Friendship's Gate: Tales of the Pony Coast

by BrightIdea

Prologue 2: Leaving Home

Now where to begin, perhaps something about the abyss and how it looks back?

Nah.

Having been inspired by Pony Ages: Origins by Omegapony11, I have started the next Bioware title to become a FIMfiction, the classic Baldur’s Gate series. I am doing my best to graft together the Baldur’s Gate series and MLP: FIM together which in some cases is harder than it looks (mostly the pony puns). Though I don’t want to give anything right away, besides the explanation for the title it is a playoff of the Baldur’s Gate expansion pack, BG: Tales of the Sword Coast, so I could stick Pony in the title.

Note that while I have created a few characters all respective characters and settings either below to My Little Pony: FIM owned by Hasbro or to Baldur’s Gate Series to Bioware or Wizards of the Coast entertainment.
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“When shadows descend upon the lands, our divine ladies will walk alongside us as equals.
The Lady of Murder shall perish, but in her doom she shall spawn a score of mortal fillies and colts. Chaos will be sown from their cantering.
In the Year of the Barn…”
-Excerpt from the Prophecies of Celestia.
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There comes a time when everypony knows that they are going to die, whether from sickness or mortal wounds in mortal combat or being digested, slowly by a dragon. Red Mane, on the other hoof was doing everything in his power to deny this acceptance through sheer will and running faster than death. Running through the building, adrenaline pumped through his veins and despite wearing full plate mail armor the red manned pony had been keeping the chase up for well over an hour but it was also a fact that he had nowhere to run. Racing through the Iron Stable building Red Mane learned that every door was locked and every window was fitted with iron bars, as it was at one such window which he had desperately tried to pry open, a hoof wrapped in iron smashed into his face splitting skin on his face and his sword into pieces.

Spitting the broken weapon from his mouth, Red Mane dodged another blow aimed for his skull, which instead harmlessly punched a hole in the wooden floor, and fled for his life. No matter where he went in the seemingly deserted building The Monster followed him, howling its amused and hungry laughter. The laughter was the worse, the demonic chuckle echoed in every room and hallway; it was like The Monster was everywhere at once. Fatigue and the sickening cry of the beast were taking its toll on Red Mane, especially because he knew this chase wasn’t an honorable battle…no…It was a hunt…and the monster enjoyed every bit of Red Mane’s terror.

Mouthing prayers to the Divine Goddesses, Red Mane turned a corner, ducking just as a spiked, iron hoof smashed into the space where his head had been a moment before.

“Hahaha, it will be over soon, don’t run from what is your destiny!” growled the monstrosity, its voice filled with a conviction that Red Mane believed spoke no lie, but truth of his destiny. Before the monstrosity could turn the corner, Red Mane had already bolted back down the corridor to the stairway, climbing up the next floor and he did not stop there, climbing skywards. Quickly losing count of how far he had gone Red Mane paused to catch his breath, shaking off a coat of sweat from exhaustion and terror.

“Nothing was making sense tonight, there had been a dozen other mercenaries that had answered the advertisement for hired hooves, but why me?” Red Mane mumbled, thinking back to earlier when a servant had told him one of the company bosses had wanted to interview Red Mane personally. Lead off from the rest of the herd, Red Mane had been drinking a cup of apple cider when he felt a shadow cover him. Looking up he had seen the iron covered hide of the monstrosity and bolted away, soon being cornered It had spoken to him in riddles about dead goddesses and blood. It, the hired hoof still was not sure if it was a pony even though its form vaguely resembled one, had been very insistent on the blood part.

Moving to continue the adrenaline in Red Mane’s veins drain away, his hooves felt like they were made of stone and his armor now weighed down on his body. Struggling forward he moved toward a small stairway that looked like it lead to the rooftop. Inching to the bottom step, Red Mane crawled on his belly, muscles straining to take a single step. Then something occurred to Red Mane, freezing him in place at the bottom of this last stairway, finally realizing that he hadn’t heard the creature’s laugh or sensed its presence for minutes.

‘Where-?’

