Diary Of The Banished

by DouglasTrotter

Mist

Two long days had passed since we departed that shallow grave I dug for Amethyst's amulet. On the first day, Otra's gentle taps against my back turned into forceful slams to keep me going. My flank received several pinches on the second day. The weight of my hooves on the third day, feeling more and more like iron with each hoof step I took, had taken their toll. I stopped when the sun began to set behind me.

Otra and I found ourselves in a forest with thick, giant trees towering above us. Their tops mingled with one another and formed a dense natural canopy. The sun's rays vanished while we made our campsite near the base of a large tree; its giant roots formed a natural barrier to protect us. Rain trickled through the forest's canopy. The soft rain drops landed on the cold ground, some hitting the campfire's dancing flames. Another log was tossed onto the fire, its light illuminating my dark-red hooves. While the fire hissed and crackled from the rain that landed on it, I thought about what I had been taught.

In our first class, the teacher took a book out of her saddlebag and introduced herself. Ms. Parabola's voice accentuated the fondness she held for Equestria's capital as, in a calm voice, she said, "Canterlot is a magnanimous sight to behold, only overshadowed by its majestic and wise ruler. Princess Celestia, a tall and beautifully regal mare is sound in mind, body, and spirit. Tales speak of her prowess in the magical arts, having powers unrivaled by any unicorn. Some say her talents rival that of the most powerful unicorn to ever exist, Star Swirl the Bearded."

"If Princess Celestia had been in that situation with Amethyst, in that situation against Efficacy, she would have succeeded. She could have saved those ponies and creatures," I thought. I rested my head on top of my hooves before Otra extended her wing. I couldn't stomach any of the food from my bag. Thoughts tossed and turned in the turbulent storm that brewed inside my mind. My heavy eyes lost the battle. "Is this a fool's journey?"

*** *** ***

Throughout the night, awakening for a few brief seconds at a time, no creature made a sound. I opened my eyes to see a blanket around me. Otra stood by me with the spare blanket around her. As usual, with the rising sun came the necessity to pack up the campsite. Though the light of the morning sun helped to light the area, numerous twists and turns led to darkened areas. The trees formed a natural maze. A grassy meadow came into view. I looked at my hooves, and then the saddlebag. I levitated it off my back.

Since Otra and I began the journey together, I could hear something on the gentle wind that brushed against my face. The noise came when I faced the horizon; it had a soft coo. I believed Canterlot -- with its magnificent knowledge -- called to me. My faith, my belief in the mythical beacon just beyond the horizon waned. Wind from the horizon brushed against my face when we found our way out of the maze. Otra flew off my back and retrieved the bag my parents had given me. I chucked the saddlebag further. She returned it. Our surroundings changed after Otra brought the bag back to me a third time and perched herself on my back, preventing me from chucking it a fourth time.

This was the worst environment to navigate. Some travelers were lucky. They stopped then backed away on shaky hooves, being a few hoof steps away from the edge of a steep cliff. Others weren't so lucky as one stallion -- a strange pony who pulled a wagon behind him -- told several tales at a carnival in Gallopia. He spoke of lost travelers, explorers, and merchants. I was unsure of what to expect in this situation, let alone if I should believe those ridiculous tales of mystical creatures stealing bits and such.

Otra's sharp claws dug into my sides, almost piercing the saddlebag's thick straps. The fog grew thicker. My coat hairs stood on end.

I wanted to turn back. I wanted to run back to Gallopia and forget this whole journey, but I didn't know where to turn. I made the idiotic mistake of lighting my horn in that thick fog. My misfortune provided a bit of amusement for Otra. I made slow, steady progress along what little of the dirt pathway could be seen. Otra's claws trembled against my sides. I looked up to see a soft, gentle, green colored light in the distance. It danced around, appearing to call to those who could see it. Though its intensity grew the closer we got, the ball of light remained calm. An empty area greeted us.

"What is the jewel that you seek within Equestria's heart?" a voice said.

The voice didn't unnerve me. Instead, I hung my head. I thought I knew. I turned toward my companion. Though the mist obscured her expression, I sensed Otra shrugging at me. When I started this journey, I wanted to learn all of what I could in Equestria and the world. The jewel I sought in Equestria' heart was Canterlot's royal library, yet my mind replayed those two events I had experienced in such a short time. Both of them showcased the horror of knowledge, and its "limitless" potential. I thought I knew.

