//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - The Town - edit by the wind king // Story: I am Living Lava? // by Shadow of doubt //------------------------------// A cool breeze entered my tent, making me shiver as it drained the warmth away from my sleeping body, prompting me to get up. Drowsily I wormed my way further into my sleeping bag as I tried to regain my lost body heat, the motion only serving to wake me faster. Finally, after much grumbling and grousing at the chill that had managed to get through my camp gear to wake me, pulling myself out of the cottony cocoon and contorted my way into my day clothes before I made my way outside into the pre-dawn light, condensation falling off of my tent’s entry flap. I yawned as I looked around the empty camp, listening to the mixed sounds of bird-song and snoring, while I idly scratched my beard before my stomach voiced its displeasure at the early hour and I headed back to my tent to grab myself something to eat. I rummaged through my rucksack for some kind of food, chucking clothes around as I looked for a snack bar of some kind until my fingers brushed against something that felt right and I pulled it out, alongside a crumpled sheet of paper I recognised as the letter I got detailing an opportunity for amateur scientists interested in volcanology. I shoved the letter back into my rucksack before retreating from my tent again, breakfast in hand, and quietly ambling through the sleeping camp to the notice board that Markus had set up, reading through the pinned up schedule to see if there was anything I could do. As it turned out there was, and it even seemed easy enough for me to do on my own. I just had to head up to one of the active flows and grab a few samples. Suit up, grab gear, grab samples, and be back in time for actual breakfast. It’d be a piece of cake. Finishing off the remains of my granola bar, I found a pen and scribbled a note onto the schedule. ‘Gone to get early morning samples from the volcano, meet you guys up there’. ~Mark With that done I grabbed some protective gear, chucked it on, and hefted a sample container, before I headed off to the sample site with a spring in my step, despite the ten or so kilos of gear on my back. I was quite ecstatic I got the trip here, even despite my initial idea of what this expedition would be like being far more luxurious. I had always been interested in lava, magma, and volcano's, something about all that destructive power wrapped up in a completely natural phenomenon, the same friend that had managed to get me a space on this expedition as a junior researcher had jokingly compared me to one of those military nuts who got their jollies from talking about the yields in nuclear bombs. He hadn’t been completely wrong, but at the same time it was a pretty crass comparison considering the depths of my feelings on the matter When I finally reached the lip of the volcano I could see where the magma was pooling, and man it was excessively hot, even with the protective suit, I could feel my sweat already pooling in the heavy suit’s gloves and boots. I Carefully, I edged over the lip of the caldera and made my way towards the closest lava pool, when I neared the edge I popped the lid off of the sample container and scooped up a mug of hot lava, taking as much care as I could seeing as this was ultramafic lava, the sort of stuff that could move faster than I could sprint. Spilling it on my feet would have worse consequences than a mug of coffee for certain. Carefully setting the sample mug into the carrying case I’d brought it up in I set about filling up the other mugs from the different sitting lava pools, grabbing a few of the volcanic rocks for testing. Once done I started to pack up, making sure there was no chance of leakage or loss, but before I could back away from the last pool, I heard an oh-so-familiar someone start yelling at me from the caldera’s lip. “Mark, you god-damn idiot, get back here! You should know to NEVER collect god-damn lava without someone else to make sure you don't fall in or something, I thought I spent more than enough time drilling that into your bloody skull during the briefing!” Marcus’s shout echoed down into the crater, making me twitch in surprise. His normally calm and pleasant voice seething with an anger I’d only heard when one of the cooks had gotten drunk back at the airport and held us up for for the weekend while we had to scrape together his bail money. “I'm not an idiot, Marcus! It's not like I'm going to swim in it. Besides, I got a total of nine samples including rock and lava,” I shouted back as I stood up... only for the rock shelf, I was standing on to crumble, sending me sprawling into one of the standing pools I had been taking samples from. Turns out falling into lava wasn’t all that painful, probably something to do with the fact that my skin literally ignited around me taking the nerve endings with it, but I screamed and thrashed anyway as adrenaline spiked through my remaining body. Each frantic motion somehow pulled me further and further away from the pool’s edge, while a growing rumble mixed with what I thought was Marcus’s shouting. I just couldn’t tell. Everything was getting hazier, and hazier until it all turned black. I think it’s safe to say that my last