The bottom stair on the floor below him creaked.
Red Mane flew up the stairway; panic and madness took hold of his mind, if he had to escape he would jump off the building if he had to! He wouldn’t, couldn’t let that MONSTER get ahold on his mane. Topping the stairway Red Mane collides with the last barrier for his the last hope for freedom: a wooden door. Pushing on it Red Mane soon found that the door wouldn’t a budge an inch, it was locked!

“Nowhere to run now my little pony”

“N-no! No! Stay back!” Red Mane shouted, eyes darting away from The Monster as it lumbered, slowly and purposely up the stairs towards him. Heart racing, Red Mane did the only that that made sense to his panicking mind, using his entire body he slammed into the doorway again and again until a satisfying cracking of wood forced the doorway free. Red Mane’s eager momentum carried him out into the rain of the dark and stormy night in Friendship’s Gate. Collapsing onto the wet, stone rooftop Red Mane’s strength left, reducing him to crawl across the rooftop, the wind blowing the door shut again,

“Heh…hehahaha! Your mine.” The Monster’s sinister laughter cutting through the thunder and rain of the night , turning Red Mane caught full sight of the monstrosity as rather than pushing open the door it used one of its iron hooves smash the wooden doorway into splinters. Its bulk so large it had to stoop down to get through. Caught fully in the light from inside of the building Red Mane saw his constant pursuer in full light, wishing to the goddesses that this was just a nightmare with every step it took toward him. Red Mane’s hunter had no weapon, because its entire body from head to flank was covered in a dark metallic armor that protruded dangerously sharp spikes along the shoulders and vambraces, even its hooves were covered in gauntlets. The Armored Figure’s face was covered by a demonic, smiling skull helmet, but behind the helmet Red Mane sensed rather then saw a sadistic smile. Facing his worst fears he wanted to run, so he did, scrambled on his battered limbs towards the rooftop edge; if he had to he would jump...better then let this thing get ahold of him. His plans were thwarted as Red Mane discovered iron fencing along the roof edge, tipped with spikes. The revelation that there was no escape finally cracked his sanity, tears streaming down his face he pushed on the fencing desperately with his hooves. Red Mane cried out “P-please! N-no you can’t do this

“Hahaha…” the Armored Figure laughed, shaking his head while pointing a hoof to Red Mane “You will go first, and I will be the last” laughing again as he strode towards Red Mane like a unstoppable avalanche of death.

Red Mane didn’t even know what he was talking about, he looked frantically around the rooftop between him and the Armored Figure for an escape, his mind reasoned there had to be some other way, but instead his eyes fell onto his doomsayer’s cutie mark…and everything made sense. He felt a sudden wave of understanding and calm wash over him that lasted for only a moment, but finally this night’s plot made sense. The Armored Figure’s hoof ploughed Red Mane across the face sending him to the floor in agony and rupturing blood.

Red Mane couldn’t move, his senses scrambled by the excruciating pain, but he didn’t have to as the Armored Figure bent down and wrapped both of its iron covered hooves around his neck, then slammed Red Mane through the metal fence to dangle in midair. Gagging, Red Mane choked, the Armored Figure’s demonically strong grip clamped on his neck, which was the only thing keeping Red Mane from falling. Mind racing and vision blurring Red Mane tried to plea “Please! I-I know who you want…there are others I can show you! Ple-ahgrugh”.

The Armored Figure continued to laugh manically, crushing Red Mane’s windpipe slowly, out of options he weakly beat against the maniac’s arms and looked into this murderer’s face. Red Mane’s eyes fell deeper into the Armored Figure’s soulless eyes, the doomed pony stared into the abyss and death stared back into Red Mane’s soul. Letting out a death gurgle, Red Mane’s own eyes shot open wide as his neck snapped underneath the crushing pressure, his mouth hanging uselessly open. The Armored Figure took in and enjoyed the sight of life going out of Red Mane’s eyes, savoring every moment. Sarehavok, howled into the night sky in bloodlust before Red Mane’s corpse was heaved over the side plunging into the darkness below.

Red Mane would be the first of many.

