Daring Do and the Amulet of Serra
Many ancient myths surround the mysterious Princesses of Equestria. Alicorns have always been a constant topic of concern, awe, and even fear, none more so than Princess Celestia, and her alleged sister Princess Luna.
Legend has it that Princess Luna turned dark and became the feared Nightmare Moon; locked away on the moon to forever look down upon the children of Equis.
No one knows if these are true, no one save for Celestia herself who sits aloft in her castle in Canterlot, ruling the kingdoms and raising both moon and sun with each dawn and dusk. No one else has such a living memory that long or the years in which to tell the story.
But the tale of the ‘Mare in the Moon’ is not the only tale told about those sisters, nor the only legends of Alicorn might.
They are but the surface.
* * *
Daring Do Looked over her notes; she had been trying to remember the poem to recreate it somehow and bring back what had been taken from her:
A chance.
As she worked, memories of what had befallen her constantly ran through her mind. How she had braved an underwater city, how she had uncovered a strange glowing key, how she had delivered that very key into the hands of Ahuizotl…and how she had been betrayed by the one mare she’d always though she could trust.
Bravely Blue.
Bravely Blue.
The name set a hard lump in her throat and a knot in her stomach. She would get even; she would get the Key back, and the Statue.
Daring turned and looked beside her at the gleaming silver Goblet she had procured so many weeks ago in the jungle. In that cave.
Daring froze.
Black griffins.
How had that griffin survived for so long in such a place? And then there was its size. She had never seen a griffin so huge.
She looked down at her notes, gazing at what remained of her memory of the poem.
“…A goblet holder of the heart,
Great magic’s vessel with talon’s guard…”
Those tablets had been very old, and it made reference to talons, like the talons of a griffon. And the ancient city of Eldarodeo had been littered with large buildings that harboured large furniture, all stereotypical of a Griffon society…but of immense size.
The only explanation she could see was that the black griffons had once inhabited that place, and judging from the poem, they had been guarding that Goblet.
So the black griffin she’d faced had to have been THOUSANDS of years old!
She shook her head. Griffons weren’t that long lived, they had similar life spans to ponies. There was no reason that Griffon should have been able to have survived that long…without help. She sighed and rubbed her temples. She was missing something, something important, and it was something that Ahuizotl knew and she didn’t. That was an advantage he had over her, and she didn’t like it when the enemy had the advantage.
She remembered another part of the poem and wrote it down, feeling like she’d managed to get most of it done.
“…A bangle locked and sealed in thrice,
Follow the wit of the lonely mice…”
She looked at what she had and smiled to herself. It was actually pretty good.
“Seven items must entwine,
For magic to steer towards divine.” She halted, unable to remember the second line of the poem.
“A jackal found in temple’s greed,
Where hunters fail but prey succeed.
A golden Key to unlock the way,
Within the blue at circles bay.
A goblet holder of the heart,
Great magic’s vessel with talons guard.
A bangle locked and sealed in thrice,
Follow the wit of the lonely mice.” She froze again, the next line once again eluding her. She continued with mild annoyance.
“The final piece cannot be told,
But found by those of bravely bold.”
The very last part still eluded her, the last two lines of the poem, the last stanza, the last verse…the last clue. She sighed, wishing that she had some reference of what she was looking for next. There was something about the first set of lines she’d forgotten…an amulet? Something about an amulet, she was sure of that. This was going to take research.
Daring Do put on her hat and turned to face the room she occupied.
It was a study, she had went back to the Clopsdale Academy of Archaeology in a vain effort to find some clues and pieces among the remains of her old mentor’s stuff. Bravely Blue’s office had thankfully not been cleaned out, and Daring Do had thankfully found herself acquiring both journals and records of the blue mare’s goings on. She’d managed to find maps, references, and a few old tickets, but nothing that made her able to decipher where her and Ahuizotl may have gone.
She sighed, realising that she had come to final choice. A final decision that was her only chance at regaining what she’d lost.
She’d have to visit…him.
Leaving the office, Diane Daring Danger Do began walking down the corridor, approaching the large door at the end of the hall. It was the principal’s room. The principal was said to be old and wizened, ancient and powerful in his knowledge. She herself had never seen him, but he had trained Bravely Blue. He had made the careers of hundreds of famous adventurers; his name was listed not only as the greatest, but also the founder of the archaeology hall of fame.
