As Time Unfolds

by Ponimus

Prologue

AS TIME UNFOLDS
written by Ponimus

--PROLOGUE--

A young brown colt with a pic-axe strapped to his back trekked through an endless sea of stony ruins. They lay at the foot of Canter Cliffs, unmoving in a silence that screamed for the past to relive itself. He strayed across ancient rubble towards Dragon Peak, while the ever ambient light from the western horizon shown through a set of cracked columns. He had heard tales of when the light used to move; tales of alicorns that could... control the light… and pull it across the sky. But that was just folklore, the idea was strange and unnerving to him and he quickly pushed the idea from his mind. He gazed for a moment at the sky, feeling as if the faint stars of the twilight were calling out to him, until a gust of wind blew sand into his face, forcing him to shield his eyes. As he looked down to the ground, something caught his eye. What he saw appeared to part of a carving, cut into a slab of smooth stone. The colt quickly knelt down and without a moment’s notice pulled a small wooden brush from his auburn saddle bag. As he vigorously brushed the sand from the stone slab the random cuts began to form shapes. When he was finished he gazed with fascination on the beauty of the image that lay before him. Five emblems: a butterfly, a lightning cloud, a balloon, an apple and a sapphire were each lined with a different color of faded paint, and surrounded a center emblem that appeared to be a purple star. Other images in a similar style could be found throughout the ruins, but none had such an aura of mystery about them as this one did. The image burned in his mind, and for a moment had forgotten his purpose for journeying out of Sun City in the first place. The colt whipped a small blue notebook out of his saddle bag and quickly sketched the image. With a brief nod of contentment at his drawing he resumed his journey across the desert, taking a single glance back at the stone slab before pressing forward.

As the colt arrived at the foot of Dragon Peak he huffed at the tiresome trek across Canter Desert. He crept into a narrow stony passage as not to attract any attention from... the locals. The passage led downward to an archaeological dig site he had been excavating just underneath the foot of the mountain. He was always looking for ancient treasures, rather obsessed with the idea that the most fascinating secrets could lie in the least expected places, and ever since he was a boy he'd always loved tales of Dragon Peak. None of his team would join him, as Dragon Peak was not welcoming to ponies for rather obvious reasons. He'd seen many a dragon at the summit of the mountain, but never had he seen such beasts farther down, and felt it was worth a look. The colt chuckled as he thought to himself. What better place to hide some ancient treasure than somewhere no one was willing to look? During his dig he had located a crack in the cliff side emitting a small stream of water. His knowledge of earth science led him to believe there could be an underground stream that likely stemmed from a cavern sealed beneath the mountain. The colt casually unsnapped the pic-axe from his back and with one swoop swung it into the crack in the stone wall. He then began breaking apart the cliff side swing by swing, with nothing but a grain of hope fueling his desire for exploration.

Several hours passed, and he grew tired quickly in the humidity of what appeared to be a brewing storm. He wiped the beads of sweat from his dirt covered face with a small cloth from his saddle bag, and prepared to give up for the day and return home. The colt knew it would be a miserable trip back to the city if he were to be caught in the storm, and after packing his things, turned toward the exit of the small tunnel he had fashioned in the cliff-side. Just as he started to leave, a heart-stopping sound froze him in his tracks… a splash. A SPLASH! Suddenly the tired colt was filled with energy as he whipped out his pic-axe once again and furiously swung at the wall with all his might. Within a matter of minutes he felt the head of his pic-axe break through to an open area behind the wall. He hooked the wall with the head of the pic and gritted his teeth as he pulled with all his might. He felt the crumbled stone loosen, but it wouldn't break free from the wall’s grasp. In a last ditch effort the colt put all the energy he had left into the biggest buck he'd ever exerted in his life, his hooves hitting hard on the stone’s surface. A large crumbling sound erupted as a cloud of dust shot up into the air, and the stones fell one by one into the pit that lie on the other side. One... two... SPLOOSH! The colt counted the seconds as the rocks fell to the water below, realizing just how deep the cave was. This would be the end of the road for any other pony, but this colt was NOT just any pony. It was becoming difficult to see now that he'd traveled a decent distance from the cave entrance, and flipped open his saddle bag to reveal a small oil lantern and a lighter. Within seconds the room flourished dimly with the orange glow of the flame, and he took a few steps forward through the collapsed wall. The colt gazed in awe at the expansive chasm that lay before him.