Prologue: Leaving Home

“I can’t believe your going away, Twilight” Spike said from the tabletop, lunch was over and the Bridlekeep guards who had swarmed the Bridlekeep Inn were long gone, leaving Spike to clean up the leftovers. “Gee, I think Mule took a bite of his plate…”

“Honestly, I can’t believe it either, Spike. I have never been out of Bridlekeep, at least not since I was a little filly…” Twilight replied, clopping her back hooves nervously. Twilight looked back and forth between Spike and the saddlebags of holding hanging next to Winclomp, the Innkeeper, as the latter stuffed Twilight’s equipment into the magical saddlebags. She had ordered from the old earth pony camping equipment, survival gear, healing potions, the latest maps and more that several guides such as ‘So Your Going On a Journey: Here Is How Not To Be Eaten By a Ogre’ had recommended her. The young mage was determined that he journey would go by the book; she already wore the recommended apprentice mage’s robes. Her unicorn magic shifted their color from dull brown to purple and black to match her mane, the same magic allowed for her cutie mark to appear on her flank. Concealed pockets of minor holding contained her quarterstaff and several daggers. Her bulleted list told her everything was prepared for a journey…she just wasn’t so sure if she was ready in spirit.

“Oh, it’s not so bad little Twilight Sparkle. I mean I haven’t been out of Bridlekeep in a few years, but I’m sure that flesh eating ghoul has been caught. O’ course I never heard they buried it neither…” Winclomp commented while stuffing a tent pole into Twilight’s saddlebags.

“G-ghoul?” Twilight asked, shivers crawling up her flank. Her fear of the undead or semi-undead was almost as bad as snakes or even alligators!

“Hehehawhaw, oh no worries lass, there haven’t ever been ghouls in these parts.” Winclomp laughed, a joking grin plastered over his face, which grew wider as he continued “No, worse we get here be wolves, bears, and…pony-eating parasprites”

“Para-whatsit?” Spike asked, hopping down from the table carrying a stack of plates. For a moment the plates teeter and totter before a magical glow shifts them into a straight position in Spike’s claws, Twilight’s horn settles as a lavender glow disappears.

“Careful ye little lizard.” Winclomp eyes Spike as he closes the flaps to Twilight’s saddlebags, his gaze slowly turning back to the young filly “Aye, mark my words Twilight Sparkle, saw ‘em carry off a pony into the trees and-“

“Now I know your lying!” Spike interrupted in a outburst of laughter “I think they would consider you a main course meal, well unless they were smart enough to know you were too heavy to carry off…” Spike said between chuckles of laughter, ducking into the back kitchen with his load of plates. Winclomp snorts loudly, his flank livid as he places the saddlebag onto Twilight’s back.

“I’m sure whatever is out there, parasprites or not, Gorion will be able to handle them” Twilight says quickly to diffuse Winclomp’s anger. “It’s just that Gorion…hasn’t told me why we’re leaving Bridlekeep. I mean I am sure he has a good reason for it, he always does but…” Twilight’s voice trails off with a sigh, she REALLY wasn’t sure about leaving Bridlekeep. Its safety and books were all she ever needed or wanted in Equestria. Adventure…from what she read in her books wasn’t safe and didn’t leave much time available for reading. The unicorn mage was sure she could handle whatever the Pony Coast threw at her, but it was Gorion not seeing fit to trust her with why they were leaving that bothered her the most. What secrets would he keep from his apprentice and adoptive daughter?

“Oh, don’t fret about it, young one” Winclomp comforts, moving his heavy bulk around the Inn bar to place a hoof on her shoulder “Gorion’s got a good head on his shoulders, I don’t say that about most ponies. Wherever you go the Bridlekeep Inn will always have a room open ‘fer you!”

“Thanks, Winclomp” Twilight smiles softly at the older stallion.

“I mean after all, with your magic to help the Inn is always spotless. Spike’s good but he can be a lazy one, and whenever you put your horn to shine, my ole tavern’s always as clean as a unicorn’s ar-“

“Twilight Sparkle!”

Both ponies look to see the doors to the Inn fly open as a particularly older unicorn passes through them. Compared to Winclomp’s dark, brown mane this new pony’s is much brighter, almost like flame. Twilight’s smile grew just a tad wider as her teacher, Fire Mane, strode up to her. “Teacher!”
Despite being at the pony age where he constantly needed his staff to move around Fire Mane’s mane still looked as if he was alight with fire from his youth. Some of his other students often commented that he probably had a stash of flame-dye mane potions. One of Bridlekeep’s most powerful mages was also well known for his…fiery temper when he heard any of these rumors.

