As the pair of fillies began to get readjusted to reality, a loud grinding noise of stone on stone resounded from above, causing the ponies and creatures below to look up in surprise. The crackle of what sounded like jolts of electricity accompanied the sliding stone, and the mysterious lighting around the Arena dimmed and brightened for an instant with no discernible source. Some of the crowd jumped, as if expecting to be shocked due to the tell-tale sound, but it was nothing more than a reflex of what they expected would happen.
The floors above them, seeming to increase in size and give the onlookers a sense of vertigo, clicked along with the precise monotone of the seconds ticking away on a clock, as if each movement was carefully timed down to the second.
Slender Pony turned to face his three companions. A silent understanding appeared to pass between the faceless creature and the two Iridescents.
After nodding, Crescent spoke.
"Before we start with Level 2, Slender Pony requests a private audience with young Scootaloo and Silver Spoon," She inclined her head to the pair of dazed fillies, still adjusting to the bearings of their new surroundings after they were just beginning to feel a sense of relief from escaping the Slender Forest.
There was a stunned silence among the others, unsure of how to respond as Slender Pony's nonexistent gaze seemed to fixate on the pair. It was a rather unnerving sight coming from a creature with a complete lack of facial features to speak of.
"They found the first Slender Note," Crescent explained, in response to their silence. "Therefore Slender Pony deems it so that he should have a talk with this round's winners."
"How can he talk?" Trixie demanded, looking baffled.
A stare from Crescent seemed to cast a spell on the unicorn as she fell silent.
Everypony else looked uncertain. It was one thing to have anypony being around the nightmare creature, but neither Scootaloo nor Silver Spoon were exactly expert fighters. If worse came to worse, they could be killed.
Jeff snickered. "You should be scared."
"Don't worry," Lightning called, as if attempting to reassure them, "they won't be killed. In fact, they should consider themselves very lucky that they went through this early. But future excursions won't be without injuries." They could all tell from the Iridescent's tone that his words were both threat and promise.
Swallowing hard, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon tentatively stepped forward, their hooves feeling as heavy as lead as they walked off with the white, faceless pony. Scootaloo chanced a look back at the others, trying in vain to signal for Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom or anypony else to help, but a turn of Slender Pony's head seemed to hold such a warning gaze that the young pegasus forced herself to be still. Or was he forcing her and her companion not to look back? With his menacing presence nearby, and the twisted logic of the arena, it was hard to tell which was really the case.
"If he tries to attack you, kick his flank into next week!" they could hear Rainbow Dash call after them, as if she wanted to do just that but was incapable of doing so due to Slender Pony's presence. Scootaloo nearly looked back, but something about Slender Pony's presence forced her to face forward and to the sides.
Scootaloo and Silver Spoon glanced nervously at one another, but said nothing. What was there to say? They had just experienced a greater terror than they had ever known up to this point, and now the faceless being who was said to be the ruler of the forest wanted a private audience with them. Who knew what he was capable of, even with no face?
When the two looked up from their brief conversation, they snapped back to reality long enough to see a door in front of them, causing them to be confused even further. Had that door been there before? They couldn't be certain—the portals they could see kept fading in and out, so it was hard to keep track of everything. They were pretty sure that the door hadn't been there a minute before, when Slender Pony first started leading them over that way, but this place was messing with their heads so much, the two felt as if all senses of logic were breaking down.
The pair went through the door and into a place of complete darkness, the stone floor rough under their hooves. Though Scootaloo and Silver Spoon could feel the ground under each hoofstep, no sound echoed. It was as if they had been thrown into a world of complete silence.
And...
The two felt a strange sensation come over them, their bodies weakening and swaying slightly.
"What's happening?" Scootaloo asked, weakness beginning to overcome her.
"I dunno," answered Silver. She struggled to keep her eyes open, though it didn't make much difference in the darkness. The effort proved useless—it was as if her eyelids were being steadily forced shut.
She only was able to see that Slender Pony was clear as day in the black void before she fell to the ground in a sudden fainting spell, the same happening to Scootaloo moments later.
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Well, good to see you two.
The fillies were jolted awake and on their hooves in an instant, realizing they could hear hoofsteps now, no longer in that mysterious place of complete silence. They barely registered that they were in a small, circular room, the lighting dim but still visible. It was made of worn stones, much like a condensed version of the Arena, empty of inhabitants save for the two and Slender Pony.
But if they were the only ones there...
"Who... did you just say something?" Scootaloo looked at the well-dressed pony in front of her, as if she needed a physical confirmation that it had indeed been the nightmarish pony who had spoken.
Slender Pony inclined his head.
