//------------------------------// // Isolation // Story: The Exiled // by maxxxxxx //------------------------------// “Rainbow Dash, I don't like the looks of the sky. How much farther do you think those cliffs are? If we don't get there soon we need to consider some other means of shelter and quick.” Twilight's nervous voice trailed off as she looked up up at the sky. The dull gray clouds were obscuring the waning day light, casting a dim shadow over the forest. “If you would let us fly...” Dash replied with a hint of mock frustration. They walked closely, side by side. Rainbow Dash listening intently to the forest the whole time. She was well aware of Twilight's objection to flying, but at this point, the risks of staying on the ground would out weigh the risks of flying. She was familiar with storms, and this one would be a bad one. Twilight shook her head rapidly in disagreement. “No. It's way to dangerous to fly. You said it yourself, a storm like this is practically made of unstable currents, even at it's edge where we are now. On top of that, what about rouge lighting. We should keep walking, it's much safer on the ground." She knew that wasn't entirely true, without caution the ground was perilous. Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Right... Tell that to that vine monster, or the quick sand. Or, how about that giant two headed snake! What about those spiders? Yeah Twi, the forest floor is a paradise. At least nothing is trying to eat us up in the sky.” She mocked sarcastically, though with a good natured smile. Twilight however, didn't return the comforting gesture. Instead she frowned, glancing up at the clouds before looking back at her friend with the same worried look. “If anything happens up there, and we get hurt or crash, we could die Dash. You may be confident enough to fly in that but I'm not. One mistake it's all over. We're in the middle of the jungle, nopony around to help us, no doctors or clean shelter. A single cut could kill us if it gets infected. We need to take as few risks as possible until I perfect the flash back spell and clear my name.” Her expression became even more burdened with worry and contemplative as she spoke. “On top of that, my magic barely works here. I can feel it getting weaker every day we spend here. For some reason, the flash back spell doesn't seem to be diminishing at all though. This jungle is a strange place and we don't understand a thing about it. Until we know more, we need to be careful.” We don't know where we are in relation to Equestria. We could be on the completely opposite side of the planet. Finding evidence is only half the problem, we still need to somehow make it back... make it back alive. The first step is to find civilization. Rainbow Dash's lighthearted attitude quickly deflated as Twilight listed all the things that could go wrong. A serious and even hurt look flashed across her face. She's right, but we can't keep taking the safest route if we want to make any progress. Doesn't she trust me? I told her I wouldn't let anything happen to her.... Depression and uncertainty weighed heavily in her chest as doubt clouded her mind. We've almost died four times since we've been here. At the beginning, Twilight's magic got us out of a lot of trouble, but she's right, fighting that vine thing proved we can't rely on it much longer, and we still don't know why it left us alone. If we don't start paying better attention to this place we'll be in serious trouble. It's just dumb luck we've survived this long, and that wont last forever. Maybe Twilight's right... maybe we should try to stay on the safe side, but I don't think just waiting around down here is safer then flying. We could fly low and avoid most of the strong winds, and if anything happens I'll be there. I'll carry Twilight if I have to. I really don't like the feeling I've been getting down here... I feel like we're being watched. Since this morning. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I just don't want to be on the ground. Instinct I guess. “That pegasus we saw was flying north. If we keep walking we have a chance of finding where he lives. Perhaps there's a town or village nearby. Even if it's just a single hermit, it's still better than nothing. If we fly we may miss him and, right now we need to find whatever help we can get.” Twilight looked to the forest floor as she spoke, sounding less than convinced by herself. “Twilight, I'm not even sure that's what we saw anymore! Besides, what would a pegasus be doing all the way out here?!” Her tone was exasperated as the uneasy feeling that had been following her since morning began to take it's toll on her nerves. She immediately regretted her harsh tone as Twilight flinched and stepped slightly further away from her. Sensing the dismay in her voice, she looked up at the cyan pegasus, Twilight's fretful lavender eyes meeting hers. “I'm sorry Dash, I know it's unlikely. I just...” She trailed off, looking forlornly back to the ground. It really is unlikely. After all, we