“Twilight Sparkle! I can’t believe the words that have reached my ears! Gorion is taking my star pupil away from me? You’re the only one who listens to what I have to say! You don’t blow up my classroom with every other spell!”

“Now, now Fire Mane” Twilight says, blushing at the praise from her teacher, “Moon Dancer is as good at magic as I am. I’m nothing special…”

“Bah! Moon Dancer is what I prefer to classify as an ‘air head’. I am afraid it’s a terminal illness that I can do nothing to help! You though, I could have you doing transport spells between here and Friendship’s Gate in another year of studying…”

“Duh, Twilight’s going to be better than Element Master one day!” Spike adds on to the praise, popping up onto the bar table.

“Please, Element Master is the most powerful wizard in Equestria! I’m sure I will be a competent mage, but Element Master is on a whole another level… I just hope this journey won’t interfere with my studies” Twilight rushes to say worried that their hopes were a little too high at the thought of being comparable to the great and powerful Element Master.

“Ah, yes. Be careful, rumors that bandits are thicker than a swarm of parasprites on the Pony Coast these days. War may even erupt between Friendship’s Gate and Amania.”

“War?” Twilight’s ears perked up at that, from her books she knew well of the rivalry between the two powers on the Pony Coast, but she hadn’t heard anything about a war.

“Aye, a unnatural diamond shortage in the Amania mine” Winclomp chimes in, as Innkeeper he knew more about rumors true and false then anyone in Bridlekeep. “Folks in Amania are blaming Friendship’s Gate ‘fer sabotage while Friendship’s Gate is blaming Amania ‘fer all these bandits. Terrible ’fer business is what I think on this mess.”

‘War? Bandits? Parasprites? What is Gorion thinking about going on a journey with all this craziness going on?’ Twilight began to think but quickly quashed such thoughts, she had the utmost faith in her adoptive father…yes, there had to be an important reason why Gorion wanted to travel. Whatever it was she would find out and-

“Anyway, my soon-to-be-gone pupil, the truth of the matter is on my way to see you I did see Gorion, and he bides you to come quickly. A storm is on the horizon and he wishes to make departure, post-haste!”

“Gosh! Look at the time; I really should be going then. I didn’t think I’d be here this long…well I don’t want to keep Gorion waiting so…” Twilight says between lifting her saddlebags onto her haunches and taking several steps towards the doors before turning to the two ponies (and dragon) that had been the closest thing to a family in Bridlekeep outside of Gorion “I’m sure I won’t be gone very long, maybe a fortnight at most, but still take care everyone…”

“Hehe, ye don’t have to worry about me, worse comes to worse, Spike here burns down my Inn. Again.”

“Hey! That was years ago and I had a nightmare…” Spike glares at Winclomp.

“Twilight Sparkle” Fire Mane interrupts Winclomp before he can open his mouth, taking a step towards his former student with a soft smile “I have given you all the words of magic and ancient lore that I know of, what comes next will be up to you but know that you won’t do it alone…I know you won’t be for long” finishing his cryptic speech with a wink.

‘Don’t worry Fire Mane; I’m sure Gorion will be there every step of the way to keep me safe” Twilight thinks, inclining her head in respect to her former teacher. Turning to Spike she sees the young dragon twists his tail in his fingers, looking away from Twilight. Before Twilight can say her goodbye Spike suddenly straightens up and bounces over and onto Twilight’s back, declaring for all to hear “What kind of…uh…employee of the Bridlekeep Inn would I be if I…I…uh…didn’t…see Twilight off to the gates? Huh? A bad one! So, Winclomp I’ll be back later to finish the dishes and my chores, yea that’s right!”

“Spiiike, you know you can’t weasel out of your chores just like that and-“ Twilight starts off before Winclomp inclines his eyes upward and raises a unoffending hoof.

