//------------------------------// // Chapter X: River of Acheron // Story: Wings of Bravery // by Fabella //------------------------------// “Have you ponies enjoyed your well to do rest?” Pruina approached the sleepy pair that laid cuddled together like a batch of puppies. Carrots head resting on top of mid-section of her friend while Derpy enveloped her. They raised their slobbering heads and blinked drowsy in response to the mare. “I saw that you both were moving quite frequently...I took it as a sign that you both were waking.” Carrot got up and stretched and with her mouth wide opened, yawned as she did so. Her friend shook her head as she blinked trying to piece her mind back together. “You have no idea. It was cold but it was refreshing. Thank you Miss Pruina.” “Your welcome. I figured as much it was to be cold considering how you both slept bunched up.” Carrot looked to Derpy. “Derpy, are you awoke yet? Well, at least completely.” “Huh? Um...yeah.” Derpy quickly stood and stretched. Letting out a yawn as well as she did. “Alright! Already to go!” Pruina gave a smile. “Good. We have no time to waste then. Let us leave. I will be your guide.” The two ponies stepped carefully through the small hole that Pruina made in the wall and glanced around at their surroundings as it closed behind them. A cold wind blew across their short fur coats and caused them to shudder. “I-its cold.” Carrot claimed as she rubbed her right leg with her hoof. “It wouldn't be the first time we've said that.” They stood on a wide open stone plain as a large body of water laid in front of them. The fringes of it, bordered by icy hills and walls. The ceiling stood high and enveloped the scene. Icicles hanged down low from it adding more to the already cold feeling of the icy cavern. A thick white fog covered much of the area and blanketed the river in front of them. “Everything is iced over.” Pruina walked over between them and spoke. “Helheim...” “Hm?” “Helheim. Land of lost souls. This is the name of the place you both have been sent to since you first arrived. The river of Acheron lies here and you have the privilege of seeing it yourself. Right in front of you.” “I don't think its a privilege at all to see anything in hell.” “You can say that again.” Pruina chuckled. “Perhaps you both are right but at least you have something to go back and tell your pony folk.” “I assume so but who in the world is going to believe us?” “Aw come on Carrot! All the crazy things that happen in Equestria and you think that they won't believe that we took a trip to hell? The princesses took a trip to Tartarus for crying out loud!” Carrot gave a chuckle. “Yeah, your right. Forgot all about that.” “Your princesses...were sent to Tartarus?” “Yeah. It was done so by Tirek who was sucking up all the magic in Equestria for his own gain!” Derpy told. “Thankfully, if I recall correctly on how the story was told to me, Twilight managed to defeat him after the princesses gave her all of their power.” “Is that...interesting. Perhaps you can tell me all about it on our way across the river.” “Wait, we're going across the river?” Carrot raised question. “Well, where else we'll we go? There is only one way from here.” Pruina walked towards a dock to which the young mares followed after. Hanging from one of the poles that held the wooden platform in the water was a small rusted bell. Using her mane as a limb, she grabbed hold of the small chain that hung from the it and rung. The chime of the bell, surprisingly soothing, echoed throughout the icy cavern with it's sound bouncing off of the walls. When the sound finally stopped the two mares looked around to see what had changed or happened. With confused looks they looked at one another as Pruina stood focused in the distance. Hoof sounds came to replace the echoing chimes of the bell and the ears of the two Equestrian ponies quickly perked up. It sounded as though whatever creature dare walked did so across glass. They made their way next to Pruina's sides as they gazed into the distance along with their guide. From the density of the fog did a walking figure come into view. The figure that appeared had no flesh and clean bones as it walked across the surface of the waters as though it was ground. It was cloaked in black and cold air blew from it's empty nostrils as though it was breathing. It wore a black cloak and its bony tail stuck out from underneath the cloth with the end of it pointing into a razor sharp scythe. It approached the platform and stopped in front of the tan mare. "Why are you here?" It spoke. Its voice barely audible in a silent and raspy whisper. "To lead these two home." Pruina answered. "Are they alive?" "Yes." "But you are dead..." "Yes. Which means that as long as I am dead I cannot leave. So you have nothing to worry about." "I see...can you pay?" "Here." Pruina flicked him a shiny gold coin from her tail. The skeleton pony captured it with it's magic. It's long horn aglow in a black color. It looked at it for a bit before putting it in it's cloak pocket. Setting its black sockets back on Pruina. "You may pass." Pruina ushered the two little ponies onto the boat as it slowly rocked under the adding weight. Pruina got in last after them. Her tail hanging from over the boat in the water. Instantly freezing the small patch on contact. She turned her head to the pony skeleton. "Aren't you going to row us across Acheron?" "Row yourself..." Pruina huffed. "Rude and lazy as always I see." "Prey you drown." "And grumpy. Even so, your still not as bad as your brothers. Well..." she gave the boat a gentle push with her tail. "We must be on our way. Thank you Acheron." With a last goodbye to the old skeleton, the three mares set forth into the dense fog. Calm and gentle winds blew across the mares and through the icy cavern as they sailed along. Pruina guided the boat with her tail that was dipped in the ghastly water. The atmosphere was far from uplifting and everything carried a feeling of dread and haunting that could make any living soul shudder just from the thought of it all. Derpy's ears perked up at the sudden sound of raspy voices and her ears led her eyes to the source of the sound which was from the waters themselves. Derpy peered closer to the water as her friend was distracted in engaging with the ghostly mare behind her. She could have sworn she saw something but whatever it was faded quickly from her attention. Derpy bent her head closer to the water. Pruina caught notice of the careless mare. "My little pony! Care-" "Ack!" Derpy immediately jumped back into the boat. Shaking its foundations as Carrot looked back at her wide eyed. "What happened?" Carrot asked. Going to her friends side. "S-some thing just jumped out