The Elohim's Lament

by MangaBro

Chapter 1 - The Red Stallion

It’s so dark…

The young lavender Alicorn hurried her pace through the dark tunnel ever so slightly, a shimmering light surrounding her horn, illuminating the cave ever so slightly. It was too big of a risk to turn tail and run or trot now, as the ponies outside of the cave would be sure to hear, and the magical bursts of her wings whenever she flew would only cause more noise. She held her breath, trying to maintain her labored breathing, her focus dawning on the rocky path in front of her.

The cave was brooding with a mysterious energy, cursing her with frightening illusions of somepony or something lashing out from the darkness. The glimmers of crystals that were positioned on the walls, flashed her eyes continuously, and jagged rocks stuck out of the ground like spears. "Maybe I shouldn't be here." She told herself, but she knew that there was no turning back. What she was searching for was too great to simply turn down.

In this cave is said to be the vulture, otherwise known as The God of Death and Rebirth. It had always been an interesting topic among the ponies of Canterlot, and yet, was only said to be a legend. It seemed too bizarre to seem true. To think that there was a creature that was as powerful as Elohim, that roamed the earth freely In a physical form, haunted the minds of the fillies and colts.

However, Twilight always found it fascinating, even though the ones of the council saw it as a fable and nothing more. She wasn't there for the mere sight, no, she wanted to find the one thing that could bring back something she held dear. Up until now, the thought of reincarnation seemed impossible, but now she seemed closer to it than anypony ever was or could be.

She felt her hooves move faster as the light from the entrance cave grew darker until it was no longer visible. Even then, she felt exposed, like somepony, whether a civilian, friend, or family member, would catch her lurking in this cave. The thought still haunted her even though she was far away from the guards.

As she continued to stroll through the cave, speeding up with each second, constantly looking over her shoulder. The crystals of the cave began to glow more intensely, lighting up the cave even more. Soon enough, there was no need to use the light of her horn, as nearly a thousand shards of crystals, unique in color, shape, and size, set the cave ablaze.

Twilight stood impressed for a moment. Usually, in the Crystal Empire, the color of a crystal depended on the position of Celestia's sun. At daybreak, they were blue, at dusk, they were green, at dawn, they were red, and at Nightfall, they were purple. However, the colors of the crystal didn't match the light outside of this cave. They seemed completely randomized.

"Crystals shone randomly, resembling the colors of daybreak through nightfall," Twilight recited a rumor she had heard just the day before, her voice echoing ever so slightly throughout the cave. "The rumor was no lie. This really is the cave."

Amazed, she continued to walk a bit further, the different colors making her head ache, but she didn't react, she could care less. Nothing could stop her meeting the magical being of this cave, nothing.

A cold air then smacked her right in the face as she arrived at a wide opening in the cave. This part of the cave was unlike any other. The roof ascended even higher with even larger and brighter crystals hanging above. The rocks had also increased in size and the circulator platform that was held by two larger rocks below, leading all the way to the next tunnel, was flat and smooth, crystals surrounding the edges of the platform.

Twilight's eyes sparkled with amazement and she gasped in awe. "This can't be!" She said, flying up, the sounds of a magical burst shrilling through the cave. She flew up to one of the crystals of dawn that hung upside down on the roof, and placed a hoof on it. "The legends were true!" She muttered, and then followed up with a shout of excitement, "This is it, it is… this is… the cave… if that's no myth, then the vulture must be nearby…"

"Who is this vulture you speak of, young one?" A deep, crackling voice emerged from below. Twilight felt her fur shoot up as she turned around. There stood a figure shrouded in a tattered, hooded cloak. It didn’t look like a vulture at all. In fact, its body resembled that of a red stallion, a very old stallion.

The crow's voice echoed through the cave, "Ah, young Twilight Sparkle, you have ventured far. What brings you to this forsaken place?"

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Twilight asked.

"Don't worry about it." Said the cloaked figure. "The better question would be: why is a young Alicorn roaming around this cave?"

Nervously, Twilight asked, "Are you the God of Death and Rebirth?"

He chuckled, his voice filled with a sense of foreboding. "I am many things, young one. However, that is quite the fitting name for an old stallion with an ability like mine."

Twilight flew down to the man's level, analyzing what little she could see of the stallion's old and wrinkled face. Only his gray, long beard was visible under the hood he tugged so tightly. "You're no vulture," She said, looking at his hooves. "You're just a stallion."

"Vultures and crows feed on the dead, not bring them back. It's Elohim's way of cleansing." The stallion answered, slowly lifting a shivering finger. "I offer a chance for anyone to learn the magic of reviving those who have died and provide knowledge to the living."

