//------------------------------//
// Descent into the Inferno 
// Story: The Last Human 
// by Crooked Djinn 
//------------------------------//

	The sound of shifting sand falls on your ears, as well as the soft spoken conversations that surround you. It didn't feel like you were at all stationary, more like you were being pulled. You'd be panicking a little if you weren't so tired. You thought about dismissing it as nothing and falling back to sleep, but you knew that'd just be reckless. You could at least open an eye to get the gist of what was going on. Terrible idea. You just so happened to stare directly into the sun. The bright ball of luminescence hits you dead in the eye like it was yelling at you for sleeping so late. 

You quickly cover your eyes with your hand, trying to shield them before they could melt into your skull. Thinking back on the events that happened a day prior, you slowly recall everything. The labyrinth. The angels. Your arm nearly getting gnawed off. You glance at an arm you can hardly feel. It was bandaged and motionless. There was little to no sensation in it, like all the nerves had been burned away. Looking around, you can see that you definitely were moving. You were on your back, being pulled along a blanket through the sand.

You crane your neck to look behind you, the sudden movement causing you to feel groggy. Celestia had been pulling you along with a harness strapped to her. Spike was once again riding atop her back and from down below, you were a tad bit jealous.

"..I doubt it. How do we even know we can get into the city if the gate’s locked?" Spike asked.

"We'll find a way. It's imperative to stay optimistic Spike. Besides, we have Anon and that peculiar stone he carries." Celestia replied.

"You mean that stone we know nothing about?" He said flatly.

Celestia laughed as she began to make her way around a dune. You must not have weighed much, for she pulled you along as if you were merely a toy wagon.

"Considering he had it on him when I found him, I'd say it's a pretty important key. But who knows, I could be wrong. Maybe we've been wasting our time."

"What happened to being optimistic?" you say, peacefully resting on your makeshift carriage.

"Anon, you're awake!" Spike maked a full body rotation as he turned to you.

Celestia peers at you over her shoulder, her high risen collar hiding her smile.

"How are you feeling?" she asks, turning her attention forward again.

You try and prop yourself up with your arms, but feel a shooting pain spring up in your left arm. It felt like someone was cutting upward into your veins and freezing the blood. This was pain that was otherworldly. It made you want to immediately give up on this adventure and sleep for eternity. You cry out as you hunch over clutching your forearm, somehow thinking that'd make it better. Touching it only intensified the pain so you let go, regretting ever getting up in the first place.

"Anon! Don't move too fast, you're still going through magic fatigue."

Celestia now stopped. Spike unlatched the straps to her harness and helped her remove it. She made her way around to you, sighing.

"Magic fatigue?"

And then you remembered. After you destroyed the machine that created the labyrinth, the walls and ceilings came down and threatened to bury you all alive. You can still remember the immense pain your entire body went through.

"Yes fool, fatigue. It'd be best if you didn't move too much."

"Fool? If I recall correctly, it was your fault we were caught up in that whole ordeal."

Fresh bandages fly into your face like they were fired from a cannon. You were so weak that they could almost knock you down.

"Well, if you have enough energy to play the blame game, you can change your own bandages."

Celestia then turned her nose up and left you to go check on the herd. You hated to admit that you absolutely didn't want to tend to your wounds yourself. Touching the area was enough to make you swear like a maniac.

"She was worried about you, y'know?"

You turn to Spike who stood beside you, arms folded and rocking back and forth. You looked at him curiously. Celestia worrying about you was a nice sentiment. It made you feel somewhat bashful in a way.

"She stayed up practically all night watching over you. You really scared us back there man. Anyway, thanks."

Spike smiled and formed a fist with his claws. Like always, you nudge it with your own. Now that you think about it, you did sort of save everyone's life. And you were now closer to repaying your debt to Spike, maybe you could put his life in danger and save him. That would even the score.

"All night, eh?"

Spike nodded.

"She's the one who tied your bandages. You would have bled out overnight if it weren't for her."

You could tell Spike was trying to urge you to get off your backside and go thank her. And you'd do just that. Just as soon as you found your strength. Thinking about it now, it probably wasn't the best idea to blame her after she took care of you all night. She obviously paid for it.

"Right then. Spike, help me to my feet."