Otra nuzzled my neck. I let out a sigh. My voice and mind calmed as I said, "What jewel?"

I found it unusually depressing to receive no answer. We attempted to resume our journey, but I stopped when Otra let out a startled screech. I made the mistake, for a second time, of lighting my horn. My vision cleared. Behind us stood the figure of an equine.

Back on my hooves, I stood over the pony. At first, I thought it was a small colt, due to the strange look of her mane.

"Ha-Have you seen my mother?" the filly said in a quiet voice. Though the air around us was silent, I could barely hear her voice. She started to back away, but Otra hopped down and moved behind her. I introduced Otra then myself. The filly asked for a second time if we had seen her mother. The filly clutched something around her neck then said, "Please, where's my mom?"

Otra watched over the small filly while we continued down the path. I levitated her onto my back, so my companion could keep a closer eye on her. She whispered into my ear and said there was a cabin nearby, one she and her mother took refuge in it when the fog came.

"Why are your coat hairs standing on end?" the earth pony filly said.

My hooves trembled, but I forced them to steady. I knew with the filly present, we had to find shelter. Still, it unnerved me to see the cabin's dark silhouette materialize out of thin air.

A loud creaking sound emanated from the cabin's front door. Otra hopped off my back, and I nodded to her. I lowered myself to the ground, giving a grin to the filly after she hopped off my back. With a nearby candle lit, we entered the cabin. The sitting area near the front door contained a fireplace in the back; it sat flush against the back wall of the medium sized sitting area. The small room off to the left of the sitting area remained dark, due to the absence of windows. All of us stuck close together as we ventured into the hallway.

Beneath our hooves, the floorboards in the hallway had several layers of dust on them. Two doors on the right side of the hallway came into view. One room contained a small bed frame with a larger one in the other. Cobwebs clung to the ceiling of both rooms with a heavier layer of dust on the floor. The larger bed frame had rotted to the ground. I heard a quiet whimper from the filly and closed both doors. Out of the corner of my eye, something glinted in the candlelight when I levitated it higher.

The filly clutched onto the small object around her neck. She turned away from me. In a determined voice, I heard her say I couldn't have the locket. I patted her mane then said I had no interest in jewelry. After making her a promise that I wouldn't take her treasure, I was allowed to examine the locket. It appeared to be expertly crafted from a single large pearl. Intricate and precise, the one who made it had to be a master jeweler. The pearl gave off a strange color as well, luminescing in the candle's dim light. My attempts to open the locket failed, however, I wasn't about to harm the filly's locket.

Our small distraction had given enough time for the candle to burn out. I was a frightened foal in the semi-dark corridor, miniscule amounts of light coming through the cabin's windows that kept the fog at bay. After a moment to calm myself, I lit my horn, steadied my hooves, and pushed forward with Otra and filly behind me. We came to the end of the hallway. Near the back, embedded into the floor, I spotted a hatch; it had a simple, mundane look.

An object darted by me. Otra's chest touched my raised hoof. She spread her wings then squawked at me. As she stood between the hatch and me, I nodded to her. With that nod given, we returned to the family room. I tossed some nearby logs into the fireplace then lit them. Though my appetite for food remained the same, I forced a couple bites down to get something into me. Loa refused to eat. Otra nibbled on some seeds she picked along the road a day or two ago.

I removed the blanket from my saddlebag and placed it over the filly. She closed her eyes as the fire's gentle light illuminated our surroundings. Otra's unease relaxed as well. Her wings rested near her sides while she stood between me and the earth pony filly. I rested my head on top of my hooves and yawned. Each time I watched the fire, I winced with the pops and cracks from it. The turbulent storm in my mind came once more. At the time, I believed it wise to give up on my journey. Otra shook her head at me. Before either of us nodded off, a shadowy figure passed by the window.

"Is it him?" I wondered. That cold sense of dread from the tower came over me. Through the small window near the front door, I saw the silhouette of a pony in a cloak. Otra shielded the earth pony with her wings. I focused my mind; I lit my horn; I opened the door.

Before I could blink, the object disappeared. My companion's eyes widened. The silhouette bolted passed us. We relaxed as the filly reached her hooves around the pony's neck and hugged her, removing the pegasus mare's hood in the process.

"I'm glad you're safe, my daughter. Don't you dare run off again." The pegasus mare said. She wiped away the tears of her daughter and herself, using her wing tips. After our scare, we sat near the fire. "I apologize for the scare. I'm Misty Meadows. You've already met my daughter, Loa."

