//------------------------------// // 8-Mining For Templars // Story: The Orphan // by Dramatic Stories //------------------------------// Mining For Templars The sun's intense heat surrounded me as the carriage came to a halt upon a small cave entrance. I jumped off, and paid the two stallions who had tugged me from Dodge Junction, and peered into the cavern. Most of the entrance was sealed off with planks of wood, and a sign that read "Condemned". I gave the planks a knock to get a feel of their current state. They were quite brittle, and beginning to rot under the boiling rays of the sun. With one kick, my hoof drove through the planks, gaining access to the cave. I turned to the carriage, and pulled out a lantern I had bought, and brought along with me. I lit the lamp using a tinderbox, and made my way into the cave. Surprisingly, it was much cooler in the cave than outside. I would think that any heat that would get in would have a hard time getting out, and become trapped. The stone walls were cool to the touch, and droplets of water fell from the moist ceiling. I continued down the path, seeing light at the end. As I neared it, I noticed railway tracks at the bottom of the path running perpendicular from me. I came out of the small hole that lead me here from the entrance and looked around. There were torches on the walls, still alight and burning. I picked one up off of its hold on the wall, and snuffed the flame. I examined the wood on the piece of wood, and noticed it was quite fresh. "These torches can't be but a few hours old."I thought to myself. "Someone had recently been through here." I relit the torch and placed it back on the wall. I looked down the tunnel where the tracks curved around out of sight, and back the other direction where they did the same. As I peered into the poorly lit tunnels, and heard the sound rattling metal. A yellow glow begun to cover the cave walls, and I realized there was someone coming. I quickly jumped back into the hole that lead to the entrance, and hid out of sight. I watched as a small train of mining carts swung by with a pony in the front of it. I didn't get the chance to get a good look at the cargo as it was going by. I quickly followed the tracks in the direction the carts were going, and ran down the tunnel. After a few minutes of chasing the carts, the track suddenly dipped down into descending darkness. I looked behind me, and saw another light peering down the tunnel. This was the only chance I've got to continue going. "Help!"I exclaimed at the stallion riding in the lead car. "What are you doing down here?"He asked. He pulled the brakes, and climbed out of the cart. "I'd ought to take you-"He pulled out a small dagger. Quickly, I knocked him off his hooves, causing him to drop the blade. I took the opportunity to pin him to the ground. "Who are you, and why are you working in an abandoned mineshaft?"I asked as my hidden blade sprung out, barely reaching his neck. "Uuh..."He hesitated, looking for an answer. "I...I was forced too."He clearly lied. I brought my blade closer to his neck. "Alright! I'm down here working for a griffin. Please, don't kill me!"He pleaded. I retracted my blade, holding his neck tightly, choking him of air. a few seconds passed, and he lost the battle with consciousness. I checked him to make sure he was still breathing, and released him from my grip. I quickly got on to the carts that were still stopped on the tracks, and got in. After releasing the brakes, the carts slowly drifted forward towards the incline, where the speed picked up as it moved closer. I saw the tracks dip down as the speed intensely picked up, and the carts begun roaring down the tracks. I looked behind me, and the saw the other two carts were filled with sulfur and what I assumed were iron deposits. As I looked forward as the track begun to level out. Ahead of me, I could see a highly lit open cavern with a lot of space. As I approached it, I realized there were ponies everywhere, mostly stallions, working and carrying supplies around. I quickly ducked out of sight into the cart. I took another peek and saw the tracks came to an end. I applied the brakes, and the carts begun to slow. It came to a halt, and a saw a stallion come over to look at the cargo. Above me on the cave ceiling, there were a few thick stalactites. I looked ahead of me, and saw a decent crack in the cave wall I could use to climb up. I quickly looked around to make sure no one was looking. The stallion checking the cargo turned away, and I jumped out of the cart, and towards the wall. I quickly jumped up, and begun climbing. I climbed a good ten to fifteen feet, before I jumped backwards on to a stalactite, which held me firmly. Below me, the workers continued working without noticing me. I looked around the room, noticing many different things that would only serve as a purpose to kill. In one corner, there was a massive furnace, which rocks were tosses into. Once they were a smoldering liquid, they would be scooped out, and poured into molds to be cooled. Blacksmiths on another side shaped the metals from the molds, sharpening and strengthening the newly formed blades, before being placed on wooden handles. Other black smiths were shaping tiny arrows to be placed on shafts, and smaller blades the size of a dagger. "Why are they doing this?"I asked myself quietly. "There is no war going on...there is no need for mass production of weapons."I