Fallout Equestria : MaelStorm of The Wasteland

by Harb

The Hall of Forgotten Knowledge

"Damn artillery!"

"MaelStorm!, hang in there!"

13 said as he stood over me on the tundra, a piece of shrapnel had hit me in the back, just missing my spine. Apparently the raiders had an artillery cannon. So now I was, on my back on a tundra, unable to move. 10 of them where marching to us, all of them with bullet proof shields. The pain I felt was terrible, I couldn't move it was so bad. A greenish hue came into my vision Oh no descendant of the great scribe, you must not die, yet. A eerie, yet warming, voice of am are brushed up against my mind. Then suddenly, mine exploded under the advancing ponies. Sending Celestia knows what around the area. In a nearby rock wall a door opened. Here you will find safety, here you will find THE HALL.

I strained to let out that one sentence. "There."

I tilted my head to the opening in the rock wall. He nods, barely out of wonder of the mines. He gestured for Calypso to the door. She nodded, the 95 auto in her hooves. So 13 carried me into the cave by grabbing the back of my coat. The darkness of the cave engulfed my vision. As we went into the cave the door clamped shut

"Someone light a torch."

13 said. Calypso held her satchel open with her wing then bit down on a torch and she struck it up against the nearest wall. Light flooded from the room, we could see about 20 feet in front of us. Yes, blood of the great scribe, you are almost to your sanctum, YOUR INHERITANCE Again there was the voice, this time the voice of a booming stallion.

"Holy buck."

13 gasped in wonder as we came into a huge amphitheater.

"Welcome home, of blood of the great scribe."

The voice, it seemed had a third manifestation, this time however, I could see it. It was in the robes of a scribe, red and vibrant. Its face hidden behind a cowl.

"Have you come for the walk of knowledge?" It asked.

"Ah, well, the shrapnel in your back won't do at all."

I heard those words, then I clenched my teeth, I felt the huge shard of shrapnel poking out of my back being pulled out. The pain was instant and even more incapacitating.

"There, and since your blood cant be spilled now on this floor."

It said in a cold, mechanical voice.

"I present and give you the vial of renewal."

The figure bit off the cork then pored a red liquid on my back. The relief and healing was instant.

I still gritted my teeth as I got up, the shard and wound may have gone, but the pain was still there.

"Who are you, are you a ghost, a hologram, some damn thing that could have saved me?!"

I asked through closed teeth.

"Ahahahaha. No my dear colt, I am Mundus, the Keeper of the Hall of Forgotten Knowledge."

"And of saving my life? What of that?"

"Well, seeing as how you are a descendant of the great scribe, I am duty bound to save you."

"What do you mean, great scribe?"

"The scribe who after the nuclear holocaust, brought back knowledge in full. He built this hall, and you contain his blood, so I am sworn for your protection as long as you live in these grounds. Now that your all well and healed. Shall you prepare for you tests of you knowledge."

I slowly got up, pain streaking through my body. Though at least I could move.

"What test?"

"Oh, just test of what all knowledge requires. Sacrifice."

A blue light flashed in my eyes. All three of use where in a large chamber. On a pedestal, a three chambered revolver sat.

"Ok, why do I suddenly get a bad feeling about this?"

Calypso asked, next to my ear.

"Well, I have an idea. So before I ask, who's up for some draconian roulette?"

13 asked.

"Wait, by sacrifice, do you think he meant."

"Yes, yes I did, in order for you to leave, one of you must die."

'Wait, why do this, you where sworn to protect me."

"Well, it doesn't mean you have to die, just one of your friends."

I was shocked. Just as I met 13, he could be the one to die, or Calypso, or even me.

"Ok, I'll go first, might as well get my possible death of the way."

13 said as he went for the pistol on the pedestal. He held the revolver in between his hooves pointing in his mouth. He pulled the trigger and I closed my eyes, expecting a loud crack and blood to go everywhere. But nothing but a click.

"Ok, well, I guess I'll go next, I guess if I die, both of you can continue and find your father MaelStorm."

Again, pulling the trigger, and a click. Well this was it, the only possibility is that I'll die when I pull the trigger. So I did what anyone in my hooves would do, sacrifice myself so they could continue. So using my magic I placed the gun in my mouth, but before firing I looked at Calypso and 13.

"I die so that you can continue."

After that I pulled the trigger, awaiting a bullet to rip through my skull. But only the dull click of an empty round. I pulled the gun out, staring in amazement, so it had no rounds in it the whole time?! I screamed to myself.

"Ah, well I see you have found the virtue of sacrifice, had you have refused, you would have all been cast out down a mountain side, you all sacrificed your own lives for your fellow pony. For that I allow you MaelStorm, who knew there was the last bullet in your chamber, well I grant you one book out of these halls, which contain completely unknown knowledge. So go and choose your book."

Mundus said from above us, probably a speaker system. A wall opened up in front of me. There where several bookshelves along the hall.

"Also I should mention, if you take more than one book, the whole hall is rigged to explode. Just though you should know. Also, I believe after contacting some friends to help clean up your raider problem."

I went into the hall. The door shut behind me and lights flickered on. Rows of books where in front of me, at the end of the hall was a old and torn book. On it it had 3 titles. Ancient artifacts, One Pony MegaSpells, and The Thieves Guide.

"Mundus. What is that book?"

"Oh that is a combination of three books, we couldn't find them separate, so we just had them in that form. I take it that's your choice."

"Yes. It is."

"Well go for it. Maybe the explosives have gone off."

I walked to the book and placed it in my satchel. The door opened, 13 and Calypso sat near the pedestal.

"Well, if you ever need me, just load a bullet into that revolver, then I'll send my form to speak with you, I hope someone doesn't get killed by the large revolver shell in the air."

"Wait, what are you Mundus?"

Calypso asked.

"I am the remnants of a pony who had a deadly disease, so they placed me in the mainframe of this hall. I can broadcast my thoughts around this area, as well as my old form, a scribe. Now off with you."

The same bright flash came then we where out on the tundra, piles of dead raiders.

"Guns POINT!"