don't even know a fraction of the things that live in this jungle. What ever it was, it was fast, faster than Dash even. I don't know of anything else it could be... Or rather, I can't think of anything else I want it to be. I know it's a long shot, but it's all I have to go on. Without a goal, without a direction, I don't know how I'll keep focused and calm in this place. I need this, for the both of us. But.. It's stupid and dangerous of me to put our lives in danger for such a faint and unlikely hope. I don't know what else to do... “No Twilight, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I just don't feel comfortable here right now. I would just feel much safer up in the sky. Besides, my eyesight's amazing, if there is a house down there I'll see it.” She looked bashfully to the side away from Twilight, her wings twitching nervously, partly out of the growing uneasy feeling, and partly due to what she wanted to say. “I- if it'll make you feel safer I could carry you while we fly. I swear, I wont let anything happen to you.” She stammered nervously. The uncomfortable and complex mix of feeling that fluttered in her chest was hard to describe and only made her want to take to the sky more. Twilight could almost have sworn she saw a blush spread across her friend's face. “I-” Before she could say another word the ground suddenly crumbled, giving way beneath her hooves. A piercing scream followed as Twilight plunged into the narrow cavern. Rainbow Dash turned her head to where twilight was standing just a moment before, only seeing her head dip just below the ground. Her scream echoed as she fell down the shaft. She tumbled, her legs, head and wings scraping against the wet but solid stone. Her hooves desperately trying to cling to a solid surface only to slide off. On instinct she tried to unfurl her wings, only succeeding in sheering off feathers and flesh from their tips. Her skull slammed against the walls with a loud and sickening thud. She felt her mind go dark for a brief moment She winced in pain before her quick descent ended in an abrupt plunge into almost icy cold water and hard, slick stone. “Twilight!” She heard a panicked voice call out to her from above. Her mind was hazy from the impact and her back and wings were throbbing with intense pain. She found breathing difficult as something pushed down upon her, squeezing on her chest. It was pitch black, all except for a single, dim and grey shaft of light illuminating down on top of her from where she had fallen. W- what happened to me? What's going on? She thought, her mind slowly recovering. She shifted her body, trying to alleviate the pressure on her chest. Suddenly, after only seeming to shift an inch her body fall again, this time sideways, carried away by an overwhelming force. Her back slid against something hard as she was pulled past it. Frantically she attempted to through her hooves around the object, the only stable thing she could perceive in this tumultuous nightmare. Her forelegs wrapped around it, though slick, it was thin enough to grasp. She held on for dear life as the force pulled her away from her oasis. A river! An under ground river! Twilight concluded as her body bobbed up and down, the current trying with fury to drag her way. Water rushed into her mouth, trying to force it's way into her lungs. She violently coughed up the cold water, clinging ever tighter to the only thing keeping her alive. “Twilight! Twilight! Hold on! I'm going to get you out of there!” Rainbow Dash called out, her voice choked and trembling with panic. Slowly Twilight looked up to the dim light above her, partly to see light and her friend, and partly to keep her mouth and nose as much above water as she could. Straining her neck she could see the outline of Rainbow Dash, looking as though she were preparing to jump. “No! Don't do it! It's too narrow to fly! You'll get trapped down here too!” Twilight screamed up, pleading. “I'm not leaving you down there Twilight!” Her cracked voice echoed through the blackness. “I'm going to try and teleport out of this! Just wait for me okay!” She shouted back. The uncertainty in her own voice must not have been lost on Rainbow as her voice became more frantic in response. “No Twilight, don't try it! You're magic hasn't been working right, if you teleport away from that rock you'll get swept away!” “I have to do something and I'm not letting you come down here!” “Twilight don't!” Dash begged, but too late. She could see a faint glimmer of violet light emanating from the tip of Twilight's horn. Fear flared in her heart as she watched helpless. Come on Twilight focus... focus. She closed her eyes and tried to focus through her stinging, sharp headache. Her horn flickered with it's translucent purple aura. Mentally straining herself, she attempted the spell. Her horn glowed brighter for a moment, then sparked pathetically before dying out. No.. She closed her eyes and tried again, achieving weaker and weaker results. No, no, no! Work! Please work! She tried once