moments as a human were pretty undignified. A cool breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver as I tried to worm my way deeper into my sleeping bag, only for my feet to stretch out along the ground, unencumbered by the normal polyester and cotton barrier. “God damn, it's freezing,” I mumbled as I yanked something soft and feathery over my shoulder, sleepily resolving not to try sleeping without some sort of cover again. Who would have thought at the base of an active volcano would be so cold at night?. A few seconds later I started to feel warm once again. “Much better,” I muttered out within a sleep induced high, before the scent of something burning yanked me awake. Lurching to my feet, I tried to force my eyes to respond to the “OPEN” command I was giving them, before a sudden wave of dizziness struck and I collapsed face first into what felt like bare dirt instead of the comforting nylon of my tent. I could feel the panic attack rising as questions started to race through my head and only the continuing dizziness stopped me from running away in a blind panic. Where’s my tent? Where’s my sleeping bag. Where am I? Wha...Alright keep calm, just got to remember how I got here…wait a second. I’m dead. Well, I should be, but I'm alive. I can't be. How can I still feel any sort of heat? Oh please don’t let this be Hell. Finally managing to force my eyes open I could see my environment for the first time, and unless I missed something from ‘Dante’s Inferno’ there are no forests in Hell, so this couldn’t be Hell. Well, besides the fact that everything was burning down around me— that was pretty hellish. “Fuck, oh shit fucking fuck! Alright, um, I just gotta get out of here and call the fire department,” the words came out in a rush as I tried to control my hyperventilating, before I stumbled to my feet and tried to stagger away, only to stumble against my strangely long, legs and fall to the ground again, crashing onto my side with an audible thump. It’s only as I was lying there trying to get my feet back under me that I noticed how little heat I was actually feeling. I had been sweating when I was wearing the insulating suit, and now I was completely naked in the middle of a forest fire., I should have been melting, but it felt like I was relaxing in a spring afternoon. Slowly I started to calm down enough to fully take stock of the situation I was in. Yes, I was stuck in the epicenter of a forest fire, but it strangely wasn’t burning me. Heck, I’d probably hurt myself more when I tripped. It was when I looked down at myself to assess the damage that the true horror of my situation made itself clear. I stared down at my new body, almost in shock. Gone was my skin, now replaced with a jagged layer of what looked like obsidian. The black volcanic glass-like substance brightening to a mix of purples, reds, and oranges around several cracks that ran through my new body, all of which were constantly leaking a thick, ichorous, lava that oozed down my legs and charred the ground around my hooves. A pair of charcoal black wings spread outwards from my sides, chunks of ash and embers falling loose like down feathers as I attempted to move them. My eyes finally landed on my tail which was made out of lashing fire, flickers of flame in the corner of my vision implying I had a matching mane. The sound of a burning branch landing behind me snapped me out of my shock enough to remind me that, despite my, admittedly, rather intimidating and fire-proof new look, I was still in the middle of a raging inferno. I should probably try to fix that, and because I didn’t want to put my new tolerances to the test just yet, that meant trying to find a way to extinguish the fire that was starting to spread. As I looked around at the growing blaze I tried to remember what the best method for dealing with a wildfire was. Building a firebreak? That would take too much time and I was only one strange winged lava horse thing. Building up a backfire? Yes, because the exact thing I wanted at that moment was more fire, you’re a genius Mark. Drenching it? With what? I was in the middle of a goddamned forest fire, in a body I kept on tripping myself with, there was nothing to smother the flames with, and even if there was I doubted I could even use it properly. I had nothing that I could use as I was and I was too stressed to actually think on the spot, so I ended up using the tried and true teenager method. Screaming at the problem until it went away. “Argh, stupid fire, just go out already!” and, Aas if the Gods themselves had heard my plea, they answered by throwing the fire in my face. “Fuck! Sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to insult you,” I pleaded as the inferno turned upon me, ensnaring me within its fiery grasp. My sanity was quite questionable just then, and what happened next only threatened to make it worse. The flames started to pulse as they drew in on me, snaking through the air until they wrapped around my body, pulling tighter and tighter before they started to surge into the cracks that were spread throughout my obsidian skin, and for the first time I actually felt the heat of the fire as it swept its way through my body. I tried to thrash and scream as the heat filled me to the point where I thought I would