Failure Isn't In Store For You

by Kiernan

Chapter 14: The Barren Utopia

Chapter 14: The Barren Utopia

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It felt as if a day had passed by the time Akaitora finally arrived from his rounds. Immediately, they all let down heir speed, and let time flow through them at a normal pace.

"I've just returned from the barracks. Braeburn is doing well, and he'll be ready to travel by the time the sun rises," he said, a relieved smile on his face. "I trust that you spent your time in the library to your advantage?"

"I believe we have," smiled Nick. "I've learned a multitude of spells that will do wonderfully, as well as a few that I can't cast quite yet. There was also some information on the figrealm. Is it really the place you go when you die?"

Kai lowered his head. "That depends on how you've spent your life. Pure souls have the option of melding with Ariendeen,and those of us who have contributed a vast amount of knowledge to the world may choose to cease their spiritual existence, and become naught but an idea, to be planted into someone's head to improve the world, or something in it. then, everypony else is sent to the figrealm, to spend the remainder of all of time in anguish,as their souls are drawn upon by all magic users, unicorns and blessed alike."

"We use the souls of the dead as a conduit for magic?" shouted Twilight, who fainted shortly thereafter.

"I think I'm going to be sick, said Fluttershy, struggling to keep her balance.

Pinkie just stood there, jaw agape.

"I see," said Nick, rubbing his chin. His bristle had returned, it having been a few days since his last shave. "And what of this Galaris, the Evereaper? Is it true that he takes the form of a dark, cloaked figure, wielding a scythe?"

"A sickle," corrected Akaitora, Raising his head back up. "And not always. If you are at least in part responsible for the death of another being, the will appear, unless you've ended more than one life, in which case, you are greeted by another, in Galaris' stead. This second being is typically depicted as a skeletal being, bound in black strips of shredded cloth. He bears a chain, forged by the very souls he has absorbed, through his followers pious devotion."

"Any other rules for his depiction?" asked Nick, taking a few steps toward Kai.

"Just one more. If you have slain o one, and you enter the figrealm with one who has, then the Evereaper will appear to you as the being who had been slain by one of your group, unless multiple, in which case, The dread father, not the Evereaper, will appear."

"And what of the challenge? surely you could tel us, as it wouldn't be in your temple anymore."

"I'm afraid not. I may lead you through, but I don't know the challenge. I tend to not enter the figrealm often, as it depresses me. Now, if you'll hand me your map, I'll update it, and include the planar figures for each outside the realm of Equestria."

That night, Nick dreamt of a wasteland, though it was also paradise. From the rotting corpses of thousands, beautiful plants sprouted from the ground. A blue stallion sat on a lawnchair, by a pool of urine, sipping a green liquid through a straw lead from an inverted skull. A pegasus floated down from the sky, its flesh slowly falling off, creating a wonderful smell.

"What is this place?" he asked a mare, walking by.

"Why this is Aetherius, the plane of Gim-Palarcanus. You fell asleep here, so you're stuck here until you wake up," she smiled. Her teeth were varying in hue, all fully saturated to neon shades.

"Oh, good," said Nick. "For a moment, I thought Discord had made a return."

"Who's Discord?" asked the rainbow colored earth pony. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"Well, I--" started Nick, but the mare suddenly vanished, leaving him alone. "Great..."

Nick spent some time looking around, seeing all manner of creatures, most of them bizarre, others normal with bizarre features. Almost all of them looked silly in some way, save for one. He was a normal-looking, red pegasus, his blue eyes darting among the other creatures that surrounded him, his dark brown mane flapping in the breeze. Nick decided to take a few steps closer, and have a look at this new find.

"I would stay back, if I were you," cautioned the pegasus ans Nick drew closer.

"Why's that?" questioned Nick, seeing nothing strange about the area, save for the fact that it was surrounded by giant bones protruding fro the ground, most of them broken.

"Because I'm going to be directing you to your next goal, Nick," he said, standing up and walking away.

"What?"

"You heard."

"Yes, but I don't understand. What do you mean you'll be leading me to my next goal? What is my next goal?"

The pegasus chuckled. "You'll see," he said, turning toward Nick. For now, though, I suggest that you wake up. Your friends are waiting." The stallion then charged toward Nick, and jumped, tackling him.

Nick collapsed to the floor of the barracks, among the legs of the ponies that surrounded him.

"Have a nice rest?" chuckled Akaitora. "I find Aetherius to be quite taxing, myself. That's why I came to check on you."

"Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy, kneeling down to Nick's eye level. "Did you hurt your head?"

"I'm fine, " reassured Nick. "Though I thank you for your concern. Are we set to go to the figrealm?"

"We are," said Twilight, "In fact, we were waiting for you so we could make the journey in. Glad you're up now, though. Let's get going!"

"Wait there, just a minute," said Braeburn stepping over to Nick. "We gotta let the boy eat before we send him anywhere!