But he never left his room.
Daring raised her hoof, preparing to knock when a voice called out from within.
“Come in.”
Gulping and mounting her courage, Daring Do entered the room, pushing open the door to reveal the domain beyond.
The room was ornate with golds and browns, the carpet a lush red and everything seeming almost kingly and regal in nature. She took in the room with awe and looked towards the extremely large and expensive desk that adorned the centre of the room. A chair was behind the desk, its back to Daring Do, making her unable to see its occupant.
“P-Professor?” She asked hesitantly.
“Come closer, Diane.” Said the disembodied voice from the chair. Daring felt a chill run down her spine as she approached; it felt like going before a king and queen.
“You are fraught with much confusion and fear, young Diane.” He said, his voice seeming almost kindly. But the soft nature didn’t stop anger from blazing in Daring’s heart.
“I’m not afraid! I’m not afraid of anything!”
“Then why do you tremble, child?” He said, turning in his chair.
Daring’s eyes widened. She had expected an old and aged pony, but the one that she saw, while later in his years, did not seem nearly so old as she had expected. In fact, there was still the glitter of youth in his eyes.
The pony before her was grey maned, his fur was the dark purple of plums and his eyes were a sparkling yellow. He wore bridged glasses on the tip of his muzzle and a rather smart jacket.
“You’re…” She began, not really sure what she was going to say.
“Not ancient? Well I may not be in years but by Celestia I feel it.” He chuckled and stepped down from the chair; he clopped round the table and sat down in front of her. A hoof extended. “Professor Abraham Ravenhoof, at your service. What can I do you for you, Diane?” He queried.
“Erm, call me Daring.” The mare said hesitantly. “Didn’t you teach Bravely Blue?”
The stallion chuckled lightly and smiled before speaking. “Indeed.”
Daring Do shook her head and sighed. “But…you don’t look that old, how could you? I mean…” She stuttered, not really sure how to describe her confusion. It took years to master archaeology, let alone get good enough to teach. This stallion looked barely older than Bravely Blue herself, so how he could have taught her was quite the confusing idea.
“I did indeed teach her. I am fifty-three years old my dear, and a very quick study. I mastered archaeology in my twenties and have been teaching it ever since. But let us put aside the subject of age and talk about the real reason you have come to my door at this hour.” He said, his eyes showing a warmth and kindness that allowed the adventurous mare to relax a little.
Daring approached the table and laid down her notes on the poem and the journals of her mentor, and now betrayer, Bravely Blue.
“Bravely Blue has joined Ahuizotl, they seem to be after items listed here in this ancient poem. It’s translated from ancient Equestrian, I can’t remember all of it, but I think I have most of it. I don’t know where she’s gone, where’d she’d start and even if I did I’m not sure how to stop her.” She said exasperatingly.
“Why would you want to?” He asked softly from beside her.
Daring Do turned to him with a confused expression. “What?”
He seemed to shrug in response. “Why would you want to stop her?” His voice wasn’t threatening, simply curious.
Daring Do glared. “Because when Ahuizotl gets involved, people get hurt. And I won’t let that happen.” She said fiercely, looking at him with a glaringly confident expression.
The professor looked a little stern for a moment before he simply smiled. “Very good answer, I needed to know if you were doing this for the right reasons.”
She looked confused. “What other reason is there?” She asked.
“Personal gain, to steal the treasures they wish to seek, many would.” He smiled. “It is wonderful that you seem to have a personal loyalty to the ways of good. Equestria needs more of your kind Daring Do, there are so few left these dark days.” He said, walking to the window. “And these days ARE dark…and the darkest yet are still to come.” He turned to her. “Bravely Blue will seek out the items each in turn as they appear in the poem. Tell me, which items does she so far possess with this Ahuizotl creature?”
Daring Do looked over the poem. “The Sapphire Statue and the Golden Key, she doesn’t have the goblet yet though. That’s with me.” She said firmly.
The Professor clopped over and looked over the poem. “You are missing the piece she is after. What line is supposed to be here?”