He stretched out his small arm and you grabbed it, letting him carefully pull you to your feet. It felt like all the blood now rushed down to your toes as you stood. A throbbing headache pounding in your head and terrible pain stabbing into your joints. You almost buckle over, but thanks to Spike you're able to steady yourself. It didn't help that you stood in the half solid sand. But standing was the easy part. You knew that once you took that first step, it'd be a challenge to keep walking. It'd probably just be better to sit and wait for her to come back. You could kiss your days of marching goodbye.

"Say Spike, how long have you been marching?" You say, struggling to take the first step.

"Uhh, nearly all morning."

He helped you along as you make the painful trek to the herd.

"All morning? How close are we?" You ask.

"Well, we're practically already there."

Your knees buckle and you fall. That came to be quite the surprise.

"Already?"

Looking behind you, you can make out the stone structure that towers over the large dune. Just behind that mound of sand was the gate into that subterranean city. Finally.

"Didn't I say not to move?"

Celestia is now making her way back with a canteen of water, the biggest frown planted on her face. Spike nearly lets you drop as you try to stand once more, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Celestia's anger. She looks you over fully now. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with you save for your arm and fatigue. She sighed and passed you the canteen, the tin canister hanging by a thin strip of leather held in place by her muzzle. You were somewhat afraid to reach for it. For some reason you thought she'd bite. Gingerly, you reach out for the canteen with your right hand and take it from her mouth. She eyes you curiously, probably put off by the caution you were taking.

"Are you feeling alright? Do you need more time to rest?" She asked, lowering herself to eye level with you.

She was mere inches away from your face and you could see yourself mirrored perfectly in her magenta eyes. You try and focus your vision on something else, her stare being too much for you.

"No, I've rested enough." You carefully unscrew the canteen with your left hand. There was only a slight pain as you twisted the top. You weren't completely hopeless.

"Spike tells me we're nearly there." You say, downing nearly the entire canister of water.

"Just as you said yesterday, we had to make up for lost time. And I'd hate to make you walk through much more of this desert in your condition."

Wow, she was really looking out for you.

"Thank you. But I'll be fine."

You try to stand on your own to make a point. You prop yourself up with one knee to stand. Slowly you rise, Celestia trying to talk you out of moving too soon.

"Relax. I'm perfectly... fine."

Eventually you're standing on your own two feet. No Spike to prop you up and no Celestia to keep you down. Yes, the perfect image of vigor and strength.

"You see? N-nothing can keep me down."

Celestia and Spike stared at you in silence. Their faces tired and irritated. Though you were standing alone, your knees were shaking and it felt like your legs were steel beams that were melting fast.

"I give him a couple of minutes." Spike said flatly. He didn't stick around to see what became of you as he went off towards the herd that now buzzed with small talk.

Now it was just you, shaking and trying your damnedest to stay upright with Celestia frowning and fretting over your well-being.

"What does Spike know?"

You attempt to swat the air dismissively, but find that in doing so you were throwing yourself off balance. At that moment, you could see the thousand years of age falling onto Celestia's comically worry filled face.

"Sit down before you hurt yourself. If you die out here, I'm not taking any responsibility." She said as she brushed passed you.

She made for the dune, wanting to get a good view of the tower before you approached it. You didn't have enough energy to turn, so you quickly crane your neck to the side and call to her before she got too far. She stopped, looking back at you with an annoyed expression.

"Thank you. For taking care of me, I mean." Just then you saw her face shift from tired and annoyed to joyful. She nodded as she continued up the slope.

"Try not to work yourself too hard Anon." She said.

"Aye."

You watched her go until you she faded from your peripheral and out of sight. Now you were alone. You were getting hungry, perhaps a small meal would take care of that. Lifting a foot, you take a step and then fall.





You now rode on Celestia's back, hunched over and embarrassed. She made such a fuss about you collapsing in the sand that she forced you to ride her all the way to the tower even though you had eaten and felt so much better than before. You were sure you could make it a mile before giving out. But that was completely out of the question. That day you learned that there was no arguing with a princess. Rounding the dune, you could see the tower clearly for the first time.

"Amazing. How could something like this stand?" You ask, nearly falling backwards trying to observe its height.

Spike could hardly believe it. He was thoroughly impressed with the Ishtar, but Babel seemed to blow all his expectations out of the water. Even Celestia, who had laid eyes on the wonder two hundred years ago, stared on in awe. Behind you, the soldiers approached slack jawed and wide-eyed. Many would look to you, questioning if you too were capable of such feats. All of you made your way to the tower, its shadow being cast over you like a great cloud of shade. It completely blotted out the sun, almost like Fenrir swallowing the giant ball of gas.