Without hesitation the colt strapped the pic-axe back onto his back and pulled a thick coiled rope from his saddle bag. He threw the rope on the ground and reached back into his bag to remove a small iron mallet and a collapsible steel rod. He extended the rod which locked into place and began driving the rod into the ground with the mallet, summoning strength that could only be brought about by his burning passion for adventure. Once he felt the rod was secure he fashioned a knotted loop in the end of the rope and slipped it tightly over the rod. The colt kicked the rest of the coiled rope over the edge of the chasm and watched as the rope descended into darkness; he could only hope he would have enough slack to make it to the bottom. He packed the mallet in his bag and with the lantern handle clenched between his teeth, slipped over the side, the rope tightly between his hooves. As he descended into the eerie darkness a faint sound caught his ear, and a sudden thought filled his mind as he froze with fear. Is that?! Calm down, get to the bottom first. He pushed the idea away as if he'd been hearing things and continued his slow descent into the chasm's depths. As he reached the end of the rope, flowing water brushed against his back left hoof and he let out a huge sigh of relief. Thank Discus I reached the bottom. Locating a flat section of stone jutting from the wall nearby, the explorer stepped down and took a moment to compose himself.

That moment quickly ended as the horrifying sound once again sounded in his ear, even over the sound of the flowing water. This time he was sure. And for what felt like an eternity the colt stood silent. Breathing. Heavy, slow breathing, so heavy it could only come from one creature. And he knew just what it was. The sound was echoing from a nearby tunnel, and the colt lifted the lantern to get a better look. Sure he would expect dragons above the mountain, it was Dragon Peak. But in it?? There were no exits except for the one he broke through, how could it survive!? These thoughts lingered for a moment, until another thought crossed his mind. What would a dragon be doing down here? What do dragons even do? Guard. … Treasure. TREASURE! All of his fears seemed to melt away as he quietly giggled to himself. He knew it was going to be dangerous, but that was something he lived for. And to him such a peril was worth whatever mysteries may lie in its den. He took a light footed step forward and paused for a moment, before shaking his head and continuing toward the source of the sound. As he slowly traversed down the tunnel, the occasional mouse would scurry from the lantern's dim light, giving the colt a slight startle. He pressed forward, and after a few minutes of walking the breathing had become much louder. Eventually he set foot at the end of the tunnel and gazed into a cavern that seemed to have no ceiling, save for the surprising beam of light shining down from a small hole hundreds of feet above. He set the lantern down by the tunnel exit, and as he glanced about the ceiling he marveled at the many jewels jutting from the walls. Their beauty was gleaming as the light reflected from their surfaces onto the jagged stony walls. His awe of the beauty quickly turned to shock as he noticed something terribly unnerving. The heavy breathing had stopped.

~<>~

The room was completely silent. He had been so entranced by the jewels he hadn't noticed the heavy breath fade from his hearing. His gaze followed the beam of light downward to the center of the cavern, his body stiff as a statue. There, lying completely still was a fully grown dragon... and it was looking at him. The colt just stared back, their eyes locked for what felt like hours. As the colt stared he began to take notice of something... unusual about the dragon. The dragon race was known for their impressive beauty and constant desire to look their best in the face of lower beings. Their scales would glimmer in sunlight and they always preened their spikes to give an appearance of perfection for intimidating prey. This dragon was very different. His scales were faded and covered in dirt; it was to the point the colt couldn't even determine its color. His eyes were weary, not fierce, and his posture was not that of a prideful dragon. His head hadn't moved, as he was constantly resting his chin on its right forearm. He looked... weak. Like he'd been trapped for eons and hopelessness showed in his expression. Another thing that surprised the colt, and brought a sharp sadness to his mind, was the lack of treasure beneath the dragon's body. Dragons are also known for their unquenchable desire for shiny materials such as gold and gems, and spend pony lifetimes collecting to attempt to settle their greed. However it was clear to the colt this dragon did not contain that same essence of greed. This calmed him slightly as he slowly stepped forward toward the dragon. At this point the dragon winced, coming to the realization that he was being approached. Within seconds the dragon that had moments ago appeared lifeless jumped up onto his hind legs and let out a ferocious cry, breathing an intensifying stream of fire into the air.