"Knowledge of what sort?" Twilight asked.

"Forbidden, ancient magic. Alchemy, they call it." The stallion said.

"Alchemy?" Twilight had heard of that before.

"Yes, dear. Alchemy." The stallion repeated. "Magic like that goes all the way back to the Ice Era."

"But wasn't it buried within the ice?" Twilight asked. "The Elephants buried it within a magical ice that cannot be broke, there's no way any creature could get their hooves—or hands on it."

"That may seem to be the case. However, some of it still remains here, in my grasp." The red stallion turned his gaze over to the tunnel that awaited the deeper depths of the cave. "Alchemy is deep within the forbidden annals of the occult lies an arcane and treacherous art known as magic. The damned thing revolves around the potent life force that flows within every living being—the essence of blood. It is only through the sacrificial act of spilling one's own or another's blood that practitioners tap into the wellspring of unimaginable power. By harnessing the life essence contained within the crimson fluid, I can unlock the ability to manipulate the boundaries between life and death.
The sacrifice of life, either willingly given or forcibly taken, fuels the dark magic and forms the bridge that allows the departed soul to return to the mortal plane.
With the return of the deceased, the practitioner gains access to unattainable knowledge that resides within the realm of the afterlife. This knowledge encompasses forgotten histories, ancient secrets, and insights into the very fabric of existence itself. The user's mind becomes a vessel, flooded with otherworldly wisdom, granting them an understanding that defies the limitations of mortal comprehension. Those who dare to traverse this perilous terrain must confront the shadows within themselves as they dance on the razor's edge of forbidden power."

"Woah—wait—hold on!" Twilight held her hoof out, her mind spinning in circles trying to obsord the bundle of information that the stallion had poured into her brain. "Just how do you have possession of this magic. In fact, why should I trust you?"

The red stallion chuckled once again. "It all awaits in that cave behind me." He said, "The choice of whether you choose to see it for yourself, is up to you, Twilight Sparkle. All of your questions will be answered when the time is right."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Just what do you mean: when the time is right?"

"I mean that I will tell you when the time is right." The red stallion confirmed, once again turning his gave over to the cave, this time pointing a finger at it. "But, in order to obtain the right time, you must have the knowledge to understand it. So, go ahead, search deep for the symbol of blood."

Twilight hesitated, her mind racing with possibilities. She knew the dangers of making impulsive decisions, but the allure of unlimited potential was hard to resist. Gathering her courage, she spoke with determination, "Show me."

Tirek's eyes gleamed with an eerie light as he raised a gnarled hand. "So be it, Twilight Sparkle. Your wish is granted. I will say, for an Alicorn like you, this magic won't take very long for you to learn."

"Just how long have you been here?" Asked Twilight, staring at the cave.

"Tens of thousands of years." The red stallion said. "For all those years, I've never had any creature enter this cave."

"I'm glad to be the first." Twilight said, the red stallion smiled in response. In reality, Twilight was conflicted on whether or not she was glad to be his first visitor. His aura was so unbearably eerie and uncomfortable that she was beginning to consider running away. But the truth to all problems was possibly right behind that cave, and there was no way that an Alicorn of her age would give up the chance to learn forbidden magic, rather than spend years learning harder magic spells.

Twilight nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Even so, the thought of it seemed eerie. She knew she had to wield her newfound abilities with care and thoughtfulness, however, what if she couldn’t? Furthermore, she couldn’t round her head around why she was trusting this stallion so easily. As she began walking towards the tunnel, the stallion's voice followed her, a haunting reminder, "Choose wisely, young Twilight Sparkle, for the path you tread is filled with both light and darkness."

"I will." Replied Twilight.

Just as she took a deep breath and was ready to enter the cave, shouts of her brother calling her name echoed throughout the dungeon. Twilight instantly regretted flapping her wings. "No, the guards have found me!" She murmured, "They've found me!"

"Come back again tomorrow." The stallion urged. "The next time you do, there will be no reason to flap your wings."

"You will be here tomorrow?"

"I'm always here." The stallion replied. "and under no circumstances should you divulge anything about our conversation or our future meetings, understand?"

"Right!" Twilight then began to trot towards the direction of the voices of the tunnel, her mind scrambling for a lie to tell them. Meanwhile, the red stallion smirked and chuckled michevously, a golden bell emerging from his cloak as his glowing eyes shone through his hood.

Chapter End

Author's Note:

This is truly one of the chapters that exist