It was elevated, risen above the sand by a large stone platform. The only way to access it was through giant stairways that led into the magnificent spire. The stone spire reached lazily into the sky. It was so immense that it could very well be carved from a mountain, and perhaps it was. Humans were a very remarkable species. The tower seemed to escalate with tiers. The base being the widest and with each tier it grew smaller and more narrow until eventually the peak was only the size of a bed room.

The Tower of Babel. After days of marching through burning sand and surviving the onslaught of the angels, you were were finally here. What lay inside was the gateway to your former life, all the answers to the many questions. Especially the first question, the question that had yet to be answered.

[PLAY]

What befell the humans of Agartha? That question alone echoed through your mind like waves crashing on the shore. As you approached, you felt eerily familiar with your surroundings. Like you had gone home for the first time after moving away long ago. It gave off a sense of timelessness. Even though it was partially destroyed, it remained untouched by time and ignored by history. Even Starswirl, the wise magician who dabbled the most in human dealings, did not know what the tower was. You can say that looking upon it for the first time did stir something within you. It made you excited, fearful, nostalgic, and slightly unwilling to journey inside.

Your muscles stiffen as you drew closer. Now, instead of feeling the slight pain through your entire body, you feel a sickness. Were you scared? Now you were moving up the stairs. Each step taking you closer to the inside. This was a moment you'll remember forever. Never will you forget this feeling. Everyone was silent as they made their way up the steps. Each had their own thoughts about what they'd find. What mysteries they'll encounter in this ancient tomb.

Looking down, you could somewhat see the excitement in Celestia's face. Maybe after so long, she'll finally be able to see the ancient city she was denied long ago. You found yourself wanting to show it to her. Let her take in the majesty and uniqueness of a completely different race. You lean down and pat the base of her neck. She smiles, trying to keep herself from making a full dash up the stairs. As you continue up the stairs, you can see the many statues that lined the first tier. Just like the Ishtar, there seemed to be statues on every tier. Each one depicting a human seemingly of great importance. Etched in the walls were animals that had long been dead and symbols that had lost their meaning ages ago.

Finally you reach the top. Now you stood a good hundred feet from the desert base. You could now see over the vast desert and look how far you've come in just five days. From your vantage point, you can see the Ishtar far off in the distance and hardly visible. Thinking back on it, your journey had been quite dangerous, filled with constant peril and strife. But through it all, you've managed to walk away mostly unharmed. But you did owe a lot to the ones who died getting you here. Looking out across the sand, you can't help but think of the centaurs. Your cousins that shared the human spirit. Perhaps one day, you'll be able to show them the place you came from. Everyone had their own special thoughts as they stared at the trail they had taken. Some regretted while some were thankful to have survived. Others were filled with excitement for what would happen next.

"Well then.." Celestia turned away from the desert and made her way towards two massive stone doors that reached high into the air. The doors we slightly open, revealing a small crevice wide enough for many of you to fit through.

"..Shall we go inside?"

She looked at you and you looked at her. A silent exchange of words taking place before you nod and she continues on. You pass through the gates similar to when you passed through the Ishtar. Like before, you were entering into another reality. First you passed into an empty desert, void of any life. Then you passed into Tzipuur, a town bustling with life. Now you were passing into a world beneath the rock, a world completely sealed away by a forgotten disaster.


//Everything you wish to learn waits for you in Agartha. We will meet there, and we will provide you with any answer you need.\\


You could practically hear its voice as if it were standing beside you. It gave you a drive, a motivation to seek out what had been buried under time.

[PLAY]

The inside was marvelous. The walls seemed to be lined with gold and wonderful murals painted with skill never before seen in Equestria. Everyone awed at the interior of the ancient tower. Many scattered as soon as they got inside, branching off into different groups as they explored the giant tower. It was like stepping into an arena of sorts. The tower was completely hollow and it made you wonder how on earth it stood.

You look up, curious as to what you'd find on the inside of this monolith. The sunlight filtered down from the small hole high above you. It was like you stepped into another land and that light at the top was its sun, illuminating everything. The inside was also lined with statues, but these statues were significantly different from the others you saw before. Like the others, they were human, except they all had massive wings springing from their backs and gave off an air of divinity.

