The Tale of Lord Barleycorn

by Blue Cultist

49. A choir of one

The Tale of Lord Barleycorn
- - - - - -
Chapter 49: A choir of one
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“Inflammation of the cecum appears more pronounced than originally diagnosed. Bloating is beginning to put pressure on the pancreas, duodenum, and transverse colon. Preparing for initial incision. Suction.”

---

A light fog curled along the hooves of the ponies who traveled down the forest path. Its ephemeral tendrils seemed to retreat from the multitudes of lanterns, candles, and lit horns as they followed the costumed princess into the darkened Everfree.

Traveling in the Everfree at night ran contrary to what everypony was taught as foals. The forest was not a place to be wandering about for fear of getting lost or worse. Yet, the soft jingle of the bells on the young princess’s costume seemed to dispel the usual dread the empty, cloying branches evoked on these dark nights.

Some even found the courage to chat amongst themselves as they followed, seeming to forget their surroundings in the midst of friends and family.

The walk was short, shorter still with the distraction of good company. Light from within the forest was the first thing the traveling throng saw among the bare bushes and brambles, and then at the end of the path was a sight that none of the residents of Hollow Shades had ever seen before.

The Standing Stones were, well, standing.

The oldest among the crowd could remember when three of the massive stones had stood, but it had become common knowledge that only two listing rocks still managed to give the site’s name some credence. Now all eight of the massive pillars were firmly rooted in the earth; smooth and free of the moss and lichens that had overtaken them.

Now these ancient stones stood in pairs around the central altar stone, aligned perfectly with the four cardinal and ordinal directions. A simple piece of wood had been set on this center stone to hold four sticks of incense which had lightly perfumed the open air with the smell of sandalwood.

Around the eponymous Standing Stones, in a much wider circle were something even the residents of Hollow Shades hadn’t known. Pried from the forest soil were smaller ovoid rocks which alternated between as big as a beach ball to as small as a tea kettle. Atop each of these rocks was a slowly burning candle of various sizes and colors, donated from whoever in town could afford to part with them.

The onlookers lingered outside these rings of stone. None, not even the impulsive foals dared to step over that ill defined ring of stone after seeing the otherworldly things that were so ready to appear in their town.

Only Twilight stood beyond the stones, standing patiently as ponies continued to file in from the forest path.

For Applejack, it was less impactful. She had been here many times, helping Twilight restore the site. After seeing the Black Goat she had jumped at every small sound the forest could produce while she was under its tangled boughs. Yet now the energy of the crowd seemed to fill some void that hadn’t been satisfied before. Yet the silence in this now-familiar glade wasn’t like her previous incursions into the Everfree. There was a sense of expectation, but Applejack wasn’t sure if it was coming from the crowd or something else.

A sudden motion of Twilight’s foreleg caused her bells on her costume to rattle, catching everypony’s attention and silencing the idle chatter.

The large bell she had rang before their departure was raised, and with a flick of her fetlock the ringer struck the bell hard. Hard enough that in that quiet piece of the forest it might as well have been thunder. One loud note sounded, rolling into the undergrowth with terrific force.

Twilight allowed the sound to fade until it could no longer be heard before she shook the bell again. Again, the loud chime filled the glen before slowly ebbing away. A third time, a fourth.

---

“Retraction. Dear Celestia, this is going to need to be delicate… erm, partially digested material is more impacted than expected, and intestinal lining is severely inflamed. Get ready with the irrigation, we’re going to have to take this slow.”

---

Applejack wasn’t sure why, but that old bell seemed to bring her some comfort. The idea of making a lot of noise in the Everfree at night was ludicrous. She knew well what lived in the undergrowth and beyond. Yet, nothing stirred among the trees. All seemed quiet and serene as the Everfree could get.

The light was dim, but Applejack could still make out Granny’s outline in the gloom. The old mare’s smile was as bright as the candles. There was no doubt that she too felt the same energy in the crowd, and Applejack took a bit of pride in seeing her grandmother so happy.

By the altar stone Twilight began her dance.

Of all her friends, Applejack knew the alicorn to be the worst on her hooves. Rainbow could be wild and rambunctious, Rarity refined, Fluttershy timid, Pinkie… well was Pinkie. Applejack would never say it to her face, but Twilight was incredibly terrible wherever dancing had come up. She was clumsy, had no sense of rhythm, and was incredibly stiff.

