The tale of an Armor Lizard

by Fex

4 The Temple

Days were good now that we were able to fight back against the hordes of skeletons we found in caves. Though we never encountered a second skeleton of my kind anymore no matter how many caves we went through. But I learned a few names from some of skeletons as the rest was talking about how hard they were to put down like the diamond dog or the griffon. But most were even unknown to the ponies.

But the news I heard today was even better because we were going to leave tomorrow to Equestria and I was allowed to join them as their companion. All thanks to my great help with moving treasures they were able to leave this place months sooner than planned.

Everypony was nice even the boss and the green pegasus that hated me from the first moment I had arrived. A cold shiver went over my spine and a red flag of danger was waving wildly in my mind but I couldn’t figure out why?

So I helped along preparing the carts, to keep my mind of that uneasy feeling, so that we could go to the last few caves. The rest of the town wasn’t sitting around as they were either emptying their homes of useable or private things or loading carts with the loads of treasure we had found in the two month since I crashed the town with an avalanche.

It didn’t take long before we went off through the gates as they were opened for us as we left with the last remainder of empty carts to scavenge the place one final time.

But as we moved I sensed something weird, something familiar, but yet unknown and if I had neck hairs they would be standing on edge.

I ran off the path we were following after the weird sensation so to say. It became worse and worse meaning I ran in the right direction towards what looked like a crumbling stone cliff wall that had been formed forcefully by something powerful. When I reached the top I was shocked to see what I saw.

The ponies in the group were yelling and shouting for me to comeback. A few even followed me till they saw what I saw. Their jaws almost hit the floor of the sight.

The wall was actually the result of a meteor crashing into the earth and in the middle of the crater was a temple a very big one almost a small mountain in wide and length and around three hundred feet high.

We were commanded pretty fast by the leader towards the temple betting that they would find the best treasures inside of this place. Sure we all thought that but the way he said it sounded weird.

More things that proved that something was wrong because we didn’t make a single wrong turn in this labyrinth of standing stone and debris or find a path that was just too small to move a cart through. Sure we had a few pegasi that pointed us in the right direction but this was going way too smoothly. It was as if the boss had been here before already and had found the way to the end.

It did take a while but we reached the temple but we were there as we were all wary of what might happen. Traps, legion of skeletons or something worse? We had no idea what to expect in there.

Most of the crew rather do a last save run than a risky one like this but the boss didn’t take a no for an answer and even broke the nose of one of the ponies who yelled the loudest and was the first in the hoof reach of him. This caused all the other to stop talking in fear and moved as if a tsunami of fire was at their heels. We all reached the top fast but we had left behind all the cards at the bottom of the stairs for it would have been way too much work to pull them up the stairs.

The sound of clopping of hooves on the stones was heard along the clattering of teeth in fear of what trap might pop up with every step. Some were even sobbing as if their lives had already ended.

When the group finally reached the ones who were against of going in cheered that they still alive this far. But as they looked around it seemed that somepony had already been here because some traps had already been activated and had done their work pretty well.

At the top not far from the final step was a spike pit with two skeletons of ponies pierced so many times it was as if they were a piece that belonged there. Even further were the remains of a pony who’s back half had been crushed by two heavy plates that had been launched upwards like a reversed trap door from the ground. But what I noticed was that there were no blood stains on the bones or around it. Maybe the salt that was being carried by the stronger winds had caused the blood to dry and turn into dust before it could stain.

“Get moving you pieces of manure stains if you know what’s good for you.” The boss yelled as he his patients had run dry with us all checking out every trap.

When we actually entered the temple it was as if someone had pressed a mute button for not a single sound was made. Everypony and me along tried to step on the same stones as the one in front us had stepped on because we knew that one was safe.

As we went further we came past more sprung traps each with at least a single causality but unlike outside here the blood stays hadn’t disappeared, maybe because the salt couldn’t reach this far, causing the hallway to have a creepy paintjob on the dark stones. This caused the one in the front to sob loud enough to be heard from the back. Though as we were busy being careful the boss just walks further as if he is walking inside his own home.

