Thing A Day: The Arnor
The tall silver being sat perfectly motionless. There was no need for him to move. After all, should he move, then he might miss what was about to
come. Slowly, he watched the ground shift, grinding together. Slowly, the soil and stone built up upon itself, and began to cover more and more ground,
shifting from a perfect molten flatness to a large bump on the ground.
Yet it didn't stop there. You see, the ground continued to stack, higher and higher, until it towered over the silvery being. And still he waited in
the shadow of this earthen collossus, waiting. and yet still was the ground cracked with red through the gray, creating the feeling of sitting on something
very much alive. He sat there and closed his deep blue eyes, and listened. Certainly enough, he could hear the heartbeat of the world, a thrumming magnetic
pulse as the planet slowly came to life.
A shrieking from above had him open his eyes, and he watched as another shower of stones pelted the primordial world. He sighed, and then closed his
eyes, and cast his mind out and above. Certainly enough, there lay the other world. The other one was relatively similar, albiet it's heartbeat was much
weaker. He frowned, then opened his eyes and looked down at the floating silver tablet before him.
Upon it were thousands upon thousands of calculations, and he looked at the distant world once again. "Should the brother die, the sister shall
become an eden." That was what he had been told as he came to the system. He looked back at the tablet, which showed him a calculation of the future, and
what would happen should the cycles continue as they had.
He sighed, a long, drawn out process. A pity, He thought. It would have been interesting to see what would have come should the brother
survive. Alas, that is not my job. He mentally reached out and touched the dying sibling. A small amount of force had been exerted, and that was all that
was needed.
He opened his eyes again, and continued watching the mountain slowly form.
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Three hundred more cycles. He counted, but only for his report. He watched as the nearly dead brother had slowly drifted closer. Soon, it will
come, he thought, proudly. And then, the path will be ready.
A beep pulled him from his thoughts, and he reached an arm out to the tablet. Incoming message it read. He sighed, and then opened the
message. To his suprise, it wasn't a report form, but a video transmission. He looked into the leader's face, who's aqueous form showed distress. "All away
teams are to report back to Arnor. The others have killed most outlying colonies."
The visitor tilted his head. Why would the others do something like that? He watched the brother planet drift closer, pondering the purpose of
something so... pointless. The Mithrilar created both of us, yet made us different. There was a reason, one shadowing both of our comprehensions, so why
interrupt it?
What was it that was so different about us. Our appearance, yes, but it can't be something as shallow as that. Their red, scaly nature and our
silver, suspended liquid state are different, yet we do not naturally have any reason to fight. Neither is predator or prey, but equals. And both of our
people live as long as we aren't killed, so what seperates us? Is it their impatience, the way they don't enjoy observing the long term like we do? Are they
so shortsighted that they are jealous?
He shook his head, clearing such abstract thought. It is of no consequence to me.
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He returned to his ship and quickly flew back to Arnor. But when he arrived in orbit of his beloved homeworld, he couldn't even recognize the planet. Where the once beautiful blue Arnor stood, all that remained was a dried, charred husk. Slowly he pulled down to a landing, and just as slowly, he descended from the ship, to stand upon the surface.
There was nothing but ash and cold, dry silver. He gazed around, and reached for the nearest hunk of silver. Certainly enough, it was the solidified remains of one of his own kind. Fate, it seemed, was a cruel mistress.
That's when the message came. Incoming message. Patiently, he tapped open, to find the face of the leader again. Strange, so many
videos transmitted, He thought, before playing the transmission. "Arnor is lost," the leader said, shaking his heads. "The others have been imprisoned,
but at great cost. They have doomed our race to extinction. If you are recieving this, it is likely that you will be the last of the arnor. Soon, our world
will die, and you will be all that's left. This is Artemis, the wise, transmitting the final cry of the arnor." As he finished speaking, the screen went
black, and the arnorian mandate took up the screen. To learn and protect.
He looked to the sky, and a single silver tear fell from his saphire blue eyes. Mithrilar protects the dead, He thought, looking at the system he had come to call his adopted home. Ironic, two worlds I enjoyed are about to die. He thought as his gaze was cast to the dying world.
Slowly, he stood, and returned to his small ship. And as fast as he could, he flew back to the other system.
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It was in that moment after he landed that the planet's atmospheres collided. He watched, for it was his duty, to observe this planetary collision. Goodbye, Little brother, he thought as the smaller planet came crashing down. The crust beneath his feet buckled, and parts of it were thrown into the sky, an outwards push caused by the impact. A flash of light erupted as the atmosphere caught fire, and more parts of both worlds flew off of the collision zone, high away, hurtling towards space. Unfortunately, his ship was on one of those larger chunks.