Yet Twilight seemed to have applied her usual studiousness to this problem and overcome her failings. Each step was measured, as if she was judging her movements based on the number of times her bells rang. Her motions were fluid, captivating even with a hint of mystery. Around the altar she went, cantering in rhythmic thumping of her hooves only to pause, spin and raise her hooves in wild gestures. The bells of her costume ringing all the way.

Applejack sank to her rump as she settled in. Dumbfounded at the transformation in Twlight’s movements. She’d gotten hints of the dance here and there, and her friend had blown away her expectations.

The purple mare under all those layers of fabric and borrowed nicknacks had completed three rotations before she began to sing. It certainly wasn’t the first song Applejack had heard in Hollow Shades, nor the first time she’d heard Twilight sing, but it was the first time she’d heard her sing in anything other than standard Equestrian…

“Dacw 'nghariad i lawr yn y berllan,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
O na bawn i yno fy hunan,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Dacw'r tŷ, a dacw'r 'sgubor;
Dacw ddrws y beudy'n agor.
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal.”

The words were beyond Applejack’s ability to comprehend. She couldn’t even grab a familiar-sounding noun or verb to even begin to guess what it was about. It was a slow, lilting melody, melancholic yet not sorrowful. The strumming of a lyre had joined her singing, and even without proper light Applejack knew who was playing. She had to admit Lyra was talented to synchronize so well with Twilight’s song with what had to be so little practice time.

---

“More irrigation! Erm, removal of impacted material commencing. I barely touched the cecum wall with a scalpel and it ruptured. Aggressive irrigation and suction needed to prevent sepsis.”

---

Before she’d even noticed, the jingle of the bells and the harmonious sound of the lyre had made Applejack completely forget she was standing this deep in the Everfree Forest so late at night.

“Dacw’r dderwen wych ganghennog,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Golwg arni sydd dra serchog.
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal”

Twilight was sounding more confident as she sang, the words seeming to to take on a magic of their own as she slowly moved around the stones. The crickets and wind had grown silent, and the flicker of the candles and the wisps of incense in the air brought a homey, almost welcoming atmosphere to the ancient site.

“Mi arhosaf yn ei chysgod
Nes daw 'nghariad i 'ngyfarfod.
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal.”

While Twilight’s song continued its lilting, almost lullaby tones, Applejack’s attention was suddenly broken. She thought she heard something in the trees around her. She couldn’t place its source, or even if it had just been her imagination. Nothing seemed to be amiss in the clearing, but several other onlookers seemed to be looking around as well.

“Dacw'r delyn, dacw'r tannau;
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal
Beth wyf gwell, heb neb i'w chwarae?
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal”

A hushed gasp beside her made Applejack turn her head. Her fears of what lurked in the Everfree leaping back to life as she expected to see something dangerous. But instead she saw, hovering just in front of her nose was a small pinpoint of soft, golden light. It twirled lazily in the air, like a speck of snow made of sunlight, almost daring to land on Applejack’s muzzle before it floated on unknown air currents toward the center of the stone circle.

Dumbfounded, Applejack looked again around the crowd. Other ponies were silently watching other motes of light drifting in from the forest, gathering to join others in a slow waltz above the dancer in the center of the stones.

Twilight, too engrossed in her performance didn’t seem to notice.

“Dacw'r feinwen hoenus fanwl;
Beth wyf well heb gael ei meddwl?
Ffaldi radl didl dal, ffaldi radl didl dal,
Tw rym di ro rym di radl didl dal”

Twilight let the last notes of the song roll quietly off her tongue before she sank down, head bowed to the altar stone. When she lifted her head, Applejack could see her puzzlement as the audience that had followed her here were not paying her attention. Instead they were looking above her.

Applejack watched her friend gently maneuver the costume’s head wrappings around so she could look up. The way Twilight immediately lowered herself to the ground suggested that she regretted getting up from her bow.

The small lights were growing bigger, swelling both in size and luminosity. It was not long before these lights were the size of a golf ball, yet they filled the glade with a soft golden light that sent shadows dancing back and forth with their own mysterious dance.

---

“More irrigation. By Luna’s teats, what did that mare feed this kid? Cement?”

---

A soft twinkling sound, like wind chimes made of the purest crystal being rung far away could be heard. A beautiful sound that somehow made Applejack think of a summer day on her farm, looking out at her beloved orchard. The thought was gentle, pulled up from her memory by a sound like a helping hoof. She couldn’t help but smile.