continued to observe their actions, until another train of carts came in. This time, with a special package. "Attention!"The griffon riding the middle hopped out as soon as it stopped. Gilda..."Captain."She said. One of the stallions walked up to her and saluted. "What's the situation?" "Going swiftly. Why do you ask?" "As we were coming by to check on things, we found an unconscious worker in the tunnels. He looked like he had been asphyxiated. You haven't seen anything suspicious?"She asked. "Nothing at all. Except for those carts. It came in with no sign of a driver on board."The two paused, as Gilda took a moment to look around the room. She turned to the captain once more. Though she was speaking quietly, I could still hear most of what she was saying. "I want a search on everypony here. We could have a killer trying to interfere with our system."She said. The captain saluted, and sent a few of the armed ponies around to begin searching. Gilda returned to the carts, and it moved forward towards the rooms exit where the track split off. Immediately, more carts came by, and dropped off its cargo. As the drivers switched, I let go of the stalactite, falling towards the back cart that was directly below me. With a quiet thud, I attracted the attention of the driver. "Hm?"He looked back, and saw nothing. The train begun moving forward as he shrugged it off. The cart turned towards the exit, and moved up on an incline, where a pulley system tugged the carts up. It was a good minute before the tracks leveled out again and the train begun to move at a moderate speed. After a few minutes, I saw the track split, towards another end of the tunnel, where I could see the light of Gilda's train, and the light of the desert in front of it. I quickly jumped off, and followed the other tracks, where I was certain the train I was chasing was Gilda's. I saw the train disappear in the sun's bright light as I neared the end of the tunnel. The sun's light blinded me as my eyes begun to adjust. Once they did, I could see the tracks going into a building that had many carriages and trollies awaiting to be exported to deliver their cargo. I quickly entered the building through the train's entrance, and saw the factory was nothing but an assembly line, where weapons would be given quick touchups, and then they would be placed in crates that would be moved on to the carriages. I saw Gilda's train stop at a little office towards the top of the factory. Gilda got out, and walked into the office alone, closing the door behind her. I quickly looked around, searching for a quicker way up. I had no choice but to follow the tracks. I ran up the tracks as the workers looked at me in fear. Many of the workers were mares, who looked torn and broken. The environment of the factory was filthy and poorly sanitized. It became clear to me that these mares were being forced to work here. I reached the top, where Gilda's office sat quiet, and seemed to be dormant. I walked slowly to the door, and put my ear to the door. Nothing could be heard. I turned the knob, and walked in. Gilda sat quietly, facing the window with her head on her talons. I quietly closed the door, and sat down in a seat opposite of her desk. "I knew you were there."She said. "I knew you were in that room, staring at me." "There's no reason for this."I said. "You think that...but you're very wrong."Gilda turned and stared at me. "It is you who is wrong." "If that is the case...then prove me wrong."Gilda pushed the light desk out the way, sending into the wall. She gave an ear piercing screech that could have broken a window. I stood my ground, and awaited for her move. Her razor sharp talons dived towards me, knocking me to the ground. Her talon wrapped around my neck as she looked into my eyes. There wasn't a single spark of hesitation in me as my free hoof stuck out, extending the blade hidden in my robe. I drove it into her neck, sending her towards death. "Ah well."Gilda said resting in her own blood. "It was bound to happen anyway. Still, it was a good run. You won't be able to stop this. I've already sent out tons of weapons. Stopping it now will serve no purpose." "You think I have no control over what you and your friends are doing. You may think you've already won. Well here I am, putting an end to whom you serve." "You won't be able to put a dent in the Templars. There's no hope for you...you might as well give up."Gilda gave one last breath as her eyes rolled back. I slowly pulled the eyelids over her eyes. "Rest in peace." I walked out of the office, and looked over the mare's from the railing. I raised a hoof, gaining their attention. "You're free to go."I simply said. The mares tore off their aprons and clothing they were forced to wear, and quickly made their way for the exit. I waited for all of them to leave the building, before grabbing a few kegs of sulfur. I poured a trail of sulfur out through the exits, and away from the building, where the mares were walking in all different directions. I poured the last of the gun powder out, and took out a piece of flint and steel. I struck the two minerals together, creating a spark which ignited the sulfur. The flame spread towards the factory, and eventually, the factory erupted in a massive flame. As I walked away from the now burning building, I pulled out a piece of paper I took off of Gilda's body. "This can't be right..."I said. "They're going to attack Ponyville!"