"Then eat," said Trixie, tossing a biscuit at Nick.

"I can eat while I walk," said Nick, catching the biscuit and standing up.

"Good," said Twilight. "Let's get going."

"Trixie, Keep the door unlocked," said Akaitora, stepping through the door first, tossing the key to Trixie.

"Trixie doesn't understand why Trixie has to stay back while everyone else goes on an adventure," complained Trixie.

"Because someone has to hold down the fort," Nick said condescendingly, stepping through the door after everypony else.

The figrealm did indeed look almost exactly as the books had depicted. The entire area was purple, with grey clouds perforating the sky. random odds and ends floated through the air, over a n often trodden path. On the left, there were ponies, working a field with all manner of tools: hoes, shovels, plows, and one had only a large stick. On the right, a large field, stretching as far as the eye could see, silver strands burst from the ground, growing ever higher, some reaching higher than any of them could see.

A pony on a black cloak approached them slowly, as if every move seemed to pan them. It trudged on, closer and closer, as everypony around them watched in anticipation. At last, the figure stopped, and spoke. Its voice was clear, but very deep, and very powerful. "I told you, Nick, I'd be leading you to your next goal. As for you, Kai, I need to thank you." The figure pulled back his hood, revealing the pegasus Nick had seen last night.

"How did I know that I'd see you here, Bloodstain?" asked Akaitora, a grim scowl on his face. "Nevertheless, I stand by it, and own it for what it is."

"And what is it?" questioned Bloodstain. "You had your hand in killing me. You dealt the most powerful blow!"

"I think you'll find that you did that yourself. Doing a nosedive from 500 feet is suicide. If only you had remained pious, then mayhap you could have joined Ariendeen. But I know that if I had not, You would instead by trapped in the void, the result of an assassination. A fate worse than that, there is none."

Bloodstain cracked a smile. "Be that as it may, it shall be I that teaches you of what is to come. Walk with me, living beings, and learn what happens when action is not taken properly. There is a plot to destroy you, and send you all to the void, a fate worse than what you see before you."

"There's a fate worse than eternal suffering? I'd like to see that," said Twilight, grimacing.

"There is, actually, said Bloodstain, leading them down the path, faster than when he had approached them. "You see, here, we have a sense of fulfillment. We work, and are tortured, but or screams are powerful enough that the world is effected by them. Within the void, your screams cannot be heard, and have no effect on anything. Here, we at least have control over our actions, albeit only a minuscule amount. In the void, we would have nothing."

"Wow," was all that escaped Pinkies mouth.

"But now of the plot to destroy you. Worshipers of the void, and of the dread father, will only the destruction of any who stand ready to meet the creator. If they find you, they will stop you, and they will kill you. The problem with that is, if they kill you, you won't be sent here. You'll be sent to the void. They call these killings, "Contracts," which they recieve a large sum of money for. When they die, they become reapers, either in here, or the void. Whichever they prefer."

"Why do they get such power?" asked Nick.

"It is given by the dread father. He is the receiving end of the entire cosmos. YALORT created the cosmos, Sithis will destroy it. Lately, though, he's only been concerned with feeding is void, and working us to the bone."

"If this contents him," said Nick, "And you wish him no peace, then why work?"

"We work because we have to. If we don't work, he suffering continues. It continues if we work, or if we don't work. But if we work, we can serve our time for or sins, and ease the suffering faster. We may be here for eternity, or a few years. I'm in here for another 296 years, due to my outstanding number of sins."

"What sins?" asked Fluttershy.

"Rape," answered Twilight, causing everypony to stop.

Bloodstain turned to face Twilight. "Rape is worth ten years. I had eighteen counts. The remaining years were for other sins that I had committed." He turned back, and started back down the path. The group followed, Twilight at the back, hanging her head, accompanied closely by Fluttershy.

"Wher are we headed?" asked Akaitora, puzzled at how long they had been walking and how little progress they had made.

"We're here," said Bloodstain, staring off down the path. "The gates of Galaris. On the other side, you'll find the resting place of all who have served their time. Their souls have departed, to serve as charges for the farmers to sow into thauma. Enter as you like, I grow weary of this. I wish to resume my servitude. And Akaitora?"

Akaitora turned his head, waiting for a continuance.

"Say hello to your parents for me, would you?"

Comments

[Sonicbrony66]

Seriously why does Yalort sound familiar... It comes with the term 'Priest of Yalort' in my memory so it's either a god or a church.... Also, pony Dark Brotherhood? ......YAY MURDER!!!!

[Kiernan]

180451 I'm so very proud of you for coming this far. If you don't have it in a few chapters, I'll have to drop another cameo, but for now,

General Bong Bong McFtong the Moderately Bonkers.

If you don't remember in five more chapters, I'll drop you a link to the source information. I used that, coupled with the dark brotherhood, to create a religion, of which I am currently high priest. So there's the basis of my story.

Polytheism anypony?