Beside her, Granny had a tear roll down her cheek as she was looking more content with the world than Applejack had ever seen.

Twilight had taken a few hesitant steps back toward the audience, only for her to freeze.

Two red eyes were in the shadows beyond the clearing. Despite the light, a shadow was being cast into the clearing, creeping along the ground in an impossible manner as if to stubbornly defy the encompassing luminosity. The heavenly music ceased and the lights ceased their movement, and at once the collective calm that had settled on the audience was shattered..

Those that were nearest this unbeckoned darkness scrambled to get away from it, and those that weren’t tried to get even further. Despite yelps and gasps of fear, nopony seemed capable of screaming or crying out.

For Applejack, it seemed to happen all at once. The ponies had flowed like water away from this shadow, shunning it as if knowing something it was something not to be trifled with. Poor Twilight seemed frozen as it edged toward her.

The eyes in the woods moved down into the undergrowth, flowing like leaves down a dark river within the shadow until they sat glaring up at the prostrating princess.

Fearful whispers were hushed as the pitch black outline on the ground began to change shape. It was like something was being pushed up out the darkest depths of the world, and while the ponies around her watched on with dreadful curiosity, Applejack knew exactly what this was.

The Black Goat.

The red eyes never left Twilight as they moved up with the rising blackness as it took shape. It was abstract at first, a rough outline that slowly flowed into the broad withered form of a truly massive and imposing goat. Its horns were massive curls of black, and it snorted down at Twilight with contempt.

The bells of Twilight’s costume were jingling slightly, as she was unable to stop herself from shivering under those blazing eyes. It took a step forward, a heavy thud on the grass that suggested he was not only real, but was much, much heavier than he looked.

Twilight could only watch helplessly as it approached her, and while Applejack wanted to rush to her friend’s side, the ponies that were trying to keep away from this specter had pinned her in. She couldn’t see her other friends, and wondered if they were having similar problems.

The bone-shaking bellow and the way this twisted apparition had rushed toward her that first time still felt fresh in Twilight’s mind. Now it stalked toward her on inky black hooves, making no sound as it loomed tall above her. Its antlers seemed to claw at the moonlit sky as it finally came to a halt before her.

The ponies outside the circle could only stare on with apprehension, as yet another fearful specter had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The Mari-Lywd had been far more terrifying, but talk of this cervine spirit had been brewing for several days. Ponies began to huddle closer to friends and loved ones, ready to flee if it came bellowing at them like it had Applejack and princess Twilight.

Instead of a bray or inequine howl, the Black Goat raised his foreleg in a painfully slow motion. Despite its appendage being nothing but a mere silhouette, it nevertheless projected an unearthly strength that Twilight could feel on some instinctual level.

The raising of this dark, cloven hoof at last terminated as the Black Goat was pointing it directly in Twilight’s face. Beyond it, Twilight could see only the cervine-shaped void and those red, glowering eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as mind reeled as she struggled to understand what it wanted or meant to imply.

No words came from the apparition as it slowly reached toward Twilight, its expression unchanged. Fear compelled Twilight to clench her eyes shut. Should she run? A teleport spell could be simple for her, but that would risk angering the specter and there were so many ponies present. Was this an accusatory gesture, was it about to censure her for a poor performance? Perhaps she should have focused on a theme of the seasons rather than the four cardinal directions? Perhaps she should have spoken in Old Equestrian?

Twilight’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she felt something pinch her nose.

Her eyes shot open, and there on the tip of her snout was that black hoof.

The Goat leaned in, and from its smiling mouth came two quick honks like that of a playful goose.

The fortress of questions and assumptions Twilight had just constructed came crashing down like one of Spike's soufflés. Fearful examination jarringly transformed to confused wonder.

The Black Goat offered no answers as it retracted its hoof and turned from the conductor of the ceremony. With no effort whatsoever it leaped onto the altar stone and raised its head and seemed to draw itself up as if taking a breath.

Twilight liked to think she was used to this. Her books had prepared her for some of the impossible things that she had come across in her adventures. They had made the world a little smaller. Yet coming to this seemingly run down, unimportant town had made her feel as if the world truly had more mysteries than any of her books could offer.

And what came from the lungs of that ebony goat made her legs feel like jelly, and her heart weep in joy.