The colt stood dumbfounded at the sudden change in the dragon's physique. The dragon began to charge violently with its mouth agape. After a moment the colt shook out of the trance, realizing he had to act quickly. He began to run toward a crevice on the far end of the room, hoping for a position in which the dragon couldn't reach him. He focused on the dragon as he sprinted, making sure it wasn't preparing another blast of fire. As he did he noticed something that made this dragon even more bizarre. The dragon was holding something as he ran. It appeared to be... a book. A book?! Why would a DRAGON have a BOOK? The colt raced across the cavern to the crevice where he felt he would have a moment to rest. He breathed heavily as his mind was buzzing with questions, and once more wiped the beady sweat running down his face with the cloth. What is in that book? Where did it come from? Why is that dragon protecting it? Should I try and get it from him? If so, how? In the end the colt made his decision, as if there was even a decision to be made. He had to have that book.

He began formulating a plan to get the book away from the dragon, although he knew it would be anything but easy. There has to be something... ANYTHING I can do. Despite this, his thoughts yielded nothing. I'm up against a dragon! Is there even anything I CAN do? … My pic-axe! He had been so surprised by the dragon the colt had forgotten about the pic-axe still strapped to his back. He quickly undid the strap and ran out, facing the back of a dragon that had lost interest in the cowardly colt. He took a deep breath, and with swift steps quietly walked up to the tip of the dragon's tail. Ignoring the nagging doubts in his mind he raised the pic-axe high above his head and swung it down with tremendous force, plunging the pic through the dragon's tail and into the stony ground beneath. Taken off guard by the underestimated colt, the dragon let out a howling cry as he turned to free his tail. In these moments the book dropped to the ground in front of the dragon and the colt took off as fast as his hooves could carry him. He swiped the book off the ground and raced back toward the tunnel he had entered through. The dragon, having freed his tail, turned to find the book missing and the colt running toward the only exit. It raged violently, taking in a deep breath and releasing another immense blast of fire that was quickly catching up to the colt. The colt thundered toward the exit, heaving greatly from sheer exhaustion as the heat of the flames fell hot on his back. He made it to exit and snagged the still lit lantern off the ground, not stopping for an instant as the flames continued after him down the tunnel. The flames were gaining on him as he escaped the tunnel and leaped into the underground stream, plunging deep into the cool water. At that instant the flames flooded over the water, filling the room with fire for several moments before dying down and dissipating into the darkness.

The colt climbed out of the water into the darkness, as the water had doused the lantern's light. He removed the wick, emptied out the water, and pulled a fresh bottle of oil and a new wick from a sealed case in his saddlebag. Within moments the room once again flourished with the dim light of the lantern's flame. He took a moment to gaze at the book, the mystery of it all filling him with joy. It was a faded brown leather book, bound with a matching leather strap and a small lock on the front. As he pulled at it he realized it wouldn't open, and without a key he would have to open it back at his study. As he packed the book away in his saddle bag he noticed the faint sounds of the dragon’s cries echoing down the tunnel. He had expected the dragon to be angry after the loss of his book, but this didn’t sound like anger. It sounds like... sadness... longing... regret. It almost hurt to hear the creature’s cries, and his buzzing mind fell silent as he walked over to the rope. The rope. Moments ago the room had been engulfed in flames and the rope was nowhere to be seen. Damn. It’s completely burned up. He was trapped. Any other pony would've lost hope, but he was not just ANY pony. And he knew it. There had to be another way to get back to the surface. The stream! If I follow it perhaps it will also lead to an exit. The colt knew the water from the peak emptied into the Ponia river basin, and if he could find where the water was escaping perhaps he could too.