more, shutting her eyes tight. Pain shot through her head, her ears rang. Her body became weak causing her to nearly lose her grip, and yet... “Nothing... nothing at all. My magic.. It's gone! Rainbow! I- I can't use my magic!” Her voice was now filled with mortal fear as she clung tighter to her rock. I can't use my magic! Flying is out of question, if I open my wings I'll get swept away. A-am I going to die down here?! Alone and in the dark. T- they'll never find my body, they'll never know that I'm innocent. Oh girls.. Mom, Dad and Spike, I'll never see them again! And Rainbow Dash, I'm so sorry, If I die, please go on without me. You have to live.. Please.. “Live.” She whispered, her tears mixed with the frigid water. She felt her beaten and battered body loosing to the relentless flow of the river. She looked back up, for one last look at light, one last look at her friend. “Hang on Twilight! I'm going to get a vine and pull you up! You hang on you hear me!? You don't let go no matter what! I'll be right-” Suddenly, in a blur of green, brown and cyan, Rainbow Dash was knocked back from the small opening as something slammed into her from the side. A terrified yelp erupted from the surface. Suddenly Twilight's body surged with new strength and fright. “Rainbow Dash!” **************************************************************************************** “Rainbow! What's happening! Answer me!” Twilight screamed again, but the only response she received was horrifying snarls, barks and growls and the grunts of a familiar voice. “Get... Off!” Came a determined cry from her friend out of sight. She stared up helplessly as a battle raged. Suddenly a dark figure flew over the opening of the pit, skidding to a halt with it's face hanging just over the edge, looking down at her with glowing greens eyes and snarling hungrily. Twilight froze as her eyes met it's. Timber wolves! A fraction of a moment later a rainbow blur slammed into it at incredible speed, sending it's woody skeleton flying. Dash came to a screeching halt right on top of where the beast once lay. Flaring her wings protectively she faced to forest and growled loudly, lashing her tail back and forth, each hair standing on end. “Rainbow Dash you have to run!” Twilight screamed out, bringing further tears to her eyes. She felt her momentary increase in strength fade as the rushing water began to overwhelm her once again. “Are you crazy? Just shut up and hold on! I'll have these mutts taken care of in ten seconds flat then I'm getting you out of there!” “You can't fight them Rainbow, you have to get away!” “I'm not leaving you! I'm getting you out of there and that's final!” Twilight watched as Dash reared up of her hind legs and spread her wings as wide as possible appearing as large as she could. Twilight couldn't tell how many she was facing, but she was clearly out numbered. “Dash behind you! Watch out!” A wolf had silently crept around her, ready to pounce on her back. It lept at her. Twilight watched as it sprung forward, the only thing her mind could picture was her friend dying to protect her. She wanted to shut her eyes but couldn't take her eyes off the wolf as it's belly took over her view from the bottom cave, nearly obscuring what little light she had. With a single flap Dash shot skyward, letting the timber wolf land painfully on the ground. Sticks flew in various directions as it lay where Dash once stood, looking down at Twilight, like the easy, helpless prey she was. To Twilight, it almost appeared as though it were contemplating jumping in to get at her. Her heart raced they stared at each other, eyes locked on one another. The primal moment of hunter and hunted between the two was brought to an abrupt end as Rainbow Dash propelled herself at it, sending it into a tumble along the ground. “Stay away from her!” She shouted, her voice labored and panting heavily. She can't fight them like that! They'll just regrow and who knows how many of them there are. If she stays here she'll be torn to pieces. Even if she does manage to fight them off, that stubborn pegasus will try to come after me down here. I don't have much longer, I've lost all my strength and I can feel myself losing my grip, millimeter by millimeter. If she tries to come down here after me she'll die to. I wont let both of us die is this pit! She has to get out of this hell and find a way home! She's innocent, I dragged her into this, if anypony deserves this it's me not her. “Rainbow Dash!” She cried, squeezing her eyes tight, though she could still her the blood chilling snarls of the hungry wolves. “Kind of busy trying to save your life Twi!” She grunted as a shrill yowl echoed through the cave. “Rainbow Dash please listen to me! You have to get out of here!” She pleaded to her friend, who was fighting for both their lives. She was Dash's flank backing up just above the holes opening. Her hind leg nearly slipping into the dark void that Twilight was sure has become her tomb. Rainbow Dash was being pushed back, as Twilight feared, she was