A moment later, all was calm. The smaler planet slowly spread out, flattening against it's larger counterpart, until it was indistinguishable from
the landscape, absorbed into the new world. He cast his eyes skyward, to the new ring of stone encircling this world. He watched as the stone slowly settled,
gathering into a small moon. The pains of loss were gone now, and he looked towards the horizon.
And to the rapidly approaching comet, loaded with water and assorted microlife. Here comes the breath of life, he thought, as he watched the
enourmous ball of ice collide with his new home. It did as flying ice does: it shattered into millions of pieces, and pelted the world with it's first rain.
"And so it begins," He whispered to himself, smiling softly.
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And so time passed. He watched as more ice fell, pelting the world with new water and new life. He watched the continents slide, the oceans rise, and
life begin to take root. He watched as aquatic life formed first, and then as that life moved to the ground. He watched as insects dominated, and then the
reign of large lizards. He watched as time and time again, super meteors would come down and erase life from this beautiful planet.
Then, something changed. A new life form grew, a quadrepedal species of Equines, with three subspecies. He watched as a fourth species evolved,
watched the newest deviation build civilization, and he grew intrigued. He watched them from a distance, and realized how they, unlike the other three, were
immortal like he was. Yet unlike him, they also were uninterested in observing natural phenomena.
Then, he met Gaia.
She was unlike any native he had observed before. Unlike her fourth-subspecies bretheren, she was interested in nature. His heart soared when
he watched her sit, motionless, as a mountain grew. The other three subspecies squabbled and fought, slowly crawling up the ladder in their genetic
descendant's footsteps.
But this one, this one brown, green maned fourth-kin was like him. She tended to the lands, making sure that this world stayed healthy, and, she
could bring herself to slow down and enjoy things. Eventually, he decided that it was time for first contact.
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Gaia was out watering the plants in the foothills of the Solemn mountain when she heard something unlike anything she had ever heard before. It
sounded like the lapping of the waves at the beach, yet it had a distinctive metalic shimmer to it too. She turned, and scanned the forest with her emerald
eyes, trying to detect anything out of the ordinary.
Yet she saw nothing. "Hah, very funny Aquus." She called, thinking it to be her oceanic cousin. When no reply came, she became worried that she might
have mistaken whomever was playing this joke on her. "Our apologies, Ferrus." When she heard nothing again, she became desperate. She never got names wrong
the first time! "Whoever thou are, reveal thineself!" She called to the woods. Nopony came out, and a bead of sweat rolled down her spine. Then, she breathed
one deep, long breath. "Must have been my imagination," she said to herself as she turned around...
And froze. There, standing before her was a floating silver figure. She gasped and jumped back, taking in all of it's features. Bipedal, with two
upper apendages not used for walking. A thin body, with a tall, narrow head connected at the top. Structured like the primitive minotaurs to the south, yet
definately not one of them. She looked over the body, and immediately saw it looking like a seaweed clump, minus the leaves. It had bulbus portions,
connected together by thin stalks, and then pressed in the likeness of the minotaur, yet definately thinner.
She studied the head as her hooves hit the ground, and tried to find any discernable structure. It was built just like the other parts of it's body,
and then she saw the eyes. Two mesmerizing spheres, a transparent shade of blue unlike anything she had ever seen before. In them, she could see her
reflection, and realized how much of a defensive position she had taken up.
"W-what are you?" She asked. When it simply stood there and regarded her, expressionless, she decided to ask again, this time in tauren. When she
still got no reply, she began asking it in each language she knew. Griffon, Prench, Germane, Saddle Arabian. She paused, and then remembered the other
languages to try. Treefolk, Fairy, Merfolk, she even tried the language of the stones.
Nothing. It remained there for some time, unmoving yet floating. Then, she heard the same metallic surf sound, and realized that it was this
creature's way of communicating. It tried the same rythm a few times, before it's eyes literally lit up. It slowly reached out an arm towards her. She
watched the silvery apendage drift closer, and when it was about to touch her temple, she recoiled, drawing back quickly. He froze, but his eyes never left
her. After a few moments, it began stretching it's arm closer again. This time, when it was about to touch her temple, she clamped her eyes shut to restrain
herself, and soon she felt the chill of silver touch her skin.
And then she felt nothing. She slowly opened her eyes and saw space, as if she was floating in it. The darkness was nearly unbearable, yet the stars
soothed the feeling of utter isolation. She felt a pressure, much like a headache and tried to fight it off. It backed off, but she could still feel it. When
it came back, she decided to see what was causing it, since she didn't often get headaches. She let it in, and then isolated it to a empty part of her
memory.