I introduced me and Otra as travelers. Mother and daughter told their respective stories to one another while Otra and I listened. The thick fog around this area was quite common. When both of them said they called to one another, I found it rather strange since the area around us was silent. Loa snuggled against her mother. Misty Meadows asked about me and Otra before I could ask about this cottage being their apparent home. Though I brushed it off, Misty Meadows seemed insistent I talk.

I told the grey colored mare a few details about our journey out of the small village towards the east. We had been on the road for close to three weeks, and I worried about Canterlot being a fool's errand. The mare tapped her hooves together and stopped me. She said my kindness of watching over her daughter warranted a reward. The strange look I received told me to be quiet.

Once more, I heard a tale about Canterlot. My parents told me about Canterlot having a library. Ms. Parabola spoke of Princess Celestia. I expected it to follow one or the other. Instead, Misty Meadows told me a story about Princess Celestia's secret library. Canterlot was no fool's errand. The grand city existed, but in the depths of Canterlot was a grander sight. In the throne room, guards were always stationed near a special area. A strange door existed behind Princess Celestia's throne. Tomes sat on beautifully ornate bookshelves, all of the books locked inside beyond priceless. Several, magical books had rarely been seen by the eyes of others in Equestria. Some contained knowledge thought lost some time ago.

It may have been the moment, the story, or both, but my eyes grew heavier. I wanted to ask how she knew about such a secretive place, but the words refused to come out. Otra lost the battle some time ago as she slept near my side. My head rested atop my hooves. A strange sense of peace came to me while those dark thoughts retreated into the deeper parts of my mind.

I fought to keep my eyes open. After a few moments, the story ending, Misty Meadows came towards me. Through my right, half-closed eye I watched a wing tip brush against my mane. With a wisper, she said "thank you" and "sleep well traveler" into my ear. Those were the last words I heard from Loa's mother.

*** *** ***

A soft squawk entered into my ear. I opened my right eye to see Otra watching over me. We found ourselves in the middle of a grassy field. The fog and cottage had vanished, along with Misty Meadows and Loa. My saddlebag sat near Otra. All of our supplies were intact, our bits as well. Though the moment disturbed me, my mind and body felt lighter than usual. With my saddlebag on my back, Otra flying into the sky then assuming her usual position, we searched the area. Several hoof steps to the south was the dirt path we had traveled along. A strange clanging sound came from the distance before a wagon came into view.

"Why hello there," the earth pony stallion said. He removed his hat and bowed to us. He placed it back onto his head then asked if we could spare some food. I believed him to be a charlatan, ready to rob me blind. He pointed at me and said, "Hey, aren't you that Steadfast colt from Gallopia? I'm Chronicle, remember?"

Otra squeezed my side. She glared at me then flew into the sky before I could leave. After a sigh, I nodded to Chronicle and sat down.

I kept my bit sac close as the yellow stallion wanted to "repay" me for giving him some food. He seemed to freeze for a second when I asked him about the area. Chronicle waved his hoof at me and said he knew some better stories to tell. The stories were the same ones I heard in Gallopia, talking about manticores then dragons guarding massive piles of treasure. Otra flew towards us and drank some water from our supplies. Chronicle eyed my friend, and then asked where I had found her. I refused to talk, but he tried to provoke a conversation by speaking of a rare sight he saw some time ago. Chronicle stopped when I returned the favor.

"You know when I spoke about ponies watching their steps in fog?" he said in a melancholic tone, "Well, it's a warning I give to every pony, mare and stallion alike. Though my wife was a pegasus, she gave birth to an earth pony filly. Her life was never the same afterwards. For some reason, her wing strength left her and she could hardly fly. I think you can figure out the rest."

I nodded to Chronicle and tossed some bits his way. We packed up our respective supplies.

"Something for your troubles." Chronicle said to me. " I'd hate to see this go to waste. Just to let you know, there's a town not to far from here. You can see a mountain and Equestria's Heart from it."

Chronicle headed out. The wagon wheels groaned and creaked as he made his way to the west. I checked my saddlebag then looked at what my troubles had brought me. It was the map my parents had bought me at the carnival and given to me. Otra leapt onto my back, gave a gentle tap with her talon, and smiled at me. I grinned at her, and then faced the horizon. This moment reminded me that Equestria was a strange place. The sun rising, I faced the path and moved forward on steadier hooves with Otra by my side.