losing. I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, I'm doing this to save you. I hope you'll forgive me. “Rainbow! There's a light at the end of this tunnel, in the direction the water is flowing. It's faint but there is an opening! It's north of us!” “What are you saying Twilight!?” She asked, her voice becoming hoarse with rage directed at her attackers. “I'm saying leave! I'll be fine! The river comes out onto the surface north of here. I need you to be there Rainbow. I need you, so please fly away!” This was it, her legs were on the threshold of failing, her limbs shook violently as they struggled to keep her anchored for just a few more seconds. Just until she knew her friend would be safe. Much to her dismay and pain, Rainbow Dash didn't respond, instead she stepped back as far against the opening of the pitfall as she could, using her wings for balance. Twilight could tell she wasn't the only one on her last legs. But at least she can escape! “Dash please! I'm begging you! Fly away! Meet me north of here, I swear I'll be there! Please Rainbow Dash, trust me! I need you to be there!” With those last words her muscles lost the fight against the torrent, and she fell back into the water. Looking up, the last thing she saw were familiar cyan wings ascending into the safety of the sky. I'm sorry Rainbow.. I'm so sorry. Please get out of here alive for both of us. She felt a sharp impact on the back of her head as her body was dragged under the stone shelf, following the current further under pitch black ground. **************************************************************************************************** “It's no good...” She said defeated, handing her head as the glow ebbed from her eyes. Her still soaked fur was dripping wet. A deep gash above her brow obscured her vision with it's bleeding. Her wings felt tattered and her whole body was sore. “I black out after that, there's no way for me to tell how long I drifted or if I went down any tributaries. I could be anywhere.” Water dripped constantly from the ceiling and walls of the cave. It was pitch black, her only sense she could rely on was hearing, and the groaning and bubbling that echoed from seemingly all direction didn't make hearing pleasant. She could feel she was standing in a small, shallow pool of water, the same one she had awoken in. Rainbow Dash.. Where are you? I- I know I did the right thing, I know I did... but I don't want to be down here alone. I'm scared, I'm scared and powerless! She shut her eyes tight against the all encompassing darkness. The musty smells of the cavern were almost stifling. At least I'm alive... and Rainbow is waiting for me! Knowing her, she'll look for me even in the middle of that storm. I can't let her wander around in that while I just wallow here. “I have to move.” A fire kicked up in her voice, filled with renewed strength. Shakily she stood from the cold and shallow pool, excess water dripping off her fur. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. Come on, come on.. Just a little bit of magic, just a spark. Straining her exhausted and aching mind she felt a miniscule amount of magic flow through her horn. She opened her eyes, the once pitch blackness illuminated by a weak and flickering purple light that burned at the tip of her horn. What she used to be able to do with virtually no effort now seemed to be taking the magic and focus of extremely advanced magic, and even at that, the glowing spell was unstable. 'But it's something, and that's all I need. The cave that stretched before her was surprisingly linear, a nearly perfectly straight shaft that tunneled into the dismal depths. Behind her flowed the rived she drifted from. The cave was cold, even in the low light of her magic she could see her breath. I know what I came from, trying to go back is pointless. I need to move forward. Don't worry Rainbow, I'm still alive, and I will find you, I promise. Tentatively she took her first steps, the faint glow of her horn cutting through the darkness. The click her hoof made on impact with the hard floor carried through the cave. Steeling herself, Twilight began her slow trek. There's nowhere to hide down here. I could be walking straight into the den of some monster for all I know. That's been our problem since we were sent here, we don't know anything about this place and if we don't learn fast it's going to get us killed. I didn't even know there were timber wolves here. Oh why didn't I listen to Rainbow Dash?! She felt something was off, somehow, she new they were following us. If I wasn't so afraid, this wouldn't be happening. That gave her pause for thought as she padded down the tunnel. Anything to keep her mind occupied, distracted from the ever growing feelings of fear and worry of being trapped in this dark place. I don't think that's right. Caution has to come first here, if we're reckless we will die. Now more than ever we need to think carefully about everything we do. Trying convince Rainbow Dash of that isn't going to be easy. She