Angels.. You thought to yourself, but with no real reason. The thought surprised you. What on earth made you think of those beasts? They looked nothing like the statues, but were they somehow linked? You, Celestia, and Spike wander around the tower not really looking for anything, just simply exploring. Eventually, you came to a wall lined with very complicated looking machinery. It was a bank of rusted levers and broken buttons. Most of it was black from the soot of a fire.

"This is where I found you, all those years ago." Celestia said.

"Woah.. So Anon was here? What a weird place for a statue." Spike said.

He was right of course. For you to be found next to a bank of consoles was strange indeed. You hunch over, resting your chin on Celestia's head. She didn't seem to mind all that much. You rested as you thought. Why were you found here? Of all places, you were found in the tower and not down in the city. The gateway into the city had been locked from what Celestia told you, and you were found next to the biggest machine in the room. Was it possible that you sealed it? The Voice said to question yourself. Had he been right in the fact that you were directly responsible for what happened? You feel your muscles tense as you pursue the thought. It wasn't pleasant at all. It made you feel sick to your stomach and want to keel over from disgust.

"Anon? Are you alright?" Celestia asked, lowering herself to the ground. She looked over you, but didn't seem to notice anything severely wrong. Maybe you were still recovering from the fatigue.

"I'm fine. But I think I better walk on my own for now." You say, trying to dismount.

"Are you sure? I can still carry you if you need-"

"I'm fine Celestia."

Celestia then quieted down. Watching you as you slightly struggled to dismount. It was obvious that you were agitated, but she couldn't fathom why and it peeved her.

"I'd like to be alone right now, if that's alright with you two."

You don't look at them as you struggle to walk. Though your strength was returning to you, you were still a ways away from being completely healthy.

"....Very well. This may be a lot for you to take in."

She raises onto all four of her legs, her face void of any emotion. She felt distant all of a sudden.

"Come along Spike."

Celestia now trotted away in the opposite direction. Spike was silent for a long while and staring at the back of your head. In the short time he had known you, he was able to tell when something ate away at you, but now he got the feeling that it would be best not to pry and reluctantly walked away. You were now alone in the place where you first met Celestia, though you suppose you weren't quite all there. What was it like in the stone?

[PLAY]

It was similar to being asleep, except there were no dreams. You didn't feel anything or hear anything. You might as well have been dead. And who’s to say you weren't dead? Could you have died all that time ago? But then, how would you have come to reawaken? Why did you reawaken at all? So many questions and for once, you feared your curiosity. The answers implied a sense of dread and regret that you didn't want any part of. You stare at the console, charred black and rusted. It looked so familiar. You were only a memory away from knowing exactly how to work the contraption.

Looking about you, you search for any sort of sign of a gate, but there were no doors or stairways that led down into the slumbering city. How were you supposed to get into Agartha if there was no physical way down?	Then you look to the wide floor in the center of the tower. The pillar of light from above focused on the symbol that was etched into the floor. It had to be the floor. An elevator of sorts, it certainly sounded familiar. Turning back to the console behind you, you study it. There was nothing particularly eye catching about it, yet you were drawn to a certain spot. In the center, a single rod jutted out from the bank. It made a right angle and formed a stubbed knob. It was square and had groves that moved along the surface. You thought hard. It was familiar to you, but in what way? Then you remember. The stone you had on you the day you awoke.

It called to you, even now. It was practically burning a hole through your pocket. Your hand plunges into your pocket and grips the stone tightly.	Slowly, you pull it out. It felt weightless now, no longer slightly heavy. You hold it up to your eye and you stare at the simple carvings around its surface.

"Left, Left, right, right, in."

Ro'Jetty seemed to stand beside you, reminding you of what he thought of the stone. Were these directions?

What does it mean..? You ask yourself.

But there was only one way to find out. Stretching out your hand, you hover the stone over the beam, the square nub aligning perfectly with the hole in the stone’s center. It was a perfect fit as you placed it on the node. You look about you. No one was paying attention to you. Celestia and Spike were off exploring the cave-like interior of the tower. In that moment, you felt alone. Isolated in a place between time. You felt out of it, like something was throwing you off severely. The past was creeping into you, trying to barge its way into your mind where it belonged. But for some reason you were fighting the memories back.

Left.

