The Trinity of Moons: Mending Shards

by Cloud Ring

Interlude 7: Tenacity

🏆🏆🏆

Resounding blows and rapid shots of rubble broke the silence of Underrock Mountain's huge cave. Dust coiled up, dancing in the beam of the headlamp. A tall white unicorn with a bluish-black mane that shone purple in the reflected light came down to the floor. Her steps were careful. The others followed her, also in miners' helmets and with backpacks.

After examining the ceiling and making sure the cave was stable, teacher Carnelian advised the students to set up camp.

They set up a cold and bright light. They warmed food on a fireproof stove. They decided to go deeper with the next rise of Black Moon.

There were no fires, no music. No water dripped. Even the ponies' sensitive ears picked up only sounds made by themselves. The light was lost in the ceiling columns.

Whenever else would be a better time to tell some legends?

“Many generations ago, there was a unicorn. She had a special gift to find things. Not the talent that can be obtained along with Black Moon's aspect, but a much more fine and sensitive one. If somepony had lost keys or a platinum bracelet in this cave she would find it no matter what. They say that she could even find what the ponies themselves do not remember having lost. The foal was lost too.”

The cave shook slightly, dust fell from the ceiling. Nothing unusual or wrong was about that. They were not afraid. Not even a little.

“They were on a picnic in the mountains and got hit by the Red. They took refuge in a cave, as we did, and the foal was lost. They searched everything, launched microdrones into all corners, unicorns probed the walls for disturbed rock. They found nothing. The hoofprints went into the depths, and there, on the hard stone, they were gone. But the last throws of the track went straight, as if the foal knew where he was going. As if he was shown the way."

There was a sound, dull, extremely low and quiet.

“She followed the foal. She took food, water, and a lantern. She disappeared forever, as it seemed then. Ones sent for her found nothing but a crushed helmet. When, according to all calculations, she was believed to be dead, the cave was declared closed, and they wanted to blow it up. Then she came out to meet them. With a foal. She was declared a hero, and everypony was happy. She refused to say what happened. And then Black Moon came to her and talked to her for a long time.

"Nopony knows what it was about. The Moon said, ‘No explosions shall happen there’. Please note that a full line was much longer and more precise. I can find it for you later, for now please think thrice before testing it. Underrock Mountain is now in the list of locations unadvised to visit. The Moon makes no comments on the matter.

“And she left again, forever this time. But they say that—”

Carnelian did not have time to finish. The lamps toppled over and shattered, in their dancing light the far wall of the cave began to fall off in huge chunks.

Without hesitation, she jumped up, charting an escape route with a spell, and began to prepare a spell that would melt the rock into a monolith. It was very effective at ensuring a safe escape for everypony… except herself.

The students were probably already in the safe zone. The last lamp went out. A deafening, bestial roar came from the swirling darkness.

"Why did you tell me this, Electra?" she thought before the darkness grabbed her.

Nine and nine more times the Moons rose and fell. Thrice, time and time again passing tests of charms unwelcoming and grumpy, the students descended to the place of the blockage. They took apart the talus to the last stone, to the undisturbed ancient rock — and found only twisted metal. Not a drop of blood, nothing.

A luster later, she appeared in the classroom, walked like a ghost through the corridors, where the students were still ashamed to look each other in the eyes, and locked herself in the office.

Black Moon was waiting for her there. Mysterious, as always. Curious always, unless She spoke otherwise.

She stood, not looking into the eyes of the Moon. How could she feel any other way, if Black's paths once again led to doubt? If she was entrusted with the most incredible secret of this world, given an amazing and beautiful destiny? It was leaving her without much choice. She could not refuse and stay true to herself. She was too needed there, underground.

“He asked me to tell you that the self-sustaining nuclear fusion project is progressing successfully. In a generation, we will be ready to test the third prototype,” Carnelian said.

Black Moon nodded, without an answer.

“I quote, ‘I am immensely grateful to you, but please stop doing this! This is improper!’ He meant that. I need to be the last one, in his opinion.”

Black Moon was silent, for a beat. Then She spoke, for the first time in their meeting, “That’s it?”

Carnelian nodded. Then they hugged each other, saying goodbye forever.

Like a pale ghost, the snow-white unicorn with a black and purple mane, with a rare talent for searching spells, with a kind and generous heart, walked along the corridors, not answering the students' calls. She headed for the mountains. Nopony followed her.

The legend, which Dr. Carnelian did not have time to tell her disciples, ended thus:

"They say she became the wife of the mountain king and the queen of dragons."

Silly fairy tale. There is no such thing as dragons.

Comments

[Numinos]

Hi there, not-a-Rarity : )