The Artifact

by The Sumareian

The New Emissary

The dust clung to the air in sickly glow. So this is how I die in some forsaken cave. the light was slowlly being bloughted out. I failed....

Four days earlier

Sen awoke to the sight of his dutiful guard Shadow the jet-black earth pony mare inclined her head towards him, and flatly said "good-morning my lord." Sen looked at the glowing green stone next to his bed almost wishing that Shadow wasn't tethered to it.

"Ahh.. Tell me Shadow how was your night?" Sen said jokingly Shadow turned to him directly the eye her silver glowing eyes sent a chill up Sens spine "Fine." she said in an almost angry tone.

He looked around his room fitting of a prince of Sumareia his ceremonial armor was being repaired to a presentable state by two younger fillies that fled at his gaze. Sen looked at his desk, it was covered in scrolls and maps all claiming that an oject of great power The Orb of the Fletcher. was here and there

Several of the maps were covered in red ink. Sen remembers following theses maps and finding nothing but sand and rumors.

Sen was snapped from his thoughts when a stout green stallion broke through his doors. "my lord the Emperor requests your presence." the stallion looked exhausted he gasped for air "I see pray tell what for?" Sen asked quizzically, the stallion tried to say somethig in between his gaspes but couldnt bring himself to words.

The stallion tipped to his side about ready to passout. Sen leaped at the stallion letting him rest on his side Sen turned to Shadow. "get Ghost and Fade over here'" he commanded . without a sound Shadow bleed away from her form into a flowing blob of darkness. Sen looked for a chair, as he walked the gasping stallion to the couch he felt feathers brush his flank.

A pegisi here this must be urgent.

Just then three black figures began to form behind Sen , the pegisi's face grew quite pale as he stared in the eyes of three shadow hooves.

Sen turned his head to them "Good get this messenger some water and see to his well being, i must talk to my brother."

Sen grabed his armor of its stand its hard plates bringng a strange sort of comfort as he lifted above his head.Blast there are no unicorns to help me get completely ready. as he ran out of his room he looked back at his gaurds the simply stared at the green pegisi as he trembled in fear.

Sen hoped his brother remembered that he was supposed to appoint an Emissary to Equestria to oversee the construction of the embassy and renew their four hundred year alliance with them.

As Sen entered the grand hall he saw many murals of the Zebra wars and the new addition of a deep violet earth stallion leading the invasion of Neighrobi. Sen looked at his front right hoof in shock My sword where is my sword?

"Excuse me your lordship but you dropped this." Sen looked at the pony levitating his sword greave. a sky blue uincorn mare with orange eyes and a cutie mark of a hammer and anvil on her flank stared Sen in the eye. "You cant be dropping these you know they aren't the easiest things to make." Sen looked away in emberrasment as his childhood friend scolded him.

"Ingot Forge as I live and breath what brings you to the place?" Sen recovered in masked surprise as he went to hug his long time friend."it's just Ingot now remember, I'm here to help retrofit the airship with magic pulse engines so the..." Sen was squeezing the breath out of the poor mare.

Sen realized she wasn't talking anymore as he looked at her face she looked bluer the usual Sen Released his hug on his old friend "Sorry earth pony strength and all." he said scratching the back of his head. She gasped for air.

That's the second pony I've left gasping for air today.

"You got to work on that Sen" Ingot said when she fully recovered leaving Sen to his task. Sen slipped his sword onto his right leg .Sen entered the the throne room to see his brother talking to several of his jet-black personal guard The Emperor of the small nation of Sumareia shouted to his little brother "Sen I hope the celebrations from your last escapade into the desert were to your liking?"

"They would have been more to my liking had I found anything , Regal." Sen said with a slight hint of defeat in his tone.

To the many onlooking servants and scribes the two brothers looked exactly identical with their deep purple coats indigo hair and saffron eyes . the only way to tell them apart was their clothing where Regal wore long flowing silk robes and ivory crown his brother Sen wore a tattered beat up set armor with a black sash and sword at his side.

"Brother I have something I must ask of you" Regal said placing his hooves on his brothers shoulders "I want you to be the Emissary to Equestria." Sen stepped back in momentary shock "Why me? Wasn't Tact going to be the Emissary?"

" Princess Celestia asked for you personally brother, she said something about hearing a rumor you would be interested in." Regal said in a calm tone. "So will you do it brother if not for your treasure hunts, for me?"

Sen looked his brother in the eye .last time my brother asked me to go somewhere I ended up poor and a wanted criminal in twelve countries.

"I'll do it on one condition" Regal stared in fear his brother was known for his conditions "You ensure that I have complete diplomatic immunity and access to the treasury." Sen said in assertive tone as he stamped down his hoof on the lime floor. creating a loud cracking sound that scattered many of the servants.

Regal looked at his little brother with a new determination. "Deal, and also I heard that your old crush is in charge of modifying the air ship." Regal said in a matter a factually tone. "Don't go starting any wars Bro." Sen called to Regal as he walked out "Same with you" Sen countered with "No promises."

Sen entered his room to see the whole of his personal Shadow Hooves packing his things. Three black figures moving aroung stacking truncks and rifleing through drawers grabbing robes and assorted pieces of fabric.

In the middle of all this chaos stood a grey pegisi in a starched simple officers coat and a dove with a branch in its mouth for a cutie mark. The pegisi turned to Sen and introduced herself "Hello your majesty, I am admiral Tempest Cloud" she said bringing her hoof to her head in a salute.

Sen returned her salute with gusto. "So your with our air fleet then?" Sen said. "Are you surprised that a pegisi would 'soar' through the ranks of the air fleet?" she retorted dropping all formalities replacing it with annoyance . Sen trying to be tactful simply said " Hey your place is in the sky so be it , but I prefer my hooves on the ground."

Great a pony that I can argue with this trip got a little less boring.

"So how is the airship holding up?" Sen said trying to break the ice. "Its too small , and they took out all of our weapons." Tempest said with a hint of anger. A crash filled the room Sen looked at the ground and saw his priceless hoof-made telescope shattered on the floor.

"Ghost, this is why we can't have nice things you always break them." Sen stared at the destroyed telescope. He placed on top of his now bare desk with the greatest of care. Ghost trotted up to the brooding prince and put an apologetic hoof on his side. "that counts as one Ghost, you got four more to go." Tempest stared in shock at how quickly the prince bounced back.

Sen turned to the confused officer and said "He saved my life five times,but he's always had four left hooves when he's not fighting. Go figure huh?"

the officer still had the deeply confounded look on her face when Sen held up a bright glowing gem and shouted "Alright everyone in, we got a long trip ahead of us." The three black ponies melted into a puddle of dark liquid and raced towards the gem. As more and more of the ooze reached the gem the redder it got.

"They are bond to this gem its a sick practice that the Watchers do, but it is how they pay tribute to the the emperor and his family." Sen said with a shrug. "What did they do to deserve such a fate?" the shocked officer asked. Sen paused and turned to Tempest "they volunteer." placing the gem around his neck.

"So where is my airship Admiral ?" Sen asked as he exited the room, leaving the shocked pegisi standing amungst several trunks.