burst, but even as I opened my mouth more fire surged down my throat, feeling like it was choking me as the world started to turn black, again It was only when I was dumped unceremoniously to the ground, the final flickers of flame disappearing into the scars on my legs or joining my mane that I realized whatever eldritch transformation that had been happening was finally over. Wearily I pushed myself upright and into a sitting position that put me in mind of a dog. “Well, I'm still alive, Thank the sun for that,” I looked around to see the forest charred black, with no flames in sight. I looked down at my body to find my hooves no longer looking like they were covered in lava. They were now pure black, shiny, and polished. The cracks in my skin were no longer leaking lava-like ichor, but were now a hot orange colour. I had been too preoccupied at the time to really take notice, but I remembered having more than the usual number of limbs. Yep, a brief look back confirmed that I had wings on my back. This prompted a serious inventory of my own body parts that came up one glaring flaw that somehow stood out despite all the objectively bigger differences between the body I was in now and the one I was born with “Holy shit, I am definitely female.” What can I say? Sure, I was a fiery winged horse thing now, but a guy has to draw the line somewhere. “I'm just not going to think about that. I already have too much to think about right now.” I shuddered, Man, this place is creepy looking. As I walk..., no I, trotted towards what I assumed was a path through the forest hoping to find someone to tell me what on earth was going on. “This definitely can't be a dream; it's too real. Honestly, it would be stupid to think I was in a dream. I can tell when I am awake. Hmm, I got it! I guess Hinduism was right then… Who knew? Wait... no, then I'd be a baby.” I mumble out trying to keep myself from thinking about my situation. Following a path towards what I hoped to be civilization, one can only be so optimistic. Unknown location “Sister, did you feel that?” Celestia gently floated her teacup down to its saucer before turning to Luna, the dark alicorn’s brows furrowed in concentration as she attempted to hold on to the wave of magic that had crashed through the sisters’’s private dining room “I did, It appears as if a new alicorn has awakened," Celestia furrowed her own brows as she reached out to the wave of primal magic that accompanied an alicorn’s awakening, searching for a familiar magical signature within the aetheric surge. “And I do not recognise this magic from any of the ponies I had thought close to their own ascensions. “Shall I get the scrying orb to find this new alicorn’s location?” Luna asked, shuffling in her seat as the door to their dining room opened to admit a pair of serving staff who escorted a serving trolley between them. “Yes, that would be for the best. We must see if she or he is responsible enough to handle the power they now possess. After dessert, of course,” Celestia responded as the waiters placed a silver covered dome in front of the two sisters. Luna sighed. “Celestia, you really should watch your addition to cake, if this alicorn is not peaceful and goes on a rampage while you are eating cake you shall do the cleaning up, I shall go get the scrying orb,” Luna grumbled as she got out from her seat and walked towards the end of the room. As she did, she heard a giggle come from behind her. “You should really lighten up Lulu, I have a feeling that they will be very similar to us,” Celestia assured. “Yes sister I shall try, I am still new to this 'Peace' thing you are telling me about, I'm still getting the orb though, I'm excited to see who has awakened, perhaps it is that pony with the lazy eyes” Luna responded in a clear tone only for it to devolve into mumble near the end. “As am I, but patience is the greatest tool,” Celestia stated as she lifted the silver dome to reveal a small(ish) slice of chocolate cake and levitated a small spoon to sample to delicacy. Luna said nothing as she left for her room. Back with mark “Huh, now that is neat,” Is the only thing I can say as I look at the rustic old town, particularly the giant crystal tree castle. “Wonder what’s around here.” Looking back, I notice that I made tracks. Not the usual kind either, I had burnt the dirt where I had been standing on. “Now that is cool. I guess this isn’t a common thing since this whole town looks very, very flammable. Probably would look quite beautiful on fire, but not approachable.” I thought as I walked towards the town in the dead of night. “Man, my thoughts are random” My presence alone allowed me to see about ten feet in front of me as I was practically on fire, what with my mane and tail made of flames for some reason. “God damn it! Why did I get here nighttime now I can't find out where I am! Aughh, so annoying,” I shout out towards the town. I can clearly see no one is awake. I then felt something calling to me. It was powerful, extremely so, and it wanted to give me its power. So I accepted it, I mean really if someone said hey wanna be really strong, I would have said yeah so I accepted it. It felt amazing! My mane and tail’s flames brightened tenfold, my obsidian skin started to soften from the heat I was outputting and I noticed