Tides of the Past

by King-Mac-13

Look it up!

Excerpt from the Journal of Grimoire Maleficarum:
K-M-11 (03):
I found something. An old magic, lost to time. It’s a spire below the ground near a small village called ‘Ponyville.’ A little on the nose… Irrelevant. What I found beside it was what caught my attention. Four carvings of four creatures. Ruins to the south confirmed their identities. They are the Elementals. I used a disguise to search the libraries across Equestria. I found nothing in the modern collections. The Ruins spoke of the Elementals’ powers. Their roles in the world before Equestrian power… There should have been something. Even as a myth or a legend. Why is there nothing? Further research is needed.
-Grimoire Maleficarum
-\/-

The train came to a stop around sunset. As the ponies left the train cars, a group of six rather famous mares and a strange stallion with cosmic eyes walked along the road to the Crystal Empire’s entrance. As they walked, or flew in the case of the rainbow maned Pegasus, they would get a few curious looks. Well, let’s be fair, the stallion got a few looks. When one of your eyes has black sclera and a white iris while the other is a normal yellow eye, ponies tend to need a second glance. They continued their stride until they reached the main doors of the castle.

It was here that Rainbow Dash finally had enough. “Alright. Now, why don’t you explain why we’re here? You didn’t exactly explain anything back in Ponyville.”

Leviathan looked Rainbow square in the eye. “Fine. While we wait for the guardsponies to open the door, what are your questions?”

“Okay. None of this makes any sense. Since when were there these… Elementals? Who was that pony back in the caves? And why did you decide to not say anything and basically drag all of us to the Crystal Empire?”

Leviathan took a deep breath. “Always. Ask Twilight. Royal study.”

Applejack was the one to ask the next question. “Care to give more than two word answers?”

“Since these guards seem horribly inefficient, I might as well. The Elementals are said to have always existed. I don’t remember how much time has passed at this point, but I do remember some of the first pony civilizations, so we’re quite old. As for the stallion back in the caves. I don’t know. Twilight seemed to know who he was, at the very least his name. And the reason we’re here is that none of you had heard of the Elementals, not even Twilight, leading me to believe that the library archives you accessed over your adventures had nothing on the subject. Taking that into account, my hope is that the personal collection at the empire that was lost to time would have something.”

“Aren’t you one of those Elementals? Won’t you know?”

“I am the Leviathan, yes. But I don’t know about the others, where they are, how to contact them if we need to. All I know is my own life, and that’s spotty after being sealed away so long.”

“I hate to tell you this,” Twilight interrupted, “but we’ve been through the library here plenty of times.”

“Not the common archives…” He paused as the doors opened, “We can go over this when we get there.”

“Twily!” Shining Armor was directly behind the door when it opened to great his sister. “You really should let us know when you’re visiting.”

Twilight couldn’t help but smile and hug her brother. “Sorry, it was a… last minute decision.”

Shining Armor noticed Leviathan walk by toward the throne room. “Excuse me, can I help you?”

Leviathan ignored him and kept walking.

“Hey!” Shining Armor used his magic to halt Leviathan’s advance.

“Kind of on a time table… Where is your royal archive?”

“What?”

“The personal, royal archive. The study. The book collection. Where?”

“We… don’t have one.”

“Unlikely. Each royal castle always a room dedicated to knowledge in some form. Now, where is the personal study?”

“Like I said, I’m pretty sure we don’t have one.”

“I wonder about that… now, please release me so I may search.”

“You’ll understand if I’m a bit skeptical.”

“Skeptical or not, I need to access the archive.”

Twilight cleared her throat to get their attention. “Didn’t Sombra have a personal library?”

Shining Armor had to take a deep breath before he could talk to his sister. “There was one, but we gave them all to the main library in the city.”

“Alright. Then we’ll just look there.”

“Hang on,” Leviathan looked the young prince in the eye. “Have you or anyone else in this castle heard of the Elementals?”

“No.”