Daring Do looked at where his hoof was pointing. “That part’s something about an Amulet, and…something that lies and something else that’s right.” She sighed. “I don’t remember it exactly, and I don’t know what it would mean even if I had all the pieces. It was one of the more confusing ones.” Daring said, rubbing her temples with a light groan.
The Professor looked over Daring Do with a smile. “I know where she is.” He said simply and walked behind his desk. Daring Do was shocked, looking at the professor wondering how he could suddenly know such a thing. “Where?” She asked heatedly.
The professor smiled with a charming glint in his eyes. “There is an ancient maze to the east, deep into the wastes of the desert. It is known as the Maze of Truth.” He said simply. “It is a place that no pony has ever entered and escaped alive. It is most dangerous.”
Daring Do glared. “I can make it.” She said firmly.
“And why do you say that? They say only truth can light the way in the maze. What truth do you hold that will allow you to accomplish what hundreds before you could not?”
She smirked. “I’m Diane Daring Danger Do, I’m the best archaeologist and adventurer in the whole of Equestria, I’m awesome, and I can’t lose.” She said firmly. She meant what she said. Daring thought to herself about what was at stake, what it was that would occur if she failed. Likely the whole of Equestria could be in trouble. She had to win, she couldn’t lose, she WOULDN’T lose!
Professor A B Ravenhoof looked the mare over, smiled stoically and nodded. “I’ll take your word for it.” He said, pulling out a map. “Here is a map to the maze. I hope you achieve what you hope to.” He nodded. “And remember, honesty and loyalty to your cause are paramount to your success. The Maze of Truth will try to tempt you away from your Quest. It will lie through the truth. Do not give in to temptation.” He warned.
Daring Do nodded and thanked the stallion before running out; she was glad that she had gone to him for advice.
Daring Do stood upon the hill of sand, looking out along the desolate plane with a tight lipped grin. Opening your mouth in the desert was never good; she’d already inhaled more than enough sand to last her the rest of her life, and she didn’t care to inhale anymore.
The mare began to walk, heading in the direction shown on the map but still not seeing the Maze. She had a few supplies on her, but she had no idea how long they’d last or how long this journey would take. She could very well get lost out here…never to be found again.
Daring Do kept moving, refusing to think negative thoughts and focusing on the journey instead, walking firmly ever forward. Her hoofprints pressed into the sand with every step as she wandered the desert wasteland.
The Maze was said to drive ponies mad, using their fears against them. She wouldn’t let such a thing happen to her. She would find the maze, and retrieve the amulet inside.
Making her way across the desert, a harsh wind whipped at Daring Do’s face, making her grit her teeth and wonder if she was ever going to make it. But suddenly upon the horizon, something shimmered. She looked at it more firmly but found it disappeared before her eyes. She cocked her head and turned away but saw it once again in the corner of her eye. The maze…wasn’t visible when looking directly at it. This was the strangest magic Daring Do had ever encountered. But she was at least glad to have reached her destination.
As she approached it became easier to see, until she could finally look upon the giant maze itself. The walls were stone, the same colour as the sand, almost camouflaged against the background of the desert dunes. There was however, a slightly sweet scent coming from it, and she realised it was a scent that was missing in the desert.
The scent of water.
Light moisture. And now she knew why ponies got lost in there, they would go in in search for the water, but likely had only found their doom.
Daring Do steeled herself for the moment and stepped in, knowing that it was her only chance to retrieve the amulet and stop Ahuizotl and Bravely Blue.
Looking around she pulled off her pith helmet, she looked over her favourite garment and ran her hoof over the scratch that was now permanently bore deep into the surface; the scratch that the black Griffon had caused with his huge talons.
Daring Do gazed at the hat and just sighed a sad smile. Her mind thought back to how she’d gotten it, the memory burning brightly in her mind. She’d been just a filly then, full of hope and wonder at the world, wanting to be a great adventurer. She’d met Bravely Blue on a school trip, seen her greeted her, spoke to her. And on that day her idol had given her the hat and told her to always aim to be the best that she could be, in whatever she wanted to do. She put the hat back on her head, narrowed her eyes and took a step forward into the maze. It was time to face Bravely Blue, it was time to find this amulet, and time to get rid of Ahuizotl!