at me!" "From where? The river?" "Y-yeah!" Carrot gazed into the body of water and nearly jumped back in surprise herself at what she had witnessed. Ghastly, bony forms of spirits all surrounded the boat. Bellowing in raspy voices that were unclear and a cluttered mess. Appearing white as the fog and river that they dared reside in of. "This is the River of Acheron. Also known as the river of lost souls. You must not under circumstances try your luck in falling into these waters. Doing so would mean immediate loss of hope from returning back to your homeland." "What excatly happens..." Carrot gulped. "If we fall in?" "You'll become lost like them." "Well, isn't that just perfect." "As long as your in the boat, there is nothing they can do. They cannot harm you lest you are in there with them so do not worry just beware." "Right. Miss Pruina." "Yes?" "That skeleton thing that you gave the coin to...was that the grim reaper?" Pruina gave a small laugh. "In a generic term yes. He himself is Acheron by name just like the river. He is the ferry who rides souls across these waters. Each river leads to a different part of hell." "I see...if you don't mind, may I ask you a few other questions? I'm sorry if it is too much so if it evers-" "Please my dear, ask as many as you desire to know the answers of. You know how long it has been since the last time I have saw a living soul?" "....how long?" "A thousand years at most." "A-a thousand years?" Pruina shook her head with a smile. "That is how long I myself have resided here. it is quite lonely. With nothing but pitiful souls to keep one company." "Thats...awful." Derpy chimed. "One gets use to it I suppose but there is always a constant yearning to leave. To reach back to where they are from." "I have to ask, you mentioned those undead skeletons and giant spiders were guardians? How exactly so?" "Like Cerberus, they keep living souls from entering and dead souls from leaving." "Well they did a suckish job considering how we're here!" "Now now. The way you both entered was abnormal by nature. Had you entered normally, having died and had your soul carried here, you would have to get pass the actual gates of the underworld which Cerberus himself guards. That door you entered must have dropped you instantly here than at the gates. The spiders and skeletons were only doing their job." "Is that so." Carrot turned to catch a glance at Derpy who seemed to be looking at the water. Granted with her head and body far more in the boat than before. She turned back to Pruina. "I wanted to know, you said you've been here a thousand years yes?" Pruina nodded her head. "So how exactly did you end up here?" Derpy's attention was caught at the question. "Oh thats such a long story. It can take all day to tell you that." "But I really want to know! Did you die of sickness, disease or something?" Pruina gave a sigh. "If you insist, it started a very long time ago. A little bit more than just a thousand years. I was part of a humble kingdom far to the north. During that time I was present a deadly plaque came and enveloped the citizens. Unfortunately, I was one of the victims." "I'm sorry that happened." "Well, once the deed is done it is done. Life is fleeting after all. Of course surely you yourself would never be satisfied with such a meager tale now would you? That great kingdom wasn't far from your land Equestria and I wasn't just any old citizen either." "What were you exactly then?" "I was a royal practitioner of oral magic." "Oral magic? Magic...you speak?" Pruina smiled and gave a nod. "Yes. As an earth pony, I wanted to prove that the manipulation of magic could be obtained even by those born without horns. Now, do not mistake me. I do love and enjoy being an earth pony but I also sought an interest in magic." "How does it exactly work?" "Well, if you are willing to listen I'll be more than happy to tell you the inner workings of oral cast magic...if you are willing to sit for it that is. It can get quite...boring to most." "I'll be more than happy to do so." Pruina cracked a chuckled. "My, my, my! Aren't you the enthusiastic one! Well then, shall we be-." Pruina paused. "What's wrong?" "Do you hear that?" Carrot tilted her head. "Hear what?" "Stay down." Carrot did not move a muscle as well as Derpy who stood as still as possible. They merely watched as Pruina went and made her way to the front of the boat that carried a small lantern. Pruina yelled. "Duck!" A sudden ball of flame came towards the three that barely missed their heads. "Stay low!" "What are those things?" "Hell's little residents." Pruina gritted through her teeth. "These fiery birds are actually small dragons." Three to four of the fiery birds were present before them. Coming their way as the another charged up to spit another flame at them. Their bodies being nothing but mere bones themselves alit in flames, shot out another spitball of fire aimed at the small boat that rowed the three across the river. Pruina deflected the ball back with her tail. Having extended and transformed it into a thick, icy rod. The ball struck the bird who threw it and dropped it down into the spirit filled waters where it was dragged by them. Another one came to swoop down only for the mysterious mare to quickly grab one of them with her thick and frozen over tail and flung them away from the mares before it melted her tail away. The last two shot two balls of fire instantly and determined to protect the two mares, Pruina reared on her hind legs and when coming back in contact with the boat, the waters of the river came shooting up as a frozen wall that melted on contact but was thick enough to prevent the blow. The last two were finished off with a mighty swing of Pruina's tail that knocked them into the icy walls where they dropped into the waters beneath them. Pruina retracted her tail and it it reconditioned itself back into the way it was. "Are you both alright?" "Y-yeah." Carrot answered. "What exactly are those things?" "I don't know them by any specific name I am afraid. The underworld is a dangerous and unpredictable place." "That, was, Awesome! How did you learn all of that? No, how could you do that?" Derpy asked with a wide grin on her face. "Shoot, I wanna know as well! Just how did you do that?" Carrot asked with a wide grin sprawled across her face. "Oral magic." Pruina winked. "Oral magic can make you do that?" "Want me to tell you how?" "Please do!" Pruina couldn't help but smile. "Of course." She made her way back to the back the boat where she was before and went back to steering. Her tail dipped in water, she froze all behind her as the boat moved along passed abandoned and long forgotten wooden buildings that now bordered the edges of the water.