"H-How are you t-talking?" Silver Spoon asked, unable to help her voice wavering.
I speak in your mind, he said in response. The pony's husked voice indeed seemed to echo within the realms of her mind, and not audible in the room where they now stood. It was clear by the expression on Scootaloo's face that she could hear it too. I'm impressed that it was two fillies who entered the Forest. They thought they could hear an amused chuckle. But just as well, you'll live longer.
The pair looked to the pony's face and nodded, unnerved slightly by his words.
It was as if Slender Pony had read their thoughts. I'm sure this day seem new to you, to consider your own mortality, he began, seeming to stare at the two though he lacked facial features. After all, you are young. Your life has had a few occassional bumps, some fears overtaking you... he seemed to look directly at Scootaloo as he said the last part. But nothing that really harbored an immediate threat on your lives aside from what you've experienced here. Am I wrong?
There was a glint of uncertainty visible in the frightened gaze of the two fillies, and they could of sworn that the tall pony before them was mentally smiling. They shook their heads.
It's reasonable. Young foals always feel there's so much time for life. The tall white stallion circled them. Every day is fresh for them as they view it with wonder, trying to find your purpose and mark. It's like an eternal quest, isn't it? After all, even cutie marks can be open to interpretation.
He turned his gaze to Silver Spoon
What does your mark mean? It shares your name, does it not? Perhaps you and your friend are from one of the families whose name changes depending on the cutie mark they receive? And what is your talent, hmmm? A spoon with a heart. There's hidden depths to you, you're just afraid to show it.
An aura of cold seemed to seep into the filly.
And you, he said, turning to Scootaloo, your fate is unknown. The stallion almost seemed to chuckle at the look of doubt on Scootaloo's face, coming over to her and placing a cold hoof under her chin. In a way, not having a mark is precisely what awaits all ponies. Uncertainty of the future. A fate no one really understands. He moved closer, and Scootaloo could feel that cold seep into her as well. If anything, it's a 'mark' that would be most accurate for everyone. Everypony's always at that uncertainty point.
The fillies crouched low to the ground. The enclosure around them gave off an air of claustrophobia, and thoughts began to swirl in their heads. Of uncertainty, of emptiness, of the nothingness that lay before them.
Ever hear an adult say that time seems to speed up as they get older? As every year passes, it becomes a little more of a fraction of one's life.
Tendrils slowly spread out from Slender Pony's body, one of each gently curling around Scootaloo and Silver Spoon. The two had neither the strength nor will to react, as if Slender Pony's presence had immobilized them.
But what of you? You two are so young, and your days here may be so numbered... every second here could be your last, as close to the fringes of death as a pony ten times your age. Think about it. Every step draws you nearer to the Ending Door that you could very well meet.
Images flashed before their eyes. Of the others outside. One by one, their marks disappeared. Then the figures began to age rapidly, finally becoming skeletons before crumbling to dust.
Life is such a precious, fleeting thing... the clock will run out too quickly for some..
Recoiling his tendrils, Slender Pony stomped his hoof, and Scootaloo and Silver Spoon felt their perception of reality sway again as they were transported back to the Arena.
One more thing, Slender Pony said within their minds. His voice took on a much more echoing tone in their minds, reverberating fainter like a form of post-hypnotic suggestion. It sounded like a warning. Listen for the Siren Song.
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With that sentence subconsciously repeating within their minds, Scootaloo and Silver Spoon soon found themselves in the Arena once again, able to be reached by everypony else.
Rainbow Dash trotted over to a battered Scootaloo and helped her stand. "You okay, kid?"
Scootaloo shook her head, not in answer but in an attepmt to stop the world spinning wildly. "I'm... I'm...fine... " She trailed off, knowing in her heart that that was a lie. She wasn't fine. She was shaken up, and she knew they were all in danger. That not everypony she saw around her would make it out alive. Slender Pony had cemented that in her mind. And Slender Pony's last words of listening for the Siren Song...
Diamond Tiara went over to Silver Spoon. "That faceless thing didn't hurt you, did he?"
"N-No..."
There was a pause before the gray-coated filly looked to the ground.
"I-I'm scared." Silver Spoon's voice was a whisper, a murmur so quiet that only she herself would be likely to hear it.
Diamond Tiara, in a rare display of concern, moved a bit closer to Silver Spoon. "Maybe this is all just a dream and none of it's real."
"I believe this is very much real, and very much now." A bolt of lighting struck the soft ground, drawing everyone's attention to a certain pair of ponies. It seemed as if they had sensed the fillies' doubts, as if they could clearly hear every whisper. But the time for musings was over for now.
It was time to begin the next Level.