The maze was huge; massive stone walls blocked her way and led her off in different directions. She smiled. There was a trick to every maze. Always follow the left wall. Admittedly it was the long way round and it guaranteed going throughout every part of the maze, dead-ends and all, but eventually reaching the end. She didn’t know if she had the time, so she decided to take a more direct approach. Daring Do jumped up and began to fly before something stopped her. She struck something like an invisible wall; the moment she came into contact an electrical force washed through her body, making her yelp in shock before falling back to land on the floor with a groan.
“Ouch.” She sighed. “Well, not that way.” She shook her head to clear it, eeping at her singed fur.
She was right though; she didn’t have much time for taking the long route on the left wall, but what she didn’t seem to have was a choice. She began walking, hoping she’d make it in time, or perhaps a quicker way would appear.
She turned into a dead end and she followed the wall out and round another corner. Something flashed at the corner of her eye; she turned and her eyes widened. There was someone there, silhouetted in the gloomy shadow of one of the sandstone walls.
“Psst, I know the way through.” The mare said before rushing down a turning. Daring Do didn’t think, she just raced after the pony. She turned the corner and saw a flitting shape turn right down a smaller avenue in the maze. She turned down to follow. Left, then right, then another right and then a left; she tried to keep track but soon enough she’d lost her way and found herself alone in the maze, wondering where the mysterious mare was. A voice from her memory came unbidden, and Daring Do sighed in frustration.
How could she be so stupid!
“The Maze of Truth will try to tempt you away from your Quest. It will lie. Do not give in to temptation.” And that’s just what she’d done. It had tempted her with an easier solution, following someone else. And she had taken it. She sighed. The maze was just trying to fool her.
“But you are a fool. Aren’t you, Diane?”
The voice came from behind her. Turning, her eyes widened at the sight before her.
“M-Mum?” She said hesitantly.
Before her was a pony with a similar shade of brown coat as her own was, but with a plum coloured mane.
“You were always a fool, dear. Always running around with a toothbrush digging in the garden, trying to find tombs and bones and chests and adventure. And look at you now; running around the world after dusty things that only mattered to ponies long since dead.” She smirked. “You were always such a disappointment.” She said with a sad look in her eyes.
“No…you’re wrong, I’m famous now…” She said hesitantly.
“Famous because you lie.”
The words struck Daring hard.
“What’s it you call yourself? Daring Danger Do?” She said with a chuckle. “Dear, your name is Diane, the Daring and Danger were titles I blame your uncle for.” She said scornfully. “But how Daring or Dangerous are you? Most traps in old places don’t even work anymore. You barely ever really get attacked, and what have you really accomplished? Who have you saved? How many times have you thought you saved the world…but really only saved yourself?” She said with a hollow laugh.
Daring lowered herself to the floor, her head swimming with negativity, her hooves landing on her ears as she shook her head, trying hard not to cry.
“They say only truth can light the way in the maze.”
She stopped shivering.
Daring Do took a deep breath and stood up; she looked at her mother and smiled softly. “You’re right.”
Her mother actually looked shocked.
“I know Ahuizotl is bad, and he’s trying to destroy or control or just take over everything. But I don’t know for sure if he’d manage, do I?” She sighed.
“I say I’ve saved the day. I say I’m awesome but really I’m just a good flier and a bit clever on my hooves.” Daring shrugging apologetically.
“I have a long ways to go, a lot of growing up I need to do. And maybe I’m too arrogant sometimes. But I also know this is important.” She said, almost pleading to her mother.
“If I don’t stop Ahuizotl, then Bravely Blue is smart enough to really do some damage at his side. Whatever they’re after, it’s big. I don’t know if I’m the pony for the job, I don’t know if I’m good enough and I may just fail. But I can’t let fear or doubt stop me. The world needs me right now, so I’m going to do my best.” She said with a soft sigh. Her mother vanished in a wisp of smoke before her eyes, but not before giving Daring a kind and motherly smile.
She extended a single wing, pressed it lightly against the wall on the left side, and just began walking. There were a few movements at the corner of her eyes, but this time she didn’t follow them. She just walked, following the wall. Within the hour Daring Do had finally reached the centre. Having walked for what seemed to have been hours, she tried to school herself into remaining patient. She finally reached the centre and the maze opened up on a large temple in the middle. The walls where huge, but the doors were strangely average sized, each with a face on it.