Nothing compared to the sound. It was as if the Goat was singing with dozens, maybe a hundred voices. A choir of one, singing in such harmony, tone, and volume that it seemed to unlock a hidden place deep within her soul where a need she never knew she had was finally being satisfied.

If she had to put a word to it, she would have said the goat sang with the true meaning of beauty. Not the superficial meaning of the world, but of a deep fundamental goodness that made all other concerns and fears drop away.

The song, if that was indeed what it was, ended far too soon. Twilight felt an eternity would have been too short listening to it, yet it did. A wetness on her cheek called her attention, and a touch of her face revealed she had been crying.

The ponies in the audience were similarly coming back down to earth, tears on cheeks and mouths agape as they tried to process what they had just experienced.

A look back at the goat showed a change in its appearance. It still stood on the altar stone, yet veins of gold streaked across its black hide like the fractures in a cracked egg. As if it was a dog shaking water out of its coat, the goat shook and the ritual site was bathed in light.

Standing where the black goat had been was not a goat but a proud stag. Its head held high, its antlers tall with all the regalness of a king’s crown. Where the Goat had been dark and black, the stag was like golden sunlight. It radiated a glow like a living star, casting shadows that the Standing Stones cast out into the forest.

The stag looked around at the ponies in attendance, seeming to acknowledge their presence for the first time. When it looked back to Twilight it gave a slow but regal bow of its head before turning and bounding into the undergrowth, easily passing over the heads of the onlookers. Its glow was visible while it wasn’t, and almost like the passing of a dream it was gone.

The spirit lights that had danced above the ritual site had vanished, leaving only the moon and the candles to keep the night at bay. When exactly they had vanished, Twilight could not say.

With the awe of the stag’s cry ebbing away, Twilight got to her hooves. This was now the second time that night that she’d been face to face with a ghost that inspired amazement. For a sleepy little town that was falling apart, it was proving to be worth all the effort she and her friends had put into this trip.

With her dance now thoroughly over, Twilight levitated the bell and rang it four times.

“Ladies and gentlecolts, thank you for coming,” Twilight said, “I… don’t know how to follow something like that up but… I think its time we all went home.”

---

“After some, er… improvised use of the probe to loosen the material, irrigation is going well. Cecum walls are pink and healthy, and it is already trying to return to its normal size. Will proceed with proper closing procedure once the blockage is fully removed.”

---
To be continued…
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Author's Note:

Twilight's song is Dacw 'Nghariad performed by Eve Goodman. Translated to english from Welsh:
There is my sweetheart
There is my sweetheart down in the orchard,
Oh how I wish I were there myself,
There is the house and there is the barn;
There is the door of the cow house open.

There is the gallant, branching oak,
A vision, lovingly crowned.
I will wait in her shade
Until my love comes to meet me.

There is the harp, there are her strings;
What better am I, without anyone to play her for?
There’s the delicate fair one, exquisite and full of life;
What nearer am I, without having her attention?

Edited by no one. I expect there to be spelling errors and goof ups.

Comments

[hyperiumon]

11773101
Def would be hilarious but I'm like 5 chapters behind and It's on the list for a reread but as far as I know it's confirmed by Celestia and Luna that other than discord, there is no spirits in hollow sands, no fall or winter or summer nor spring anything unfortunately.

I've already said this but itd being fucking cool as hell if the spirits never existed but through him telling stories and making ponies believe in them, he somewhat creates them by proxy. Be allot more interesting than what's actually happening with them in the story imo.

[Venerable Ro]

What a lovely performance, by all involved. Sable and gold and the Twilight betwixt them. I think yon princess will remember this night for a very long time.

Also, honorable mention to the invariably distressing buisness of intestinal surgery, there's no way to make that gig sound appealing. Even without the nearly literally terminal constipation.

[Asheram]

Gods above and below, I was so certain for a moment that she had called up gods-dammned Grogar.

[The Illusive Man]

Always awesome to get an update on Lord Barleycorn!

Things are looking up all around for the crew, thank goodness. I’m split between wanting to know more exactly about what is happening or never receiving more info or explanation at all, I don’t want to loose the mystery of it all!

[ToMahkAros]

Amazing job once again!

[WanderingPony]

One of the few stories I visit for these days. It doesn't disappoint.