You twist the stone to the left and a loud click sounds. It startled you, you only half expected the stone to move. Carefully, you place your hand back on the 'key' and twist.

Left.

It clicks again.

Right, right.

Two clicks and pressure is released from the pipes that protrude out of the console. They were loud releases and everyone turned to look at you at the far side from them. Celestia and Spike rushed over to you. There was only one more direction. In? You place both hands atop the stone, despite the pain in your left arm. You were no longer reluctant. In fact, you were impatient. You wanted to sate your curiosity more than anything. You could hear Celestia and Spike call to you. Now everyone made their way across the floor to approach you, but there was no stopping you. With all your might you put all your weight onto the stone and the protruding strut acts as a lever, lowering down and locking in place. The ancient machine roars to life after various millennia of inactivity. The ground beneath you begins to shake violently and many of the soldiers began to panic.

"Anon! What have you done!?" Celestia was now in full gallop, making her way towards you.

"Tell everyone to get in the center!" You shout excitedly. You were going home after all.

You snatch the stone off of the lever and run. Your nerves no longer ached as you ran across the floor to stand in the center. The sound of gigantic gears and cogs began to ring throughout the tower, funneling up and out of the spire like a cannon. Celestia was stationary for a moment, unable to fully process what was happening. But she did as she was told, telling everyone to gather in the middle. Your body no longer felt a shock wave of pain with each step. It no longer felt tired or strained. Maybe you were finally coming around. A defining clang rang out and you stumbled as the ground beneath you seemed to unbuckle and loosen. Now you could see that a very large portion of the ground was a platform. The large circle in the center with the symbol carved into it began to rise, revealing a pillar that shot out a lever from the side. Steam was pouring out from the broken pipes along the walls, shrouding the floor in a mist.

"Anon? What has happened? What's going on?" Celestia now joined you. Spike was relaying the news to the other bewildered stallions, trying to herd them all into the center.

"The stone! It was the stone that was the key!"

You shout over the loud clanking of the gears. Celestia was now looking around frantically. Listening to the loud grinding of the gears that echoed throughout the tower. It was happening. She would finally be able to lay her eyes on humanity's most prized city. You watched her as she began to laugh uncontrollably. She began shouting "We did it!" over and over. Others watched as you playfully danced with her around the pillar that had risen from the floor. For a moment you began to wonder if either of you had gone insane.

"Did you figure out how to get to the city?" Spike asked. He was hunched over and huffing for breath.

"Yes Spike. Are you ready to see where I come from?"

You smiled brightly. You weren't plagued by the dread from before. Instead you were looking forward to regaining your memories. You didn't care what they were anymore. Now that you were so close to finally knowing, the feeling of accomplishment was overtaking you. It felt like you had won in a way. Spike stared at you wide-eyed. You saw that gleam in his eye that you often got whenever you were moments away from discovery. All three of you were equally curious as to what lay below, and today you'd find out.

You grab hold of the lever that protruded from the small pillar. Everyone had gathered on the platform and now stared at the three of you, awaiting for what happened next. Silently, you thank everyone for getting you this far, but most of all, you thanked Celestia. She was the sole purpose all of this was possible. You owed her a great debt.

"You all may want to hang on!"

From what you remember, it was a long way down and nearly as fast as free falling. And so you pulled the lever with all your strength, it clicking loudly over the giant gears beneath the platform.

[PLAY]

The platform seems to drop at the blink of an eye. It felt like gravity was pushing you down into the earth's core. There was no telling how deep you were going. From above, the light from the tower began to fade and place you all in darkness. The pit in your stomach began to rise up to your chest as you fell deeper and deeper into the ground. Celestia and Spike were cheering loudly along with the others as you rode down.

It was loud, more overpowering than the gears that sent you down. Soon, when the light had completely faded, green lights shot by as you descended. The lights created a still shot of everyone as each light passed. You held tightly onto the lever as you willed yourself through the descent. The wind was blowing intensely and you could nearly choke on it. Then you all fell into darkness again, but it was short lived as a large glass pane revealed itself, stretching down the width of the elevator shaft and in turn revealing the city. All the screams and cheering were hushed as you rapidly descended into Agartha. Everyone was awestruck. Gazing at the humongous city that lay in the center of a lake of lava. The walls maintained a reddish glow and the air began to stink of sulfur. It was a sight all too familiar to you. The smell brought you back a million years. This was Argatha. Your home. 

