “You must leave. This is no place for you. Go back to your home, and stay there. Do not seek the City of Silver or her people, it is too late. Only ill and pain can come of it.

“Now begone. I grow weary of conversations.”

“Okay…” the two sisters said in unison. They glided down to the ground and started a trot back
home. Only Celestia halted for a moment to look back at the raven.

“Thank you… for helping me and my sister.”

The raven only nodded in response before taking off, vanishing between the tree lines.

Celestia snapped out of her memories and turned to her sister. “Luna. Good to see you.”

“Mm.” The Princess of Night hummed and walked into the library. “What are you doing in here, may I ask?”

“Gathering tomes,” she replied. “For Twilight Sparkle. But I wonder if I really should give them to her...”

“Why not?” Luna said with confusion. “What subject does she require information on?”

A scroll levitated with a golden aura up to Luna’s face. She took it with her magic and started to read.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I started to read about old ponylore after the Cutie Mark Crusaders came looking for books about archeology (oh dear) and I accidentally knocked this book about myths and legends onto the floor.

Like a sign, it opened to the pages about the whispering animals of Ashwood Forest, now known as Whitetail Woods. I have heard of them before, but what did occur to me were these animals existed (and vanished) at the same time as the Silver People.

Maybe it is a coincidence, but I am simply too curious to just let it go. I think they may share a connection!

Unfortunately, my library doesn’t have much information about either subject, so I was wondering if the Canterlot Library had a larger selection. If it does, then may I borrow some of the books pertaining to my research?

I know it’s not a study on friendship, but the week has gone so slow and nopony has needed help with friendship. I’m just climbing the walls here, and my theory isn’t exactly helping me relax.

Your faithful student;

-Twilight Sparkle

“I…see.” Luna giggled at the last part of the letter. “So, what is the problem?”

“You do not remember?” Celestia turned to her sister, her expression solemn. “I still shudder
whenever a raven is sighted… and those words still linger on my mind.”

“I do remember sister,” Luna cooed and nuzzled Celestia’s neck. “But that was many centuries ago. When life returned to Ashwood, they disappeared. I like to believe what happened was a nightmare, nothing more.”

Celestia shifted, not feeling as sure Luna did. It had not been a bad dream, they had seen that wolf, that raven with their own eyes. ‘Do not seek the City of Silver and her people, it is too late. Only ill and pain can come of it.’ The raven’s words echoed.

After that day Celestia’s curiosity of Mankind had ebbed away. She had not been able to sleep for days after her brush with death. She never looked at that book again, Tales of Silver. She never dared to ask about Mankind again, or even think about them.

And somehow, her student was now going in her hoofsteps she’d taken so long ago. “I… I can’t just say no to her studies...”

“So don’t.” Luna smiled. “What harm could it possibly bring?”

Celestia couldn’t help but to chuckle. “Funny… Last time you were the one afraid of poking around in their history. Now the roles are reversed. But I suppose I shouldn’t deny Twilight’s interest in history. I’ll send her whatever books, scrolls, and tomes we have.”

Luna rubbed her chin for short moment before smiling. “I just got a brilliant idea! This way you can keep an eye on Twilight and I can have some training in ruling.”

Spike let out a loud belch followed by a green flame and a scroll that wore the royal sigil. “Ouff… Twi, Princess Celestia responded to you letter!”

The enthusiastic lavender unicorn came rushing down from the stairs with a wild grin on her face. “Gimmegimmegimme!”

Spike yelped when she came charging at him and tossed the letter in her direction before diving
behind a stool for cover.

“Sorry Spike… guess I am a little too wound up. Heh.”

“A little?” Spike quipped.

Twilight snorted, choosing to ignore the dragon. She quickly broke the seal and read Celestia’s fine

Dear Twilight Sparkle.

Unusual choice for a study, but I will of course approve. I have gathered some books, but they are quite large, and I will be merciful on Spike, so I will personally deliver them to you. Expect me to show up by the end of the day, around seven o'clock.

My sister and I have agreed on me taking a vacation, and Luna has assured me she can handle ruling in my stead for a few days so I have decided to spend a little more time with my most faithful student as a good friend and not as a teacher or mentor. I am truly looking forward to it.

-Princess Celestia

Twilight suddenly felt numb in her entire body. The princess, coming here? For a FULL WEEK?!

“SPIIIIKEEEE!” Twilight bellowed. “EMERGENCY CLEANING!”

Celestia’s carriage arrived in front of the library at seven sharp.

“You may return to Canterlot gentlecolts,” She gently stepped out of her transport and nodded to her guards, “I will return on my own in a few days.”

“Yes your majesty!” The pegasi colts saluted crisply before taking off into the sky.

The Princess smiled as she walked up to the round door of the Golden Oaks Library and gave it a soft knock.

Inside there were clamors and desperate hooves running about. It didn’t take long before the door was ripped open, with a most exhausted Twilight Sparkle standing inside. Her mane was a little ruffled and her eyes seemed to twitch ever so slightly.

“Princess! Hi!” the unicorn stammered. “I was just finishing up cleaning. Eheheeeh…”

Celestia smiled warmly at her student. She was just too adorable at times. “May I enter?” She said with a light laugh.

“Oh of course! I mean you are the Princess and you really don’t need to ask me, I mean you are the—

Celestia trotted inside the library and gently stroked her student’s head with her own. Twilight
stiffened at the touch at first, but soon relaxed and nuzzled Celestia’s neck.