“Then it won’t matter if we look… unless… Is there an area only this… Sambro…”

“Sombra.”

“Yeah… him. Is there a place only he could access? Some secret bunker? Anything?”

“Oh! He had a secret staircase in the throne room. A pony could only open it with Dark Magic.”

“Then that must be the place to look.”

“And how do we open the door?”

“You said you had before.”

“I know, but… it’s not something I really understand. Beyond that, I get this… feeling. I don’t know how to explain it. It just hurts to use that magic.”

“Perhaps… a path will open if we look at it differently.”

The group made their way to the throne room and started to look over the area. They tried to find a new way to open the vault, for lack of a better term. They searched the room from top to bottom but found nothing.

It was then that Cadence trotted into the throne room. “Shining Armor, can you take care of Flurry for a bit? I need to…” She took a moment when she noticed everyone. “What’s going on?”

“Twily and her friends stopped by trying to find Sombra’s personal study. I can take care of Flurry. You just take it easy for a while.” With that, Shining Armor walked down the hall that Cadence had entered from.

“I don’t think we can get this open.” Rarity looked at the throne and the area Twilight said was the part of the floor with the stairs hidden away. “I think we really cannot open this without Dark Magic.”

“Then what do we do?” Twilight looked around.

“You might have to open it with that magic again…”

“I don’t want to… but I guess it’s the only option.” Twilight took a deep breath and started to focus the dark energy. “I can do this…” She tried to focus, but it proved painful. She winced as the power started to flow. When she finally had enough dark power, her head felt like it was being attacked by a sledgehammer. “Okay… I can do this…” She released the power into the crystal and forced the stairway open. She was tired and her head still hurt. “Got it…”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

“What’s that sound?”

A familiar figure walked up the stairs floating a book in front of his face. The stallion ascending the stairs was Grimoire. “Sombra had serious issues, you know that?”

“What are you doing here?!”

The other ponies rushed to Twilight’s side and Applejack rushed in with a question. “And how in tarnation did you get down there without anyone noticing?”

“Irrelevant.” He levitates a book from his bag toward Twilight. “I believe that this is the book you were looking for. Details the Elementals and everything.”

“Wait… why would you give me this?”

“Why not?”

“Umm… we’re trying to stop your plan…”

“What plan?”

“What?”

“I never said I had a plan. But that doesn’t matter, does it. This is the book you want. I’m giving it to you. Make of that what you will. Now then, I’ll take my leave.”

Rainbow Dash flew forward and cut off Grimoire’s escape route. “Do you think we’ll let you go so easily?”

“No. But you don’t get a choice in the matter. But, for now, I’ll humor you. So, while we’re here, do you have questions? I do enjoy the learning process in all forms.”

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight walked over. “We’re going to look in the study, in case there’s something else. I need you to watch him and make sure he doesn’t leave.”

“Got it. He’s not going anywhere.” After the others started their search, Rainbow thought a moment before giving a rather large grin toward Grimoire. “Okay… You probably read that book you gave Twilight, right?”

“Naturally.”

“Then give me an overview.”

“Ooh… Nice use of my offer. Shortens what you need to look up and saves time… Alright. But first, you have to answer a question of my own. Would you believe me?”

“What?”

“You give off the air that you still think I’m trying to start something big and that I am a villain. I fancy myself more the neutral force without allegiances. You know, like Sol Cloudburst from the Daring Do series.”

“You read Daring Do?”

“I have many interests. But let’s get back to the point. Would you believe me if I told you what I know about the Elementals?”

“I… guess that… Just tell me!”

Grimoire laughed before continuing. “Of course. Of course. So, what do you want to know?”

“Well, let’s start with what these Elementals are like.”

“More exposition, huh? Alright. I don’t know all the details about what they’re like. I know the Phoenix is said to be a more sentient form of the modern phoenix. The Sphinx is a creature that values knowledge. It will likely ask you riddles if you ever meet it; at least, that’s according to the legends. The Raiju is a different kind of beast. It is a living storm. As a result, it is very volatile. And Leviathan… you already made friends with him, it seems.”