[Solid Punch]

[Holydude]

Very fine work there sir!
I am always moved when I see this wonderful story update. I hope as always that you are doing better dear author and that luck itself favors you greatly

[Morphy]

Two nose honks for ya Twilight, you and your friends did good in restoring glory to the nearly forgotten Forest Spirit.

...now to find out how the little foal is doing back in town.

And I just noticed, there wasn't a single mention of the scarecrow, Mr.Barley, heh. Such an engrossing chapter!

[Wolfwaffe]

Is worth the wait.

[darklight731]

Lil` mistake here:

Traveling in the Everfree at night ran contrary to what everypony was taught as foals. The forest was not a place to be wandering about for fear of getting lost or worse. Yet, the soft jingle of the bells on the young princess’s costume seemed to dispel the usual dread the empty, cloying branches evoked on these dark nights.

Dear God, this is truly beautiful. I love and adore your writing, and hope that you are doing well.

[Tape Deck]

Oh man. An excellent update this was.

---

The Welsh song and the choir chant fit perfectly in the scenes you put them in.

The way you have with incorporating music into your story has it give off a vibe that is completely unique amongst the sea of fics on this site.

---

The reveal that the black goat was really a deer was very interesting.

---

This story's got it all: a wonderful HiE setup, decent mane 6 involvement, OCs that have actual character, excellent worldbuilding, the music I already spoke of, and of course Carrot Top.

Best pony. This story played a big part in that designation.

[Advent Link]

A splendid chapter, bravo.

[Maramanasa]

Ya know it's rare that the supernatural in any media even remembers the beauty of nature. It's always the horror of the void or things lurking in the shadow but the scene on the lights and what truly lies under. The spiritd music specially added quite a wonderful feeling to the scene as well.

Twilights dance and the feeling of the laungauge being unknown to me made me think of
Niers Song of Ancients. With her dancing and singing to the beats not knowing but just feeling the music.

[dartagnan401]

This was really well done. i keep getting introduced to new music and folk stuff by this story. I like how Twilight really tried to nail the performance, the song you linked even sounds a bit like her.

[sjo3989]

Thanks for the update, I really enjoyed it 😀

[Alondro]

11914051 One would expect the spirits would be far more in touch with nature than with the artificial.

You do see much more supernatural-nature connections in manga. But that's due to the culture. The Japanese mythos has spirits based on EVERYTHING, and they have always had strong connections to the natural world.

[Boldish42]

So happy to see this again!

[Alondro]

11913883 And now my agents will cut off the head of the Forest Spirit and I'll use it to become immortal! >:D (That time Alondro was the unseen Emperor from "Princess Mononoke"....)

[Morphy]

11915283

And that idea went over soooo well too.

[Alondro]

11915613 To be fair, we don't know if it would have worked.... BUT THIS TIME I'LL FIND OUT!! (Charges into the Everfree with a nichirin zanpaktou slicey-dicey thingey.)

[Zanec]

Traveling in the Everfree at night ran contrary to everypony was taught as foals.

"Contrary to what everypony" probably?

that only two listing rock still managed to give the site’s name

May need an 's' like 'sus' :D

She couldn’t place its source, or even what it had just been her imagination.

Not quite sure what you meant here!

Cecumn is pink and healthy

Guess the cecum got another appendix ;P

[Blue Cultist]

11917885
think I fixed them all.
I really sped through the editing process to give you guys a long overdue chapter, so its no shock I missed these.

[Zanec]

11918072
No worries! It's all part and parcel after all!

[catfood]

thank you so much for the chapter. it's great! hope you're well.

[redmar]

This was an interesting chapter and it seems that Twilight has finished the ritual she had to perform. I hope we won't have to wait too long to see the results of the operation.

[TheronActs]

Ill timber old by disuse
Trickling streams, hardened dirt
Unlaw for presence, came it went
befriended, worry rescind
Seen words, looks
View spread, attention ushered
for, against attracted
Doubt little, belief
Tested was, few deny
Hurt it were, worry it aid
Terror wary, awe prevails.
A story of mystery and wonder, for towards good with hints of misconceptions relay a message that with, or without. Neigh neither matter, for intent change with flow, flow was change. Changed was he, to aid a promise that came from disbelief to wonder, and resolution. Rest or think, either readers could abject a story written, told. Shouldn't capable were us to force, for it is you who could define publish.
Good evening, Blue Cultist.
It is an enjoyable read.