She loved the Princess. She’d been like a second mother to her, so very gentle and caring, just like a second mother... or a committed lover…

Twilight felt her cheeks blush at the thought of Celestia as a lover. She’s your teacher! Nasty, nasty thoughts! It would be wrong!

The princess straightened herself, snapping Twilight out of her daydreaming. Twilight hoped Celestia wouldn’t notice how red her cheeks had turned under her lavender coat.

“Hello Spike.” Celestia smiled to the baby dragon. “It is very nice to see you again. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good, just doing the usual. How about you?”

Twilight bit her lip at how informal Spike was talking to Celestia. He wasn’t just talking to an average pony, Celestia was-

“Oh. Same old, same old,” Celestia chuckled. “Raising the sun, dealing with politics. It does get tedious at times.” Twilight blinked. Now Celestia was talking rather informal. “I haven’t had a vacation in… centuries.” The princess tapped her chin. “Goodness! How nice it will be to just sit, and relax for a while. And what better would there be to spend some time with my most faithful student?” Celestia winked to Twilight, who turned her head to the side, feeling her blush intensifying.

“Anyway, I am curious of your study on the Silver People.” Celestia said, “You know, I did once try to learn their secrets when I was very young filly.”

“Really?” Both Twilight and Spike said with their eyes wide in amazement. Maybe they had a hard time trying to imagine Celestia as ‘young filly.’

“Indeed, when I was born, they had only been gone for two decades. Even eleven years later, I hoped to find any traces that were fresh. But alas, I never did find any clues. My father was against it, even forbade me to look into it further.” Celestia shrugged. She decided to leave the wolf and the raven of Ashwood out, not feeling comfortable retelling it. “But who knows, maybe you might learn more than I did. You said you found a connection between them and the whispering animals?”

“Oh!” Twilight snapped back to her curious old self, “Yes! I looked the legends over and over and they seem to have existed just about the same time period.” She scurried off for a minute before returning with a copy of ‘Myths, Legends and Ponylore’ along with a bundle of pages containing her scribblings.

“See, I first took notice of it when reading this entry on Mankind;

“…taller than the average pony, about twice as high and have the strength of a bear. They also were said to be great sorcerers that could throw flames from their hands and heal any mortal wound.

“Another legend tells of one sorcerer who asked a wolf to carry her through a long journey to their capital, so I assumed they could speak to animals. Seems logical, right?” Twilight smiled and pulled out one paper from her notes before floating it over to Celestia. “But after looking into the subject some more, my research led me to this conclusion!”

Celestia gaped as she looked over the paper, impressed how much detail her student had put into her research.

Twilight had taken down notes on ancient Zebra myths about zebras that had attempted to enter animals’ minds, particularly animals that could fly high and spot any nearby carnivores that might threaten a village.

So perhaps humans had used a similar method, Celestia thought.

Further down on the note were calculations. Twilight had drawn a rough sketch of a Man, a tall figure that stood upright on its hind legs, next to a sketch of a wolf.

‘Largest of breeds, dire wolves weighed approximately 50 to 80 kilograms and were 1.5 meters long.’ Twilight had made a hasty scribble. ‘Mankind assumed length; 1.5 to 1.8 meters. Weight assumed to be up to 80 kilograms (more with added possessions and armor) making it unlikely Man could ride on dire wolves.’

Celestia nodded with amazement. It was impressive little Twilight had been able to do such a
thorough calculation supplied with only pure assumption and speculation. Once she’d starting to work on something, it would sure to be immaculate.

Turning the page over, Celestia read a portion about Changelings.

How curious, as mankind had once been fighting them ages ago, for them to appear in Twilight’s notes.

‘Changelings create an illusion of one pony, which works like a masquerade costume. It acts as another skin. They use their unique vocal cords to imitate voices to mimic somepony they’re not. This is a simple shape shifting spell.’

Celestia blinked, not sure she read the very last words right.

‘If Mankind were truly advanced in magic, it could be reasoned animals could talk, and how a sorcerer could travel on a wolf…’

“…because Man could take the shape of animals.” She finished the sentence, awestruck.

It all made sense. The raven and the wolf had been shapeshifters. The last of Mankind that had
managed to escape the great banishment of their race, hiding as animals of the forests.

The raven’s words started to echo again in her mind again; ‘He is no true wolf. But he is forgetting he is not. He and many others have forgotten…’

Thirty years as animals, and they had started to forget their origins… what they once used to be…

Celestia looked up from the paper and at Twilight. The unicorn had a worried expression on her face.

“Princess… are you alright?”

“Yes… I was just so… amazed how much effort you’ve put into this.” Celestia put on a smile, trying to hide her sadness. “It’s incredible.”

“Really?! That’s sooo relieving to hear, because Spike said I was getting freakishly obsessed—“

“Still say so.” Spike shot in dryly.

“…Maybe I got a little too excited…” Twilight coughed, “But at least there’s SOMEPONY that wouldn’t call me a crazy for it! That reminds me; I have been trying to pinpoint where they used to live—“

“Twilight.” Celestia said, without even raising her voice. The lavender unicorn instantly silenced
herself and looked up to her mentor, her ears perked upwards in attention.

“I can well see how proud and eager you are to show me what you’ve learned… but maybe we can talk it over tomorrow? At breakfast? Right now, why not have something warm to drink and an evening sandwich before bed?”

Twilight did feel pretty tired after a full day of frantic writing and endless reading of books… it would be nice to go to sleep a little early. And with some tea and sandwiches before that?

“Yeah. That sounds nice Princess.”