• Published 23rd Jun 2017
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The Olden World - Czar_Yoshi



Equestrian culture loves cutie marks. Filly Starlight Glimmer hates them and never wants one. So, she leaves Equestria.

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Getting Interesting Already

The Grandbell palace was constructed in a ring near the very bottom of the city, close enough that Starlight could make out faint shimmers of magic as rain struck the shield protecting the regions below. Looking down, the pit opened into a greater chasm, though a gigantic cylinder of red crystal formed a platform in the center, linked to a wall with an ornate bridge and ringed by fountains and a colossal, reclining throne suspended over the abyss. The group paused next to a carefully-constructed railing, taking in the sight below.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Shinespark murmured, standing between Maple and Grenada.

"We're so far down," Maple replied, the faceted structure reflected in her eyes. "Is that a crystal palace?"

Starlight didn't need to wonder. Staring at it, somehow she knew: that pillar was exactly the same as the castle buried beneath Ironridge, only polished and red instead of pink. Somewhere inside, calling to a sense she felt with her heart, there was another tree of harmony and another harmonic flame.

"That is the core of Garsheeva's temple," Gwendolyn announced, padding up beside them. "It is said it is hollow, but no one has ever been inside."

"Bananas, she excavated that whole thing and turned the hole into a city?" Valey folded her ears, gazing at the circle of sky far above and then at the stone palace ringing the bottommost reaches of the tunnel, separate from Garsheeva's core. "That's some dedication."

"You talk like you're familiar with this?" Lyn tilted her head, the griffon guards standing watchfully by.

Shinespark nodded. "There's one buried beneath Ironridge. I've never seen one from the outside, but this is exactly what I would imagine it looks like."

The guards shuffled uncertainly. "Interesting," Lyn hummed, turning back toward a wide, shallow staircase that led deeper into the palace proper. "For now, I must return to my regent and assure him I am here and unharmed. Come. We shall ensure everyone knows who you are so that you will be treated as proper guests, and see to it that there are no surprises left over from Stormhoof."

Starlight and her friends followed, Lyn and the guards leading them through ornate, faintly-curved halls that slowly circled the central shaft. Stone archways supported the carved ceiling, and no small corner had been deemed too insignificant to receive artistic attention, with opaque stained-glass backed by artificial lighting filling alcoves and silhouetting statues or casting patterns upon the granite floor.

"It looks almost like sunlight," Grenada remarked as they passed a window. "Most manalighting is distinctive in color..."

"The windows change with the time of day," Lyn remarked. "They were created six centuries ago. Every age contributes their own prowess to bettering this city."

Shinespark's ears fell slightly. "Almost reminds me of Ironridge."

They turned a final corner, entering into a huge room protruding in a bubble of glass into the central shaft, reminiscent of the skyport's bubbles yet gilded with golden swirls instead of steel support beams. The floor rose slowly towards the far end in a series of steps that spanned the entire room, and at the end two thrones sat overlooking the depths, one larger than the others. A scattering of golden pillars capped with flowers sat around the room, and two small streams were built into the edges where the walls met the floor, burbling quietly down from the front. The shield was rain-streaked, and Starlight blinked, her eyes wanting to wander higher and higher... but the room was occupied, and she focused instead on what was presently happening.

"...For your bravery and heroism in defending the land and the Empire..." a griffon was droning, covered in magnificently poofy robes that made him look thrice as wide as he actually was, standing between the thrones and facing a crowd of around a dozen. Valey tensed slightly, and Starlight tilted her head. Were these the fighters Lyn had brought...?

"Ahem." Lyn announced her presence, strolling towards the group. "It seems I have returned at an opportune moment."

The proceedings halted, everyone looking up at her. "Princess!" the poofy griffon exclaimed, striding forward and kneeling before her. "It lightens our hearts to see you safe."

"At ease, Regent Ginsong." Gwendolyn lifted his beak with an outstretched feather, surveying the rest of the assembled creatures. "I see thanks are being given for the parts you played in last night's conflict at Stormhoof. I extend you all my gratitude and would like to thank each and every one of you individually, but for now, please do not let me interrupt what my regent has prepared."

Valey paused, and Starlight and her friends hung back with her, aware that many of the fighters' eyes were on them but flanked by a squadron of griffon guards that made it very clear they were supposed to be there. Ginsong the griffon resumed his speech, withdrawing a medal from his robes that sparkled brightly in the distance and bestowing it upon another creature before bowing and stepping back, slowly repeating the ceremony for everyone who didn't already have one.

"I think those are the dudes that cleaned up our mess," Valey whispered loudly at Felicity and Senescey. "I hope you're ready to get some stink-eyes..."

Near the thrones, Lyn and Ginsong both bowed, and they watched the crowd shuffle around, several kissing the back of Lyn's paw. Starlight and her friends moved out of the way as the fighters finally turned to leave, the two groups watching each other with varying levels of interest. One mare turned up her nose. Randorf, the only creature in the crowd she recognized, smiled and waved. An earth pony with a styled, golden mane winked at Valey with a sharp, confident grin, a sheath buckled to his side that contained-

"Is that...!?" Starlight gasped, taking a step forward, recognizing a black handle and triangular hole as if they called out to her from across the room.

"Yeah," Valey agreed, eyes narrowed, stepping up beside her. "There's someone swimming in that pink mare's shadow."

Before Starlight could even blink in confusion, Valey broke into a swift trot, closing in on the mare who looked slightly intimidated. "Yo, hold on," Valey commanded. "You got a sneak."

Before any guards could lift a spear to do anything or the mare could jump away, Valey plunged a hoof down into her shadow, lifting out a cringing, blue-maned sarosian with a glimmering medal around her neck. Valey blinked in shock. "Wait, you?"

"Please let me go," Larceny whispered, doing everything she could to avoid Felicity and Senescey's equally-shocked gazes. "Before they see..."

"Uhhhhh." Valey stared, holding her by the mane.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ginsong demanded, striding closer, the guards looking helplessly to an equally-confused Lyn for direction on who to side with.

Valey waved a wing at him. "Personal business!" she and Larceny said in sync, turning to blink at each other when they realized they had both spoken.

"Darling," Felicity asked quietly, holding Senescey close with a wing. "Why are you wearing that medallion...?"

Larceny reddened and grimaced, ears pressing back in shame. "Shut up. I need to be somewhere other than here..."

Lyn cleared her throat, quickly taking charge of the situation. "Everyone is dismissed. Ginsong, thank you for keeping things settled in my absence. I will expect a full briefing later. Please prepare my guests a more private room for anything that needs discussing. In the meantime, this place will do."

"But..." Starlight reached a hoof out as most of the fighters herded themselves away, the golden-maned earth pony with her sword leaving with them.

The guard captain and Ginsong gave Lyn questioning looks, and the little sphinx nodded firmly. "Valey has say on who leaves and who stays. My friends have some personal business they need to attend to. Am I required immediately for anything?"

Before anyone could respond, a wheelchair rolled in through the doorway bearing a bruised, bandaged and minus-one-ear Prince Gazelle. "Is this a bad time?" he asked, voice lacking much of its usual bravado. "Word reached me some acquaintances were in town..."

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