The platform began to gradually slow. The glass pane being hidden by the rock once again. The gears began to stop. Their incessant clanking slowing and grinding to a halt until there was nothing but the wind flowing into the titanic chasm that housed the great city. The elevator came to a stop, a grand gate towering over you all accompanied by two gigantic statues which stood as protectors. You let go of the lever, it being nearly crushed from how tightly you were holding it. Many began to cough, the air being laced with harmful substances. Even from here, the scent of sulfur was already strong.

Ripping off your right sleeve, you tie it over your mouth. Now your undershirt was sleeveless and you could feel the heat on your arms. Many others did the same, some using spare bandages or random articles of cloth to cover their mouths. Spike however, was immune to the scent. No doubt because he was a dragon.

"Is the smell really getting to you that badly?" He asked.

You and Celestia nod, speaking would have to be something you'd only be able to do with practice. Each time you opened your mouths your lungs began to feel a slight fire set in. You wondered how exactly you lived down here.

"Celestia, I'm ready when you are." You say, your voice muffled through your makeshift mask.

She nods and stomps her hoof on the stone floor to gain everyone's attention. They all face her, but instead of locking eyes on their princess, everyone looks to you. They awaited your command like rightful soldiers and it humored you. You were far from a commander, yet they looked to you as if they trusted you with their lives.

"I'd say we're quite ready." Celestia said. You pat the back of her neck with your hand, smiling under your mask.

"Well then. Let's be on our way."

You took the lead, being the center of attention as you're the first to step off the platform and into the gate. The gate lead into a large cavern-like structure of rock. It had twists and turns that carried you up and down steps. Along the walls were carvings and patterns, some of which told stories. The smell of sulfur was increasing as you made your way through the tunnel. Before long, you came to the final stretch. Ahead of you was the orange glow of the magma lake that sat far below you. The light intensified as you stepped out of the tunnel, revealing the mile long bridge that lead into one of the gates of Agartha. This was Charon Bridge. You all spill out onto the ledge like water from a leak. Spike was writing in his journal as many stopped to look around. You stared at the solitary city in the center of the lake. Even from that far a distance, you could make out the layout of the city. You also had a vague memory. 

Agartha was divided by five districts, each being separated by a canal of magma. And though the main city was located at the heart of the lake, the city also included everything surrounding it. A ring around the cavern held many buildings and homes built into the wall. Four great bridges lead to the city gates from the north, south, east, and west. But the south bridge, which you had been facing, had been destroyed half way. You'd have to journey around in order to get into the city. Celestia was staring off into the distance just as you were. She beamed with excitement and that in turn filled you with the same emotion. You point to the subterranean horizon, Celestia following it.

"You see the large structure that looms in the distance?" You ask, to which she nodded.

"That's the royal palace. If I remember correctly, I spent a lot of time there." Celestia's gaze now shifted to you. She raised an eyebrow and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh Anon. You didn't tell me you were royalty!" You laugh. It was a nice thought.

"Perhaps I was. Who knows?"

You point around, naming the different locations that you only had a vague memory of. Celestia took great interest in what you had to say. She couldn't believe she was actually learning.

"How much do you remember?" She asked.

"Not a significant amount. But now I have a vague idea of this city. Everything's starting to come back. I just need to give it time."

"You think we'll find anything about the angels?" Spike asked. He had taken off his keffiyeh and his spines seemed to stretch a bit. The question had reminded you that you were being pursued and half the reason why you were here. Angels emerged in Equestria the moment you had awakened and hunted you down when you decided to journey to the Badlands. Here you'll find not only yourself, but discover your connection with those devilish beasts.

"I should hope so Spike."

You didn't want to think of the possibility of the answer not being here. That was too grim.

"In the mean time, we should focus on getting into the city. We'll have to take a different bridge however, with this one being destroyed."

Each bridge measured just over a mile long so it didn't matter which bridge you took. Your best bet would be to take either the west or east bridges to get into the city.

"We'll take the east bridge."

Celestia turned to look at the bridge that was far into the distance. It looked to be nothing other than a black strip stretching over the lava bed. You hurry along. The heat was just as bad as it was on the surface. At times a random burst of hot air would blow around you and you could feel your body temperature raise a degree higher. How did you live down here with those thick robes? Who could possibly stand this terrible heat? Humans, apparently.