was going to stay and try to fight off Celestia knows how many timber wolves! If she had made even one mistake, she could have been seriously hurt! And out here, seriously hurt can quickly turn into being a meal for any one of the monsters we've seen, or worse, the ones we haven't seen. She shuttered to think of all the monstrosities out there, any number of them her friend could be facing alone. Her body was trembling, partly from exhaustion and partly from the heat being sucked through her drenched fur. Cold water dripped from the cavern's ceiling onto her back, further whisking away her dwindling warmth. Suddenly, a glimpse of motion caught tore her from her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat from terror as her head shot. She froze mid step and she felt a deeper chill than even the cold of the cave couldn't compare to. It was a ways away, but she could clearly see a pair of large, glowing blue eyes staring right at her. Her fear became numb as she stared into its mesmerizing eyes. She felt tired and her eye lids became heavy. Her magical light flickered, getting dimer and dimer by the second. I should run. I should get away. but for some reason... I Before she could finish her thought, her body seemed to move on it's own accord, hoof over hoof growing closer to the creature. Then, without warning the pair of eyes vanished from sight. Twilight felt her body come back over her control, the dream like fog that numbed her mind lifted. Still, she felt drawn, pulled by an almost compulsive force to where the eyes had vanished. There was something magical about what ever that was. If It wanted to harm me, I'm in no condition to fight back, it could have done me in right then. She didn't notice but, before she had even decided to move, she had already begun walking towards it. She felt an uncomfortable fear, like she was being watched, but the inexplicable drive to continue on. Her magical glow became brighter as she walked through the tunnel. How is it able to move down here without making so much as a sound? At the very least I should be able to hear it splashing though the puddled down here. Even if it was flying I should still hear it's wing beats, sound is amplified greatly by the stone walls. A powerful feeling overcame her. Like something was staring at her from her right side, only inches away. Stopping dead in her tracks she felt the furn on her neck stand on end. Hesitantly she turned her head, fear again welling up in her chest expecting to meet those large eyes and what ever owned them, face to face. What she found, was more darkness. Straining her eyes and magic, she could make out the entrance of a diverging tunnel. So this isn't a straight away. I need to be careful. If I get lost down here I may never find my way back to the surface. A dull blue light began to glow further down the tunnel, it almost looked like it was turning towards her. Then, both orbs of light were again completely on her, and she again began to feel the same out of body sensation as before as her legs took her down the tunnel. Just as Twilight had closed half the distance between them, the pair of eyes again vanished. Twilight felt her hypnotic trance linger longer this time than the last and her mind was taking longer to recover. She had to fight with her mind to respond to her will, after a few long moments she could feel herself regaining control of her body. Coming to a stop she listened for any sounds indicating that the owner of those eyes had moved, but the only sound she could hear was the dripping of the water from the cave's roof, and the rapid beating of her own heart. She again began walking in the direction the eyes were last. I don't like that feeling, what ever it was. It's terrifying, my body didn't feel like mine. It felt like I was just an observer in my own mind watching something else steer me. And yet... I feel drawn to what ever it is. I know I can't go back, I have no choice... Are those thoughts even mine? Is that how I feel? Or is what ever that was still somehow in control, manipulating my thoughts? I'm scared, but I can't stop moving. Continuing down the corridor, she past several other divergent paths, however, she could just feel she was still going the right way. She noticed too, that her pain was less intense, even her splitting headache was now just a dull and negligible throbbing. She turned slowly down another side tunnel, hardly aware that she had done so. Only noticing the change by the texture of the cave floor. What was once rough and uneven was now smooth and flat, unnaturally so. Bringing her horn to the floor she could see that it appeared to be made from dull grey hoof cut stone. The walls too, upon inspection, were also made of stacked and masoned stone. The violet light flickered and dimmed once again as her reserves of magic ran dry. Gritting her teeth she shut her eyes tight, she tried to draw any remaining power she could, but it was no use. With one last small burst of light, it finally died, leaving her to wander the darkness