Her magic flared up, and the pressure froze. She was confused, as magic often didn't help headaches, but worsened them. She looked at the source, and
saw a silvery reaction happening between her neurons. What? She mentally asked, confused by this. She had never seen or heard of anything like this,
but she was pulled from her distraction when she saw the reaction turn towards the part of her brain which controlled magic. She strengthened her barrier,
not wanting to let something she didn't yet understand escape.
And then it vanished. She was confused, but then she felt a pressure at the base of her horn. What the buck? She thought as she turned her
attention, and she saw the silvery reaction spreading through the region of her brain that controlled magic. Then, before she could cut it off, she heard a
deep, soothing voice.
"Fascinating," it spoke. "Biological manipulation of matter, naturally evolved to a state of perfection." Although it sounded like a filly studying a
science project, she felt as if it were a compliment.
"Th-thank you?" She responded. When she spoke, the silvery reaction jumped to her vocalization centers, and it passed through every neuron, fully
studying it. With less fear and more curiosity, she watched it as the reaction jumped to her memory, and then her rationalization areas of the brain.
"Fascinating. Well, it seems like my dreams were correct. You are, indeed, the one." It said again. Then she heard something that kind of sounded
like a gasp, albeit more watery. "My apologies, I shouldn't have gone rooting around in your mind without permission! Shall we return to the world you know?"
It asked, before her real eyes opened, to see the silvery figure retracting his arm.
"Ah," It said in classican. "That's better, isn't it? My apologies again, but I couldn't think of any other way to learn how to directly communicate.
Oh, isn't this exciting?" He (It definately sounded male) asked. "First contact with the local population!"
"Excuse me? Where on Equus do you come from?" Gaia asked, confused by his statements. "First contact? Local population? What?"
"Oh, no no no, excuse me." He replied, holding his hands out in front of himself. "I am... Arnor. As for your second question, well..." He paused,
and clasped his hands together. "I'm not from... Equus, was it? What a curious name for a planet."
Gaia tilted her head. "What do you mean, not from Equus?" She asked.
At thism she could see his expression darken a bit. "I am not native to this world." He stated. The he pointed to a single location in the sky. "An incredibly long distance away, in that direction, used to lie a star. Orbiting that star was my homeworld, Arnor."
Again, at this, Gaia tilted her head. "So, you're an alien then?" He nodded, and she began connecting the dots. "So, I'm the first of my kind to meet you, and you chose me, rather than randomly slected one of my kin for contact?" She asked, and he nodded his head again. "If you had the ability to choose, why didn't you choose to meet with our leader?"
At this he looked to be smiling. Certainly enough, she could hear the wave sound in an upbeat burble that she could only place as being laughter. "Because he and I are not alike." She was about to ask a question when he lifted a hand to quiet her. "Your nickname is 'Stonewatcher,' because you take pleasure in watching things change around you, even if the changes take centuries."
She nodded. "Yes, how did you know?"
His smile grew. "Because I have been watching you for the duration of your existance." She was about to protest when he shushed her again. "Do not worry. Before you, I watched a third subspecies named Storming Sparkle, who was a very promising male. He is destined to have important descendants. And before him I watched Centurion, a fourth deviation like yourself, until he was slain by an invading second species tribe. And before him I observed..."
"I get it, you've watched a lot of ponies. But what is it with this 'subspecies' and 'deviation' nonsense?" she interrupted.
"Ah, I see that your kind may not view it the same way I do. To put it in perspective, the first three subspecies are the ones which developed before your kind, Subspecies four, and they are also mortal, wheras your kind are not. The third subspecies is physically smaller than your own, and they lack the wings your kind use for flight."
"You mean Unicorns? The ones who also have horns, like mine?" Gaia offered, and he nodded.
"Indeed. Subspecies two is much like subspecies three, albeit they have the wings and not the horns, which I had originally theorized were for defense, but much rather act as a focus for your telekinetic manipulation."
"So, Pegasai?" She asked.
"If that is what your kind call them. And at the beginning, there is Subspecies one, or Prime Genetor, which lack both the horns and wings."
Gaia smiled. "Those are the earth ponies."
"Very well. Oh, isn't this entertaining! I am able to speak with one like myself!" He said, clapping his hands together.
"What do you mean, like yourself?"
"Oh, it's simple. The others like you are too busy trying to get things done quickly. They fear an eclipse of their time, wheras you take things as they come. That makes you more like me, as I do the same."
Gaia laughed. "How long have you been alone?"
"What? Oh, Alone: without the company of others. Hmm..." He put a finger to his chin and crossed the other arm over his chest. "Approximately Four billion, five hundred fourty million cycles. Why, is that a long time?" He asked, tilting his head.
"You could say so," she said with a laugh. "Also, cycles is an outdated term. Here, we call them years."