You lead the company through the outer ring of Agartha. The cavern walls were lined with houses and buildings that seemed to jut out from the various ledges and cliffs along the walls. The path was ever winding, like a snake climbing up the rock. Traveling up the various steps and down the many ramps reminded you of when you first entered the Badlands. This place loved steps. They were everywhere. Why couldn't everything work with the use of platforms? Celestia didn't seem to mind though. She trotted happily through the ring without complaining. She must not have felt the heat. Along the way, Celestia and Spike asked you many questions and you tried your best to answer. But often times you were unable and so they'd simply move to a new topic.

"How does breathable air get all the way down here?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think they used great big vents?"

"It's a possibility."

"Did humans always live underground?"

You sigh, exhausted from the constant interrogation. The path was becoming more and more obscure and crooked. Certain steps crumbled away at your approach and chunks of loose rock scattered down the rock face from your light stampede of a march. Down here, in this great chasm, it was quite difficult to tell the time. For all you and others knew it had already been nightfall. Now you were nearly halfway there, the small settlement of houses climbing up the sloping cavern walls being a marker.

"I think it's best if we rest here for now. This heat must be terrible for most."

"Perhaps so. The sulfur is staring to encase my nose in a cloud..." Celestia said, brushing her leg against her muzzle, trying to get the powdery sulfur away from her nose.

"Aw it's not so bad." Spike said, offering her a handkerchief from his sack. "It kinda gives you a sense of nostalgia."

You considered Spike's use of the word 'nostalgia'. As you had come to know, Spike was raised around ponies his entire life. Never knowing of his dragon kin that slumbered in mountains and swam in the deepest molten rock. So what such nostalgia could he feel for the sulfur that hung in the air like rotten eggs?

"Maybe for a dragon, Spike. But our noses can hardly stand its smell."

"Well if that's true, then how did humans live down here?"

You sigh, not quite knowing the answer yourself.

"That, I'm afraid, I have no idea of."

You climb the steep steps that led to the housing atop the cliffside. You were higher in the cavern, which gave an excuse for the heat to surround you and wrap its steaming fingers around your necks. The company grumbled with most complaining about the heat and desperately fanning themselves and wiping their brows with sweat covered cloths. Being so high allowed you to get a more clear viewing of the city. Most of it still lay in shadow in the middle of the lake of pyroclastic rock. It resounded the same call the tower gave you.

Soon after the company had made camp, you strayed away. You feared that it'd become a habit now. Often times you found yourself rather liking your solitude. You sat on a secluded rock that jutted out over the path far down below. The hot air from the lava bed glided up the curved rock and blew on you like a warm oven. It was pleasant at first but soon became unbearable, forcing you to remove your leather armor. It also helped that your sleeves had been ripped. Had you been wearing the light silk-like shirt you set out in, it'd be completely plastered to your arms in sweat. You must smell horrid, stumbling around in this sulfur filled fissure of bubbling magma and smoothed rock.

"I see you've become the lone mysterious type."

Celestia approached you, her armor also stripped away and her mane let down from the pony tail she sported before. The cuffs of her shirt were lightly singed with fire and various cuts and gashes trailed up her long sleeves. But though her apparel was scuffed and mangled, her person maintained that signature glow she was so accustomed to. You thought back to the day you awoke in Canterlot and were brought to your knees before her in her throne room. She was so kind, yet distant, and just out of arm’s reach. Now she was close to you, ever present like the conscience.

"I find myself becoming more of a recluse as time goes on. Perhaps I was a hermit back when I was alive."

"Alive..?"

Yes, alive. It was a thought you entertained lately. It was planted in your mind the moment the Voice suggested that you were merely an echo, an epilogue to the legacy of the human race. And without any memories of your prior life before the stone, you may have well been nothing but dead.

"Imagine if you knew nothing at all about who you were, Celestia. Imagine that your life and those who knew of it only existed in days long gone bye. You'd be merely a footprint on the sand."

Celestia raised her eyebrow, curious. As she approached you felt the air heat up. You noticed it a long while ago. The air around you would rise a degree or so, perhaps an effect of harboring the sun in her heart. She sat to your side, her slender back revealed to you as her mane flowed mistily down her side.

"I can hardly imagine. Not a day has gone by where a single moment of my life has strayed from my memory. I remember them as clear as crystal. Though, many times I have tried to forget but found that I could not. A curse the immortal suffer."