Daring Do approached the doors curiously, looking over the strange markings and architecture. It was strange; the faces on the doors seemed so…lifelike.
One of the faces breathed in a sudden deep breath and Daring jumped back with a yelp and wide eyes, her hooves up as though to fight.
“What the..!”
The face looked at her and grinned.
“Hello, little pony.” It said.
“Yes, hello!” The other face said suddenly, making Daring yelp once again in shock.
“Wow, we have a frightful one, don’t we?” The left one said before they both began sniggering. She approached and looked them over.
“This is the weirdest magic ever.” She said, shaking her head softly.
“And how do you think we feel? Stuck on the front of this door for two thousand years. I say, you are slightly rude girl, come closer, speak up and tell us what you want.”
Daring Do wasn’t enjoying the faces attitudes so she just looked between them. “I need to get in, so erm…if I could just enter, that would be great.” She said, trying to be polite whilst speaking through annoyed and gritted teeth.
The right one chortled softly before giving Daring Do a small smile.
“No. I think not.”
Daring Do’s eyes narrowed as she considered bucking the doors open, but she had a feeling that it wouldn’t work.
“Why not?” She asked, feeling there might be some trick to this.
“Well.” Began the left one. “You have to get past us first, little mare.” He said.
“And we’re not easy to get past. No sir.” The other one agreed, nodding his strange head.
“Well, how’s it done?” She asked, figuring that this might be some kind of puzzle.
“Oh just a question.” The left one said. “One to each of us, mind you.”
“Only one.” The right one chimed in.
“That’s right, only one. Oh, but there’s something you should know. Erm…what was it again?”
“The poem?” The right one offered hesitantly before the left one nodded in agreement.
“That’s right, the poem. Erm, how did it go again? It’s been so long.”
“You couldn’t even remember it last time.” The right one scolded before sighing. “Here it is:
“One of us will tell you true,
One of us will always lie.
Just one question each you’re due,
And just as much reply.
One right answer gets you through,
Which door will you try?”
The right one finished the poem while the left one simply watched her smugly; obviously feeling she wouldn’t be able to get in.
Daring Do sat back on her rump, thinking carefully about the answer. It took her a moment before she figured out what to ask them.
“Okay, you, mister...erm...Right.” She said with a shrug. She thought for a moment, certain that she had figured out an ingenious answer. She grinned at the right one who suddenly seemed to look nervous. She opened her mouth and said, “My name’s Diane Daring Danger Do. What’s my name?”
The face seemed to draw a blank and clamp his mouth shut. He seemed confused and also enraged. “Its…D-D-Daring Dame…” He said before sighing and looking down. Daring smirked.
“So, you’re the liar.” She grinned and turned to the left one that looked utterly shocked. “Are you the right way I need to go to get into the castle to find this Amulet?” She asked, making sure to be as specific as she could.
The left one nodded and looked down. “Yes.”
She grinned. “Then you’re the door I’ll choose.
“But that’s not right!” The right one shouted. “That’s not the question you’re supposed to ask!”
Daring turned to stare at him. “What do you mean?” She asked, feeling somewhat confused by the statement.
He glared. “You’re supposed to ask one of us if the other one of us would say that he was the right way or not!”
Daring Do stared, feeling a little confused.
“How does that work?”
The right one seemed exasperated now.
“If you ask me if what he says will be that he is the right way then I have to tell you a lie. And if I’m the liar then I would have to lie about what he would say. And because he would have told you the truth, I would have to lie about it. But, if he were the liar and not me, he would have obviously lied, but then I would have to answer the question truthfully which would in fact be the lie from him. So no matter which one of us is the liar and which one of us is the truth-teller, the answer that you would get would have one and only one lie in the answer. So you’d only need to take the other door.” He said, taking a deep breath after explaining it.
Daring just stared.
“I don’t get it. I still have my answer.”
Daring headed towards the door and reached out to open it before the right one shouted out. “Wait! But you got it wrong!”
Daring froze and turned to the right face. “So that’s not the right way? No lies, your riddle’s done.” She said with a glare.
The face sighed. “Yes it is but you got the riddle wrong, you gave the wrong answer to the riddle!”
