The Fallen Kingdom Chronicles.

by Dawnforge

Chapter 5: Welcome to Ponyville

The four ponies stood in the center of Ponyville, the two pegasus stallions shared worried glances as the silence was broken occasionally by the squeak of a hinge, or the slamming of window shutters. The group stood between the old fountain and a statue of Celestia that had toppled to the ground and shattered to pieces; shattered bones could be seen protruding from under the rubble. As the four looked around collectively, all they saw were the burnt husks of buildings and buildings toppled into each other. The remains of ponies, changelings, and a few griffin's and donkeys were also visible everywhere they looked. The only thing that stood relatively intact was the old library, the tree-home of Twilight Sparkle.

Zeal looked to the sky, frowning as the sun was setting; even the sky here seemed dull and lifeless, “We can either travel through the night, or rest in the old Library,”, He spoke plainly to the others.

Thunderstrike snorted and glanced around. “It depends… If I remember my basic history correctly, the Element of Magic use to live there, so who knows what could be left there that has kept it from falling like the rest of the town?”

Cloudchaser frowned, “I’d prefer the library, at least there we can defend ourselves from anything that may lurk here… Who knows what the rubble and shadows will hide?”

Faith smiled at Cloudchaser softly, “Celestia and her light are with us, and there is nothing to fear here. These ruins hold nothing more than ruins.”

Cloud frowned, and muttered something under his breathe. “If you say so, Sister Faith…”

Zeal turned to them and waved a hoof, motioning the three to him. “Right, we’ll move to the library in a wedge formation. I will have point, Thunder and Cloud, you take my right and left, Faith you take center.”

The three nodded firmly in conformation, it was a basic scouting formation for the Solarium. As Zeal began walking the others quickly fell into formation. None of the four wanted to be out in the dark, so they moved rapidly through the lifeless ruins; sometimes having to make a detour around fallen buildings or piles of bones in the road. Eventually, they reached the library. The tree was nothing more than a lifeless husk; the branches were lacking leaves of any kind, dead or alive. The bark was missing in large chunks in some sections, and branches and limbs were breaking and falling when a gust of wind blew across them; it seemed like the life had been pulled from every cell in the tree.

“Not… the liveliest place…” Cloudchaser grumbled, receiving a annoyed nudge from his fellow pegasus. “Ow! Cut it out!”

Zeal glanced back at the two with a frown. “This is not the time for childish behavior. When we get in, Cloud and I will sweep upstairs; and Faith, you and Thunder will clean out the first level.”

The three responded with nods. Zeal went up to the door and went to push it open, the dull wood creaked, and groaned, but refused to open. The Brother-Captain pushed again, with more force, even tried turning the knob to no anvil.

“Let me take care of this, Captain,” Thunderstrike said as he walked up to the door. Zeal moved with a frown and nodded at the other pony. Thunderstrike stood on his hind legs and unsheathed his hammer. He opened and flexed his wings, using them to balance his body before lunging forward and swinging the hammer down on the door with a solid blow. The door erupted with a loud BOOM and a shower of splinters as it was knocked off its hinges, clasping inwards. It landed with an echoing thud and kicked up years of undisturbed dust and dirt. “There. Now, let us get some sleep.” The warrior moved inside, with a snort, followed by his fellows.

What greeted them was that of what you expect of a lifeless, abandoned library. Books were lying in various positions across the floor, some tore, burnt, or laying in piles under a fallen shelf. The entire place looked as if ponies had fought for their lives in there.

“This is pleasant, indeed…” Thunderstrike spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Fan out.” Zeal spoke, moving to the staircase, Cloudchaser following behind his Captain. Thunderstrike and Faith moved into the other rooms of the first level.

“Cloud, you fly ahead, I want a quick look around here..” Zeal ordered.

“As you wish, grumpy!” He gave a half-salute and flew up to the top of the stairs, opening the door and disappearing inside.

Zeal turned to a small table he noticed that still seemed oddly intact. Ontop of the table, sat a dark leather tome, with green patterns woven on the cover. He walked over to the table and book and using his magic opened it. He stepped back at what he saw almost instantly. “By Celestia, a summoning book!”

Cloud’s voice rang out with fear and worry, “Zeal! You may want to get up here!”

Zeal frowned, even though Cloud was not the bravest among them, he certainly was not one to call for anypony with anxiety in his voice. He was sure whatever it was, Cloudchaser would keep it under control, but nevertheless, he hurried up the last few broken steps and sped into the room, only to come to an abrupt stop at what he saw.

There laying on the floor, was a pentagram made of a mix of bones and blood. Cloudchaser was at the door way, but off to the side. He knew what it meant and knew that it was beyond his abilities to fool with. In the pentagram, was another shape, this one in the shape of a gapping many toothed maw, and laying in the center was a changeling, and a pony. Both were hollowed out husks of skin and hair. Zeal stood, eyes wide in horror, staring at the scene for a few long moments, before he spoke with an eerie calm voice.

“Cloud…”

“Aye?” The pegasus spoke with a tinge of anxiety.

“We need to leave. NOW.”

“I…agree… but… what does it mean, Zeal?”

Zeal went to the summoning circle and summoned his magic, adding a small prayer to the casting. His horn glowed yellow and he sent the magic out in a burst, destroying the pentagram without another moment of hesitation. “It means… someone let loose a devourer on Ponyville… and did so in this Library. Now, come let us leave.”