He noticed a small ledge following the edge of the stream, and followed it deep into the caves. His wick was receding, and it was his only spare. If it burned out... he would die down here. No. That is not an option. I've come too far to fail now. He pressed forward with the stream, whispering a prayer to King Discus every so often that he would make it out alive. He continued on, growing more and more tired with every waking second. He avoided the urge to look at the time on his pocket watch, terrified of what it might tell him. The wick was no longer emitting a dim light, but an eerie glow. Hopelessness was settling in, the dismal thought that he would die before ever learning what was written in the book ate at his thoughts. Finally in the last moments of light, he sat down, leaning against the coarse tunnel wall. There was nothing left he could do. It had grown cold as he'd trekked deeper into the cave, and he began to shiver. Holding the book, he just stared at it blankly as the flicker of light faded out into the darkness.

“Satcheeeeel? SATCHEEEEEL?”

A faint voice echoed down the tunnel, slicing through the darkness. The colt lifted his weary head as the familiar voice rang in his ears. Weakly the colt gave out a choked holler.
“I'm... here!” He took a shallow breath and whispered again. “I'm here...” as he faded out of consciousness.

~<>~

Satchel opened his eyes slowly after what felt like a thousand year sleep. Suddenly he recalled all of the recent events with the dragon and sat up quickly, aggravating a headache he'd previously been unaware of.
“AAUUGHH!” The colt held his throbbing head in his hooves.

“Whoa Satchel, take it easy! There's no rushing, you crazy pony!” The voice called from the stairwell, and as it grew louder a well-built grey unicorn with a flowing black mane stepped into the room.

“... Cinder Soot?... auuugh.” Satchel held his head in his fore hooves once more.

“I can always count on you to get yourself in trouble, Satchel Snap. You're lucky to be alive! If not for me, you would probably have rolled over into that stream and wound up as fish food. What in the hay were you doing sitting in the dark in the first place?”

“Nice... to see you too Cinder. I was just--...! Where is it?!” Satchel frantically scanned the room.

“Where's what? Your saddle bags?”

“The BOOK!”

“Ooh, the book IN the bag. It was all wet, like everything else you had on you, so I set it out to dry. Now it's lying out on your desk, I figured it was a notebook of yours or something.” Satchel sunk back into his bed, letting out a sigh of relief. He then took a moment to ponder, as a questioning look became evident on his face.

“Hey... how did you find me?”

“Hmm? Oh, that. You certainly didn't make it easy. After you had been gone for a while, I tried to get your team members to join me and search for you. But all those scaredy ponies wouldn't go near Dragon Peak, so I set out on my own. I remember you telling me about your dig site, so finding that wasn't very difficult. From there it was easy as pinkie-pie, with a little unicorn magic to light the way through that tunnel. You should lay off the sweets, Satch. You're getting hard to carry back every time you go on a crazy adventure.” Cinder let out a chuckle, which seemed to calm Satchel once again.

“Well, thanks for coming after me. I thought I was a goner.” Satchel gave Cinder a look of appreciation before remembering his hard earned treasure.

“Oh! Hand me that book, will you?” Satchel pointed excitedly at his desk, gesturing intently for the book sitting on top. Cinder glanced over, picked up the book gave it a light toss to Satchel.

“Sure, here. You'll have to tell me all about your little adventure later. For now I'll leave you to your studies and what not.” The pony started to leave, before peeking his head back through the doorway and giving Satchel a stern look.

“And don't think about getting out of bed any time soon! You did a number on yourself out there, so rest up.” Footsteps began to echo down the stairs, slowly fading out to silence.

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Satchel mumbled, staring with wide eyes at the book in his hooves. Satchel clutched the book eagerly, smiling to himself. What secrets do you hold, dragon book? He grabbed a pocket knife out of the drawer by his bed, and with a flick of his hoof sliced through the old leather strap like a wilted flower petal. He carefully flipped open to the first page, trying not to tear the coarse paper as he began satisfying his mind’s thirst for the secrets of the dragon’s treasure.

--END OF PROLOGUE--