“But I got the right answer to the question.” She argued.
“That’s not the point!” the door face yelled, obviously very exasperated at this point. Daring glared.
“I’m an archaeologist, I’m used to ancient riddles, and I’ve often found that riddles have more than one accurate answer, while only having one correct one. So while I didn’t give you the correct answer, I still gave you an accurate one. And I got an accurate answer. And that’s all I need. So deal with it.” She said smugly before opening the door and heading inside.
Feeling particularly proud of herself, Daring Do entered the temple and looked around.
She thought she should be more shocked. The place was old, but also hollow; the outside of the temple merely a shell as the inside was nothing more than a huge hall. But in the centre of the room was a massive pyramid with a crystal cap.
She would have been shocked and in awe a few years ago, but she was used to such things by now. The ancient equestrians certainly had weird taste in décor.
She approached before she stopped. Looking at the face of the pyramid her eyes finally did widen in awe. There upon the stone surface were carvings, one of a moon, the other of a sun, and something above them connected by a single carved line from each. A half-moon harbouring a circle inside it; half of the circle was emblazed like the sun.
Around them were what looked to be flying Alicorns.
She approached the entrance and looked inside; it was then that something rushed out from the darkness and struck her hard. Daring gasped as the breath was knocked from her and she fell out into the large hall, sprawling on the dusty floor. She looked up with dazed eyes and gasped as Ahuizotl stepped out, grinning as beside him Bravely Blue exited the pyramid. Around her neck hung a golden amulet in the shape of the symbol on the pyramid, the sun within the moon.
“So you found us out. Too bad, the Amulet of Serra is ours, Diane.” She grinned.
“Amulet of Serra?” She asked, not yet having heard that name. Bravely Blue looked at her before breaking out into laughter.
“You didn’t know? That’s so like you Diane, Always rushing in without the proper information.” She grinned. “And that’s why you’ll lose. Now, be a dear and head home, do some research and come back when you pose a proper challenge. Or better yet…just die here and now.” She said with a cold voice. Ahuizotl rushed forward, claws raised high above his head before he lashed down. Daring Do dived between his legs and bucked back, smashing against his rump with her back legs, sending him against a wall. She ran to a wall and jumped; latching onto a groove she began to climb up the face of the wall.
“Get her!” Bravely Blue shouted.
Ahuizotl rushed at her, jumping and digging claws into the wall he began laughing. “You will be mine Daring Do; I will render you lifeless and use the Legend of Serra to rule the world!” He cackled loudly.
She smirked. “Not today Ahuizotl!” She dove and caught onto a vine hanging low from the roof. Swinging low, Bravely Blue looked shocked as Daring’s hoof shot out, grabbing onto the amulet before she flew on and landed on a ledge on the opposite side of the room.
“You have no way out, Daring Do!” Bravely Blue shouted, seeming almost hysteric.
Daring smiled. That was the first time Bravely Blue had ever called her that. That meant a turning of the tide. A level of respect, even fear. Too bad it came at the end.
“Yes there is.” She smirked. “Didn’t you always say these places were unstable?” She said mockingly before she bucked out, the rocky wall behind her caved outwards and stones began falling. “So long, Bravely Blue!” She laughed before she dashed out into the sunlight. She opened her wings and flew away, beating her wings fast as the temple behind her began to cave in. She felt a pang of guilt that she might have just seen the end of her mentor Bravely Blue, but it was quickly squashed by the feeling of triumph and satisfaction. She had the Amulet, and the world was now truly safe.
She hoped.
Many questions plagued the mare’s mind. The Amulet was placed under lock and key, as was the goblet. The bodies of Ahuizotl and Bravely Blue had never been recovered, and there was no sign of the Golden Key or the Sapphire Statue.
Daring Looked at the Goblet. She had taken to calling the Griffon's Goblet, as she was sure she’d practically stolen it from the final black griffon left.
She looked from the Goblet to the Amulet, locked behind their glass casings. She wondered what they could have been on about. She had to find out, even if they were gone; the world would never be safe truly until she could make sure this legend could never any one, pony or otherwise.
She turned around and headed for the one place she often avoided, sighing before walking into the library of the Clopsdale University. Daring Do had some studying to do!