“Oh, nonono its fine with me!” Winclomp interrupts a grin on his face and a wink to Spike before returning behind his bar “Since we don’t give those little chocolates on pillows, the Bridlekeep Inn comes with a personal send-away-er! Think nothing of the service at the Bridlekeep Inn, aye?”
“Very well, come along Spike you can say goodbye to Gorion. I am supposed to meet him in front of the inner sanctum.” Twilight says, with one last nod to Fire Mane and Winclomp. Twilight pushes open the doors to the Bridlekeep Inn with Spike hanging onto her mane. Though Twilight could not see it, Spike’s eyes speak of something heavy on his mind.

Soon Twilight found herself walking through the inner courtyard, a peaceful area of Bridlekeep. Filled with beautiful flower gardens and ponds surrounding the inner sanctum and library, a massive marble stone keep rising above the inner and outer walls that surrounded the keep of Bridlekeep. It was here on the front steps of the keep that Gorion had told his young ward to meet him, and Twilight was about to turn the corner to the front doors of the keep when Spike finally spoke up.

“H-hey Twilight, stop for a moment I need to talk to you really quickly before you see Gorion” hopping down from Twilight’s backside, he turns to face her, once again twisting his tail between his fingers. “Twilight…I couldn’t believe it when Winclomp told me the news… you’re going on a journey with Gorion…I mean that’s amazing but, look Twilight I need to tell you something important and its-“

“Oh, I get it Spike” Twilight interrupts, a knowing smile on her face, a smug look as if she had figured out exactly what the purple dragon wanted to say “Your jealous of me that I’m leaving Bridlekeep. I know you’ve always wanted to get out of these walls. Well, if you want I could talk to Gorion and see if-“

“No, that’s not it at all! Stop treating me like I’m a little baby dragon!” The little baby dragon crosses his arms over his chest and looking a little wounded in his pride.

“Spike your only a few-“

“I know how old I am, I can count with my fingers and tail, but if you’re not going to take me serious…then what I have to say can wait. I can tell you when you get back from your oh so exciting and fun journey! Good day!” Spike turns back toward the Bridlekeep Inn, steam billowing from his ears as he tramples the garden flowers.

“Oh Spike, someday you’re going to have to learn to act more grown up” Twilight sighs, shaking her head and thinking she had her young dragon friend figured out. Turning the corner thoughts of Spike are put aside as her adoptive father comes into view, Gorion waiting for her on the steps of the keep.

“Well my child, I was afraid I would become a fine, aged statue before you arrived” Gorion jokes upon her arrival giving Twilight a smile, which for a moment she can see is filled with pride, joy, and sadness. Gorion’s white mane and dusty brown coat more than often reminded Twilight of the paper she would find in books written centuries past, including his cutie mark of a golden book, its pages open and shining golden rays of light outward.

“Don’t worry; I am sure one of the monks would put you somewhere nice in the shade” Twilight jokes with a soft smile, trotting up the steps to Gorion and nuzzling his neck softly. Any onlooker could see that Twilight adored her adoptive father. “I have everything and anything we might possibly need for a journey!”

Gorion neighs, “That’s all well and good, I hope you are ready to leave as soon as possible. I’m afraid we are more vulnerable the longer we stay at Bridlekeep” .

“I’m sure I have everything we could need…exactly what my books said we should need, but this is Bridlekeep, what could possibly harm us here?” Twilight asks, hiding back her own immense curiosity as she studies Gorion’s face for any emotions or clues.

“While it is a fine fortress of solitude, even a finely woven pony fly net will let a single pony fly past it. No we must leave here for we risk our safety and that of those around us” Gorion replies, his face become graver and pony serious with every word, alarming Twilight.

“I’m…” Twilight begins to say, stopping for a moment before taking in a deep breath and holding her head high “I’m ready for whatever is out there!”

“Good my child, listen carefully. If we are ever separated, it is imperative you make your way to the Friendly Hoof Inn. There you will meet two friends of mine, they have long been so and you can trust them. “

Without another word, Gorion turns down the steps of Birdlekeep, Twilight turns to follow but pauses for just one moment. Looking up at what has been her home ever since she could remember. Silently hoping to see Bridlekeep again soon she turns to follow her adoptive father out into the world and whatever awaits for her.