my wings suddenly combusted and turned into pure fire. I feel amazing, though I noticed the path I was on started to melt and catch fire! I needed to use this power or seal it somewhere. The only way I could think of would be to give it back to where it came from or just burn the entire town to the ground, which I'd rather not do. Thinking of what to do cost me greatly as the power flowing into me with each second that passed increased doubled, tripled, Quadrupled, my hair, and tail brightening with the rise in power. It took all my willpower, but I managed to force the power back into where it came from, my hair and tail started to dim and calm. My skin hardened back into obsidian and I fell to the ground panting. “Jesus Christ, that was hard,” I cough out. “All right, never accept free power, always a catch,” I mumble to myself, now looking at the ground which was, in fact, molten slag. I felt it again, whispering to me that it wants to be released. It expects me to take that power again. “Hmmm, not now, later when there is not a town nearby” And surprisingly it backed off, must be somewhat sentient. “Well, looks like I have to wait a tad bit, hope I'm not too intimidating,” I mumbled out as I laid down in the decent hole I made. Celestia's Pony of View. “Compliments to the chef, that cake was divine,” I said to my waiter, Honey Butter. “Of course,” she replied as Luna walked through the door with the scrying orb. “Sister, you have-” I was about to mention how she has some left over hay on her muzzle when I felt the whisper of the sun in the back of my mind, which always begged me to let it give me power, suddenly stopped. “This is most confusing. The sun, it has stopped whispering,” I mention to my sister. “Is this not a good thing, sister? I can't stand the whispering of the moon. I envy you,” Luna responded to me. “Do you remember what happens when we take power from the sun or the moon?” I inquired. “Of course, we gain almost unlimited power, only matched by each other or other alicorns,” Luna told me as she sat down placing the orb on the table. “Yes, but what becomes of the whisper?” I ask her. Realization struck her face. “It goes quiet,” she responded. “Exactly. Now if I am to take a guess, I believe somepony else is taking power from the sun,” I responded. “Perhaps it could be the new alicorn?” “Unlikely, Alicorn domains are singular, my own is the moon and yours is the sun respectively. Nopony can encroach on that territory. Nopony but you,” Luna replied. “Yes Lulu, I know, I am going to be cautious about this. It is impossible that a unicorn may have accidentally accessed the sun. But if that happened, they would be guaranteed to die with that much power going through them, as it cannot be held by any normal being.” “’Tis something we know already sister, but now that you have more motivation, shall we find out where this new alicorn lies?” “I suppose I should have shown more enthusiasm. Shall we?” I stood up and moved towards Luna as she charged her horn to cast the scrying spell. The orb then glows a brilliant blue and starts to shimmer to life, an image displaying on the transparent surface. “Oh my, now this is something to be concerned about,” my sister says to me as she levitated the orb over to me, What I see makes my face pale. The figure was a few inches taller than me. But the most frighting thing about her was the fact that she could handle power from the sun and was still doing so, her mane and tail a blinding white edging on blue flames. But as soon as the area she was standing in started to burn away she stopped drawing power from the sun and started to pant and mumble something. Then I began to hear the whispering again but after she whispered something it stopped again, and the power she had absorbed, which was a mere pinch of the sun's real power, began to flow back to the sun. She then collapsed. “This is the most concerning sister. How is she even real? I am almost sure that this is impossible. On a side note, invite Discord to tea when we have time. And please send a letter to Twilight. Advise extreme caution and remember to ask her not to use direct force, as she is unpredictable. She is only to keep us informed of her position and in check until we arrive,” I say to Luna, who stopped scrying. “Of course. I shall be ready to leave soon. Shall I procure my armor?” “Yes, but I shall meet with her first. If she is indeed as hostile as we thought, then we shall have to engage. I want you to prepare a spell to teleport us to the Badlands if it comes to that.” I made sure to put as much authority and urgency into my tone. I turned to the balcony to start the half hour flight to Ponyville. “I shall leave now. I want you to send that letter to inform Twilight of this and after which be ready for battle. Remember, we wish for peace if this thing is in fact not hostile, but I doubt it. If I am however proven wrong, we must keep an eye on her and if she proves herself, perhaps she will be revealed to the public.” “Of course, sister. Go now, I shall tell the servants that we shall be gone for the night. 'Tis it not exciting and if she is not hostile, perhaps then we shall have more company for our eternity.” Luna replies to me as I launch into the air to go to my destination. “I hope so, Luna, I hope so.”