Another cheer erupted that we all made it through the hall without springing any traps. This caused a boost in confidence for the ponies as they scattered in every direction in groups to find the valuable items get away from this place.

I moved through the main room just looking around for most the smaller rooms had doors to small for me to move through without destroying the structure. Just like most caves this temple was build with the same idea in mind with one long passage to the main room from which multiple smaller passages let to multiple side rooms. There were as well stairs going to long balconies that lined the wall in multiple circles. But what was different was the weird altar in the middle.

It had four statues in the corners made of some sort of darker stone, maybe granite, which was very roughly shaped in shapes that didn’t make sense to me with here and there some small pieces of crystal sticking out. In the middle of the statues was an altar that one could climb with the stairs that moved up only four feet. But on top of the altar was floating a golden hexagon shaped with a big blue shining crystal almost the same length of an average ponies leg. Well it would have been those colors were they not covered with dry blood and bone pieces from the headless skeleton that lay before it.

I didn’t dare to get near it because it seems there was a trap that caused the ponies death. I moved around it and noticed that the shrine was really floating for I didn’t anything attached to it. But as I was about to move back to the entrance I saw the wall in the back of the main room.

It was covered in pictures but they seemed blurry as if I was looking at them through blurry water that was still flowing softly. From time to time I thought I saw some sort of figure in it but I couldn’t make out what it was.

“Granite, move your flank over here and try to get that shrine thing in the middle.” The boss pony said and the way he looked at me he didn’t take back talking though I couldn’t speak his language.

I moved to the shrine but quickly moved away from it again nervous of what might happen but I got an idea to give me some protection at least.

Running towards one of the four weird statues before jumping against it make it topple I turned the stone into the armor but it wasn’t enough to protect me so I did the same with the other statues and created a thick stone armor for myself.

Now I dared to try and grab it though I didn’t rush in head first. I slowly moved around it and checked the floor for traps to see if one of them had marks from a trap opening and closing but so far I could see it never moved once in its life or it hadn’t done it’s work often enough to show it.

Standing now in front of it I slowly moved my mouth towards the shrine and tried to grab the crystal slowly. But the moment I touched the crystal fate showed how much it hated me. The shrine itself was the trap as the back side from it opened and clasped the whole thing around my head inside out.

I could hear muffled shouts from the rest as I started to struggle wildly against the trap that was holding my head. I grabbed the shrine with my two claws and started to pull it off but a loud clang sound and the feeling that I couldn’t move them no longer as two metal clamps were now holding them down on the shrine. I started to kick and trash trying to move the shrine but it felt it was made in stone.

The ponies that were helping me were using their weapons trying to break it open but they didn’t even leave a mark on it. But they couldn’t try for long as a wave of light pushed them all away and kept them away with a barrier.

Blinded by the flash I heard a metal snap and after blinking a few time I saw that the crystal was now aiming one of its sharp points at me. But it got worse and started to spin fast and move slowly at me.

Sweating bullets I started to slam the part of my body that I could move in here and that was my head. I hoped to break it so that my head would stay in one piece but it turned my armor into gravel. Next I tried to bite on it but same results but this way I had maybe some more minutes as the thing started to travel deeper into my mouth.

The heat in the shrine was getting unnatural high but that could be just me but one thing I did know it wasn’t me and that was the light that the crystal was giving was getting brighter and brighter the deeper it went into my mouth. I kept on absorbing the gravel and try to chew it to pieces till I felt a pain I never felt for so long I could remember.

Then there was darkness.

I woke up not in a shrine but in a small cave filled with a small stream and lots of plants some even were giving light. It felt so peaceful I could just stay here forever.

“Hello, what a surprise to see somepony err I mean someone in here. I am … and I have been stuck in here for like forever.”

My head jerked up at the sound but as I looked in the direction of the sound I couldn’t see anything but this small light hanging in front of my face.

“Oh right, can’t see me in this shape.” The light gave a soft pulse and in its place was a transparent blue-ish pony who was smiling widely at me. “Is this better?” He asked.

