//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 -- Firefall [E] // Story: Magi Chronicles: Fires of Equestria // by Xeadin //------------------------------// Sunrise—the dull, orange glow danced above the horizon, broken up by the rising and falling of the hills in the distance. The orange skies above Equestria began to brighten toward a sparkling yellow against the contrast of brilliant blue when day proceeded to advance. The chilling autumn air brought in gentle winds that crossed through the multi-colored trees, causing many leaves to fall like snow. Small pillows of clouds floated aimlessly along the skyline. The hills were dotted with yellow hay-stacked roofs and wooden-framed buildings. The town of Ponyville had yet to come to life. A rainbow-maned pony flashed across the sky at near-blinding speed, patrolling the skies before embarking on her day with friends. Today was a special day—the sunrise marked the coming of the princesses, Celestia and Luna, to the town. Luckily, the townsfolk had already prepared a day in advance. A door had swung open. The first of the inhabitants jumped out with a face full of joy, hopping up and down along the streets and chanting a short, sweet song over and over. Another came out with a bundle of food trays floating about and set them on a table near the town hall. Soon after, more came out—eventually, the whole town came to life within an hour. No sooner did the sun peek out from beyond the horizon, lathering a nearby mountaintop with golden brilliance. The day started out on cue. A golden chariot appeared on the horizon, governed by two stout pegasi royal guards and escorted by several other guards. As planned, there were two occupants in the chariot. One had a mane that sparkled in the sunlight and worn a crown a bright as the sun—the other, darker one, had a flowing mane that glittered in the light and wore a chest plate and crown as dark as obsidian. Celestia and Luna, guardians of the cycles of day and night, arrived to Ponyville on schedule. Their approach was subtle, as the escorts flew in for a quick landing, shortly followed suit by the chariot. Upon the first to welcome the princesses was a violet alicorn with dark-striped hair. “Princess Celestia. Princess Luna,” she spoke. “It is an honor to see you again.” “Thank you, Twilight,” Celestia spoke, smiling quaintly at the gathering crowds that came to greet them. She briefly gazed over to Luna and then beckoned to the crowds. “Thank you all for coming. It is with our greatest and utmost gratitude that we celebrate the Autumn Solstice.” She paused for a moment. “I do not usually hold such an event, nor would I celebrate it this often, but today is a special day. We celebrate the anniversary of the Crystal Empire on this day and welcome their citizens across Equestria.” The crowd cheered in excitement. A few crystal ponies had made their way to the town and were delighted to hear the news. As the day went on, various activities had been set about around each avenue—making sure the princesses hadn’t got bored during their visit. Hide 'n Seek were amongst the most common activities, as well as apple bobbing and several taste testing booths around different parts of town. Several pegasi were hard at work, continually positioning a few tufts of clouds for a mini rally to present to the princesses. Despite the hectic mood in the skies above, the rest of the visit had gone better than expected. The day had gone by fast, as the sun quickly began to hide behind the mountains. Late-night activities had already been prepared, and Philomena, Celestia’s pet phoenix, made an appearance and threw on a spectacular surprise display. It wasn’t until sunset when things outside the town began to wind down for the night. The town itself was still alive as the princesses continued to enjoy their stay. Lightshows and various activities were held in the guise of what light there was left. Stories were told amongst small groups ranging from common folklore to frightening horror tales. It was just before dusk when the crowds had gathered around the town hall to chat and sell goods amongst others. It was once considered a tradition to honor those who had lost their own lives to service. Many people had strived to gain hope left behind by many of the unknown faces that had perished before the winds of war. There would be a wisp of courage that ran through the desolate and seemingly uncharted landscapes that were, once, home to a large colony of survivors. Things were different. The air reeked of fear as the civilization, known to many as a beacon of hope, had begun to show signs of fatigue, its weakness prodded constantly, and its greatest defenses rendered inapt of following through. It was a trying time—the Magi Civilization, in the year 20162, was under siege by a sudden attack led by their aggressors, the Rygoliths. Once, the air was peaceful and the lands of Litopia unscathed by fear. Now, the inhabitants are forced to flee from their home or hide in safe zones—far beneath the tarnished landscapes they had once cultivated in sheer beauty. Other nearby planets had shared the same fate, and it was so that the Rygoliths had to move on in their quest to fulfill their ultimate goal. In a neighboring solar system, the planet Marcovi was undergoing a crucial change. Home to the legendary creatures known throughout the multiverses as the Precursors, many of the inhabiting colonies made amends to the fallen worlds, and prayed that the gods would defend their home hence the threat would come their way. What they did not expect was the fact that some had already arrived and had approached the planet from the night sky—avoiding detection from the naked eye. A few had noticed their entrance, but an early warning was too late. Worse, the aggressors had approached one of the most important cities on the planet. Arriving by smaller drop ships, the Rygoliths boarded off and prepared themselves as they had begun their briefings and strategies to take over the city. The Rygoliths, bearing a striking resemblance to their lesser kin, the Metal Heads, came well-prepared and begun to storm the city from the North and East parts. They had brought heavy artillery to take care of attacks from above, and had reinforcements of heavy gunships and smaller recon drones to scout the surrounding areas. They had been trained to fight efficiently in wars, and so with each passing hour, block after block of furious gunfire and elemental chaos, the aggressors had slowly stormed their way through the city, until at last, they came to the most sacred site known only to the inhabitants. ~~~~~~ Within, the halls had shone with a bronze brilliance—stone walls tinted with a light shade of brown and etched with symbols only they could understand. The inhabitants of these halls had only mere moments to find the safety of the safest hiding spot before the Rygoliths would storm through. “My lord.” An elderly figure hurriedly strutted through a bronze archway with several others, one of which was a young boy—whom the elder was speaking to. They all resembled humans, as they bore tall, slender bodies with tan skin. The only notable difference was their ears were long—greatly longer than an elf. “We cannot afford to lose our hopes on these people! You must take shelter at a safe place!” “But where would this ‘safe’ place be?” the younger one replied. He had black, somewhat mottled hair and diamond blue eyes. He wore a bright orange robe with black outlines. “I cannot risk being discovered by our aggressors in this condition.” “Wherever the elements are strongest, it will be a lure for the aggressors. You must go to a place where the elements are least felt—they will help guide you there.” The elder figure took out a small multicolored rock and placed it in the younger figure’s hand. “This stone will help channel the power of the elements to give you strength when their presence is least felt. You must use it wisely, as it may attract the aggressors’ attention.” The young one nodded and proceeded down a dark hallway. “My lord—” The figure stopped halfway down the hall and turned around. The elderly held up a hand. “May the Precursors have mercy on you.” The young one nodded once more and disappeared in the darkness. A set of stone doors closed and the darkness was swallowed up by a wall of impenetrable stone.