with nothing but her mysterious and frightening guide. Even as her magic failed her she kept walking down the corridor. She could feel the air becoming warmer and dryer as she walked unaided by sight. Keeping her tail constantly against the wall she was able to stay orientated without bumping from wall to wall. Despite her blindness, she kept her eyes open, knowing at any moment she would see those eyes again, and she would follow it ever deeper into this labyrinth. Sure enough the floating blue eyes reappeared, and Twilight felt her mind and body quickly fall into the lull of it's gaze. Just as soon as it came it vanished once more, and Twilight followed mindlessly down another passage. “L- light?” She whispered dreamily as she rounded the corner. She saw a faint white glow coming from a small hall off to the side. The height of the entrance was much shorter than the tunnel she was currently in, only about twice her own height. Her tiredness and soreness returned, almost flowing back into her body. She groaned as her back and wings burned from the contusions, and her headache and stinging would that caused it also returned with a vengeance. She felt the presence of the being that guided her begin to wane. She limped slowly to the threshold of the illuminated hall. She stopped, her eye's widened with disbelieving surprise as she looked down to the end of the corridor. There, standing in front of the white light that now shined at the opposing end from her, was her guide. It stood taller than her, as tall as Celestia. It had large, glowing blue eyes and a pony like head from which sprung what looked like both antlers and a long, unicorn horn. She couldn't make out it's finer detail as her eyes strained to adjust to the bright light. Twilight stared in amazement for a long moment her mouth agape, not sure what she would say, only feeling she should say something. Many things came to mind, but only one thing left her lips. “What are you?” She whispered. As soon as she spoke her words, the creature turned away from her and walked calmly into the light, disappearing from her sight completely. “Wait!” Twilight called out, her voice echoing in all directions. Fighting against the pain with a rush of determined adrenaline she chased it into the light, though a canter was all she could manage. Stepping into the brightly lit room her light bleached eyes strained to make out anything. As her eyes adjusted she found herself in wide cylindrical room... Alone. Looking around she couldn't see an exit in sight. The room ceiling was at least ten times as tall as herself. The walls were adorn with ornate glyphs and symbols that seemed to be made of gold laid into the stone. The source of the light was small sphere of magical energy the shined with a pure white light floating just feet below the ceiling. Twilight slowly turned around, taking in every detail of the room in wonderment. “What is this place? What's it doing in the middle of the jungle!” A smile spread across her face as she examined the chamber. A large mirror of polished metal and rimmed with gold seemed built into the wall opposite the entrance. A small purple gem was set at it's centre. Twilight's eyes glowed with curiosity, the way they usually did when she studied a fascinating subject. Looking at the floor she found a large golden circle set in the stone, runic markings and a large transparent gem at it's center. She examined the runes with an inquisitive look. “These runes are foreign to me, but this set up... It looks like the components of a powerful enchantment. Based on the size of the circle, the materials and their orientation, it seems to be a high yield, noncorrosive dimensional overlay provoker. The runes on the wall seem to indicate that this is some sort of network of similar dimensional overlays, all in rapidly shifting mode so they don't degrade or collapse. It's amazing! This kind of magic mimics the theorized Altaibierre drive! A field that simultaneously collapses space in front of a target object and expands it behind it! It's just unbelievable that this kind of magic exists in an enchantment! It requires so much power and has a nearly infinite range. If calibrated right it hold the key to unlimited time travel! I've only heard about teleportation via quantum mechanics but this out strips that by magnitudes! I-” Before she could utter another all went dark, plunging her back into blindness. Instead of fear she felt frustration and confusion. “I wasn't done reading. I need to get a better look at those runes, maybe I can use this to get out of here and find Rainbow Dash” She took a steadying breath and calmed her mind. It's been a little over five minutes since my magic ran dry, it's not much but maybe enough of it recovered that I can decipher how to active the- “Twilight!” A familiar voice called out. Twilight spun around to the direction of the voice. A faint glow began emanating from the mirror on the wall, an image becoming clearer and brighter. She stared, mouth agape in surprise. “Rainbow Dash?”