She smiled, though it was empty. Her eyes were half lidded, her vision replaying the lesser majesty of her grand life. You both were very old. Ancient beyond anyone's memory. Fortunately, you didn't suffer the curse of immortality. You were still mortal, susceptible to the iron clutches of death which none had ever escaped. But Celestia was a different story. For the first time you wondered what transpired in the last thousand years. The things she must have seen and the impossible choices she must have made. Her sister, who was also like her, seemed very cold and distant. You met her once.

She was as blue as the deepest night and glowed with twinkling stars that danced in her nebulous mane. Princess Luna never said a word to you. Hardly glanced in your direction as you were introduced. Her stare was so cold, it burned into your chest, prying open your rib cage to stare into your heart. In many ways, she was the exact opposite of her elder sister. But Celestia had said often times that they were much alike. You wondered how it was so. Could Celestia be capable of such terrifying glares and chilling atmosphere? Perhaps not, for she was the day, the spring before summer.

"Do...do you sometimes regret your immortality?”

Celestia was now dead silent, as hushed as a butterfly's wing beat. The light from her eyes had seem to fade and she merely stared out at the lake of fire. There would be no answer. There was a long silence as you both watched the fluctuating flames that danced like fireflies on swaying blades of summer grass.

"Tell me Anon, if you don't mind my prodding. Where do you wish to go after this little journey of ours?"

She now looked at you, the light returning to her eyes and reflecting you perfectly in the red glow of the cavern. It was something you didn't dare think about. Thinking about what came after this adventure would mean that the adventure was over. You had become trapped in the story you were coursing through.

"The thought never crossed my mind." You wipe the sweat from the back of your neck. "I suppose it depends on what we find. I have no idea who I was before the stone. For all I know, I am the reason mankind had vanished."

"And if you are?"

Your eyes meet hers and they stare back questioningly. The two orbs of ocean-like blue ask a question that you never thought to ask yourself. If you did learn that you threw the gavel down on humanity's judgement, then so what? Did it define who you were now?

"What will you do if that theory were proven true? Would you run from it?"

Run from it? Could you even gain any distance from a beast that large and cruel?

"No, I think not. I'd sooner cast myself into the fire. But if I do come to find that I am some sort of 'angel of death', I don't know what I'd do. How do you cope with such a loss? Especially if it were your own doing."

Celestia didn't look away, but she said nothing. She seemed to be peering into you. Diving down into your soul, id, and ego, roaming about, searching for nothing in particular.

"You simply do. It's painful at first sure, and you mourn. But time is the world's greatest healer. With enough time you are able to cope with the loss. But you can never forget what was lost, and you can never forget the pain."

Celestia. What was it in her name that suggested such majesty? This mare who had lived countless lifetimes knew what it was to feel pain, how to mend it and turn it into something that drove you. She had flaws, contradictions that lay under her soft fur. Behind the intense gleam of her beautiful eyes hid a mare who was the same as anyone else. Celestia was a goddess. Yet she walked the same ground, breathed the same air, saw the same sky as mortals did. She was your friend.

You smile. The most earnest smile to play across your face. You began to laugh wholeheartedly, holding your sides and gasping for air. She stared, confused with your random fit of laughter. Celestia wasn't any sort of divine goddess, at least not in her heart. Perhaps once upon a time she had been mortal, and part of her is mortal yet. It did you great wonders to know this. For the first time in a very long while, you were immensely happy. She truly was your friend. Your closest friend. And who knew, with time, this friendship could blossom into something unique and beautiful. Time was indeed the world's greatest healer, but it was also the greatest force that drew people together.

Perhaps time was the same as what others called fate or destiny. It was patient, never wavering, constant. Nothing other than time would have waited countless millennia to bring an ancient man and an ageless paragon together. Your fit of laughter subsides. Fate truly did work in mysterious ways, for it was fate that brought the two of you together. Before now, you had feared what fate had in store for you, what destiny would fall upon you once you discovered the truth in Agartha. But now you looked forward to it, embraced it.

"Thank you. Celestia."

Though she didn't know the meaning of the sudden gratitude, she took it with a smile. You reach out and scratch behind her ears, making her brush against your palm. The two of you were silhouettes as you sat on the protruding rock. The crimson glow of the cavern wrapping around you in a halo.