“Right… Okay, next question… Is there any way we can keep them from rampaging or something after you activated that tower?”

“I don’t know if you can stop them… they are forces of nature. But, there are some avenues to explore, if you need them. Phoenix is a creature of fire and a being that values a good home. Once it settles down, it’s there permanently; no rampaging. But that means it is very territorial. The Sphinx, again, values knowledge and will be the most likely to be reasoned with. Raiju, on the other hoof, is lightning incarnate. You can’t stop it. Give it some time to blow over, and it’ll pass. As for Leviathan…”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we don’t need that one.”

“You sure? Sometimes it’s a good idea to have all the information available.”

Rainbow thought a moment and had to agree in the end. “Alright. Go ahead.”

“Leviathan is a father.”

“Seriously?!”

“Sort of. According to legends, he created a race of musically gifted creatures meant to spread harmony throughout the world. But they used their powers to cause disharmony and fed on the negativity.”

“Why does that sound familiar?”

“You may know them as Sirens.”

The memory of Twilight’s explanation of the beings returned at the mention of their name. “Wait! You can’t be serious!”

“That’s the legend, anyway. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. According to the book, most sirens didn’t believe it either.”

“Wait, there are more than those three from the book?”

“Not anymore.”

“What happened to them?”

“Inevitability. With a rise of power, so too is the fall. But so, too, is the end of a way of life when one tries to use magic energy without thinking. By feeding on negative energy, they left themselves stranded when their powers were stripped away for one reason or another. Every documented siren has had its powers taken away and they all disappeared. If a siren still lives, they can be used to our advantage.”

“You really expect us to just use somepony?!”

“Oh! Pardon. Lacking a better phrase. I mean that they can set up a situation that can wrangle Leviathan in if need be.”

“And how would that work?”

“Two possibilities. 1) The siren, or sirens, have learned their lesson and they can rekindle some familial bond. 2) The siren, or sirens, learned nothing and Leviathan gets some much needed catharsis.”

“Ca… what?”

“Catharsis: the act or process of releasing a strong emotion, usually through art. Though, in this case, a purging of a long standing, and long repressed mind you, feeling of rage toward his progeny. I’m hoping there will be chairs thrown and tears shed. Something that’ll look good recorded.”

“Seriously?”

“Did you know that before?”

“No.”

“Good. You know what they say about learning…”

Rainbow sighed. “You learn something new every day…” her voice oozed with annoyance at the phrase Twilight would constantly spout.

“No. The day you stop learning is the day you die.”

The rest of the ponies returned to the main floor. Twilight looked over toward Rainbow. “There wasn’t much down there. I don’t know where to begin looking for these Elementals…”

“Oh!” Grimoire interrupted. “That’s easy. Phoenix would need to live in a location with a high ambient and constant temperature; somewhere volcanic. Sphinx is the hardest to find, but often frequents desert regions. And Raiju is the easiest, barring Leviathan, since it’s always found in a massive storm cloud.”

Rainbow turned to him and shook a bit in frustration, “Why didn’t you tell us that before?!”

“Pinkie…”

Said pink pony jumped by saying, “You didn’t ask.”

“There you go.”
-\/-
The Diary of Aria Blaze,
This is the worst idea Sonata’s had… but she wouldn’t shut up about it, so here we are. A diary. This is so dumb, but Adagio said that it might help. I don’t see how, but I don’t care. Apparently, I’m supposed to write about something personal… This is so dumb.
Nothing for it, I guess.
I guess if I have to write about something… I guess I’d write about something my mother told me about. She said that there was this old story about the origin of sirens. Some creature called Leviathan. She told me that he created sirens to spread music through the world. I thought she was full of it. But, she also always warned me that a siren that uses her powers selfishly will surely lose them. Looks like she wasn’t totally the worst. There might just be something to this Leviathan thing…