Both ponies turned to leave, Cloudchaser making it out of the door to fly downstairs and get Thunderstrike and Faith. But, as Zeal moved to leave, the door slammed shut violently and the lock turned.

Startled, the paladin jumped back in surprise, before frowning. He didn't like this. He tried to turn the lock and open the door, but to no anvil. He was about to break it down, when a slithery voice spoke.

'Yoouuu… Havee… disturbed…my sleep. I….hunger… little… pony. You… will not… leave.'An aura of fear began to seep into the air, the paladin muttered a prayer, standing strong, and forcing his fear down, seeking to control it, and not let it control him.

“Show yourself, foul beast!” Zeal spun on his hooves, keeping his back to the wall, his horn glowed blue as it took the runic long sword from it’s sheathe across his back. He closed his eyes for a moment and mumbled a prayer. “Celestia’s Light, give me guidance to purge this foul beast from our lands.”

‘How… cuuuute… I see… the Light… still tries to shine…. Where darknesss… shhhhould… reign eternal.’

“You are nothing, but a pest, a tiny shadow for the Light to sweep aside! Show yourself and die!” Zeal growled, looking around the room, the soft blue glow from his sword and horn causing more shadows then they cast light.

‘Buuuttt…. What is the fun…… in that?... ‘ Hollow laughter ringed out across the room and a thud hit the door, but instead of the sound of wood giving way, it was as if a force field protected the door and whatever hit it bounced off.

‘You… brought more to feast upon……. Yessss…. They… will fall first…. And you… shhaaalll… be last.’ The laughter echoed again, as the shadows themselves seemed to move.

“I am a paladin of Celestia and the Divine Light! I shalt slay you here and aid my fellows!” Zeal called back to the demon and began to walk cautiously into the room, glancing around and looking for any movement. The aura of fear lessened and the sounds of the door downstairs slamming closed and sealing could be heard. As well as the sounds of a scuffle downstairs; the sounds of shambling corpses and the moaning of hungry dead echoed through the door.

‘Ah… Theeeey…. Will not last much…. Longer.’

“That is where you are wrong demon! They are Argentum, the best in Equestria, and you shalt be sent back to the voids of the blackest prisons in the sky from wench you came!”

‘Foalish mortal… Hehehe.’

As Zeal reached near the center of the room where the remains of the pony and changeling had been, he felt something wrap around his left hind leg. As he turned around, the decaying hoof of the changeling corpse pulled, retching his leg out from under him and causing him to fall and drop his longsword. The possessed corpse clawed and bit at his leg armor until a solid kick in the muzzle sent it reeling back, enough for the paladin to mutter a prayer. “By the Divine Light, I cleanse this desecrated corpse of your foulness, demon!” His horn glowed as he prepared a blast of magic to destroy the corpse, until a form blotted out his vision and he lost his aim. Instead of firing blindly, he held the magic, working to manipulate it as he fought the limbs of the pony and changeling corpses now crawling over him.

‘Yess…… Your soul shall….. beeeee mineee.’

“Never!” He released the magic as a blast of divine fire, scorching the corpses and sending them off him. He quickly took the opportunity to hop to his hoofs and leaped for his sword, only to feel teeth bite onto his tail painfully and yank him down. A quick hoof blow to the face of whichever corpses did so, gave him a split second as he reached out for his weapon, his hoof to close…

His hoof wrapped around the runic blades grip as he turned, just in time to deliver a halting blow to the remains of the changeling that had leaped at the downed paladin. A blaze of blue fire erupted from the weapon's runes as they made contact with the rotten flesh of the corpse; denigrating most of it and cleaving the remains into two halves. Before he could get to his hooves though, the other zombified pony was on him and began immediately clawing at his face with protruding bones from its splintered hooves.

‘Die, foal, you are no match for my hunger…. Myy…. Pooweerrerrr.’

The paladin did not respond, instead he managed a right hook to the skull of the corpse, the bone caving in as if it was nothing but cardboard; and forcing the thing off him. “I release this body from your control, foul scum!” His horn flared with righteous anger and a bolt of golden light leapt from it, connecting with the corpse and leaving nothing but a smoldering pile of bones.

Finally, moving to stand on his hooves, blood poured from his now re-broken nose as well as a busted lip and numerous other cuts across his head and face. Zeal then sheathed his sword. “Come out, foul thing!” He growled out loud.

‘Assss…… You…. Wish.’ A form stepped out in front of him from the shadows, it looked like a pony, but with a solid white head, with no features, and a black body, that looked like it was made of marble, and not flesh. Four black tentacles protruded from the back of the demon. ‘Sleeep…’ It spoke, as it strode forward, the tenticles shot out with inpony speed, latching onto various parts of the unicorn as a cry of agony escaped him.

“Let… me… go, You shall not defeat a Paladin of the Argentum Solarium!” Zeal struggled, trying to break free or bring a spell to his mind, but he could feel weariness settle over him. He did his best to fight it, but, alas it was in vain, for the shadowy limbs attached to his own seemed to suck the energy right from his body.

‘Sleep… little pony… dream, dream while I feed…’

Author's Note:

The next few chapters are gonna be rather short. I'm thinking of recombining a few of them together and such.