"Ah. Well, I can say, although I was alone, I certainly was not bored. This planet of yours is quite fascinating." He replied with his own laugh.
She tilted her head. "Here's a better question: How long have you been here?"
"Here as in this location, or here as in Equus?"
"Equus."
"Four billion, five hundred and fourty million... years." He replied. "I've been here since it was a newly forming ball of dust and heat."
"Thats..." She stated, pausing for a moment. "A long time."
"I guess for you." He stated. "Do you know who you remind me of? He was an other, young and bright. But he had the similar issue you do: You loved watching the phenomena, yet you both were edgy, hoping that it would take less time. Maybe that's why they attacked..." He trailed off, obviously distracted by something that troubled him.
Gaia reached a hoof out to him, to comfort him, when she heard her father calling her. His loud, booming voice echoed down the hill. "Gaia! Time to come home!" She turned to the Arnorian and smiled.
"It was fun meeting you. Do you want to come back with me to the castle? I'm sure my family would love meeting you." She offered.
"No thank you, not yet. I'm not ready to expose my self to this worlds natives. Shall we meet here again?" He asked.
"Of course. Goodbye, Arnor." She said, as she turned to fly off with a smile.
"Goodbye, Gaia." He replied.
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It was later during that rotation that he heard a scream. He had just began studying a fascinating new genetic deviation when he heard his name called aloud. It was far away, and sounded like a phantasmal whisper, yet he heard it. And only one being on this world knew his name.
He made a mental note to study this new, subspecies five, but turned to face the castle she called home. In the crisp night, he saw, in the distance, a large, flickering fire. He traveled as fast as his floating form could take him.
When he arrived, the castle was in ashes. Not again, He silently prayed. He flew to the castle, and touched down at the perimeter of the castle's burning remains. Stone was collapsing around him, but he pushed inward. He ignored burning timbers falling about, and pressed deep into the wreckage.
Without delay, he found the source of the scream. The solid doors stood as nothing against his might. He pressed across the ashen floors, and searched the room for anything brown, but could find nothing. He turned, and to his dismay, there lay a blackened body, burned beyond recognition. He sunk to his knees, ignoring the flames, and lifted the body.
He stood slowly, and lifted her body from the burning floor. There was no need for speed now, there was nothing he could do. Slowly, he carried her to the courtyard. The only one who understood him, was no longer alive.
Finite. Perhaps that was their problem. These immortals and the others, both of them understood. Finite. With end. That's why they are so frantic, they fear that they won't have done what they want to do before they die.
He found the largest flame, and dropped her body into it. "Ashes to ashes. Return to the earth, and be at peace." He whispered, before turning around. There stood a member of subspecies one, armored and armed with a torch.
"Freeze!" the intruder shouted.
"I'd rather wait." He replied. "And so should you." He added, before snapping his fingers, transfixing the pony. "You shall be friendly to others, and remember that the fires of friendship shall keep you warm in the winter to come."
He turned to depart, when one he remembered one last thing. "Oh, and you never saw me." One last snap of the fingers, he was gone, and the earth pony had a new outlook on life.
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The winter of the wendigo's came, but he felt not the cold. The bitter chill he felt from loss was colder than any storm an elemental could throw at him. Soon after their fall came the time of chaos, yet he stood unaffected, without interfering. The two masters, and two of the last fourth subspecies members. Even after one fell to evil and promised eternal night, he still stood in the woods around where the old castle once stood, unmoved.
It was only after the dark princess returned did he move again, and this time, he moved with one purpose. Without opposition, he travelled to the new castle, and numerous ponies tried to stop him, only to be ignored. Pegasai tackled him, and they were shrugged aside. He floated to the castle, and pushed the doors to the palace open at twilight.
Inside the throne room sat both princesses, right as one was rising, and one was setting with the sun. He called out, his voice having lost it's smooth metalic nature. "Lunar princess, I make a request."
They both looked upon him in shock, and Luna sat forward. "What would you like, strange one."
"I require to go to the moon." He replied, his mind set in stone.
The solar diety gasped, and leaned forward. "Whatever for?"
"My reasons are my own. Now, please send me on my way, and I shall be out of your manes forevermore." He bowed, then straightened up, and crossed his arms behind his back.
The sisters regarded each other, before conceding. When a stranger comes with a strange request, respond strangely. It was a statement they had been taught to deal with Discord, and it still rang true here. Luna turned to him and smiled. "So be it, stranger." she answered, before charging her spell.
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The lunar surface was gray and ordinary. But there before him rested the deep blue crystal of his science vessel. "It's been a long time, old friend. Let's leave the ashes behind," he said as he boarded the ship. "And find a new home." He finished as he began the takeoff. " Begin report: Planet Three Fourty-three. Also known as Equus by locals."