My eyes widened as I looked at what looked like a ghost and my instinct, like anyone else, and gave a loud screech and stumbled over my own limbs trying to get away from it.

“Now that isn’t nice but I can understand the surprise it’s not every day you see a spirit.” The transparent pony mused as he rubbed his chin.

But in the mean time I was trying to dig through one of the walls of the cavern we were in but not a peddle gave as I scratched the wall. This caused manly tears and roars to escape my throat and not normal tears and girly screeches. “I don’t wanna die, please save me.”

“Woah woah, calm down I am not gonna hurt you.” The transparent pony said trying to reassure me as he tried to pat my back.

My head shot up and slowly turned to face the pony as my lip slowly trembled the words escaped. “You … can understand me?”

“Yeah why wouldn’t I be able?” He asked me a bit confused as his eyebrow raised.

“I have been living in camp with only ponies and in all the time I was there none were able to understand me no matter what I tried.” I explained.

“Strange, let me try something.” The ponies figure started to glow slightly as I felt a weird tingling within me as if someone was tickling me with feathers.

“What the hay? I used a scanning spell it let me know what something is made off and if it’s still in one piece. Worked on living things as well but with you it is as if there is a hole or something within you and it pretty much radiates the same kind of magic as the crystal that got us both here.” The pony said as he looked me deep in the eyes.

“So what’s your name?” He asked me with this big smile on his face.

“My name is Granite, what is yours?” I answered as his smile disappeared and gave me a single raised eyebrow.

“I just told you what my name was.” This caused my eyebrow to raise.

“No you didn’t.” I countered

“Yes I did. I just told you it for the second time.” He started to look insulted as he kept on saying he had said it.

“You haven’t said it even a single time.” I got frustrated as I had no idea what to do.

“Hmmm, if it is true what you say.” He started to scratch his chin. “Alright, what does my cutie mark look like?” He asked as he turned his flank towards me.

“I have no idea. I don’t even know what a cutie mark is.” I gave him a deadpan look.

“So you can’t see the picture on my side?”

“No…”

“I think I know what that hole is. It’s part of your soul that makes you recognize beings and their connections like names, cutie marks and who knows what else. Your brains try to adapt to it so they cancel out everything that makes someone stand out to much and make you unable to hear them say their name.” What he said mad some sense and if that is the case. Why?

Just as I was about to go deeper on the subject a loud rumbling was heard and the cave we were in was shaking softly. This caused one of the walls to crack and crumble showing a long tunnel with in the distant a red dot. From it a feeling what felt like fear that told me to go towards it.

“FINALLY, an exit.” The transparent pony flew towards it but the moment it went through the hole it stopped as if something was stopping him from going towards it. “Not fair.” He bawled loud as glowing tears fell from his eyes.

I walked towards the hole and whatever was stopping him didn’t stop me. “I will be back for you alright?” I tried to reassure him even though I had no idea how and if it was even possible but I would look for one if I could. I got a smile from and a small nod as he sat down staring at me as I went further.

The tunnel slowly became more refined the further I went. It was as if someone carved out a scary decorated hallway towards what seemed to be an open doorway. It took me a while to reach the end but as I moved closer to the end the light became brighter and brighter blinding me more and more the closer I came. As I reached the end of the passage my eyes adapted to the red light.

I looked around a bit and saw that I was in an enormous cavern that went up very high with on the walls many pathways were crossing each other like a woven reed basket. One of the passage went up and up towards a bridge that went towards a funnel shaped hole in the ceiling going up. The hole in the middle went up what seemed forever with a pathway circling around the wall following all the way to what I suspected the top.

But now my attention was caught what came down from the endless hole in the ceiling straight in the middle not touching the pathway. I took a few steps closer and concentrated to see it and then it hit me. It was water that was coming down with enormous amounts at the same time.

I followed it down to see where it would land but. What I saw shocked me for I had not expected to see THIS.

Comments

[Fex]

For those following this story. Sorry it took so long I had a bit of a writers block about the beginning and the end.

[dark imp]

nah its cool

[lolz anonymous]

it's all good. now were gettin somewhere! moar please.