Remnants of a Dying World

by Dusk-Spark

Ch. 8: "Memorabilia."

I was already starting to feel the chill from the night's cold embrace. It was nothing when compared to the frozen north or the crystal empire, but it was still chilly even with the hood on the cloak drawn up. "Keep up...please. We'll be able to rest soon." I called to the little filly trailing behind me.

The cold was having a greater effect on her. Unlike my cloak, hers was full of holes and patches. I wonder if I can repair it? Fixing things aren't really what I'm good at, after all.

I slowed my pace to trot alongside her, draping the side of my cloak over her as a particularly strong wind came through. I shivered at the abuse, but luckily the filly was unhindered. "We're here." I said in as warm a tone as I could muster (again, not one of my strong points) all while pushing open the gate beneath a badly worn sign with a large apple on the front:
"Sweet Apple Acres" was carved into the wood.

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It hadn't fared much better than the rest of the property. Sweet Apple Acres had seen better days, I wonder how long until they eventually abandoned it? The fields of sweet apple acres had been unattended for ages and one might think that apple trees were growing all over? Red deliciousness just a short trot away? Well...they would be wrong. Most of them had either been destroyed or...poisoned. The ones that were safe were too far spread out, and were still at risk of infection from...other elements.
Upon entering the main house, I got to work securing the property: Making sure the locks were set and the windows properly barred. Checking to see if anyone had come through, or maybe waiting to ambush us-
. . . . .
I'm just being paranoid again.
Then again...I didn't survive this long by taking chances. And I wasn't gonna be some plague monster's dinner because I didn't think that it would be hiding BEHIND THE OLD, DUSTY COUCH!
.....Just because there wasn't a monster behind there, didn't mean there never would be. Safety first.

The little filly was staring with her big eyes at the interior, it was probably her fast time seeing so many strange things all in the same place...and not broken or without it being clutched by a dead body. She seemed to be focusing intently on a green and blue, patchy scarf draped over a bronze coat rack in the corner of the main room. She touched the fabric and shrunk back at the touch, as if the scarf had burned her hoof. Considering who the scarf belonged to, that wasn't too far off base.

"You're very curious, aren't you?" The memories were already coming back to me as I gazed at the striped green and blue pattern, "That scarf...used to belong to a pretty interesting pony. Do you wanna hear about it?"

The filly nodded vigorously, a small smile forming on her face.

"Okay. But we'll have to walk and talk, I still need to secure the perimeter and I'll make you something to drink. Have you ever tried apple juice?" The little filly's smile, filled with wonder, brought a little bit of joy to my cold and weary heart. If I were to say why, well...that would skipping ahead. I wanted to take it slow as I impart my memories onto this little unicorn filly.

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"The ride to the capital was...uneventful. The purple mare had spent that time staring at her gun, opening up a compartment every once in a while to check on something. I wonder...if anything could've prepared us...for Nox, what he was about to see?"

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The double doors opened up, letting in the cold winds, snow, and the light in equal measure. Nox shielded his eyes and really wished he had brought something to keep himself warm. He expected to see the crystalline architecture that the crystal empire was known for. Maybe finally finding someone who could explain what was going on.
Instead, the thing that greeted him was the sight of a fallen spire at the heart of the crystal empire. The once lost empire...were just some old ruins.

Author's Note:

And this marks the beginning of arc 2.

Comments

[Dusk-Spark]

I changed the title and description to something that I think has a nicer ring to it.